Yummies, Mummies, Dummies

So we cooked oysters and pork chomps and garlic bread and taters and squash and garlic and set out brie and crackers, and ate rice and ginger beef (leftovers from lunch, my gosh they were good) and I made a salad and Peggy brought plum squares (heavenly, just heavenly) and I set out melon, and then in a pleasant state of repletion we sat around and talked. I found myself becoming very tired so I kicked them out, but they took Keith with them, Tom and Peggy did, so it all worked out very well (and it’s not like I really kicked them out, it’s just we’re old and tired and it was starting to really piss me off that Keith just sat down and started playing Condemned II Bloodshot while we were trying to talk – you could see Tom starting to get into it). That was the first time we’ve had a formal sit down meal with cloth napkins since we moved in, so really it was about time. Jeff put me at the head of the table. Hmph.

This morning I’m going to go protest Scientology, which is a complete waste of time, but once you have a V mask it just seems like the right thing to do, and then I’m going to the partay…. Tomorrow Father’s Day like family stuff with Paul and the kids, which hopefully will be lighthearted and civil (those hopes are for my behaviour, not other people’s). And somewhere in there, laundry, feeding plants, mucking out my room which once again looks like a bear pit, getting another copy of Songwriter or finding the old one because there’s something screwed up with the registration, and the usual behind the scenes, keeping the whole shivaree running, kinda activities.

One could say “Why not go protest Catholicism?” and that’s a very very good question. Or Mormonism. I’ll tell you why I care enough to protest. L Ron Hubbard used what he learned being a science fiction author to start a religion, make a lot of money, and put himself beyond the law. As an SF fan, I feel a moral obligation to denounce his works. Also, on a personal note, a buddy of mine in Toronto started protesting Scientology 15 years ago, and I feel like a jackass not supporting that effort until Anonymous started up.

And it’s not a religion. The big difference between a legitimate religion and a cult is that you can show up broke and they’ll still love you. You can show up unable to stooge for them and they’ll still love you. In a cult, if you show up broke and unable to help out, out you go. The keeping your mouth shut if you know what’s good for you applies all around, including Unitarianism although less so, but you get the idea. There’s always a price for being part of a group, and in this case, I consider the price to be too high for society, let alone the folks keeping it propped up.

Man, the things people do to belong….

I have been invited to a baby shower! So has Katie! it doesn’t conflict with anything on my schedule! Me happy!

added 16 June – I forgot to mention that the demo went well and about 30 people turned up, but it was a real sausage fest.  The bus drivers were honking in support!  It was fun!

Not much to report

Jeff and I went shopping last night in an attempt to ensure that Peggy and Tom do not go hungry tonight. Pork chomps! Pork chomps! I got a running commentary from Jeff about the complete insanity of the shoppers and the store, and forebore commenting that ‘you should see it when the new Harry Potter book is out, that would amaze you.’

So…. ever see a baby dance to a banjo???

Another kind of baby, to trigger blubbery gushing.

I am in the midst of a hormonal zugzwang at the moment. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, perimenopause sucks a radioactive mop.

Lady Miss B (and Joe) are having a lovely party tomorrow at “Hackerfish Manor”. I am very much looking forward to seeing Dr. Filk, the folks and the house, in that order more or less; Lady Miss B is recovering from knee surgery as part of the ongoing rehab from her scooter accident, moving and holding a party all more or less at the same time, so once again her energy, which, closely parsed, looks like insanity, continues to stupefy me. And she writes lots of songs, go to her website and listen, especially this and this and maybe this too if you have time.

I’ve been thinking, and I don’t want to call the magic house of geeks “Geek House” any more. I want to call it “Geekhaven” partly because of Trollhaven (see archives) but just because it’s more, you know, aesthetic. One day, I will go to Geekhaven… doesn’t that sound nice?

Minister Prentice sends me an email

The Government of Canada has introduced Bill C-61, An Act to Amend the Copyright Act. The proposed legislation is a made-in-Canada approach that balances the needs of Canadian consumers and copyright owners, promoting culture, innovation and competition in the digital age.
What does Bill C-61 mean to Canadians?
Specifically, it includes measures that would:
expressly allow you to record TV shows for later viewing; copy legally purchased music onto other devices, such as MP3 players or cell phones; make back-up copies of legally purchased books, newspapers, videocassettes and photographs onto devices you own; and limit the “statutory damages” a court could award for all private use copyright infringements;

implement new rights and protections for copyright holders, tailored to the Internet, to encourage participation in the online economy, as well as stronger legal remedies to address Internet piracy;

clarify the roles and responsibilities of Internet Service Providers related to the copyright content flowing over their network facilities; and

provide photographers with the same rights as other creators.

What Bill C-61 does not do:
it would not empower border agents to seize your iPod or laptop at border crossings, contrary to recent public speculation

What this Bill is not:
it is not a mirror image of U.S. copyright laws. Our Bill is made-in-Canada with different exceptions for educators, consumers and others and brings us into line with more than 60 countries including Japan, France, Germany and Australia

Bill C-61 was introduced in the Commons on June 12, 2008 by Industry Minister Jim Prentice and Heritage Minister Josée Verner.
For more information, please visit the Copyright Reform Process website at www.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/crp-prda.nsf/en/home
Thank you for sharing your views on this important matter.

The Honourable Jim Prentice, P.C., Q.C., M.P.
Minister of Industry
The Honourable Josée Verner, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women
and Official Languages and Minister for
La Francophonie

Free Pizza

The darnedest thing happened to me last night. I was minding my own business as I walked out of Brentwood Station, and I see a young woman carrying a frozen pizza box.  Then I see a young man carrying a pizza box, and another, and another, and I start getting excited. Sure enough, at the bottom of the ramp there’s a whole bunch of people giving away pizza.

Took care of dinner, anyway.

Tyson

ScaryClown’s buddy Tyson, who’s battled brain cancer for many years past his best before date, died peacefully in his sleep last night, at home.  I’ll post a link to his site, which has a lot of his extremely cool artwork, when I can.

I’m really glad he didn’t die in hospital, and that he was enjoying life to the fullest until the end.  I had brunch with him a couple of months back….

Love each other while you can.

Dinner

It was raining so hard when I got out of work that I took a cab home – I couldn’t deal with not having a brolly and it was ASS FREEZING COLD on the mountain, tks.  And the cabbie hit on me.  No further comments on that.  The Luddite was here – we had chicken fried rice and salad, and the usual Dread Bar of Yummy Chocolate.  Watched some more Earth to the Moon.  The Luddite picked up the Dunnett that Keith is leaving lying around and wanted to know where the naughty bits were.  “Sheesh,” says I in exasperation, “there’s like two sex scenes in that novel and if you blinked you’d miss them.”  “Too many characters,” says he, and I laugh, because that’s what certain other non fans have said to me.  The Luddite makes me laugh rather immoderately; his take on things is wickedly skewed.

I really don’t want to go to Jericho.  It’s at times like these I wish I had a car, because I’d go more often if I did.