The first pitch of the season for the Red Sox was thrown about an hour ago.
This, coupled with the Celtics sitting at the top of the NBA means that for the next few months I cannot be reasonably expected to be sane.
That is all.
3.25.2008
3.23.2008
Someone on the xkcd forums pointed me in the direction of an interesting piece of web fiction. Wikihistory
It's an interesting concept. For two reasons, actually.
The idea of a society of time travelers organizing themselves through a wiki is simply hilarious if you've ever lurked on the discussion pages. Given the sort of debates that arise about whether or not Scientology is a cult, or whether or not waterboarding is torture, I can only begin to imagine the debates about what sort of tinkering with the past is to be allowed, or whose tinkering ought be undone.
Moreover, this use of internet communique to form a narrative intrigues me. Way back when we first learned the basic forms of fiction narrative, one of the styles was "Diary/Letters." At this stage in the web's progression (I'm calling it Web 2.1, which is to denote that everyone's fucking tired of calling it Web 2.0 by now) there are countless forms of communication that could be mocked up to form a narrative. Hell, I've been trying for a long time to come up with a way to sculpt IM conversations in a way that makes it possible to read for a novella's length without making the reader wish for death, or, if they're more positive minded, put down the fucking book for good.
It occurs to me that there's some fertile veins to be mined here, and potentially some T-shirt cash to be made if it's done properly. I shall think more on this.
......
The other night I was at a sort of cocktail party with some internet people. When my training as a bartender came out, I was put in charge of mixing for a significant period of time. That my Cyanide Martini had become a hit only further cemented this. Anyway, long story short, as the night went on I started experimenting, and came up with something that I and others found to be delicious, but couldn't come up with a name for.
It consists of
2 parts applejack (any strong apple brandy will suffice, but the stuff I was using was 100 proof)
1 part gin
2 dashes bitters
squirt of lime
Keeping track of one's drink total by normal means at an affair such as this is an exercise in futility. Chances are you'll be called upon at least once to finish someone's drink because they decided they didn't like it or had enough. The measurements of the spirits themselves are imprecise, and all in all chances are you're going to lose count irrespective of the confusion. And chances are you didn't know that one martini counts as between two and a half and three drinks
The only honest way to figure it all out is to know how long it takes your liver to filter out one drink, and make a note of it when the last effects have left your system. For me, that was about 4 PM the next day. To be fair, the party wasn't over until about 4 AM. Still, I'm not quite sure what that means.
I will say that the 6 mile walk home was interesting.
It's an interesting concept. For two reasons, actually.
The idea of a society of time travelers organizing themselves through a wiki is simply hilarious if you've ever lurked on the discussion pages. Given the sort of debates that arise about whether or not Scientology is a cult, or whether or not waterboarding is torture, I can only begin to imagine the debates about what sort of tinkering with the past is to be allowed, or whose tinkering ought be undone.
Moreover, this use of internet communique to form a narrative intrigues me. Way back when we first learned the basic forms of fiction narrative, one of the styles was "Diary/Letters." At this stage in the web's progression (I'm calling it Web 2.1, which is to denote that everyone's fucking tired of calling it Web 2.0 by now) there are countless forms of communication that could be mocked up to form a narrative. Hell, I've been trying for a long time to come up with a way to sculpt IM conversations in a way that makes it possible to read for a novella's length without making the reader wish for death, or, if they're more positive minded, put down the fucking book for good.
It occurs to me that there's some fertile veins to be mined here, and potentially some T-shirt cash to be made if it's done properly. I shall think more on this.
......
The other night I was at a sort of cocktail party with some internet people. When my training as a bartender came out, I was put in charge of mixing for a significant period of time. That my Cyanide Martini had become a hit only further cemented this. Anyway, long story short, as the night went on I started experimenting, and came up with something that I and others found to be delicious, but couldn't come up with a name for.
It consists of
2 parts applejack (any strong apple brandy will suffice, but the stuff I was using was 100 proof)
1 part gin
2 dashes bitters
squirt of lime
Keeping track of one's drink total by normal means at an affair such as this is an exercise in futility. Chances are you'll be called upon at least once to finish someone's drink because they decided they didn't like it or had enough. The measurements of the spirits themselves are imprecise, and all in all chances are you're going to lose count irrespective of the confusion. And chances are you didn't know that one martini counts as between two and a half and three drinks
The only honest way to figure it all out is to know how long it takes your liver to filter out one drink, and make a note of it when the last effects have left your system. For me, that was about 4 PM the next day. To be fair, the party wasn't over until about 4 AM. Still, I'm not quite sure what that means.
