Today's topic for discussion is:

"Why zombies?" was the question at hand, overheard at the bar last week, from someone questioning the popularity of the halloween costume. There's actually an answer: zombies are generic units of myth or history, along the lines of (17th century) pirates, "ninjas", stormtroopers, "Spartans", and the like. This stands in contrast to specific units (Darth Vader, dead presidents, Pinhead, etc.), or units of reality (serial killers, current people).

posted at: 22:15 | permanent link to this entry

I Just Live Here.

It seems that things still haven't quite changed in Statesboro. Peach Pundit and Safe As Houses brought up the topic, and I have to say, this is funny... So, I'm posting my thoughts here. I'm having trouble sorting everything out; that's the problem I have when my vision suddenly clears what was once only smoke and whispers. Despite that, I feel as though I was standing in the eye of a hurricane back in '95-'96, and am only now realizing it. I apologize for the super-long post. I've been laughing at Erick's criticism of Statesboro; it's along the lines of a cat pouncing on its own tail. The people who run Statesboro and Bulloch county don't hate the students, that's too personal. Those people regard the students as a specialized type of migrant--to be contained, milked of whatever capital and/or cheap labor they offer, for as long as the migrant remains for the milking, while ensuring that economic conditions support the social structure, and vice-versa. Statesboro's economics and politics worked that way when I was there, and every time I hear news from that town, I'm reminded that Statesboro still works that way. If you don't have the right pedigree, you're an outsider of some form. "Outsider" could be one or more of several classifications, "migrant" is the relevant category for this discussion. Looking from the plantation point of view, everyone else is a migrant: GSU's current enrollment (14000 back in the 90's) each year. Yearly waves of migrant workers to the fields in the state. Semi-permanent waves of migrant workers to the factories and businesses in the state. The city of Atlanta, and most of the 4 million or so people that have settled in the suburbs. The common denominators here are the participants in (and advocates of) the plantation system, who together form the core of the Southern red-state, and to whom most of the above people are disposable, transient migrants. Accordingly, policy and politics at the local and state levels involves containing and milking the migrants for as long as they'll stay, while never losing control of the economy or government (as protected in tandem). So, Statesboro is a red state within a red state, and it has had an immigration problem of its own for some time now. Since the alcohol issue is actually being fought in council now, I'd say the graduates, faculty, and staff who've elected to stay in Statesboro are proving more difficult to control than any Mexicans who happen to settle. And this all makes Erick's criticism fairly comical, in light of the parallels between 'college life' in Statesboro, and the "plague of illegals" [my term] that have befallen the country. I think I've struck close to the source of why it sucks to live in a Red State.

posted at: 07:20 | permanent link to this entry

Cruel and Unusual Punisment (beta)

This bit of smackdown, as a footnote in the Genarlow Wilson ruling (with clumsy formatting added): 41 Although the dissent correctly notes that the General Assembly stated that the 2006 Amendment to section 16-6-4 should not be applied retroactively, the dissent erroneously concludes that the cruel and unusual punishment analysis ends there. The universal and well-settled rule of statutory construction is that legislative enactments are not intended to operate retroactively unless there is a clear directive that they do so, Polito v. Holland, 258 Ga. 54, 55 (365 SE2d 273) (1988), and that persons who commit crimes are to be convicted and sentenced under the laws that existed at the time the crimes were committed, Fleming v. State, 271 Ga. 587, 590 (523 SE2d 315) (1999). Section 30 (c) of Ga. L. 2006, pp. 379, 413, on which the dissent relies, is nothing more than a legislative statement regarding standard principles of retroactivity. Under the dissent's analysis, a legislature's statement of intent that a law not be applied retroactively would always preclude a cruel and unusual punishment analysis. The dissent, therefore, would permit the General Assembly to dictate to the court when a punishment may be considered cruel and unusual, thus violating the separation of powers. See Weems v. United States, 217 U.S. 349, 378-379 (30 SC 544, 54 LE 793) (1910) (power of the legislature to define crimes and punishment limited by judiciary's power to determine what is cruel and unusual punishment). The dissent's position ignores the holdings of the United States Supreme Court and this Court that the concept of cruel and unusual punishment is an evolving constitutional standard and that the most objective evidence of that evolving standard are legislative enactments. See notes 19 and 20, supra. Stated somewhat differently, the dissent equates retroactivity analysis with cruel and unusual punishment analysis; the two, however, must be, and are, analytically distinct. Thus, although this Court cannot apply the 2006 Amendment to section 16-6-4 retroactively, we can rely on that amendment as a factor representative of the evolving standard regarding the appropriate punishment for oral sex between teenagers. Finally, the dissent's reliance on Presiding Justice Hunstein's concurrence in Wilson v. State, 281 Ga. 447 (642 SE2d 1) (2006), is misplaced, as the issue of cruel and unusual punishment was not before the Court at that time. ...I believe the majority has called 'bullshit' on the dissenting three judges, who may well have used their position to proxy for the more common arguments against granting the appeal. The opponents are left with falsely insinuating rape, and crying "activist court" as their justification for being evil bastards. Also of note, the court did not directly mention the "plantation system" question. However, the appeal of a Douglas Co. conviction, as issued by the Monroe Co. court, was allowed to stand; only the replacement sentence was struck down. That might end up being the larger story here.

