In Seattle weird is a daily occurrence. I might have to re-think about moving from here, but at the same time I’m not turning down Hawai’i as a possible option.
5.
Mandalay
Here’s an interesting article (for a few) on how neuroscientists, undergrads and postgrads sketch a neuron.
As one commenter pointed out, the undergrads portrayed what a neuron looked like, but the scientists depicted the neuron far more simply, from a functional perspective.
I recall doing biology in high school. It was mostly memorization, endless taxonomy and lots of long Latin words. Maybe little has changed.
6.
Violet
@Yatsuno: I’ve got penguin art hanging in my house. Penguins walked on the canvas. It’s extremely cool.
And you should only move from Seattle if you’re moving to Hawaii or get a too-good-to-pass-up job offer.
We’re off to a neighborhood screening of Monsoon Wedding in a huge back yard. Kiddie movie @ 8, feature @ 9.
8.
Violet
@raven: That’s a cool thing to do. I love Monsoon Wedding. Fun movie.
9.
the Conster
Wait Tom what? We hate Penguins! Get your Boston meme right.
10.
lamh35
@raven: thanks to my local library back in the day, I saw Monsoon Wedding (it’s thanks to the NOLA libraries in my childhood that introduced me to independent films, particularly “foreign” films).
Haven’t seen it in a while, I’ll have to see it on Netflix
What is the one in front saying? Sounds like, “Cute and cuddly, boys! Cute and cuddly!”
16.
wvng
Lord I hope Zandar and his family find shelter. A Weather Channel reporter right now describing being taken up into the tornado and being tossed 200 yards in their Suburban. Car destroyed, everyone ok.
17.
MikeJ
@Mandalay: I think it means that when you have a deeper understanding of the subject you can leave out a lot of detail.
@Mandalay:
That’s an interesting article, and it mirrors my experience of dealing with concepts like this. The key thing is that people who are learning about neurons (or whatever else) are taught shallow knowledge about the the whole thing. So they learn about the shape of a neuron, where the nucleus is, what the axon and dendrons are like, etc. Experienced scientists who are writing papers about something will draw more cartoon-like drawings that only show details for the parts they are interested in and abstract away extraneous (to their interests) detail.
A good example of this is the differences in the ways that biochemists and molecular biologists typically draw biomolecules. Biochemists are interested in molecules as molecules, so they tend to show some of their structure. They’ll show a protein as a series of alpha helices and beta sheets connected by loops, and maybe even show some amino acid sidechains at especially interesting sites. Molecular biologists are more interested in higher level interactions, so they tend to draw molecules as a very abstract set of interlocking pieces that show how they fit together. I summarize it as “molecular biologists think biomolecules are blobs, and biochemists think they’re squiggles”; when I say that, most of my coworkers will understand and agree that this is an accurate description.
We’re going to spend Saturday and Sunday down in Denver for the Comic Con. Even got a hotel room so we don’t have to drive home overnight.
We’ll see lots of funny, weird things, but not sure any of it will be weirder than that.
22.
Suffern ACE
The New York City ukulele festival and the New York City musical saw festival and the 125th anniversary of Katz’s deli are this weekend and I can only do one.
At Hack for Colorado, where we’re supposed to spend the weekend putting together some software for public benefit. This year’s theme is healthcare. I have a little background in iOhone and iPad programming, so we’ll see what I Weinstein up working on.
25.
Quaker in a Basement
@raven: That’s the all-time favorite at our house for a whole bunch of reasons. There are dozens of little subtleties that aren’t obvious to Western audiences. For example, notice the string tied around Lalit’s wrist when he’s struggling over how to deal with (dramatic problem withheld).That’s a rakhi, a symbol of a bond between a brother and sister. At that moment, Lalit faces a terrible choice between conflicting obligations.
Awesome, awesome movie shot on a shoestring budget, with a loose script and several novice actors among established stars, all done in 30 days. It’s a gem.
Can any of you tech types tell me why my scroll wheel suddenly stopped working?
Not for certain, but it’s possible that it’s an actual hardware failure. If you have a spare mouse, you could plug it in and see if its scroll wheel works. If you have another computer, you can try the same mouse on a different computer. If the problem moves with the mouse, it’s a problem with the mouse. If it stays with the computer, it’s a problem with the computer, probably with your mouse configuration.
…Right-wing conspiracy theorist Frank Gaffney asked Gohmert on Gaffney’s radio show this week what he thought of McCain’s recent trip to Syria — which Gaffney described as McCain “hobnobbing with Jihadists” — and wondered whether “we’re going to get a proper investigation of the Benghazi-Gate scandal,” a “scandal” Gaffney said he believes “Sen. McCain’s bad advice got us into.” Gohmert agreed that McCain is to blame for Benghazi because McCain supported and advocated for the U.S. led war in Libya that ultimately helped Libyan rebels oust Muammar Qaddafi…
38.
