I never do this
PJ
(like that's new, but oh well), and so ungodly boring (IMO) so much so
that I regularly click "mark all read," I'm just longing for some
coolness and fun here on this froup.
Anyone writing anything cool these days? Anyone interview a really cool
person lately? Anyone learned anything cool lately, like something that
you didn't know before? Anyone observe something in society that was
gross or funny or interesting or disgusting? Anyone wanted to throw a
book across the room because after trying to read it, it so disappointed
you?
Come on peeps, talk. Enliven this place.
Boots, you start.
~ ~ ~
PJ
$Zero
> Never. But holy sheesh, the posts lately have been so all over the place
> (like that's new, but oh well), and so ungodly boring (IMO)
it needed to be said.
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.writing/msg/c7b7ab9a8b4280fd
> so much so
> that I regularly click "mark all read," I'm just longing for some
> coolness and fun here on this froup.
>
> Anyone writing anything cool these days?
everytime a finger touches a key.
> Anyone interview a really cool person lately?
the cashier at the local Megamart for my latest book about career
tracks for students.
interesting conversation.
> Anyone learned anything cool lately, like something that
> you didn't know before?
yeah.
i learned about my accountability for eavesdropping in restaurants.
> Anyone observe something in society that was
> gross or funny or interesting or disgusting?
bwah!
> Anyone wanted to throw a book across the room because
> after trying to read it, it so disappointed you?
Paula probably has.
> Come on peeps, talk. Enliven this place.
will that be mastercard or visa?
> Boots, you start.
bwah!
-$Zero...
from ignorance to knowledge
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.writing/msg/a4c8332b871c11ab
john.ku...@sympatico.ca
Let's see:
Friday I tried a new method of turning a round keepsake box on my
lathe that worked out pretty well. The method lets me use thinner
bits of stock to get the same effect as using thicker bits but has
less waste.
Bought a new jigsaw today ( The old B&D was worn out after 25 years of
use) German, Built like a MAN truck:
http://www.man-mn.co.uk/en/Trucks/Trucks.jsp
Last week I got an Altec Lansing 5.1 surround sound system to hook my
laptop into. I can now drown out anything the kids are playing on
their IPod docks.
Freaked out one of the kid's friends the other night when I picked
them up from the mall, and then proceeded to do donuts in the parking
lot just for fun.
I do Kool things like blow out the sidewalks and paths around here so
all the old ladies and their poofy white dogs have no excuse for not
walking in winter.
There's other stuff too, but I won't go on because it would be too
much like bragging.
serenebabe
<...>
> Anyone writing anything cool these days? Anyone interview a really cool
> person lately? Anyone learned anything cool lately, like something that
> you didn't know before? Anyone observe something in society that was
> gross or funny or interesting or disgusting? Anyone wanted to throw a
> book across the room because after trying to read it, it so
> disappointed you?
I'd like to hear your answers to those questions...
--
It's All About We! (the column)
http://www.serenebabe.net/ - new 1/2
gekko
and, furthermore, said:
> Boots, you start.
You told people to enliven things -- not whine them to death.
--
gekko
All progress is based upon a universal innate desire on the part of
every organism to live beyond its income. --Samuel Butler
Mark
>
> Boots, you start.
>
> ~ ~ ~
> PJ
Here's something cool.
http://www.velocityaircraft.com/
---
Mark
Jackson Pillock
>
> Anyone writing anything cool these days?
I've been rewriting, telling myself to 'trust the process.' That
means, in my case, writing several drafts, working through provisional
material. I have definite ideas about what this thing I'm writing is,
and how it should read, and have the first half pretty much sorted. In
my hopefully non-blinkered opinion, it's going to stand out from the
pile on the strength of the opening. So now I've got to deliver a
brilliant ending, and it's so nearly there. This is about the sixth
draft; think I'm two away from showing it to someone.
Anyone interview a really cool
> person lately?
A thatcher, as it happens. Got to hang out on the scaffolding and chat
while he worked. Thatching's a real global trade. Pretty much every
culture has some kind of thatching involved.
Anyone learned anything cool lately, like something that
> you didn't know before?
There are small, armored ant-eaters called pangolins.
Echosyn
That's more like it.
_Echosyn
chris....@gmail.com
> Never. But holy sheesh, the posts lately have been so all over the place
> (like that's new, but oh well), and so ungodly boring (IMO) so much so
> that I regularly click "mark all read," I'm just longing for some
> coolness and fun here on this froup.
>
> Anyone writing anything cool these days? Anyone interview a really cool
> person lately? Anyone learned anything cool lately, like something that
> you didn't know before? Anyone observe something in society that was
> gross or funny or interesting or disgusting? Anyone wanted to throw a
> book across the room because after trying to read it, it so disappointed
> you?
I am taking the plunge into chic (or is that hen) lit. Great idea; now
we'll have to see if the execution lives up to the promise. LIfe's
short: you might as well amuse yourself.
Aside from that, I'm fascinated by Oprah. What would it be like if all
the women in America took a vow not to talk about weight for a year?
And decided to run for public office instead?
Chris.tine
chris....@gmail.com
<chris.edit...@gmail.com> wrote:
k
(Just roundin' up that there missing rascal. . .)
boots
>I'm just longing for some coolness and fun here on this froup.
"Nurse! This patient needs thorazine, stat! Wait, nevermind that,
bring this one some of the pink acid!"
>Anyone writing anything cool these days?
Whenever not? Link to my almost-new blog in the sig. Deal.
> Anyone interview a really cool person lately?
Fucksake, find me one?
> Anyone learned anything cool lately, like something that
>you didn't know before?
