Current suggestions, probably in order of reading:
1)The entire Steven Brust Jhereg series.
2) The sequels to Dream Park, The Barsoom Project and California Voodoo Game.
3)The series by James Alan Gardner, starting with Expendable, currently ending with Trapped, not necessarily including Committment Hour.
That should do for a start.
Update: oh yeah, David Brin's Uplift series, not necessarily including Sundiver, plus at least The Practice Effect.
Could be interesting.
Dang! No recorded gay elf sex. Bummer.
Hat tip: llamaman.
To: Dark Cabal working on the next evolution of humanity
From: ME
While you're working on the super-smart, super-strong, super-sexy human, don't forget to make it possible for human adults to grow new teeth. Sharks can do it, why can't we? Sure, teething's a pain, but so is life.
I forgot my actual numbers, but my adjusted score was 845, making me a level4 ubergeek.
I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing.
[I've had some problems posting this. Hopefully sorted out now.]
Anyone know anything about installing laminate flooring?
Tried to post this on TexasBestGrok, but couldn't due to problems with screen size [don't ask].
So, here, commenting on his 80's Playlists:
I thought of some others while driving to my parents, but now I'm not sure which playlist to add them to.
Asia, maybe Don't CryJethro Tull, The Broadsword and the Beast
Heresy, but it was in the 80's:Emerson, Lake, and Powell, Touch and Go [I think it's the name]
2 problems for me: [1] I can never remember names (songs, actors, whatever, who cares?) [2] I never saw Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
In spite of that, though, I think I can answer 3, I can visualize a couple of others even if I don't know the names, and I know the bonus question on 12.
I don't know about 39. The first movie [not The Road Warrior] [which by the way was the first or second R rated movie I ever saw] I think said it was due to an oil collapse.
It seems like the male model's version of Tough Enough, the MTV WWF get a contract with the WWF reality show from a couple of years back. The "we'll show you being a model isn't just fun and games" kind of thing. It worked somewhat on Tough Enough, because they were doing things you would actually do in the wrestling biz. Jumping out of a plane in underwear and having a photoshoot 5 minutes after being woken up at 2:30 AM are more problematic.
And yeah, there's eye candy, but they're all twinks - young, thin, somewhat muscular but not too much, no body hair, no facial hair. Not my favorite.
And the guy with "good eyes" - they're noticeable because they're set farther apart than normal.
Bleh.
I've got to go back to my parents' this weekend. I have no desire to do so.
Bleh.
Some of my friends may be moving within the next year, leaving me no really close friends in the area.
Bleh.
Watched maybe 3 minutes of the debate.
Double bleh.
On the other hand, I had a really tasty lunch. :)
and
Reading both articles, I feel much sadder about Ken Caminiti. Christopher Reeve had a tragic accident while doing something he wanted to do. In spite of an injury that would have killed him in another time, and a disability that is about as complete as it gets, he was able to continue to live, work, and be a political advocate. The newspaper says "In the last week Reeve had developed a serious systemic infection from a pressure wound, a common complication for people living with paralysis." What it doesn't say is how it developed and how it got so serious.
Ken Caminiti, on the other hand, seems to have had a significant substance abuse problem. He got out of prison last Tuesday. The smart money would be on he had been on a huge binge since then, with a heart attack likely from cocaine.
There's got to be a better way.
From my standpoint, there are 3 groups I have concerns about knowing I blog: family, some friends, and people I would come into professional contact with. I have been writing as if my family will eventually read all of this, following the ethical plan of never do anything you wouldn't want to be on the front page of the newspaper. They might be shocked, they might be offended at my use of 4 letter words, but they wouldn't be horrified [I hope]. Several old friends know that John has a blog, and they might end up finding me through him. Not a problem, although I haven't been trumpeting this blog either. A certain couple I know have significant concerns with any of their private information getting on the internet, so I have been careful not to talk about them and have specifically not mentioned this to them.
With other people, in the future I can easily imagine people reading this would lead to complications. For example, I had come out to several people at work, but that didn't seem to be spreading as a rumor. Coming out as a Bush and War on Terror supporter might have been more problematic. With clients, it gets even messier.
So. Basically, I'm trying to be a little bit open, which is sort of like being a little bit pregnant.
Didn't think so.
From A Small Victory.
Spittake inducing political film here, cool scifi fishing expedition here.
