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click my eggggggg!
Nov. 30th, 2009 12:35 pm
I caved in and got a dragon egg from this Dragon Cave thing. Now it won't hatch unless people click on it.
...get it? "Caved"?
Click the egg or I will make more bad puns!
(afaik, they just want more hits for their site so they get more ad money to keep the free dragon game going, that's why you have to click on the egg)
Writer's Block: Book worms unite!
Nov. 28th, 2009 09:26 pm[Error: unknown template qotd]Just off the top of my head and in no particular order:
- Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
- The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins (it doesn't say they all have to be novels!)
- and just because I turned around thinking about what the third one should be and spotted it on my shelf, and it's a book that I love and have read several times: Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.
If I thought about books I'd read less recently, I'd probably expand the list to include some classics. I did love Catcher in the Rye and The Great Gatsby. Which is funny because I often see both of those on people's worst books lists.
As for the three worst, I don't read crap like Twilight or The Da Vinci Code and I can't include books I haven't actually read. Two that immediately come to mind are:
- A Farewell to Arms. I do not care for Hemingway.
- Prey by Michael Crichton. I see there's a new one now, published posthumously, about pirates. I'm torn - pirates are awesome but Prey was execrable and State of Fear was all about global warming being a hoax by scientists to get more grant money so I didn't even bother to read that one. But Timeline was one of his best! I'll wait until I see some reviews.
And for the third one...
- it's a short story but I'm going to count it - Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut of all people! He's one of my favorite authors! If I'd turned around and spotted Breakfast of Champions or Slaughterhouse Five on my shelf, I'd probably have put those on the good list! (They're on the shelf downstairs - I never really sorted my books after I moved). Anyway, I first read it in 8th grade English class and wrote a scathing essay about the sexism in the story. On the other hand, it's possible I misinterpreted, if this article is correct. I need to re-read the story.
- Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
- The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins (it doesn't say they all have to be novels!)
- and just because I turned around thinking about what the third one should be and spotted it on my shelf, and it's a book that I love and have read several times: Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.
If I thought about books I'd read less recently, I'd probably expand the list to include some classics. I did love Catcher in the Rye and The Great Gatsby. Which is funny because I often see both of those on people's worst books lists.
As for the three worst, I don't read crap like Twilight or The Da Vinci Code and I can't include books I haven't actually read. Two that immediately come to mind are:
- A Farewell to Arms. I do not care for Hemingway.
- Prey by Michael Crichton. I see there's a new one now, published posthumously, about pirates. I'm torn - pirates are awesome but Prey was execrable and State of Fear was all about global warming being a hoax by scientists to get more grant money so I didn't even bother to read that one. But Timeline was one of his best! I'll wait until I see some reviews.
And for the third one...
- it's a short story but I'm going to count it - Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut of all people! He's one of my favorite authors! If I'd turned around and spotted Breakfast of Champions or Slaughterhouse Five on my shelf, I'd probably have put those on the good list! (They're on the shelf downstairs - I never really sorted my books after I moved). Anyway, I first read it in 8th grade English class and wrote a scathing essay about the sexism in the story. On the other hand, it's possible I misinterpreted, if this article is correct. I need to re-read the story.
Click here for the MASTER POST to see previous chapters.
Thanksgiving at the Petrelli house!
Sylar: "OM NOM NOM"
( Read more... )
Click here for the next part: Christmas!
Thanksgiving at the Petrelli house!
Sylar: "OM NOM NOM"
( Read more... )
food post!
Nov. 24th, 2009 12:46 pmIn honor of the Heroes Thanksgiving episode, I made two pies for dinner! One of which doesn't have a crust so I don't know why it even counts as a pie but whatever.
Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie
The leftovers of which I am eating for lunch right now! This makes about 3 servings.
( Read more... )
******************************
WTF Sweet Potato Pie
This one was more messed up than even my usual recipes but it turned out really nice.
( Read more... )
Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie
The leftovers of which I am eating for lunch right now! This makes about 3 servings.
( Read more... )
******************************
WTF Sweet Potato Pie
This one was more messed up than even my usual recipes but it turned out really nice.
( Read more... )
thank you, Pandagon!
Nov. 22nd, 2009 03:48 pmAfter seeing a lot of negative reactions (like this post on Feministing Community) to the recent news that most people should start having mammograms at 50 rather than 40, I was just going to stay the hell out of it but here's a post by Amanda Marcotte that gives me hope.