Yeah, I learnt that the primary air inlet of our woodstove is in the
front by the glass. I learnt to rake the coals toward it and add new
wood at the back so it's hot-aired about the head'n'shoulders. I
learnt that I need to split the logs down another couple three times
for the teeny tiny firebox.
> Anyone observe something in society that was
>gross or funny or interesting or disgusting?
Something in *what*? "society"? Yer makin' me laff here.
> Anyone wanted to throw a
>book across the room because after trying to read it, it so disappointed
>you?
No but I watched "A Walk On The Clouds" or some shit last night, Neo
played a lovestruck GI, and it was total crap.
>Come on peeps, talk. Enliven this place.
>
>Boots, you start.
As if.
--
Political correctness is the art of being thoughtlessly
sensitive to the needs of others, meat comes from rotting
carcasses, economics and politics are about power, and
power is just plain fear.
http://www.commentsfromnobody.blogspot.com/
boots
Oh, now that's just rude!
Why am I reminded of a quote from Tommy Boy? Yeah, I know, because
I'm too retarded to read books and watch "good" video literature.
Anyway it goes like this:
"Listen up, you little spazoids. I know where you live and I've seen
where you sleep. I swear to everything holy that your mothers will cry
when they see what I've done to you."
Now, please be FUCKING NICE!
boots
>PJ <autho...@gmail.com> put the bop in the bop-shoo-bop-shoo-bop,
>and, furthermore, said:
>
>
>> Boots, you start.
>
>You told people to enliven things -- not whine them to death.
Unless of course the horse of course is the famous miz gekko.
boots
>Friday I tried a new method of turning a round keepsake box on my
>lathe that worked out pretty well. The method lets me use thinner
>bits of stock to get the same effect as using thicker bits but has
>less waste.
>
>Bought a new jigsaw today ( The old B&D was worn out after 25 years of
>use) German, Built like a MAN truck:
Yo! Bruddah toolie!
Ug like tools. Make many strange objects. Ug!
boots
>Anyone learned anything cool lately, like something that
>> you didn't know before?
>
>There are small, armored ant-eaters called pangolins.
Are those the venomous mammals they yakked about in BBC news t'other
day? Didja see the pitcher of the pink iguana? Darwin missed some
critters while he was playin' Gilligan, didn't he. Who knows, maybe
they evolved since then, or were spontaneously generated, or fell from
the sky in a rain of stuff innit.
serenebabe
<chris....@gmail.com> said:
<...>
> Aside from that, I'm fascinated by Oprah. What would it be like if all
> the women in America took a vow not to talk about weight for a year?
> And decided to run for public office instead?
Did Oprah do that? Or are you using her as an example of a woman with
great potential for serious leadership who is so sadly, sadly obsessed
with her weight? (I don't follow her, but know people who do.)
john.ku...@sympatico.ca
boots
Did I mention that my one lathe is a small metal lathe that only
requires 300 watts of power? That it sits next to the small milling
machine? Across from the small bandsaw that's next to the belt/disc
sander that's next to the shitarsed Delta drillpress with a crapshite
chuck that won't hang onto a fucking drill and needs 50000amps to
start up, but at least sits above the arc welder? No, I rather doubt
that I mentioned it. Shame, innit?
john.ku...@sympatico.ca
Well you have now.
I really did not mean that as a dig you know.
When I had my big shop I used to make some money with all this stuff.
But that was years ago.
Anyway, since you were nice enough to post your inventory, I'll post
mine:
The big wood lathe runs off a 1 hp tfcd motor. it sits next to the 1.5
hp 10 inch table saw which sits next to the Euro-craftsman style 6
foot solid oak work bench. Across from that is my radial arm drill
press (yes that one) my 12 inch sliding compound chop saw, the radial
arm saw, the router table (5 hp 1/2 inch, PC industrial variable speed
electronically controlled) and last but not least the Rockwell 14 inch
band saw (without lift kit).
The two smaller lathes are Emco's one which converts into a mill-
drill.
Don't even think of getting me started on the hand tools.
And on that firewood thing.
If you are back to the land, you should know that women folk used to
split wood and kindling all the time. Men were required to cut and
gather logs, haul them out with a team and chunk them into usable
sizes for the women. Once that was done, the men could go off hunting
while the women would be able to end fire on their own.
Many women were very skilled in the use of an axe.
Ultraviolet
> On Jan 12, 5:01 pm, PJ <authores...@gmail.com> wrote:
<>
> > Anyone wanted to throw a book across the room because
> > after trying to read it, it so disappointed you?
>
> Paula probably has.
Hey! I didn't throw it, exactly. But fucksake it was boring -- The
Moor's Last Sigh by Rushdie, recommended by a friend. Clever wordplay
that I appreciated at first, but it quickly became tedious. Giant
globs of backstory about distant relatives before I even had a chance
to care about the protag. Why do writers do that? I hate it. If you
have to explain back to the Big Bang to describe your character, maybe
you should rethink the thing, eh? Tell the damn story already.
--
UV
Mark
>
> Many women were very skilled in the use of an axe.-
Sylvia
> "$Zero" wrote:
> > PJ wrote:
>
> <>
> > > Anyone wanted to throw a book across the room because
> > > after trying to read it, it so disappointed you?
> >
> > Paula probably has.
>
>
> Hey! I didn't throw it, exactly.
<...>
LIAR! LIAR! LIAR!
<holding ice pack to petite bump on head and crying tiny tears>
--
Sylvia
gekko
news:sj7pm4tcfevn3o7vu...@4ax.com:
<snip>
pwned. totally.
--
gekko
Abstainer: a weak person who yields to the temptation of denying
himself a pleasure. --Ambrose Bierce
boots
I really did not take it as one you know.
>When I had my big shop I used to make some money with all this stuff.
>But that was years ago.
