The Flapping Wings of a Butterfly

The Game

2008-03-03T11:33:33Z

THE GAME.

So does this mean it's over? I think it does. XKCD is a fairly good interweb authority. Also, I think the death of The Game would be insane(ly awesome?)

Discuss.

(
1. You think of the game, you lose. (You win while you don't remember you're playing and therefore don't know you're winning.)

2. You must announce to everyone you lost (therefore giving them amnesty until everyone forgets again).

3. Once you hear about the game you play forevah.

The end.)

I made a blog.

2007-12-10T02:27:55Z

A real one.

It's going to be about the internets.

http://blagonet.blogspot.com/

Yay!

2007-11-18T09:24:31Z

Support the writers in the strike. Here's how:

http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/2007/11/pencils2mediamoguls.html

Because honestly, this isn't just TV, these are writers, and this is media controlling* corporate America trying to get away with more.

*Have any of you seen the news about this? It would totally help if the writers weren't striking against the people who owned the news media outlets, but so far the most positive non-independant thing I've seen so far is about how two striking writers met at the picket lines and are now dating. >.>

University of Delaware and racism

2007-11-05T08:25:44Z

I know a lot of you keep up with the news and politics and the rights we have as citizens of this country etc. I'm sure some of you (those of you who don't avoid Fox) may have heard about University of Delaware's "Forced diversity program" or whatever they're calling it. The article that started all the hype

I think this is crazy, and I think it's even crazier after speaking with my RA friend at UDel.

So, first of all, because this is so crazy, my friend was told not to talk about it, so he'll just be called my friend. From what I understand by what my friend says, this is all crap. Also, this has resulted in the abolition of RA one-on-ones and diversity programs and some crazy death threats mostly by white supremacists. Which are apparently still coming.

So, to begin: the words "[a] racist is one who is both privileged and socialized on the basis of race by a white supremacist (racist) system. The term applies to all white people (i.e., people of European descent) living in the United States, regardless of class, gender, religion, culture or sexuality.” are not from the University itself. A speaker came to the RA training to teach them more about racism. These are not the beliefs of the University. This is the belief of a guest lecturer. And yes, this was something the RAs had to attend, but they were not forced to agree, and this was not the University's definition. (The speaker's document. | The speaker's website)

Second: The awkward "When did you first discover your sexual identity" question is only asked in the community that is specifically focused on diversity. And this question is not like "When did you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour" as said here. This is because everyone has a sexual identity (be it gay, bi, questioning, non sexual, straight etc.) and it makes people realise that this is a question they are probably not faced with every day. This does not make these people adopt any ideology. This does not make people accept homosexuality or think they are a bad person for being straight. RAs are told to respect a person's comfort zone, and while yes, they are asked to assess the success of the interview, the success is not based on the person's views, rather the person's willingness to discuss their views.

Third: Some RAs are overzealous. This is not the fault of the school, nor does it reflect the view of every RA. Some RAs have used the words "mandatory" and "required" for attendance to diversity programs, this was not the policy of the university, and technically they were not even allowed to require attendance for those types of things (though they were to highly encourage them, they're also supposed to highly encourage academic and all other programs they provide).

I'm leaving my own opinions out of this as much as I can, even though I want to state them here, I just want you guys to know what I've been told by an RA from UDel not a conservative student who cared to speak on the issue (like what Fox asked for and got*

*Bill Rivers doesn't make very much sense on that video clip in terms of knowing English or speaking publicly, so I'm going to discount his report since he contradicts himself several times in explaining the marshmallow game (he says students take a marshmallow if a statement is true, such as being afraid to walk in the dark alone (more likely for female or racially/sexually harassed students) and then saying the white males have no marshmallows left in the end, or when he says a dialogue is encouraged in the end and then saying he has to stay mute)).

I'm leaving this post unlocked, if anyone wants to use this as reference or link it to other people, please do, from what's here, it looks like UDel is being judged pretty unfairly.

Comics and Baseball

2007-10-22T06:43:05Z

So tonight I read the trade paperback of Tamora Pierce's White Tiger while watching the Red Sox win the ALCS. Basically, a very good night.

