Noelle's Bloggy Goodness : A little Birdhouse in my Soul

LOL!

A US court yesterday upheld an artist's right to take nude photos of Barbie dolls being menaced with kitchen appliances, despite objections from toymaker Mattel. [more]

No photos on there, but Neil found:

— posted by Noelle at 1:53 PM [PermaLink]

Happy New Year!

Hope this next one is better than the last!

— posted by Noelle at 12:15 PM [PermaLink]

This is a little disturbing...

"ignorance is bliss"

— posted by Carl at 11:27 AM [PermaLink]

This is a little disturbing...

This is why I eat chicken.

Actually, if you only knew what happens at poultry processing plants, you'd become a vegetarian in a heartbeat....

— posted by Noelle at 5:29 PM [PermaLink]

Re: This is a little disturbing...

Mad cow disease is just the early stages of the zombie virus.
Zombie cows... then zombie people.

— posted by Carl at 4:10 PM [PermaLink]

This is a little disturbing...

Quotes from this article: U.S. acts to strengthen mad cow regulations

"the U.S. government is immediately banning downer cattle -- animals unable to walk on their own at the slaughter plant -- from being used as food for humans."

"Out of 35 million cattle slaughtered each year in the United States, an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 are downer cattle".

"processors would be barred from using the brains, eyes and small intestine of older cattle in human food. Another new regulation seeks to keep spinal tissue out of meat products via "meat recovery systems" that scrape tiny bits of meat off a carcass."

— posted by Carl at 4:04 PM [PermaLink]

Neil poses an interesting question...

What did we do for endless and disheartening time-sinks before computers? I never lost twenty hours trying to make a fridge work properly, or to make a chair I'd accidentally upgraded turn itself back into something you could sit on.

— posted by Noelle at 4:01 PM [PermaLink]

Not sure if the sign is funnier, or the name of the station.

— posted by Noelle at 3:07 PM [PermaLink]

Worst Quiz Ever.

I say so because it clearly is as far off target as you can get.

What sign of frustration are you?
smile

Your sign of frustration is....Well, nothing. You never get frustrated, which is very odd. Nothing bothers you, and you act very sensible when you are faced with a problem. Remember though, that it is alright to get frustrated on certain occasions, for it is only natural.

What sign of frustration are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

— posted by Noelle at 9:21 AM [PermaLink]

Rate "Bush in 30 Seconds" Ads

MoveOn held a contest for people to create TV adds describing Bush and his policies in 30 seconds. There were over 1000 responses and now we get to narrow them down to 15 finalists. Last day to judge is Dec 31st and you're limited to 20 ads per day in random order. Check it out.

— posted by ::esther:: at 6:35 PM [PermaLink]

By far the best e-bay auction I have ever seen

The description is just great! See here.

Editor's note: Heh. They took it down. It was for someone to break up with your boyfriend from a payphone in North Hollywood. For an additional fee, they would write him a 3 page letter explicitly detailing why they were dumped. It was hysterical....

— posted by Noelle at 11:02 AM [PermaLink]

I hate coming back to work.

— posted by Noelle at 9:37 AM [PermaLink]

Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken.

Just a thought for today.

— posted by Noelle at 8:15 PM [PermaLink]

The things you own end up owning you.

The more stuff I sell on ebay, the more I understand.... tonight's take: $130. I am well over $1500 total so far.

It's nice because I both make money to pay debt and also feel lighter and freer at the same time.

— posted by Noelle at 8:14 PM [PermaLink]

Today's Word: ninnyhammer (NIN-ee-ham-uhr) noun

A fool; blockhead.

That's a useful word....

— posted by Noelle at 8:07 PM [PermaLink]

Jon, I am really sorry

But this had to be posted. Oh my God! Literally.
Jackhammer Jesus dildo- Great for Exorcist fans.

LOL! It's from this place called Divine Interventions - you should really check out the whole product line. Puts new meaning to the phrase "she's got the devil inside her". **snicker**

— posted by Noelle at 1:45 PM [PermaLink]

Sicily Man Arranges Shooting to Woo Woman

Wacky Italians...

— posted by Noelle at 1:37 PM [PermaLink]

Has anyone considered the idea that maybe we should stop shooting things at mars?

We keep shooting things at mars and crashing them, or missing the planet entirely. Possibly, we should stop. That money would buy an awful lot of rainforest on a planet that we do actually live on. Oh well, there's two that should be hitting mars soon from us as well - the first on Jan 3....

Here's the story that sparked that. Still No Signal from Mars Probe on Day Three

— posted by Noelle at 1:37 PM [PermaLink]

One post to Recap

For those of you who are wondering, I survived my trip home.

Luckily, my cousin is off to college this fall and still hasn't figured out where she wants to go so the vultures chose to target her for once. I spent most of the time running interfearance for her and giving her the realities of college, since her parents seem to have their heads in the snad about how tough it will be for her.

I was quizzed about why I don't have a man. I was quizzed about my house. I had to justify my job. And, the wierdest thing of all, they were all very concerned about how much wieght I had lost. I looked down at my then full tummy and couldn't understand what the hell they were talking about. Then I looked around the table. It's really odd to be the skinniest person at the table.

Anyway, I forced them all to behave under threat of not returning next year so they were rather toned down.

Friday was spent with April at the mall, and teaching her how to knit (yes, I am spreading the disease!). We pranced around south coast plaza and I showed her the pleasures of browsing in a mall that you can't possibly afford anything in. Luckily, we were both dressed for the occasion so we went into all the dazzling jewlery stores and clothes stores and had fun pretending.

I jammed through 1/2 of American Gods while I was at the airport - hopefully I can finish that up soon here.

Ok, so that's me. By sheer force of will, it was better than expected. Hope yours all went spectacularly as well.

— posted by Noelle at 1:30 PM [PermaLink]

Buffy Swearing

This one's from my friend Roger
*warning foul lanugage inside*
Buffy Swearing

— posted by Carl at 10:47 PM [PermaLink]

Home Again

I am back, safe and sound. Glad to be home. Thanks to those that called for sanity checks... love you guys.

— posted by Noelle at 10:08 PM [PermaLink]

Nude Man Found Trapped In Chimney (No, Not Santa)

Police suspect that a naked man found trapped in a bookstore chimney may have been intoxicated. He claimed to have been trying to get his keys which he somehow dropped down the chimney. Uh huh. [article]

— posted by Chris at 1:27 PM [PermaLink]

OMG This is Awesome

See a master play old school Nintendo

— posted by Carl at 10:37 PM [PermaLink]

Re: Happy Birthday, Carl!

Thanks Kevin!

Merry Christmas, Everybody!

— posted by Carl at 10:36 PM [PermaLink]

Wish me luck

OK, I am going in.... Last log of Noelle before entering the realm of Satan (rather fitting since I just got back from Church - Jon and Kay are awesome BTW!). I will be internet silent for the next 48 hours. Back on Friday eve around 9. I will have cell phone with me if anyone misses me, or needs anything, or wants to give me an excuse not to have to be in the same room with the grand inquisitors....

Merry Christmas, and pray for my safe return....

p.s. Has anyone ever thought of the irony of the homophones "prey" and "pray"? .... hm. OK, going to bed now.

— posted by Noelle at 10:02 PM [PermaLink]

The Best of the Hubble Space Telescope

Wow. Check out this Flash animation sequence of photos from the Hubble Space Telescope, hosted by news.com.au (Wired Australia)

— posted by Mike at 4:38 PM [PermaLink]

Lyrics: Delerium feat. Leigh Nash: Run For It

I can't fight the fighter, I keep losing ground
and I can't hide the hider with you hanging around
I can't - and I won't

you better run for your life, love, I'm walking I'm walking
you better run for your life, love, I'm walking I'm walking

I can't love a hater, it's a losing game
I'll never love a quitter, you'll get left in the rain

I can't help the helper when my feet are bound
I can't feel you near me if you're not the only sound

you are, you're not
you better run for your life, love, I'm walking I'm walking
you better run for your life, love, I'm walking I'm walking
you better count up your reasons, I'm leaving I'm leaving
you better count up your reasons, I'm leaving I'm leaving

how do you like the way it feels when I leave you?
how do you like the way it feels when I leave you?
leave you

you are, you're not
you better run for your life, love, I'm walking I'm walking
you better run for your life, love, I'm walking I'm walking
you better count up your reasons, I'm leaving I'm leaving
you better count up your reasons, I'm leaving I'm leaving
better run

— posted by Noelle at 11:45 PM [PermaLink]

How to wrap a present with a cat around

1. Clear large space on table for wrapping present.

2. Go to wardrobe and collect bag in which present is contained, and close door.

3. Open door and remove cat from wardrobe.

4. Go to cupboard and retrieve rolls of wrapping paper.

5. Go back and remove cat from cupboard.

6. Go to drawer, and collect transparent sticky tape, ribbons, scissors labels etc.

7. Lay out presents and wrapping materials on table, to enable wrapping strategy to be formed.

8. Go back to drawer to get string, remove cat that has been in the drawer since last visit and collect string.

9. Reopen drawer and re-remove cat.

10. Remove present from bag.

11. Remove cat from bag.

12. Open box to check present, remove cat from box, replace present.

13. Lay out paper to enable cutting to size,

14. Try and smooth out paper, realize cat is underneath and remove cat.

15. Cut the paper to size, trying to keep the cutting line straight.

16. Throw away first sheet as cat tried to chase the scissors, and tore paper.

17. Cut second sheet of paper to size. By putting cat in the bag the present came out of.

18. Place present on cut to size paper

19. Lift up edges of paper to seal in present, wonder why edges now don't reach, and realize cat is between present and paper. Remove cat and retry.