Belafon (formerly anonevent)
OT: Where’s soonergrunt? They have two tornadoes on the west side of Oklahoma City. One a mile wide. Some of the weather channel storm chasers got caught in one. Their cars flipped, airbags deployed, but they are ok.
@Litlebritdifrnt:
You’re welcome. One of my jobs at work is Mr. Fixit, so I’ve learned how to track down the source of problems. One other thing to check is to make sure that it’s not just one program where the scroll wheel doesn’t work; that would indicate a problem with that program rather than the computer as a whole.
40.
scav
@Litlebritdifrnt: sigh nostalgia for the days when cleaning mouse balls was a normal part of existence.
41.
Emerald
Party pooper here. That video makes me mad. Those penguins are not pets. Even if they’re in captivity, they’re still wild animals and should be kept in as natural an environment as possible.
Not dressed up and made to parade around for people’s amusement.
/rant
42.
Svensker
The way the penguins hop down the stairs is sooooo cuuuuuute. Squeeeeeee.
What Comrade Mary said. Mayor Rob For……. aaaaack.
ETA: I picked a party pooper comment to follow, din’t I? No offense to the P.P.
Calling Kelly a “feminist on steroids,” Fischer said she was “resentful,” “angry,” “hostile,” and “bitter” to these “poor guys” who were just trying to defend the biblical view of the gender roles.
Fischer went on to say that Kelly was driven by an unhealthy, bitter “angry feminist energy” before finally just calling her a “dragon lady.”
It’s not like he’s going to be on your local radio station’s playlist. He fucking rocks hard. He’ll have to change his name though.
52.
Omnes Omnibus
@the Conster: There is a reason I listen to college radio. Hearing stuff like that is it. Unfortunately, today was the first time someone played him. And, yeah, namism will be a problem for him.
Splendiforous post, Professor Levenson….especially since I have it on authority from the last thread that you and I are the same person now. Or I’ve replaced you. Or we’re both mclaren, or something.
59.
Omnes Omnibus
@eemom: I have noticed that mclaren uses a lowercase ‘nym too. Just sayin’.
60.
Soonergrunt
I and my family are OK for the moment. I’m mostly tweeting. The storms appear to be primarily to our north a few miles, but that could change. Three fatalities that I’ve heard of. Mother and baby and one OK HP trooper, but that is not confirmed.
One storm producing multiple tornadoes in the OKC metro along I40 (runs east-west 15 miles north of my house) just hitting I40/I35 interchange right now. I 35 southbound is parking lot there. Another is near I-240 (east-west spur road) near OKC Community College (about 8 miles north of me.) My son is at OCCC doing orientation today. He just tweeted about 10 mins ago that he’s in a shelter.
@j: Really?
61.
Dee Loralei
wow if that tornado is heading towards CrossRoads Mall it’s headed towards Moore.
The key thing is that people who are learning about neurons (or whatever else) are taught shallow knowledge about the the whole thing.
Exactly. Obviously there is plenty to learn about neurons, but when you are making a start (i.e. as an undergrad) I don’t see that the actual physical components and their names are initially that important at all. A biochemist might want to go down that path later, but a student of AI or neurolinguistics might never need to care. Learn at an abstract level first, and worry about the nitty gritty details later.
A similar (worse?) issue exists in particle physics, where there are umpteen ways to attempt to depict (“draw”) atoms as waves and particles.
A picture is often worth a thousand words, but not always. Perhaps Islam is onto something when it expressly forbids rendering an image of God, treating it as an impossibility. Maybe some fields in science education should take note.
@efgoldman: They passed me up for New Mexico, but I decided that’s all right. Hawai’i is still technically open plus I’m following a possible lead with the VA that might be interesting. It’s very much a we’ll see kind of situation.
I do have a slight incentive for going to New England. The NYD’s gonna be in New Haven for the next three years. I’d need a ring on the finger first though. Which is legal there as well as here. Woot.
OMG. One of the Encore networks is showing classic mini-series all next month. There are at least 2 mini-series to this day that I vividly remember watching and loving. Roots, of course, and The Thorn Birds. I remember watching the mini-series and LOVING.IT.!!! So you know I’m gonna be DVR’ing The Thorn Birds so I can see the conflict between Father Ralph and Maggie’s lust and love and the church.
So who else remembers watching the Thorn Birds back in the day and did ya love it like I did???
I loved the book, but Richard Chamberlain was so gay before he came out, I just couldn’t buy into the movie at all. Rachel Ward was so hot, and there’s no way she’d go for him, because I never would have. No way.
79.
Soonergrunt
@j: suppose you could wait until the bodies are cold, at least?
