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You are viewing the most recent 25 entries January 6th, 2010_audrey @ 03:29 pm: THIS SONG IS CALLED 'IRON'
 Hello Livejournal! I am so tired that I may, in fact, die - but not before I participate in this art retrospective meme that has been going around because I do love me a meme or two. (The image is kinda huge but I cut it in half to help load a little easier.) ( Onward! )So that's that! Judging from my early stuff, I expect to be horrified by the things I'm doing now sometime in the next week. ~*~ In other news, last night I accompanied ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) ix_tab and sibling to a metal gig. (The bands playing were Vanishing Point, Ensiferum and Sonata Arctica.) Even though I feel like total shit today it was hilariously entertaining and a great time. Then I got yelled at by some dude in a passing car on my way home today! I am really getting sick of that. Current Mood: pooped Current Music: black dragon - luca turilli , meme, music, retrospecticus
pearl @ 11:07 am: Medieval and Earlier Japanese Toilets, and Korean Paleopathology
 "Changes in Toilet Features" Paleolithic Age to Jomon Period: Disposal of Excrement by Natural Dissolution http://memorias.ioc.fiocruz.br/98sup/15pctf.htmlPalaeoparasitology in Japan - Discovery of toilet features http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S0074-02762003000900019&script=sci_arttextAnd there is a new book out on the topic http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20091222a5.htmlI admit, I knew of some articles on parasites found inside mid-Joseon period mummies, but there is an entire blog devoted to Korean paleopathology: http://shinpaleopathology.blogspot.com/D. H. Shin, C. S. Oh, T. Chung, Y. S. Yi, J. Y. Chai, M. Seo "Detection of parasite eggs from a moat encircling the royal palace of Silla, the ancient Korean Kingdom" Journal of Archaeological Science 2009. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WH8-4WSHK80-1&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1155499321&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=28ab7bfa4ca387e6a699fafc7b6756b9Tags: toilet
January 5th, 2010trinityvixen @ 02:12 pm: Yeah, no shit people don't approve of this
 So this woman is out to save marriage from divorce in Oklahoma. This may be an unpopular thing to say, but I applaud her for at least having the courage of her convictions and going full-on with the crazy and not being a hypocrite. See, she really does think gays are a threat to marriage. And she sat a good long time and thought, "Gee, you know what else is a threat to marriage?" Et voila, she has something she wants done about divorce. Not that she intends to be any less batshit, rights-denying, human-hating about this than she is about gay marriage. This woman wants you married, goddamnit, and you will stay that way, so help her GOD...Her rules would basically make it impossible for all but childless couples and those who get married at Vegas chapels on drunken binges (are you listening, Britney Spears?) to get divorced. You couldn't divorce for "incompatibility" if you'd been married for ten years or more (because every thing that might happen to you to change your personality has only a ten-year window in which to happen which opens right after you get married and nothing good/bad/major will ever happen to you or your spouse after that window is closed). You also can't divorce for "incompatibility" if you have minor children, which means that unless you were living in sin with the partner with whom you had children until those children were 6-7-8 years of age, HA HA NO DIVORCE FOR YOU. I suppose that's one way to keep an eye on those people of ill repute who would dare to birth bastards in this day and age. (That's probably her next suggestion: finding a way to declare certain kinds of children legally illegitimate in a country with no royalty.) You also can't object to a divorce on "incompatibility" grounds if the other person objects. Would love to be in that Divorce Court. ("Your Honor, we're clearly incompatible! He wants a divorce and I don't! Er, wait...") It's the kind of logical conundrum that would kill off our Robot Overlords. The non-funny side to this is that a person who is not outright abusive or unfaithful could trap you in a marriage basically forever by refusing to divorce you. Two things about that: 1) No one should ever have that power over you again, which is why divorce exists at all. 2) If this whole thing were to pass, that person could hold you until such time as you hit the big Tin/Aluminium Anniversary and became ineligible. (Ooh, did this Rep. know that the traditional presents for that anniversary are so...tarnishable?) ::shudders at the thought:: No fault divorce! The three best words in the English language! Tags: liberal rants, news
trinityvixen @ 11:54 am: Too cold for this nonsense