Money? Oh yeah, I remember now. They're likely to stop using that
oneday soon. Once it's all gone. Assuming the guys who print it get
old and forget how.
>Anyway, since you were nice enough to post your inventory, I'll post
>mine:
Well, I didn't, I just mentioned a few things to get you to reply so
I'd have a chance to converse with a brother toolie.
>The big wood lathe runs off a 1 hp tfcd motor. it sits next to the 1.5
>hp 10 inch table saw which sits next to the Euro-craftsman style 6
>foot solid oak work bench. Across from that is my radial arm drill
>press (yes that one) my 12 inch sliding compound chop saw,
I hope to buy a 12-inch chop saw next summer, I figure it would be
about right for taking aspen logs down to stove-sized chunks. Used
the table saw for that this fall and it worked fine except I worried
about damaging the table saw before I'd completed the cabinet making.
And the table saw is only 10" and was borderline on size. Chop saw's
the way to go I think. Chainsaws mostly suck.
> the radial
>arm saw, the router table (5 hp 1/2 inch, PC industrial variable speed
>electronically controlled) and last but not least the Rockwell 14 inch
>band saw (without lift kit).
>
>The two smaller lathes are Emco's one which converts into a mill-
>drill.
>
>Don't even think of getting me started on the hand tools.
>
>And on that firewood thing.
>
>If you are back to the land, you should know that women folk used to
>split wood and kindling all the time. Men were required to cut and
>gather logs, haul them out with a team and chunk them into usable
>sizes for the women. Once that was done, the men could go off hunting
>while the women would be able to end fire on their own.
>
>Many women were very skilled in the use of an axe.
I'll talk to Lizzie and see if... nevermind, I'll split the wood
myself thanks.
--
Political correctness is the art of being thoughtlessly
sensitive to the needs of others.
boots
>boots <n...@no.no> let the dogs out in
>news:sj7pm4tcfevn3o7vu...@4ax.com:
>
>
><snip>
>
>pwned. totally.
Been typing long?
--
Political correctness is the art of being thoughtlessly
sensitive to the needs of others.
john.ku...@sympatico.ca
Aspen?
No wonder you're freezing!
Look at this:
http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/W/AE_wood_heat_value_BTU.html
It does not burn well and it really clogs up the chimney.
boots
>Aspen?
>
>No wonder you're freezing!
Freezing? I was cold while we were living in the trailer and heating
it with propane, but half the time when I have the woodstove going
here in the house (maybe I should say "cabin" but it ain't logs) the
temp indoors is 80F+ and the windows are open. Heat plus fresh air
plus snow fallling outside is a very pleasant combination.
>Look at this:
>http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/W/AE_wood_heat_value_BTU.html
>
>It does not burn well and it really clogs up the chimney.
Don't believe everything you read, and don't draw conclusions based on
tables that don't tell the whole story.
john.ku...@sympatico.ca
Perhaps Atlantic aspen is different than what you have up in the hills
( could be because yours would be slower growing and tighter ringed),
but I can remember having a lot of trouble with the wood stove when I
burned aspen in New Brunswick.
Best performance was from two year seasoned maple and birch. but then
it was a Finnish wood stove so go figure.
Still you have to do the math: # of cals expended to get value of
BTU's that will allow you to continue consuming and expending cals.
boots
>On Jan 14, 8:10 am, boots <n...@no.no> wrote:
>> "Koolchi...@smurfsareus.xxx" <john.kulczy...@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>> >Aspen?
>>
>> >No wonder you're freezing!
>>
>> Freezing? I was cold while we were living in the trailer and heating
>> it with propane, but half the time when I have the woodstove going
>> here in the house (maybe I should say "cabin" but it ain't logs) the
>> temp indoors is 80F+ and the windows are open. Heat plus fresh air
>> plus snow fallling outside is a very pleasant combination.
>>
>> >Look at this:
>> >http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/W/AE_wood_heat_value_BTU.html
>>
>> >It does not burn well and it really clogs up the chimney.
>>
>> Don't believe everything you read, and don't draw conclusions based on
>> tables that don't tell the whole story.
>>
>> --http://www.commentsfromnobody.blogspot.com
>
>Perhaps Atlantic aspen is different than what you have up in the hills
>( could be because yours would be slower growing and tighter ringed),
I have no experience with any other aspen than what's here.
This stuff is kind of odd. Depending on how long (and maybe how) it's
seasoned it may be very soft or so hard you can barely cut it with an
ax. In contrast the pine and spruce seem fairly consistent in those
characteristics across time.
>but I can remember having a lot of trouble with the wood stove when I
>burned aspen in New Brunswick.
>
>Best performance was from two year seasoned maple and birch. but then
>it was a Finnish wood stove so go figure.
Not sure exactly where ours is made, some Scandanavian country, it's a
Jotul F100 and seems to be a very efficient stove, but the firebox is
fairly small and it'll take me some time to learn how to get more than
a 4-hour burn from a load of aspen.
Up here I'd have to import maple or birch, but I have literally more
aspen, pine, and spruce falling down every year than I can cut up and
burn. I might end up selling pine and spruce cordwood to get rid of
it, but I'll burn the aspen myself.
>Still you have to do the math: # of cals expended to get value of
>BTU's that will allow you to continue consuming and expending cals.
BTU is only part of the total equation. Burn temp, stove efficiency,
burn time, and the thermal mass of the stove all enter into how much
usable heat you get, and creosote comes from resin content and low
temps in the flue. Based on flue-temps, stovetop-temps and flame, I'm
very pleased with the way our aspen burns and given its lower resin
content I have hopes of minimal creosote buildup.
I do wish that I'd bought a stove with a slightly larger firebox, but
that might just be a newbie thing and experience is a good teacher.