The Chickenhawk database shows Gaffney’s occupation as “Missile Salesman”. So I’m not sure why Gaffney is going so hard after McCain. He’d be great for business if Gaffney is working on commission.
81.
Suffern ACE
@lamh35: I watched it. I remember the book was a big deal. I also think my mothers book club read it. I think they got away with it because of the Catholic Church connection. Otherwise I don’t know how it fell into topics that a Lutheran woman’s book club was supposed to cover.
82.
Yatsuno
@the Conster: Kind of related to this, but I never knew Derek Jacobi was gay until Sir Ian mentioned that fact in an interview. I was a bit surprised to hear Cadfael preferred gents. And he was quite the looker in his youth. Still is really
83.
srv
Holy Moley Tom, do you not know that John Cole’s cousin in SF is keeper of penguins?
84.
lamh35
@the Conster: well I was only 6 when it came on tv (1983 I think) and when I did actually see it in syndication or some upper number channel in NOLA, I was like 11 so as you can guess, I did NOT have much gaydar then…lol.
I read the book after I saw the movie and I swear it’s thanks to the Thorn Birds that I now have this, now, life-long love of trashy romance novels. In my teen years I was keen on trashy Historicals, the more bodice-ripping cover images, the better (I was also partial to Fabio covers…hey I was 12…lol). Now I’m more into contemporary fare, but still the trashier the better…lol.
Really? He screamed GAY to me, but I’ve always been attracted to the dark brooding type. When everyone loved Dr. Kildare, I loved Ben Casey. When everyone loved Little Joe, I loved Adam. When everyone loved Bobby Sherman, I loved David Soul – OK, not dark, but brooding. I ditched my blond surfer type BF and married the dark brooder. I had gaydar before I knew what gaydar was.
I totally get it – Thorn Birds had it all. That forbidden love, the prolonged agony of being in the presence of this person who churns your guts whose principles you love and hate, the desolate landscape, the longing over time that just makes the contact so much more urgent – yeah. It’s all there. If I hadn’t known I was a straight chick before then, that book would have made it very clear, which is why I was like Richard Chamberlain? LOLWUT?
87.
j
@Soonergrunt: Sorry, it was a general comment. As far as I know, everybody is OK (I have since read your post, so maybe not), but last night there were 4 other tornadoes in about the same area, and one just touched down in Moore again.
“Funny” thing, though is that these people keep electing lazy know-nothing republicans who slash the NOAA budgets and refuse to subsidize shelters.
That last link was from 2 days ago, the previous one was from 2 years ago.
So again I ask, “why does god hate republicans?”
(Because they ignore his wrath, and love money more than their neighbors.)
88.
lamh35
@the Conster: lol. Oddly enough the only other thing I remember Chamberlain in was those Richard Chamberlain movies??? Like I said, I was young, so other than those 2 movies, I couldn’t tell ya what else Chamberlain had done…lol. So when he finally “came out”, I just thought it was kinda ironic (?)…weird (?)…funny that a came man was playing a Roman Catholic Priest in love with a woman.
Still nostalgia being what it is, things in youth have rose-colored glasses as you age
He’s pretty and effeminate, but, if you haven’t seen The Last Wave, it’s his best movie. It’s an amazing movie really that will stay with you forever, and it has nothing to do with his sexuality. It’s hard to describe. It’s a mind bending trip through aboriginal apocalyptic mythology where he plays the central role in the coming of the end of the world. The most unlikely reluctant hero ever, but he’s incredible in it. It’s a Peter Weir movie – Picnic at Hanging Rock, Witness, Master and Commander, etc. It’s a classic.
@Violet:
Someone gave me a picture of penguins accosting each other in the nicest way once. It is a little subtle so most people don’t recognize what is going on right away but almost everyone laughs when they figure it out. But there are always a few who can’t stand the idea of penguin porn.
LOL, totally. I was trying to think of others. While everyone was into Ilya Kuryakin, I didn’t love Napoleon Solo, but I would have slept with him first. No pretty boys for me. Give me that dark haired guy with the 5 o’clock shadow who was somewhere in the back thinking about things. George Harrison/George Clooney are my touchstones.
95.
danielx
Waking up to the Queen of Mean making all kinds of weird noises while giving herself a marathon grooming session. Had to undergo one of those procedures today…procedure itself isn’t so bad, but the prep is hell. Mrs. X and the daughter unit were taking off for sunny Florida Harry Potter World* this morning, while I couldn’t go due to work stuff next week. So they are going through the usual frantic last minute packing crisis and demanding that I help load this and find that…while I had just spent yesterday on a clear liquid diet, undergoing the cleanout process, and getting up this morning without any coffee goddamnit. I have to admit that after an hour of this, during which time my nerves got stretched like piano wire, the most prominent thing in my head was the famous/infamous thought “how can I miss you if you won’t go away?”