And because I know some of you read comics and most of you read (both tenses) Tamora Pierce

I like comics. I'll admit I'm more into the indie/alt/Vertigo style comics but I also read two of the Ultimate titles (X-men and Spider-man) and am slowly working my way through The Amazing Spider-man. And I really want to read everything Civil War, but I don't have that kind of money. Basically, I have nothing against super hero comics and generally, I like them.

But I'd have to say White Tiger was awkward. I had a difficult time following a lot of the dialogue and panels. No mater which order I tried reading/looking at them sometimes I just could not figure out what exactly was happening.

Angelina Del Toro is a really good woman super hero, but I had an issue with the Hispanic (is it Lantina now?) side of her. It was both in-your-face and superficial. Lots of "La Tigresa Blanca" and "niño/a". I am not Hispanic, but some of the Spanglish was something of a "are you sure?" for me. While I completely understand the Spanish titles for family members (because my own ethnicity has me addressing my grandmother in a language I don't even speak), almost everything else is just. . . it stood out. We also get no hint of what her family's ethnicity is. Just like white people aren't just generically white (especially if they're still using non-English words) Spanish-speakers don't just speak Spanish and come from south of the border. We get no hint of culture outside of slang (which I couldn't pinpoint with my Spanish knowledge) and a big family. Also, her hair shouldn't be black. It's dark brown, okay? It just is.

Honestly, it just took me too long for it to be interested and to actually care what's going on. The hard to follow bit was part of it, but it also seemed very embedded in Marvel Universe and I was fairly lost there too. I was under the impression that this was supposed to help to branch out the comic readership and I was not impressed.

Still, this is Pierce's first comic, and I would have followed it through the second arc, at least, had she been resigned. But I'm not surprised she hasn't been.

At least the game was amazing. Cleveland kept it really close for most of the game, and then Boston just stole it. It was wonderful.

Wow.

2007-08-30T16:21:30Z

I have a whole new respect for rap. My roommate was playing a song that had a line that went "I'm talking about this girl with whom I want to be." *applauds*

That is all.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows post

2007-07-26T18:08:01Z

So, I read it within a day and then didn't have computer access again until now.

Really Vague Spoiler Free Review:

I liked it. It wasn't my favourite, and I was disappointed by how it ended, but I liked it.

The first thing I have to post about is Fred. Yes, he is my favourite Weasely, but his death was so much more tragic than any other death in all the Harry Potter books because of George. I know both of the twins are their own person, but they are Gred and Forge. There's a teamwork and a partnership about them that makes them inseparable. I couldn't believe JKR separated them. And so. . . dismissively. Fred died; Mrs. Weasley cried; George was kneeling at his head. But to separate the comic relief like that was worse than killing both of them. Fred was so scared when he thought he lost George, and George was still fine when he knew he had Fred. I just don't see how George can function without Fred (the same way I couldn't see Fred functioning without George). Even if George can find it in him to continue with Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes it just won't be the same without the creative teamwork. Even when Mrs. Weasely was with the bogart the two were dead together. I really cannot understand how JKR can just separate the twins and then mention George once after it. I cannot see how George will be happy in life or Fred peaceful in death.

Even though killing only one of the Weasley twins is the worst possible death I could think of I felt that JKR was really just killing people off so she wouldn't have to kill Ron, Hermoine, Hagrid or Mrs. Weasley. I think it really sucked that Lupin, Petigrew, and Snape died. Harry was always wanting more information about how his parents were when they were alive, and the three remaining people who really knew them died in this book. I think that should have been acknowledged as well.

I was kind of disappointed in the Snape thing. I mean, I knew he was good at the point where Hogwarts let him into the Headmaster's office, but Snape had so much more potential than JKR let him have in the end. The only other people we know about who created spells while still in school were Voldemort and the Weasley Twins. One ended up being the most powerful dark wizard ever and the others were creators of an incredibly successful business. I also have a feeling Lily was so good at potions because Snape helped her without her knowledge since they had already had their falling out and Slughorn never mentioned Snape being as amazing in potions. Still, I liked the relationship Snape had with Lily.