20. Place object on paper, to hold in place, while cutting transparent sticky tape.

21. Spend next 20 minuets carefully trying to remove transparent sticky tape from cat with pair of nail scissors.

22. Seal paper down, with transparent sticky tape, making corners as neat as possible.

23. Look for roll of ribbon, chase cat down hall, in order to retrieve ribbon.

24. Try to wrap present with ribbon in a two directional turn.

25. Re-roll up ribbon and remove paper that is now torn, due to cat's enthusiasm to chase ribbon end.

26. Repeat steps 13-20 until down to last sheet of paper.

27. Decide to skip steps 13-17, in order to save time and reduce risk of loosing last sheet of paper. By retrieving old cardboard box, that you know is right size for sheet of paper.

28. Put present in box, and tie down with string.

29. Remove string, open box and remove cat.

30. Put all packing materials in bag with present and head for lock able room.

31. Once inside room, lock door and start to re-lay out packing materials.

32. Remove cat from box, unlock door, put cat outside door, close door and re-lock.

33. Repeat previous step as often as is necessary. Until you can hear the cries from the cat outside the door.

34. Lay out last sheet of paper. (I know this is difficult in the small area of the toilet. But try your best)

35. Realize cat has already got to the paper. Unlock door go out and hunt through various cupboards, looking for sheet of last years paper, until you remember that you haven't got any left, due to cats help with wrapping last year.

36. Retire back to room lock door, and sit on toilet whilst trying to work out how to make torn sheet of paper look halfway presentable.

37. Seal box, wrap with paper and start repairs by very carefully seal down tears with transparent sticky tape. Now tie up with ribbon and decorate with bows to hide worst effected areas.

38. Label, then sit back and admire your handiwork, congratulating yourself on making good of a bad job.

39. Unlock door, and go to kitchen to make drink and feed cat.

40. Spend next 15 minuets looking for cat, before coming to obvious conclusion.

41. Unwrap present, untie box and remove cat.

42. Retrieve all thrown away sheets of wrapping paper, feed cat and retire back to room for last attempt, making certain you are alone and the door is locked.

43. Find least torn and wrinkled sheets of paper, along with the ones that the pattern matches closet.

44. Vainly try and wrap present in patchwork of paper. Tie with the now tattered ribbon and decorate with the now limp bows. Label and put present in bag, for fear of anyone seeing this disaster.

45. At time of handing over present, smile sweetly at receivers face, as they try and hide their contempt at being handed such a badly wrapped present.

46. Swear to yourself that next year, you will get the store to wrap the darn thing for you.

— posted by Cheralyn at 10:15 AM [PermaLink]

Secret Diaries of Cassandra Claire

Funny stuff. An excerpt from Meriadoc Brandybuck's journal:

DAY THREE
Cutting across country with Frodo, Sam and Pippin. Are being pursued by overdressed and v. crabby set of riders in outdated black ensembles. As told Gandalf "The Gray" earlier, monochromatic look is so out. Wonder if Frodo avoiding bad breakup or jealous exes? Have heard hobbit-swapping all the rage up in Hobbiton currently, although would not go in for that sort of thing myself.

More at http://home.nyu.edu/~amw243/diaries/, including Legolas' obsession with being the prettiest... :-)

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 8:59 AM [PermaLink]

Lyrics: Delerium - After All

She knows the voices in her mind
They tell her
To leave

She’s tired of smiling madly
Until silence becomes very silently
A noise in her mind

After all she has nothing inside
No good to give
No meaning to live
The mist engulfed tonight
Every single star

After all they shared
How could he simply say no
After all they shared
He turned away from her to go
She said she wouldn’t cry
That was really just a lie

She knows the noises in her mind
Nothing’s left but
Screaming silence

After all she feels numbness inside
The feeling’s gone
She’s upside down
The pictures behind her closed eyes
This time you went too far

After all they shared
How could he simply say no
After all they shared
He turned away from her to go
She said she wouldn’t cry
That was really just a lie

After all they shared
How could he simply say no
After all they shared
He turned away from her to go
She said she wouldn’t cry
That was really just a lie

After all she has nothing inside
No good to give
No meaning to live
The mist engulfed tonight
Every single star

After all they shared
How could he simply say no
After all they shared
He turned away from her to go
She said she wouldn’t cry
That was really just a lie

After all they shared
How could he simply say no (simply say no)
After all they shared
He turned away from her to go
She said she wouldn’t cry
That was really just a lie

After all they shared
How could he simply say no (simply say no)
After all they shared
He turned away from her to go
She said she wouldn’t cry
That was really just a lie

After all they shared
How could he simply say no (how could he simply say no)
After all they shared (after all)
He turned away from her to go (he just turned away)
She said she wouldn’t cry
That was really just a lie

— posted by Noelle at 1:26 PM [PermaLink]

I have a new stylist!

I got Esther to cut my hair today as it was driving me crazy. She did a very good job!

— posted by Noelle at 5:41 PM [PermaLink]

Happy Winter Solstice!

All of you wierdos who like the days longer (bringing that terribly icky hot weather) should be pleased as they will start doing so shortly.

— posted by Noelle at 5:40 PM [PermaLink]

Re:Dickens Fair

So other than the fact that I was wholey premature when I said I felt much better (got much worse mid-day and feel pretty crappy now), the Dickens Fair was fun. It was very Dickens era with shops and food and generally like the ren-fair except people don't act like asses the whole time. I would recommend it once for people for a couple hours if you want something kinda cool to do. Not sure if I will go back - maybe if I had a cool costume and was really good at the dancing....

— posted by Noelle at 5:38 PM [PermaLink]

Going to the Dickens Fair today

I am excited to see all the costumes! (I feel much better today BTW, Zicam and Airbourn RULE!!!!!!!!!). Hopefully this will be very cool!

— posted by Noelle at 10:18 AM [PermaLink]

Clean Sweeping

Critically going through all of your possessions is an amazing experience. It's reall cathardic in a wierd sort of way.

I have found a lot of stuff today that evoked a cool memory, which I enjoyed and then I tossed the item. I realized that that's all most of my stuff does: envoke a memory. I have decided that the memories are there even without the stuff.

My desk drawers are nearly bare now. I wonder what possessed me to keep like 50 copies of my college graduation announcement? I clearly need only one, in a scrapbook somewhere, so I can look at it and remember my mom's big day ;-).

Gonna go rest now and watch the season 3 opener of Alias. I finished the last season last noght and THANK GOD Esther had a tape of the first episode of this season because the cliffhanger on that one was worse than I have ever seen!

— posted by Noelle at 4:32 PM [PermaLink]

Update on me: Sick Again

Agh, I have a cold or something. I have sinus goo and sore throat and generally feellike crap.

Lame.

I have Zicam and Airborne though and that makes me feel a lot better so hopefully this will pass quickly.

What a way to start vacation. :-/ at least it's raining!

Watching clean sweep again.... gonna start on my desk drawers next. I made a couple hundred on ebay today so that was happy - gonna work on posting more throught the week.

— posted by Noelle at 3:53 PM [PermaLink]

Happy Birthday, Carl!

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 11:24 AM [PermaLink]

Boobieflask

Sweet. A way to sneak booze into events without getting nailed!

— posted by Noelle at 5:09 PM [PermaLink]

Mil (the guy who argues with his girlfriend) Sent a Christmas card out....

Yuletide Greetings from Mil and Margret.

May you have a splendid Christmas, a wonderful New Year, falter in mid-January when it looks like you are to be made homeless due to the legal costs of defending yourself against spurious allegations of sexual excess and racketeering published in a national newspaper, but then discover that it was all merely so there'd be a clear 'lowest point' at the end of the second act from which you could rise gloriously in February with a sudden reversal, triumph and resolution, followed by much celebratory sexual excess and racketeering.

Fröhliche Weihnachten

Mil & Margret.

— posted by Noelle at 5:03 PM [PermaLink]

OK, I'm done. I wanna go home.

You know that boss that I have that tells me he doesn't want me to have a time clock mentality? Yeah, well when I want to go home at 5:00 before vacation because I got everything I needed to done, that's totally out of the question.

Oh well, subvert from within. I will blog and goof off for 1/2 hour.

— posted by Noelle at 4:56 PM [PermaLink]

New Infrared Telescope Lifts Universe's Dusty Veil

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A new space telescope that looks at the cosmos with infrared detectors has lifted the dust veils from newborn stars and a bumptious comet, and revealed the detail in the spiral arms of a neighboring galaxy. [more]

— posted by Noelle at 3:39 PM [PermaLink]

Once More with Hobbits

"You got your Lord of the Rings in my Buffy!"
"You got your Buffy in my Lord of the Rings!"

(each tries the mix)

"Mmmm!"

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 8:32 AM [PermaLink]

Attempted Rapist Gets Comeuppance From 275 lb Prostitute

So dumbass decides he wants to try and force a woman who is almost twice his weight to have sex with him at knifepoint. Things didn't work out the way he planned. There is some justice in the world. [article]

— posted by Chris at 6:26 AM [PermaLink]

Cats Try To Eat Incapacitated Owner

A woman who'd had a stroke and was trapped alone in her home was bitten by her starving cats. This just reinforces my belief that my cats would eat me, if only I were a little smaller. Moral of the story: if you have seven cats, make sure someone checks in on you from time to time. :-) [article]

— posted by Chris at 6:21 AM [PermaLink]

Fun Christmas Greeting

Here's a nice Christmas flash animation that I hope y'all like.

— posted by Chris at 5:56 AM [PermaLink]

The Lord of the Rings

This is pretty cool - it's LOTR spliced together and voiced over from old movies.

— posted by Noelle at 4:24 PM [PermaLink]

KING breaks Wednesday record

Defeats THE PHANTOM MENACE [more]

— posted by Noelle at 4:22 PM [PermaLink]

Lord of the Right Wing

heh. That's silly. However, I am totally on board with the whole "recall Bush" sentiment....

— posted by Noelle at 11:38 AM [PermaLink]

Re: How about an IQ Quiz?

I got Visionary Philosopher: This means you are highly intelligent and have a powerful mix of skills and insight that can be applied in a variety of different ways.