Mammograms use x-rays! X-rays can cause mutations which in turn can cause cancer! The less exposure we have to x-rays the better. This finding that mammograms aren't a good idea for younger women is fantastic news! I hate how the pink ribbon brigade has convinced so many people that getting a mammogram is a feminist act. It's not.
Mammograms use x-rays! X-rays can cause mutations which in turn can cause cancer! The less exposure we have to x-rays the better. This finding that mammograms aren't a good idea for younger women is fantastic news! I hate how the pink ribbon brigade has convinced so many people that getting a mammogram is a feminist act. It's not.
Writer's Block: Book review
Nov. 18th, 2009 01:14 pm[Error: unknown template qotd]WHAT? No! If a teenager wants to read freakin' Mein Kampf, let them. Suppression of information is never a good thing. The point is the schools need to teach students critical thinking skills; problems are caused by people believing everything they read, not the books themselves.
ETA: though after reading other people's posts, I'm open to the idea of making an exception for Twilight >;)
ETA: though after reading other people's posts, I'm open to the idea of making an exception for Twilight >;)
holy crap, it's Timothy Dalton!
Nov. 13th, 2009 08:56 pmI finally saw Hot Fuzz. It was even better than I expected. ( possible spoilers )
Writer's Block: If these walls could talk
Nov. 12th, 2009 01:41 pm[Error: unknown template qotd]Pfff. Yes. As long as they cleaned up all the blood. And it wasn't a case of a serial killer targeting everyone who rented that house. That would be a dealbreaker.
In honor of this and many other silly Writer's Block questions, I have created a new tag: paranormal crap.
ETA: I read the latest answers and all the ones that weren't in Russian (I can't read Russian) said it wouldn't qualify as their dream house if it weren't haunted. LOL. It's funny how so often the writer of the prompt assumes everyone will give the same answer.
In honor of this and many other silly Writer's Block questions, I have created a new tag: paranormal crap.
ETA: I read the latest answers and all the ones that weren't in Russian (I can't read Russian) said it wouldn't qualify as their dream house if it weren't haunted. LOL. It's funny how so often the writer of the prompt assumes everyone will give the same answer.
homophobia pisses me off
Nov. 12th, 2009 09:47 amFinally a post where angry!Sylar icon is appropriate!
So Zach Quinto is tentatively attached to a "romantic dramedy" indie film and a shitload of fans are reacting like "LOL, I hope he seduces the son instead! I couldn't imagine him in a straight role! Because he's so incredibly gay!"
Like here:
http://community.livejournal.com/ontd_startrek/949249.html
If he is in fact gay, it's exactly this kind of shit that prevents him from being 100% out to the public. That is why gay actors have to "not talk about their personal lives," because straight assholes think gay actors can only play gay roles!
He has already been completely believable in two straight roles: Sylar and Spock! They're both straight! How could anyone not see that?
"I wouldn't find him believable in a straight role" isn't cute. It's not just because you're a slash fan. It's homophobic and it sucks. Do we think he's actually a superpowered serial killer IRL? And simultaneously an alien scientist? An actor doesn't have to have any traits in common with their character (OK, except physical appearance), that's the whole point!
It would be great if there were more movies where the main character is gay. But for the sake of his career, he needs to play a straight romantic lead - WHICH HE WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO IF EVERYONE WEREN'T REACTING THE WAY THEY ARE.
Someone cool in the ontd_startrek thread made the excellent point that straight actors are allowed to play gay roles, like Sean Penn and Heath Ledger. What it comes down to is straight people are seen as multifaceted, being straight is just one part of their whole identity. But society sees gay people as being defined by their orientation. They can't be anything else, they're just A Gay. That's why people think gay characters are inappropriate for children's books/movies, because knowing that a gay person exists makes people think about weird freaky sex, because in their minds that's all we're about. We're one-dimensional, we don't get to be seen as whole people.
And that is why I am pissed off today by well-meaning but clueless straight people.
So Zach Quinto is tentatively attached to a "romantic dramedy" indie film and a shitload of fans are reacting like "LOL, I hope he seduces the son instead! I couldn't imagine him in a straight role! Because he's so incredibly gay!"
