Hi all!

Late again, I'm sorry, but unfortunately I'm still sick. Better, but still coughing up my lungs. Thanks to all for all your kind wishes - it's very appreciated!

Now, today's word/phrase is awesome. It's one of those "... there's a word for that?" ones, with a hint of proof that our language really is fluid and always developing!

Tetris effect [pronounced like you think it is, duh!]

The Tetris effect occurs when an activity to which people devote sufficient time and attention begins to overshadow their thoughts, mental images, and dreams. It is named after the video game Tetris.

People who play Tetris for a prolonged amount of time may then find themselves thinking about ways different shapes in the real world can fit together, such as the boxes on a supermarket shelf or the buildings on a street. They might also see images of falling Tetris shapes at the edges of their visual fields or when they close their eyes.

This also occurs with many other activities one pursues for a lengthy time, physical or otherwise, including classifying cells on microscope slides, flipping burgers or playing any number of other games.

This can include visual or auditory hallucinations or even sensations, such as when you finish playing an especially long Guitar Hero song (you know, those ones with the self-indulgent 15 minute solo riffs?) and see everything moving around oddly afterwards. Or a long time playing Grand Theft Auto where you get a sensation of flying off of your motorcycle and flying through the air. Or after my last epic round of Assassin's Creed II, I started dreaming about it!)


Etymology:
Annette Earling wrote in the Philadelphia City Paper that the term first comes from an internet consultant Garth Kidd (and in another example of the Tetris Effect, I always think 'Alex Kidd' when I hear his name!) from the city of Adelaide, South Australia, states that the term was coined in the same city's arcades.

Incidentally, Adelaide, SA, is where I am this very moment!

Usage:
Tim's lawyer was disappointed when Tim decided not to plead insanity on four counts of beating a person to death with a giant black mallet, under suspicion that he was trying to steal his Power Stars. He knew the game could not be salvaged as Tim announced that he was suffering from the Tetris Effect.


Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to get ready to see Jeff Martin and The Armada play. Any fans see him live?

Peter I Island usually considered as difficult of access. This is mainly due to the difficulties of landing on the island as approaches to it barred by the sludge ice. In addition, the lack of convenient bays and precipitous banks almost throughout the coastline do not allow a large ship to drop anchor directly by the island. That is why it was thought until now that the best opportunity to land on the island was using helicopter from the main deck of the ship.

But we have another variant. For the landing on the island we can use a small hovercraft. Internal combustion engine sets the hovercraft's screw in motion. The screw pushes air under the bottom of the vessel and thus forms the so-called air cushion. Hovercraft can run on the water and on land, on marshes, on sand, on the ice and ice sludge and on the snow. Christy Hovercraft 6132L produced by Christy Hovercraft (Russia) has the following technical characteristics:

Payload - 6 persons, 600 kg
Speed - 60-100 km /h on ice, -50-85 km /h packed snow
Limiting conditions - wind 10-15 m /s, temperature from -30 ° C to +40 ° C,

Hovercraft PIONEER MK3 produced by Airlift Hovercraft (Australia) has even more powerful parameters. But Christy Hovercraft would be quite suitable for our purposes. It costs only $ 62 500 while PIONEER MK3 price is about $ 965 000. Christy Hovercraft occupies one 20-foot container and can be easily transported on a ship.

Thus, we have to transport to Antarctica at least two 20-foot containers (one hovercraft and equipment of the expedition camp). According to preliminary calculations, the number of participants must be at least 10 people.

The expedition’s terms. Given the weather conditions the expedition should be organized in the summer in the Southern Hemisphere (i.e. December-March). Of course, we will do our best but it seems problematic to organize such a complex expedition in two to three months. Therefore, a more realistic launch date of the expedition is December 2010.