I don't know how to feel about the Deathly Hallows. I don't feel they were explained well enough, and since we don't know what happens when one unites all three (Harry never had the wand and the ring at the same time) that leaves plenty of room open for another book about Harry. As much as I want another book, I prefer it when people keep their word. However, if she ends up writing a Way Far in the Future sequel or a Way in the Past prequel, I may not mind. :-P Other than that, I thought they were fairly interesting as a bit of plot and a way to characterise Dumbledore. I also liked Aberforth.

I hate the Harry/Jesus parallels. I mean, yes, I get the Bible follows the Hero's Quest in a way that a lot of other writing has etc. etc. But LoTR and The Chronicles of Narnia are already fantasy books that are religious. I didn't need Harry Potter dying for ~~our sins~~ everyone's protection and then coming back to life, too. Not to mention that I thought there had to be something about blood relations or something more than just "I ARE DIE 4 U NOW" with the ancient magic. I also don't see how it is even remotely possible for Harry to live a normal life. He saved the wizarding world twice. Also, I didn't like the glimpse into the future because all we find out is that Harry is married to Ginny and has three kids. I want to know if he ever became an Auror or if they even need Aurors anymore. But what bugged me the most is we have no idea who is headmaster of Hogwarts.

I've read one or two of people's reflections on this book, and while I don't mind the fact that they still sort at Hogwarts (because it has been proven that even with rivalries the houses can still come together) what I have issues about is Harry wanting Kreacher to bring him a sandwich and the resulting badness that is going to happen when Neville ends up stealing Gryffindor's sword back from the Goblins via the Sorting Hat.

I also want to know what's up with Squibs and cats.

Still, as I've said, I liked the book. Nothing of its good points really stick out in my head (except for Snape's Patronus, I love that.) but that's probably because I'm a very negative person.

Edit: Forgot to mention that I was Rowena Ravenclaw for the midnight party, and while it didn't fit the book's description at all, I was wearing a cloth circlet that could, I think, technically be called a diadem. I'm very proud of myself. Though, I may have been a bit off with a tattoo of the Ravenclaw crest and one of two overlapping R's. She didn't seem very bad-ass in the book.

Edit 2 Oh, and I was very disappointed that the very last word was not scar. I don't care if she kept insisting it may change with the edits. That was the last word.

Dear CW

2007-05-25T21:08:28Z

I miss Veronica Mars.

Dear CW,

Veronica Mars is not the OC. It's not crack on the air that will get you the average, brainless, tanorexic teen. Veronica Mars is your Firefly. It is the show that will be getting new fans four years after you take it off the air. It is the show that will continue to sell its season one box set right next to whatever Grey's Anatomy we happen to be on right now. And maybe you've done a bit more than Fox did to advertise it, but you gave it a crap name. This is the stuff with the die hard, hard core fans. And this time we're not asking for a movie. Just give us the FBI spinoff and make it good.

Much Love (but not so much hope)
Kessica.

ZOMG MUSIC

2007-05-25T19:32:27Z

For those of you who are fans of Jonathan Coulton there are now different (more?) songs for free on his site! Including "The Presidents" and "Mr. Fancy Pants".

Both of which just happen to be two of the five songs I've been meaning to buy since November. This just proves that procrastination pays. Or really, it doesn't have to pay. :-P I may just buy "Better", "Todd the T1000" and "Future Soon" just because I <3 Jonathan Coulton so much.

Because I'm a Whore

2007-02-08T04:37:56Z

Leave me an ANONYMOUS comment telling me what you really think of me, what reminds you of me, or something else. Don't tell me who you are! I want you to be totally candid. Post your favorite memory, or something you wish I'd change about myself, or something you love about me, or anything.

I'm not sure if I'm doing this because I think it will help me (no matter the nature of the comments), because I think not knowing who the person is will drive me crazy, or because I want to be depressed by not getting any comments. I think I need more sleep.

Also, I don't get my comments e-mailed to me, so if you mess up and want to try again right away, I probably won't notice. (That's something I'm always wondering about).

New layout.

2007-02-03T04:44:25Z

New layout . . . for the new year?

Maybe just for a new mindset. Anyway, point is, I spent all afternoon and most of this evening on it when I probably should be sleeping because I have to get up all early tomorrow.

The icon is just a placeholder until I can think of something better. And yeah, I know that's a ~~tornado~~ bunch of scribbles. The comment text and probably the journal titles are all place holders too.