However, I got through the procedure, had a buddy drive me to and from, got home at 1:30, collapsed and slept until 7:30. Lemme tell ya, the demerol/versed combo is teh awesome – one second you’re lying on the gurney bullshitting with the nurses and the next you’re trying to figure out how to work the buttons on your shirt. Now I get to be a bachelor for the next week and am reviewing the local live music listings…and trying not to contemplate the disaster zone that is currently the X domicile after the packing frenzy.
*Daughter’s nirvana, as she is the ultimate fan of all things Potter-related. Very cool for a theme park, although they do everything but put a meter on your nose so they can charge you for breathing. A brother in law was bitching to me about feeling ripped off when we were there 3-4 years ago; I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. My response: “Dude, you’re at a theme park. In Florida. You are here to be ripped off, it’s what these places are for. If you don’t like it, don’t come, you think Disney World is any different?” Some people, I tell ya…can’t say I’m all that unhappy about my sis in law getting a divorce, hanging out with him was like partying with Eeyore.
Jack Lord more than David Janssen (and totally more than James MacArthur (who was gay!), and Mike Connors. Mike Connors did it for me. James Franciscus, also too, gave me that little stomach flip.
What is the one in front saying? Sounds like, “Cute and cuddly, boys! Cute and cuddly!”
Gambare, one of the few Japanese expressions I know (from anime, of course). Technically it means something like ‘make a diligent effort’, but it’s used (a lot) where we would say ‘Way to go, guys!’ or ‘You can do it!’Gambare, pengie-chan! — you go, cute little penguins!
It always tickles me that the Japanese are nuts for penguins — they are both severely formal & (to human eyes) ridiculous, so it makes perfect sense.
Why do you think the cute penguins are wearing African dress? I think they’re wearing penguin kimonos, without the obi sash, which wouldn’t work with penguins as they don’t really have waists.
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Big R
First reading of headline: anals of weirdness.
Comrade Mary
Hey, have you heard of this guy named Rob For — hey! HEY! Jeeze, people, put down the sharp things. I’ll stop! I’ll stop!
donnah
Well, the penguins look adorable and they got treats, so I think it’s all good.
Yatsuno
@donnah: Pengies rule.
In Seattle weird is a daily occurrence. I might have to re-think about moving from here, but at the same time I’m not turning down Hawai’i as a possible option.
Mandalay
Here’s an interesting article (for a few) on how neuroscientists, undergrads and postgrads sketch a neuron.
As one commenter pointed out, the undergrads portrayed what a neuron looked like, but the scientists depicted the neuron far more simply, from a functional perspective.
I recall doing biology in high school. It was mostly memorization, endless taxonomy and lots of long Latin words. Maybe little has changed.
Violet
@Yatsuno: I’ve got penguin art hanging in my house. Penguins walked on the canvas. It’s extremely cool.
And you should only move from Seattle if you’re moving to Hawaii or get a too-good-to-pass-up job offer.
raven
We’re off to a neighborhood screening of Monsoon Wedding in a huge back yard. Kiddie movie @ 8, feature @ 9.
Violet
@raven: That’s a cool thing to do. I love Monsoon Wedding. Fun movie.
the Conster
Wait Tom what? We hate Penguins! Get your Boston meme right.
lamh35
@raven: thanks to my local library back in the day, I saw Monsoon Wedding (it’s thanks to the NOLA libraries in my childhood that introduced me to independent films, particularly “foreign” films).
Haven’t seen it in a while, I’ll have to see it on Netflix
piratedan
they look cute enough to shower with in prison (apologies to Cassidy)!
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
Trying to figure out how to teach Managerial Accounting is plenty weird for me, thanks.
poco
Huge tornado with multiple vortexes headed for OK city. Tornado emergency declared.
Omnes Omnibus
I just discovered this guy today. Just god damn.
Quaker in a Basement
What is the one in front saying? Sounds like, “Cute and cuddly, boys! Cute and cuddly!”
wvng
Lord I hope Zandar and his family find shelter. A Weather Channel reporter right now describing being taken up into the tornado and being tossed 200 yards in their Suburban. Car destroyed, everyone ok.
MikeJ
@Mandalay: I think it means that when you have a deeper understanding of the subject you can leave out a lot of detail.
Yatsuno
@wvng: There are tornadoes in Kentucky right now?
(You might be thinking Soonergrunt, and he was posting earlier so I think all is well.)
Davis X. Machina
@Mandalay: It’s remarkable how much of the entry level to any discipline is dedicated to learning its terminology.
Roger Moore
@Mandalay:
That’s an interesting article, and it mirrors my experience of dealing with concepts like this. The key thing is that people who are learning about neurons (or whatever else) are taught shallow knowledge about the the whole thing. So they learn about the shape of a neuron, where the nucleus is, what the axon and dendrons are like, etc. Experienced scientists who are writing papers about something will draw more cartoon-like drawings that only show details for the parts they are interested in and abstract away extraneous (to their interests) detail.
