Nec Hoc Nec Ilud

* Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Rumor Control: 1. There is nothing inherently suspicious about a pilot owning a flight simulator. A lot of them do it for a variety of pretty obvious reasons. As a society, I think it is better we encourage pilots to practice flying a bunch of different types of planes under a wide variety of conditions, rather than assume every pilot that does this is a terrorist. I know I'd rather have a pilot who likes to practice flying than one that doesn't. 2. I am told that saved flight simulator flights eat storage space, so people regularly delete ones they don't need, just like people regularly delete old saved games on their home computers or game consoles after they don't need them any more. Think about how many files you've deleted in the last month. now imagine if you deleted any, everyone decides you must be a terrorist. You see the problem, right? 3. We know fuck all about what happened on that plane. The existing evidence can be interpreted a variety of ways. Absent physical evidence in the form of a black box or degree, there is a chance we will continue to know fuck all. People hate ambiguity and they want closure. I get it. Trust me, I get it. I've done the terrible wait to find out if someone I cared about is alive or dead, and it really is worse not knowing and suspecting than not knowing. It is way better to know exactly what happened and who is responsible than not knowing. Yes, even when the answer is a terrible one. I have a huge amount of sympathy for the people wanting to know. The thing I find irresponsible is all the speculation, terror mongering, and lies reported as truth. That is even crueler than the whole terrible wait thing. 4. Yes, I am aware of the current wave of leaks and official announcements of dubious truthfulness. I also know that various of these sources contradict and I think this is more people wanting an answer whether it's the right one or not. I'm pointing back at point 3 here. This looks a lot more like evidence that officials continue to know fuck all about what happened than it does like some sort of massive cover up. While I think the authorities have done a particular poor job at investigating and communicating about findings, especially early on in the disaster, I also am aware that part of the problem is that the Malaysian authorities had no real experience dealing with this sort of disaster. A lot of the bad decisions are likely inexperience. In the United states, we have excellent professional investigators who have dealt with a whole lot of types of crashes, so we have high expectations both about investigation speed and quality, but also about authorities knowing how to hold a press conference during or after a disaster. This crash is pretty clearly above average weird, and while it would have been better for the Malawians to release raw data to cooperating agencies, we don't actually know whether or not it would help. (see point 3). It is also not necessarily obvious to the average person that they might need some sort of media training until they have already failed at it. Look at all the newly famous celebrities who do it badly out of ignorance. Now add in the massive pressure and distress of a disaster and you get people communicating poorly by accident. Communications in disasters are best handled by people trained to do it. Again, there's a pretty massive number of bad decisions here from the press conferences to the lack of a website to organize and inseminate information, to texting people that their relatives are dead. I just think it's vastly more likely to be a product of people panicking or freezing or being over their heads without knowing it, than for it to be something malicious. Yes, the political situation is complicated, and yes, that's likely made things worse, but I don't think the bulk of the bad decisions were made out of spite.

What I'm saying here, is let's not run ahead of available information.

* "Mudslide tragedy prompts review of past studies:"

( Embed: )

* "Japanese Tea Ritual Turned 15th Century 'Tupperware' Into Art:" http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/03/18/290857751/japanese-tea-ritual-turned-15th-century-tupperware-into-art?sc=17&f=1008

* "Veteran suicide epidemic is focus of new bill:"

( Embed: )

* "Deconstructing a 'race hustler':"

( Embed: )

* Petition to Stop Them Denying Prisoner's Access to Books: http://www.change.org/petitions/rt-hon-chris-grayling-mp-please-urgently-review-and-amend-your-new-rules-which-restrict-prisoners-access-to-books-and-family-items-in-particular-from-children-rules-which-are-inconsistently-applied-in-any-event

* "The First Same-sex Couples in the UK married today :" http://www.sparkindarkness.com/2014/03/the-first-same-sex-couples-in-uk.html

* "Vandalized UK National Trans Memorial Restored:" http://www.transgriot.blogspot.com/2014/03/vandalized-uk-national-trans-memorial.html

* "Drag Culture Is A Major Reason We Even HAVE A Trans Community:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2014/03/drag-culture-is-major-reason-we-even.html

* "Trans Pride Flag History:" http://www.transgriot.blogspot.com/2014/03/trans-pride-flag-history.html

* I wish Linked In would stop trying to convince me to link up with dead people. It makes me sad to see a long list of dead people I used to know and there seems to be no way to tell them to stop.

