|
Thursday, November 12th, 2009
(comment on this)
(comment on this) Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
ideasasopiates
|
10:50p
09111102 ~ 100 Sexy Men in 1 Minute
can anyone on my flist (or maybe, even, their flist) save this video clip for me:
pretty mens.
i would be eternally indebted.
thank you.
♥
p.s. the first time i watched it, i had to sit through the commercial in the beginning. the second time, not. either way, i'll take the video ~ advert or no.
current mood: *slurp*
current music: try a little tenderness ~ otis redding
|
(3 comments | comment on this) Thursday, November 12th, 2009
ajaxstamos
|
12:00a
Sacrificium
I've been listening to
music composed for -
Castrati.
Beautiful
music.
Being sung by
this chick -
Cecilia Bartoli.
And, not by an
actual castrato.
*
Sometimes in art one has to
make the ultimate sacrifice.
*
Castrati.
Ouch.
Makes you wanna cup
your nads, doesn't it?
*
If you want to get closer to
the sound of the castrati?
You're gonna need
a male soprano.
*
Beauty.
Cruelty.
With castrati it's
a two for one.
|
(comment on this)
legalmoose
|
12:04a
Ida/Family/Reinvesting
I'm currently sitting in my parents' motor home, listening to the remnants of Hurricane Ida blowing past. Every now and again a particularly strong blast of wind manages to shake the coach back and forth. Reminds me of a camping trip we took when I was little and we had to flee into the vehicle we'd driven up in because the tent was literally about to be blown over by the wind that night. That's not a concern here, obviously, but it is a bit disconcerting when your "home" rocks with the wind.
Completely forgot to bring any snacks, or Adult Tang, so I think I'll be shopping tomorrow rather than this weekend. While I'm out in the wilds of Virginia I find it a good opportunity to hit stores I wouldn't normally get to, or get things that it's easier to haul home in the car rather than attempt to carry home via the Metro. If I can get out, that is. There's more than a bit of flooding going on here, which made the drive down interesting once the sun set.
I got to spend the past two weekends with Mike - I went up for Halloween in Salem with him, and then he came down this past weekend for Code and a visit. We continue to talk nightly, and haven't managed to run out of things to talk about. I head back up in early December to see him next, and visit Provincetown for the first time.
I'm thinking of taking a CPR course in late December. It would be good to know just in general, and also for my continuing work with our New Triathlete Program with my tri club. I'm trying to get myself back into "triathlon" mode, picking up literature I need to go over both for NTP and for my own training, and reinvesting myself back into a training mode that I've been out of since September's race.
|
(comment on this) Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
vorpal
|
6:02p
Ethnic cuisines you dislike?
So... we've talked a lot about types of food that you like. Now how about what style of ethnic cuisines you dislike?
For me, I like nearly everything I've tried so far, but I have to say that Latin cuisines of all types don't do much for me and I don't find them very interesting, memorable, or exciting. Mexican in particular really doesn't turn me on. I suspect the same would be true of some European cuisines, but I haven't tried them often enough to know.
|
(38 comments | comment on this)
lj_maintenance
[ dwell ]
|
2:00p
Network Maintenance: Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 04:00-06:00 UTC/GMT
On Saturday the 14th at 4AM UTC/GMT we will be upgrading the operating system of our network load balancers to a newer version, one that will allow us to use both CPUs! Nifty, because multiprocessing is nice.
Since we have 2 load balancers, the plan is to upgrade 1 at a time, and there really should be very little impact to our website. Hopefully you won't notice a thing and I'll get to go back to the hotel and watch some wonderful late night infomercials.
We've got a lot of exciting projects coming up for 2010 and we're hoping that we'll be able to deliver them all to you, that you will find it useful/cool/lovely and then you will use the site even more. Behind-the-scenes work like this will give us the capacity to handle the anticipated traffic, so expect a few more maintenance windows especially in the beginning of next year as we've got some neat ideas to improve performance around here! We had the recent 30-45 minute outage yesterday due to one of our logging databases filling up disk space -- not so great design coupled with my human error in handling the initial problem -- and it looks like we're going to finally have some resources to eliminate stuff like that. I can't wait!