The main question is not how to land on the island. It is not even the issue of possible opposition from the Norwegian authorities. The main issue is financial one. According to preliminary calculations, the expedition takes minimal budget which amounts to $ 100 000. Exchequer of the Republic is currently empty. It is difficult to estimate at the moment, how much money the scheduled revenues will bring to the budget of The Republic of Sunland. But we have now at least four variants for funding the expedition. This work has already begun. All who really wants to participate in the preparations to the expedition (even if he/she does not want for some reasons to take a direct part in the expedition itself) may receive relevant information from us. There is a great and responsible cause in front of us and we gladly invite all true men and women to participate in this cause to the extent of their forces and abilities.

The Headquarters of the Sunland Antarctic expedition.
http://new-libertalia.co.cc/

am off to chicago TARDIS in just a few minutes. i'll be rooming with ghost2, and i've made t-shirts to bring and possibly exchange for goods or services! two designs -- one is a silurian shirt, the other is the TARDIS with "THIS MACHINE KILLS FASCISTS" posted round it. awesome, yes? yes!

also: OMG I JUST SAW SANTA ON THE THANKSGIVING PARADE. ILUS SANTA!!

Going to Goochland tonight with Brian Wysong to visit his family. It will be nice to be in the woods. it will be nice to meet his folks and siblings. I love him so much that I will gladly deal with possibly weird relatives/parents just because I know he wants me there with him.

I feel better today. Even though I woke up at 1:30pm. I was having a good/weird dream.

canny [KAN-ee]

adjective
1. careful; cautious; prudent
2. astute; shrewd; knowing; sagacious
3. skilled; expert
4. frugal; thrifty

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/canny



My cat eyed me cannily as I reached into the cupboard--my feeding time meant hers as well, after all.


My new book is just chock-full of good words I'd never read! I love Diana Wynne Jones.

my laptop has a sweet virus fuck my life

ended up not going to NC after all, FML

show on friday was sweet, minus people not cleaning up their fucking beer trash FML

I am actually just being a party pooper because I am hungry and cold FML

Recently, the Seattle Solidarity Network organized a picket against an outfit called Lorig Associates for their racist employment practices. This campaign included picketing outside Olympia City Hall, when the city council was considering hiring Lorig to build a parking garage, a plan which was scrapped soon after the successful picket. Full details here: http://www.seattlesolidarity.net/index.php

Now, Lorig Associates have responded by serving SeaSol with a lawsuit in King County Superior Court. The suit aims to prevent SeaSol from doing any activity that "disparages Lorig" in any way, and aims to reap unspecified damages from the activist group. Furthermore, Lorig is trying to get a "temporary restraining order" from the court to keep SeaSol activists from leafleting, picketing, or speaking against Lorig until the lawsuit has run its course. The court will hear their request for the restraining order early tomorrow.

( More info )

Based on Derrick Jensen's "Endgame". Here's a clip from it based on Premise One...

Despite the enormous potential of knowledge and technologies, humanity is faced with challenges that threaten its very existence. Scarcity and exhaustion of natural resources, the threat of world war, global climate change - these and other risks make us look to the future with alarm. More and more people around the Globe realize that the only way to change things for the better is to change our world-view approaches, changing of our thinking.

Motivated by the desire to contribute to new thinking of mankind, people of goodwill from every corner of the world have united around the Sunland idea. Relying on the natural right of people to be masters of their own fate, like all other nations, in their own sovereign State,

WE, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OF AUTHORIZED PERSONS, REPRESENTATIVES OF SUNLAND COMMUNITY AND SUNLAND WORLDWIDE MOVEMENT, BY VIRTUE OF OUR NATURAL RIGHT AND ON THE STRENGTH OF INTERNATIONAL LEGAL ACTS (International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Declaration on Principles of International Law, etc.), HEREBY DECLARE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SOVEREIGN STATE - THE REPUBLIC OF SUNLAND ON THE TERRITORY OF PETER I ISLAND IN THE BELLINGSHAUSEN SEA IN ANTARCTIC.