posted at: 10:36 | permanent link to this entry

...and the Red Sox win it!

I really really wanted to see the Rockies win one game from this series; instead, it's been just another World Series sweep. This one sucked like '98(Padres), '99 (Braves), '04(Cardinals), and '05 (Astros). Actually, the NL Pennant winner is now 4-13 in World Series play over the past four seasons, and 12-32 over the past ten. Other notes...this is the 6th consecutive year a Wild Card team has won its league pennant, although 2002 is still the only World Series between two Wild Cards...This is the 13th time in 20 years the NL Pennant was won by a current or former member of the Western Division...The Rockies were exposed on defense, particularly Garret Atkins (burned several times), Brad Hawpe(bad throws), and Clint Hurdle (Aaron Cook in the 7th? What?).

posted at: 04:10 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

The Foo Fighters (I woke up with them on the brain, then one of their members was on Fresh Air later in the day. Coincidence? I think not).

posted at: 03:44 | permanent link to this entry

..and while I'm at it:

[Four posts today, and it isn't even 8am yet.] I have decided to attempt to reset my body clock again, by staying up all night. This rarely (if ever) works, but I kept myself entertained by giving my "new" kitchen a spin. My first note: It's much easier to bake things when the oven dial has markings. And yes, I'm going to actually implement tags.

posted at: 07:19 | permanent link to this entry

A Modestly Muslim Proposal

This gem of a post has been up on Daily Kos for a few days (copied below, in case Kos gets some ideas about being off-message), as linked from Bannination's queue... hey, if it works for the Baptists and "world churches", it could work for the muslims, right? While it appears from more than one point of view that the War in Iraq and the War on Terror are situations from which we may never be able to extricate ourselves, from the mountains of Pakistan comes a very simple solution: convert to Islam. Before we reject this out of hand, lets seriously consider it for a moment: Osama Bin Laden promised the wars would be over if Americans convert to Islam. This may sound like a lot to ask from the most religious country in the industrialized world. But of all the Christians in America today who profess to be religious, how many of us are seriously devout? How many of us are really just religious lightweights, happy to simply go to church every Sunday, attend church socials, knock back a drink or two every Christmas and not worry ourselves about the deeper implications of our faith? Given the way most of us pay any real attention to the tenets of our faith, life really wouldn.t be that different if we were to exchange one faith for another. The prayers would be different, but we would recite them just as mindlessly as we do today. The sermons would in all likelihood be exactly the same, and we.d continue to snore through them. Sure, there are a few people here and there who take religion seriously, but they are in such a small minority that their protests can be easily ignored. All in all, converting to Islam would be a small price to pay for an end to the killing and maiming of our sons and daughters, not to mention the billions of dollars we could put to better use than fighting this perpetual war. So let's do away with our religious pretences, adopt Islam as our new faith, add a few extra holidays to our calendar, and get down to the real business at hand: pumping oil. --== Poll ==-- Will you convert to Islam in order to stop the terrorist threat? ___ Yes, I will convert to Islam 100% 257 votes 257 votes | Vote | Results

posted at: 07:15 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

Interplanetary exploration.

posted at: 01:19 | permanent link to this entry

A Quiet Friday Night...

It's been a quiet Friday Night...only two vacuum cleaners remain in the old place, and one of those gets deposited somewhere (once I determine exactly _where_ dead vacuum cleaners go). I almost have the new kitchen figured out; I just need a microwave and a few more wall-mounting hooks. Speaking of hooks, I can't find 3M Contact Strips anywhere...the few displays I've seen have all ben sold out; "sell the blades", indeed. At least the Rockies played a useful game yesterday; I also agree with people who considered Game 2 a must-win for the Red Sox. Games 3, 4, and 5 will all be worth watching, to see Manny chase base hits. I have to believe the Rockies are going to break loose with about 12 runs of their own, now that the Series is back in Coors Field. I also think starting David Ortiz is ok, as that leaves Youkilis to come in as defensive sub in the late/extra innings.

posted at: 01:14 | permanent link to this entry

But...but...the Legislature!