* Greenwick was kind enough to come help today. We took a bunch of things to mail, sold a bunch of books, broke down about half of the cardboard wall, took out trash and recycling, finished cleaning the spare tanks, and did a bunch of things around the apartment needing doing. I have another month on the storage unit, so I've decided to focus on fiddly stuff like reorganization and putting things away properly for the rest of the week as I am tired and hurt. I've got a bunch of bureaucracy to do anyway. Tomorrow I see my lung guy and try to talk him into trying to fix the November Con crud again, as it's gotten really bad again and I need my lungs to be clear by mid-May. I also do a massive Goodwill donation as that's the same bit of town and I've got car full of stuff to go. Friday I've got three options for what to do next, though odds are high I'll need a rest day. Sunday at minimum we take more stuff upstairs as I've a big stack ready to go up we didn't get to. There are options after depending on what time is left. The end is in sight, I just need to hang on for a few more weeks.

* I haven't forgotten Syria. Six soldiers were wounded in an explosion near the UN convoy a few days ago. There have been two more explosions since, likely aimed at the Intelligence building. At least forty died. It's looking like people are giving up on outside rescue or the government agreeing to stop murdering people for talking to UN observers, being a doctor or paramedic, being the wrong sort of Muslim, living in the wrong city, etc...

* If Greece can't form a coalition government, they will default in June. They have a few day and if they fail, that means fresh elections and they need a government in place when the next bailout payment is due. Good luck to Greece.

* I know this is a small thing in the face of all the terrible things happening in the world, but it makes me terribly sad that the Greek Olympic Committee is struggling to raise enough money to send their athletes to the London Olympics. It feels like that ought to be something that the wealthier countries of the world ought to be chipping in to make happen. The freaking Greeks ought to be at the freaking Olympics is what I'm saying here.

* House Republicans decided in the middle of the night to add amendments to a defense bill to ban gay soldiers from marrying and to legalize discrimination against them, because life as a gay, lesbian, or bisexual just isn't hard enough, apparently.

* Is any one surprised that Mitt Romney was a violent anti-gay bully back in prep school? I'm not. Lowlights include he and a gay of thugs chasing down a younger, smaller student so they could hold him down while Romney cut his hair off. Mr. Romney claims not to remember this incident or persistent bullying of that boy and other ones he considered effeminate, but he thinks the cruel things he did are still hilarious 50 years later. He had a good chuckle about it, but gave a superficial non-apology about how there wasn't anything wrong with his "pranks," but grudgingly agreeing that he has to apologize now. Charming.

Every time I hear the quote from back then, "He can't look like that, look at him," I shudder.

* It's all over and easy to google so I wasn't going to link the Romney coverage, but frankly, the Rachel Maddow coverage got me where I live, so I'm linking it: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/

( Embed: )

* Anderson Cooper looked into the larger issue of Romney's positions in regards to LGBTQ folk having basic human rights. Characteristically, it's all contradictions:
Pt. 1 http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/10/kth-what-did-romney-mean-by-full-equality/
Pt. 2 http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/10/romneys-record-on-same-sex-marriage/

( Embed: )

* I keep seeing media sources referring to the North Carolina vote as if it made same sex marriage illegal. It did not. Marriage was already illegal there. They voted to ban all civil unions, domestic partnerships, etc. as well as to invalidate all restraining orders where the abuser was never married to the complainant, and to take heath insurance away from children who's parents aren't married regardless of the genders of the adults involved. That's how much they hate us there. They want to make it so people can no longer be protected from stalkers and violent exes even if they are heterosexual simply for the joy of proving yet again that they don't consider us people.