We know that the Kingdom of Norway is asserting its territorial claims to the island. However, these claims are unfounded from the standpoint of international law. Peter I Island was discovered on January 10, 1821 by Fabian von Bellingshausen, Russia’s Admiral. Only 108 years later the Norwegians landed on it. They were searching for new waters for whaling; rumors were that there should be a lot of whales in the ocean around this desolate and unknown island. Therefore, Lars Christensen, Norwegian ship-owner and whaling magnate was the organizer of that expedition. However, the Norwegian richman and killer of the whales lost his interest because of lack of whales in the surrounding waters. Then, within 80 years, Norway has failed to implement the development of the island and it is currently uninhabited. The island is situated at the other end of the Globe, many thousands miles off the coast of Norway.

According to Article IV of the Antarctic Treaty: "No acts or activities taking place while the present Treaty is in force shall constitute a basis for asserting, supporting or denying a claim to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica or create any rights of sovereignty in Antarctica. No new claim, or enlargement of an existing claim, to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica shall be asserted while the present Treaty is in force". However, this treaty points to territorial claims of existing States, which are already recognized by the international community (as it indicated by the very meaning of the term "claim"). But we are creating a new nation. We fully support the principles of the Antarctic Treaty - freedom of scientific research and equitable international cooperation in Antarctica, the demilitarization of the Antarctic region and its use for peaceful purposes for the benefit of all mankind.

The Republic of Sunland is based on the principles of freedom, justice and peace; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights for everyone irrespective of religion, race or sex; it guarantees freedom of conscience, language, education and culture; and it will respect universally recognized norms of international law.

We extend our hand to all states and their peoples in an offer of peace and good neighbourliness, and appeal to them to establish bonds of cooperation and mutual help with the Republic of Sunland. The Republic of Sunland is prepared to do its share in a common effort for the exploration of the Antarctic Region.

Following the procedures of the Antarctic Treaty, we intend to organize an expedition on Peter I Island and arrange a settlement there.

According to the will of the people of Sunland the Secretariat for External Relations is authorized to represent the country in the world.

With faith in the bright future of all mankind, we affix our signatures to this Declaration at the meeting of the Council of authorized persons, in the twenty-third day of November, in the year two thousand and nine.

http://new-libertalia.co.cc/

Despite the enormous potential of knowledge and technologies, humanity is faced with challenges that threaten its very existence. Scarcity and exhaustion of natural resources, the threat of world war, global climate change - these and other risks make us look to the future with alarm. More and more people around the Globe realize that the only way to change things for the better is to change our world-view approaches, changing of our thinking.

Motivated by the desire to contribute to new thinking of mankind, people of goodwill from every corner of the world have united around the Sunland idea. Relying on the natural right of people to be masters of their own fate, like all other nations, in their own sovereign State,

WE, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OF AUTHORIZED PERSONS, REPRESENTATIVES OF SUNLAND COMMUNITY AND SUNLAND WORLDWIDE MOVEMENT, BY VIRTUE OF OUR NATURAL RIGHT AND ON THE STRENGTH OF INTERNATIONAL LEGAL ACTS (International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Declaration on Principles of International Law, etc.), HEREBY DECLARE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SOVEREIGN STATE - THE REPUBLIC OF SUNLAND ON THE TERRITORY OF PETER I ISLAND IN THE BELLINGSHAUSEN SEA IN ANTARCTIC.

We know that the Kingdom of Norway is asserting its territorial claims to the island. However, these claims are unfounded from the standpoint of international law. Peter I Island was discovered on January 10, 1821 by Fabian von Bellingshausen, Russia’s Admiral. Only 108 years later the Norwegians landed on it. They were searching for new waters for whaling; rumors were that there should be a lot of whales in the ocean around this desolate and unknown island. Therefore, Lars Christensen, Norwegian ship-owner and whaling magnate was the organizer of that expedition. However, the Norwegian richman and killer of the whales lost his interest because of lack of whales in the surrounding waters. Then, within 80 years, Norway has failed to implement the development of the island and it is currently uninhabited. The island is situated at the other end of the Globe, many thousands miles off the coast of Norway.