I am so not looking forward to sweeping the chimney next summer
regardless. Have you done your own sweeping or did you have it done,
or as many do just ignore it?
PJ
>> that I regularly click "mark all read," I'm just longing for some
>> coolness and fun here on this froup.
>>
>> person lately? Anyone learned anything cool lately, like something that
>> you didn't know before? Anyone observe something in society that was
>> gross or funny or interesting or disgusting? Anyone wanted to throw a
>> book across the room because after trying to read it, it so disappointed
>> you?
>>
>>
> Let's see:
>
> Friday I tried a new method of turning a round keepsake box on my
> lathe that worked out pretty well. The method lets me use thinner
> bits of stock to get the same effect as using thicker bits but has
> less waste.
>
> Bought a new jigsaw today ( The old B&D was worn out after 25 years of
> use) German, Built like a MAN truck:
>
> http://www.man-mn.co.uk/en/Trucks/Trucks.jsp
>
> Last week I got an Altec Lansing 5.1 surround sound system to hook my
> laptop into. I can now drown out anything the kids are playing on
> their IPod docks.
>
> Freaked out one of the kid's friends the other night when I picked
> them up from the mall, and then proceeded to do donuts in the parking
> lot just for fun.
>
> I do Kool things like blow out the sidewalks and paths around here so
> all the old ladies and their poofy white dogs have no excuse for not
> walking in winter.
>
> There's other stuff too, but I won't go on because it would be too
> much like bragging.
Well THAT certainly livened the place up! <g>
~ ~ ~
PJ
PJ
> On 2009-01-12 17:01:38 -0500, PJ <autho...@gmail.com> said:
> <...>
>> Anyone writing anything cool these days? Anyone interview a really
>> cool person lately? Anyone learned anything cool lately, like
>> something that you didn't know before? Anyone observe something in
>> society that was gross or funny or interesting or disgusting? Anyone
>> wanted to throw a book across the room because after trying to read
>> it, it so disappointed you?
>
> I'd like to hear your answers to those questions...
Nah.
~ ~ ~
PJ
PJ
> PJ <autho...@gmail.com> put the bop in the bop-shoo-bop-shoo-bop,
> and, furthermore, said:
>
>
>> Boots, you start.
>
> You told people to enliven things -- not whine them to death.
Ooooh, snippy lizard.
~ ~ ~
PJ
PJ
>
> means, in my case, writing several drafts, working through provisional
> material. I have definite ideas about what this thing I'm writing is,
> and how it should read, and have the first half pretty much sorted. In
> my hopefully non-blinkered opinion, it's going to stand out from the
> pile on the strength of the opening. So now I've got to deliver a
> brilliant ending, and it's so nearly there. This is about the sixth
> draft; think I'm two away from showing it to someone.
Sounds like you're motivated ... and disciplined. And poised to become a
star!
>
> Anyone interview a really cool person lately?
>
> A thatcher, as it happens. Got to hang out on the scaffolding and chat
> while he worked. Thatching's a real global trade. Pretty much every
> culture has some kind of thatching involved.
Oh definitely. 'Round these parts, the uber-cool thing is Parksing.
Just kidding.
>
> Anyone learned anything cool lately, like something that you didn't know before?
>
> There are small, armored ant-eaters called pangolins.
I just googled it and those critters are darned cute!
http://www.cbc.ca/asithappens/STEAM/2005/Pangolin2.jpg
~ ~ ~
PJ
PJ
> On Jan 12, 4:01 pm, PJ <authores...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Never. But holy sheesh, the posts lately have been so all over the place
>> (like that's new, but oh well), and so ungodly boring (IMO) so much so
>> that I regularly click "mark all read," I'm just longing for some
>> coolness and fun here on this froup.
>>
>> Anyone writing anything cool these days? Anyone interview a really cool
>> person lately? Anyone learned anything cool lately, like something that
>> you didn't know before? Anyone observe something in society that was
>> gross or funny or interesting or disgusting? Anyone wanted to throw a
>> book across the room because after trying to read it, it so disappointed
>> you?
>
> I am taking the plunge into chic (or is that hen) lit. Great idea; now
> we'll have to see if the execution lives up to the promise. LIfe's
> short: you might as well amuse yourself.
Best of luck to you.
>
> Aside from that, I'm fascinated by Oprah. What would it be like if all
> the women in America took a vow not to talk about weight for a year?
> And decided to run for public office instead?
Well I don't know about running for public office, but I get sick to
death of hearing women talk about weight. A huge pet peeve is women who
are overweight and are constantly touting The Newest Great Diet that
won't work any more than any other fad diets work. I lost 30 pounds over
2 years, not by doing anything more than breaking the horrid habit of
pigging out. A piece of pizza is fine. A half-pizza is not fine. A Big
Mac once in a while is fine. A super-sized Big Mac meal every day for
lunch is not fine.
And so forth.
Women who are constantly on diets, constantly talk about being on diets,
and whose weight yo-yos up and down like, well, like yo-yos, are dumb.
~ ~ ~
PJ
john.ku...@sympatico.ca
Your stove is from Finland and good quality, does it have the built in
BBQ rack? Mine did. I used to slow cook pot roasts on it as well.
I called someone to do the chimney. No point in falling off the roof
for a $30.00 job.
Maple will burn longer than aspen. Why not burn your aspen during the
day and set a maple fire during the night? You should still have coals
under the ash ( not the tree) in the morning.
Just don't burn any of those "glow logs" they have all sorts of stuff
that will gum up your works really well.
Re: Aspen
http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/usda/amwood/217aspen.pdf
john.ku...@sympatico.ca
boots
Not unless it's something I'm not recognizing. It's a *small*
firebox, I'd be doing good to build a fire and have room for a hotdog,
much less a pot roast.