* Sparkindarkness with a different take on President Obama's announcement: http://www.sparkindarkness.com/2012/05/in-which-i-pour-cynicism-over-squee-in.html

* Vesta is a proto-planet! Cool vids included: http://www.universetoday.com/95101/fly-over-vestas-cratered-terrain-with-dawn/

* Hector was not quite ready to sleep in the bed with the black cats and me, but he was stable enough to come hang out during the several hours I spend getting it together to come out into the main room. (I read, I slowly get my limbs organized, I watch a DvD and get dressed/medicated in stages with rests in between, and lots of pettins for cats). *fingers crossed for tomorrow*

* Hector on my shoulder, peering at the web cam, my ear in the bottom corner: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/22833953009/this-is-hector-about-45-minutes-into-a-sit-on-my

He spent a majority of two hours draped there, much of it napping. Yes it was uncomfortable and typing was super hard. I hadn't the heart to shift him as it's the most cuddling he's been able to tolerate for weeks. he got down, ate, got a long pet, then climbed up for another nap.

* Squirrel, peering at the area where I store my trading stuff, "Why do you have all this specialty coffee?"
Me: "To trade for tea. It's a BPAL thing."
Sad thing? That totally made sense to him.

* Glee S:2
( Thoughts: )

BTW, just looking at the "Props" photos in RM's blog made me queasy. I'm someone who has been known to make a partner who just got a drastic haircut wear a hat for sex, and has had a Long term partner who would considerately warn me of an impending hair cut a few days in advance and warn me again before entering the room to give me time to brace myself and start adjusting, and let me sniff him thouroughly before wanting physical affection. Some of my earliest nightmares from when I was a toddler were like this. When I eventually get there, it's going to be really hard to watch. To be clear, I support people's right to change hair on whatever part of the body they feel like. This is entirely a matter of me taking several days to convince my hindbrain that's still them if the cut is too drastic. I know intellectually it's still them, but it doesn't help. I often wonder if this is the way my soldier felt the first time he saw me where make-up (for a LARP costume. I still remember his horrified, "Are you sick? What's wrong with your FACE!" It turned out is was the lipstick freaked him out.), or the time he lost me in Cub Foods because I threw on an emergency sweater in a colour I normally never wore and he could recognize me in the wrong clothes. (He passed me repeatedly as I pursued the shelves, unaware of his growing panic). For the record, I didn't handle the Mythbusters where Adam and Jamie swapped faces well either.

* The Wall Street protest has been going on for more than a week now, and is only just now starting to get coverage because the police attacked them violently over the weekend. People were beaten, pepper sprayed, and arrested because people were filming it. Apparently the possession of video cameras is now illegal in New York, and is a reason to beat unarmed people's heads in. This sort of thing scares me. I suppose we are lucky they weren't firing guns into the crowds. To me, the violent suppression of unarmed protesters is the first terrifying step towards the loss of free speech.

The police department is already defending the use of violence and pepper spray as entirely appropriate. Of course.

* We are rewarding Bahrain for shooting unarmed protesters by giving them more weapons.

* House Republicans voted today to shut down the government. After all, refusing to pay people's pay checks and contractors for services is an excellent idea if you want to hurt ordinary Americans and small businesses. I mean, who cares if people can pay rent or mortgage payments when you can stick it to the president.

* The Senate managed an emergency funding vote on a clean bill to give us another week of funding, with the sane wing of the senate republicans siding with the democrats in favour of doing what's best for the majority of the country. Of course, the House is not in full session this week, so they can fundraise, so it will be a while before we know if they will join the senate in keeping the government open through October. FEMA has money through Friday.

* I saw most of the President's inspirational "Press on" speech. I see it's being deliberately misrepresented in most mainstream media as being pretty much the opposite as what it was about. Sigh.

* You may notice I pretty much ignore the straw polls. This is because they aren't indicative of much, except a handful of people being involved in Republican fund raisers. hence me not making much of Bachmann winning Iowa or Herman Cain winning the Florida one.

* They have reintroduced the Trans Rights Bill in the Canadian Parliament. I wish y'all luck!

* I drugged Hector again, and he only woke me once, and he was genuinely hungry, which I resent less. (He is making up for it by spending the evening howling and trying to bite me.) Unfortunately, they were doing hammering and drilling outside so I got crap for sleep anyway. I managed to do the doctor's appointment and the key bit of bureaucracy relating to my housing. I opted out of the phone list, as I simply was peopled out at that point and exhausted. I'm pretty sure the young woman in the forage line in front of my was the one who used to sing song "no touchie' at people in seventh grade. She is still outgoing and garrulous, but in a significantly less obnoxious and more grown up way than when she was in middle school. Watching her navigate, I think she's going to be okay.

