The Spooky.

I love Halloween.
I love it.
I wish we had it twice every year.
I don't love it because of the costumes.
I don't love it for the candy.
No.
What I love about Halloween is the spooky.
It is the one time of the year where people don't look at you like you are a weirdo for beign obsessed with ghosts, vampires, zombies, witchcraft and madness. In fact, that's kind of encouraged. I don't know anything about the psychology behind the holiday. I know very little about the history surrounding it. What I do know is that The Spooky rocks.

So, in celebration of The Spooky, here are a few spooky links to CHILL YOUR BLOOD!
TAPS, The Atlantic Paranormal Society- Evidence Section.
TAPS has a show on the Sci-Fi channel. I am positively addicted to it. My mom records it and brings it down for us all to watch together. They collect video, photographic and audio evidence from "haunted" locations trying to debunk them. Their method is to try to disprove hauntings, if there is evidence left over that they cannot explain then that location is most likely haunted. The EVP's (Electronic Voice Phenomena) are extremely creepy.

EVPVoices.com. They have a collection of more EVP's.

Minnesotaghosts.com. Ghost hunters in MN, just in case we want to join up.

The Moonlit Road
"Ghost stories and strange folktales of the American South, told by the region's most celebrated storytellers.

We invite you to light a lantern, open the gate and come take a walk down The Moonlit Road."


There is plenty of stuff out there, and all of it is really fun to watch. Some of it is incredibly cheesy. I highly recommend it.

Happly Halloween!

Drugcompany Dodgeball

On July 18, questioning began in the nation’s first trial against Merck, who patient advocates say knowingly marketed a dangerous and deadly drug. Carol Ernst’s husband died after taking Vioxx for pain relief. She charges that Merck lied to his doctor about the risks associated with Vioxx.

Merck claims it was honest about the risks of Vioxx, but on day 1 of the trial its witness struggled to defend a training “game” for marketing executives titled “Vioxx Dodge Ball.” This cartoonish manual begins with a series of possible questions from doctors couched amid dodge balls. They include “I am concerned with the cardiovascular effects of Vioxx” and “I’m concerned about the safety profile with Vioxx.” After these questions are a number of pages with the word “DODGE!” plastered across the middle.


I'm sure you all already know about this, I'm always behind in the political news arena. But its something that I think would amuse Greg.

Drag Queens and Airplanes

I'm comming home! Next weekend Indianapolis to Minneapolis nonstop flight via North West Student Discount!

Oh My God!!! I went to the Miss Gay Bloomington Pagent last night and it was FABULOUS!!! They really pulled out all the stops and did the most original acts I've ever seen. Not that I've been around that much. They opened up with the Phantom of the Opera's "Music of the Night" and did Cher's version of "My Baby Shot Me Down" which is totally off the wall 'cause its Cher. The costumes were awewome, one did Cruella DeVille singing Meridth Brooks "Bitch"- wonderful. And Greg, there was the most handsome gay man there that helped them with their acts if the needed a back up singer and what not. He was just gorgeous, in a black suit with caveat tie. Soo nice.

Anyway, miss you all see you next week!!

BWA HA HA HA

What Type of Villain are You?

mutedfaith.com.

Attack!

width="240" height="180"
alt="General Robotic Entity Generated for Observation and Rational Yelling"
border="0" />

width="240" height="180"
alt="Robotic Humanoid Intended for Accurate Nullification and Nocturnal Assassination"
border="0">

Androids! Attack!!!

width="240" height="180"
alt="Artificial Networked Destruction and Rational Exploration Android"
border="0" />

Wedding countdown!

Stress is running high, since Andrew is sick with "The Weirdest Cold Ever" TM. He's on the eighth day now, and the sysmptoms seem to be completely random. The only constant is that he seems to get fever and the chills every 4-24 hours.

We have our marriage license though and most of the arrangements have been made. Though we're still not sure if my brother Mike can make it up. HUGE bummer.

Hot Librarian

This photo is from the "Modified Librarian's Page", or librarians with tattoos and piercings. This is Arro, he is the Cataloguing Supervisor at the San Marcos (TX) Public Library. I have picked a wonderful working field. he he he.

The New Man in My Life

Meet Larry, he is a seven year old black cat I adopted last Friday. Everybody loves Larry, the vet wanted to trade cats. Cate who took care of him for me while I was gone calls him Larry the Loungesuit Cat. He's very sweet and is the newest member of the Rhianna household.