>I called someone to do the chimney. No point in falling off the roof
>for a $30.00 job.
Costs more here, around $150 from what I've heard so far, but I
haven't really done much checking.
>Maple will burn longer than aspen. Why not burn your aspen during the
>day and set a maple fire during the night?
Because I'd have to pay money for maple? Probably more than the
propane heater would cost when it occasionally kicks in?
> You should still have coals
>under the ash ( not the tree) in the morning.
>
>Just don't burn any of those "glow logs" they have all sorts of stuff
>that will gum up your works really well.
I don't even burn colored paper in the thing.
Though I'll admit to stopping and looking at those cityboy
fire-starter sticks. <g>
john.ku...@sympatico.ca
Well it was a feature of the Efel stove that I had.
Pot roast was done on top of the stove in a roasting pan.
>
> >I called someone to do the chimney. No point in falling off the roof
> >for a $30.00 job.
>
> Costs more here, around $150 from what I've heard so far, but I
> haven't really done much checking.
That's 12 years of inflation.
serenebabe
Bummer.
--
It's All About We! (the column)
http://www.serenebabe.net/ - new 1/14
"A Woman's Right to Kill Her Baby"
PJ
> On 2009-01-14 08:55:16 -0500, PJ <autho...@gmail.com> said:
>> serenebabe wrote:
>>> On 2009-01-12 17:01:38 -0500, PJ <autho...@gmail.com> said:
>>> <...>
>>>> Anyone writing anything cool these days? Anyone interview a really
>>>> cool person lately? Anyone learned anything cool lately, like
>>>> something that you didn't know before? Anyone observe something in
>>>> society that was gross or funny or interesting or disgusting? Anyone
>>>> wanted to throw a book across the room because after trying to read
>>>> it, it so disappointed you?
>>> <...>
>>>
>>> I'd like to hear your answers to those questions...
>>
>> Nah.
>
> Bummer.
Oh okay. I started this thread to get other peeps talking, but I'll
throw in a few words.
I just got the proof back for my book about drunk driving, and it's one
that when I finished it, I was filled not with a sense of
accomplishment, but rather just felt deeply disturbed. Some horrific
things have happened and I had to dig into them and write about them,
and some made me physically sick. Glad that one's done.
I finished manuscripts on solar power and wind power, and the research
for both was very interesting. What I'm going to start now is a very
different sort of book -- part of a series called Ghosts and Hauntings,
and mine is entitled Ghosts. It will definitely be fun to work on
something that isn't so intense for a change (unless I end up getting
haunted, and then we'll see).
I haven't interviewed anyone cool recently, but I've had many, many
interviews with uber-cool people, some of whom are quite famous, like
Dave Barry and also Dylan Brown (supervising animator for Finding Nemo
etc.). That's always a great experience.
As for books, I finished reading Plum Island by Nelson DeMille and then
I read Dean Koontz's latest book, Your Heart Belongs to Me. Great book
-- spooky.
I never threw a book across the room but after I finished reading Rise
and Shine, by one of my favorite authors, Anna Quindlen, I wanted to
throw *her* across the room because I despised the ending. It was one of
those, "Was that REALLY NECESSARY?"
That's probably enough about me for now. :-)
~ ~ ~
PJ
serenebabe
<...>
> On 2009-01-12 17:01:38 -0500, PJ <autho...@gmail.com> said:
>>>> <...>
>>>>> Anyone writing anything cool these days? Anyone interview a really cool
>>>>> person lately? Anyone learned anything cool lately, like something that
>>>>> you didn't know before? Anyone observe something in society that was
>>>>> gross or funny or interesting or disgusting? Anyone wanted to throw a
>>>>> book across the room because after trying to read it, it so
>>>>> disappointed you?
<...>
> Oh okay. I started this thread to get other peeps talking, but I'll
> throw in a few words.
<...>
> I never threw a book across the room but after I finished reading Rise
> and Shine, by one of my favorite authors, Anna Quindlen, I wanted to
> throw *her* across the room because I despised the ending. It was one
> of those, "Was that REALLY NECESSARY?"
<...>
She was one of my favorites, too. I'm trying to remember what put me
off of her fairly recently. It wasn't Black and Blue, that was fine. It
was one of her fiction books. I decided I didn't like her storytelling
at all. I like her compilations of columns, though.
Was it her fiction you liked most? Or her nonfiction?
Isn't that a great fear of so many writers, though, that their work
will be liked and then they won't be able to meet up to readers'
expectations? One of the gadgillions of versions of fear that keep us
from actually writing.
gekko
<n...@no.no> posted to misc.writing:
> gekko <Miz....@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>boots <n...@no.no> let the dogs out in
>>news:sj7pm4tcfevn3o7vu...@4ax.com:
>>
>>
>><snip>
>>
>>pwned. totally.
>
> Been typing long?
>
as I said.
--
gekko
Money is the root of all evil, and man needs roots
boots
>I finished manuscripts on solar power and wind power, and the research
>for both was very interesting.
Were those separate manuscripts? I'm curious what approach you took.
Did you choose undirected but informative? Did you lean toward what
the on-grid community can do to reduce energy dependence? Did you
lean toward the concept of off-grid living? Did you take some other
approach?
> What I'm going to start now is a very
>different sort of book -- part of a series called Ghosts and Hauntings,
>and mine is entitled Ghosts. It will definitely be fun to work on
>something that isn't so intense for a change (unless I end up getting
>haunted, and then we'll see).
As part of your research will you be glued to the Sci-Fi channel
watching Ghost Hunters International? <g>
PJ
> PJ <autho...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I finished manuscripts on solar power and wind power, and the research
>> for both was very interesting.
>
> Were those separate manuscripts?