* I am now officially in catastrophic coverage. This sounds scary, but actually means I've paid my medicare deductibles for the year and meds are now free until January. WooHoo! I celebrated by ordering a group refill of all my PRNs.

* I drank the last of the Russian Caravan today. I need to budget that in for next month as it's one of my favorite fall teas.

* The Autumn rains are really here finally. The wind was blowing in hard off the bay, clearing away the muggy heaviness that's oppressed us for a week. I woke up with both black cats in the bed and the white cats on separate high mests. It's cuddling season for sure.

* Why declawing should be outlawed: http://lurkitty.livejournal.com/485272.html?view=2392728&style=mine#t2392728

* I wish my library had this book: http://slatebreakers.com/2011/09/26/review-a-wish-after-midnight-by-zetta-elliott/#more-519

* Aboriginal Australians were the first to leave Africa: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110922141858.htm

* Interesting findings from Jordon: http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093444209&src=RSS

* Thing on how volcanic gasses changed the paint colours on murals at Pompeii: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/sep/22/pompeii-red-yellow

I used to make a lot of pottery. The chemistry of glazes fascinated me. The colour of the finished glaze is usually quite different from how it looks before the kiln. it sounds like something similar happened with some of the paint here, though it sounds like there need to be more studies to see the exact extent of the changes.

* Interesting Mayan burial: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/09/pictures/110922-rare-mayan-female-ruler-tomb-found-guatemala/?now=2011-09-22-00:01

* Pre-Incan sacrifices ant art photographs 9scroll down): http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/214940/20110916/remains-of-ancient-human-sacrifices-unearthed-in-peru-huanchaquito-trujillo-religious-ceremony-of-th.htm

* Mummy abandoned in the street in Lima; http://www.newkerala.com/news/2011/worldnews-71398.html

* Stone Age Swedish villagers put heads on pikes: http://www.thelocal.se/36226/20110919/

* The history of restaurants: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/how-the-tables-turned-in-18thcentury-france-2359738.html

* This is beautiful: http://ofanotherfashion.tumblr.com/post/10608750723/a-portrait-of-an-african-american-woman-in

* Elegant cake: http://cakewrecks.squarespace.com/home/2011/9/25/sunday-sweets-simply-stunning.html

* The Clutch:

* In Florida, they are now testing every single person on public assistance for drugs. This is meant to be another example of "small government" and "saving money." After all the huge amount of money spent on all this unnecessary and intrusive government testing of individuals who are not suspected of crimes goes right into the coffers of a company belonging to a friend of Governor Rick Scott, so it doesn't count, right? Remember, corporations and CEOs are people, but humans aren't so it's not like it's possible to infringe on their civil rights.

Small government my hairy ass.

The stated justification for this huge intrusion on the right to privacy at taxpayers expense was justified as because "people on Welfare are more likely to do drugs than other people" according to the Governor. Except the policy's been in place over a month and only 2% of welfare recipients use drugs as opposed to an estimated 8.7% of all US residents. This estimation is likely very low, while the 2.0% is a hard verifiable number. It's logical really. Drugs cost money, and folks on assistance are by definition below the poverty line. As the justification for this expensive and intrusive policy is factually untrue are there any plans to stop? Hell no. After all, Governor Scott friend is making buckets of money on the deal and it's not like anyone that matters to Republicans are being demeaned, humiliated, and inconvenienced.

I meant to write this rant yesterday, but frankly, I got distracted by Libya.

* They are now expecting the hurricane to cut through populated areas in the north East as well as the usual more southerly states. They have already had a foot of rain in Philadelphia and the storm was still in the Florida area when I wrote this. Candles, bottled, water, a go bag with necessities, and flashlights are recommended for folks as far north as Boston and they are still deciding which areas they may need to evacuate. They are evacuating some Coastal areas in the Carolinas and the Jersey shore. As I wrote this, they had not decided what to do with New York, but Mayor Bloomberg has called for the evacuation of old age homes in low lieing areas. Sounds wise to me.

