Just Because
We could all use a little fuzzy shirtless Thomas Jane right about now…
Room For One More In There?
Quote Of The Day
I am no longer accepting things I cannot change. I am changing things I cannot accept. ~ Angela Davis.
#Truth (As Much As It Hurts)
https://twitter.com/RonCharles/status/796178335055417347
RIP United States, 1776-2016
Considering all the other luminaries 2016 has taken from us, it’s not surprising that the United States itself just joined their ranks.
Well, Redneck America, I hope you’re happy.
https://twitter.com/markneefuzz/status/796287885586612224
You sure showed them gol-durn Northeast elites and Hollywood liberals a thing or two, didn’t ya?
Because of your abject hatred of Hillary Clinton, instead of electing an admittedly flawed, but competent, intelligent, politically savvy woman who genuinely cares about the people of this country to the office of President, you just handed the most powerful position in the world to an orange-faced narcissistic sociopath with the temperament of a 4-year old who cares about one thing and one thing only—himself. And by proxy to his anticipated advisors, a Short Bus of Deplorables who are openly at odds with pretty much every progressive ideal the majority of Americans hold dear—who will not only undo Obama’s own amazing accomplishments, but set the country back fifty years—if not more.
And by the way, none of them gives a rat’s ass about any of you beyond being the useful tools that you were.
You have sent worldwide stock markets crashing, and have given the entire planet an anxiety attack that may never wear off. And thanks to you, I have a reasonably good idea of what the average German was feeling in 1933.
“Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”
You have all but guaranteed an ultra-conservative Supreme Court for your—and your childrens’—lifetimes. But gol-durnit, no one’s gonna be takin’ your guns away now, are they? That’ll show ’em!
But based on Trump’s (and his anticipated advisors’) own statements, what will be taken away?
A Woman’s Right To Choose? Gone.
Combating Climate Change? Gone.*
Voting Rights? Gone.
NATO? Gone
GBLT Rights? Gone.
The First Amendment? On life support if not gone.
Our standing in the world? Gone to HELL.
And you have given THE NUCLEAR LAUNCH CODES to the man (“We have nukes. Why can’t we use them?”) who had to have his TWITTER account taken away from him.
And Evangelical Christians: you just help elect your own textbook description of the AntiChrist…and you weren’t raptured before he came to power. That means you’re all going through The Tribulation with the rest of us. Where is your god now?
It’s bad enough that Trump was elected President. What’s even worse is that we (Democrats, Progressives, Liberals) failed to flip the Senate or the House. That means—coupled with his expected nomination of a far right wing conservative Supreme Court judge—Trump will get whatever he wants unless cooler Republican heads in the Senate give him a time out in the corner—something I’m not entirely sure will happen. Or they could impeach him outright if his transgressions get too egregious and put the country in mortal danger—but then we’d be stuck with President Pence, who has absolutely no love for the LGBT community. Out of the frying pan, into the fire—literally.
At this point I’m depressed, angry, and thoroughly disgusted with my fellow Americans who elected this wannabe dictator to the highest office in the land because apparently Hillary’s emails were more important than allegations of serial rape, financial malfeasance and ties to Putin. But as others have already said, we need to stay strong, regroup, and hopefully flip the Senate in 2018.
But that’s a long two years, and if some foreign power disrespects the Donald, I’m not even sure we’ll be alive by then.
*Probably not a bad thing since we’ll finally be rid of the national embarrassment that is Florida.
I Have No Words Right Now
Happy Election Day!
Uh huh…
Where does war, climate change, and societal upheaval figure into all this?
It’s Out!
Finally, something to put a smile on my face for the next couple days!
Okay, it’s obviously not the complete soundtrack since we’re only halfway through the season, but it is a taste, and most importantly if you’ve been jonesing for the heretofore unobtainable version of Paint It, Black that so prominently featured in the series premiere, you’re in luck. It’s here.
You can hear it on YouTube and Spotify, or buy it from iTunes.
Boys Will Be Boys (NSFW)
Hallo, Vati!
That Awkward Moment…
Mirror Mirror On The Wall (NSFW)
Me…
…from now until well past Tuesday night.
Photo courtesy my longtime friend Chalkdog.
Intellectually I know Hill’s got this under control, but I am still terrified that something is going to hand the Presidency to that Cheeto-faced Shitgibbon—and what his psychotic followers will do in the aftermath of Tuesday’s election regardless of who wins.
Someone please tell me again that it’s all going to be all right and not alt-right!