Oh, my god. So I assisted my Aunt Linda in the driving of my grandparents to Arkansas for the funeral. I love my grandma, but its hard now that she has dementia. There was someone with her at all times and of course it gets worse when she's tired. She wanted to know who's house we were at at one time and who my Aunt Nancy (the widow) was. My grandpa just drives me nuts sometimes. He's well known for his stories and I heard them all within the 24 hours of driving time. I just want you to know my dear AK that I understood before why you left Missouri, now I totally simpathize with you. And I would just like to take this moment to point out that Arkansas has the SKANKYEST rest stops in the nation. My Aunt Linda told me that Arizona rest stops are just a pull over area in the middle of nowhere with out any facilities much less a tree. None the less in Arkansas it they are dirty the hand dryers didn't work and EVERYTHING is chained down. Even the giant airconditioners outside the building and the locals use it as a hangout. And I don't mean to slam your state AK, because I know that I only traveled through a small swatch, I'm sure some parts, especially your part is beautiful. All I have to say about the part I went through is: they are called TREES people and they prevent the wind from stealing your topsoil, so plant some please.



These are my cousins Diane and Ryan. Ryan is only two and is just hilarious. He and I played around at the funeral home. At the funeral home they have an old horse drawn herse that is in such good condition that Ryan could push it around, we also played with the vending machine, because he thought the coins in the change tray were cool. I bought him a water and myself a Caffeine free coke in the gold can. When he pulled the can out of the machine he looks at me and says "You got a beer!" The next day we were running around the church, this little boy has more energy than a dynamo, and the congregation is getting seated in the sanctuary (it was standing room only on a Wednesday) while the family was in a back room. Ryan and I are running through the halls and when I would start to catch up with him he'd yell "Oh SHIT! Oh SHIT! Oh SHIT!!" It was pretty funny.

Get out your tinfoil hats everyone!

Has the whole world gone mad? I don't know why I even think that anything I do is private anymore. The only stuff that everyone else doesn't know about is stuff so boring that they wouldn't be interested anyway.

EFF: Breaking News: "Secret Code in Color Printers Lets Government Track You

Tiny Dots Show Where and When You Made Your Print

San Francisco - A research team led by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) recently broke the code behind tiny tracking dots that some color laser printers secretly hide in every document.

The U.S. Secret Service admitted that the tracking information is part of a deal struck with selected color laser printer manufacturers, ostensibly to identify counterfeiters. However, the nature of the private information encoded in each document was not previously known.

'We've found that the dots from at least one line of printers encode the date and time your document was printed, as well as the serial number of the printer,' said EFF Staff Technologist Seth David Schoen.

You can see the dots on color prints from machines made by Xerox, Canon, and other manufacturers (for a list of the printers we investigated so far, see: http://www.eff.org/Privacy/printers/list.php). The dots are yellow, less than one millimeter in diameter, and are typically repeated over each page of a document. In order to see the pattern, you need a blue light, a magnifying glass, or a microscope (for instructions on how to see the dots, see: http://www.eff.org/Privacy/printers/docucolor/).

EFF and its partners began its project to break the printer code with the Xerox DocuColor line. Researchers Schoen, EFF intern Robert Lee, and volunteers Patrick Murphy and Joel Alwen compared dots from test pages sent in by EFF supporters, noting similarities and differences in their arrangement, and then found a simple way to read the pattern.

'So far, we've only broken the code for Xerox DocuColor printers,' said Schoen. 'But we believe that other models from other manufacturers include the same personally identifiable information in their tracking dots.'"

baaaaabyanimals: Pangolin time!

Pangolin time!: "Pangolin time!" Who the heck ever heard of a pangolin?

The Abstract Factory: The only debate on Intelligent Design that is worthy of its subject

The Abstract Factory: The only debate on Intelligent Design that is worthy of its subject: "The only debate on Intelligent Design that is worthy of its subject

Moderator: We're here today to debate the hot new topic, evolution versus Intelligent Des---

(Scientist pulls out baseball bat.)

Moderator: Hey, what are you doing?

(Scientist breaks Intelligent Design advocate's kneecap.)

Intelligent Design advocate: YEAAARRRRGGGHHHH! YOU BROKE MY KNEECAP!

Scientist: Perhaps it only appears that I broke your kneecap."

That is a really solid debating technique.

The Abstract Factory: The only debate on Intelligent Design that is worthy of its subject

TeeHee. This is HILARIOUS. Bring on the intelligent design folks, I know how to deal with them now.

After 

Half way 

Before, half way and after

Here are the before, halfway and done pics of our floors. Just thought you guys would like to see them.
Love all of you. 

Family Loss

My Uncle was killed in a collision with a Fire Truck last night. He was less than 2 blocks from home, when the Fire Truck rushed out of the station it just smashed his truck. My cousin doesn't know what happened as lights come on when the truck leaves the station, so either my Uncle didn't see them or the lights didn't come on. He is my Mom's only brother and this family was having a hard time of it already. My Aunt has been going blind for the past decade and finally had to give up teaching two years ago. So if you could just take a moment to think of my family. I'm leaving home now to go see my grandparents. Take care all. I love you!