Genarlow Wilson is free. From the GA Supreme Court's decision: Because the minimum punishment for the crime for which Wilson was convicted constitutes cruel and unusual punishment, this case must be remanded to the habeas court for it to enter an order reversing Wilson's conviction and sentence and discharging him from custody.* There's a lot of not-so-swift logic in that decision, I'm afraid; I think both majority and dissent are grasping at straws to embellish their positions, to some degree (I know, "welcome to the world of litigation"). And so, we now have something else to sing at stretch time for the World Series game this weekend (After God Bless (Middle) America, and in place of Take Me Out to the Ballgame): I got rid of the shackles that bound me and the guards that would always surround me There were tears on the mail Mama sent me in jail But I'm free from the chain gang now. Back home, I was known and respected, Then one day, I was falsely suspected. So they threw me in chains In a cold, freezing rain But I'm free from the chain gang now. All the years I was known as a number How I kept my mind is a wonder In a cold concrete cell That was one step from hell But I'm free from the chain gang now. I pray that the gossip will spare me when I return to the one I will marry. Like a bird in a tree I got my liberty Oh, I'm free from the chain gang now. Drinks are on me tonight, y'all. *It's also interesting to note that Adobe reader stores footnote text along with body text, including the former along with any body text selected for copy/paste.

posted at: 19:30 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

Woot!

posted at: 18:51 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

Because you aren't irritated enough today: Google Image Labeler.

posted at: 03:23 | permanent link to this entry

Fun with Google

Since I made the earlier post on recent pictures of mine, I've been receiving hits from Google Image Search. GIS matches search terms on the text from other entries, and apparently associates links at least two-deep along the link trail....link from this page, to a page on another site, which embeds an image from this site. The external (to me) site's page and embed had been up for at least a month prior to my linking, so I suspect Google is associating searchable content by common domain and path in the URL.

posted at: 01:45 | permanent link to this entry

Beacon in the Darkness

[updated for headline typo -- the station is coming in quite strongly now.] I received the following in email from WRFG 89.3 today: And please tune in for our official .launch. at 12:00 NOON, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, when we'll be broadcasting at full power from our new tower location. Tell your friends, your co-workers, all your relatives, your neighbors to tune in -- the more the merrier. It will be a celebration party! Apparently the tower relocation is complete, and the beacon of inner-Atlanta insanity will be broadcast to a much larger area; maybe now you'll be able to pick up their signal in Alpharetta, and elsewhere in the Urban Containment Zone. Given what else comes in stronger out there, I expect kittens to ensue.

posted at: 01:30 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

It's game 1 of the World Series. Do you know where your children are?

posted at: 19:26 | permanent link to this entry

Humor!

A not-so-long time ago (ok, eons in internet-years), I could actually call myself a gamer--I was current on things. I would spend $50 on the semi-vetted selection of the month, and play it. So while I currently can barely hold a candle to today's teenagers in the digital arenas, I still have that little mine-laying, turret repairing, tech-tree-jumping aspect that kicks in every once in a while. Say, for example, when viewing this set of game reviews from escapistmagazine.com. Brilliantly written, combining savvy review with English snootery and insufferable gamer perfectionism. No, this is Not Safe For Work (language), either.

posted at: 03:39 | permanent link to this entry

1907: Better Mousetrap. 2007: Better Rain Barrel.

In my earlier shpiel about the water situation, I mentioned that rain barrels haven't entered play over the course of the past few years of worsening conditions. And, I'm gladly mistaken. Local news reports that some fellow over in Clayton County is making rain barrels (55-gal. variety) out of converted food drums. At least some folks still know what they're doing around here (even if they're a bit late). These definitely beat hanging off the porch during a thunderstorm with a gallon jug and a funnel.

posted at: 06:31 | permanent link to this entry

PSA for the Club Set

The following link is not safe for work (language): 2006's How to spot (and avoid) a "douchebag". Original PSA is included near the end of the article. Remember, kids: knowing is half the battle.

posted at: 04:21 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

When did pewter become a precious metal?

posted at: 06:12 | permanent link to this entry

Things to think about later...

