A leave of Absense cuz my computer is in the shop for repairs.
While using it today, out of the blue every program shut down and I got a bunch of Error messages that looked too shiny to be Vitsa's normal "opps" message.
So I rebooted my computer.... and it wouldn't load. aprently the files for starting up got corrupted. >.

No, that isn't a typo. Aaron Diaz writes the webstrip Dresden Codak - that's the first "DC".

On his blog, he's looked at what happened in comics this summer - that's the second "DC" - and thought, as almost any creative person is wont to do, that he could do something better.

So he did. And I like what he created - it's an internally-consistent world that's both fun and believable.

Three posts get you the entire universe (less Batman's villains, who haven't been rebooted): the Justice League, the Legion of Doom, and Batman.

(I wonder whether I could talk my gaming group into playing in this universe...?)
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

It has been 8 since I had to buy a new vehicle and mine and that one was a '91. I bought a 2011 Kia Rio LX and I went to from Birmingham, Al. to Atlanta Ga. I was traversing hill country and going at an average speed of 80 mph. It came at to a gas mileage of 30.7 mpg. I'm impressed.
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

People had been saying Cain didn't have any experience in politics. I disagree. Look at what his campaign has done since the story about his alleged sexual harassment in the 90's broke out.

1. Deny it ever happen.
2. Backtrack and say it could had happen, but he didn't remember the details.
3. Accuse the accusers.
4. Accuse another Republican for breaking the story.
5. Accuse of being lynched - i.e. play the race card
6. Finally, put up a statement saying that they are moving on ..i.e. the campaign  doesn't what to talk anymore about it.
Who said that he wasn't presidential material?   
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

DCUO went free-to-play this week. That's less then ten months since launch, and after it did a massive server merge. I think they're having a rough time.

EDIT: And now I've got the full RFC for you to enjoy. Enjoy!

Had this idea pop into my head recently:
a small faction of fen and fendanes who use wavetech to search for 'mythical' and paranormal creatures/phenomenon.  Stuff like Bigfoot/yeti, lake monsters, ghosts, UFO sightings.  a mix of fans of X-Files (and simular shows) and fans of Ghost Hunters/Destination Truth/ect.
___________________________
"I've always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific." - George Carlin

You're all familiar with the 'bacon explosion', and yes, it's wonderful.

This is our variant.

Step one.
Weave the traditional bacon mat, apply sausage. We used Jimmy Dean Sage and Jimmy Dean Hot. Worked good.

http://i.imgur.com/NCDCA.jpg

Step Two.
Apply one pound shredded cheddar, a medium cheddar works well, sharp would possibly work.

http://i.imgur.com/YQXox.jpg

(WARNING: THIS HYPNOTIZES THE DOG http://i.imgur.com/1H55j.jpg )

Step Three.
Cook a pound or so of bacon, cut or break or shred it into flinders.
Apply flinders to the cheesy mat from Step Two. Recommend that you
slightly undercook the bacon.

http://i.imgur.com/V7rnQ.jpg

Step Four.
Roll the bacon-sausage-cheese-bacon into a roll.


http://i.imgur.com/1zHgy.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/MBgvH.jpg

Step Five.
Insult and degrade the poor performance of your bacon.

http://i.imgur.com/NDlkn.jpg

Step Six.
Cook your bacon roll in the oven until it attains an internal
temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit. This prevents death. Recommend a
rack over a cake pan. A cookie tray is insufficient - this step
generated almost 3/4 of an inch of grease for us!

http://i.imgur.com/Uj8ZT.jpg

NOTE: Please refrain from making jokes about 'vigorously thrusting
your steely probe into the meat-hole' while temp checking your bacon.

Step Seven.
Slice and serve. Recommend unobtrusive breads such as plain english
muffins, sourdough, or white bread. Fried egg may be added for extra
yum.


http://i.imgur.com/GZWGC.jpg

Given the additional cheese - we call it the 'Bacon Meltdown'. It was delicious.

http://i.imgur.com/GZWGC.jpg
"No can brain today. Want cheezeburger."
From NGE: Nobody Dies, by Gregg Landsman
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5579457/1/NGE_Nobody_Dies

If one were to compare the overall conflict against Voldemort within the books to a trick archery shot, the components become clear. Voldemort is the target, Dumbledore the archer, Hogwarts the bow, and the Golden Trio are the arrow. For an arrow to fly true, it requires a weighted arrowhead to keep momentum, fletching to cause just enough drag to keep it on track, and a shaft to separate the two and lengthen the moment arm so they don't destabilize it by their own contrary natures. Hermione is then the obvious head, Ron the drag, and Harry gets the shaft. Of the three, I'd call Hermione most heroish, really.

Given that the arrow did strike bullseye after passing through various turbulence and obstacles, an archer making the shot could be called a hero, probably even more since he dropped dead while it was still in flight, but since the arrow was, in fact, human beings rather than scraps of wood and metal, he is a monster, and no less so than Voldemort who also twisted and seduced others into his service. Possibly more so since Voldemort did so with at least some form of consent on their parts, but that is offset by the general torture and murder perpetrated by Tom and his minions.

As for the Trio... who cheers for the arrow? Who mourns if it breaks on impact, so long as the strike was true? Harry was the viewpoint character, so we as the readers are coerced in a way into caring, but since I can't condone cheering the archer, nor the target, and least of all the crowd who stood by and watched, it should be no surprise that it requires major enough changes to the events that the last two or three books are invalidated and the above paradigm with them for me to enjoy an HP story.

- CD, Yeah, I know, it's been chewed over already, but it just kind of came together in the archery metaphor this afternoon and I wanted to share it

ETA: The above also explains why I feel the RW/HG couple would go nowhere, now that I think about it.

ETA2: You could even make an argument for Snape as the bowstring, pulled taught between two opposing points and used to drive the arrow forward by the power of that tension.
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

At another forum I frequent, (WW's Exalted forum) a poster named Lula started a topic asking for people to review a pens and paper rpg system that he had written.  I asked if it would be ok to link to it from another forum as well, and was given the go ahead.  Here's the post from the Exalted forum:

Quote:Lula wrote:

---

Satellite of Love is the Homestuck/Scott Pilgrim RPG which I have been writing for a year or so now. This weekend I am playtesting it at Metatopia, a game design convention. I have a day or so left to edit it. I'd really like some help.
I'll
be available on various messengers all evening and most of tomorrow. If
you want to get in on this action, PM me your information or get at me
via messenger and I'll give you comment access to the text. You can also
talk about it in this topic if you feel like it.
Thanks in advance for your help. Let's get this Satellite into orbit.
Satellite of Love
EDIT: Needless to say, those of you whose advice I take go into the acknowledgements.