MeFi post: RED WORM TIME is begin.

Codyceps = freaky.

This = incoherent.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 4:37 PM on July 5, 2008

I believe this has been posted to the blue before, but in case you missed it:

Cordyceps Fungus
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 4:40 PM on July 5, 2008

And was I the only one who smelled a whiff of War Against the Chtorr?

David Gerrold claims he's still hard at work on A METHOD FOR MADNESS and it'll be ready real soon now. Real soon. Really.

I expect to be dead before that happens.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 5:03 PM on July 5, 2008

Basically, it's an Edenic paradise, yet a significant number of humans don't want paradise- they reject it in favor of greed, fear, and desire.

You probably thought that CHILDHOOD'S END had a happy ending, too, didn't you? Personally, I'll skip being made part of the cosmic space goo, thanks.

Nuke the fungus from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 5:18 PM on July 5, 2008

MeFi post: I Never Drink Water, Fish F**K In It

thank the gods for my tap water filter and my Nalgene bottle.

Yup. The Bisphenol A (an endocrine disruptor) leaching from your Nalgene bottle probably gives the water extra flavor.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 9:25 PM on July 4, 2008

I get a water quality report from Los Angeles every year. I have a degree in biomedical engineering from a very good school and I can't make heads or tails of it. I mean, are these numbers good? bad? Middle? How about some context!

Maybe I'd consider drinking my tap water if they didn't obfuscate the water quality report. I have to assume they're trying to hid that the water will kill me or something.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 12:34 PM on July 5, 2008

MeFi post: Super Jesus!!!

I don't hold with what he said. Except for slapping people who order scones. That's okay.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 11:02 AM on July 5, 2008

MeFi post: Former United States Senator Jesse Helms, 1921 - 2008.

I don't think he was a good man, but I offer sympathies to his family, who no doubt loved him and are grieving.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 11:07 AM on July 4, 2008

I'll say it; Jesse Helms died too soon.

That's right, Jesse Helms died too soon. I wish he had lived a longer life. Maybe to celebrate this aged statements, Obama could have given him a front row seat. At the inauguration. Of a black dude. As president.

Obama could have waved to him. Maybe after being sworn in he could have leaned over and whispered something fitting in Jesse Helms' ear.

Yes, I think Jesse Helms deserved to live longer.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 5:53 PM on July 4, 2008

What the? statements = statesman.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 5:54 PM on July 4, 2008

what else are we supposed to say about Jesse Helms?

We say that, if god exists, we hope the Jesse Helms is judged fairly and gets all that he deserves; no more and no less.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 6:10 PM on July 4, 2008

MeFi post: Jack Parsons

There wasn't anything in it that anyone who hasn't read a biog of Hubbard/Crowley wouldn't already be familiar with?

I'm ashamed to admit that I am unforgivably behind on my hubbard/crowley blog reading.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 4:54 PM on July 4, 2008

MeFi post: Boing Boing Finds 21st Century Trotsky?

I think adipocere said it pretty well. Live by the internet, die by the internet.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 8:38 PM on June 30, 2008

Man, over on Making Light I feel like that guy in that Onion article who finds himself vociferously and passionately defending a band he doesn't give a shit about. I mean, I obviously think Boing Boing screwed up on this one but it's just not that big a part of my life and yet I'm taking all kinds of incoming over it. I should have stayed in bed.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 9:31 PM on June 30, 2008

I just had to email an apology to a dude I slagged for no reason in another thread on this, so I think I'm about done. How do things get turned into such fiascos?
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 9:45 PM on June 30, 2008

So we're like... like... wired-up performance artists? Cool.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 9:53 PM on June 30, 2008

The guy in the Making Light thread who linked to Teresa's post "Talk, Don't Spin" is none other than Andrew Wheeler, formerly editor of the Science Fiction Book Club (SFBC) and industry insider! This is like a regular ol' incestuous science fictional fustercluck.