Extrapolating On An Idea
“The plan is progressing as expected,” The Architect said to no one in particular in the invisible mothership as he moved his first set of forelimbs to tap commands on the translucent panel before him. As they had done on countless worlds before, his species had intentionally crashed one of their piloted drones on the world beneath him sixty or so solar revolutions ago, setting it down where the curious ape culture would most assuredly find and retrieve it.
It was a process The Architect knew by heart and one his people had perfected in their never-ending quest to invade and conquer every habitable planet they encountered. His was a patient species; it would often take millennia for the seeds they planted at a civilization’s dawn to flower and bear fruit. And yet this was necessary. While intelligent beyond measure, in relation to the vast majority of the species they encountered and set their sights upon, they were physically weak and could easily be vanquished if not for their well-honed subterfuge and weaponry.
The scouting parties started the process. They would send down biological entities created in the image of the dominant species to build religions—or augment any that might already be existing—by performing “miracles” and claiming divine providence and then just as quickly spirit them away, knowing full well that over the course of centuries the stories of the heavenly visitors would fracture and splinter into a hundred different sects, all eventually hell-bent on destroying each other. The Architect’s people kept an discreet eye on this huge catalog of planets during the process, carefully crafting their next phase of the operation based on how a civilization developed, and leveraging its weakest points to their full advantage.
Once a species reached a certain level of technological development—usually signaled by the detonation of a nuclear device—an event the detonating species never realized reverberated across the cosmos—The Architect’s people would begin Phase 2. They would intentionally crash a drone ship onto the planet loaded with just enough technology to whet the appetite of the dominant species, knowing full well that curiosity would cause that technology to be reverse-engineered and—spawned by government and industry (either directly or indirectly) become woven into the very fabric of their civilization and ultimately completely dependent upon it.
Hidden in that technology, and undetectable to those who reverse-engineered and later extrapolated upon it, was a universal kill switch. At the appointed time, the Architect would extend an extremity and with a flick across that translucent panel completely disable a civilization. No communication, no commerce, no flow of energy or supplies. Indeed, even most of the weapons capable of making a dent in The Architect’s invading armies would be rendered useless. In any case, it wouldn’t matter. Once the flow of electrons was cut off, the society would collapse into chaos, the multitudes of warring religious factions would take it as a sign of divine judgment and self-immolate fairly quickly, leaving only a paltry shadow of the planetary civilization behind; one incapable of rebuilding the kind of infrastructure and communications necessary required to defend itself against the conquering hordes of the Architect’s people.
For The Next Five Days…
The “Politics” section in my RSS reader will remain collapsed and I will be hitting “Mark All As Read” often.
Because I can’t afford to buy a new computer or a trip to the E.R. because I put my fist through its screen.
99 Questions
1: Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed? Open.
2: Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotels? Depends on the product.
3: Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out? Out.
4: Have you ever stolen a street sign before? No.
5: Do you like to use post-it notes? At work, constantly.
6: Do you cut out coupons but then never use them? Constantly.
7: Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of a bees?
8: Do you have freckles? No.
9: Do you always smile for pictures? Sometimes.
10: What is your biggest pet peeve? Willful ignorance.
11: Do you ever count your steps when you walk? Yes.
12: Have you ever peed in the woods? Yes.
13: What about pooped in the woods? Yes.
14: Do you ever dance even if there’s no music playing? No.
15: Do you chew your pens and pencils? Yes.
16: How many people have you slept with this week? Just one, but then again, I sleep with him every night.
17: What size is your bed? Queen.
18: What is your Song of the week? I’ve had the slowed-down version of Jolene as an earworm many times this week.
19: Is it okay for guys to wear pink? Yes.
20: Do you still watch cartoons? Who, me?
21: Whats your least favorite movie? Least favorite? As in on the list of your top 10 movies, what’s on the bottom of the list?
22: Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some? Sadly, that’s a question I’ll never have to worry about.
23: If you’re a girl, bra size? If you’re a guy, pants size? 38
24: What do you dip a chicken nugget in? Ranch dressing.
25: What is your favorite food? Mexican. Bring on those Taco Trucks next Tuesday!
26: What movies could you watch over and over and still love? Personal Services, Auntie Mame, The Fifth Element.
27: Last person you kissed/kissed you? My husband.
28: Were you ever a boy/girl scout? Yes.
29: Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine? Not now.
30: When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper? Last Christmas.
31: Can you change the oil on a car? Yes.
32: Ever gotten a speeding ticket? No.
33: Ever ran out of gas? No.
34: Favorite kind of sandwich? Chicken salad.
35: Best thing to eat for breakfast? Scrambled eggs.