Stay safe folks.

* I haven't forgotten Libya, where heavy fighting continues in Loyalist held areas. Nor have I forgotten the folks in Syria, but I hadn't time today to properly follow events closely. Apologies.

* I forgot to mention yesterday they found another moon of Pluto.

* I feel like such an addict. I'm now bargaining with the nice lady in Anacortes for the purchase of a pound of huckleberry tea next month, enough to carry me over the Winter, enough to put tasty samples in tea swaps to share the rich strong flavours with others. I know it's a lot of tea at once, but it's so much cheaper in bulk.

* Shelley and Byron: http://beatonna.livejournal.com/150444.html

* Deusabscondum will be here any minute, so I'll likely be off until tomorrow night.

* It's looking like one of the Arabic speaking women reporters supported by some of the other translators talked the Loyalists down and got them to free their 30-40 prisoners from the hotel. Some people are now wondering if that is where Gaddafi was hiding, and resolve crumbled after he moved out. There is no proof, only speculation.

* There's been fierce fighting at an airport, and some speculation the loyalists are trying to get Gaddafi out.

* Saadi, one of Gaddafi's sons, is contacting people in the hopes of negotiating cease fire.

* What's up with random spellings of Gaddafi? There are literally over a hundred roman alphabet spellings. I've picked one my spell checker liked pretty much at random. Whatever news source you are watching, odds are it won't match.

* In case you were curious, Iman El Abidi, the brave woman who accused Libyan government forces of rape, is now safe in the US and well out of danger. I know I'd been wondering.

* I don't know if I mentioned that there is a major Hurricane coming. They expect it it hit as far north as the Carolinas and it's even odds it will head towards New york vs. out to sea. I hope all you East coasters stay safe.

* Steve jobs has stepped down as CEO of Apple due to ill health.

* NYPD has been illegally infiltrating law abiding organizations simply because they have Arab American members. Assholes. The CIA was also involved.

* neo_prodigy found, this horrifying thing happened: http://rippdemup.com/2011/08/23/black-college-student-beaten-for-speaking-to-white-female-by-racists/

I keep thinking this is the 21st century and we should be better than this by now.

* "The Problem is not the Books:" http://slatebreakers.com/2011/08/23/guest-post-the-problem-is-not-the-books/

* Daleks: http://lettersfromtitan.tumblr.com/post/9331597309/triflesandparsnips-the-dalek-game-wuthering

* Martha Jones: http://neo-prodigy.livejournal.com/993778.html

* "Alright, that's enough...:" http://big-wired.livejournal.com/258250.html

* I haven't been able to procure more of the glorious huckleberry tea at the farmer's market. I tried the website in desperation. no huckleberry. Heart in my mouth, lest it had been discontinued, I emailed asking if it was gone. It turns out to be a typo. She gave me directions for ordering in spite of the issue. I'm going to wait until next week when there is more money and try again. I can haz tea!

* Deusabscondum's visiting tomorrow, so I will likely still be behind on the Internet until Friday or Saturday. Y'all know the drill folks.

* Where am I in Babylon 5? Two days ago, we had the glorious "No Hiding Place" sequence, which is not only cathartic, but key to G'Kar's character. That moment when he walks away: priceless. Before bed we went to Za'Ha'Dum.

* I am actually getting to see first season Covert Affairs. The Pilot made everything better, I think, erasing my qualms based on the few second season episodes a saw. I love that they have a blind hearthrob, kick ass female characters, and the hotness that is Jai's actor. It's a schedule conflict in real time, so I'll likely always be a season behind, but I've decided it's worth my time.

* Why the fuck do they think they need a Crow reboot? The original was a perfect little gem. (Like the Highlander, I pretend there never were sequels). I could get behind them making a quality version of the Poppy Z. Brite Crow sequel novel, as that's actually good, but the original Crow movie is the only first Crow movie the world needs, in my opinion.

* A thing on East Frisian Tea culture: http://stephcupoftea.blogspot.com/2008/10/october-tea-i-east-frisian-tea.html

* psybelle found, "Where Economics fails:" http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com/2009/07/where-economics-fails.html

* I'm still behind on the internet, so if it's really important page or email me.

