I felt a great disturbance in the Frat, as if millions of dudebros suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly...

I felt a great disturbance in the Frat, as if millions of dudebros suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened.


http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/29/health/red-solo-cup-death-trnd/index.html

Leah Bloom we've been chumps! Why should we scrounge through lists when the power of the Internet does it for us?

Leah Bloom we've been chumps! Why should we scrounge through lists when the power of the Internet does it for us?


http://qz.com/869960/the-best-books-of-2016-list-you-get-when-you-combine-36-best-books-of-2016-lists/

Watership Down author Richard Adams dies aged 96 - BBC News

OK, at least he was in his nineties but still...fuck 2016


http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-38446309

Ad Hoc Book Club Assemble!

Ad Hoc Book Club Assemble!

Leah Bloom and I are doing another ad hoc book club for January 2017. This time around, we're going to be reading The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. It won a National Book Award and Oprah seemed to like it so...let's give it a go.

As usual, the "official" start date is Jan. 1st, but you can begin whenever and we'll all avoid discussing it too much until the 31st.

p.s. I don't know why Amazon thinks I'm a robot, but the link does work.
https://www.amazon.com/Underground-Railroad-National-Winner-Oprahs-ebook/dp/B01A4ATV0A/

If your relationship is strong enough, you won't need this, but in those early days...

If your relationship is strong enough, you won't need this, but in those early days...

Originally shared by God Emperor Lionel Lauer

How to fart in a shared bed - a helpful guide:
http://imgur.com/gallery/t6rbc

Oh and speaking of Star Wars.

Oh and speaking of Star Wars. Rogue One is amaaaaazing. I continue to be impressed by the current crop of Star Wars movies.

God damn you 2016. You've taken way too many, you don't get Princess Leia too.

Apparently people are "camping out" in IKEA stores.

Apparently people are "camping out" in IKEA stores. I think that's what they say they're doing when really, they just got lost a bit more than most people do and are too embarrassed to own up to it.




http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38390497

Paging Leah Bloom

Paging Leah Bloom


http://www.avclub.com/article/our-20-favorite-books-2016-247109

Star Wars Killed A Universe To Save The Galaxy

Sure, you may like Star Wars, but you probably don't like like it:


http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/star-wars-killed-a-universe-to-save-the-galaxy/

Solar Eclipse Ravenna – Total Solar Eclipse 2017 in Ravenna Nebraska

Hey!

Have you ever wanted to see a total eclipse of the sun?

Have you ever wanted to meet my folks?

Monday, August 21st, 2017 there will be a total eclipse that will be visible in the US. And my hometown of Ravenna, Nebraska will be right under the line of totality so you'll see the sun be completely swallowed up by the moon.

I'm going home to watch it and my folks are offering crash space to anyone coming along with me. My folks live just outside of town and should have an excellent view of the proceedings without the crowds and general hubbub of the viewing sites in town. If you don't want to go for just the eclipse, I can help plan out a larger vacation with other places to visit and things to do -- I'm thinking about going to the Black Hills and/or the Rockies.

It's likely that folks should get their plane tickets sooner rather than later and I'd like to have a decent headcount well in advance. So I'm making this general announcement that if this sounds like something you'd be interested in, get in touch with me before Jan. 30th.


http://solareclipseravenna.com/

Everything about this is pure gold including the red button:

Everything about this is pure gold including the red button:


http://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/the-talk-4

Cat Hulbert: How I got rich beating men at their own game - BBC News

You've got to know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em...


http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-38103674

Title

My new comic book character: Mook. Just one guy but he can make multiple copies of himself. All the copies can share memories/experiences, but it's selective, so if one copy gets hit in the gut, none of the others grab their stomachs.

As the name implies, Mook hires himselves out as mooks to various big-name super-villains (or, I suppose, ethically-comfortable good-guy organizations). When you need an army of guys to get mowed down, call on Mook. Technically, they could use their shared experiences to better co-ordinate attacks, but frankly, Mook doesn't care.

It'd be even better if Mook only copied his mind/memories and could choose different (human) physical forms for the copies. Hydra, AIM, and SHIELD all employ the same guy hundreds of times over without knowing about it.

The Mooks all chip in for the benefits that no super-villain would ever cover and they support the ridiculously lavish lifestyle of several Mooks whose experiences are shared out to the members. You might have a "lifespan" of only a few days, but you'll have done more than one person could ever do in a lifetime.

Mook would make for a fascinating addition simply because their motivations are pretty orthogonal to any standard character's.

This is What Happens When Two Bamboo Trains Meet on the Bamboo Railway

Railroads have staying power. People have ingenuity (and poor risk-assessment skills).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilJAczgfmHk

So I came across the following quote about the Marquis de Sade and thought it was too interesting not to share:

So I came across the following quote about the Marquis de Sade and thought it was too interesting not to share:

"But for all Sade's aristocratic indulgence of a peculiar whims and profligate spending on whips and whores, he is also one of the first major authors of what we might term modern bureaucratic literature. His writings are extraordinarily, pruriently concerned with acts that can be accomplished only by people working in groups who follow, in an orderly fashion, arbitrary rules and regulations. These secular constraints not only defy common sense but fly in the face of what we usually think of as basic respect for the sensations and lives of others. Thus another neologism: sadism. The writings of the Marquis de Sade describe dispassionate intimacy in the plural. In this sense, they foreshadow the social world of the contemporary office."

-- From Sodom, LLC by Lucy Ives

The rest of the essay draws out those comparisons in a delightful and unsettling way. The essay is found in the Fall 2016 issue of Lapham's Quarterly which remains an absolutely wonderful magazine and well worth checking out.

The headline pretty much says it all...

The headline pretty much says it all...


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/beaver-trashes-christmas-store_us_58404fa5e4b0c68e047f4972

Leah Bloom More book lists:

Leah Bloom More book lists:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/nov/26/best-books-of-2016-part-one

http://www.refinery29.com/2016/02/102382/best-books-2016#slide


From the Guardian list I rather liked:

The Tusk That Did the Damage — Tania James
Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun — Sarah Ladipo Manyika
Golden Hill — Francis Spufford

From the Refinery 29 List:

Cauliflower — Nicola Barker
A Hundred Thousand Worlds — Bob Proehl

Unrelated to either list, my eye was drawn towards:

The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu: And Their Race to Save the World's Most Precious Manuscripts — Joshua Hammer

The Devoursers — Indra Das

Vast: The Crystal Caverns - Second Printing with Miniatures

I backed the original printing of this game. It's a heck of a lot of fun. A 5-way asymmetrical dungeon crawler and one of you can play the dungeon itself. Tons of replay value and a lot of fun decisions/interactions. The minis look amazing and if you're buying a copy of the game, I'd strongly recommend pledging at a level for a copy that includes them.


https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2074786394/vast-the-crystal-caverns-second-printing-with-mini

I can't wait for Thanksgiving to be over!

I can't wait for Thanksgiving to be over!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyLncniiJ6Q

The Secret Agenda of a Facebook Quiz

Remember kids: it's all about giving them what they really want...


http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/opinion/the-secret-agenda-of-a-facebook-quiz.html

Coins

OK, this is fun.

Beastie Boys/Daft Punk mashups that are booty movin'.


https://coinsmakeyoudance.bandcamp.com/album/daft-science

Grover (@Grover) | Twitter

Eeeeeee!!!

Grover has a Twitter account!

Grover has a Twitter account!

I am re-thinking my no-Twitter stance.