36: What is your usual bedtime? 10-ish.
37: Are you lazy? Not as lazy as I’d like to be.
38: When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween? The three I remember are a devil, an astronaut, and a dragon.
39: What is your Chinese astrological sign? Dog.
40: Are you horny? Not like I was when I was in my 30s.
41: Do you have any magazine subscriptions? No.
42: Which are better legos or lincoln logs? Legos.
43: Are you stubborn? I can be.
44: Who is better…Leno or Letterman? They both need to retire.
45: Ever watch soap operas? No.
46: Are you afraid of heights? It all depends on the situation.
47: Do you sing in the car? After a fashion.
48: Do you sing in the shower? No.
49: Do you dance in the car? Yes.
50: Ever used a gun? No.
51: Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer? 1981.
52: Do you think musicals are cheesy? No.
53: Is Christmas stressful? Yes.
54: Ever eat a pierogi? Yes.
55: Favorite type of fruit pie? Blueberry.
56: Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid? Architect, Astronomer
57: Do you believe in ghosts? Once upon a time. Not any more.
58: Ever have a Deja-vu feeling? Yes.
59: Take a vitamin daily? No.
60: Wear slippers? No, but I really need to in this house.
61: Wear a bath robe? Not for years.
62: What do you wear to bed? T-shirt and underwear.
63: First concert? I think it was Captain & Tenille.
64: Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart? Target.
65: Nike or Adidas? None of the above.
66: Cheetos Or Fritos? Yes, please.
67: Peanuts or Sunflower seeds? Sunflower seeds, shelled.
68: Ever hear of the group Tres Bien? No.
69: Ever take dance lessons? No.
70: Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing? How about my spouse. He’s a teacher.
71: Can you curl your tongue? Yes.
72: Ever won a spelling bee? Came in 2nd once.
73: Have you ever cried because you were so happy? Yes, when I learned the radiation treatments had been successful.
74: Own any record albums? A couple.
75: Own a record player? Yes.
76: Regularly burn incense? No.
77: Ever been in love? Yes, and I still am.
78: Who would you like to see in concert? I wish I’d been able to see Donna Summer. She was supposed to come to Phoenix during the summer of 1979 at the height of her popularity—and I even had tickets—and she canceled for health reasons.
79: What was the last concert you saw? Bette Midler.
80: Hot tea or cold tea? Cold tea.
81: Tea or coffee? Tea.
82: Sugar or snickerdoodles? Snickerdoodles.
83: Can you swim well? Reasonably.
84: Can you hold your breath without holding your nose? Yes.
85: Are you patient? To a point.
86: DJ or band, at a wedding? DJ.
87: Ever won a contest? Yes.
88: Ever have plastic surgery? No.
89: Which are better, black or green olives? Black.
90: Can you knit or crochet? No.
91: Best room for a fireplace? The Living Room.
92: Do you want to get married? I am married.
93: If married, how long have you been married? 3 years.
94: Who was your HS crush? Which year? Tom Pleger, Mike Knigge, or Dan Baxa?
95: Do you cry and throw a fit until you get your own way? No.
96: Do you have kids? No.
97: Do you want kids? No.
98: Whats your favorite color? Teal.
99: Do you miss anyone right now? Yes, but missing will not bring him back from the dead.
I Could Live There
And there, and there, and there…
Quote Of The Day
Every atom in your body came from a star that exploded. And, the atoms in your left hand probably came from a different star than your right hand. It really is the most poetic thing I know about physics: You are all stardust. You couldn’t be here if stars hadn’t exploded, because the elements—the carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, iron, all the things that matter for evolution and for life—weren’t created at the beginning of time. They were created in the nuclear furnaces of stars, and the only way for them to get into your body is if those stars were kind enough to explode. So, forget Jesus. The stars died so that you could be here today.” ~ Lawrence M. Krauss, A Universe from Nothing: Why There Is Something Rather Than Nothing
My Halloween Tradition
Posted every year, just because…
Preach, Sister!
I think what’s beautiful and hard and interesting about cancer is that it tears you down and builds you, and tears you down and builds you. It remakes you so many different times. The person I thought I was supposed to be or was going to be or who I thought I was six months ago is now somebody completely different.” ~ Shannen Doherty
This is so true.
39 Years Ago
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39 years ago today Casablanca Records released what is—in my humble opinon—Donna Summer’s masterpiece, Once Upon a Time. THIRTY NINE YEARS.
I feel so old sometimes.
If you haven’t already read it, and you’re interested, my story regarding the album is here.