A good example of this is the differences in the ways that biochemists and molecular biologists typically draw biomolecules. Biochemists are interested in molecules as molecules, so they tend to show some of their structure. They’ll show a protein as a series of alpha helices and beta sheets connected by loops, and maybe even show some amino acid sidechains at especially interesting sites. Molecular biologists are more interested in higher level interactions, so they tend to draw molecules as a very abstract set of interlocking pieces that show how they fit together. I summarize it as “molecular biologists think biomolecules are blobs, and biochemists think they’re squiggles”; when I say that, most of my coworkers will understand and agree that this is an accurate description.
jnfr
We’re going to spend Saturday and Sunday down in Denver for the Comic Con. Even got a hotel room so we don’t have to drive home overnight.
We’ll see lots of funny, weird things, but not sure any of it will be weirder than that.
Suffern ACE
The New York City ukulele festival and the New York City musical saw festival and the 125th anniversary of Katz’s deli are this weekend and I can only do one.
wvng
@Yatsuno: Sorry yes meant soonergrunt.
Scamp Dog
At Hack for Colorado, where we’re supposed to spend the weekend putting together some software for public benefit. This year’s theme is healthcare. I have a little background in iOhone and iPad programming, so we’ll see what I Weinstein up working on.
Quaker in a Basement
@raven: That’s the all-time favorite at our house for a whole bunch of reasons. There are dozens of little subtleties that aren’t obvious to Western audiences. For example, notice the string tied around Lalit’s wrist when he’s struggling over how to deal with (dramatic problem withheld).That’s a rakhi, a symbol of a bond between a brother and sister. At that moment, Lalit faces a terrible choice between conflicting obligations.
Awesome, awesome movie shot on a shoestring budget, with a loose script and several novice actors among established stars, all done in 30 days. It’s a gem.
Litlebritdifrnt
Can any of you tech types tell me why my scroll wheel suddenly stopped working?
piratedan
@Litlebritdifrnt: according to Bryan Fischer, it’s because you’re not subservient enough or making enough sammiches.
PsiFighter37
Apparently there’s another tornado ripping through the suburbs of OKC right now. Hope soonergrunt and his family are all safe.
Yatsuno
@Litlebritdifrnt: I blame Obama. Since everyone else is.
Roger Moore
@Litlebritdifrnt:
Not for certain, but it’s possible that it’s an actual hardware failure. If you have a spare mouse, you could plug it in and see if its scroll wheel works. If you have another computer, you can try the same mouse on a different computer. If the problem moves with the mouse, it’s a problem with the mouse. If it stays with the computer, it’s a problem with the computer, probably with your mouse configuration.
Baud
@Litlebritdifrnt:
Probably needs some oil.
Litlebritdifrnt
@piratedan: @Yatsuno:
That is why I love you guys you are always so helpful :)
the Conster
@Omnes Omnibus:
Srsly. If this isn’t a display of how music works to span all time and place, I don’t know what else is.
Litlebritdifrnt
@Roger Moore:
Thanks Roger!
Calouste
@Baud:
It’s a mouse.
Baud
@Calouste:
Let’s compromise. Use Cheese Wizz.
lamh35
Wow, so first Megyn Kelly bombs Erickson, now Gohmert going for McCain. Wow, GOP beginning to eat its own again?
Republican Congressman Says McCain Was Partly Responsible For The Benghazi Terror Attacks
Belafon (formerly anonevent)
OT: Where’s soonergrunt? They have two tornadoes on the west side of Oklahoma City. One a mile wide. Some of the weather channel storm chasers got caught in one. Their cars flipped, airbags deployed, but they are ok.
Roger Moore
@Litlebritdifrnt:
You’re welcome. One of my jobs at work is Mr. Fixit, so I’ve learned how to track down the source of problems. One other thing to check is to make sure that it’s not just one program where the scroll wheel doesn’t work; that would indicate a problem with that program rather than the computer as a whole.
scav
@Litlebritdifrnt: sigh nostalgia for the days when cleaning mouse balls was a normal part of existence.
Emerald
Party pooper here. That video makes me mad. Those penguins are not pets. Even if they’re in captivity, they’re still wild animals and should be kept in as natural an environment as possible.
Not dressed up and made to parade around for people’s amusement.
/rant
Svensker
The way the penguins hop down the stairs is sooooo cuuuuuute. Squeeeeeee.
What Comrade Mary said. Mayor Rob For……. aaaaack.
ETA: I picked a party pooper comment to follow, din’t I? No offense to the P.P.