I found this slight less mystifying than the inkblot test, the results for which were:
...your subconscious mind is driven most by Peace

People who have unconscious minds driven by peace tend to be independent thinkers who often prefer to live by their own high personal standards and moral code.

This is not the capsule summary I would have expected. :-)

— posted by Chris at 11:29 AM [PermaLink]

Last Thursday of the year

So being that this is the last Thursday of the year here at Miranet, my loving and warm co-workers and boss have decided to make it a doosy.

Is openly weeping when people just do not hear the words that you speak directly to them as they nod at you considered unprofessional?

I have already done that twice today.

— posted by Noelle at 11:08 AM [PermaLink]

Here's some silliness for your day

Some silly toons for your pleasure.

— posted by Noelle at 11:06 AM [PermaLink]

Angel to Buffy: Come Back!

Buffy isn't gonna be in angel this season. [more]

— posted by Noelle at 11:00 AM [PermaLink]

Re: I am Jack's Xbox.

I wonder if you can have William Shatner fight Gandhi?

— posted by Carl at 4:50 PM [PermaLink]

US appeals court rules in favor of medical marijuana patients

San Francisco just kicked the Supreme Court out of our states! Article Here.

— posted by Noelle at 3:19 PM [PermaLink]

Which Fantasy/SciFi Character Are You?

An accomplished diplomat who can virtually do no wrong, you sometimes know it is best to rely on the council of others while holding the reins.

— posted by Noelle at 3:04 PM [PermaLink]

I am Jack's Xbox.

The first rule of FIGHT CLUB: own a video game console.

Sweet.

— posted by Noelle at 2:21 PM [PermaLink]

Taking off from work is apparently very bad for me.

So since I was out for two days last week and thanksgiving happened and there's the looming week off and then the 3 day week after that, I am finding myself wondering why the hell I am here.

My head is everywhere but here.

My body would like to not be here.

My soul shuts off when I come here so I think it would probably prefer that I not be here either.

I can't concentrate at all and the new guy, Chris, who is very sweet, keeps asking questions about how to help the business grow, and I keep having to tell him that he can't. Usually, I get a kick out of seeing new people break, but this one is really sad because he's such a nice guy and has that very sad look on his face when Laura and I tell him about reality....

Anyway, I'll be here, but not here for the rest of the week I guess.

— posted by Noelle at 1:37 PM [PermaLink]

Happy Birthday Zac!

Hey, if you happen to be reading this - I hope you have a great Birthday!

— posted by Noelle at 1:29 PM [PermaLink]

ROTK

Yes, it was good. It was beautiful. More when you all see it.

Trilogy Tuesday = lots of fun!

— posted by Noelle at 11:44 AM [PermaLink]

Tales of the Vampires Review

From Cinescape - they liked it - I have yet to read my copy....

— posted by Noelle at 11:44 AM [PermaLink]

At the RotK premiere

Cinescape has pics.

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 9:47 AM [PermaLink]

For Noelle

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 9:42 AM [PermaLink]

Extreme Makeover

Here's a preview of an upcoming show.

— posted by Jon Reid at 2:31 PM [PermaLink]

iPod a Day Giveaway

Individuals also may enter by hand-printing their name, complete address, daytime phone number and e-mail address (if available) on a 3 x 5 postcard and mailing to: iTunes Music Store iPod-A-Day Giveaway, 1 Infinite Loop, MS 301-4AM, Cupertino, CA 95014. Entries must be postmarked and received during the Promotion Period. The promotion begins at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time (PT) on November 28, 2003, and ends at 11:59 p.m. PT on December 24, 2003. Limit one entry per separate envelope. Limit one entry per person regardless of entry method. Entries submitted by one individual via multiple e-mail addresses, multiple post cards, and/or mechanically generated entries, will be discarded and will result in total and permanent disqualification from the promotion. Limit one prize per household.

— posted by Carl at 2:38 PM [PermaLink]

Heh. This is me today...

Not quite ready to be back yet. Good thing I don't have to come in tomorrow!

— posted by Noelle at 1:27 PM [PermaLink]

Te

So the Te of Piglet was finally finished and returned to owner. It was "eh." not nearly as good as the Tao of Pooh...

Just FYI for those following my nearly stopped reading flow. More Gaiman soon.

— posted by Noelle at 1:02 PM [PermaLink]

Girls Rule and Guys Drool

Girls Rule

(wendy, you'll probably recognize the music :)

— posted by Carl at 12:33 PM [PermaLink]

Re: Polish Clock

Cool clock!

...but it took them four years?

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 11:27 AM [PermaLink]

Polish Clock

Every now and again there comes down the pike a graphic so good the fresh concept blows you away.

The University of Warsaw computer science students have finally finished the digital clock they have been working on for 4 years. Go to this site to see the results. This is a real clock, and it's pretty cool!

— posted by Noelle at 10:44 AM [PermaLink]

Thanks for all the Fish

Ok, so no fish were actually harmed in the making of my Holiday Dinner, but I wanted to thank everyone who came, and made food, and gave me lovely things that were all very thoughtful. I had a really great time - I hope you all did too. :-)

— posted by Noelle at 10:43 AM [PermaLink]

Back in the Saddle Again

Yo. Back at work today. Sorry about the lag on the song of the day.

Happy to report a 4 day week this week, a week off and then a 3 day week the week after that! Hope that you all are surviving the holidays!

— posted by Noelle at 10:41 AM [PermaLink]

Re: Who Will Be Eaten First?

Sweeeeet.....

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Chthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn. Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Chthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn. Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Chthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.

And, to add something, I link to Pokethulhu.

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 10:16 AM [PermaLink]

Who Will Be Eaten First?

This one's especially for Chris: A Chick Tract, except, uh, for a different god.

— posted by Jon Reid at 9:59 AM [PermaLink]

Re: Political Compass

Hmmm ... I don't think I'll post my results. Suffice it to say that many of you have political orientations that indicate that you would be happy in abject poverty, doing great things for mankind, living on a diet of morality, rice, and beans ( e.g. Ghandi, Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela ).

My orientation is significantly different. My banana republic would not be the subject of protests by Amnesty International, but would have a "you get what you earn" mantra, and more discussion over commerce than how to save the world. We may be morally bankrupt, but we'd have great desserts!

And, we could watch your poignant speeches on our big screen TVs.

— posted by Mike at 8:45 AM [PermaLink]

Re: RSS

Thankyouthankyouthankyou! I am able to keep up with most of my blogroll using NetNewsWire Lite, and thought I would engage in a campaign to convert the holdouts. Only two more to go!

— posted by Jon Reid at 5:57 PM [PermaLink]

Wonder Woman!

The Odd Todd holiday page made me somewhat nostalgic for the old tv show Wonder Woman. You gotta love Linda Carter in tights running around in high heels. *sigh* Oh, here's the theme song to the show. "In your satin tights/You're fighting for your rights" these lyrics are sheer genius!!!

— posted by Chris at 2:18 AM [PermaLink]

ODDTODD!!!

Christmas Cartoon is up. It's pretty good :-)

— posted by Noelle at 5:41 PM [PermaLink]

Re: The Politcal Compass

Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: -8.25
Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.21
I'm down there with Ghandi.
Very left, very libertarian.

Huh, who would have guessed?

— posted by Noelle at 5:28 PM [PermaLink]

Re: The Politcal Compass

I got: Economic Left/Right: -6.38, Authoritarian/Libertarian: -4.62. This puts me in the neighborhood of Nelson Mandela and the Delai Lama, for what that's worth. :-)

— posted by Chris at 10:34 AM [PermaLink]

Re: The Political Compass

— posted by Carl at 5:19 PM [PermaLink]

The Political Compass

If you're interested, take the quiz here

— posted by Wendy at 4:45 PM [PermaLink]

Re: Furry Sex Dolls

I am interested in the $11,000 dragon and from the pics in my e-mails apparently chicks really dig eels so perhapse an "aquatic reptile" would be nice. Both my birthday and Christmas are just around the corner you know!

— posted by Noelle at 1:54 PM [PermaLink]

Re: Masturbate For Peace

Chris, maybe if you thought about homophones for "peace"...

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 1:05 PM [PermaLink]

Furry Sex Dolls

Not only is there money to be made in furry suits, but now an enterprising soul (or souls) has come up with full size Furry Sex Dolls. Check out their pricing structure. However, from looking at their site (nothing too scandalous, don't worry) I don't see any completed dolls pictured, only sketches, which makes me think that maybe this is a joke or a scam.

If you don't know what furries are, may I direct you to this informative cartoon (somewhat scandalous, mostly potty mouth). There's a followup cartoon the next day.

— posted by Chris at 12:08 PM [PermaLink]

Re: Masturbate For Peace

I dunno, if I'm thinking about Peace when I masturbate, I may have a hard time getting down to business. Is there some way we can make Peace sexier? Maybe have Peace wear a bustier and bring some friends with it? Does Peace have a sister?

— posted by Chris at 12:01 PM [PermaLink]

Re: TheSpark Thinks You're A Man

Me too, although when I took it twice (the second time was to back up to the picture with the distribution) I got 80% confidence the first time (with a placement similar to Noelle's) and 86% the second time, with (AFAICT) exactly the same answers. I think the first result is maybe more accurate, since half of the questions at the end that they hold up as (wo)men-think-this I answered the way women do and half the way men do. And most of these questions are pretty silly. I think a better title might be: The Spark Isn't Sure If You Are A Man Or A Woman and Is Making A Guess. Maybe that's too long, though. :-) Anyway, my two bits.