 I happen to have about a dozen random little blankets, many of which I tend to pile up on my bed when it's cold. So I was freezing my ass off at work yesterday and I finally gave up the ghost on pretending that I could impress anyone and I brought one of them in with me. Of course, I couldn't bring a big blanket, lest it drag on the floor or anything. Of my small blankets, I couldn't take my lap blanket that my grandmother gave me for my high school graduation. So here I am, sitting at my desk, with my $5 Wall-E blanket, finally feeling much more comfortable. I'm sure no one will notice, but it still is kind of a funny thing to bring to work. ::snuggles in my seat::
Tags: heroes, wall-e, work
January 3rd, 2010trinityvixen @ 11:37 pm: File under "I" for "Idiots writing for the New York Times"
 It shouldn't and doesn't really surprise me that a conservative white dude wouldn't have a problem with the "white man saves the ignorant savages" aspect of Avatar. After all, aren't white people the bearers of all that is good? Men especially? (PLEASE NOTE: DEFCON 200 BILLION-LEVEL SARCASM.) It shouldn't but did surprise me that there would be anything to scream and holler about regarding religion. ( Minor Avatar spoilers, but nothing you couldn't tell by guessing. )My own problem with Avatar--the racist aspect--is spelled out in that link under the cut to LGM, in addition to this follow up post. You know what that blogger did? Some goddamned relevant research about the kinds of things that are problematic--as in literally fostering ugly ideas about race and civilization--in a major motion picture release that is currently being hailed as the second coming of CGI. What did the NYT columnist do? Picked apart a minor nitpick to whine about how one of, if not the, most powerful religion on this planet wasn't also the major religion of a bunch of 10-foot-tall kitty aliens. No seriously. He watched this movie and all he could think to complain about is how unfair a science-fiction fantasy action film failed to prioritize Christianity on a planet where fully 99% of the sentient beings haven't ever seen a human, much less heard the Good News. Jesus H. Christ himself is going, "What the fuck are you talking about? It's a movie about kitty people. Cats aren't even supposed to go to Heaven anyway. (But PS? They totally run the joint.)" Tags: movies, why nyt why
January 2nd, 2010neo_leviathan @ 08:45 pm: 2009 - The year that was
 Well.. 2009 was certainly an.. interesting year. I honestly can't even remember half of what happened, most of it seems to have been wiped out by the sheer crapness that was the last few months. No surprise that this really hasn't felt like Christmas, or any form of festive season. Well. Here's that 2009 meme that's been going around, hopefully some specific questions will help me remember bits about the year... 1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before? Several things actually. * First ever time on a Plane (well Ok, I think I was on one when I was a few months old, but that doesn't count). * Saw Simon & Garfunkle in concert. That was sheer awesome * Wore a variety of shiny clothing as "High Priestess" for Lauren's Halloween party. (Corsets surprisingly fun & comfy) 2. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Some of them at least. The big one that I made was to lose weight and get back into shape. I'm at least slightly better in shape, but I've dropped nearly 20kg, so I've definitely kept that one. My resolution for the next year is to lose the next 10kg or so to make my goal weight. 3. Did anyone close to you give birth? At least one person that I work with did, that's the only one that I know about 4. Did anyone close to you die? Had a close call, but thankfully no. 5. What countries did you visit? Err. Australia. Though I did visit Queensland :) 6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? Enough additional disposable income to have an awesome place of my own in the middle of the city, maybe a high-rise apartment would have been awesome. 7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? The entirety of the last few months of 2009. The whole Dad & Cancer saga. Not going to be forgotten anytime soon. 8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? More a series of things leading to one achievement. Actually becoming financially stable, with savings, and starting to get myself properly on-track. 9. What was your biggest failure? I wanted to start getting folio pieces together and learning to be an actual game designer rather than a wannabe. This was supposed to happen while I was at Parents for December. Yeah... 10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Eh, some flu, that was about it. 11. What was the best thing you bought? ...... You know what, I really can't be fucked with the rest of these questions. Talk about generic and about as meaningful as.. well, something completely unmeaningful. Final thoughts for 2009. I finally actually started moving towards being a productive human being. There's still a ways to go, but hopefully I can keep it up in 2010
cruciel @ 06:21 pm: Don't let the pidgeon drive the bus
 Deadlines are a bitch, but things like this is why I love Yuletide. <3 Current Mood:  amused _audrey @ 12:12 pm: the adventures of JOE DIAMOND in the eighth dimension!
