| sat ten am |
[14 Nov 2009|10:28am] |
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SALE as in tickets are on SALE
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| And The Progressive Hits Just Keep On Comin' |
[14 Nov 2009|03:00am] |
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http://justblowingsmoke.blogspot.com/2008/11/and-progressive-hits-just-keep-on-comin.html
Having attained the apparently necessary age and self-appointed title of Curmudgeon, one tends to look at things with a cynical eye and a jaded perspective. Most of the things that everyone talks about as being "the latest thing" appear to one in my position of simply being yet another example of "everything old is new again".
Take for example the current Administration and Congress. While there appear to be some firsts seen with this current crop of politicians, much of what they say and do today is little more than ideological retreads.
President Obama claims to be the first African-American president, but did after all have a Caucasian mother. Perhaps that instead makes him the first bi-racial president, though I suspect that other presidents in our history might have had interesting pedigrees. I guess a person can be who they decide they are however.
President Obama is claimed by many of his sychophants to be the greatest uniter as a president since Abraham Lincoln, but Lincoln's election divided this country as it had never been divided before or since. Obama and Lincoln do show a unity of similar views of the federal government though, with both attempting to draw increasing power both to it and to the executive branch.
The latest Congress appears to be a runaway train. Beginning perhaps in the second term of the Bush years, it seems intent on legislating and spending in a way that has embarrassed drunken sailors. They have raised the debt ceiling (a rather curious term, isn't it?) more times than Visa has raised my credit limit in recent years, and to a worse purpose.
Congress has likewise intruded in an ever increasing way in the personal freedoms of the citizens of this country. But we have seen this before in the "New Deal" of the FDR years and the "Great Society" of LBJ. It's not perhaps a change in philosophy that we are shown here, as much as an increase in the scope and scale of the governmental abuse.
Money is hard to come by, and many say that it is the fault of this President and this Congress. Inflation also seems right around the corner, and the worth of a dollar may prove much less very quickly, but this too is not far out of our memory. Any of us old enough to have lived through the Carter Administration remember the gas lines, the double digit prime rates, and the fact that no one could afford to borrow money for anything.
There is a lot of talk about organizations like the United Nations, the G20 and others will exert influence that will lead inevitably to a "World Currency" and a "World Government". We have seen this before as well, with Woodrow Wilson and the attempt to form the League of Nations. Many indeed were crying out over the ceding of our sovereignty then to an organization that we never actually ended up joining.
In truth, there is a commonality to all of these abuses and the thinking that is behind them. Having done a good bit of reading on this recently (some of it horribly boring, let me tell you), I feel that I can state that all of these efforts show a recurring theme of Progressive thinking. This belief in larger and more onerous government control, in egalitarianism through wealth redistribution, and in a ruling elite of those best suited to leading runs through all of this like a recurring melody.
Like the music of Neil Sedaka and Frankie Vali and the Four Seasons (whoops, really dated myself on that reference), Elton John and Billy Joel, or Fergie and Kelly Clarkson; there is a repeating theme to all of it.
We began to see the shape of this music with the passage of the Stimulus Package, the the bailouts, and the most recent budget. We likewise began to see the shape of that which is to come with health care legislation, cap and trade, and the internet fairness doctrine. And though I find this particular form of music abhorrent (much as I feel about rap music), these are not tunes with which I am unfamiliar.
The lyrics change subtly in these Progressive compositions from one generation to the next, and the beat speeds up or slows down as it suits those wishing to dance to the tune of the latest pied piper ... but the Progressive Hits Just Keep On Comin'.
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| Brainstorming via other peoples' brains |
[13 Nov 2009|06:01pm] |
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music |
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pixies - gouge away |
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I.E. Dear Lazyweb,
You've been to bars where there's lighting built in to the surface under the liquor bottles so they kind of glow from within, right? I really kind of like the effect. My question is: Can any of you think of an easy and inexpensive way to reproduce this? I can't even find the right search terms to find off-the-shelf versions online, and if they did it would probably cost $100+ for each little panel of it. So I am wondering if there's the perfect little cabinet from ikea or whatnot that I could fill with Christmas lights and be happy with.
... alternatively, I suppose I could find some kind of shielded fluorescent tubes and put them behind the bottles (layered two or three deep) and go with that. Of course, finding impact-resistant fluorescent fixtures presents its own set of problems.
This question is asked in preparation for the big Thanksgiving party, where I am turning the Safehouse kitchen into as close as I can approximate to a decent bar, of course.
XOXO,
- Jack
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[13 Nov 2009|06:55pm] |
*purr*
I have loaves of cats. :)
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| AFTRA Members Agree to Video Game Deal |
[13 Nov 2009|12:20pm] |
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http://gamepolitics.com/2009/11/13/aftra-members-agree-video-game-deal The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists has tabulated the votes from its more than 70,000 members regarding the proposed deal with video game publishers on voice work and the result is a big stamp of approval by a 2-1 margin. The deal was approved on Thursday, according to The Wrap. The deal is the same one rejected by the Screen Actors Guild two weeks ago. SAG wants to go back to the table with game publishers. In a statement from AFTRA president Roberta Reardon: “AFTRA members who work on videogames do so using a highly specialized set of skills and require unique protections from their union agreement. The AFTRA National Board of Directors gave performers nationwide an opportunity to review and consider the new terms and exercise their right to vote. I am pleased that our working members have approved this contract and will have continued access to a share of this multibillion-dollar industry.” The agreement, which includes a minimum pay increase and a new "atmospheric voices" performance category, will go into effect early next year.