— posted by Chris at 11:56 AM [PermaLink]

Lynch for Peace

Courtesy Wired News' Furthermore:

Om....
Most people probably wouldn't associate film director David Lynch with world peace. Yet, Lynch, famous for dark and violent films like Blue Velvet and the TV series Twin Peaks, is promoting a peace campaign in a big way. Lynch is helping to raise $1 billion to fund a foundation that would supply Transcendental Meditation experts to create peace. "Every time it (mass meditation) has been tested, it's reduced crime and violence. It's a real thing, and it could be put in place this year and bring peace to Earth," said Lynch, who said meditation has helped him deal with anger. So far, Lynch and others have raised $88 million, but more is needed to bankroll 8,000 scholarships to teach the meditation techniques of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 11:27 AM [PermaLink]

Joss Interviews

For interested Parties, here's a couple of Joss interviews...
http://www.ugo.com/channels/filmtv/features/firefly/josswhedon.asp
Firefly Episode Guide - there's 7 parts, and finding the link to all of them is tricky... but here ya go.

— posted by Noelle at 9:45 AM [PermaLink]

Home again today

If you need anything, you know where to find me :-)

— posted by Noelle at 9:41 AM [PermaLink]

Big Fish

Cinescape gave it a B, which is pretty ok for them.

Looks interesting, but not really normal for my man Tim. Ewan is in it so that adds some interest.

Anyway, opens 1.9.04 for anyone who may want to give it a go with me....

— posted by Noelle at 10:05 PM [PermaLink]

Masturbate for Peace

ummmmmmmm, the internet is truely a strange place...

10 Days of Wanking: December 22 - 31, 2003
Join us this holiday season for 10 days of wanking for peace. Each day we will masturbate in a special way, symbolizing one aspect of our peace movement. [more] (yes, there's actually a calendar that tells you which way to do it on what day and what it symbolizes)

I can see that the portal of evil is going to corrupt my blog.

— posted by Noelle at 9:47 PM [PermaLink]

Portal of Evil.

Wow. This is one of the most interesting sites I have seen in a while. There's just a wealth of insanity on this page. I think this will have to bookmarked and visited often...

— posted by Noelle at 9:43 PM [PermaLink]

Re: SoulCookie : Quiz: Internet Addiction

"Can you complete this phrase: All your base are _______________ ?" is not a fair question for this test....

I am 60% Internet Addict

I am pretty addicted, but there is hope. I think I'm just well connected to the internet and technology, but it's really a start of a drug-like addiction. I must act now! Unplug this computer!

Take the Internet Addict Test at fuali.com

— posted by Noelle at 9:41 PM [PermaLink]

Re: CD-R Degradation

I just wanted to say thanks to people who posted about this. It's interesting how different opinions are about this.

I have had Burned CD's that degraded in as little as 3 months and ones that have lated many years so I don't actually think there's a correct answer. Whatever the actual numbers on are dependant on a number of factors that I no longer have control over as stuff is alreday burned so I should probably just assume the worst case scenario.

Anyway, I really appreciate your interest in it and the debate - it gave me both caution and hope so :-)!

— posted by Noelle at 9:37 PM [PermaLink]

re: RSS

Ah, of course! Neil had the answer all along! Here's what it says on his site:

RSS (Rich Site Summary) is a means of distributing Blog summarys in a lightweight XML format to let you keep up with what's new in [this] Journal. You can now set up a desktop aggregator which will grab the RSS feed from this site (and others) and give you a short summary of any new postings that are available.

Examples of aggregators include NetNewsWire for MacOS X (ranchero.com/netnewswire), NewzCrawler for Windows (www.newzcrawler.com) or AmphetaDesk (www.disobey.com/amphetadesk) which is cross-platform.

To set up an RSS feed from GoofNoodle, set up a desktop aggregator and use this link: http://feeds.blogmatrix.com/feeds/0200/020096.feed.rss (although I think it will take up to 36 hours for it to catch up as I just added myself into the whole "check on me every 8 hours" business)

— posted by Noelle at 9:32 PM [PermaLink]

Ebay insanity

An there was much rejoycing.

Today's earnings so far: $334.39. Still a couple auctions to go....

The most amazing thing peole went nuts over:
This stupid antenna ball that I got at Carl's Jr for a buck. It sold for 14.50 and there was 12 bids. That's just nuts.

— posted by Noelle at 9:23 PM [PermaLink]

re: RSS : Wish Granted

For you, Jon, Anything.

I added the button that they told me to add down there in the "customize" section of the right bar. I also added the Metadata that they told me to.

Then I began to wonder what the heck you were talking about. I have no idea what an RSS feed is. I have no idea if the button I added does anything.

Whatever, if Jon wants it, Jon gets it. :-)

Update: OK, I found this and it tells me what RSS is and so I am happy.

To new peole looking at my ramblings, Welcome!

— posted by Noelle at 9:08 PM [PermaLink]

Re: TheSpark thinks I'm a man.

It all adds up...
You are definitely a man, baby!

How do we know? Well, deep down, your gender affects everything about you, from your favorite number to your views on Canada. Many men who took the test think and act just like you, as you can see from the clusters above.

Statistically speaking, you are a dude.

— posted by Carl at 6:36 PM [PermaLink]

RSS

Hey, could one of the admin types with access to the holy template add an RSS feed to this blog? It can be done at blogmatrix.com.

— posted by Jon Reid at 6:01 PM [PermaLink]

Sex Bracelets

Remember those Jelly bracelets from Way back in the 80's? Well, they have a whole new meaning now!

Check it out.

— posted by Noelle at 5:26 PM [PermaLink]

TheSpark thinks I'm a man.

With 80% confidence. Try it.

How do we know? Well, deep down, your gender affects everything about you, from your favorite number to your views on Canada. Many men who took the test think and act just like you, as you can see from the clusters above.

Statistically speaking, you are a dude.

Heh. Well, all my pink parts claim the contrary.

When I clicked the botton to tell it that it was wrong, it said:
People like you, who walk the scary line between man and woman, are *very* helpful in understanding exactly what it means to be human. Thanks, and good luck.

— posted by Noelle at 3:12 PM [PermaLink]

— posted by Noelle at 3:05 PM [PermaLink]

Neil Con "evil Beard"

Someone asked what Neil looks like now... He has been complaining about a goatee he had for a while and how it was truely evil. He finally posted a picture (well after shaving it off):

— posted by Noelle at 3:01 PM [PermaLink]

Dow hits 10,000 again today

Dow 10,014.97 +93.11

— posted by Carl at 12:17 PM [PermaLink]

Re: CD-R Degradation

The one from 8 years ago may have been a gold one but the one from 5 years ago is a TDK blue dye. My point was that everyone should relax unless they are using really really cheap media. Noelle was worried her whole CD collection was going to disappear in a year or two. That's just not the case.

— posted by Carl at 12:17 PM [PermaLink]

Re: CD-R Degradation

Carl, you're right. Both articles actually addressed the fact that the degradation was due to badly made CD-Rs. The ones that failed the test were some sort of generic Dutch CD-Rs. If you burned a CD 8 years ago, it should still work. My understanding is that CD-Rs were made better then--I think many of them had a gold layer. (And, if my memory serves me correctly, they were also really expensive: ~$10 per cd in '97 or '98.) I

— posted by Wendy at 12:05 PM [PermaLink]

Re: heh.

What kind of monster are you? by EvilFrank
Username
Monster	Deformed Horror
Created By	Stellar Radiation
Dwelling	The Cellar
Total Victims	473
Killed By	Spine Ripped Out

Created with quill18's MemeGen!

— posted by Carl at 11:52 AM [PermaLink]

heh.

What kind of monster are you? by EvilFrank
Username
Monster	Carrot Top
Created By	Alien Bio-Weapon Engineers
Dwelling	Small Haunted Cabin
Total Victims	354
Killed By	Killed? Yeah, right . . .

Created with quill18's MemeGen!

— posted by Noelle at 11:30 AM [PermaLink]

Stayed Home

At home today. If you need me, call.

— posted by Noelle at 9:20 AM [PermaLink]

For those W4's for next year

IRS Withholding Calculator

— posted by Carl at 1:35 AM [PermaLink]

Re: CD-R Degradation

**Update**

I just found a CD that I had burned on 5/5/95. That's 8 1/2 years old. I didn't even have a burner back then. I actually paid a company $80 to burn my very first animation projects I did back in high school to CD-R. And get this, it looks like cheap media. No brand name or anything and it works fine.
I think if you used quality media and have a good burner/reader you have nothing to worry about.

— posted by Carl at 1:29 AM [PermaLink]

Re: CD-R Degradation

I don't think this is as simple as it sounds. Personally I have never had a problem with any of my burned CD's degrading or not reading. I just checked a CD I burned on 5/19/98. That's 5 1/2 years old. It read fine and I even loaded and ran the files that were on it. No problems. I have however had many problems burning a CD at work, sticking right back into the computer or a different computer and it not reading. This problem of course is not from "CD degradation" but from cheap media or more likely a cheap CD drive. I have found that many CD-Roms have trouble reading burned disks, but as soon as you put it in a high quality drive it reads just fine. Whenever I back up data I always use TDK media and at home I use a Yamaha burner.

— posted by Carl at 1:21 AM [PermaLink]

CD-R Degradation

I know there's been some interest in this. Here are some links about it:
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/7751
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/54348

— posted by Wendy at 6:06 PM [PermaLink]

Christmas Rhapsody

A few of my friends worked on a song for Digidesign's holiday CD. David, the longhair from Adobe, and Scott, the no-hair from Apple, are both primary participants for those of you who noted people at the pumpkin party.

Their final product in incredible. It's a parody on Bohemian Rhapsody and it's unbelievable.

Click here to download yourself!

— posted by Noelle at 5:18 PM [PermaLink]

New uniforms

This US Department of Defense handout image shows a soldier in a lightweight uniform with advanced technological capabilities that researchers say will make troops safer and more formidable on the battlefield.

So, is it just me or does it appear that we have some Star Wars fans in the ~~costume~~ clothing design department of the US Military?

— posted by Noelle at 5:11 PM [PermaLink]

— posted by Noelle at 5:03 PM [PermaLink]

Terminator 3

I watched Terminator 3 last night.

It was *WAY* better than I thought it would be. However, I did leave it feeling like it was just rather informative, as opposed to an actual story of it's own.

And it was wierd to sit there and watch our governor naked.