Teresa's advice in the "Talk, Don't Spin" is absolutely spot on. She knows exactly how to handle this sort of thing which is why I'm surprised she hasn't done it that way.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 10:01 PM on June 30, 2008

John Scalzi: I hope you saw Andrew Wheeler's post that we referenced above. IF not, here is a short quote -

"The way I'd frame this is to say: if Boing Boing wants to operate as a media watchdog, they need to be careful about not doing the same things that they complain about when other media outlets do it. They are a company that puts out a regular media product: yes, it is free (but so is The Village Voice), and yes, it is on the web (but so is Slate). A lot of... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 10:11 PM on June 30, 2008

you suckup
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 10:21 PM on June 30, 2008

freaking preview. Not you, John.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 10:21 PM on June 30, 2008

breath: I'm not sure if we should read Patrick's comment that way. It's certainly possible and makes sense. But, honestly, that's just how Patrick always writes. So I'm not sure.

Even if that were the case it is hard to understand what would prevent them from putting out a simple "We are aware of the interest. Please give us some time, blah blah blah".
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 10:45 PM on June 30, 2008

I'll cop to the fact that I also had an apparently mistaken belief that Cory was essentially first among equals at Boing Boing. The public exposure is definitely part of it. Mea culpa.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 10:52 PM on June 30, 2008

On the front page of the la times: http://www.latimes.com/

"Why did BoingBoing purge sex writer Violet Blue?"

Snowball effect.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 11:13 PM on June 30, 2008

5MeoCMP: Not even close.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 11:16 PM on June 30, 2008

Xeni - Cory - Violet Blue love triangle? Sheesh. Now I just feel kinda sad for everyone involved.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 9:43 AM on July 1, 2008

I agree with you drezdn. Boing Boing is trying to have it both ways depending on what suits their purposes. You're either a watchdog media outfit or you're a personal blog, but you can't be both depending on what result you want.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 10:16 AM on July 1, 2008

Teresa put up a new thread about this here but threatens to delete anything from "newbies". Wow.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 10:23 AM on July 1, 2008

Note: I probably misread tnh's post and it's more a threat to police stuff like the fake Cory and Xeni from the last thread, in which case I approve whole heartedly. That wasn't cool at all.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 10:39 AM on July 1, 2008

or what cortex said
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 10:40 AM on July 1, 2008

I'm still kind of agog at how may people (including Xeni etc!) are holding forth with the "Boing Boing is just a personal blog!" canard. That's never, ever, ever stopped Boing Boing from criticizing or at least drawing attention to criticism of other sites before. Nor does it make sense to me to consider Boing Boing a "personal blog" despite the decent case jscalzi makes for it.

If Boing Boing is a personal blog, then so is Daily Kos and Red State... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 11:08 AM on July 1, 2008

It appears that the "interpersonal problems" interpretation was right on the mark given Xeni's tone with regard to V.B., yes.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 12:01 PM on July 1, 2008

Taking away all the local flavor, like Cory Doctorow's unceasing campaign against virtually any kind of censorship

But I don't think you can take out the local flavor. Nobody would care in the least if your uncle joe went back and edited his myspace page. Because he hasn't held himself up as a champion of transparency and free information in the digital age. He hasn't regularly brought negative attention to other blogs censoring... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 5:48 PM on July 1, 2008

cortex: you mean you're thinking of unpublishing the comment?!?
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 6:40 PM on July 1, 2008

Another argument against the lover's-spat explanation is the way TNH is flaming.

No... that's just how she writes when she is angry. Been that way for at least 15 years, since the usenet days.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 10:07 PM on July 1, 2008

but my impressions from intermittently reading her comments at Making Light/Electrolicious and elsewhere, were very positive; she always seemed pretty sensible, rational, and even-keeled.


That's because tnh is generally sensible, rational, and even-keeled.