And he was recently flustered upon hearing that there was a monster on Twitter. Although he concluded belatedly that this was probably a reference to his lovable furry blue self.

I, however, don't feel he should fall back on his usual explanations.

Grover. There is a monster on Twitter. And his name is Donald Trump.


https://twitter.com/grover

Title

Today I Learned: Mayim Bialik, the actress who played Blossom got a PhD in Neuroscience.

Arg!

Arg!

OK, so my dad keeps getting taken in by these scams to "fix" his computer. Last night he called about it and I said, don't do anything, I'll talk to you today.

I'm not interested in trying to diagnose his issues over the phone 2000 miles away. I am strongly tempted to tell him to get a Mac or even an iPad although then I'd have to train him on how iOS works (although the iPad is actually pretty good in this respect).

His computer is pretty old and could probably stand being replaced. But then he's back to his old issue where eventually he'll get a "your computer is riddled with viruses" and then we'll be back to square one. If he goes to BestBuy, he might get locked in with GeekSquad and I'm skeptical about their utility.

I'm asking for general ideas on what to do here.

I'm also asking this specific question -- is there a software/maintenance plan for PCs that provides good value for money (protects against viruses, gives regular updates, has either a small subscription plan or a larger every-few-years update fee)?

If I were to push him to an iPad (or Surface???) are there any other protective services I should mention? In the case of the iPad, I'd probably suggest he sign up for AppleCare (assuming an Apple store in his area...)?

Thanks for your help.

Training independent kids in Japan.

Training independent kids in Japan.


http://savvytokyo.com/japan-prepares-children-independence/

Oh hey!

Oh hey!

Dungeons and Dragons made it into the National Toy Hall of Fame...along with Little People!...and the swing!


https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/kidspost/score-one-for-the-little-people-figures-inducted-into-national-toy-hall-of-fame/2016/11/10/f744b8b6-a76a-11e6-ba59-a7d93165c6d4_story.html

Relevant to some of my readers.

Relevant to some of my readers.


https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/847271320/ogre-miniatures-set-1

Infinity Train | Minisode | Cartoon Network

So Cartoon Network will show pilot episodes for things they might want to turn into series later. Adventure Time started out as one of these "mini-sodes". Here's a new one that has a flat-out amazing premise about a nerdy girl trapped on a mysterious magical train and I really hope it makes it to full series status.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY6kfVWv01k

Hey

Hey,

So here's a Halloween photo of me, Nega-sonic Teenage Warhead and Deadpool.

In Old Country, we have no Halloween, only potato. #colossus

In Old Country, we have no Halloween, only potato. #colossus

Do you use the Mass Pike?

Do you use the Mass Pike? They're moving to an all-electronic toll system. Soon all the toll booths will be removed and a series of toll "gantries" will be installed instead. You drive through and your transponder gets changed.

But what if I don't have an E-ZPass, you ask. Well, the gantry will photograph your license plate and you'll get a bill in the mail later -- with some processing and handling fees tacked on.

So, if you don't have a transponder, you'll get dinged the processing fees on top of the toll, but it gets better -- your toll will be higher than a person with a transponder. From their FAQ:

Will people pay more if they don’t have Massachusetts E-ZPass transponder?

Yes. For each vehicle class, MassDOT has three rates at each gantry:

One rate is for users of E-ZPass transponders issued by the Commonwealth (E-ZPassMA).
One rate is for users of compatible transponders issued by other states (residents of other states can obtain EZPassMA transponders if they wish).
One rate is for vehicles that do not have any transponder and will be billed using the Pay-By-Plate system. This billing will include both the gantry charge and a processing fee to offset mailing and other costs associated with Pay-by-Plate users.

So if you don't have a E-ZPassMA you'll pay more. I sure do look forward to needing a different transponder for each state I drive through.

Admittedly, I don't use the Pike all that much, but this is ridiculous. I shouldn't have to pay a different price because I don't use their brand of transponder or, heaven forbid, don't want to have a transponder but I do have cash. Those transponders aren't exactly cheap and they need to be tied to a credit card. If you're poor, you might not be able to get a transponder and they you'll get charged more for using the tolls to commute. What happens if a bunch stack up or you fall behind? I assume they can be sued/prosecuted for that. It's a suck sandwich all around.

If you want to read up on it more, check here:


http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/TollInformation/AllElectronicTolling.aspx

Caminata Nocturna: The Border Crossing Experience

LARPing helps us better understand other people's life experiences:


https://thenib.com/caminata-nocturna

GifCities

So Internet Archives scraped its collection of GeoCities webpages, pulled out all the .gifs and made them (sorta) searchable. Try typing in "Dancing Bears" and then try whatever else strikes your fancy.

Let's bring the 90's back to web design!


http://www.gifcities.org/#/

Hey

Hey

This is the last week of PMRP's Halloween show: Tomes of Terror: Campfire Tales. The show has been very well received and we'd like to see you there. Tonight is pay-what-you-can night so there's some extra incentive there. And on Saturday night we'll be holding a costume contest. Some come on out for some frightful fun.


http://pmrp.org/tickets

I'm Linky McLinkerson today!

I'm Linky McLinkerson today!

Somehow I don't think Couch To 5K was how this guy got started:


http://www.runnersworld.com/ultrarunning/ultrarunner-pete-kostelnick-smashes-record-for-run-across-us

Another luminary in the world of RPGs had died.

Another luminary in the world of RPGs had died.

Well...not a fondly-remembered luminary but still...

I can only hope he's incredibly disappointed.


http://pictorial.jezebel.com/jack-chick-the-creator-of-bigoted-yet-weirdly-enjoyabl-1788161719

Australia has a habit of importing animals to fix an environmental problem only to make it worse.

Australia has a habit of importing animals to fix an environmental problem only to make it worse. Let's hope that this isn't how SkyNet comes about.


http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2016/10/new-robot-to-destroy-pests-on-the-great-barrier-reef

Shakespeare had a posse.

Shakespeare had a posse.


https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2016/oct/23/christopher-marlowe-credited-as-one-of-shakespeares-co-writers

Hey

Hey,

So I'm Co-Festival Director for PMRP's Tomes of Terror: Campfire Tales. We've got a bunch of short, spooky stories told as a staged reading with live foley.

We've got a lot of great stories and a great bunch of actors/foley artists who've been working hard to bring them to life.

This weekend we open! So come out and see the show!

Times/Dates are:

Friday, October 21, 8pm
Saturday, October 22, 2pm matinée
Saturday, October 22, 8pm

Thursday, October 27, 8pm
Friday, October 28, 8pm
Saturday, October 29, 8pm

More information/tickets here:

http://pmrp.org/tickets

http://pmrp.org/tickets

So, when I was a kid I loved Robotech, but I could only see occasional episodes because only my grandma had cable...

So, when I was a kid I loved Robotech, but I could only see occasional episodes because only my grandma had cable and I wasn't always over at her house. Given the episodic nature of the show and my competist tendencies, I kind of just avoided it, but I always wondered if it was as cool as the episodes suggested. Amazon Video has is showing the remastered episodes for free. So I'm finally watching, end-to-end, the giant robot anime show of my child hood. I'm very early in but...

Rick Hunter, you're a goddamn idiot!
Capt.Gloval, you're a goddamn son of a bitch!

The opening credits take for-ever.

Come for the fascinating story about gaming in prison, stay for miscarriage of justice and your civil rights being...