— posted by Noelle at 3:08 PM [PermaLink]

Re: We love Kerpal

I keep clicking the "Shut up!" button....

— posted by Noelle at 3:05 PM [PermaLink]

Foul, Evil Goodness

Oh My God. These are evil. Watch out for them!

I am sitting here, pretty proud of my handywork on a new site that I building and G is gone so I'm feeling like relaxing and maybe having a cook-ay, so I wander into the conference room to scavange for goodies. Low and behold, I found these.

HOLY CRAP. They are **SO** good. They totally make you ill after like 2 of them, but they are so good. They are all of the goodness of a Girl Scout Thin Mint *and* an Oreo without either invading on the other.

However, their evilness comes in the fact that I ate 2 and now feel like I want to die.

Lesson: Buy these.

Lesson 2: Eat one at a time.

— posted by Noelle at 3:03 PM [PermaLink]

ALIENS egg added to museum

Star Sigourney Weaver presents the treat to the Smithsonian [more]

— posted by Noelle at 2:52 PM [PermaLink]

Re: If I was rich and could sew...

Holy Crap! I wish I could afford that!

— posted by Noelle at 2:51 PM [PermaLink]

Re: If I was rich and could sew...

That is some cool shit.

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 2:03 PM [PermaLink]

If I was rich and could sew...

I'd make some clothes out of this.

— posted by Wendy at 1:48 PM [PermaLink]

We love Kerpal

A soundboard from "You Kicked My Dog."

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 1:34 PM [PermaLink]

Re: Mortensen Up For Batman?

And Katie Holmes as the love interest? Jesus Christ - NO ONE from Dawson's Creek should be in a Batman movie. Period.

Dawson's Creek alumna = Bad.

Roswell alumna = Good. Very very good.

We can dream...

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 1:16 PM [PermaLink]

Even Nixon Didn't Like Reagan

More Nixon tapes released to the public. He evidently found Reagan "uncomfortable" to be around. [article]

— posted by Chris at 10:57 AM [PermaLink]

Today's word: duende (doo-EN-day) noun

1. Demon; goblin.

2. Inspiration; fire; spirit; magic; charm; magnetism.

[From Spanish dialectal duende (charm), from Spanish (ghost).]

— posted by Noelle at 10:20 AM [PermaLink]

Re: FDA Will Not Regulate GloFish

"[The FDA sees] no need to regulate the red fluorescent creatures."

Prime target for Photoshop rework of the following book:
One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish

If I had more time, I'd do so. ;-)

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 10:11 AM [PermaLink]

FDA Will Not Regulate GloFish

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, besieged by questions about a new kind of genetically engineered pet fish, said on Tuesday it saw no need to regulate the red fluorescent creatures. [more]

Whoo Hoo! We are one step closer to X-Men!

— posted by Noelle at 10:02 AM [PermaLink]

OK this is just Ridiculous.

I just can't believe that 50% of the stories taht pass my desk are from Germany. Either every other country is really good at concealing their stupididty, or Germany is just proud. Can they really be that markedably stupid? A whole country of idiots? (looks around at people sitting near me, thinking about our president, and for that matter, the governor...) Yes, I guess that's possible.... anyway, another reason to stay the hell out of Germany, even their criminals are idiots:

Man with Heroin in Ear Nabbed Questioning Police
BERLIN (Reuters) - German police charged a man with drugs possession after officers spotted a small quantity of heroin concealed in his ear when he entered a police station to check if he was on their wanted list.

"I suppose he may have heard he was wanted for some offence and just wanted to see if the police had anything on him," Volker Pieper, a spokesman for police in the central city of Kassel, said Tuesday. "It didn't go quite as he had planned."

As the 33-year-old man, a known drug abuser, questioned police, an officer noticed a suspicious lump stuck in his ear which turned out to be a gram of heroin, said Pieper. Police confiscated the drug before filing charges.

Ok, so you think you might be on the most wanted list, right? DO YOU WALK INTO A POLICE STATION??? No. Do you do it with a gram of heroin? No. If you have one, do you STICK IT IN YOUR EAR? No. Would a pocket be a better place to conceal that if you did? Yes.

— posted by Noelle at 9:57 AM [PermaLink]

Mortensen Up For Batman?

Michael Caine, who will play Alfred the butler in the upcoming new Batman film, told SCI FI Wire that director Christopher Nolan is eyeing Lord of the Rings star Viggo Mortensen to play the villain in the film, which is slated to begin production in April 2004. In an interview, Caine wouldn't specify which villain role Mortensen (Rings' Aragorn) is up for. [more]

And Katie Holmes as the love interest? Jesus Christ - NO ONE from Dawson's Creek should be in a Batman movie. Period.

— posted by Noelle at 9:49 AM [PermaLink]

An interview with Joss Whedon about his western space adventure FIREFLY

Joss Whedon owns the internet. Type his name into Google and do a search and see for yourself how many fansites there are for BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, its spinoff series ANGEL or even for FIREFLY, Whedon's short-lived science fiction series with a western twist from last season. Attend a convention where Whedon will be at and see for yourself how many fans turn up to ask questions and hear his stories from the trenches of Hollywood. While many TV shows can say they have a popular following, it's rare that the writers or creator of a series ever equals the popularity of the program. In Joss Whedon's case it's absolutely true: he's a superstar. [more]

— posted by Noelle at 9:45 AM [PermaLink]

And let us Pray...

Dear lord, please let is be, that someone is actually working on a machine for me, that resembles this:

— posted by Noelle at 9:23 AM [PermaLink]

RE: Blue Dot insanity

That's frelling. Really, if you're going to talk dren, you should spell it properly. ;-)

— posted by Chris at 11:12 PM [PermaLink]

Blue Dot insanity

So my Blue Dot saga has grown to epic proportions.

One of the parts has gone completley frillin' (that was for you, Vince) nuts. For reasons that I don't understand, some of the dots pull up the correct info and some pull up completley wrong info, even though they are all pulling from the exact same database where all of the info is correct.

I had three people looking at it with all of the pattern matching skills inherant to this building and no one can figure out what is going on.

So now I get to go through every single view, and click on every single dot and figure out *which* dots pull up correct info and which do not (as it seems to be based on their item number) so taht the programmers have all the resources that they could possibly need. I have to check each one against a very small print, but HUGE table to see if ALL of the info matches (aside: sometimes it has the right part number, sometimes, the right item number, and sometimes nothing is correct - the description is invariably wrong with the ones that are wrong).

Suffice it to say, this is more tedious than my brain is capable of handling.

I think I should get gifts on secretary's day.

(Programmers, please don't e-mail me with possible solutions, I already have a headache and don't really care *why* it is frilled up now, I just have to figure out which ones are)

— posted by Noelle at 4:42 PM [PermaLink]

Re: AGH!!! Blackout!!!

but Jesus, why do I have such shitty infrastructure to work with???

G.

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 3:36 PM [PermaLink]

AGH!!! Blackout!!!

OK, so the power went out a little bit ago. It flipped off and then back on.

Usually, no problem, right? You'd just turn your omputer back on and go, right?

Well not at hell.com. Because of the blackout, and the crappiness of my computer (mind you, we actually build and sell computers also), Outlook refuses to load - I can't do much without a mail program around here. Also AIM exploded and won't deal with me.

I think if I click open and let these sit fir a while, they will work themselves out, but Jesus, why do I have such shitty infrastructure to work with???

— posted by Noelle at 2:55 PM [PermaLink]

Whoa! Another No Big Surprise

The Schwarzenegger administration has decided that it won't pursue allegations of groping by the Guebenator after all, saying it's "time to move on." Boy, I didn't see this one coming. [article]

— posted by Chris at 1:17 PM [PermaLink]

No Big Surprise

By a number of benchmarks, the current Bush administration is citing and punishing fewer pollution violators than the previous two administrations before it. I suppose it is possible that the number of polluters has dropped since then, but why do I think that is not the case? [article]

— posted by Chris at 1:00 PM [PermaLink]

FARSCAPE mini to begin filming next week

Sci Fi Wire is reporting from a source that the new and as yet still unofficially announced FARSCAPE mini-series is set to begin filming next week on December 15.

The site also reports that producers Rockne O'Bannon and David Kemper are writing the four-hour mini and the regular stars will reprise their roles for it, all news that has leaked out. One new addition is that the mini-series does not have a deal in place yet for where and when it will be broadcast. Might it be offered as part of the show's syndication package, or to a network/cable channel?

There still has been no official announcement concerning FARSCAPE's future by the Jim Henson Company.

— posted by Noelle at 12:57 PM [PermaLink]

The latest on the FIREFLY movie

Whedon speaks

— posted by Noelle at 12:56 PM [PermaLink]

CBLDF Auction

Happening now.

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 10:57 AM [PermaLink]

Having difficulty converting?

Try a Plug and Pray Kit. It comes available for all current mono-theistic platforms as well as some poly-theistic ones as well.

That's just silly.

— posted by Noelle at 5:21 PM [PermaLink]

Now that's funny

**Giggling**

— posted by Noelle at 2:13 PM [PermaLink]

re: Stupid Germans: Vicar Distributes Porn Films by Mistake

BERLIN (Reuters) - A German vicar inadvertently supplied his parish with dozens of hard core porn films in an unsuccessful bid to teach people about the life of Christ.

Frithjof Schwesig, vicar in the southwestern town of Lampoldshausen, had ordered 300 copies of a video film portraying the life of Christ as told by the gospel according to Luke.

"In a first batch 20 to 30 videos were distributed and we immediately got a reaction from five to seven people saying we must have given them the wrong film," he said.

"It was a real porn film. Within an hour our staff had collected all the videos. Really, all were withdrawn."

Schwesig said there had been a mistake at the Munich video copying plant and his staff established in a viewing session that night that 200 of the videos were pornographic.

Undaunted, Schwesig said he was pressing ahead with the life of Christ video campaign.

"It's extremely successful," he said.