* I am so tired out from cleaning while I have the flu. It's a bad combo, not surprisingly. With the kitchen counter cleared, I took the opportunity to autoclave the earth and sterilize the 15 gallon tank, that's been waiting six months or so. This was a two day job that continued to today. Me to Squirrel, "I've locked the bathroom, as I'm sterilizing tank and I don't want the Butt drinking bleach." Squirrel: "Sounds wise!" I think it says something about our cats that we both assumed if there was bleach water out, it would be the Butt trying to drink it.

* I need to clean two other major areas by Wednesday mourning. It is not helping that I wake up dizzy and exhausted and am needing a lot of extra time to get my legs working. The other day, I nearly took a header into my nightstand, but somehow managed to redirect my fall onto the bed.

* Last night I brewed the huckleberry tea. I haven't had any since the previous supplier went out of business several years ago. Today, I had my first glass. If anything, it's even better than the blend the previous supplier sold. Heaven. The tea is only seasonally available, and I'm seriously considering stocking up in the next two months, lest they disappear.

* ( Leverage: )

* harry Potter cake: http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/2011/07/sunday-sweets-harrys-sweet-send-off.html

* The Clutch:

* Apparently Hector's bizarre behavior during Joy's visit was his brain chemistry out of whack, not him being over excited due to us having a visitor. According to squirrel, he'd been having episodes all day before Joy came. He's been escalating ever since and I've had do give him the anxiety meds. He's dosing on his current favorite mest right now. Finally. If Hector can't sleep properly, no one else is able to either.

* Y'all suggested I try Buffy Season 8. The library had seven volumes. I finished the last one today. Meh. I liked bits of it, and they did get the dialog rhythm right, but it seemed to lose momentum in the later volumes and I really, really, don't like what they did in Twilight, the 7th volume. I'm glad I didn't spend money on this as I'd be really cranky about this.

* I finished an Artificial Night yesterday, and was thoroughly pleased with it, even though I guessed some things thanks to my knowledge of folklore. It was so up my alley it's hard to explain why, if that makes sense. she got so many things right that could easily have been cheesy in less careful hands.

* In one of the swap boxes, there were some tea packets, which i simply yanked to try later, as they were single serving rather than loose leaf. I wanted to try them, but i really needed to not have the extra caffeine right then. Among them was a thai tea packet. It really does taste like thai tea, and now I'm wondering if I can buy them locally. When I'm less pressed for cash, I need to try the Asian Market downtown.

* I've been watching a classic WHO Marathon/fund raiser from a Seattle PBS station. I am being quietly amused by how aggressively geeky the fund raising bits are. Instead of your standard fund raisers, they have the local Who societies in to answer phones and geek out between episode segments. In the segment during which I wrote this, they had the folks answering phones chanting the Sonoran battle cry in unison for the cameras. If I had monwey to spare for things like PBS, I woulds so send them some.

* Bwahahahahaha! http://cmdr-zoom.livejournal.com/347933.html?style=mine

* I was doing up tea samples for a swap box. I'd forgotten how exciting the cats find this one particular blend. The Butt unplugged my monitor trying to steal some. I ended up having to fend off three out of four of them, but was able to keep them all out of the tea supplies, which is important for allergen reasons as well for hygiene. If I'd remembered how crazy that tea makes them, I'd have locked them all up in advance. Old box is ready to ship, weather permitting. New box is not yet here.

* Gabriel Gifford opened her eyes today. It will be some time before there will be any way to tell how bad the damage is.

* Speaker Boehner decided to decline his invitation to the Tuscon massacre victim memorial in favor of a Republican cocktail party with lobbyists.

* I see Ms. Angle jumping on the real victim bandwagon as well with her statement claiming that criticism of her calling for "second amendment remedies" puts her in danger. Because her calling for people to "take out" a sitting congressman isn't nearly as dangerous as someone being offended she said it. Right. Pull the other one.

* Bob Filner talks about the violent antisemitic Tea Party mob after he one the election:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Anyone wanting adagio coupons, let me know. I too could really use some free tea.