Could anyone on a PC mind telling me where the text boxes are located on their screen? I haven't gotten a chance to look yet.

Gor'ram capitalists.

2006-12-08T02:00:10Z

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,72263-0.html?tw=rss.index

That was just linked to my attention, and already I'm having issues. Firefly as an MMORPG? No. Just. . . no.

As a player of WoW and a fan of Firefly, I have issues with this on both accounts.

As an MMORPG (I've never played anything other than WoW and maybe about 5 minutes of Runescape, so I'm not sure how valid all of this is).

1. Travel time. The worst thing about WoW is how much time you spend running/riding/flying or various other forms of travel. In a universe where the most action (so far) occurs on outer planets or in space itself with what was mentioned as weeks worth of travel in between, this is going to be hell. Any alteration will go against the canon of the show and movie, and might seem odd.

2. The worlds. In Star Wars there are planets with notably different climates and geographical features. In WoW there are instances and very altered states of nature (Plague lands, for example). In the Firefly 'verse there are a bunch of different planets terraformed to look and function like earth. Further bastardization is going to have to be done to what Joss Whedon created in the name of interesting game play.

3. The factions. I can't really think of anything special that will happen here either. I'm assuming you won't be able to play as a Reever, since the factions are probably the Alliance vs the ~~Horde~~ everyone else or maybe even the Brown Coats. That means you're human, or you're human. And you're killing humans or reevers. That doesn't leave a whole lot of variety. Sure you've got your occasional wild boar or something, but where're the Naga? Where're the aliens?

4. The classes. Well, we have rogues, and we have. . . doctors? With no magical element, and some pretty gritty sci-fi (no miracle cures, no fantasy element at all) the game seems like it will be fairly limited. From what we've seen, every Firefly character (except for reevers, and Innara) fight exactly the same. Guns, grenades and g. . .fists. With the occasional sword. These seem like a pretty limited group of talents.

As an extension of Firefly

1. The characters. The characters are what made Firefly so dynamic. Their dialogue, their history, their futures, them. Sure, they'll appear as NPCs, but honestly, how much about Book's past are we going to get out of him giving us a quest to get strawberries? I really cannot imagine that the dynamics of the show are going to show through in a game format. There were lots of cool things on the show or in the movie, but when you come down to it, what made it cool were the characters.

2. Joss Whedon. We have no idea what he thinks or what part he will be playing in the creation of this game. He created Firefly, and while he didn't necessarily write every episode himself, he certainly worked on them all.

3. Fox. Fox is going to think they're off the hook now that they're using the Firefly name to make some cash and listening to the fans. However, while I doubt there are too many complaints about figurines or other collectables, it's not the show, it's not the story, and that's what the fans are asking for. I mean, honestly, we have barely scratched the surface with what's up with River. It's Fox's fault it got taken off, and they need to do more than throw little projects out with the stamp Firefly.

John Mayer

2006-10-20T20:59:34Z

Edit: I didn't realize the entry would grow this big.

I used to like John Mayer. I really did. I have Room For Squares (except for "Wonderland") on my iPod. But then Heavier Things came out, and "Daughters" started playing on the radio, and I couldn't understand how any self-respecting female could listen to the line "Girls become lovers who turn into mothers, so mothers be good to your daughters too." Because, honestly, I preferred the objectification of the vague female second person in "Wonderland". I don't want to be a mother, thank you very much, so I'm not going to be. Now, I have nothing against anyone who does want to become a mother, but this isn't the fifties and is hasn't been for a while. Girls don't become mothers very often any more. Girls become doctors and politicians and professors and a plethora of other things as well as mothers, and some are both (successfully or otherwise), but we're not baby machines, and our mothers should be good to us because we're or are going to be good people, not because we have the same fate in our lives.

So, from Heavier Things only "Heavier Things" made it onto my iPod. And now Continuum is out and once again, John Mayer has managed to piss me off. No, this time it has nothing to do with my feminist opinions. Nope. He just justified our generation's political apathy. Thanks, John, thanks.