— posted by Noelle at 1:38 PM [PermaLink]

Cocaine and Ecstasy Cause DNA Mutation, Study Says

ROME (Reuters) - Cocaine and ecstasy not only cause addiction and raise the risk of cancer but also provoke genetic mutations, Italian scientists said Friday.

"Cocaine and ecstasy have proved to be more dangerous than we had imagined," said Giorgio Bronzetti, chief scientist at the National Center for Research's (CNR) biotechnology department.

"These drugs, on top of their toxicological effects, attack DNA provoking mutations and altering the hereditary material. This is very worrying for the effects it could have on future generations," he said.

The use of ecstasy, a drug popular at all-night dance parties, increased by 70 percent between 1995 and 2000 according to a United Nations (news - web sites) report published in September.

Ecstasy and amphetamines have overtaken cocaine and heroin as the fastest growing global narcotics menace, the study said.

The CNR report, which took more than three years to complete, said animal tests had shown a direct relationship between ecstasy and cocaine intake and the effects on DNA.

"In other words, the longer the time frame of drug consumption, the greater the damage to DNA," Bronzetti said.

— posted by Noelle at 1:35 PM [PermaLink]

Supreme Court Allows Rosa Parks to Sue Rap Duo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way on Monday for civil rights icon Rosa Parks to proceed with her lawsuit against OutKast and others over the rap music duo's hit song with her name as its title. [more]

— posted by Noelle at 1:32 PM [PermaLink]

Bush Signs Sweeping Medicare Reform Bill

Sigh, I think this is going to take the rest of my life to clean up... [more]

— posted by Noelle at 1:29 PM [PermaLink]

Wham!

— posted by Jon Reid at 9:33 AM [PermaLink]

Re: Mil talks about Aly

Too funny! :-)

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 9:55 PM [PermaLink]

Mil talks about Aly

HA! So I get Mil's Mailing list (the "Things my Girlfriend and I Have Argued About" guy) as he only send updates by way of e-mail now. Well, he's notorious for loving, as we all do, Alyson Hannigan. Here's what he had to say:

It seems that people are increasingly finding themselves compelled to come up and tell me that Alyson Hannigan has now married. And then to give me a sympathetic hug.

Well, everyone, I am perfectly well aware that Alyson Hannigan has married someone or other. This, for the more naïve of you, is what's called 'Playing hard to get.' It is, in fact, such a transparent come-on that I'm almost embarrassed for her that she's throwing herself at me in this manner. I mean, flirting with someone else to pique my interest - fair enough. But to go so desperately far as to *get married*? Pft. She might as well take out a newspaper advert saying, "Mil, I want you with a cruel yet wonderful ache that binds and dizzies me. Come to me now and make me whole." Mightn't she? *Marrying* some bloke? It's beyond even any kind of 'the lady doth protest too much' thing and practically into the realms of guileless pleading for my affections. If I weren't so
anxious about how her esurient pursuit of me was making her look in the eyes of the world, then a slight smile might swoop across my face as it does when she coquettishly feigns not knowing my name but then I open an envelope one morning and 'Oh, but you amazingly appear to have remembered it to have this
restraining order drawn up, eh, Alyson?'

So, please don't give me your misplaced condolences. Save your sympathy for the poor sap - I don't know who he is; probably some tramp hired for a few dollars - whom she's married merely as a way of attracting me.

Though it's clear that Alyson Hannigan and I are meant to be together, I am, currently, still going out with Margret, due to a technicality. Now, Margret is very attractive. Blond, admittedly, but very attractive despite that. One might imagine that this would give her a little insight into the imperatives of physical aesthetics but, apparently, it doesn't. Margret came up to my room here in the attic the other day and noticed a couple of new pictures of Alyson Hannigan on the wall - pictures of Alyson Hannigan walking around while lightly dressed.

'Is that Willow?' she asked.

I've been with Margret for around sixteen years now and so the natural affection I've built up prevented me from saying, 'No, it's not "Willow". "Willow" is a fictional character. *That* - in fact - is your successor.' Instead, I merely replied, gently, but firmly, 'Don't touch the glass - you'll leave smudges.'

Margret touched the glass repeatedly and then, very much in the manner of someone who wasn't about to say something utterly without sense or reason, shook her head before sighing, 'Why would she pose for photos like that?'

'*What*?'

'Why would she pose for photos like that?'

'Because... *look* at her. It's like asking why Turner painted or why Austen wrote. If *I* looked like that I'd spend my whole day in a mirrored bathroom with a camera. I'd owe it to myself and to the world.'

Margret's understanding of Art is sadly blinkered.

— posted by Noelle at 8:12 PM [PermaLink]

The Top 13 Quotes From Animal Romance Novels

13> It had been tough growing up in the spotlight, alone, separated from her by the jail house bars of a system that didn't understand their love. But someday they would be together again, and he would wait, counting the days until she was released. After all, it was Mary who had turned him from a little lamb into a young ram.

12> His nose was cold. Colder than any nose that dared sniff her before. She backed further into his muzzle.

11> The muscular ram grabbed her by the wooly tuft on the back of her neck and with a sinful gleam in his eye said, "You've been a very baa-aa-aa-aa-aa-aad girl."

10> His torrid affair with the donkey left him smelling like ass.

9> His every pant brought forth a musky scent, and he growled low in his throat and said, "Moan like a human, bitch!"

8> My master crossed his legs provocatively, dangling one taut lean calf over his knee. As his leg bobbed rhythmically, his cuff climbed higher, revealing-- Hey! A squirrel!

7> Squeezing his octopus companion tightly with his tentacles, Oliver felt shame as he prematurely released his ink.

6> Polly's new man was like all the others. He never seemed to ask what she really wanted, choosing instead to insistently repeat his offer of a cracker.

5> Timmy and Sally rested for several seconds, then began anew. Then rested again. Followed by more loving. A brief nap. Once again with the coitus. The bunnies simply could not help themselves.

4> In all of the streams in all of the mountains in all of the northwest, she had to come swimming into mine. Not really a surprise, I suppose. We all *had* to swim into this particular stream... or die trying.

3> He didn't need the love of a female. He didn't need a male, either, for that matter. He was a worm. He had it all.

2> "Hold me closer," the gorgeous white kitten purred. "Closer, closer... now leave me alone! Don't look at me -- I'll go over here. Okay, now hold me closer again...."

1> "Your bulging green eyes, your powerful jaws -- I think I'm losing my head over you, darling."
"You have no idea how right you are, loverboy."

— posted by Noelle at 2:24 PM [PermaLink]

Re: Miserable Failure

From a source at google (a friend of a friend of a friend):
Part of a concerted link-spamming effort on behalf of candidate (and future also-ran) Gephardt, who has applied the term "miserable f." to W....

Dick Gephardt has started a campaign to label George Bush as a "miserable failure." (viz. http://www.amiserablefailure.com. This tag line has generated some buzz , e.g., the article in The Atlantic. Google's results reflect that skirmish of opinion. Out of 1779 anchors to that George Bush page, 211 of them have the words miserable failure. It might be either grass roots/organic or just a smaller number of people with lots of artificial links. What typically happens is that "meta-stories" about the phenomenon end up toward the top instead of the phenomenon itself.

— posted by Noelle at 9:06 PM [PermaLink]

Sega sues Fox, EA over 'Simpsons' video game

LOS ANGELES, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Video game publisher Sega of America on Thursday sued a division of Fox Entertainment and industry leader Electronic Arts Inc., saying a game based on Fox's well-known "Simpsons" characters infringes a Sega patent. [more]

— posted by Noelle at 3:41 PM [PermaLink]

Re: Yesterday's color quiz

you are lightcyan
#E0FFFF

Your dominant hues are green and blue. You're smart and you know it, and want to use your power to help people and relate to others. Even though you tend to battle with yourself, you solve other people's conflicts well.

Your saturation level is very low - you have better things to do than jump headfirst into every little project. You make sure your actions are going to really accomplish something before you start because you hate wasting energy making everyone else think you're working.

Your outlook on life is very bright. You are sunny and optimistic about life and others find it very encouraging, but remember to tone it down if you sense irritation.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 1:52 PM [PermaLink]

From the "Holy Fucking Shit" files

Mayonnaise Maniac
Texas jurors showed no charity for a McDonald's drive-through customer who became enraged when she was denied mayonnaise on her cheeseburger and ran over the restaurant's manager, dragging her across the parking lot and breaking her pelvis. It took the jury less than an hour to convict Waynetta Nolan, 37, of aggravated assault, a felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors attributed the harsh conviction to Nolan's spectacular departure. After throwing a cheeseburger back through the takeout window, a belligerent Nolan refused to be pacified by a special-order burger with mayo, and complained that her fries had grown cold. Even after getting fresh fries, she demanded a new drink, then hit the gas and mowed down the unsuspecting manager. Guess she should've gone to Burger King, where she could have it her way.

From Wired News' Futhermore.

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 11:31 AM [PermaLink]

The Towers are the Players

Yeah, I don't know what I think about this....

— posted by Noelle at 11:21 AM [PermaLink]

Bogus British cancer sufferer jailed

To quote True Lies: "Ballsy. Stupid, but ballsy."

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 11:10 AM [PermaLink]

Angel Celebrates 100th

The cast and crew of The WB's Angel commemmorated the show's 100th episode, now in production, on Dec. 4 with a cake and ceremony on the Wolfram & Hart set in Los Angeles. [more]

— posted by Noelle at 9:59 AM [PermaLink]

20 simple steps...

...to undo global warming.

— posted by Jon Reid at 9:30 AM [PermaLink]

re: ebay

I have been at this for 3 hours. I have 20 new things up on ebay so far and more to go. Some of this makes me sad in theory, but really, I'll never miss it and it would make me happy to get the money off to credit cards so I am ok with it all...

Update: Went out for a walk for an hour and a half... at it again for a while, but I think some of this might have to wait for tomorrow. There's too much stuff. Oh well, hopefully I will make a couple hundred $$ I can send out.