The Jawa Report makes the case for nuking Mecca proactively:
Today we are told by Muslims that the true meaning of jihad is internal struggle. Unfortunately, the actions of too many Muslims shows that they believe jihad means armed struggle against the infidels. Destroying Mecca may have the long-term affect of convincing radical Muslims that Allah really doesn't want sharia law around the world. That all that stuff about killing the infidels in the Quran--that's all metaphor.
Silent Running describes what he wants in order to avoid having a US city nuked:
4) I want a President who will outline what sort of victory we require, and what we will need to do to achieve it. And then I want him to do whatever is needed to achive it, and if anyone feels like sabotaging it in any way because it offends their delicate post-modernist sensibilities I want him to personally sign their execution warrants. Think I'm extreme? Take a look at how Abraham Lincoln tossed the constitution into the shredder for the duration of the Civil War and then tell me I'm extreme. He suspended free speech and had people who encouraged young men not to enlist shot, and he was right to do it.
This is not a game. We are not playing. The survival of human civilisation is at stake here. This isn't a war like all the others though. It will be fought militarily, economically, politically, culturally, ideologically and most important of all, religiously. A front in this war can be a jungle encampment in the southern Philippines, an airliner in the skies of Europe, a skyscraper in Sydney, a crowded market in Yemen, a synagogue in Haifa, a TV channel in Dubai, an internet chatroom in cyberspace...almost any setting in fact. The combatants are you and me.
From my standpoint, I don't think an American city being nuked would destroy human civilization. It would be bad. It would probably lead to retalitory strikes, the US economy being put on a war footing like we had for WWII, and police action the likes of which people who think their speech is being suppressed now can't imagine, but not the end of human civilization.
On the other hand, I think it would be possible for biologic agents and maybe chemical agents to lead to the end of human civilization. And I think the terrorists are fanatical enough to use them. And I think when it comes down to him or me, I choose me.
Hmm. Makes me want to write scifi describing a world in which the jihadiis win.
Enough. Time to kick demon butt.
Update: also see, of course, Deterence.
Funny how jokes that were amusing when you were in high school just seem stupid now.
Ok, this gets messy.
1) What music my parents played in the house was usually done so for a specific reason. For example, Christmas music in December. Including the cringe inducing Chipmunks Christmas album. The only pop album I know they had was Bridge over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel.
Hmm. Googled to make sure I had the name right. Lyrics here. WTF? Is it just me, or is the meaning of the song "If you're feeling bad, I'll have sex with you."
2) The music I have permanently stuck in memory is Suzuki Violin music my sister played. To this day when I hear Twinkle Twinkle little star I instantly hear sung :A A E E 1 1 3, ... These are the fingerings necessary to play it.
3) Fortunately, my parents abhor country and western music.
4) Some pop songs bring back specific memories: throwing a ball with Ken and Hit me with your Best Shot; Hotel California and an 8th grade dance; the soundtrack to Footloose. Nothing I can think of brings back much in the form of emotional memories.
5) After spending a fair amount of time learning classical music and going to concerts at various symphonies, most classical music for me induces [or at least aids] a meditative state. Basically, I zone out. This is not conducive to enjoying the music itself.
Maybe, maybe not.
My issues:
1) This kind of thing happens not infrequently. Yeah, it's bad but it's not unique.
2) If the infant was only one day old, did the mother deliver in a hospital? Did she know she was pregnant before she delivered?
3) While I want someone likely to be a serial killer either killed or locked away forever, I suspect this person is unlikely to do something like this again.
This may not be the silliest example of someone in prison, but I don't think the punishment fits the crime.
I knew there was something not quite right with Andrew Sullivan.
Hattip:Llamabutchers.
Unfortunately, if he was working on Antimatter Weapons , he couldn't tell me.
So, being an ignorant civilian, and trying to figure out what this actually means, I ran into ranks in a galaxy far, far away.
The world may never know.
Update: while we're at it, add this post from PrestoPundit.
1) Ok, this guy just told me not to rush off and have kids. I'm 37 years old, how old do I have to be?
2) This person just introduced herself as the mother of the lady my mother is trying to set me up on a date with. I am willing to bet any amount my mom hasn't tried that in at least a year.
3) People watching at a bar: ok, are the 2 40ish guys, not drinking Miller, one wearing a Tommy Hillfinger shirt a couple? What about the guy wearing a cutoff black shirt and earrings?
Whee.
So, slightly irritated because:
1) using dialup sucks
2) puttering around and I don't know what I want to do
Time to go kill something in Fallout:Tactics.
Kerry was slicker, Bush made better points.
Allah has the ultimate roundup.