Come for the fascinating story about gaming in prison, stay for miscarriage of justice and your civil rights being abused. Emily Care Boss
https://theintercept.com/2016/10/16/i-am-fully-capable-of-entertaining-myself-in-prison-for-decades-if-need-be/

Today is Grunt Day.

Today is Grunt Day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ychhQTtZbto

This starts out like you'd expect and then takes a dark left turn. From a show called Atlanta.

This starts out like you'd expect and then takes a dark left turn. From a show called Atlanta.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUKSGJcYwMM

Once again, the State meddles in people's private, graveyard affairs...

Once again, the State meddles in people's private, graveyard affairs...


http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/world/article24587203.html

Title

So I'm watching Luke Cage and I think "huh, the guy playing Luke Cage reminds me of Gordon from Sesame Street".

And then my head cannon went off.

Hey Internet!

Hey Internet!

It's ok to eat these, yes? Asking for a friend. Please reply ASAP!

Awww...right in the feels:

Awww...right in the feels:

http://www.avclub.com/article/gotta-catch-em-all-dead-or-alive-243453

Oddly, this gives me some faith in my fellow Americans.

Oddly, this gives me some faith in my fellow Americans.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/pornhub-viewership-dropped-16-presidential-debate-article-1.2812296

I love the way Brits are so understated...

I love the way Brits are so understated...


http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/549118/objectophilia-exhibitionist-mature-knickerless-woman-sparks-outrage-sex-plastic-dinosaur

Nightmare fuel:

Nightmare fuel:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-37481251

A great location for your next modern-day thriller game:

A great location for your next modern-day thriller game:


https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/27/receding-icecap-top-secret-us-nuclear-project-greenland-camp-century-project-iceworm

A little bit of pharmaceutical jujitsu for drug-resistant bacteria:

A little bit of pharmaceutical jujitsu for drug-resistant bacteria:


http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/09/scientists-turn-superbugs-into-sitting-ducks-with-evolutionary-hoodwink/

Hey

Hey,

I'm having a wonderful time listening to The Fall of Rome podcast hosted by Patrick Wyman. He takes modern thinking on this period of history and really brings a nuanced, enlightening and entertaining take on this not-too-well-understood-but-important period of history. There's only five episodes outstanding so it's easy to jump on-board now. Well worth checking out if you want some history lessons on your commute.


https://soundcloud.com/fallofromepodcast

Hey

Hey,

So the Craft Sequence series by Max Gladstone has been top-notch, but his latest book Four Roads Cross just hit it out of the park. It's also the first book in the series that's a direct sequel (of the first book Three Parts Dead_) and suffers a bit if you haven't read the previous book. Still, you won't be unhappy to read that first book and it's well worth it for how freakin' good the follow-up is. I was reading passages aloud to people around me every few pages. Do yourself a favor and check it out.


https://www.amazon.com/Four-Roads-Cross-Novel-Sequence-ebook/dp/B015W3Q0QW/

How Morality Changes in a Foreign Language

An intriguing effect of learning a new language later in life. Martin Paczynski, you might find this interesting if you haven't seen it before:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-morality-changes-in-a-foreign-language/

I'm taking a bike tour along the Columbia Gorge this morning.

I'm taking a bike tour along the Columbia Gorge this morning. The bikes are all named for easy identification. This is my bike's name.

More to come?

As is my custom, this year I have once again consumed a new (disgusting) creature to prove I remain atop the food...

As is my custom, this year I have once again consumed a new (disgusting) creature to prove I remain atop the food pyramid after the apocalypse.

ALL HAIL ALL-EATER! EATER OF ALL!!!

You poor, unfortunate souls!

You poor, unfortunate souls!

...tonight I feast on Posideon's bounty!

...tonight I feast on Posideon's bounty!

With Mjolnir in hand..

With Mjolnir in hand..

"No, Homer, don't fill up on bread!"

"No, Homer, don't fill up on bread!"

Oh...the large fries...

Oh...the large fries...

Boston-area peeps: I like Journeyman but would like to try a new high-end restaurant. What do you suggest?

72 Hours in Model Horse Mecca

I am always giddy when I discover a passionate sub-culture I never knew about before. Today it's model horses. So awesome!


http://gizmodo.com/72-hours-in-model-horse-mecca-1785804589

How Baltimore Cops Worked With a Billionaire to Secretly Spy on Everyone

Hey Kids,

Do you run a police department? Would you like high-tech 24-hour aerial surveillance of your city? Don't want to freak people out that you're constantly watching them?

A couple of billionaires and a tech firm are happy to help you out on the down low.


http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/08/the-sneaky-program-to-spy-on-baltimore-from-above/497588/

This weekend I put my feet in the Atlantic.

This weekend I put my feet in the Atlantic.

I also got spit on by a clam so...there's that.

Title

So. I haven't played Magic: The Gathering since Alpha (no, I don't have any cards because i'm an idiot). Collectable games just don't sit well with me for the most part.

But I keep a casual eye on the game and the recent Conspiracy 2 set seems...really fun. I could go down to my FLGS and get in on a draft but those venues are usually...Spartan at best and I don't feel like playing against Rando Calrissians. I want to play with people I know, in a setting that isn't card tables and folding chairs.

So. Can I get 7 other people to play MtG: Conspiracy with me? This would have to be sometime later in the month, since the first half of September is...bonkers for me. Don't know how to play? Forgotten how to play? Perfect. Let's all learn/re-learn together.

Ericka Crouse -- What's your hobo name when you ride the rails?

Title

Whelp, I'm officially old.

I'm in the grocery store today, gettin' my grocery on and there's music playing on the PA system.

"Huh...that music sounds a little weird....and familiar".

stops to listen

"Yup...that's Istanbul by They Might Be Giants all right."

sigh

Title

Although yesterday was awesome, there was also a semi-tragic "Hooray these cargo shorts!" event. Just know that I wasn't exposing myself and the shorts died a warrior's death. It lives on in Valhalla, girding the very loins of the gods themselves!

Title

Today (well, yesterday now) has been amazing. So much fun!

Justice Department says it will end use of private prisons

Govenment is way too ineffiecent and expensive...

“They simply do not provide the same level of correctional services, programs, and resources; they do not save substantially on costs; and as noted in a recent report by the Department’s Office of Inspector General, they do not maintain the same level of safety and security,” Yates wrote.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/08/18/justice-department-says-it-will-end-use-of-private-prisons/?utm_term=.08f343b12267

Dammit! This looks amazing and I don't know if I'd ever see it hit the table.

Dammit! This looks amazing and I don't know if I'd ever see it hit the table.


https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/montecookgames/invisible-sun

Although not a dad, I'm worried that I'm being pegged somehow...and not the good way either.

Although not a dad, I'm worried that I'm being pegged somehow...and not the good way either.


http://www.theonion.com/article/late-blooming-dad-just-now-getting-civil-war-histo-53486

When Will The Idiots On The Other End Of The Political Spectrum Wake Up And Have Every One Of My Life Circumstances,...

The Onion -- Speaking Truth by Telling Lies:


http://www.theonion.com/blogpost/when-will-idiots-other-end-political-spectrum-wake-53482

Joe Amato --- By the Power of Google's All-Seeing Algorithms, I summon your presence for lunch!

At last, my long national nightmare is over.

At last, my long national nightmare is over.

There's food sitting in a fridge not getting leaked on.

There's a load of laundry running through the washer in my basement.

I think I'll make scale mail out of the quarters I have left.