This is all clearly for my edification as I am sure that you all care a lot.

— posted by Noelle at 8:52 PM [PermaLink]

Re:The Triplets of Belleville

What a trip! I'll go see it if you go (but clearly someone else will have to drive ;-) ).

— posted by Noelle at 8:49 PM [PermaLink]

The Tomahawk

F#%k Yeah! Check this thing out!

Daimler Chrysler took a Viper engine and jammed it into this motorcycle called the Tomahawk. This thing will go 0-60 in friggin 2.5 seconds and it tops out "theoretically" at 300MPH. They basically made one prototype to show off to other companies but silly rich motorcycle nuts started clamoring for Tomahawks. So Chrysler made 10 more.

Yu can actually buy one for $555,000.00 at Neiman Marcus.

If I had a cool mil to blow, this bike and my insurance would be pretty sweet.

— posted by Noelle at 8:48 PM [PermaLink]

The Triplets of Belleville

I had not heard about this movie until I saw the trailer. I was quite taken with it, so perhaps the film is worth checking out.

— posted by Chris at 7:58 PM [PermaLink]

Clean Sweep Makes me Happy

So, for those of you who don't know, I spent my Thanksgiving Holiday gutting my house out.

I was sad and feeling like I should do something to kick-start the straightening out of stuff in my life. I then found a Clean Sweep Marathon on TV. For those of you with no clue what I am talking about, it's this show where they take all of your stuff out of a couple rooms of yur house and put it on your lawn. You are then forced to go through it all and get rid of like 80% of it because it's usually useless anyway. In return they make over those couple rooms for you and get you organized.

So, there's me, not right and needing some focus; and there's TLC with 10 hours of inspiration. The rest follows.

You can't really tell so much from the look of things, but I got rid of 2 car-loads of stuff to the GoodWill and then a significant portion went into the ebay pile.

That is what I am doing tonight. The ebay stuff.

This is a moderate pain in the ass, really, but luckily, I started to slack, and went in the bedroom to watch some tube (something I have recently re-discovered) and what was on? You guessed it! Clean Sweep.

So, here I am, back on the ebay track... trying to get it all posted, or as much as one human can handle without going insane.

Wait until I tell you about the What not to Wear Marathon... Oy Vey, my closet needs an overhaul when I get myself back on track.

— posted by Noelle at 6:36 PM [PermaLink]

Meeting of doom over

I watched the Ducks a couple times and I feel a little bit more sane now.

Hmmm. That should say something... not sure what though...

— posted by Noelle at 4:40 PM [PermaLink]

This is really, really funny.

And not in a mean way. In a what will those wacky japanese translate wrong next way.

— posted by Tasha at 4:31 PM [PermaLink]

A relativley familiar quiz: What Kind of Evil Are You?

Let's face it: we're all a little evil. But we're not the same evil. Some are more emotional. Some are more creative. And some are just, well, more evil.

— posted by Noelle at 4:10 PM [PermaLink]

World's oldest D20?

Look

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 2:05 PM [PermaLink]

Re: To Which Race of Middle Earth Do You Belong?

I got Numenorean too.

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 1:22 PM [PermaLink]

Re: To Which Race of Middle Earth Do You Belong?

I got Numenorean:

Numenorean

To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?
brought to you by Quizilla

— posted by Chris at 12:35 PM [PermaLink]

Re: To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?

On a break.... this is painful....

Anyway, here's me:
Elvish

Elvish

To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?
brought to you by Quizilla

I think I'm more of a hobbit myself, but whatever.

— posted by Noelle at 12:33 PM [PermaLink]

To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?

— posted by Jon Reid at 12:25 PM [PermaLink]

Group Sues To Change Name of "Jap Road"

The ADL and JADL are suing to get Jefferson County, Texas to rename a road from "Jap Road" to something a tad less offensive. Gee, what are people so upset about? :-p This is another reason why Texas Is Wrong. [story]

— posted by Chris at 12:15 PM [PermaLink]

Bush's EPA Weakens Clean Air Act - Now Get More Hg With Your Air

This story is starting to make the rounds outside of ther Mercury News (no pun intended). Evidently the EPA has been obligated to limit mercury emissions from power plants. Originally they were talking about reducing it from 48 tons per year to 5 tons per year. Now it's up to 34 tons per year. Oh well, it's not like methylmercury is dangerous or anything.

— posted by Chris at 11:58 AM [PermaLink]

Google fun

This has been making the rounds today. Now I share it with you:

1. Go to Google.
2. Use the search terms miserable failure
3. Click on "I'm feeling lucky."
4. Laugh.

[Edited to add:]
Here's more on the "miserable failure thing.

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 11:44 AM [PermaLink]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand before I go, a quiz:

you are yellow
#FFFF00

Your dominant hues are red and green, so you're definately not afraid to get in and stir things up. You have no time for most people's concerns, you'd rather analyze with your head than be held back by some random "gut feeling".

Your saturation level is very high - you are all about getting things done. The world may think you work too hard but you have a lot to show for it, and it keeps you going. You shouldn't be afraid to lead people, because if you're doing it, it'll be done right.

Your outlook on life is very bright. You are sunny and optimistic about life and others find it very encouraging, but remember to tone it down if you sense irritation.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

<singing> Yellow is the color of my true loves teeth, in the morning, when we rise... </singing>

— posted by Noelle at 9:53 AM [PermaLink]

Re: Moon Landings Were Faked

NASA even killed astronauts before they could spill the beans? What a cover-up! Why hasn't anything been done about this?

— posted by Jon Reid at 9:50 AM [PermaLink]

To hell and back

All day meeting with clients today... I'll be back hopefully around 3 or 4, probably with a headache.

I have to somehow look like I care about this project and the new guys is already driving me insane.

Sigh. Pray for my safe return.

— posted by Noelle at 9:50 AM [PermaLink]

The Soul Cookie has moved!

Kevin has moved the Soul Cookie to a new location for interested parties. Link on the side has been changed for your convenience.

— posted by Noelle at 9:38 AM [PermaLink]

From Odd Todd

Today I found out the origin of the word 'Berserk'. There were these warrior vikings way back in the day that known to be friggin super crazy. When they'd fight they'd be in such a killy frenzy that they'd kill their enemies AND dudes on their own side all out of control. They also used to like to fight while totally naked or while wearing just a bear skin shirt or 'bear sark' thus ber-serk. So why were the berserkers so friggin berserk? Some say they were tripping hard on mushrooms the whole time...

— posted by Noelle at 7:20 PM [PermaLink]

People ***actually*** think that the moon landings were faked???

Wow... that's kinda stupid. Check this dude out....

— posted by Noelle at 7:19 PM [PermaLink]

Re: Which Horrible Affliction Are You?

Ha! I make you flinch!

— posted by Noelle at 7:15 PM [PermaLink]

Re: Which Horrible Affliction Are You?

Yay! I got rabies. Well, I didn't get rabies, but you know what I mean.

Congratulations, you're rabies!

Transmitted by rabid animals, you're most commonly found infecting creatures such as raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes. But don't worry, you affect humans too, causing either paralysis or hyperactivity in your advanced stages, and ultimately death.

Your most famous symptom is hypersalviation - that delightful foaming at the mouth that we have come to know and indeed love. However, you can also cause hallucination; think of the fun you could have at parties!
I am Rabies. Grrrrrrrr!

Take the Affliction Test Today!

— posted by Chris at 5:57 PM [PermaLink]

Brand spankin' new pain in the ass

So, I have a new huge monster to project manage.

Luckily, I have done this one before.

Unluckily, new programmer widget, who is still in that idealized place where he thinks he can change this place, is the point programmer on this.

hehehehe. He actually said those words I love to hear out of the new programmers: "Why don't we implement a version control system?" hehehehehe. Still giggling at that. I give him 3 weeks at this point.

Anyway, tomorrow I have a cleint meeting from 10-3 so if anyone is looking for me and I don't respond, that is where I am (in hell, suffering).

— posted by Noelle at 3:02 PM [PermaLink]

True Dungeon

So At GenCon SoCal, which I would be going to next weekend if money permitted, they are having a live action D&D game and they actually built a dungeon to go do it in. Check it out.

— posted by Noelle at 2:36 PM [PermaLink]

Unconscious Mutterings

Since Kev decided to not grab the ball, and I am avoiding work, I am stealing it this week! For those of you who didn't go check it out before, Unconscious Mutterings is one of those things where you write down the first thing that comes to mind. Feel free to grab the words and post your own! Here's me:

Scrooge:: McDuck
Ribbon:: present
Physical:: health
Income:: tax
Dream:: "all I have to do is dreeeeeeaaaam, dream, dream, dream..."
Notebook:: steno
Disney:: land
Combo:: fries
Booty:: liscious
Skin:: tone

— posted by Noelle at 2:21 PM [PermaLink]

Re: Horrible Affliction Test

I am Syphilis. Don't Screw With Me, Or I'll Give You Dementia.

Take the Affliction Test Today!

Transmitted by direct contact with one of your infections (usually through unprotected sex), you're one nasty STD! In your initial stages, you cause sores, usually on the genitals or in the rectum, but that's only the delicious beginning. Later on, you'll cause a rash, and then slip away ... but you won't be gone. No no, my friend. You're far too cunning.

You'll still pass yourself on to anyone the poor soul you've infected has sex with (anal, vaginal or oral), and you'll start to erode their muscles and nerves! In fact, you'll eventually lead, if left untreated, to malcoordination, blindness, paralysis, dementia and then death!

And that's not all - if you infect a pregnant women, you'll also be passed to their child! A single shot of penicillin will kill you, but shhhhh .. I won't tell anyone if you won't.

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 2:06 PM [PermaLink]

Bored? Take The Horrible Affliction Test!

Here's me!
I am Gonorrhea. Love me.

Take the Affliction Test Today!

Congratulations, you're gonorrhea!

