6.26.2008

Lists!

It is actually physically difficult for me to encounter a list of "classic" or "essential" anything in pop culture and not
A) cross off or highlight everything i've seen, heard or read
B) start composing mini-reviews of each of the items i've already seen, hear or read
and
C) make immediate plans to see, hear or read everything that remains unhighlighted and unreviewed.

so don't be surprised if, because of ew's evil, evil ways a lot of their lists start popping up here while i do just that.

not right now, of course, because there's a maniac baby in my lap who will barely let me type.
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6.12.2008

"I didn't want to be a planet anyway!"

I love it when we anthropomorphize stuff that isn't anthropomorphic. I understand that we all felt sad that Pluto was no longer a planet. It makes sense--it's totally weird to grow up with the universe in one configuration and have it change abruptly.  And I get the bit of transference that happens when we feel sorry for Pluto.

Today, apparently, Pluto is getting a little cred back. Sure, it's never going to be a planet again, but at least it gets other stuff named after it. IF you're an artist formerly known as a dwarf planet and IF you're further away from our sun than Neptune, then you get to be called a "plutoid"

So far, this means that Pluto itself and one other celestial body (either Erin or Eris, there's a typo in the article and I'm ignorant as to the real name) are now plutoids. Another dwarf planet somewhat closer to the sun (Ceres) has to stay a dwarf planet.

So, it seems to me that we've got 3 things floating out there that aren't quite planets and are otherwise more or less the same except for location, but we had to give these things two classifications instead of just one. Is it me, or does this feel like needless obfuscation on the part of astronomical braniacs?

Also, if Pluto was sad it wasn't a planet, how does Ceres feel about not getting to be a plutoid? Or is it happy to remain the only dwarf planet in the solar system? What does Erin/Eris think about it? Is it sad that people don't even know how to spell it's name? Is it all sulky in the corner, thinking bitter angry thoughts about Pluto?  Is Pluto full of itself now and lording it over the other plutoid?

These are important questions, and I need answers!
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6.08.2008

blog at a button

i love the instant gratification of the blog button. thumbs up to flock. i approve.

but here is the point of this blog entry:

agent casper has written and directed the screen adaptation of choke, which is fascinating to me (especially since the only other thing he's written was the screenplay for what lies beneath.

so anyway...i'm excited by that. also nice to see sam rockwell in the lead role...and disappointed in myself for not knowing about this sooner!
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6.07.2008

The Softness of the Center

The Softness of the Center:

Testing the blog a picture feature: more awesome!
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Testing

So, what happens when I blog from here? I'm using the blogging function in Flock, which I'm not 100% sure about, but mostly I'm liking some of the stuff...especially once I realized I could still use iGoogle easily and turn other features on and off. It's not super-friendly with del.icio.us like Firefox is, but I might be able to get used to digg. I'll have to put some stuff in there and test it out. I'll know in a few days.

Okay, they're playing bad aerosmith on the radio now, so I've got to go change the station. And then maybe watch some battlestar.
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6.06.2008

shut up, harvard

the year i graduated from portland state, we had miss america and fellow student katie harmon speak at our commencement. she had accomplished nothing beyond being pretty and having good posture in heels (which, admittedly, is something).

the graduation before me was bill clinton, the one after me was outgoing oregon symphony conductor james depriest, whose speech totally moved me to tears. so..i feel shafted and like i have a viable beef where commencement speakers are concerned (granted, it could've been much, much worse).

and i know, portland state is no harvard (for one thing, harvard is now cheaper for someone at my income level!), but come on, who wouldn't be doing frickin' cartwheels to have jk rowling at my commencement. i don't think it's reasonable to dismiss the single most influential author of our time (doubt me, go take a look at the young adult section of your local bookstore) as "some children's writer." i also don't really get why she wouldn't compare favorably with bill gates--harry potter's as universally known as windows, but without the bugs (unless you count all of the camping in book 7).
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