I do not understand the hate for Everybody's Pizza. More on that, later.

posted at: 03:33 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

Cooking pasta wastes water. Eat Pizza instead. :-D

posted at: 03:31 | permanent link to this entry

Down the Drain

The first waves of drought panic are starting, and I can't help but think we're being gamed in similar fashion to how the Louisiana folks were gamed during and after Katrina. Georgia's congressional delegation has weighed in with a proposed bill (HR 3847) to allow the Corps of Engineers (or Sec. Army, IIRC) to override the Endangered Species Act in times of drought; say, our current plight here in the state. As applied to our situation, such action is a drop in the bucket (pun intended, of course). Applied permanently and nationwide, that's where the gaming comes in. Given who's in the White House, and their penchant for disregarding interpreting law "for the good of our nation", the fact that the Corps hasn't been directed to alter their operations indicates that said administration is playing the game. In short, environmental protection legislation is being targeted, using Georgia's well-being as bargaining chips and the Army acting as a strawman. Sound familiar? So, let's de-spin a little bit... [the following was supposed to be a separate post, but now I'd just as soon keep them as one] Corps of Engineers: Not the problem, by the 'shooting the messenger' rule. They're going to do what they've been ordered to do, which is to maintain flow in the 'Hooch. And, contrary to previous reports of reducing that flow, the Corps has apparently been ordered to drain Lake Lanier at the current rate; presumably, to provide impetus for the current "drought exemption" bill. As such, the CoE is an "easy target" for externalizers and rationalizers who wish to avoid actual discussion of the problem. Environmental regulations: tangentially, part of the problem, and might be dealt with via the bill mentioned above [I will spare discussion of fifth columns for later]. Distorted Worldviews: Then again, if safety, security, etc. were enough reason to conduct warrantless surveillance, and irrigation needs were enough reason to divert water from a river at the expense of salmon, the prospect of 5 million people without water is enough reason to adjust a dam's operation for a few months or a year, at the expense of shellfish. But, there have been no such directives, and that indicates different priorities. Taking Katrina and New Orleans as a precedent, I expect that levying penalties on Atlanta for dissension is a likely Administration priority here, perhaps of a more srategic nature than the previously mentioned gutting of legislation. Lack of Rain: The "rock" portion of the problem. Every so often, we just don't get rain around here. Specifically, we don't get tropical rain around here, and the water runs off or dries up. It's basically "hurricane or bust," in that regard. Slack leaders: Part of the "hard place". When rain does fall, most of it runs off, due to all the development that's gone on around here. This development, of course, was made courtesy of the patchwork of local governments who strive to capture external capital to pad their tax base.     So, how many (tens of) thousands of acres of parking lot and building are now occupied by strip malls and McMansions? I'll save the urban blight argument for later, and instead point out that paved surfaces and buildings won't soak water. That which does not run off can soak through and eventually evaporate, feeding that "water cycle" thing I recall hearing about in 2nd grade. So, we can owe part of our lack of usable water to poor, corrupt leadership, disguised in "free market" clothing. Slack leaders, part II: There has been next to zero preparation for any such drought. No additional reservoirs, few preventative measures aside from the rate increases of the past few years, no efforts to transport water from beyond the municipal level (and plague be on he who suggests that water be pumped from elsewhere in the state, into Atlanta). Further, the 'conservation' measures are too little, too late, and "calls to action" are just about meaningless at this point.     As for the City of Atlanta proper, drought preparation (along with everything else) took a back seat to racial corruption and embezzlement, from which we are still years away from recovering. As for the rest of metro, drought preparation takes a back seat to everything else, because the concepts of planning and sharing, are anathema to the beneficiaries of the property-based economy. "I drove past the Chattahoochee, and it was HIGH.": Chew on this (courtesy USGS realtime survey). Each peak in flow (and corresponding height) is a release from the lake. As an aside, I wonder if the relatively low releases on 10/14 and 10/15 were scheduled, or if they were intended to be the reduced amount going forward. "Illegals": I'm eagerly waiting to hear some wingnut point its finger at "illegals" as part of the problem, not a year after spouting the "Americans don't want these jobs" line. Massive people migrations: Part of the "hard place". Folks moved here from all over: yankees, looking for cheap real estate. Mexicans, looking for better pay and an outlook. South Asians, looking for an even better exchange rate, and a better outlook. Half of Detroit, looking for jobs. Floridians, looking for affordable housing and weakened hurricanes. Business people from all over the globe, stopping here for a few years while they further their careers.     Then, they all made babies, fulfilling Atlanta and its suburbs as the place Where America Goes To Breed(tm). It looks like about 5 million or so people now live in metro Atlanta (no, I haven't checked the official numbers). See "Slack Leaders", above, for how this growth has been handled. Slack Individuals: Part of the "hard place". In spite of the impending disaster, I note the near complete lack of adjustment made by anyone around here... I have yet to see rain barrels or dew catchers going up anywhere. I have yet to see more people go an extra day without a shower. For that matter, the sidewalks and gyms are just as full of sweaty joggers as they were last week. My car is still one of the few that hasn't had a bath in months. I can't tell who's done laundry, so I'll just have to gauge that by checking for jeans. Swimming pools are still full. I'm still the only person I know who put a switching valve behind their showerhead (4 years ago), and I still get weird looks for running up $10 water bills (instead of $18-20, I suppose). Apparently, news of the drought hasn't made the Discovery/TLC/HGTV circuit yet. Feel free to openly mock people who drink (municipally sourced) Dasani in an effort to "save water". Distorted worldviews, part II: I described my opinions of Sandy Springs' government in an earlier post (see below) about this water problem. Mrs. Jenkins' comments reveal an inherently irresponsible attitude, yet that attitude is shared enough to elect her to a City Council seat. Having grown up in the midstate, I find such statements unsurprising from the likes of Ashley Jenkins or the people who elected her; and I don't think for one second that the delusions required to have such an attitude are isolated to one district of one city. That condition is quite pervasive in the south, and to Georgians in particular, and generally contributes to the lack of preparation mentioned in "slack leaders, II", above. FEMA. There, I said it, and that ought to scare the hell out of everybody. At some point, they'll get involved, distributing drinking water for people. After the mandatory weeklong delay. And oh, how fun will that be? I vaguely recall Macon's pumping stations being shut down with silt left from Alberto's flooding; that was 1995. Now imagine the scale necessary to provide relief for millions of people for a solid year, or a few months every year for the next 3 or 4 years. I'll put 100 to 1 that such relief efforts are merely imaginary at this point. So, what happens from here? Well, first, we get to see finger-pointing and political jockeying for position, as Atlanta metro runs out of water. Then, we run out of water, followed by Columbus and points south. Then all sorts of fun social disruption will occur, as the finger-pointing turns into blame and accusation. In such an event, look for Sandy Springs and Atlanta to get into a huge fight over the dwindling water supply, and look for political favor to manifest as FEMA treatment (i.e., Atlanta gets SSP's dregs). And this pattern continues until legitimate action is taken to collect, conserve, and legitimately manage water in a constructive manner. So, if you're thinking about moving to Georgia (or the Southeast, for that matter), don't. If you're thinking about visiting Atlanta, put off those plans for a year, or bring your own water. If you're living in or near Atlanta, you might want to think about packing for at least a long vacation, or moving.