Because, you see, we're all misunderstood, it's not apathy no, see, we just don't have the means to do anything. Forget rocking the vote. We'll just wait because if just wait long enough the political fairy will sprinkle some special magic on our pillows before we go to sleep, and when we wake up, the world will be a good, happy place because we waited for it to happen!

Now, not only do we have the means, but apparently "It's hard to beat the system / when we're standing at a distance". Now, can someone explain to me what this distance is? We have just as much power as just about all the other generations. Now, Mr. Mayer, you're twenty-nine, which means, no, you can't run for president, but give it a year and you can run for a seat in the Senate and you are already old enough to be a member of the House. There are other more local political offices out there too, not to mention voting age is 18, and there are millions of other ways to get your voice heard. Like, on the off chance you're a famous music artist, you can write songs or speak at important events. So, what exactly are you looking for in terms of "means" and what exactly is this "distance"?

Is it our refusal to watch the news because "'cause when they own the information, oh / they can bend it all they want"? I'm not quite sure who "they" is, but since it's the television we shouldn't be trusting I'm going to guess it's the media. Now, see, I like that the media owns the information, because if ABC found out that CNN was giving out false information, they could tell everyone because it's good for their business. They compete to, yes, tell us what we want to hear, but also, to stay in business. So, if he'd rather it be like North Korea where the government owns the information, then, please, I wish he'd move there. Or would he rather have a society without journalists so that no one could bend the information? Really, I don't see how biased information should be a deterrent to following the news. There's no such thing as information without bias. And I don't see how waiting is going to change the media. Maybe if we wait long enough without watching the news and we become the majority, "they" will stop playing it all together because it's not worth the money. That might just be what he's trying to say.

"It's not that we don't care, / we just know that the fight ain't fair" oh, well done! John Mayer said something true! Now, yes the fight isn't fair and it never will be. At least, it won't if we just keep on waiting. Or maybe, maybe his naive optimism is right! If we keep just letting the generation of our parents continue to do what they're doing and vote for whom they're voting, things will work themselves out for us when it's our time to vote and run for office. And don't be silly, don't vote when you're 18 because the fight isn't fair and using the political sway that is your birth right won't do anything about it.

Not to mention that I'm rather upset with John Mayer's choice of words. See, if we wait long enough, we won't save the world, or make things better, or link hands in peace. Nope, we're going to rule the population. We're going to put on our little Burger King crowns and we're going to go out there and make everyone else listen to what we have to say and do what we want them to do. We're going to rule!

So, yes, I'm finally done complaining. I just want to say that this pisses me off. And I'll admit the music video softens the stupidity a bit with grafitti art that says stuff like "think" but the radio and a lot of other things don't show music videos. So why don't you all sign a petition or register to vote or something that will make me happy. Or, if you wait long enough, my rant will fall of your friends' page.

Oh. . .

2006-09-24T07:05:54Z

It's 2 AM. How did I not notice that?

Oh by the way. . .

2006-09-12T22:31:27Z

That's the icon I've been talking about IRL. I found it from someone who commented on one of Neil Gaiman's blog entries (those people have the best icons). My mad detective skills tell me that credit should be given to someone called "Mortenavida" so, yes. Anyway, it's animated for those of you who have Safari and find it doesn't like animated icons as much as my Safari doesn't, you may want to refresh a few times.

The (level 54 elite) T-shirts attack (pt. 2)

2006-07-30T06:13:48Z

Okay, so um, really, I'll stop spamming your F'list with t-shirt posts. Eventually.

Has no relation to gaming but pwnz so much

I want that shirt.

Back to the gaming, but this is pretty self explanitory

See icon

caitiedidit, They have one of your icons as a T-shirt

Andrew, you'll probably be the only one to get this, but it's still pretty funny.

You all will get this. Read the description

Eh. . . yeah okay. WIN!

Yes, you'll get this one too. Only I can't buy it because Reno showed it to me, so it would be too much like stealing her awesomeness.

Why does the internet have to have such great clothes?

2006-07-29T07:22:26Z

Right then.

Here's stuff I actually want. See if you get it.

Resurrect Now?

Because there's a such thing as girls on the interw3b/WoW/computer club

Obviously attack is the wrong choice

Because I totally am. . .

OMG sry i didnt mean 2 get ads lol. rez plz?

IT!