I will say that the 6 mile walk home was interesting.
3.19.2008
I was all set to write about Project Chanology. That will come later. Now, this.
There was, to say the least, a major event on the campaign trail yesterday.
Followed, naturally, by fuckloads of analysis.
I saw Chris Matthews call it the most important speech on race in the history of the nation.
Probably hyperbole.
On Countdown they had a more sober look at what everyone who was asked referred to as a masterpiece, but not of the immortal level that Mathews was proclaiming it to be. They analyzed the potential political impact with no sure conclusion other than that time would tell, and that he certainly didn't hurt himself.
Dan Abrams, on the premier of his new show, "Verdict," and Tucker Carlson, fresh from his own show's cancellation, split the speech up into soundbytes so that they could neatly decontextualize each clip. Two panelists showing complete support for Obama utterly failed to point out the absurdly slanted way the issue was being framed. Not disowning the man becomes not saying that he's wrong. Saying that there's a context for racial tensions becomes excusing ignorant and hateful remarks. What do you know? A show called "Verdict" assumes that there's never a case where a politician shouldn't be demerited. Abrams is so attatched to his reputation for talking tough and giving no one a break that he's positively desperate to throw the muck on someone.
As for Carlson, all I'm going to say is that it's impossible to predict when he's going to be a relentless, intelligent commentator and when he's just going to be a flaming cock.
In any case, of all the punditry thus far, it was put best by a comedian.
Jon Stewart: Today, at (sic) 11am, a major political figure spoke about race to the American people like they were adults.
I don't think there's much more to say. Here it is.
Followed, naturally, by fuckloads of analysis.
I saw Chris Matthews call it the most important speech on race in the history of the nation.
Probably hyperbole.
On Countdown they had a more sober look at what everyone who was asked referred to as a masterpiece, but not of the immortal level that Mathews was proclaiming it to be. They analyzed the potential political impact with no sure conclusion other than that time would tell, and that he certainly didn't hurt himself.
Dan Abrams, on the premier of his new show, "Verdict," and Tucker Carlson, fresh from his own show's cancellation, split the speech up into soundbytes so that they could neatly decontextualize each clip. Two panelists showing complete support for Obama utterly failed to point out the absurdly slanted way the issue was being framed. Not disowning the man becomes not saying that he's wrong. Saying that there's a context for racial tensions becomes excusing ignorant and hateful remarks. What do you know? A show called "Verdict" assumes that there's never a case where a politician shouldn't be demerited. Abrams is so attatched to his reputation for talking tough and giving no one a break that he's positively desperate to throw the muck on someone.
As for Carlson, all I'm going to say is that it's impossible to predict when he's going to be a relentless, intelligent commentator and when he's just going to be a flaming cock.
In any case, of all the punditry thus far, it was put best by a comedian.
Jon Stewart: Today, at (sic) 11am, a major political figure spoke about race to the American people like they were adults.
I don't think there's much more to say. Here it is.
3.05.2008
Appropos of nothing, I should have been the one to reference "Are You Experienced" in response to Hillary and McCain's Obama-bashing rhetoric
Today wasn't a great one to wake up to. Hillary won by enough to justify staying in the race, though not enough to lead in pledged delegates at the end (more on that later), and Gary Gygax is dead.
I wouldn't expect most people to recognize that name. Hell, even among people familiar with his most famous creation, Dungeons and Dragons, I'd imagine recognition would be sparse. After all, it's owned by Hasbro now, and judging by their latest incarnation of it they're intent on running it into the fucking ground.
The footprint the man has had on our culture cannot be fully quantified. And when I'm talking about "our culture" I'm not referring to the culture of my dicerolling bretheren and I. I mean all of us. The Lord of The Rings was marketable to the mainstream largely because of the underlying support of the community he created. And they were masterpieces as well as blockbusters, altering the course of a substantial portion of the film industry since then.
But to those of us who are, yes, complete and utter geeks, the man's contributions have been, well, palpable. Without him, RPG only stands for rocket-propelled grenade. World of Warcraft? Everquest? Final Fantasy Anything of the sort? Would never have existed. Hell, I believe I have at least one friend who would have never been born-- his parents met playing D&D
So I offer up a word of thanks to the man who made high school significantly more tolerable for me, and for those who care to look, an essay written by someone far better at this sort of thing than I am.