Title

I forgot to mention this -- last Sunday I went for a bike ride on the Ayer Rail trail. Lots of fun, but as we were biking along (casually, not pushing it but not stopping either), this guy on rollerblades swooshes past us. On top of his head was a handkerchief and atop that was his water bottle...which stayed rock steady as he blithely skated away from us like we were standing still.

One of the more amazing displays of everyday physical prowess I think I've seen.

More updates on what's killing the bees. (SPOILER ALERT: Industrial Agriculture)

More updates on what's killing the bees. (SPOILER ALERT: Industrial Agriculture)


http://qz.com/107970/scientists-discover-whats-killing-the-bees-and-its-worse-than-you-thought/

A Cult Classic Reborn | THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW

This...may...not suck???


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btL-tQYLELs

No, I wish I'd thought of it first...

No, I wish I'd thought of it first...


http://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/prizes

You Could Skip Your Colonoscopy If You’re Willing To Collect Your Poop

This article is of interest to me and it might be of interest to my generational peers...


http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/you-could-skip-your-colonoscopy-if-youre-willing-to-collect-your-poop/

For just $15, you too can relive shameful, shameful memories...

For just $15, you too can relive shameful, shameful memories...


https://www.humblebundle.com/books/vampire-masquerade-rpg-bundle

sigh

sigh

You can call me Jennifer Lawrence because I just put metal in the science oven. :(

I'm fine, everyone is fine, everything is fine but..woah.

Hey People who have been to/live in Seattle!

Hey People who have been to/live in Seattle!

If you were going to be in Seattle for a few days (mid-Spetember, mid-week if it matters), where would you go/what would you do?

You know what reallly grinds my gears? Well nothing, I don't have gears, but an insect does...

You know what reallly grinds my gears? Well nothing, I don't have gears, but an insect does...


http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/functioning-mechanical-gears-seen-in-nature-for-the-first-time

How to Build a Low-tech Internet

Oooh! This is a fun article that starts the wheels turning. The section on "Data Mules" is especially neat, but the whole thing is worth checking out.


http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2015/10/how-to-build-a-low-tech-internet.html

Title

So that new Ghostbusters is quite good. I enjoyed it and laughed out loud quite a bit.

Also, Kate McKinnon was flat-out amazing as Holtzmann.

And Annie Potts is still super hot.

This is amazing and neatly encapsulates everything I love and hate about professional wrestling -- talented,...

This is amazing and neatly encapsulates everything I love and hate about professional wrestling -- talented, athletic people putting their bodies on the line for organizers/promoters who couldn't care less about them. Well worth watching even if you're not much of a wrestling fan.

Epidiah Ravachol, Nathan Paoletta -- great subject matter for an off-beat game of World Wide Wrestling.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiKD9aeDqf0

Today I learned about the FBW -- a sort of writing theatre where two contenders get 3 random words from the audience...

Today I learned about the FBW -- a sort of writing theatre where two contenders get 3 random words from the audience and five minutes to write something using those three words. After three minutes they read their piece and the audience votes on a winner.

They're doing a show in Davis Sq. this wekeend if you're interested.

I don't know if I'll make it but if I ever stepped into the ring I have the perfect "ring names":

Ernest Harming-way
Daddy Mack Twain


http://thefbw.com/

So today I'm down at Kenny Park in Davis Sq.

So today I'm down at Kenny Park in Davis Sq. There's a gaggle of people there all trying to scoop up the pokemons. A couple of people were staring intently into their phones while their dogs looked up at them going "hey! We're real, live animals you can pet! Put down the phone and let's play!"

Oh hey, you can get all four seasons of the original Thundercats on Amazon Prime for free.

Oh hey, you can get all four seasons of the original Thundercats on Amazon Prime for free.

So...that's a thing. Jennifer Koerber call your office.

Title

Last night I was walking around town and two groups of kids met up on the bridge to find their pokemons and do battle. It was kind of amazing to see that interaction.

Where do you find ancient rocks with non-tessalating crystal structures? In the basement of a museum of course:

Where do you find ancient rocks with non-tessalating crystal structures? In the basement of a museum of course:


https://www.quantamagazine.org/20160708-a-quasicrystals-shocking-origin/

Now here's the story from A to Z:

Now here's the story from A to Z:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZQ2RUFd54o

Remember kids -- it's only a few bad eggs...

Remember kids -- it's only a few bad eggs...


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/29/us-deadliest-prosecutors-death-penalty-five-attorneys-justice-system

Hey

Hey,

So it's not all book reviews around here. Tomorrow night is Opening Night for Hellancholy, one half of the double bill that is Ultimate Things going up at the Boston Playwright's Theatre in Boston (right near BU).

I'm playing God. So if you've ever wanted to see someone struck down by lightning, here's your big chance!

It's running July 1st - 9th and you can find out more/get tickets at the link below.

It's a fun couple of shows and I hope to see a lot of you there!

later
Tom
http://www.unreliable-narrator.com

And somewhere Ray Parker Jr. is going "Now that's what I'm talking about!"

And somewhere Ray Parker Jr. is going "Now that's what I'm talking about!"

Also, I would totally watch this version.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is31GGfhz8o

As you know, Bob, fireworks are pretty much illegal here in MA.

As you know, Bob, fireworks are pretty much illegal here in MA. Today, I received a flyer from a fireworks store in NH.

I have to say, some of the names for the various packages are a bit...amazing:

Core Reactor
Wicked Pissa
Molotov Cocktail
Barely Legal Lock and Load
Crack the Sky
Bombilation
Palm Pyro Pageantry Premier
God of Fire
183 Degrees Fahrenheit
Red White and Boom
Battle of the Coral Sea
DefCon Alert
Walloping Warheads

It's all pretty amazing.

This New Shade Of Blue Was Accidentally Discovered By Chemists

Of interest to all right-thinking people:


http://www.iflscience.com/chemistry/this-new-shade-of-blue-was-accidentally-discovered-by-chemists/

Should I be worried that my subway train has been delayed by a "police action"?

Should I be worried that my subway train has been delayed by a "police action"? If I start seeing Marines I think I'll skip rehearsal tonight.

Hey!

Hey!

I'm going to be in a show next weekend! Maybe I should start going to rehearsals instead of being on vacation.

Of course, I am playing myself, you know, God, so I don't need much prep.

I'm in Hellancholy, one half of the two shows in Ultimate Things playing the first two weekends in July. You can find more information and tickets here:


http://www.unreliable-narrator.com/

Thoughts from my hometown parade:

Thoughts from my hometown parade:

- We don't have a police car, we have a police pickup-truck.

- I really want to sponsor a gay pride float...

- ...or a gamer pride float.

- Apparently there was a tractor company called Cockshutt. A quick search shows that there are Cockshutt trucker hats available for enthusiasts. I may need one...for reasons.

- Well....no kids in blackface this year so...that makes the kids in Native American garb a bit of an improvement?

I've heard rumblings about longer security lines at airports this summer, but I don't know what they're complaining...

I've heard rumblings about longer security lines at airports this summer, but I don't know what they're complaining about. You show up at 6:30am and you just breeze through.

For those of you in ad hoc book club who read Sex with Shakespeare, here's a all-woman production of Taming of the...

For those of you in ad hoc book club who read Sex with Shakespeare, here's a all-woman production of Taming of the Shrew


http://themuse.jezebel.com/the-taming-of-the-shrew-this-time-told-by-shrews-1782034867

Also, flowers from the Bridge of Flowers.

Also, flowers from the Bridge of Flowers. It was roses and lilies but there were lots of other neat/unusual flowers as there often is.