As usual, I will be updating status.livejournal.org before and after, just in case you are not able to reach our main website during the work.
|
(31 comments | comment on this)
(comment on this)
(1 comment | comment on this)
comicsfan
|
9:19a
MRIs For Everyone
After watching "Sick Around The World" on PBS' Frontline show last night, the horrendous battle to enact health care reform in the U.S. becomes even more baffling. The show followed Washington Post correspondent T.R. Reid (who speaks pretty decent Japanese, by the way) on a layman's journey around five other capitalist democracies--the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Taiwan and Switzerland--to compare and contrast their own universal health care systems.
The verdict? They all seem to work splendidly. Color me surprised.
No angry citizens storming their respective capitals, raving about government takeover. No socialist agendas. No death panels. No Sarah Palin (which isn't relevant, but is always a plus, regardless).
When health care reform takes hold here, and everyone has finally calmed the fuck down, someday we're going to look back at the idiocy we exhibited--the utter lunacy of fighting against health care for all U.S. citizens--and wonder just what the hell we were thinking. And I want to see one thing without fail: I want the fools who have allowed themselves to be whipped into a frenzy by the right-wing elements who have them wrapped around their little finger to INSIST on continuing to pay full price for their health care. Let's all not hold our breath waiting for that to happen, hmm?
Have a look at the show online. Reid covers all the bases, and gives a very objective and entertaining report.
current mood:  impressed
|
(2 comments | comment on this)
mai_neh
|
8:19a
book review -- Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right by Jennifer Burns
During my last year or two of high school I became a libertarian and began devouring the complete works of Ayn Rand. This conversion has never totally stuck; I voted Democrat in my first presidential election in 1988 at the age of 21. I continued to vote Democrat for the rest of my adult life, but for one defection to the Libertarian candidate in 2004 while living in DC (where Bush got single digits). Yet, this conversion has also never totally disappeared; I remain sympathetic to many libertarian principles, goals, and arguments.
Ayn Rand is not typically considered a great author by those who believe they are best suited to judge such things. But a massive Internet poll of the 100 best English novels since 1900, conducted by Random House in 1998, had her four novels taking 1st, 2nd, 7th, and 8th place -- with Atlas Shrugged at #1 and The Fountainhead at #2. So we know lots of early Internet adopters were Rand fans ;-)
This biography of Rand was especially gripping for somebody like me who enjoyed reading Rand as a youth, but who also has learned through the experiences of adult living that Rand's philosophy is an impossible and potentially harmful ideal. The book traces her life from childhood to deathbed, seemingly covering every important event and many unimportant but illuminating details. At the end I felt like I got to know Rand, understanding her personality and why she was driven to achieve her particular type of success.
The book was written by a historian, not a Rand fan, not an "Objectivist", so it seems to take a balanced view of her politics, philosophy, and personal relationships. It appears that Rand was a difficult person to befriend, that she took every political or philosophical difference personally. She had great feuds with those you might've thought would be her natural allies, and wrote people off unforgivingly for the smallest of perceived slights. Shortly before her death, she bitterly denounced Ronald Reagan, even though he was the most libertarian American president since perhaps the 1920s -- cutting marginal tax rates more than any president has ever done, and holding the line on government spending better than any modern president.
Despite her prickly personality, Rand's influence grew quickly via word-of-mouth and after publishing The Fountainhead she and her husband never had to work for a living again, due to continued high levels of book sales. Her principles may never have been applied as purely as she desired, but she was a primary influence behind the politics of Ronald Reagan and the economics of Alan Greenspan -- she may be the one person most responsible for the current troubles of our economy and our widespread reluctance to regulate industry or tax capital.