Two separate books. Solar power first, then wind power.
> I'm curious what approach you took. Did you choose undirected but informative? Did you lean toward what the on-grid community can do to reduce energy dependence?
> Did you lean toward the concept of off-grid living? Did you take
some other approach?
I don't lean toward any one point of view when I write educational
books, boots. I research the topic to death, and then cover all
viewpoints, from the most glowing proponents to the naysayers. I want my
readers to have all the facts and make up their own minds how they feel
about a particular topic. That comes through most with the "issues"
books I've written, like stem cells, video games, and animal
experimentation. Then you get some *real* controversy going.
>> What I'm going to start now is a very
>> different sort of book -- part of a series called Ghosts and Hauntings,
>> and mine is entitled Ghosts. It will definitely be fun to work on
>> something that isn't so intense for a change (unless I end up getting
>> haunted, and then we'll see).
>
> As part of your research will you be glued to the Sci-Fi channel
> watching Ghost Hunters International? <g>
Nah. I don't watch much TV. But I do have a basket full of books from
the library!
~ ~ ~
PJ
boots
>boots wrote:
>> PJ <autho...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I finished manuscripts on solar power and wind power, and the research
>>> for both was very interesting.
>>
>> Were those separate manuscripts?
>
>Two separate books. Solar power first, then wind power.
>
>> I'm curious what approach you took. Did you choose undirected but informative? Did you lean toward what the on-grid community can do to reduce energy dependence?
> > Did you lean toward the concept of off-grid living? Did you take
>some other approach?
>
>I don't lean toward any one point of view when I write educational
>books, boots. I research the topic to death, and then cover all
>viewpoints, from the most glowing proponents to the naysayers. I want my
>readers to have all the facts and make up their own minds how they feel
>about a particular topic.
That sounds fairly sterile, I'd say. It isn't clear to me how it
applies to either solar or wind power. Without information about how
the technologies can be applied, it's... hmm, sterile?
You must think of the technologies as something political if they have
proponents and naysayers. I don't quite get it, they're ways of
producing electrical energy, not political agendas of some kind.
They both work, and using them's a matter of applying some fairly
basic principles. I don't see them as other than technical topics.
Having a "viewpoint" about either seems to me a judgement of whether
they apply to a given situation, not whether they're good/bad.
Congratulations, you've increased my curiosity about the way you
presented them.
> That comes through most with the "issues"
>books I've written, like stem cells, video games, and animal
>experimentation. Then you get some *real* controversy going.
You view solar and wind power as "issues"? I'll mention that to my
wind turbine next time I'm out there, "Dude, you're an issue! Woot!"
>>> What I'm going to start now is a very
>>> different sort of book -- part of a series called Ghosts and Hauntings,
>>> and mine is entitled Ghosts. It will definitely be fun to work on
>>> something that isn't so intense for a change (unless I end up getting
>>> haunted, and then we'll see).
>>
>> As part of your research will you be glued to the Sci-Fi channel
>> watching Ghost Hunters International? <g>
>
>Nah. I don't watch much TV. But I do have a basket full of books from
>the library!
The commercials for Ghost Hunters Internation make it seem like quite
a fun way to waste some time. I've never seen it though, it isn't
broadcast during National Laundry Hour.
PJ
> PJ <autho...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> boots wrote:
>>> PJ <autho...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I finished manuscripts on solar power and wind power, and the research
>>>> for both was very interesting.
>>> Were those separate manuscripts?
>> Two separate books. Solar power first, then wind power.
>>
>>> I'm curious what approach you took. Did you choose undirected but informative? Did you lean toward what the on-grid community can do to reduce energy dependence?
>>> Did you lean toward the concept of off-grid living? Did you take
>>> some other approach?
>>
>> I don't lean toward any one point of view when I write educational
>> books, boots. I research the topic to death, and then cover all
>> viewpoints, from the most glowing proponents to the naysayers. I want my
>> readers to have all the facts and make up their own minds how they feel
>> about a particular topic.
>
> That sounds fairly sterile, I'd say.
The word is *objective*. I don't want my readers to know how PJ Parks
feels about solar or wind power, I want them to know what scientists say
about solar or wind power.
> It isn't clear to me how it applies to either solar or wind power.
Well then maybe you should buy my books when they're in print. :-)
> Without information about how the technologies can be applied, it's... hmm, sterile?
I didn't say that I don't include information about the technologies; I
said I don't lean toward one particular point of view.
> You must think of the technologies as something political if they have
> proponents and naysayers. I don't quite get it, they're ways of
> producing electrical energy, not political agendas of some kind.
It's true that renewable energy isn't as controversial of a topic as
others I've written about, but there is still controversy. With wind
power, for example, there's a huge brouhaha over how turbines kill
birds, but the truth is 1 bird is killed by wind turbines for every
5,500 birds that are killed by colliding with buildings. The biggest
problem is with older wind farms that had turbines too close to the
ground and not spaced far enough apart, so they were directly in the
migratory path of birds. (Bat mortality is still a problem, though.)
Another issue people complain about is that turbines are too noisy, or
that they make them physically ill. A much more serious issue is that
wind turbines interfere with weather and aircraft radar. And then there
are those who say that no matter how much wind power is exploited, it
will never be a viable source of energy. See? Controversy. Nothing
sterile about it.
> They both work, and using them's a matter of applying some fairly
> basic principles. I don't see them as other than technical topics.
> Having a "viewpoint" about either seems to me a judgement of whether
> they apply to a given situation, not whether they're good/bad.
See above.
> Congratulations, you've increased my curiosity about the way you
> presented them.
Good.
>
>> That comes through most with the "issues"
>> books I've written, like stem cells, video games, and animal
>> experimentation. Then you get some *real* controversy going.