posted at: 14:45 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

This is what your cat looks like while you're at work all day. (Image trolled from Craigslist)

posted at: 06:30 | permanent link to this entry

Nothing says "idiot" like...

...smashing your fingers reverse-Amityville Horror style, between the top of the lower frame and the midpiece of the upper frame. $@%*! More on our (mostly self-imposed water crisis, after I figure out what's jammed itself under my '-' key.

posted at: 22:46 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

Match Game: "I'd hit it like _________."

posted at: 01:46 | permanent link to this entry

Sometimes, it's good to be correct.

The Chicago Cubs Colorado Rockies, as mentioned earlier in this blog, have won the NL Pennant. That Arizona and Colorado played the NLCS isn't suprising, since they had to squeeze the Padres out of the playoffs via 13 innings and a bad call in game 163. So, when three teams from the same division qualify for two playoff spots, that division should win a pennant. Somewhat surprising was Colorado sweeping the NLCS from the wildcard spot; it seems the Rockies are, in fact, freerolling their way through the playoffs. It will be interesting to see if the long rest actually brings the Rockies back to earth prior to the World Series.

posted at: 04:46 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

A train leaves Baltimore at 4:30pm and heads west at 80 miles per hour. Two hours later, a train leaves Chicago at 6:30pm and heads south and 45 miles per hour. How much beer do you have to drink?