Like here:
http://community.livejournal.com/ontd_startrek/949249.html
If he is in fact gay, it's exactly this kind of shit that prevents him from being 100% out to the public. That is why gay actors have to "not talk about their personal lives," because straight assholes think gay actors can only play gay roles!
He has already been completely believable in two straight roles: Sylar and Spock! They're both straight! How could anyone not see that?
"I wouldn't find him believable in a straight role" isn't cute. It's not just because you're a slash fan. It's homophobic and it sucks. Do we think he's actually a superpowered serial killer IRL? And simultaneously an alien scientist? An actor doesn't have to have any traits in common with their character (OK, except physical appearance), that's the whole point!
It would be great if there were more movies where the main character is gay. But for the sake of his career, he needs to play a straight romantic lead - WHICH HE WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO IF EVERYONE WEREN'T REACTING THE WAY THEY ARE.
Someone cool in the ontd_startrek thread made the excellent point that straight actors are allowed to play gay roles, like Sean Penn and Heath Ledger. What it comes down to is straight people are seen as multifaceted, being straight is just one part of their whole identity. But society sees gay people as being defined by their orientation. They can't be anything else, they're just A Gay. That's why people think gay characters are inappropriate for children's books/movies, because knowing that a gay person exists makes people think about weird freaky sex, because in their minds that's all we're about. We're one-dimensional, we don't get to be seen as whole people.
And that is why I am pissed off today by well-meaning but clueless straight people.
Sylinder: The Sitcom Volume 2 Chapter 2!
Oct. 30th, 2009 02:18 pmClick here for the MASTER POST to see previous chapters.
Sylar continues to act all weird and nice. One day, as Mohinder comes home from work...
Mohinder: "Sy- uh, Gabriel? What are you doing?"
( Read more... )
Sylar continues to act all weird and nice. One day, as Mohinder comes home from work...
Mohinder: "Sy- uh, Gabriel? What are you doing?"
( Read more... )
Awesome news
Oct. 29th, 2009 10:57 amThe public option is still on the table:
http://pandagon.net/index.php/site/comments/house_bill_released/
The bit in the latter half of the post about Representative Stupak and others objecting to their tax dollars paying for abortion made me think: not that it's the same thing but my tax dollars pay for executions. The way to fix that is push for specific reforms, not demand that my tax dollars not pay for anything related in any way to the criminal justice system.
http://pandagon.net/index.php/site/comments/house_bill_released/
The bit in the latter half of the post about Representative Stupak and others objecting to their tax dollars paying for abortion made me think: not that it's the same thing but my tax dollars pay for executions. The way to fix that is push for specific reforms, not demand that my tax dollars not pay for anything related in any way to the criminal justice system.
Maaaan, Kristen Bell used to be cool
Oct. 26th, 2009 05:01 pmBut lately she's just been in one crappy, sexist rom-com after another.
This never would have happened if they hadn't killed off Elle on Heroes.
ETA: You know what bugs me about the Shakesville comments, though? When Zach Quinto was in a short film (Hostage: a Love Story) in which the central joke was about domestic violence, everyone piled on like the sexism was entirely and solely his fault, like nobody else was involved in making the film. And some people blamed his presumed orientation for his alleged misogyny, which is not-cool on so many levels.
Conversely, when there's more than one famous person (some of them women) involved in this film where the central joke is about domestic violence and there are a bunch of other sexist stereotypes on top of that, the reaction is not to act as if it was all their idea and they wrote the script themselves, it's to say "why Kristen Bell, why?" the latter being a much more appropriate response.
This never would have happened if they hadn't killed off Elle on Heroes.
ETA: You know what bugs me about the Shakesville comments, though? When Zach Quinto was in a short film (Hostage: a Love Story) in which the central joke was about domestic violence, everyone piled on like the sexism was entirely and solely his fault, like nobody else was involved in making the film. And some people blamed his presumed orientation for his alleged misogyny, which is not-cool on so many levels.
Conversely, when there's more than one famous person (some of them women) involved in this film where the central joke is about domestic violence and there are a bunch of other sexist stereotypes on top of that, the reaction is not to act as if it was all their idea and they wrote the script themselves, it's to say "why Kristen Bell, why?" the latter being a much more appropriate response.
Al Franken is (still) my hero
Oct. 18th, 2009 09:10 pmAl Franken lays the smackdown on a lawyer for KBR.