Happy Halloween!
I Could Live There
Especially with this feature.
Jack-o’-Lanterns Were Once Made Out of Turnips, Beets and Potatoes—Not Pumpkins.
The jack-o’-lantern comes from an old Irish tale about a man named Stingy Jack. According to folklore, Stingy Jack was out getting sloshed with the Devil when Jack convinced his drinking partner to turn himself into a coin to pay for the drinks without spending money. Jack then put the Devil, shaped like a coin, into his pocket, which also contained a silver cross that kept the Devil from transforming back. Jack promised to free the Devil as long as the Devil wouldn’t bother him for a year, and if he died, the Devil could never claim his soul. Jack tricked the Devil again later, getting him to pick a piece of fruit out of a tree and then carving a cross into the bark when the Devil was in the branches. This trick bought Jack another 10 years of devil-free living.
When Jack finally died, God decided he wasn’t fit for heaven, but the Devil had promised never to claim his soul for hell. So Jack was sent off to roam Earth with only a burning coal for light. He put the coal into a turnip as a lantern, and Stingy Jack became “Jack of the Lantern” or “Jack o’ Lantern.” Based on this myth, the Irish carved scary faces into turnips, beets and potatoes to scare away Stingy Jack or any other spirits of the night.
The Point At Which…
…I gave up on Season 6 of American Horror Story. After this scene played out, I looked at Ben and asked, “Had enough?” He nodded and we turned the television off. Pardon the unintentional pun, but stick a fork in it, Season 6 is done in this house.
Why? Because much like the arc The Walking Dead began at the end of Season 4 with the gratuitous cannibalism of Terminus and ended with the arrival of Negan and his barbed-wire wrapped baseball bat Lucille this year, what was once an engaging, interesting story of survival among the undead has turned into little more than torture porn; something I don’t find at all entertaining.
I loved how AHS Season 6 started. It was horror with a genuine creep factor—a decided change from the usual camp that Murphy, Falchuk & Co. have imbued AHS with since Coven. The documentary format was refreshing. But then it jumped the shark and crossed the same line with me that TWD started two years ago. I already know only one of AHS’s characters survives the gratuitous bloodbath this year’s story has become, and it’s a testament that I’ve reached the point that I genuinely DO. NOT. CARE. who it is.
“A Referral Was Returned From The Server”
As much as I bitch and complain about the Apple OS, let’s not forget that I have to support their chief rival’s abortion in the corporate environment—and Windows is still far. and. away. a more fucked up system than macOS or OS X or whatever the hell the brain trust in Cupertino wants to call it these days could ever be.
The latest bit of banging-my-head-against-the-wall comes from that delightful little error message above. It popped up today while I was trying to install a driver for a standalone thermal printer. First off who was the genius that wrote it? Somewhere, at some point in time, some asshole programmer must have thought, “Let’s write the most obscure error message possible.”
For those of you who have the displeasure of encountering this bit of fuckery on a Windows 10 box running in a corporate (domain) environment, the solution is actually rather simple, but annoying as hell. Trying to run the offending installer as a local admin didn’t work. Trying to run it with administrator rights didn’t work. Disabling UAC (we’re getting warmer, but still no cigar) was a suggested solution via the Google, but didn’t solve the problem either. What I ultimately discovered that it was some godforsaken issue with something in the Domain Group Policy and UAC. Simply disabling UAC on the local machine won’t fix the problem; and since I didn’t have rights to do anything with the the Domain’s Group Policy, the only way to make it work is to remove the device from the domain entirely in order for the software to install.
I now have this documented at work since apparently none of my coworkers have ever encountered it—with the current thorn-in-my-side (who already views and treats me as just an ignorant imaging tech and not a full-fledged desktop tech with more years of experience than she’s been alive) looking at me like an escapee from the Short Bus when I told her I had to remove the machine from the domain in order to install a printer driver.
I’m glad it’s Friday…
Friday
I’m Dying Here
Thanks, Apple, for rekindling my appreciation of you and making me lust in my heart.
I admit that I am not thrilled about the loss of the MagSafe connector (it’s saved my ass on more than one occasion) or the glowing Apple icon on the lid, but damn…that thing is fine. Unfortunately, at $2399 for the configuration that comes closest to what I have now, it’s not in this year’s budget or probably even next year’s, save for a winning lottery ticket.
It’s probably just as well I can’t go out and get immediate gratification anyway; there are undoubtedly kinks to iron out in this new hardware and by the time I can afford to buy one, they will hopefully long be taken care of.
At least that’s what I’m going to keep telling myself.