>
> You view solar and wind power as "issues"? I'll mention that to my
> wind turbine next time I'm out there, "Dude, you're an issue! Woot!"
See above.
>>>> What I'm going to start now is a very different sort of book -- part of a series called Ghosts and Hauntings,
>>>> and mine is entitled Ghosts. It will definitely be fun to work on
something that isn't so intense for a change (unless I end up getting
>>>> haunted, and then we'll see).
>>> As part of your research will you be glued to the Sci-Fi channel
>>> watching Ghost Hunters International? <g>
>> Nah. I don't watch much TV. But I do have a basket full of books from
>> the library!
>
> The commercials for Ghost Hunters Internation make it seem like quite
> a fun way to waste some time. I've never seen it though, it isn't
> broadcast during National Laundry Hour.
I watched one episode on the recommendation of my daughter, and it was
pretty cool. I may watch it again.
~ ~ ~
PJ
boots
>boots wrote:
>> PJ <autho...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> boots wrote:
>>>> PJ <autho...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I finished manuscripts on solar power and wind power, and the research
>>>>> for both was very interesting.
>
>>>> Were those separate manuscripts?
>
>>> Two separate books. Solar power first, then wind power.
>>>
>>>> I'm curious what approach you took. Did you choose undirected but informative? Did you lean toward what the on-grid community can do to reduce energy dependence?
>>>> Did you lean toward the concept of off-grid living? Did you take
>>>> some other approach?
>>>
>>> I don't lean toward any one point of view when I write educational
>>> books, boots. I research the topic to death, and then cover all
>>> viewpoints, from the most glowing proponents to the naysayers. I want my
>>> readers to have all the facts and make up their own minds how they feel
>>> about a particular topic.
>>
>> That sounds fairly sterile, I'd say.
>
>The word is *objective*. I don't want my readers to know how PJ Parks
>feels about solar or wind power, I want them to know what scientists say
>about solar or wind power.
>
>> It isn't clear to me how it applies to either solar or wind power.
>
>Well then maybe you should buy my books when they're in print. :-)
I'd love to, so maybe you should send me the money that would require.
<g>
>> Without information about how the technologies can be applied, it's... hmm, sterile?
>
>I didn't say that I don't include information about the technologies; I
>said I don't lean toward one particular point of view.
>
>> You must think of the technologies as something political if they have
>> proponents and naysayers. I don't quite get it, they're ways of
>> producing electrical energy, not political agendas of some kind.
>
>It's true that renewable energy isn't as controversial of a topic as
>others I've written about, but there is still controversy.
Oh. Okay. Nobody I knows who uses it thinks anything about it is
controversial except how to most effectively use it.
> With wind
>power, for example, there's a huge brouhaha over how turbines kill
>birds, but the truth is 1 bird is killed by wind turbines for every
>5,500 birds that are killed by colliding with buildings.
"colliding with buildings"? Fucksake, now *that* is stupid!
> The biggest
>problem is with older wind farms that had turbines too close to the
>ground and not spaced far enough apart, so they were directly in the
>migratory path of birds. (Bat mortality is still a problem, though.)
>Another issue people complain about is that turbines are too noisy, or
>that they make them physically ill. A much more serious issue is that
>wind turbines interfere with weather and aircraft radar. And then there
>are those who say that no matter how much wind power is exploited, it
>will never be a viable source of energy. See? Controversy. Nothing
>sterile about it.
Sounds like pretty dumb controversy to me, but now I can see that
you're viewing "wind energy" as "wind farms" in the context of
replacing coal-burning powerplants. Otoh I'm viewing it as energy
available to provide offgrid electricity in locations where being
ongrid isn't practical or, in my case, ridiculously costly.
>> They both work, and using them's a matter of applying some fairly
>> basic principles. I don't see them as other than technical topics.
>> Having a "viewpoint" about either seems to me a judgement of whether
>> they apply to a given situation, not whether they're good/bad.
>
>See above.
>
>> Congratulations, you've increased my curiosity about the way you
>> presented them.
>
>Good.
Meanypants.
>>> That comes through most with the "issues"
>>> books I've written, like stem cells, video games, and animal
>>> experimentation. Then you get some *real* controversy going.
>>
>> You view solar and wind power as "issues"? I'll mention that to my
>> wind turbine next time I'm out there, "Dude, you're an issue! Woot!"
>
>See above.
>
>>>>> What I'm going to start now is a very different sort of book -- part of a series called Ghosts and Hauntings,
> >>>> and mine is entitled Ghosts. It will definitely be fun to work on
>something that isn't so intense for a change (unless I end up getting
>>>>> haunted, and then we'll see).
>
>>>> As part of your research will you be glued to the Sci-Fi channel
>>>> watching Ghost Hunters International? <g>
>
>>> Nah. I don't watch much TV. But I do have a basket full of books from
>>> the library!
>>
>> The commercials for Ghost Hunters Internation make it seem like quite
>> a fun way to waste some time. I've never seen it though, it isn't
>> broadcast during National Laundry Hour.
>
>I watched one episode on the recommendation of my daughter, and it was
>pretty cool. I may watch it again.
Dammit, now I'm forced to want to watch it too. Makes me glad I
haven't owned a TV in the better part of a decade! Beware brain
pollution. <g>
PJ
>> The biggest problem is with older wind farms that had turbines too close to the
>> ground and not spaced far enough apart, so they were directly in the
>> migratory path of birds. (Bat mortality is still a problem, though.)
>> Another issue people complain about is that turbines are too noisy, or
>> that they make them physically ill. A much more serious issue is that
>> wind turbines interfere with weather and aircraft radar. And then there
>> are those who say that no matter how much wind power is exploited, it
>> will never be a viable source of energy. See? Controversy. Nothing
>> sterile about it.