Belafon (formerly anonevent)
@lamh35: littlegreenfootballs has a post up about Bryan Fischer going after Megyn Kelly:
WereBear
@Yatsuno: Love ya, and I have never lived in Seattle, but while weird may be the norm there….
I lived in Florida, where the weird paints itself blue and howls at the moon.
Omnes Omnibus
@the Conster: I can’t believe it has been out for over a year and I did not know about it.
WereBear
@Suffern ACE: Damn! Now that is a conundrum.
Go with what you love, man.
Belafon (formerly anonevent)
@Belafon (formerly anonevent): They have sounded alarms in Moore.
gbear
@lamh35: Jeebus, McCain is going to rip Gohmert’s arms & legs off.
the Conster
@lamh35:
It’s crazy nutjobs all the way down lamh. Pour yourself a big glass of schadenfreude and watch the implosion.
jenn
@scav: Geez Louise, I just snorted Dr Pepper out my nose.
On a more serious front – I hope soonergrunt and family are ok.
the Conster
@Omnes Omnibus:
It’s not like he’s going to be on your local radio station’s playlist. He fucking rocks hard. He’ll have to change his name though.
Omnes Omnibus
@the Conster: There is a reason I listen to college radio. Hearing stuff like that is it. Unfortunately, today was the first time someone played him. And, yeah, namism will be a problem for him.
NickT
@Belafon (formerly anonevent):
My God, it’s just like a John Cole rant. Could the retro-singularity be upon us?
j
Oklahoma City is being hit with massive tornado systems (plural). MSNBC now.
Why does god hate republicans?
NickT
@efgoldman:
“Here at Chez Limbaugh we serve a fine variety of crow, accompanied by RINO giblets and the hottest long pig this side of the Appalachians.”
Omnes Omnibus
@j:
That was rhetorical, right?
lamh35
Don’t know why, but this song is stuck in my head.
I’m not much a fan of cover songs, but I do love a good rendition that still holds the skeleton of the original song.
Luther Vandross – The Impossible Dream
eemom
Splendiforous post, Professor Levenson….especially since I have it on authority from the last thread that you and I are the same person now. Or I’ve replaced you. Or we’re both mclaren, or something.
Omnes Omnibus
@eemom: I have noticed that mclaren uses a lowercase ‘nym too. Just sayin’.
Soonergrunt
I and my family are OK for the moment. I’m mostly tweeting. The storms appear to be primarily to our north a few miles, but that could change. Three fatalities that I’ve heard of. Mother and baby and one OK HP trooper, but that is not confirmed.
One storm producing multiple tornadoes in the OKC metro along I40 (runs east-west 15 miles north of my house) just hitting I40/I35 interchange right now. I 35 southbound is parking lot there. Another is near I-240 (east-west spur road) near OKC Community College (about 8 miles north of me.) My son is at OCCC doing orientation today. He just tweeted about 10 mins ago that he’s in a shelter.
@j: Really?
Dee Loralei
wow if that tornado is heading towards CrossRoads Mall it’s headed towards Moore.
eemom
@Omnes Omnibus:
Well, all’s I can say is that when the mclaren half of my split personality clues in to this situation, it’s gonna get interesting.
“EEEMOM?? WTF?? Are General Stuck and Mnemosyne in here too?? We SUUUUUUUCK…..”
the Conster
@Soonergrunt:
Holy shit. Just, wow. Death from above. From Boston, it looks like fucking Mother Nature is on a personal vendetta.
Loneoak
I met hilzoy today IRL at a conference. That was a long-awaited pleasure (we’re in the same academic discipline).
Mandalay
@Roger Moore:
Exactly. Obviously there is plenty to learn about neurons, but when you are making a start (i.e. as an undergrad) I don’t see that the actual physical components and their names are initially that important at all. A biochemist might want to go down that path later, but a student of AI or neurolinguistics might never need to care. Learn at an abstract level first, and worry about the nitty gritty details later.
A similar (worse?) issue exists in particle physics, where there are umpteen ways to attempt to depict (“draw”) atoms as waves and particles.
A picture is often worth a thousand words, but not always. Perhaps Islam is onto something when it expressly forbids rendering an image of God, treating it as an impossibility. Maybe some fields in science education should take note.
JPL
@Soonergrunt: Be safe.
Yatsuno
@efgoldman: They passed me up for New Mexico, but I decided that’s all right. Hawai’i is still technically open plus I’m following a possible lead with the VA that might be interesting. It’s very much a we’ll see kind of situation.
I do have a slight incentive for going to New England. The NYD’s gonna be in New Haven for the next three years. I’d need a ring on the finger first though. Which is legal there as well as here. Woot.
Omnes Omnibus
@efgoldman: TMI, dude.
eemom
@efgoldman:
I was 8 years old in 1970, you deviated prevert.