Jon Stewart: "If to protect Halliburton, you have to side against rape victims, you might want to re-think your allegiances."
Jon Stewart: "If to protect Halliburton, you have to side against rape victims, you might want to re-think your allegiances."
this article makes me want to kill people
Oct. 13th, 2009 08:17 pmAs seen, and torn to shreds, on ontd_startrek:
WOMEN ARE RUINING SCIENCE FICTION WITH ALL THEIR EMOTIONS AND GIRL COOTIES
This post may be a little disjointed because I can only read a few sentences of the article at a time before exploding into another fit of apoplectic rage.
LOL he thought original Battlestar was better than new Battlestar? (I confess I've seen neither but I thought the consensus among fans was that the new one was pretty awesome.) And he thinks it's significant that the asshole who played original Starbuck is pissed off that his character got gender-swapped? Yeah, if you want to know about how we're going to cultivate the next generation of scientists, ask that dude from The A-Team, he knows what's what.
Shows are allowed to have gay characters now?! It's the end of the fuckin' world!
Here's where it starts to get really bad:
Really? If you think there are absolutely no homoerotic undertones to Kirk and Spock's relationship then you have obviously neverseen even heard of the show and probably live in a cave.
Also: written primarily by women? Well, that automatically robs it of all legitimacy!
And nice job taking a stab at those fruity Brits! Everyone knows real men decide to be born in the United States!
But this is the part that just shits me to tears:
Right. Because if boys don't want to do science then IT WILL BE THE END OF SCIENCE BECAUSE THERE IS NO POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE. I totally forgot that scientists are, by definition, male.
...you know, I could make a sarcastic remark at this point along the lines of "HOLY SHIT WHERE DID MY PENIS GO?" but my heart's just not in it. I'm so sick of this bullshit.
WOMEN ARE RUINING SCIENCE FICTION WITH ALL THEIR EMOTIONS AND GIRL COOTIES
This post may be a little disjointed because I can only read a few sentences of the article at a time before exploding into another fit of apoplectic rage.
LOL he thought original Battlestar was better than new Battlestar? (I confess I've seen neither but I thought the consensus among fans was that the new one was pretty awesome.) And he thinks it's significant that the asshole who played original Starbuck is pissed off that his character got gender-swapped? Yeah, if you want to know about how we're going to cultivate the next generation of scientists, ask that dude from The A-Team, he knows what's what.
Shows are allowed to have gay characters now?! It's the end of the fuckin' world!
Here's where it starts to get really bad:
Slash fiction is a form of fan fiction written primarily by women where characters in science fiction TV shows are gay and have homosexual relationships completely contrary to the established canon of the show [emphasis added]. The first slash fiction was about the original Star Trek series where women wrote stories about Kirk and Spock in a homosexual relationship.) Given that this is the BBC [Torchwood], all of this nonsense that alienates men for the benefit of women shouldn't be surprising.
Really? If you think there are absolutely no homoerotic undertones to Kirk and Spock's relationship then you have obviously never
Also: written primarily by women? Well, that automatically robs it of all legitimacy!
And nice job taking a stab at those fruity Brits! Everyone knows real men decide to be born in the United States!
But this is the part that just shits me to tears:
As we know science fiction has inspired boys to pursue careers in science, engineering, and technology as men. With women killing science fiction on television, the current generation of boys won’t have this opportunity to be inspired to work in these fields. There is still a great deal of written science fiction that is real science fiction so all is not lost. However, many boys who would have gone on to make scientific discoveries and invent new technologies will not do so since they will never be inspired by science fiction as boys.
Right. Because if boys don't want to do science then IT WILL BE THE END OF SCIENCE BECAUSE THERE IS NO POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE. I totally forgot that scientists are, by definition, male.
...you know, I could make a sarcastic remark at this point along the lines of "HOLY SHIT WHERE DID MY PENIS GO?" but my heart's just not in it. I'm so sick of this bullshit.
Unseen Academicals!
Oct. 11th, 2009 08:04 pmThe next Discworld book! It's here! I went to Borders Friday to indulge myself in a new copy of one of my witches books since I lost them in the move (I got the Tiffany Aching books after I moved so I still have those, luckily) BUT instead I saw right on the front table Unseen Academicals! I loved it.
( SPOILERS )
( SPOILERS )