>
> Sounds like pretty dumb controversy to me, but now I can see that
> you're viewing "wind energy" as "wind farms" in the context of
> replacing coal-burning powerplants.
Yep. And believe me, there's a lot of fiery talk (pun intended) about
coal, and how dirty it is, and how polluting it is, and how some mining
practices (like mountaintop removal) destroys the environment, and how
wind is clean energy that doesn't pollute, and how its potential has
barely been tapped, etc. etc. Lots of juicy stories covering all sides.
> Otoh I'm viewing it as energy available to provide offgrid electricity in locations where being ongrid isn't practical or, in my case, ridiculously costly.
Whether on a large or small scale, it's a fantastic source of energy.
Good for you for making use of it. If I'd known that, I would've
interviewed you.
< ... >
~ ~ ~
PJ
Sylvia
<...>
> Did I mention that I have 3 lathes?
A reminder from the god Apollo: "Nothing to excess."
Did I mention that my BIRTHDAY is on April 23rd?
--
Sylvia <--- doesn't own a lathe... yet
boots
>Mr. Koolchicki wrote:
>
><...>
>> Did I mention that I have 3 lathes?
>
>A reminder from the god Apollo: "Nothing to excess."
>
>
>Did I mention that my BIRTHDAY is on April 23rd?
What would you do with a lathe?
Sylvia
<...>
> A piece of pizza is fine. A half-pizza is not fine.
<...>
That's right, a half a pizza is *mighty* fine!
<blink!>
HEY! That is *not* wot ya meant, is it, Miz PJ?
<bristling>
DAMMIT! Are you people starting on me for that *again*?
1. It was a *petite* pizza.
2. I did *not* eat the entire pizza.
3. All I had et that day was a petite bit of breakfast, two states earlier.
[shaddap, Mr. Stan ]
--
Sylvia
[ FLASHBACK: Aug 2004 ]
Miz Sylvia: "I delicately nibbled at a bit of pizza at Mr. Rick's
('Everyone Comes To Rick's', doncha know) and the
*next* day I delicately nibbled a bit of pizza at
Casa Lutz."
Mr. Stan: "BLSHT! Gesundheit! Thenk kew! *sniff*"
Miz Sylvia: " <GLARE!> "
Miz Doyle: "Sylvia. The only thing you 'delicately nibbled' on was
the empty box your LARGE pizza came in"
Miz Sylvia: "Did not nibble on a pizza box!"
Miz Doyle: "Did. To start. Then you started growling as the box
got soggier and soggier"
Miz Sylvia: "HA! I didn't growl! That was my tummy rumblin' on
account of how hungry I was from NOT eatin' a lot
of pizza!
Miz Doyle: "... after you'd scoffed the whole thing down BY yourself."
Miz Sylvia: "Did not eat the entire pizza!"
Miz Doyle: "YO! Anybody except Sylvia have any pizza that night?
Miz Sylvia: " <jumping up and down> Hello?! Y'all were scoffin' down
Philly Steaks! I offered to share my *little*
pizza, but NOOOOOOOOOOO! No one wanted any."
Miz Doyle: "Even find a tiny morsel of tooth-marked pizza crust?"
Miz Sylvia: "Big deal! So I don't leave pizza bones! The rest of
the slices got put in the fridge."
[ HERE IT COMES, FOLKS! ]
Mr. Stan: "Woman eats like she's going to the chair in the morning."
[ WUZ THAT MEAN OR WOT? ]
Miz Sylvia: "I need energy to put up with you Despicable Type Friends."
Miz Doyle: "We are NOT dispicable.
"We're dethpicable, and damned proud of it.
Miz Sylvia: " http://www.misc-writing.com/despicable.html "
PJ
> Miz PJ wrote:
>
> <...>
>> A piece of pizza is fine. A half-pizza is not fine.
> <...>
>
> That's right, a half a pizza is *mighty* fine!
>
> <blink!>
>
> HEY! That is *not* wot ya meant, is it, Miz PJ?
>
> <bristling>
>
> DAMMIT! Are you people starting on me for that *again*?
>
> 1. It was a *petite* pizza.
>
> 2. I did *not* eat the entire pizza.
>
> 3. All I had et that day was a petite bit of breakfast, two states earlier.
>
> [shaddap, Mr. Stan ]
Somebody's feeling a leetle bit guilteeeee.
~ ~ ~
PJ
John Ashby
"boots" <n...@no.no> wrote in message
news:sn2vm4h47enpgl9kd...@4ax.com...
> Sylvia <syl...@cliffhangerREMOVE.com> wrote:
>
>>Mr. Koolchicki wrote:
>>
>><...>
>>> Did I mention that I have 3 lathes?
>>
>>A reminder from the god Apollo: "Nothing to excess."
>>
>>
>>Did I mention that my BIRTHDAY is on April 23rd?
>
> What would you do with a lathe?
Turn nasty.
john
chris....@gmail.com
> On 2009-01-13 00:35:32 -0500, "chris.edit...@gmail.com"
> <chris.edit...@gmail.com> said:
> <...>> Aside from that, I'm fascinated by Oprah. What would it be like if all
> > the women in America took a vow not to talk about weight for a year?
> > And decided to run for public office instead?
>
>
> Did Oprah do that? Or are you using her as an example of a woman with
> great potential for serious leadership who is so sadly, sadly obsessed
> with her weight? (I don't follow her, but know people who do.)
No, Oprah's back on the weight thing. The promos all have her saying
"I can't believe I'm still talking about it." Neither, of course, can
the rest of us.
The frustration about women not getting into leadership roles (when it
comes to public office, more often a result of not even trying) is all
mine, not hers.
Chris.tine