posted at: 04:37 | permanent link to this entry

The Sickest "Dead Baby" Joke

I recall hearing these really, truly disgusting jokes while growing up. I trust that in the Internet Age, most of these have found their way around to some site or another. Call it "Rule #59". However, even the worst of those jokes I have successfully forgotten just don't compare to the reality of how our taliban have used the concept of the dead baby to leverage themselves into power during the past 20+ (if not 40+) years. As posted on Peach Pundit, from State Sen. Eric Johnson (the same intrepid senator who displayed porn to scuttle the Assembly's efforts to free Genarlow Wilson), we've apparently had an approximate 1/3 fetal retention rate since 2005's legislation mandating a 24-hour waiting period for abortions in the state. Per the senator, approx. 11,800 warm bodies have entered play, and that there's some great benefits of keeping "pro-life" (aka our protestant taliban) in office. Well, great. Now, let's throw some darts... Let's start with the first line: so many ways to go with this, I'll choose: "...well that explains the need for judicial review." How many of these 32-40,000 were return visits? Likely very few, with several million women living in the state. for those querying at home: group by patientid... How many of the 11,800* declared "carried to term" went out-of-state for their abortion procedure? This means 20K-30K abortions were actually performed in the state, of a possible 34-42K. How many kids were born in Georgia since 2005? Oh yeah! The rest of them. And, here's another sick joke: Q: How many statistical babies does it take to maintain taliban rule in the "land of the free"? A: One. As long as one statistical baby has been produced, our taliban will claim success. Never mind their basis for rule is unamerican to begin with (hence the "small-t" spelling of taliban).

posted at: 17:32 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

Velociraptor.

posted at: 05:03 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

Just how much poison is in the food we humans recognize as wholesome?

posted at: 21:58 | permanent link to this entry

Happy 10th Birthday, /.

I really can't believe that Slashdot.org is still around after ten years. Not only that, but they still have the best commenting system around, and Rob "CmdrTaco" Malda still runs the site! Crazy stuff, but keep in mind, Slashdot "sold out" to Red Hat (IIRC) before "Web n.0" cropped up as a mass media aspect. In doing so--and also by declining to host images and video--they've largely ducked under the MyFace phenomenon. So, there's a reason to raise a pint tonight.

posted at: 15:00 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

Now, this is a bar. I'll have to stop by, next time I'm in L.A.

posted at: 12:51 | permanent link to this entry

Dragon*Con 2007 Report

[originally written after Labor Day weekend; updated today with photo links] Despite my earlier expectations, I got to 'play hookie' and visit the 'Con for a some hours over the weekend. My report follows: [ since this is the Web and all, I'll add links as I discover pictures online.] This was an 'opposite year' for me. Usually I book a room, take the train, spend all four days playing games and wandering random panels, and miss the Masquerade. This year, I was working over the weekend, stopped by Sat/Sun night and Mon afternoon, spent almost all my time in the hotel lobbies, and caught the tail end of the Masquerade. Good things, in general: The layout. The dealer rooms felt like they were in the right spots this year. Gaming looked like it would be cramped, but I didn't stop by during a heavy-load hour. Even so, those rooms have much better access to Perimeter Ctr (food, caffeine) from their positions. The Mariott: The lounge feel is pervasive; I like it. Once the renovations are complete, this hotel should become the center of gravity for the party. Brainstorming: How about using the Walk of Fame space as a nighttime photo area? Favorite costumes (aka "one year, I'll bring a real camera"): Tetris Blocks Batman Villain Dames (or 8 villains and Batgirl): all 1930's noir-style. Robotech Power Suit (at the Masquerade): Holy cow. Homonculi (from Full Metal Alchemist): Lust, Gluttony, Sloth Steampunk!: There were multiple, unbased costumes floating around. Spartan sendups: Budget Spartans, "300 Pounds" Plastic Man Marvel Zombies! Watcher not included. :) Gears of War trio The Question! How I remembered this character, I have no idea. "Peanut butter jelly time" banana Spider-Man: Technicolor Spideys "Separated at Birth": Plastic Man, Spider-Man. Other enjoyable sightings and events: The Front of the Cruxshadows Line: six hours of waiting! Monday's Violin Quintet Drum "circlet" in front of the Mariott -- outside, like it should be. 12+player "Are you A Werewolf?" circle, reduced to the final 3 before Werewolf gave it away. The "Sailor Moulin" act from the Masquerade was brain-bleach for Project A*Kon's 40-year old guys in stock s ailor costumes. Plush Facehuggers! [Ok, that one isn't plush. But it was thirsty.] The Art Show: I only saw the Monday leftovers, but there were still some really good pieces. And, the Stor mtroopers vs. Jawas display rocked.

posted at: 01:35 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

What does "conservative" mean? GriftDrift has a clear grasp of the concept: "Conservatives" who on the one hand argue government is so incompetent it cannot handle education, health care and any number of other services, completely and utterly trust the same government to tap our phones, detain the correct people without habeas access and use what amounts as a national identity database to force private industry to fire U.S. workers. Consistency is not a strong suit. Then again. It is politics.

posted at: 15:50 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

One day, some intrepid researchers will link quantum theory to behavioral patterns, and in doing so, will explain why there's always 'that one car' in our way at the intersection.

posted at: 12:31 | permanent link to this entry

Today's Taliban Moment

Crap like this bears an uncanny resemblance to what passes for diplomacy out of Iran lately.

posted at: 12:29 | permanent link to this entry

Shuffle Up and Deal

I made my way over to the poker-playing spot Sunday, and had a great session. So great, that after being 3-outed down to 20 chips (from 650), I hung around another hour before finally throwing in the towel with 120 chips after 2 split pots, and JQ suited. Add a beer or two, and that's a great session.

posted at: 01:33 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

cello, viola, or bass?

posted at: 20:19 | permanent link to this entry

The girl by the whirlpool's lookin' for a new fool...