 So my new years was surprisingly eventful! I had to take ix_tab to the emergency room because her lips were really swollen due to an allergic reaction, plus it was ridiculously hot and I may have almost suffered from heatstroke from just wandering around outside at one point. But then sharpest_rose came home and we all got drunk and watched ridic Sherlock Holmes movies until midnight. it was awesome. then yesterday we all trooped over to fitzroy to play an awesome board game called Arkham Horror, which is like if youre playing a nice game of clue mixed with magic: the gathering and then the Elder Gods invaded. I played a private eye called Joe Diamond, who spent the entire game being hit on and roughed up by burly men when he wasn't lost in a hell dimension. It was teriffic fun though and a good time was had by all. :D While we were playing I also worked on this piece of ridiculousness, which is a Sherlock Holmes-inspired parody of beatonna's 'OOH MISTER DARCY' A FAN FICTION (OHHHHH YEAH) i like to call: ( OOH DOCTOR WATSON )Current Mood: totally gross Current Music: NO LOUD NOISES , joe diamond needs booze and hard men, meme, no shit sherlock
cat_o_ninetails @ 02:37 am: fic: Turning a Blind Eye
 I desperately needed reveal!fic, so I wrote some to myself in an email. And then I wailed to cruciel about it (as I do on nearly a daily basis about anything merlin and she handles it quite admirably if I may say so) to which she said gimme. At some point, it became clear that I would break radio silence to put it up to the harsh glare of the internet, because this fandom is so lovely that I can't help but want to give back in some small way <3 (btw Merlin fandom? Propose and I am yours, I swear.) Title: Turning a Blind Eye (doesn't actually mean stupid, you know) Characters: Arthur, and Merlin (kinda implied Merlin/Arthur, just a bit) Rating: PG Warnings/Spoilers: Merlin has magic! (So, none, really.) Summary: Merlin is going to get himself killed one day, but it will not ever be from thinking too hard, and then Arthur is going to be down a manservant. So it's not because he is worried or anything. Beta-ed by the lovely cruciel, who pointed out bits that I knew in my head but that hadn't actually made it to paper. ( The audience that afternoon had gone to hell fairly spectacularly. )Current Music: Wolfgang - The King and All of His Men , merlin/arthur
December 31st, 2009pearl @ 05:54 pm:
The Mnemosyne: Visual Culture Databasefrom Columbia University. Found it while looking at Liao tomb murals. Tags: art, database
pearl @ 10:13 am:
Found a double strap-end grave. 9th century, Westness, Rousay, Orkney Islands. http://nms.scran.ac.uk/database/record.php?usi=000-000-099-764-C
neo_leviathan @ 05:37 am: The Great Brick
I keep forgetting to post this :) A week or so ago I finished the latest in the "Great Brick" series. Aka the most recent Wheel of Time. I actually rather enjoyed it. Discussions and musings under this cut. Be warned, there be spoilers ( Read more... )
neo_leviathan @ 05:10 am: Music Downloading
Yes yes, I know it's illegal, yadda yadda. Can anyone reccomend a site to download MP3s from? Legal would be good, but since I have legal copies of most of what I'm after that I can't use because of the stupid fucking DRM shit, it doesn't bother me too much if it's illegal. Vuze's search thing is giving me squat, most of the free download sites that I find only stream, they don't offer downloads, and the few torrent sites that I've visited either dont' seem to have what I'm after, or keep giving me Malware warnings. I know I used to use eMule P2P downloader, but I havn't used a non-torrent P2P in years so I have no idea what is actually up to date & useful now.