If you'd like to know more about Rand's life, ideas, relationships, and influence, this book is entertaining, interesting, fair, and comprehensive.
current mood:  awake
|
(1 comment | comment on this)
comicsfan
|
7:38a
Unlucky 7
Dear Microsoft:
I would sincerely like to know why, on a 64-bit system with 8Gb of memory, Windows 7 takes over twice as long to boot as Windows Vista.
Justin Long is looking hotter to me these days. You'd better shape up your sorry-ass OS.
Sincerely,
I've More Than Met You Halfway Here
current mood:  pissed off
|
(3 comments | comment on this)
(comment on this)
ajaxstamos
|
12:00a
[Holiday] Music
Music for Veterans Day.
The Marines Hymn.
Always
works.
Or perhaps this will
put you in the mood.
It's appropriately
military themed.
And, on the subject of
military themed things
I got this comment
to yesterday's post.
*
Yes, that was Gay but watching the full video, I realize that if
that song and video were made this year it would be much more
explicit. The most risque line in that video was 'What would I do
on a submarine?' Nowadays the lines would be much more frank.
Also every man was very skinny by our standards. Not a single
muscular dude among them, including the construction dude.
Not a bear among them even.
*
It kind of makes you [me anyway] long for the days when
all you had to do was not eat and you could be hot.
You didn't have to put
up with this gym sh*t.
Now -
You've got to
have muscles.
Or as the Village People
so eloquently put it -
Be a macho,
macho man.
That muscle thing it's
a friggin' lot of work.
But today -
It's music, not muscle
that's on my mind.
Holiday music and not
the Veterans Day kind.
I'm talking The Holidays.
Christmas. New Years.
I want to put together
a playlist and maybe...
Just to make it an old
fashioned holiday.
I'll burn
a disc.
I'm pretty sure I want
this song on there -
And
Christmas Wrapping
by the Waitresses.
And Homo Christmas
by the Pansy Division.
And I'm thinking it
should end with -
New Year's Day
by U2.
And, maybe - something off
Pope Benedict's new album.
[Why do they still
call them albums?]
Somewhere
in the mix.
Other than that, I'm
open to suggestions.
*
You're A Mean One
Mr. Grinch, perhaps.
|
(comment on this) Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
kishenehn
|
3:14p
Old buildings ...
I don't want to overload you guys with photos ... but I processed a couple of shots that I liked from last Saturday's roadtrip to Denton, and I thought I'd post them today. I'll do the full travelogue thing in a day or two.
This first shot is the old grain elevator in the nearly-abandoned town of Rossfork:
And this is St. Wenceslas Catholic Church in Danvers, a few more miles down the gravel road. Danvers is a dying town, too ... just the church, a couple of grain elevators, and four or five houses. There was a great old schoolhouse there, too, until some evil bastard tore it down last summer.
The Catholics, never wanting to be outdone in the "evil" department, want to tear the church down, too, despite considerable local opposition ... so I suppose the next time I go up that way, it will be gone.
|
(45 comments | comment on this)
(comment on this)
comicsfan
|
7:14a
Bottom Of The Barrel
If you pick up a stack of comics at your store, chances are you read them the same way I do: in descending order, with the ones you're most interested in reading being pulled out of the stack first. Inevitably, as you make your way down, you're left with the stragglers--comics which you collect, but not enticing enough to be read immediately. Or even that day.
Or even after as much as a week or two go by.
Welcome to my current Leftovers:
  
X-Men Legacy. This book seems to have shifted its title permanently from just "X-Men" (though dallying with "New X-Men" for awhile), and has now moved from a book centered on Prof. Xavier to life behind the scenes on Utopia, the team's new home on an island. It's quickly becoming one too many X-Men titles for me, and in fact I'll probably drop it from my list next time I'm in the store. I'm not thrilled anyway with the Utopia concept--I mean, one minute we see how the X-Men have comfortably moved to San Francisco and invested a great deal of time and money in a state-of-the-art facility there and made a dramatic announcement to all remaining mutants to join them there in a sanctuary, and the next thing I know they're exiling themselves to an offshore refuge. I wish the editors of the X-books would agree amongst themselves to settle on one thing, if only to make my head stop spinning.