Dee Loralei
@Soonergrunt: Keep your head down dude.
j
@Omnes Omnibus: Dunno.
According to the GOP god hates all the right things, that’s why he destroys them; so hating republicans must be doing god’s work.
http://crooksandliars.com/2007/02/26/family-guy-rips-on-falwell-and-robertson
Yatsuno
@Soonergrunt: Takes care of yerselves okay?
Omnes Omnibus
@j: I was going with “‘cuz they’re evil.”
Omnes Omnibus
@Soonergrunt: Keep your head down.
lamh35
OMG. One of the Encore networks is showing classic mini-series all next month. There are at least 2 mini-series to this day that I vividly remember watching and loving. Roots, of course, and The Thorn Birds. I remember watching the mini-series and LOVING.IT.!!! So you know I’m gonna be DVR’ing The Thorn Birds so I can see the conflict between Father Ralph and Maggie’s lust and love and the church.
So who else remembers watching the Thorn Birds back in the day and did ya love it like I did???
http://youtu.be/RR6OdS78KfI
Oooh, I wonder if it’s on Netflix????
MikeJ
I heard the UW softball team is in OKC to play a game, and are currently in a tornado shelter.
j
@Soonergrunt: No, not really. I’m just parroting those assclown TV preachers who blame everything on LIBBURRELLLLLZ.
9/11? = Liberals
Katrina?= Liberals
Jerry Falwell dying?= GOD!
the Conster
@lamh35:
I loved the book, but Richard Chamberlain was so gay before he came out, I just couldn’t buy into the movie at all. Rachel Ward was so hot, and there’s no way she’d go for him, because I never would have. No way.
Soonergrunt
@j: suppose you could wait until the bodies are cold, at least?
Mandalay
@lamh35:
The Chickenhawk database shows Gaffney’s occupation as “Missile Salesman”. So I’m not sure why Gaffney is going so hard after McCain. He’d be great for business if Gaffney is working on commission.
Suffern ACE
@lamh35: I watched it. I remember the book was a big deal. I also think my mothers book club read it. I think they got away with it because of the Catholic Church connection. Otherwise I don’t know how it fell into topics that a Lutheran woman’s book club was supposed to cover.
Yatsuno
@the Conster: Kind of related to this, but I never knew Derek Jacobi was gay until Sir Ian mentioned that fact in an interview. I was a bit surprised to hear Cadfael preferred gents. And he was quite the looker in his youth. Still is really
srv
Holy Moley Tom, do you not know that John Cole’s cousin in SF is keeper of penguins?
lamh35
@the Conster: well I was only 6 when it came on tv (1983 I think) and when I did actually see it in syndication or some upper number channel in NOLA, I was like 11 so as you can guess, I did NOT have much gaydar then…lol.
I read the book after I saw the movie and I swear it’s thanks to the Thorn Birds that I now have this, now, life-long love of trashy romance novels. In my teen years I was keen on trashy Historicals, the more bodice-ripping cover images, the better (I was also partial to Fabio covers…hey I was 12…lol). Now I’m more into contemporary fare, but still the trashier the better…lol.
the Conster
@Yatsuno:
Really? He screamed GAY to me, but I’ve always been attracted to the dark brooding type. When everyone loved Dr. Kildare, I loved Ben Casey. When everyone loved Little Joe, I loved Adam. When everyone loved Bobby Sherman, I loved David Soul – OK, not dark, but brooding. I ditched my blond surfer type BF and married the dark brooder. I had gaydar before I knew what gaydar was.
the Conster
@lamh35:
I totally get it – Thorn Birds had it all. That forbidden love, the prolonged agony of being in the presence of this person who churns your guts whose principles you love and hate, the desolate landscape, the longing over time that just makes the contact so much more urgent – yeah. It’s all there. If I hadn’t known I was a straight chick before then, that book would have made it very clear, which is why I was like Richard Chamberlain? LOLWUT?
j
@Soonergrunt: Sorry, it was a general comment. As far as I know, everybody is OK (I have since read your post, so maybe not), but last night there were 4 other tornadoes in about the same area, and one just touched down in Moore again.
“Funny” thing, though is that these people keep electing lazy know-nothing republicans who slash the NOAA budgets and refuse to subsidize shelters.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/05/21/1210792/-Republicans-Slashed-Weather-Forecasting-Budget-in-2011#
And NOW they want to forbid the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration from doing ANYTHING having to do with the oceans or the atmosphere.
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/bill-would-shift-noaa-resources-from-climate-research-16046
That last link was from 2 days ago, the previous one was from 2 years ago.
So again I ask, “why does god hate republicans?”