Still apparently photo-blogging...

Still apparently photo-blogging...

A recent trip to the Natural Bridge Park and Mass MOCA in North Adams. Mass MOCA was interesting as always.

Austrailia -- Nature's haunted house that repeatedly tells you "GET OUT NOW!", but you know those dumb kids aren't...

Austrailia -- Nature's haunted house that repeatedly tells you "GET OUT NOW!", but you know those dumb kids aren't gonna listen.


http://motherboard.vice.com/en_uk/read/plague-of-bats-holds-australian-town-hostage-with-aerial-shit-blitz

So, I don't want this to become my photo-blog but....DEER!

So, I don't want this to become my photo-blog but....DEER!

More pictures from my bike ride this morning.

More pictures from my bike ride this morning.

I got a little fascinated by the froth in a an outlet stream today.

I got a little fascinated by the froth in a an outlet stream today.

Lots of turtles on the trails today.

Lots of turtles on the trails today. Aside from this charming young woman laying her eggs right in the middle of the trail (which will probably be moved soon by the ranger who alerted me to it), there were also a bunch of canoes drawn up a little further down the road because they were organizing a mass release of Blanding's Turtles, an endangered species they're working to protect here.

Jason Riek “Let me tell you about this business,” Adam Vega, a thickly muscled, heavily tattooed Mister Softee man...

Jason Riek “Let me tell you about this business,” Adam Vega, a thickly muscled, heavily tattooed Mister Softee man who works the upper reaches of the Upper East Side and East Harlem, said on Wednesday. “Every truck has a bat inside.”


http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/31/nyregion/a-king-of-ice-cream-a-renegade-upstart-and-a-simmering-turf-war.html

Hey!

Hey!

May is over and June has started and that means that if you're part of ad hoc book club, it's time to start talking.

So if you read Sex with Shakespeare this month -- start talking about it! I've left my basic thoughts here, but I'm happy to explore more.
http://bluegargantua.livejournal.com/631003.html

Title

I just came up with a better ending for Captain America: Civil War.


Spoilers ahoy!



OK, so in the movie, Zemo shows Stark the footage of Bucky killing his parents and goes ham on Bucky leading to the fight between Iron Man, Cap, and Bucky. The problem is that it's such a weak ploy. Stark knows that Bucky was basically a zombie assassin and not terribly responsible for any of his actions. Further, it's such an obvious ruse to get a rise out of Stark that he, a super-wealthy, super-genius, industrialist should see right through it. In fact, until Cap confirms it, Stark might believe it was faked -- after all, Zemo is good at faking stuff.

So with all of that, the motivation for that end fight seems incredibly weak.

So my better ending is thus: Stark is pissed as hell, but he's pissed at Zemo for going through all this effort to manipulate him. Sure, he can still be mad at Bucky and Cap, but he knows that's what he's being pushed to do and he resents that even more. So he starts burning through the blast shield to get at Zemo. Perhaps he even gets close to killing Zemo. Cap and Bucky have to step in to stop him and then we get that final fight. Hell, if they even just talk him down from killing Zemo that might be a better ending than a three-way fight.

My 2-cents anyway.

Man, they've been knocking it out of the park this season.

Man, they've been knocking it out of the park this season.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-ZblMfZpuw

Looking for some new reading?

Looking for some new reading?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=setYQOyhslo

I'm fascinated by sub-cultures of every stripe and I particularly look forward to the marketing for this particular...

I'm fascinated by sub-cultures of every stripe and I particularly look forward to the marketing for this particular sub-culture's annual convocation.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXpH2nfiavE

Tonight has not been full of win.

I Can't Play Piano, Pt. 1

H. Jon Benjamin -- iconic voice actor and now...jazz musician!

A little something for your afternoon music listening.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS5p4M08jJs

Need a new combat mechanic for your LARP?

Need a new combat mechanic for your LARP?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJgi-B461AM

The Turnt of the Century-Another Period - Video Clip | Comedy Central

June 15th! Another Period Season 2. I really like this show for reasons I can't fully explain, but I'm happy to see there will be more of it.

EDIT: Even more, more of it. They got a season 3 renewal a couple days ago.


http://www.cc.com/video-clips/pneeaa/another-period-the-turnt-of-the-century

Hey, it's 1 in the morning and I've been up all night finishing Children of Earth and Sky. It was pretty good.

Hey, it's 1 in the morning and I've been up all night finishing Children of Earth and Sky. It was pretty good.

Hooray for late night reading!

Fall of Magic – Scroll Edition

This past weekend I got to play a little bit of Fall of Magic, a story-telling game where you play as the companions of a dying mage who is travelling east to figure out why magic (and he) is failing.

The game plays out on this gorgeous map scroll and is a delightfully visual and tactile game. It generated an interesting set of characters and stories. Well worth checking out and although it's a bit pricey, it's pretty much a work of art.
http://heartofthedeernicorn.com/product/fall-of-magic-scroll-edition/

I mean, sure I'm excited, but I don't know about Kevin Smith -- only a true WPI alum would really understand the...

I mean, sure I'm excited, but I don't know about Kevin Smith -- only a true WPI alum would really understand the source material..


http://io9.gizmodo.com/kevin-smith-is-making-an-adventures-of-buckaroo-banzai-1776882034

Last night I saw High Rise, a movie based on the book by the same name by J. G. Ballard starring Tom Hiddleston.

Last night I saw High Rise, a movie based on the book by the same name by J. G. Ballard starring Tom Hiddleston.

Would you like to see a mostly naked Tom Hiddleston? You're ticket money is well spent in the first five minutes.

The movie itself is a metaphor for societal meltdown with a very heavy dollop of blackest humor. I rather liked it, but it's a bit hard to watch in places. Not a feel-good movie but very interesting nonetheless. I actually got a grimdark Wes Anderson vibe off the picture.

Many thanks to Meguey Baker for refurbishing a quilt my mom made.

Many thanks to Meguey Baker for refurbishing a quilt my mom made. The colors are wonderful and the photos don't do it justice. Mom thought it looked great too.

The bench is sort of randomly placed alongside the trail but there's a pretty good view.

The bench is sort of randomly placed alongside the trail but there's a pretty good view.

An interesting article around the surge in overdoses/suicides among rural white Americans.

An interesting article around the surge in overdoses/suicides among rural white Americans.


https://morecrows.wordpress.com/2016/05/10/unnecessariat/

Oh man, this is excellent:

Oh man, this is excellent:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlKy9JtTYxQ

This morning, instead of going to the gym, I got out my bike and went for a ride through the Assabet River Wildlife...

This morning, instead of going to the gym, I got out my bike and went for a ride through the Assabet River Wildlife Refuge for about an hour and a half.

Honestly, I probably get a better workout at the gym (and I get some reading done to boot), but it's not nearly as pretty.

Oh Joy Sex Toy: Volume 3

I backed the first two volumes. The books are fun and sex-positive and well worth supporting even if you just grab the PDFs.


https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/erikamoen/oh-joy-sex-toy-volume-3

oh G+, why are you so terrible at chronologically organizing my feed?

oh G+, why are you so terrible at chronologically organizing my feed?

Also, why don't you timestamp the entries?

Title

So yesterday I went to the Lyric Stage Theatre to catch a showing of _Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play.

After the apocalypse, some survivors are sitting around a fire, trying to distract themselves from the horror around them by trying to remember the Cape Feare episode.

In the next act, they're doing the show as a traveling performance.