Here's stuff I'd want if I ever had the guts to wear it. Or I'd want if it totally didn't go against what I'd want to be wearing.

Yeah, this might be scary to wear

I'd actually wear this if you know, I had no qualms about people giving me weird looks

No, I do not need to stop gaming. Anyway, I need to look at J!nx some more, because it's late and I'm tired. I wonder if I could get a good grammar shirt somewhere.

dead

2006-07-29T01:09:41Z

No. Seriously, watch this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YedWtX9tKE

Daily show excerpt about net neutrality. Funny stuff. I know I'm not exactly on top of the newest clips but this is still great.

The second link is not so funny. In fact, isn't funny. But it's important.

Forget the whales, save the internet!

2006-06-17T17:51:50Z

I know a lot of you probably get enough of this (and in better detail) from caitiedidit's journal, but a lot of you also don't. So listen up, this is important. And, you know, if you don't live in the US, you can laugh at our struggles.

Net Neutrality is under attack! The video explains it better than I could.

Big TeleCom corporations are like "We want websites to pay us even more than they're doing already with bandwidth and domains and all that other crap, because, you know, it's our wires OMG!" and congress is all like "Hum, well, the bill is about to die and we need to renew it OR NOT." and nonaffiliated websites are all like "You mean we have to pay huge TeleCom companies big money just so they won't block our sites or make them load super slow in order to direct web users to the sites that give Yahoo or AOL or whoever more money?" and web users who care are like "Fuck that, I don't want the internet to turn into another cable TV." which is exactly what will happen. I hope that worked for you.

So the bill has already failed or passed, or did whatever it had to do to be against Net Neutrality in the House, and it's moving on to the Senate. So, check how your senator plans to vote and email them so the internet can be saved and I can stop being a cheap copy of Caitie's LJ.

Also, go and sign the petition or do something.

Forgive me for not being at my most intelligent, I just woke up. And yes, kungfoofengshui, this is what I meant to post last night.

Gold mine!

2006-06-07T04:11:16Z

Seriously, why have I never heard of this?

http://www.fast-forward.tv/archive/archive.htm

Yeah, seriously, interviews with Jasper Fforde, Terry Prattchet, Garth Nix, Tamora Pierce, Patricia C. Wrede, Neil Gaiman, Orson Scott Card, and George R. R. Martin* just to name some. Mostly just naming the authors I've read.

(Martin's Video interview doesn't seem to be working. T.T, but I think the MP3 may)

YAY!

Concerning toothbrushes, orange pants, beet juice and potential dates.

2006-05-10T21:54:27Z

There are weird people out there.

New Layout.

2006-04-23T23:49:00Z

Well, I now have a new layout. I rather like it. I've wanted to have a book reference layout for the longest time and this one is fairly subtle until you see the icon/comments so I can change it to whatever whenever. ^_^

If anyone is really annoyed by the animation of my icon, just say so.

Dear Apple

2006-04-06T23:42:48Z

What makes you think that companies are going to make their software Mac compatible if Mac users can switch to a PC in a minute's time without switching machines? Something bad is going to come of this, I guarantee you. The motivation just won't be there anymore to those few companies that do spend that extra time and money to make their products usable on Macs. I mean, really, the amount of games were increasing, why screw it up now?

Not So Much Love Anymore
~Kes

PS: Sellouts.

Dance.

2006-02-11T03:50:20Z

I just danced for a few minutes. I was alone in my room and I didn't even look in the mirror. There was no music except for the occational bit that floated through my head. I am happy.

I think the dance we dance or the tune we sing while alone is the only true expression of art. Because when even we don't care what comes out then it is pure.

The feeling is beginning to wear away. Now I just feel silly for sitting down and writing this out in my happiness. I feel silly for dancing to silence. But I like silly.

So . . .

2006-01-16T00:31:54Z

To calm me from the stress I came up with a new journal title: Colour Me Purple: Do I Eat People Or Do People Eat Me?

Because I never understood where the commas were placed for the One Eyed, One Horned, Flying, Purple, People Eaters (Like that? Or like One Eyed, One Horned, Flying Purple People Eaters? or One Eyed, One Horned, Flying, Purple People Eaters?)

So yes, this is quite a conundrum.