December 30th, 2009toley_elf @ 07:40 pm:
 Incase you hadn't noticed it's VERY hot today. Also evaporated soy milk still tastes really strongly of soy milk. I used it in pasta sauche today, and when it was actually on the pasta it didn't seem to matter so much, but the taste was REALLY strong during the cooking. The end.
December 29th, 2009cruciel @ 09:59 pm: First, I must say Avatar was hugely enjoyable.
 I liked Avatar. Brilliant CGI, world-creating, gripping action, things going boom crash crunch, uplifting storyline, etc etc. Something that I did find a little irritating; the 'game over' focus that many Hollywood films tend to have. Checkmate/kill/disarm/ the leader/ultimate Evil McBadAss, then the ENTIRE crisis is over. What about power vaccum? What about the clean-up job? Surely no one who's invested heavily into the 'bad' side will whimper and cower with no Plan B of their own? Why does something that huge and complicated collapse like limp soufflé because ONE person is eliminated? (I suppose that's how sequels are built, but it's still really iffy!) I know you're suppose to switch off your brains in movies like these, but really. Am I asking too much if I wanted SOME rational follow-up? Am I just a huge spoilsport and pessimist? Who knows? (as an aside, I really want the Na’vi and Spartans fighting together. THAT WOULD BE EPIC.) Current Mood:  relaxed , musings
neo_leviathan @ 09:25 pm: Meme
Yoinked from laurenmitchell. If you had me alone, locked up in your house for twenty-four hours and I had to do whatever you wanted me to, what would you have me do? All comments will be permanently screened because it's a secret. Then, repost this in your LJ. You might be surprised with the responses you get.
pearl @ 06:54 pm: Belts! Strap ends! Vikings! Oh my!
This isn't the webpage I *thought* I would be putting up, but it's a quick run down on the evidence for buckles and strap ends in Norse female Viking-age graves. It would be an essay, except I really don't think I'm that knowledgeable when it comes to Norse stuff, and it's mostly designed for re-enactor types who really should be weighing up the evidence and making up their own minds. Hopefully I'll have more up tonight about belts worn by women in neighbouring cultures. Tags: belt, belts, buckles
_audrey @ 03:29 pm: Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his faithful assistant Beaker
 So we saw Sherlock Holmes yesterday! And in a word it is DELIGHTFUL. Then Erinna was like, 'make me some icons!'. So I have. :D ( LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLEVERYONE )Tags: icons, movies, no shit sherlock
December 27th, 2009trinityvixen @ 03:40 pm: Still enjoying family time!
 My brother-in-law is not a fan of vegging about. I'd be happy to XBOX and watch movies until I have to leave here (he has Assassin's Creed II! Dear god, I suck at that game), but he was getting stir crazy after about one day. So we went out to see Avatar yesterday and he's out the door with the munchkin to go hiking while the rest of us kidnap my sister to go shopping (she needs things) and have fun away from the baby. Have yet to see Doctor Who, so I am avoiding what spoiler posts I've seen. Avatar was...well, let's just say after the plot basically centered on a "noble savages" narrative, it was a lot easier to ignore where the movie fell into the uncanny valley. To Cameron's credit, his movie may occasionally be in that valley, but wherever he is, he is clearly clawing his way out the other side. I was very impressed. No matter how good or bad a movie, though, after two-and-a-half hours of 3D, I felt a little stupified, bludgeoned even. I walked out dazed. My sister and I had a ball mocking some parts, though. There may or may not have been a "This is SPARTA!" joke. Time to go have fun with the big sis. We're actually shopping for two hours, coming back to feed baby, then going out again. (Not to worry: Grandma's taking care of him in the interim.) It's taken me most of this week out here to get at a computer for more than two minutes at a time, so in case I don't get to post again: Have a Happy New Year, one and all! Tags: family, holidays, movies, vacations, video games
saikogrrl @ 01:48 am: Re: Dead Aid