And in the final act, we jump forward 75 years and the show is this weird, stylized opera.

It was a lot of fun and there were some great moments all the way through as well as post-show conversations.

I'd say go see it, but this is the final night so...hurry to get a ticket?

Title

If you're looking for some free mapping software (for wargaming or outdoor RPG stuff), you might be interested in this:

http://www.10mm-wargaming.com/2016/05/mappingboard.html

I have finally arrived in Community Theatre.

I have finally arrived in Community Theatre.

"Man, we came up a bit short in our auditions. We still have some slots to fill."

"You know who'd be great for this one part? Tom. I'll see if he's free."

Awww yeah, I don't have to do auditions like a schlub any more. I just rest easy knowing I'll get the leftover parts.

In this case, the leftover part is God so I'm pretty chill with that.

Ultimate Things runs July 1-9th at Boston Playwrights’ Theatre.

Title

Reminder -- Ad Hoc Book club started on Sunday. We're reading Sex and Shakespeare by Jillian Keenan. We'll discuss the book at the end of the month.

Whelp, The Craft is 20 years old today. In other news, those damn kids won't get off my lawn!

Whelp, The Craft is 20 years old today. In other news, those damn kids won't get off my lawn!

J. R. R. Tolkien vs George R. R. Martin. Epic Rap Battles of History. Season 5

When Titans Clash
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAAp_luluo0

So I just got done watching Tickled, a documentary by two New Zealanders about competitive endurance tickling.

So I just got done watching Tickled, a documentary by two New Zealanders about competitive endurance tickling.

Does the idea of young, muscular guys tickling each other seem like someone's fetish? Well sure, of course it does, and frankly, as far as fetishes go it's relatively harmless and kind of adorable. Perhaps a bit embarrassing but nothing too dreadful, right?

The deal here is that a NZ journalist stumbles on one of these sites and is like "tickling...huh" and posts about it and it goes a bit viral and then the journalist starts getting threatening, harassing letters from the company that runs the tickling website telling him to back off.

So of course, he does a documentary. Turns out that when young men want to stop doing the videos, those videos start appearing all over the internet and harassing letters go out to the performer, his family, potential employers...everyone. The stick is pretty harsh, but the carrot is pretty good too -- there's serious money for these performers, but you've got the boss from hell breathing down your neck.

I'm not going to say much more about this, it's opening June 17th and I'm hoping one of the local art houses will pick it up for a few screenings. It's well worth your time to check out. But until you get to see it, you should just know that all across the country, all across the world, there are "tickling cells" where young men are filmed being tickled in exchange for cash and prizes. That's a thing happening right now and when you see how it all works, you'll be dumbfounded.
http://tickledmovie.com/

Kathy Journeay -- The new Guy Gavriel Kay book Children of Earth and Sky comes out May 10th.

Kathy Journeay -- The new Guy Gavriel Kay book Children of Earth and Sky comes out May 10th. His historical template is Venice/Holy Roman Empire vs. the Ottomans. One of my favorite periods so I'll be checking into it. I will be happy to geek out with you about it afterwards.

the no yelling sock

I don't know much about parenting, but she seems to have the right idea.

She's actually got a lot of great clips on vine, just search for Anna Blast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKgMZBCV2ko

If this isn't already in your codebase...it should be. I'm temped to add the /cancer and /mylife operations.

If this isn't already in your codebase...it should be. I'm temped to add the /cancer and /mylife operations.


http://www.foaas.com/

671 – Not Now

It's the story of my life writ large:




http://www.twogag.com/archives/3672

Hey

Hey,

Leah Bloom and I are doing another ad hoc book club for May. This month, we're going to check out Sex with Shakespeare by JIllian Keenan. The author discusses her fascination with Shakespeare and being spanked. It's gotten pretty good advance reviews and a quick skim through the kindle sample seems promising.

If you want to play along, just snag a copy of the book and read it over the month of May. At the end, we can talk about it.




http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062378716/

Leah Bloom perhaps for kinky ad hoc book club? It got a pretty favorable review in AVClub and looks interesting.

Leah Bloom perhaps for kinky ad hoc book club? It got a pretty favorable review in AVClub and looks interesting.


http://www.amazon.com/Sex-Shakespeare-Heres-Much-Pain/dp/0062378716/

Unknown Armies Third Edition Roleplaying Game

There's a Kickstarter out for a new edition of Unknown Armies . It's a modern-day occult/horror RPG and the original edition was one of my favorite games (though sadly, I never got to play much of it).

As a backer, I've already been reading through the "gamma draft" of the manuscript and I'm completely sold on the game from the writing alone. The text really conveys "dodgy magical practitioners scraping by to make ends meet". The underlying mechanics are solid and completely support the game's premise.

I particularly like that you main skill is called your Identity. So if you've got an Identity as "Cowboy" you can roll your cowboy skill every time you can say "Of course I can [blank], I'm a Cowboy!" -- which remains a wonderfully intuitive and efficient mechanic. This time around, it's supported by a few mechanical tweaks to better lay out the parameters of those identities.

The other really great mechanic is the Madness Meter. Your sanity can be attacked in five different arenas and failures are bad (as you'd expect) but successes mean you get "hardened" notches which make you immune to that level of stress in the future. Basically, if you didn't lose your cool when the dog started talking to you in your dead grandmother's voice, only something freakier than that will cause you to test again. There are some long-term downsides to having a lot of hardened notches, but I like how you can adapt to crap and shrug off low-level stuff.

Anyway, it's got a few days to go and has been smashing stretch goals so you'll get a lot for your money even if you only get the pdfs. Well worth checking out.




https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/atlasgames/unknown-armies-third-edition-roleplaying-game/

So on the one hand -- yay for sport bringing people together and providing recreational outlets, but on the other...

So on the one hand -- yay for sport bringing people together and providing recreational outlets, but on the other hand -- this smacks of bread and circuses like whoa:


http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/24/sports/soccer/world-cup-qatar-laborers-workers-cup.html

Do I know anyone going to PAX East who might be willing to pick something up for me at the con?

Do I know anyone going to PAX East who might be willing to pick something up for me at the con?

ETA -- All set. Thanks.

Nebraska Just Abolished Civil Forfeiture, Now Requires A Criminal Conviction To Take Property

Oh hey! Nebraska just greatly restricted civil forfeiture in the state.

#GoBigRed


http://www.forbes.com/sites/instituteforjustice/2016/04/20/nebraska-just-abolished-civil-forfeiture-now-requires-a-criminal-conviction-to-take-property/#2aa54449159e

Chyna, pioneering female pro wrestler and ‘9th Wonder of the World,’ found dead at 45

So, Chyna (aka Joanie Laurer) was found dead yesterday. She was 45.

First off, holy shit that's way too young. When I saw her on TV, I figured she was at least 10 years older than me.

Chyna was a pro wrestler in the mid-90s and she was always one of my favorites. Mostly because at the time, women's wrestling was something of a joke. It almost never got airtime and it was really more of a T&A show than anything else.

Chyna was ripped and absolutely ready to wrestle -- and she wasn't afraid to go after men in the ring. Although she actually had a match with Eddie Guerrero she almost never got a proper match with a guy (because that's too unbelievable for wrestling) and don't think she went after the women's title because, as mentioned above, it wasn't given any real consideration. She wanted to wrestle -- seriously wrestle and when she got some time in the ring she proved she had skills as a brawler

I always thought she was wonderful and amazing (and tall!) and I always had a tremendous amount of respect for her and what she was trying to do. Alas, she was born too soon -- over the past couple of years women's wrestling has really stepped up its game and thanks to the efforts of female wrestlers (and a huge groundswell of support from the fans), it's gotten a lot more airtime on the main shows. If she had been up and coming she would've been the Andre the Giant of women's wrestling and it would have been awesome.