What the fuck is that from?

I am a Gauntlet Adventurer. I strive to improve my living conditions by hoarding gold, food, and sometimes keys and potions. I love adventure, fighting, and particularly winning - especially when there's a prize at stake. I occasionally get lost inside buildings and can't find the exit. I need food badly. What Video Game Character Are You?

gloop/beep

I am Kung Fu Master. I like to be in control of myself. I dislike crowds, especially crowds containing people trying to kill me. Even though I always win, I prefer to avoid fights if possible. What Video Game Character Are You?

Quack

You Are A: Duck!

Found in many lakes and ponds, ducks are a common site the world over. Known for their famous quack, ducks tend to congregate in flocks or go off on their own in pairs. As a duck, you may seem friendly at times but will not hesitate to bite if someone is bothering you. Your ability to swim and your your short temper are some reasons why you are a duck.

You were almost a: Lamb or a Bear Cub
You are least like a: Puppy or a BunnyCute Animals Quiz

Beep

I am a Pacman Ghost. I like to hang around with friends, chatting, dancing, all that sort of thing. We don't appreciate outsiders, and do our best to discourage others approaching us. I enjoy occasionally wandering around randomly, and often find that when I do so, I get to where I wanted to be. What Video Game Character Are You?

Duck

You Are A: Duck!

Found in many lakes and ponds, ducks are a common site the world over. Known for their famous quack, ducks tend to congregate in flocks or go off on their own in pairs. As a duck, you may seem friendly at times but will not hesitate to bite if someone is bothering you. Your love for travel and your ability to swim are some reasons why you are a duck.

You were almost a: Frog or a Bear Cub
You are least like a: Lamb or a GroundhogCute Animals Quiz

Cute Animal Quiz

You Are A: Bear Cub!

Bears are strong and independent creatures who roam in the forest in search of food. Bears are usually gentle, but anger one and be prepared for their full fury! You're tough, you have a bit of a temper -- classic attributes of a bear. Intelligent and resourceful, though lazy at times, you are a fascinating creature of the wild.

You were almost a: Bunny or a Pony
You are least like a: Groundhog or a MonkeyWhat Cute Animal Are You?

Druid-mania!

We took a bunch of Andrew's students down to DOnna B.'s farm this weekend and built a dolmen! Ours wasn't as massive as this one, but it is made of four big slabs of limestone, weighing 3 tons. Hopefully, I'll have some pictures to post the next time I am down there.

Andrea

You probably will want to do something about this one Rhianna

Some seriously spooky legislation in your state:Boing Boing: Bizarre proposed Indiana reproductive legislation: "Bizarre proposed Indiana reproductive legislation
Stefan Jones says: A proposed bill (PDF of text here) by Indiana Republicans would limit assisted reproduction services to people who have a 'Gestational Certificate.'

'It's probably not a surprise that only married heterosexuals would qualify, but the other information the bill suggests be collected reads like something from Eugenics manual:

Sec. 12.

(a) Before intended parents may commence assisted reproduction, the intended parents shall obtain an assessment from a licensed child placing agency in the intended parents' state of residence.

(b) The assessment must follow the normal practice for assessments in a domestic infant adoption procedure and must include the following information:

(1) The intended parents' purpose for the assisted reproduction.

(2) The fertility history of the intended parents, including the pregnancy history and response to pregnancy losses of the woman.

(3) An acknowledgment by the intended parents that the child may not be the biological child of at least one (1) of the intended parents depending on the type of artificial reproduction procedure used."

Back from the Arid West

Hey everybody! (you have to imagine the quack's voice from the Simpsons)

Well, I was in South Dakota all week trying to get things together there since we seem to be in full Field Canvass implosion mode. I won't go into detail but let's just say that folks should maybe focus a little more on leading a more boring social life. That, and Jess F. is a friggin' dynamo.

When I got back, Andrew was preparing for Pagan Pride, which was at the University on Sunday. So I spent most of the weekend helping him with sewing and embroidering. I tried to actually go to the event but wow...with stuff like this going on (not actually from the TC event)...

So anyway, I'm still FREAKING OUT from a million things to do for the wedding. I'm making invitations today.

Andrea

Thoughts about groundhogs

So I was walking to class today and I saw a groundhog. And it occured to me that they are really kinda cute and cuddly looking. Ya know their chubby, with short little legs, puffy tale and really furry. It then occured to me how much the ground hog DIDN'T EVER want to cuddle me or any other human being and would probably jump off a cliff to avoid such behavior. I then wondered how ground hogs taste...