 I am still trying to make sense of these two opposing viewpoints on aid in Africa - Peter Singer and Dambisa Moyo, watching her videos and reading articles. I don't think they are directly complementary, especially as Singer links to articles criticising her and other aid critics. And although Moyo does seem to target government aid specifically, she also says that all other aid also "disguises" the "erroneous mindset" that it is doing good. While Singer's moral arguments are so compelling on an emotional level, Moyo's economic points are not completely unreasonable, such as the point that a country being completely dependent on aid without a timeline for weaning off it, and aid supplies crowding out chances for internal job creation/sales not helping economic growth in the long run. (Although I do have a problem in one article with some of her more specific figures about poverty increading by 60% in Africa since the 60s, without any citation or evidence of where these figures have come from) It's difficult, because of course we all want what will help people be independent and not poverty stricken, but if she is right and aid is not working, where does that leave the individual in terms of helping? I like believing that I can actually help and make a difference, don't know what I would do under her ideas. Maybe a compromise of the two, with less government to government aid, to cut down on corruption etc, but still some grassroots help in dire areas, so that many people do not die while waiting for their country to become independent. Don't know if anyone will actually comment on this, is kind of just me thinking aloud... [Edit] Also, a couple of other things I don't like about either side: the way people seem to jump onto Moyo's argument as a guilt-free excuse for not giving. And how articles criticising her viewpoint seem to launch straight into emotional appeals or personal attacks without really trying to address her points seriously, or try to refute them factually. [Edit 2] I guess I think about these things as a way of trying to figure out what is the best 'right' course of action, in line with the Buddhist idea that I really like of helping to ease the suffering of others in the world. (And let's face it, to help me feel better about myself, and the life I lead. Because it does feel wrong to buy expensive things when some people have no food.) But when you donate money for a goat or a well for a village, are you doing the right thing and is your money really helping a lot, or as Moyo argues, part of the problem? I don't mean to come off preachy or priggish, it's just something I think about sometimes.
cruciel @ 01:41 am: Ah, families.
 My mother surprised me on two fronts today. First was at breakfast. mum: "Oh I was watching that movie where Arwen's daddy dressed up as a woman!" me: *computing very fast= Arwen daddy = Hugo Weaving = OH GOD SHE WATCHED PRISCILLA = waits for the condemnation of the entire gay community to unfold* mum: "...Guy Pierce was quite hot back then, wasn't he? Very chiselled." me: *choke* Second was when we were shopping and I dragged her into EB Games because you know, I'm hopeless like that. mum: "...eyes the Wii* "You know, maybe we should get a Wii." me: "eyes mother" ....whhhy? mum: "Well, I saw you playing that game where you rolled up the British Parliament and Buddha, and I thought 'gee, that's pretty fun.' me: "..." mum: *wanders around, picking up Wii things, humming "highness~" under her breath.* In conclusion: My Mother. Let me show you her. XD ALSO! MORE YULETIDE GOODIES! I OPENED MY INBOX AND FOUND TWO MORE. OMG. YOU GUYS. SERIOUSLY, LOVE TO YOU ALL. YOU GAVE ME SABETHA DRABBLES. ALSKFJLAKSJFLKJS. NO WORDS, COOKIES WILL HAVE TO SUFFICE. OH AND PIMPING THEM THE HELL OUT, HERE AND HERE. *GLOMPS ALL THE SANTAS* Current Mood:  loved Current Music: Sergio Mendes - Mas Que Nada , so much love, yuletide
bride_of_lister @ 03:18 pm:
 Finally got to camp in front of the computer and figure out the interface for Yuletide 2009! All my Yuletide recs can be found under the Yuletide2009 tag at my delicious!(Also if one were looking for amazingly flooringly awesome cyberpunk!Watchmen fic then they'd find it under my Cyberpunk tag here.) Current Mood:  restless Current Music: Lady Gaga- Teeth , fan fiction, link dump
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