Yeah, that's right. You're a sexually transmitted disease. And it gets worse: you're curable.

But fret not, my fine infectious friend; you have a fine array of symptoms associated with you that would make even rabies flinch.

Women suffer bleeding during vaginal intercourse, a burning sensation when they pee, and a delightful womanly discharge that comes in yellow muck or blood flavours. Men get to have a whole lot of pus coming from their penis. What's more, you can be passed to babies as they're being born, and cause them to go blind! That's how cool you are!

— posted by Noelle at 1:59 PM [PermaLink]

Serkis Confirms Kong Talk

Lord of the Rings star Andy Serkis confirmed in a SCIFI.COM chat that he's talked with Rings director Peter Jackson about playing the title role in Jackson's upcoming remake of the classic SF movie King Kong, though nothing is set. In response to a question from SCI FI Wire in the Dec. 2 chat, Serkis said, "At the moment nothing is confirmed. But I would give anything to work with Peter again. And we've talked."

Serkis, who provided the voice and movements for the computer-animated character Gollum in the Rings films, would likely do the same for Kong. Serkis added that other Rings stars may work with Jackson again. "He's expressed a desire to work with a lot of the cast again," Serkis said.

Serkis' talents will be on view in the upcoming last Rings film, The Return of the King, which opens Dec. 17.

— posted by Noelle at 1:46 PM [PermaLink]

Re: Quiz: Which Biological Molecule Are You?

You are mRNA. You're brilliant, full of important,
interesting information and you're a great
friend to the people you care about. You may
have sides to you that no one understands. But
while you understand more than most people,
you're only half-there most of the time.

Which Biological Molecule Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

— posted by Carl at 12:30 PM [PermaLink]

Bush signs forest bill

First major forest management legislation in a quarter-century [more]

Before you get excited and think he did something cool, read here. It basically opened up old growth forest to lumber yards with the fires as an excuse.

I am livid.

— posted by Noelle at 10:24 AM [PermaLink]

Re: Quiz: Which Biological Molecule Are You?

You are a pheromone. You are seductive
and you know what you want. You have something
about you that permeates the air and draws
people to you. You can get what you want
almost without fail, like some of the sexiest
moths out there.

Umm... Not so sure about this one...

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 9:08 AM [PermaLink]

Re: The Best and Most Challenging Quiz of The Nightmare Before Christmas

Got the same results Noelle did:

You know so much about the nightmare before christmas. You must research and study it as much as I do. I have loved this movie since I was a kid and studied it very hard. Congratulations.

— posted by Victoria Hyde at 8:59 AM [PermaLink]

Louisiana School Punishes 7-Year-Old Boy for Talking About His Lesbian Moms

LAFAYETTE, LA – After a 7-year-old boy was scolded in front of his classmates and sent to a school behavioral clinic for answering another child’s questions about his lesbian mothers, the American Civil Liberties Union today demanded that the school expunge the boy’s disciplinary records and stop restricting him from talking about his family with other students. [more]

Not to be punny, but that's just gay...

— posted by Noelle at 9:53 PM [PermaLink]

New QEftSG Tonight

10:00 on Bravo and this one looks good!

— posted by Noelle at 4:59 PM [PermaLink]

Quiz: Which Biological Molecule Are You?

You are DNA. You're a smart person, and you appear incredibly complex to people who don't know you. You're incomparably full of information, and most of it is useless.

Which Biological Molecule Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

— posted by Noelle at 4:18 PM [PermaLink]

Quiz: The Best and Most Challenging Quiz of The Nightmare Before Christmas

Well, yeah - couldn't help but take this one. And guess what! I got:

You know so much about the nightmare before christmas. You must research and study it as much as I do. I have loved this movie since I was a kid and studied it very hard. Congratulations.
The Best and Most Challenging Quiz of The Nightmare Before Christmas
brought to you by Quizilla

Well duh.

— posted by Noelle at 3:41 PM [PermaLink]

More happy news

from JMS about rising stars, etc... read here!

— posted by Noelle at 11:34 AM [PermaLink]

Farscape to Return As 4 Hour Miniseries

Not too much info in this article here, but hopefully we'll get some resolution out of this after being shafted by the SF Network. Maybe I'll start watching them again. ;-)

— posted by Chris at 10:55 AM [PermaLink]

Dance along nutcracker

heheheh, this looks like fun. Let me know if anyone wants to go:

Plopping safely into that "why we live here category," the Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band's annual Dance-Along Nut Cracker is being performed on Saturday and Sunday the 6th and 7th of December. Who needs the Sing-Along Messiah when you can wrap yourself in a tutu and mince with the masses?
If you like a good sweet nutty time I recommend this event highly. It doesn't get much more Tales of the City. Lots of families with little tykes in tutus dancing alongside bulldaggers and queens populate this show, and have a wholehearted blast. Even the Wall Street Journal describes it as, "one of this city's most delightfully idiosyncratic events". Oh, and for those Burning Man types on this list, costumes are highly encouraged. Don't let this event off your radar. I consider it to be excellent date-testing material.

WHAT: Dance-Along Nut Cracker
WHEN: Saturday & Sunday, 6/7 December, 2:30pm Saturday and 11:00am and 3:00pm Sunday, and Gala Saturday, 7:00pm
WHERE: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 3rd/Mission
HOW MUCH: $14-21, $40 for gala

— posted by Noelle at 10:23 AM [PermaLink]

Original STAR WARS on DVD next November?

Website reports 11/4/04 could be the day fans have been waiting for [more]

— posted by Noelle at 10:06 AM [PermaLink]

THE HOBBIT looking more and more likely

Director Peter Jackson finally acknowledges he wants to make the movie [more]

— posted by Noelle at 10:04 AM [PermaLink]

100,000 attend LORD OF THE RINGS premiere

No spoilers here.

— posted by Noelle at 10:04 AM [PermaLink]

The return of BABYLON 5? JMS speaks: something's happening

Dark Horizons reports reports (via Usenet) that there is something new and significant happening with the BABYLON 5 franchise, and this time it comes straight from the fingers of the show's creator, J. Michael Straczynski. Is it for movie or television format? JMS isn't saying at this time...

"There has been something of rather substantial proportion that's finally gone from talk to money, such that I'm now working frantically to meet some deadlines, but there's nothing I can say about this until after January 15th, probably closer to the end of that month," explains the writer. "The only thing I can say is that phase one of the new project is a go, hence the furious writing schedule at this end of things, which is why I've been silent until deciding to kick up some dust on the political discusion. I've been writing my little brains out. I wouldn't go on about something in this way if it wasn't a significant development."

There is the B5 project that actor Jerry Doyle was hoping to jumpstart with or without Straczynski's involvement, though this may be something else new under the sun. One thing that is confirmed now is a new BABYLON 5 DVD that collects all the two-hour telefilms together in one box set (including commentary by JMS on "In the Beginning" and "The Gathering") as well as a box set for the short-lived B5 spinoff series CRUSADE. Expect both of those new sets to be released sometime in 2004 after the fifth and final season of BABYLON 5 hit the street.

— posted by Noelle at 10:02 AM [PermaLink]

Word of the day: wampum (WOM-puhm) noun

1. Beads made from shells, strung in strands, belts, etc. used for ceremonial purposes, jewelry, and money.

2. Money.

— posted by Noelle at 9:22 AM [PermaLink]

Bored?

Your life is actually quite interesting, compared to the dullest blog in the world.

— posted by Jon Reid at 8:09 AM [PermaLink]

re: Women needed to test orgasim machine

"Posted here with no comment. " - LOL! I was cracking up for 15 minutes at that.

So, the article doesn't tell you where to sign up.... I'll have to google search that person.

Just being able to say that you have an "orgasmatron" is worth surgery.... (go ahead, say it, you know you want to).

— posted by Noelle at 2:51 PM [PermaLink]

Women needed to test orgasim machine

Posted here with no comment.

— posted by Wendy at 2:22 PM [PermaLink]

Dell Moves Call Center Staff From India To US

Evidently customers have been complaining enough about the quality of service that they get from the Banglore call center that Dell runs that Dell moved it back to the U.S. Well, for corporate customers. Home users are evidently satisfied with the level of service. Or Dell doesn't care. ;-) [article]

— posted by Chris at 11:50 AM [PermaLink]

Another one bites the dust...

So, Jon just quit.

Good for him.

Go in peace, my friend...

G was in a good mood until just now.

New guy starts tomorrow... guess we'll have to interview for a new Jon again also.

— posted by Noelle at 11:43 AM [PermaLink]

Pirates Sell Copies of Longhorn

Malaysian software pirates are selling copies of Longhorn, due out in 2005, according to the latest stirring of entrails in Redmond, for $1.58. Seems a bit pricy to me. ;-) [article]

— posted by Chris at 11:23 AM [PermaLink]

Columbians Turn From Drugs To Lingerie

A French company is paying rural Columbians to make lingerie for them. This trade actually pays better than raising coca leaf, although it's still not much by American standards. [article]

— posted by Chris at 11:20 AM [PermaLink]

This Is So Sad

This article is part of a SF Chronicle series on homelessness in SF. Today's segment is about a homeless family living in a van. It makes me really sad and at the same time very angry. The parents care about the kids and the kids are doing well academically. What make me angry is that the parents make $1200 a month in disability. I am pretty sure you can put a roof over your head and feed a your kids in some parts of the country for that kind of money. San Francisco is not one of them. I thought inertia was a problem in my life, but this is right out of control.

— posted by Chris at 11:12 AM [PermaLink]

Poor Impulse Control: Man Shoots Noisy Teens

A North Carolina man shot two teenagers driving back and forth by his house because they were making too much noise. One is dead, the other is having a bullet removed from his ear canal. Maybe you should try paintballs instead next time, Roscoe? [article]

— posted by Chris at 10:35 AM [PermaLink]

John F. Kennedy said

"Washington is a city of Southern efficiency and Northern charm."

JFK was a funny guy.

— posted by Mike at 8:49 AM [PermaLink]