Sadly, her personal life was pretty rough. One of the reasons why I don't follow pro wrestling more closely is that it chews people up physically and mentally. There were no signs of foul play and her death hasn't been ruled a suicide, but she went through a hell that would've crushed most people long before 45.

Chyna will always be my ninth wonder of the world and I'm sad that she's gone.



https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/04/21/chyna-former-professional-wrestler-turned-adult-film-star-turned-esl-teacher-dead-at-45/

Like It Is: Bob Dylan Explains What Really Killed Rock ‘n’ Roll

An interesting article about Bob Dylan's thoughts on the death of Rock and Roll.


https://medium.com/@brentellesmith/like-it-is-bob-dylan-explains-what-really-killed-rock-n-roll-f6a4b6587a1a#.6p4l661my

Inuit Cartography

Writers! Steal this idea for your next book!


https://decolonialatlas.wordpress.com/2016/04/12/inuit-cartography/

Traitor! A chess variant:

Traitor! A chess variant:

Set up pieces as normal. Each player is randomly assigned a number from 1 - 8 which they write down and keep secret.

That number identifies a pawn of the opponent that is secretly a traitor working for the player.

1 = Queen's Rook Pawn
2 = Queen's Knight Pawn
3 = Queen's Bishop Pawn
etc. etc.

The traitor is used in one of three ways:

1.) On your move, you can reveal your number and the appropriate pawn of your opponent is replaced with a pawn of your color. It's now a pawn under you control and moves and acts like any other pawn you have.

2) When your opponent is about to use a pawn to capture one of your pawns/pieces, and it's your traitor pawn, you can reveal your number proving that pawn to be a traitor. Replace the traitor pawn with a pawn of your color. The pawn now moves and acts like a normal pawn of yours. The intended capture never takes place.

3.) Should your opponent advance the traitor pawn to the back rank, you must reveal it to be a traitor. The pawn is replaced with one of your color as above.

I had the idea that you could also reveal the traitor and then immediately capture an opponent's piece, but I think that would cause games to grind down -- you'd be trying to make space for your pieces to avoid getting traitor'd. Plus, you'd mostly want to use it on turn 1 to wipe out a piece.

Obviously, it's going to suck if you get a flank pawn for a traitor while you opponent has one of your central pawns, but I think it would be fun for the uncertainty factor.

Check this out for cook day.

Check this out for cook day.

Originally shared by Michelle W

This is in the crock pot right now for dinner. It smells WONDERFUL! However, I failed to read the instructions all the way through before starting. There is an optional step to marinade the meat in yogurt first for hours before making it. I was delayed in being able to start the prep, I could have marinated the meat. Ah well, I'll know better for next time. 

(Yes, it could be improved by marinating the meat. But it is still tasty).
http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-slow-cooker-chicken-tikka-masala-recipes-from-the-kitchn-211284

Of possible interest to Boston-area foodies.

Of possible interest to Boston-area foodies.

April 17th from 11-3, Journeyman is having a yard sale at their restaurant. I have no idea what a high-end kitchen would have for sale at their yard sale, but it might be fun to check out.

How do people get earbuds to stay in?

How do people get earbuds to stay in? I've tried a couple different tips, the large ones (duh) seem best but as I run/jog they pull out of my ears.

Lake Street Dive - Side Pony [Official Video]

Ericka Crouse I think you'll like this. I think most people will honestly...

#itIsAlwaysADancePartyInMyOfficeChair 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlEGalPJm7Y

Sabbatai Zevi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Here's why I love reading history books. I'm currently reading about Albania in the 16th century. They're talking about the small town of Ulcinj which is not especially notable, though it was the town Sabbatai Zevi was exiled to and where he died.

And who is Sabbatai Zevi? He was a rabbi living in the Ottoman Empire. At the age of 22 he declared himself the Messiah. He gathered quite a following and even after he was imprisoned in Constantinople (not Istanbul), he still had a devoted following.

Eventually he was hauled up before the Sultan who said he'd either face a trial of his divinity (shot at by archers, if they missed, he was god), impaled, or he could convert to Islam.

He converted.

The book I'm reading isn't even about Sabbatai, this was just a throw-away line, but man do I want to read a book about the Jewish Messiah who converted to Islam. History is full of wonderful little sidelines like this and that's why I love it so much.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabbatai_Zevi#Proclaimed_messiah

Dungeon Explorers - 28mm Miniatures for Gamer's and RPG's by Andy Taylor — Kickstarter

Are you a fan of Old School D&D? You might be very interested in these miniatures:


https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1997544829/dungeon-explorers-28mm-miniatures-for-gamers-and-r

Well...this seems a bit ominous...

Well...this seems a bit ominous...


http://comicsalliance.com/suicide-squad-undergoes-expensive-reshoots-to-make-it-more-fun/

It's the gritty reboot super-hero movie I've been waiting for!!!

It's the gritty reboot super-hero movie I've been waiting for!!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtkPbA3J510

I'm angry I didn't think of this idea first.

I'm angry I didn't think of this idea first.

It needs a few more (female) voice actors, but it's so choice.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3FZnD21iO0

Oh Japan, you are totes adorbs

Oh Japan, you are totes adorbs


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e-zAljAgqs

So I'm running a game for a friend and her kids.

So I'm running a game for a friend and her kids. I'm using Numenera because that's what I'm running for my regular gaming group and I can recycle stuff (also I only have to remember one ruleset).

Anyway, both grown-ups and kids are playing -- mostly so that the party isn't made up entirely of pre-teen boys who have a war crime for every occasion. Wisely, the mom has taken the "Who Leads Others" focus which means she can have a civil discussion and can sort of corral the rest of the PCs.

This also makes her the person "who knows a guy" so last weekend I said "Oh yeah, Uolis knows who you are, he calls you over and says..."

"Wait," I say, "what's your character's name again?"
"I didn't write one down," she says.
"Well you should really have one, that's sort of a key bit about the PC."
[pause while we think up a name]
"Oh, just call me Mom", she says.
"Huh...like m-a-w-m, Mawm? I can go with that."
"No I was thinking more m-a-u-g-h-m, .Maughm."

And thus it was.

As an aside, Numenera (or any member of the Cypher System it works off of) is a pretty good game system for pre-teens and up. It's a little complicated for younger kids, and it's easy to get lost in the choices when setting up your character, but in actual play it move along briskly and offers a fair amount of choice for players without being too overwhelming.

A.R.T. - American Repertory Theater

So Friday night, I caught the The Hypocrites adaptation of HMS Pinafore down at the Oberon. It was delightful. It was gender-swapped, it had an open theatre where the actors moved all about the space and you might have to get out of the way of a line of singing sailors, and it had wonderful renditions of the songs with quirky instruments.

It's a really fun show and I'd encourage people to go see it.


http://americanrepertorytheater.org/events/show/hms-pinafore

New Alzheimer’s treatment fully restores memory function

Here's a promising new treatment for Alzheimer's (though of course, it's early days):


http://www.sciencealert.com/new-alzheimer-s-treatment-fully-restores-memory-function/

Hey, so that book I pulled a quote from earlier? I finished reading it.

Hey, so that book I pulled a quote from earlier? I finished reading it.