It's just that she (and pnh) don't really have much of a intermediate setting in terms of outrage. It's like spinal tap; the outrage dial goes to 11.... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 11:23 PM on July 1, 2008

Patrick and TNH are also being sued in the state of NJ.

Now, now. Being sued by Barbara Bauer isn't a negative. It's goddamn badge of honor.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 9:20 AM on July 2, 2008

Charlie Stross has picked his side! BURN HIM.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 9:25 AM on July 2, 2008

Oh yeah, I just ordered SATURN'S CHILDREN, Charlie. Will you send me a free brown paper bag to carry it around in and hide the cover or do I have to provide my own?
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 9:27 AM on July 2, 2008

That's a good point, shmegegge. I wonder how Cory and Charlie think Boing Boing's wuffie is doing right about now?
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 10:05 AM on July 2, 2008

and we still don't even know why all the Violet Blue posts were deleted yet

No, as pointed out in waraw's link, it's clear that this has nothing with a legal injuncton, trademark issues, Amanda Congdon, or anything like that. There was clearly some romantic personal drama of the sort that causes severe emotional reactions and poor impulse control. It's a shame that kind of dirty laundry was aired publicly, but that's what happens when you make it... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 10:54 AM on July 2, 2008

The MeFi snark/schadenfreude measurement here is at 500 year flood levels...

I think there is a significant differences between recognizing the disconnect between Boing Boing's past positions and current actions on issues like these and simply taking pleasure in BB's difficulties. Most of what's been going on with Metafilter is the former.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 12:31 PM on July 2, 2008

So anyone have a link to the explanation on Boing Boing?

There hasn't been a real explanation and I would expect one, because it's become clear this was some sort of romantic spat. Don't drunk dial! I mean edit!
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 2:31 PM on July 2, 2008

> xyzzy_
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 6:56 PM on July 3, 2008

WAT. I thought that thread got closed a day and a half ago. Now I have to waste the 4th of July reading it.

Is this a good thread to point out that Charlie Crist is marrying his beard so he can be McCain's VP choice? No? Oh, sorry.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 2:29 PM on July 4, 2008

MeFi post: A New World Is At Hand

I'm guessing something early in the thread was unpublished, because I can't make heads or tails of most of this.

Anyway, Happy 4th of July to everyone lucky enough to be an American, and happy whatever to everyone lucky enough not to be.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 11:24 AM on July 4, 2008

MeFi post: wobniaR eht revO erehwemoS

Hasn't anybody tried reversing the audio on the initial video and comparing it to the audio in the second?

I will try it...

...

...

Suck it haters, the reversed audio stream from the first video is exactly the same as the audio in the second video. So she's really doing it.

Cool.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 4:52 PM on July 3, 2008

ARRGH DAMN YOU DNG.

Dng already varified it, and provided links.

I am awful.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 4:54 PM on July 3, 2008

MeFi post: ...if waterboarding does not constitute torture, then there is no such thing as torture.

If Sherman were alive today:

You might as well appeal against the thunder-storm as against these terrible hardships of war. They are inevitable, and the only way the people of Atlanta the United States can hope once more to live in peace and quiet at home, is to stop the war, which can only be done by admitting that it began in error and is perpetuated in pride.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 1:07 PM on July 2, 2008

MeFi post: 3-second Men

What about Pender's bloody assault on the Union position on Seminary Ridge late in the second day? Scales' brigade was almost completely destroyed by Union artillery canister - Every field officer of the brigade save one had been disabled - but they still forced the Union troops back into Gettysburg.

Well, one immediate difference that leaps to mind is that the Union forces weren't effectively fighting for the subjugation of a race. I'm not sure we... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 9:12 AM on July 2, 2008

The average Northerner wasn't really that fucking interested in fighting "evil" and didn't have any more love for the negro than his Southern cousin.

This is absolutely true. It's also fairly true about World War II as well. But as Churchill said, I refuse to remain impartial between the fire brigade and the fire.
posted to MetaFilter by Justinian at 9:34 AM on July 2, 2008

« Older