According to Article IV of the Antarctic Treaty: "No acts or activities taking place while the present Treaty is in force shall constitute a basis for asserting, supporting or denying a claim to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica or create any rights of sovereignty in Antarctica. No new claim, or enlargement of an existing claim, to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica shall be asserted while the present Treaty is in force". However, this treaty points to territorial claims of existing States, which are already recognized by the international community (as it indicated by the very meaning of the term "claim"). But we are creating a new nation. We fully support the principles of the Antarctic Treaty - freedom of scientific research and equitable international cooperation in Antarctica, the demilitarization of the Antarctic region and its use for peaceful purposes for the benefit of all mankind.

The Republic of Sunland is based on the principles of freedom, justice and peace; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights for everyone irrespective of religion, race or sex; it guarantees freedom of conscience, language, education and culture; and it will respect universally recognized norms of international law.

We extend our hand to all states and their peoples in an offer of peace and good neighbourliness, and appeal to them to establish bonds of cooperation and mutual help with the Republic of Sunland. The Republic of Sunland is prepared to do its share in a common effort for the exploration of the Antarctic Region.

Following the procedures of the Antarctic Treaty, we intend to organize an expedition on Peter I Island and arrange a settlement there.

According to the will of the people of Sunland the Secretariat for External Relations is authorized to represent the country in the world.

With faith in the bright future of all mankind, we affix our signatures to this Declaration at the meeting of the Council of authorized persons, in the twenty-third day of November, in the year two thousand and nine.

http://new-libertalia.co.cc/

Two activists with Climate Ground Zero have locked their bodies in the way of explosive blasting at the West Virginia mountaintop removal mining site on the mountain closest to their homes and heart: Dea and Nick are locked inside a drill rig on Coal River Mountain. I love these kids so much. Spread the word.

( Read more... )

Update: Four Arrested on Coal River Mountain

Unconfirmed update to the update:
All four activists were charged with 4 misdemeanors (trespassing, obstruction, littering, conspiracy) and are being held on $2000 bail.

They have not yet been arraigned and no one's been able to check in yet, but one of the four was reported to have "jumped up and down with excitement" when she saw her friends as she came out of preliminary booking. Blasting's halted till Monday at least.

Press Release from Climate Ground Zero
Daily Kos: Blasting Halted on Coal River Mountain
Coal Tattoo blog post: Blasting on Coal River Mtn is illegal & pre-emptive according to the EPA
Coal River Mountain Watch
Coal River Wind Project

No normal word today from me, folks. I know there's such a huge lack of posters and me not posting doesn't help, but I'm currently sick with a bordetella pertussis infection, and so my whole body is aching and I'm tired and really, really lazy from coughing fits all day.

So your word today is bordetella pertussis - it's not just for kids anymore!

*rolls over and dies*

I was talking to Jack tonight about how my feelings about Richmond are really back and forth a lot of the time.

One week I am so sure that I am going to keep living in Richmond (after traveling this summer) and commute to Charlottesville for herbal medicine school once I start going there in a year or so, and keep living at the flying brick and be a part of really awesome projects and keep the library running like hot butter and rule at life.

and then other times I'm just so done with this city, and the college students and the noise and I just feel trapped and restless and like I'm not doing anything productive (which is always my fault) and i feel like I need a change of scenery and new faces and I think to myself "there is no way I will ever find anyone in this wretched city to fall in love with and date polyamorously so I should just get the hell out of here and go someplace else where more people are on my level" ugh, on my level? what the hell is that supposed to mean? it makes me sound like a pretentious asshole that's what.