It was excellent.

The book Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff. It's the story of an extended black family in the early 50's and their encounters with cults, wizards, ghosts, otherworldly horrors...and the entrenched racism of the early 50's.

It's good on a lot of different levels and I think a lot of you might really be interested in it.


http://www.amazon.com/Lovecraft-Country-Novel-Matt-Ruff-ebook/dp/B00UG61LNS/

I'm reading a book that I think a lot of you are going to want to check out.

I'm reading a book that I think a lot of you are going to want to check out. I'm just over 2/3rds of the way through and I'll have a full report soon, but I had to share this passage:

"Nor did they seem especially alien to her, the main difference between them and other rich, self-important white people she had encountered being their willingness to converse with her. About necromancy."

You know what's looking really pretty these days?

You know what's looking really pretty these days?

Death Valley.


http://www.popsci.com/death-valley-is-covered-in-flowers?image=0

Meguey Baker Here's a link to the original photos. If you'd like something else, I can try to set something up.

Meguey Baker Here's a link to the original photos. If you'd like something else, I can try to set something up.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bluegargantua/sets/72157647696827367/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bluegargantua/sets/72157647696827367/

Remember kids: we all love pervertables but make damn sure there's a flanged end.

Remember kids: we all love pervertables but make damn sure there's a flanged end.


http://flowingdata.com/2016/02/16/million-to-one-shot-doc/

Attention Harrison Ripps, your Boutros Boutros-Ghali functions have been depreciated.

Attention Harrison Ripps, your Boutros Boutros-Ghali functions have been depreciated. Please consider using Ban Ki-Moon functions instead.

Attention Canadians (esp. those in/near Toronto):

Attention Canadians (esp. those in/near Toronto):

I'm planning on traveling to Canada this summer. For part of the time, we'll be at the Shaw Festival near Niagara, but we also wanted to spend some time in Toronto. What are some things we should do while we're there?

We're planning on going sometime between mid-July to early-September. We probably can't make the Toronto Fringe, but we might make the Toronto International Film Festival. Are there other major events in that time frame you think I might be interested in?

Thanks!

Title

So hey, Deadpool is a good superhero movie and a great Deadpool movie.

Again, B-list heroes, where the director (and producer in this case) have a solid grasp of those characters and then makes a fun movie with them -- just the best superhero movies.

You can argue that Deadpool isn't a B-list hero, but while he's popular with readers, in the Marvel Universe per se, he's just the court jester and doesn't generally get billing the way Spider Man or the Avengers do.

But -- overall it was a hugely fun movie and I'd probably go see it again.

The Power Puff Girls - "Don't Call Me Princess" Clip

Oh hey, new Powerpuff Girls in April. New voice actors apparently which is always a bit jarring, but I'm sure I'll get over it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDeQIBL3iJs

Firewatch: Out now for Windows, PlayStation 4, Mac, and Linux

So yesterday I bought and then played through Firewatch. A video game I've been interested in for a while. So it's a short game, but it's a gorgeous game and it's doing a lot of interesting things. Someone needs to play it so we can discuss it some more.

Also...I need to get a dedicated gaming rig. My mac laptop just isn't cut out for this.


http://www.firewatchgame.com/

The following article is a bit short on study details (mostly, how long does mental impairment last after being...

The following article is a bit short on study details (mostly, how long does mental impairment last after being tased), but the thing that surprised me is that in the past 10 years over 2 million people have been hit with a taser.

I realize that a police officer may be more willing to choose to use a taser because it's perceived as "less lethal" or even "non lethal" compared to a pistol, but I do have to wonder how many of those tasings would've been shootings if the taser wasn't there.


http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/02/study-suspects-shocked-by-taser-more-likely-to-waive-miranda-rights/

I'd say this commercial is a little...wacky

I'd say this commercial is a little...wacky


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da1CjGTFgoY

So a zoo in Japan did an emergency drill. For this drill they simulated a "zebra escape".

So a zoo in Japan did an emergency drill. For this drill they simulated a "zebra escape".

Japan -- trolling the rest of the world since....forever.

On the other hand, I've got a great new idea for Intercon next year...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSQklvzNNDY

Oh hey, the local PBS quiz show Says You! is now available in podcast format from iTunes.

Oh hey, the local PBS quiz show Says You! is now available in podcast format from iTunes.

Huzzah!

If you can see this then you're in a special circle.

If you can see this then you're in a special circle.

Last August, I went on a week-long trip to Colorado. I went hiking and toured Red Rocks and did lots of fun stuff.

I also took full advantage of legalized weed.

So the reason you're in this circle is because I figure you might be interested in seeing my full write-up about the trip (both stoned and non-stoned) and you'll be discreet about it as well. I know, I know, it's weed, no one cares, but until it's fully legal here in MA, I don't want to be the idiot posting public pictures of himself doing monster bong rips to facebook.

If you're interested in reading up on my weed vacation, drop me a PM and I'll send you the PDF.

The short version of the write-up? I had a fantastic time, I would absolutely go do it again.

Jere Genest you might find this especially interesting.

Jere Genest you might find this especially interesting.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2016/01/27/the-admiral-in-charge-of-navy-intelligence-has-not-been-allowed-to-see-military-secrets-for-years/

Bizarre Japanese T-Rex sex condom advert is the weirdest thing you will see all day

So this is NSFW but funny.

Also, it's from Japan.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMMdxHq0Jr8

Abe Vigoda is dead.

Abe Vigoda is dead.

No, really. He actually is.

RIP Abe.

The Smut Peddler Double Header! by IronSpike — Kickstarter

So if you're looking for quality smut comics, I can recommend these folks. Their new Kickstarter project offers two selections -- an anthology of smutty tales involving monsters and a single long-form piece involving FMM femdom. Their work is always well-illustrated and very well written.


https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ironspike/the-smut-peddler-double-header

Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

His arguments do make a certain amount of sense...


http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?id=3998

More Than 50 Individuals Charged in Massive Corruption, Fraud And Money Laundering Schemes Operated from inside...

I am...sort of in awe of this entire alleged operation. If it holds up in court though, what will you do? Send them to prison? That seems to have been super-effective in the first place.


http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/more-50-individuals-charged-massive-corruption-fraud-and-money-laundering-schemes

This looks like a fun project and there's probably a few gamers out there who might be interested in them.

This looks like a fun project and there's probably a few gamers out there who might be interested in them.


https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/oathsworn/heroines-in-sensible-shoes-28mm-miniatures-for-rol?ref=category_newest

Title

Attention! Veggie Galaxy in Central Square now makes coconut milkshakes with booze in them. I had a very nice Chocolate/Strawberry/Port milkshake and my companion had the Egg-nog/Sherry/Chai milkshake. Both were delicious.

If they actually find this, I feel they should just name it "Pluto, are you happy now?"

If they actually find this, I feel they should just name it "Pluto, are you happy now?"

Though I am reminded of the "Nemesis" theory and that'd be a pretty good name too.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2016/01/20/new-evidence-suggests-a-ninth-planet-lurking-at-the-edge-of-the-solar-system/

I'm convinced that the best superhero movies are the ones that use the B- and C-listers because you can go out on a...

I'm convinced that the best superhero movies are the ones that use the B- and C-listers because you can go out on a limb and take chances you're afraid of when dealing with the big names.

And I have a soft-spot for super-villain movies because you get the added bonus that they can still be amoral sociopaths, but it's a redemption story so you never feel conflicted about the mayhem and carnage.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmRih_VtVAs