X-Force. The cover of issue #20 speaks volumes about this book. It's one slicing, bloody killing spree after another for Wolverine and his on-the-down-low team of enforcers. The book is well-written, but is about as far away from the X-Men concept as you could possibly get--and sanctioned by, of all people, Cyclops. Not to mention having the most unlikely member of such a group ever: Wolfsbane. Cable turned me off of New Mutants when he came aboard that team in much the same way--turning the team into a kill-or-be-killed strike team. I know exactly what I'm going to see when I open X-Force, so it can always wait at the bottom of the stack.
Young Avengers. Normally, this team would be at least in the middle of the stack--but that was before they were relegated to these brief limited series, which allow little to no room for the character development which was the main reason their first series resonated so well. Now the stories are distilled down to battles. That's like throwing random Avengers together to meet a threat: we get no concept of the Avengers as a group, or why these individuals have banded together. I want Marvel to have the stones to put this group in their own book again. The first series had really grown into an excellent title before Marvel inexplicably pulled the rug out from under it. If all we're left with are these periodic appearances that burn and fizzle out, I'd rather Marvel didn't bring them out of mothballs at all.
current mood:  disappointed
|
(13 comments | comment on this)
(comment on this) Monday, November 9th, 2009
(comment on this) Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
ajaxstamos
|
12:00a
Se[a]men
Tinker.
Tailor.
Soldier, or well,
sailors actually.
*
Wednesday is
Veterans Day.
Kiss a sailor.
Meanwhile back
in the 1970s -
Um, yeah.
I know.
Wow.
How gay
was that?
I mean -
Wow.
|
(comment on this) Monday, November 9th, 2009
(12 comments | comment on this)
ideasasopiates
|
12:25p
09110902 ~ music makes the people come together
On March 15, 2010, five of the following musicians will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The remaining seven will not be eligible for consideration for another year ~ at which time they may or may not make the final ballot.
Poll #1483031 2010 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Nominees
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 17Based on personal preference, which five of the following individuals/groups would you vote for induction?
More info here.
current mood: feeling for a pulse
current music: music ~ madonna
|
(10 comments | comment on this)
(3 comments | comment on this)
kishenehn
|
7:37a
Centennial Valley ...
I suppose that before I talk about last Saturday's trip, I should finish up the photos from the weekend before ... so here are some shots of my drive home from Lima back on Halloween afternoon.
( High mountain valley ... )
A great drive, and a fine way to end the day.
|
(37 comments | comment on this)
hunkoftheday
|
5:00a
Hunk du Jour Model Search : Announcement!
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/hunkdujour/~3/26UQSdOw8tk/hunk_du_jour_2010_model_search.asp http://www.hunkdujour.com/blog/archives/2009/11/hunk_du_jour_2010_model_search.asp 
We're teaming up with Support Nature Project to find someone who would be perfect for their campaign of raising awareness of environmental issues and raising some money for Plant a Billion Trees.
HOW TO ENTER
We're opening up submissions for the model search right now -- an easy two-step process. Simply fill out our entry form, and then follow the instructions at the end to submit your photos for the contest.
LET'S VOTE -- FAN FAVORITE!
We'll also be conducting an online vote for the Hunk du Jour Fan Favorite -- while this lucky fella isn't guaranteed to be selected winner by our judges, the extra buzz can't hurt and he'll receive a surprise at the end of the contest as well.
Fan favorite voting will begin on Monday, November 16.
AT STAKE...
The winner of our model search will be our guest in Dallas, TX for an exciting weekend, including two full photo shoots with On Display Men and Jay Fuertez Photography, to be prominently featured on Hunk du Jour and On Display Men. The winner will receive hotel accommodations, round trip domestic airfare, model coaching, airport and photo shoot ground transportation, as well as a few more surprises to be announced as the contest progresses.