(Because they ignore his wrath, and love money more than their neighbors.)
lamh35
@the Conster: lol. Oddly enough the only other thing I remember Chamberlain in was those Richard Chamberlain movies??? Like I said, I was young, so other than those 2 movies, I couldn’t tell ya what else Chamberlain had done…lol. So when he finally “came out”, I just thought it was kinda ironic (?)…weird (?)…funny that a came man was playing a Roman Catholic Priest in love with a woman.
Still nostalgia being what it is, things in youth have rose-colored glasses as you age
eemom
@lamh35:
The Thorn Birds was a great book, as I well remember being old enough to be your grandmother.
As I recall the teevee series was ok too, except that Rachel Ward couldn’t act her way out of a kangaroo pouch. [guffaw]
the Conster
@lamh35:
He’s pretty and effeminate, but, if you haven’t seen The Last Wave, it’s his best movie. It’s an amazing movie really that will stay with you forever, and it has nothing to do with his sexuality. It’s hard to describe. It’s a mind bending trip through aboriginal apocalyptic mythology where he plays the central role in the coming of the end of the world. The most unlikely reluctant hero ever, but he’s incredible in it. It’s a Peter Weir movie – Picnic at Hanging Rock, Witness, Master and Commander, etc. It’s a classic.
eemom
@the Conster:
I’ve always been a brooder loving type too.
You mention those old teevee shows…..dare I suggest, Major West on Lost In Space?
pat
@Belafon (formerly anonevent):
I LOVE the image of a “feminist on steroids.”
Ruckus
@Violet:
Someone gave me a picture of penguins accosting each other in the nicest way once. It is a little subtle so most people don’t recognize what is going on right away but almost everyone laughs when they figure it out. But there are always a few who can’t stand the idea of penguin porn.
Silly humans.
the Conster
@eemom:
LOL, totally. I was trying to think of others. While everyone was into Ilya Kuryakin, I didn’t love Napoleon Solo, but I would have slept with him first. No pretty boys for me. Give me that dark haired guy with the 5 o’clock shadow who was somewhere in the back thinking about things. George Harrison/George Clooney are my touchstones.
danielx
Waking up to the Queen of Mean making all kinds of weird noises while giving herself a marathon grooming session. Had to undergo one of those procedures today…procedure itself isn’t so bad, but the prep is hell. Mrs. X and the daughter unit were taking off for
sunny FloridaHarry Potter World* this morning, while I couldn’t go due to work stuff next week. So they are going through the usual frantic last minute packing crisis and demanding that I help load this and find that…while I had just spent yesterday on a clear liquid diet, undergoing the cleanout process, and getting up this morning without any coffee goddamnit. I have to admit that after an hour of this, during which time my nerves got stretched like piano wire, the most prominent thing in my head was the famous/infamous thought “how can I miss you if you won’t go away?”However, I got through the procedure, had a buddy drive me to and from, got home at 1:30, collapsed and slept until 7:30. Lemme tell ya, the demerol/versed combo is teh awesome – one second you’re lying on the gurney bullshitting with the nurses and the next you’re trying to figure out how to work the buttons on your shirt. Now I get to be a bachelor for the next week and am reviewing the local live music listings…and trying not to contemplate the disaster zone that is currently the X domicile after the packing frenzy.
*Daughter’s nirvana, as she is the ultimate fan of all things Potter-related. Very cool for a theme park, although they do everything but put a meter on your nose so they can charge you for breathing. A brother in law was bitching to me about feeling ripped off when we were there 3-4 years ago; I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. My response: “Dude, you’re at a theme park. In Florida. You are here to be ripped off, it’s what these places are for. If you don’t like it, don’t come, you think Disney World is any different?” Some people, I tell ya…can’t say I’m all that unhappy about my sis in law getting a divorce, hanging out with him was like partying with Eeyore.
eemom
@the Conster:
omg…..how about David Janssen from The Fugitive??
the Conster
@eemom:
Jack Lord more than David Janssen (and totally more than James MacArthur (who was gay!), and Mike Connors. Mike Connors did it for me. James Franciscus, also too, gave me that little stomach flip.
Steeplejack
@eemom:
David Janssen from Harry O better.
SiubhanDuinne
@Soonergrunt: Be safe
Anne Laurie
@Quaker in a Basement:
Gambare, one of the few Japanese expressions I know (from anime, of course). Technically it means something like ‘make a diligent effort’, but it’s used (a lot) where we would say ‘Way to go, guys!’ or ‘You can do it!’ Gambare, pengie-chan! — you go, cute little penguins!
It always tickles me that the Japanese are nuts for penguins — they are both severely formal & (to human eyes) ridiculous, so it makes perfect sense.
Quaker in a Basement
@Anne Laurie: Badtz Maru to you!
greenergood
Why do you think the cute penguins are wearing African dress? I think they’re wearing penguin kimonos, without the obi sash, which wouldn’t work with penguins as they don’t really have waists.