I remembered the lesson I learned on Super Tuesday and spent the night writing instead of watching the returns from Texas and Ohio. That shit makes me crazy.
Well
Crazier.
Honestly I'm terrified by the doublethink required to actually believe what Hillary is saying when she defends her decision to stay in the race. The math is clearly saying that she will not lead in pledged delegates going into Denver. The only way she takes it is if 70% (or likely more) of the remaining unpledged superdelegates vote in her favor, a split by no means reflective of the voters. Her stated reason to keep running? So that the voice of the people might be heard.
Bull
Fucking
Shit.
The story in the media that was supposedly in the tank for Obama is about how Clinton had some sort of miraculous coup the other night, when before the focus was drawn to Texas and Ohio she was polling 20 points ahead.
I guess it's no big secret that the easiest way to get the media to fold to your agenda is to accuse it of bias.
We as Americans have watched Bush win one election by similar means as Senator Clinton would win the nomination, and another by fear tactics and whisper campaigns similar to hers.
No More.
I wouldn't expect most people to recognize that name. Hell, even among people familiar with his most famous creation, Dungeons and Dragons, I'd imagine recognition would be sparse. After all, it's owned by Hasbro now, and judging by their latest incarnation of it they're intent on running it into the fucking ground.
The footprint the man has had on our culture cannot be fully quantified. And when I'm talking about "our culture" I'm not referring to the culture of my dicerolling bretheren and I. I mean all of us. The Lord of The Rings was marketable to the mainstream largely because of the underlying support of the community he created. And they were masterpieces as well as blockbusters, altering the course of a substantial portion of the film industry since then.
But to those of us who are, yes, complete and utter geeks, the man's contributions have been, well, palpable. Without him, RPG only stands for rocket-propelled grenade. World of Warcraft? Everquest? Final Fantasy Anything of the sort? Would never have existed. Hell, I believe I have at least one friend who would have never been born-- his parents met playing D&D
So I offer up a word of thanks to the man who made high school significantly more tolerable for me, and for those who care to look, an essay written by someone far better at this sort of thing than I am.
I remembered the lesson I learned on Super Tuesday and spent the night writing instead of watching the returns from Texas and Ohio. That shit makes me crazy.
Well
Crazier.
Honestly I'm terrified by the doublethink required to actually believe what Hillary is saying when she defends her decision to stay in the race. The math is clearly saying that she will not lead in pledged delegates going into Denver. The only way she takes it is if 70% (or likely more) of the remaining unpledged superdelegates vote in her favor, a split by no means reflective of the voters. Her stated reason to keep running? So that the voice of the people might be heard.
Bull
Fucking
Shit.
The story in the media that was supposedly in the tank for Obama is about how Clinton had some sort of miraculous coup the other night, when before the focus was drawn to Texas and Ohio she was polling 20 points ahead.
I guess it's no big secret that the easiest way to get the media to fold to your agenda is to accuse it of bias.
We as Americans have watched Bush win one election by similar means as Senator Clinton would win the nomination, and another by fear tactics and whisper campaigns similar to hers.
No More.
3.02.2008
I've been tagged--Message in a Bottle
For the first time in a while, by Cooper.
Basically it's like this. Take the image from here, write something on it, and post it.
Cooper likened it to a postsecret sans masturbatory confessions. I tried something more akin to a single panel a softer world, complete with alt text.
Seeing as anyone who's reading this probably already saw it at Cooper's, I'm going with an open tag here. Do as you like with it, internet!
Aside from that, the new Mars Volta album has been out for a month and due to a shameful lack of awareness I haven't listened to it until now. Bedlam in Goliath comes with my full recommendation. Given, the premise was derived from a supposedly haunted Ouija board, but knowing this detracts nothing from the experience.
I'm going to try and increase production hereabouts. I know, I know. Not like I don't always say that.
Basically it's like this. Take the image from here, write something on it, and post it.
Cooper likened it to a postsecret sans masturbatory confessions. I tried something more akin to a single panel a softer world, complete with alt text.
Seeing as anyone who's reading this probably already saw it at Cooper's, I'm going with an open tag here. Do as you like with it, internet!
Aside from that, the new Mars Volta album has been out for a month and due to a shameful lack of awareness I haven't listened to it until now. Bedlam in Goliath comes with my full recommendation. Given, the premise was derived from a supposedly haunted Ouija board, but knowing this detracts nothing from the experience.
I'm going to try and increase production hereabouts. I know, I know. Not like I don't always say that.
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