DEADLINE
All online entries and submitted photos must be received by 11:59PM December 31, 2009. Entrants must be legal residents of the United States. Please see the contest entry form for full details and eligibility requirements.
Questions? Contact Us!
About Support Nature Project
The goal of "Support Nature Project" is to raise awareness that everyone on our Planet Earth can make a contribution to the future of the planet. 100% of the profits from the project will be donated to "Plant A Billion Trees" to benefit the environment for all of us.
The Support Nature Project is the collaboration of Jay Fuertez Photography and On Display Men and is supported by C-IN2 Underwear, Hunk du Jour and DNA Magazine. The models who are invited to participate in the project volunteer their time in support of the cause and receive the positive worldwide exposure for their modeling career.
Posted In: Hunk du Jour Model Search, Public Service Announcement
|
(comment on this)
comicsfan
|
7:01a
Whalefriend
I love this! High-tech anti-whaling.
Earthrace, the new stealth, high-tech anti-whaling powerboat of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. The boat has paint that deflects radar waves, so it can approach Japanese whaling vessels almost unseen. It will join the society's ship Steve Irwin on a three-month voyage fighting the Japanese whaling program, leaving Perth on Dec. 7.
Ship engineer Larry Routledge prepares the new Earthrace.
current mood: impressed
|
(13 comments | comment on this)
(comment on this)
ideasasopiates
|
12:30a
09110901 ~ desperate housewives
i would just like to say ~ for the record ~ that i believe the individual who strangled julie mayer is none other than dave williams.
i haven't heard anyone else mention this possibility, so when if it comes to be that that turns out to be the case, you heard it here first.
i'm just sayin' is all...
♥
current music: single ladies (put a ring on it) ~ marmaduke duke
|
(2 comments | comment on this)
ajaxstamos
|
12:00a
Baby Love
I was looking at the
television listings.
And this will be on
later this month -
Weird.
There's something
about the timing.
'Cause -
I'm really feeling the
need to reproduce.
How can
you not?
*
As to the mechanics, I'd be
willing to do it girl on top.
Only, girl on top
is more for fun.
*
I feel missionary position would
work better for making a baby.
And, speaking of
making things -
I think I'd make a
good baby daddy.
*
Actually, I'm
sure I would.
|
(comment on this) Sunday, November 8th, 2009
comicsfan
|
8:30a
Healthy Choice
Today I read an astonishing statistic from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:
More than two-thirds of adults in America are obese.
That is a statement that both shocks and angers me.
The former is self-explanatory. I really had no idea that obesity in this country had reached such a staggering rate. But the anger part came later, when I read a recent article in The New York Times that revealed the latest spin from the overweight camp, particularly from--I kid you not--the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance:
"We believe that fat people can eat healthy food and add movement to their lives and be healthy. And healthy should be the goal, not thin."
The second part of that statement, I concur with wholeheartedly. But let's swing back to the first part. First of all, let's jettison the confounding "add movement to their lives" bit, because frankly it sounds more motivational and enabling than factual. So the statement now reads:
"We believe that fat people can eat healthy food and be healthy."
The utter idiocy of what you've just read should be obvious. First of all, someone who is obese is a person whose heart and lungs and other vital systems are working overtime to perform even the simplest tasks. Just walking out to get the paper on the lawn is taxing. Even sitting in place requires breathing heavily. I have a difficult time categorizing that as "healthy." And by the way, when was the last time you saw an obese person eating something healthy?
The article, boiled down, is simply another in a long string of such articles that seek to reassure the overweight person that there is nothing wrong with the way they look. That is again something I strongly agree with--on its face. But obesity is something much more than a look, a fashion trend, a dalliance with a different style--it's a near-debilitating condition, a condition which is anything but healthy. That is something that every one of these kinds of articles seeks to deftly side-step. And it's a mindset that is nothing short of denial. Ironically, denial in another form might indeed result in the health that, for now, is nothing but illusory.
current mood: irritated
|
(17 comments | comment on this)
|
amused
14 (82.4%)