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| GameStop to Join Digital Download Arena |
[13 Nov 2009|11:36am] |
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http://gamepolitics.com/2009/11/13/gamestop-join-digital-download-arena In an acknowledgement of the growing popularity of digital distribution, GameStop has announced that it will begin offering digital downloads at its stores starting in early 2010. According to a Reuters news story, the downloads will focus on online console games using Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network. GameStop cutstomers would be able to purchases available levels for their favorite games at the store and have them available when they got home. Speaking at the BMO Capital Management Digital Entertainment Conference, GameStop COO Paul Raines said he doesn't see the market for full-game downloads as fully viable yet, but that "the add-on download market will grow." The Reuters story speculated that these type of downloads will help publishers through this recession: These additional payments may be a key driver of revenue for publishers and retailers in the video-game industry, which has seen slow overall growth amid the tough economy. The idea is that consumers are more likely to pay to enhance beloved games than they are to experiment with unknown new games. GameStop CEO Dan DeMatteo said he expects the company to have a strong business next year because of the impending release of some high-profile titles.
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| Activision CEO Cashes In |
[13 Nov 2009|10:16am] |
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http://gamepolitics.com/2009/11/13/activision-ceo-cashes Hot on the heels of trememdous first-day sales for the controversial sequel Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Activision's CEO and a member of the Activision board have exercised some lucrative stock options. According to a Gameindustry.biz report, CEO Bobby Kotick made more than $20 million this week when he exercised options on close to 1.93 million shares of stock. The options, dated from April 18, 2000, allowed him to buy the shares for $1.03 and sell them for between $11.43 and $11.54. Also this week, director Brian Kelly exercised options he received in 2004 and 2006 to clear about $10.5 million.
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| Coming really close to Columbus in TWO days! |
[13 Nov 2009|09:21am] |
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Salutations! We are Vagabond Opera and we shall be arriving (close!) to your fair city on the 14th!! (Technically, Nelsonville)
We bring to you Opera reinvented! Gypsy, cabaret, vaudeville, Eastern European, Yiddish, Balkan and more! In over 14 different languages, we bring in Bulgarian Accordion, sinfully fast cellos (yes, two cellos!), jazzy drums beats, relentless upright bass and salacious saxophone.
We will be at the Stuart Opera House on the 14th, for an 830pm show!
More info here for your website readers and here for your facebookers!
We feature full music samples on our website here!
We'd love to see you there! Leave a comment if you've any questions. Cheers!
~VO
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| $13 for 13 tattoos |
[13 Nov 2009|11:55am] |
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Friday the 13th! Does anyone know of any tattoo shops participating in the $13 for 13?
Or has anyone ever gotten this done before at any shops in Ohio?
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| Page Meets Stage (Cols.) Sun., Nov. 15, 8 pm |
[13 Nov 2009|11:34am] |
Making plans for the weekend? Include this:
Either one of these guys should be a draw! Logic, veteran of the National Poetry Slam stage, haiku champion, will trade poems with Steve Abbott, master craftsman and veteran of the battlefields of print publication. Then, time to ask them questions, see what really goes on behind the poetry.
We'll have soda and water. BYOB is allowed.
Page Meets Stage (Columbus)
Logic and Steve Abbott
Sunday, Nov. 15, 8 pm, $5
@ The Wild Goose Creative
2491 Summit St. (near the Summit/Hudson intersection)
Columbus, OH 43202
More information: loui526@yahoo.com
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| eight am-ish |
[13 Nov 2009|09:31am] |
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CROOKED as in them CROOKED vultures
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[13 Nov 2009|08:45am] |
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| TFP Column: Saving Money By Spending On Trash |
[13 Nov 2009|12:01am] |
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http://justblowingsmoke.blogspot.com/2009/11/tfp-column-saving-money-by-spending-on.html 
Now I'm not the most knowledgeable person where the solid waste department of the city is concerned. Karen Shanahan has done a number of pieces on her blog on the issue, and Jim Harpen has provided some previous insight in an earlier column in the Toledo Free Press. Some of the recent events surrounding the situation caught my attention however, and I decided to put my two cents in (the only inexpensive investment that has been made it appears).
As you know, I always correctly remind you that there is much more than my limited contribution in the TFP; but this weekend I fear that all reading it will agree with me. Michael Miller has outdone his normally outstanding efforts this week with a special piece that I will not attempt to spoil for you with faint praise. Neither will I specifically mention the many other great articles this week, lest they like I suffer by comparison.
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| Weird science! |
[12 Nov 2009|10:34pm] |
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My pre-auth for the next rounds of frankenbabying went through today.
I'm covered for four rounds of injectibles/IUI. Although my cost for drugs is $$$$$ because my bennies are by percentage, not flat copay. But still.
Holy crap, this is really happening.
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| ESA's 2009 Nite to Unite Another Success |
[12 Nov 2009|03:57pm] |
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http://gamepolitics.com/2009/11/12/esa039s-2009-nite-unite-another-success The Entertainment Software Association Foundation recently raised $800,000 for children’s charities as a result of this year’s annual Nite to Unite event.
The happening took place on October 13 in San Francisco and featured game industry luminaries contributing to the cause by participating in auctions and a casino night. Additionally, the event honored Ubi Soft’s Chairman and CEO Yves Guillemot with the 2009 ESA Champion Award.
ESA President Michael Gallagher said of the event, “This generous giving allows the ESA Foundation to support some truly compelling charitable organizations, including Web Wise Kids, Hope Lab, ThanksUSA and the One Economy Corporation.”
To date the fund raiser has raised over $11.0 million dollars for charities. A video on the ESA website highlights some of the night’s festivities and some of the charitable organizations that will receive donations culled from the event.
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