So, I'm continuing this Starbuck's adventure, while I fail to juggle van rental with work, etc. Bob Dylan is on the loop, with a few other albums. Subterranean Homesick Blues is on, and it roughly applies to this place and the people that have migrated through here today. And speaking of work, this month involves the 'blind men and the elephant' tale: I have four distinct, vague descriptions of what I'm supposed to be doing. So hopefully, I'll end up with something more functional than a plate of spaghetti.

posted at: 20:19 | permanent link to this entry

When data points go bump in the night.

...or in broad daylight, those are events that are to be noticed. Today's example: One of the conversations I overheard involved women relating their respective domestic situations. "...and then 9/11 happened, and I decided I needed a husband..." from the married mother of one or two. Ok, noted. Four hours later, I see this story on MSNBC. Some critic named Susan Faludi, pushing a book about an age-old, gender-based mythology playing out after 9/11. A myth? I'd have thought so, if I hadn't been sitting next to the other data point. I'll probably have to read this book now. (once I get through the "summer" reading list, of course :-)

posted at: 20:20 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

Socialism: If you can't leech off anybody, leech off everybody.

posted at: 17:44 | permanent link to this entry

I call it "White Atlanta" for a reason...

This blurb from today's Jim Wooten column (as stomped by GriftDrift) is fully indicative of the city gerrymander that calls itself my home [links and emphasis added]: Sandy Springs City Councilwoman Ashley Jenkins offers just the right touch on the drought hysteria sweeping metro Atlanta. "Many of you have called or e-mailed about the new water restrictions," she wrote constituents. So they don't try to rat out neighbors for something that's not a violation, she presented the rules. And added: "If you still feel the need to tattletale on your neighbor, you may call the City of Atlanta Water Department [which provides Sandy Springs water] and wait on hold for 10 minutes to report a violation. You can expect the City of Atlanta Water to promptly do nothing about your complaint. If you do actually get someone on the line, could you please have them fix the water gusher that has been coming out of the ground at Wycombe and Drummen for 2 weeks." Later she told me: "We would have water in Lake Lanier if they just fixed the gushers in Sandy Springs." So, what's the problem? Sandy Springs was (nominally, let's admit) founded on the basis of "services". As in, "we aren't getting our 'fair share' of 'services' with our tax dollars." As in, "we've bid up our property values high enough that we don't feel the need to pay accordingly, KTHXBYE!" As in, "We didn't bail out of Atlanta in the 60's to be funding black people in the 90's and beyond." Atlanta had generated enough race-based corruption (and then the World Wide Web showed up...) to give the secession enough momentum to succeed. So here we are, getting on two years after 'independence', and an inagural Sandy Springs city council member is being snarky about Atlanta's timeliness in servicing (there's that word again) Sandy Springs. There really isn't a better context in which to place this attitude from the people who run this place. For example: "Find and train work crews to fix breaks" wasn't in the city's plans. Finding and training enough police to write $3 million/month in traffic fines, on the other hand, was quite the priority. Life on the plantation is quite sweet, you just need a pool of people to leech on. See, that barely makes sense. Except for the leeching part, that's generally spot-on. These people have an inflated and misplaced sense of self-worth, and a now-centuries-old grudge to carry around and live in. The best part is that most of the leaks (IMO) stem from the massive main break in February. Once the system depressurized from the inside, the now-superior external pressure created cracks in weaker portions of all the downstream mains and smaller lines. Repressurize, and those cracks turn to leaks, which turn to larger leaks, etc. If I recall correctly, a similar effect happens in people with cardiac and other low-blood pressure problems. There have been system-wide failures since that main break, and I'm not surprised to see the water folks take a year-plus to find and repair all of those failures. In short, if your water was cut off as part of the February outage, and your faucet pressure hasn't returned, you might still have secondary leak(s) to contend with. I wonder how long it would take to bypass Sandy Springs completely? After all, the namesake spring is still operational. Some enterprising "Republican" can buy the plot from the local government, and sell jugs of water at "market rates" Or even better, since we have "Republicans" all over the place here, they can put all that extra duct tape to good use and wrap some of those broken lines. They'll just have to find some Mexicans to do the digging, because "Americans wouldn't want that job." And while I've just written some nonsense regarding traffic enforcement, here's a context where it works: Whatever you do, don't call Sandy Springs enforcement departments about uppity neighbors. The police are too busy assessing millions of dollars in backdoor tax receivables on I-285 and GA-400 enforcing law, like good, upstanding law enforcement is supposed to do, to deal with some obstinate property owners who are exercising their Divine Right of Property to begin with. And heaven forbid you run a clothesline or set out a rain barrel, you might disrupt those property values and might face a ticket yourself. Because that's the way we do things in Sandy Springs. Not only is this 'my city', it's my district, so this is even more embarrassing, although I can say with 90% certainty this opinion is shared by the rest of the Council, and a good portion of residents. And, I might add, this is what passes for "Republican" in the state of Georgia these days. I really, really, want to channel Dad on this topic, but after the recent TBS rants, I need to not flame for a while. I'm just glad I'm packing my bags and taking my sales tax somewhere else. I only regret not moving last year when I had the chance. And as for Wooten..."just the right touch"? What a clown.