I think I am just realizing more and more that I need to surround myself with good productive company more often than not. I love my friends, but some of the people closest to me have totally different priorities than I do and it makes it hard to feel like I can relate sometimes.

tabling for FNB on Weds really made me feel good. it made me feel like I was making a difference, however small, and to me that is what matters, that is what keeps me going. I need to feel like I am helping.

maybe I should start by helping myself? i'm trying.

remember how I needed stuff like a winter coat, a new pack and a small lightweight sleeping bag?

CHECK.


thank you, job.

The Red Tree by Caitlin R. Kiernan


I loved this book. I highly recommend it. You can view my review here.

From the Amazon product description:

Sarah Crowe left Atlanta, and the remnants of a tumultuous relationship, to live alone in an old house in rural Rhode Island. Within its walls she discovers an unfinished manuscript written by the house's former tenant-a parapsychologist obsessed with the ancient oak growing on a desolate corner of the property. And as the gnarled tree takes root in her imagination, Sarah risks her health and her sanity to unearth a revelation planted centuries ago...

I also suggest you check out more of her work.

feeling good about life. listening to i hate myself, ironically.

last night I learned the first part of that neutral milk hotel song, on accordion. win

minutiae [mi-NOO-shee-uh, -shuh, -NYOO-]

noun
precise details; small or trifling matters

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/minutiae


In my history class, my teacher is less focused on the minutiae of history, like dates and battles and names of military officers; rather, he likes to look at the "big picture" of what's happened during particular eras.



I really hate this word, actually; it's one of my directing teacher's favorite words to abuse.

Nationalists take the life of another antifascist:


Ivan Khutorskoi, RASH and activist, was shot in his own apartment building. This was the fourth attempt on his life, including attacks with a straight razor, screwdrivers, and baseball bats.

Update: found some links in English:
http://chtodelat.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/antifa-and-leftist-activist-ivan-khutorskoi-murdered-in-moscow/
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/world/europe/18moscow.html

Friends, in a moment I will give you a link to a must- see video and article on Twin Cities Indymedia. But first, I want to tell you about the image above, and about the demo where I recorded it. On Saturday the 14th., about 45 assorted racists, Minutemen, Nazis, white supremacists and "tea baggers" held a rally on the steps of the Minnesota State Capitol, in Saint Paul, Minnaysotor. This racist rally was to whip up anti- immigrant sentiment so of course we couldn't just sit at home & twiddle our thumbs.

I tied my shoes on tight, put on a clean black t- shirt, stuffed a black bandanna in my pocket & clapped my Carhartt cap on my head. Then I made my way to the Capitol. When I got there I was delighted to find about 30 fellow free spirits, from ARA, Bash Back!, the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Coalition, and more. In short, we heckled and utterly dominated the racists' rally.

The white pride folks were not happy with us, from moment one. When we didn't sing the Star Spangled Banner, a vicious elderly white guy came up & shouted at the two kids by me. I told him a few brief words & he went away. Others of the "tea partiers" were much more violent.

The 'Baggers tried to chant "U.S.A.! U.S.A.!" and we drowned that out by chanting "No More Hate! No More Hate!"

I'd say that about six of the racists were especially violent. A couple of kids near me got shoved, & a kid on a tall bike was thrown down. The Indymedia article will tell you more about this.

Well, I don't want to be too long in my chat here, but the VERY BEST PART of it all was when "Robert Erickson" got on the racists' speakers' list! Please see the video on the Indymedia site! Jeebus! Its utterly superb!

The image above! In it you can see two Angry White Men confronting one of our star hecklers. Our heckler is in the red hoodie. On the right of the image is Joseph B. Thomas, a violent Neo- Nazi. He's the little twerp in the black leather jacket. Nazis! I hate those guys!

So! Have I stimulated your interest enough? For your reading & viewing pleasure, here's the link to Indymedia!

http://twincities.indymedia.org/2009/nov/anti-racists-steal-show-white-supremacist-tea-party-against-amnesty

For Total Victory over intolerance!

Billy :D