posted at: 06:49 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

Haiku, from Mainichi Daily News.

posted at: 04:39 | permanent link to this entry

A Morning Prayer

Chicken and Eggs: over-medium; raisin; scattered, covered, smothered, diced. Amen.

posted at: 02:48 | permanent link to this entry

Let it Rain

It's been raining, off and on, all night. It's been muggy, real muggy lately, the air filled with humidity, and we got more steam than rain during the day. We really need another 3 months of this weather to return to some semblance of normal.

posted at: 02:36 | permanent link to this entry

Swirling Around the Bowl

You know things are going into the toilet when you see 'FDIC-insured' as an advertised attribute of a CD (the banking kind).

posted at: 17:05 | permanent link to this entry

Go Figure

The leafblowers are blowing, although not as irritatingly as the last place. Hopefully, this will be a weekly instead of daily occurance.

posted at: 14:27 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

Generally speaking, computer cables will source on opposite sides from their destinations.

posted at: 13:20 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

Chicago Cubs, for the NL pennant.

posted at: 13:47 | permanent link to this entry

Leaves on the breeze

The Old Taylor Grocery is where you'll find me a weekend or two each year, attempting to not fall asleep after eating one of those great catfish plates the place is known for. I've also taken a few pictures there, when I can remember to bring (or borrow, more like) a camera. Every once in a while, someone likes my pictures enough to use them for their websites ; so here are some links to photos from the Grocery. Clint Jordan, musician. [Cover photo, Kodak Easyshare of some sort.] We were in an A-frame shed of some kind; I borrowed Clint's camera and took ~80 pictures over the course of the gig. This is one of two that worked. Chris Sharp, songwriter/musician. [Three bright pictures on the right, Nikon digital SLR ] Chris let me borrow his camera (a real rig!) for this gig; the band played onstage, in the dining room, in the parking lot, on the porch, on the roof (I had to delete those pictures, though ;)...I think I took ~70+ over the course of the evening, and had a few more promising pictures from this set. Some dude from California[warning: low-contrast zone.] [Panasonic DX-9] Finally, something with my own camera. Someone decided to use this as his background. The best part here is this picture was taken without a viewfinder; my camera's display is broken into a million pieces. That's what a marginal eye and a solid camera rest will do for you. :) And note: Clint and Chris are two jam-up musicians. If you get a chance to hear either of them (and whatever band they're playing or leading these days), definitely take advantage of that chance.

posted at: 13:43 | permanent link to this entry

October

October is the month that heralds the coming of Winter ...when the fading heat of summer lingers one last time in the pleasant light of shortening days, before being driven from the field by the chill winds of night; ...when the receding Sun's blasting presence first acts as counterpoint to the enveloping chill; ...when shades, once sources of solace during summer's oppression, instead harbor the cold; ...when trees start to decide their leaves are just not worth the effort anymore; ...when the first box of sweaters makes its way from the closet to the drawer; ...when ferris wheels and their carnivals spring up across the countryside in celebration of the year's harvest; ...when every weekend is a homecoming weekend; ...and when cinnamon and nutmeg become a worthy match for the season.

posted at: 15:44 | permanent link to this entry

Today's topic for discussion is:

The amount of business that is conducted in a well-positioned Starbuck's is truly staggering.

posted at: 15:44 | permanent link to this entry