Friday, October 31, 2008

Halloween

Happy Halloween to those who celebrate it.

I really miss Halloween, here in my country some people and bars organize parties, but that's not my style. I miss trick-or-treating... badly...

Thursday, October 30, 2008

No more please

I don't mean to sound racist, but if I ever have to hear a Mexican speaker again, I think I'll go postal.

Seriously, as of late they have developed a presentation style of 10-year-old kids who just stand up and read from PowerPoint. Whenever a student of mine does that, it gets proper tongue lashing for it.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Not doing your work

Some people never bother to do their work right...

Q: So, we all know that Yawgmoth is the big bad Thran at the heart of the Weatherlight Saga. We've seen his Will, his Edict, his Bargain, his Agenda and more... but we seem to be pretty short on the big guy himself! So I guess I'm asking... is Yawgmoth actually depicted on any cards?
–David, Mercer Island, WA, USA

A: From Monty Ashley, Magic Web Team:

Actually, he is. Wait, is Yawgmoth a "he"? Let's go with "it" is, just in case. I present you with a look at raw, unfiltered Yawgmoth:

Of course, that means that Yawgmoth also appears on the Seventh Edition version:

At first, I wasn't sure whether Yawgmoth Demon was the Yawgmoth, or maybe just "a demon of Yawgmoth". But here's the art description for the Ninth Edition version, which seems to settle the question pretty definitively:

Color: Black
Location: Phyrexia
Action: Show Yawgmoth, who is an enormous flying abomination of Phyrexian origin (a necro-tech setting). It should have two horns and wings, but the rest is up to you. Should be a horrifying flesh/metal hybrid.

So there you go! Note that this doesn't mean that Yawgmoth's full name is "Yawgmoth Demon". He's not related to Maxwell Demon, the on-stage persona of Brian Slade in Todd Haynes's glam rock movie Velvet Goldmine, is what I'm trying to say.


Was it too much to read the damned books and reply that he's on the background of Last stand, or that he's the "Hanna" of Jilt, or all the people in the stands of Phyrexian Arena?

Monday, October 27, 2008

Chondromalacia patellae

Just adding it to the list of diseases and problems I know I have.

Is MacGyver a superhero?



I'll agree with her.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Windows Who cares?

After the Windows Vista fiasco, Microsponge is now pushing Windows 7 asap.

I miss DOS... meanwhile I'll have to keep on using XP (did you know Windows originally wanted people to pay monthly suscription fees for using XP?).

Thursday, October 23, 2008

So?

So? What if Obama has socialist or communist ideals? Who ever said there was something wrong with those systems?





If the lowest-class people were smart enough to read (if they did they wouldn't be low class in the first place), they'd see some socialist and communist politics would be good for them.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

I want a Black Raptor

So, you can help me by signing up to Perfect World, following this link.

If I make it, I'll put a picture of my happy avatar on it :p

Festival Kawaii 2008


Good luck to the organizers in their efforts to do something nice and enjoyable.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Mitos y Leyendas

I just discovered this TCG.

Eager to see it for myself.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Biker Mice from Mars

I remember I liked the original show... no idea how good or bad this sequel is...

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Deadly Dozen

See the list, and take the necessary precautions.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Nice

Two VERY nice images:





The real entry for today is still on writing.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Sketchathon 2 results

The results are up, and every piece is wonderful. Congrats to ALL the winners for such wonderul ideas, and MANY thanks to Pete for doing this.

I'm also very happy too to say that one of my ideas won:

<@Pete_Venters> Clue: Bookworm
well it's none of my stuff :(
nico bolas?
Exactly
Baby Nicol?
<@IoBG> Nicol isn't evil, he just has a bad temper.
<@Pete_Venters> Clue: BookwUrm
nico reading an evil genius book
as a baby
>.>
* Pdr_br (Mibbit@mib-8ABA6254.dsl.telepac.pt) has joined #TCG_Chat
<@Pete_Venters> Clue: QF2
bookwyrm
* ithystpete (Mibbit@mib-5B19637A.tampfl.dsl-w.verizon.net) has joined #TCG_Chat
white-BLUE-red?
japoniano?
<@Pete_Venters> Winner #13: Japoniano "Classic Nicol Bolas art, but as a baby. Instead of holding a book and reading in a throne, he's in a baby seat seeing a picture book, add a pacifier to his mouth and a diaper so it'll be obvious he's a baby."
Yep
Ahahahaha
That looks awesome
<@Pete_Venters> One of my favorite pieces. Drawn to match the pose on the original card.
http://forums.gleemax.com/attachment...d =1223764502
I knew it was the torsoo
you could put it in mtg kart double dash
aww
awwww
he's so cute!
awwwwww
question - how big chances would have my "full map of Dominaria" suggestion, Pete? ^^^
Just like I pictured...
hahahah
<@Pete_Venters> One day he will gwow up to be master of the universe. Yes he will!
Cochie Cochie coo
hahaawwww
Heheheh. Cute.
who's the daddy?!
* Woozie810 (Mibbit@mib-E081A278.nwrk.east.verizon.net) has joined #TCG_Chat
he's probably his own father
TIME PARADOX
Niv-Mizzit
Come on, who divided by zero? Own up.

Here it is in all it's glory:



I'm already looking for a frame for it :)

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

And now you know

Copy/pasted from an email I got:

When you visit a public bathroom, you usually find a line of women, so you smile politely and take your place.  Once it's your turn , you check for feet under the stall doors. Every stall is occupied.
 
Finally, a door opens and you dash in, nearly knocking down the woman leaving the stall.
 
You get in to find the door won't latch. It doesn't matter, the wait has been so long you are about to wet your pants!   The dispenser for the modern 'seat covers' (invented by someone's Mom, no doubt) is handy, but empty. You would hang your purse on the door hook, if there was one, but there isn't - so you carefully, but quickly drape it around your neck, (Mom would turn over in her grave if you put it on the FLOOR! ), yank down your pants, and assume ' The Stance.'
 
In this position your aging, toneless thigh muscles begin to shake. You'd love to sit down, but you certainly hadn't taken time to wipe the seat or lay toilet paper on it, so you hold 'The Stance.'
 
To take your mind off your trembling thighs, you reach for what you discover to be the empty toilet paper dispenser.  In your mind, you can hear your mother's voice saying, 'Honey, if you had tried to clean the seat, you would have KNOWN there was no toilet paper!'
Your thighs shake more.
 
You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on yesterday - the one that's still in your purse. (Oh yeah, the purse around your neck, that now, you have to hold up trying not to strangle yourself at the same time). That would have to do. You crumple it in the puffiest way possible.   It's still smaller than your thumbnail .
 
Someone pushes your door open because the latch doesn't work. The door hits your purse, which is hanging around your neck in front of your chest, and you and your purse topple backward against the tank of the toilet. 'Occupied!' you scream, as you reach for the door, dropping your precious, tiny, crumpled tissue in a puddle on the floor, lose your footing altogether, and slide down directly onto the TOILET SEAT. It is wet of course. You bolt up, knowing all too well that it's too late. Your bare bottom has made contact with every imaginable germ and life form on the uncovered seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper - not that there was any, even if you had taken time to try.   You know that your mother would be utterly appalled if she knew, because, you're certain her bare bottom never touched a public toilet seat because, frankly, dear, 'You just don't KNOW what kind of diseases you could get.'
 
By this time, the automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is so confused that it flushes, propelling a stream of water like a fire hose against the inside of the bowl that sprays a fine mist of water that covers your butt and runs down your legs and into your shoes. The flush somehow sucks everything down with such force that you grab onto the empty toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged in too.
 
At this point, you give up. You're soaked by the spewing water and the wet toilet seat.  You're exhausted.  You try to wipe with a gum wrapper you found in your pocket and then slink out inconspicuously to the sinks.
 
You can't figure out how to operate the faucets with the automatic sensors, so you wipe your hands with spit and a dry paper towel and walk past the line of women still waiting.
 
You are no longer able to smile politely to them. A kind soul at the very end of the line points out a piece of toilet paper trailing from your shoe. (Where was that when you NEEDED it??)   You yank the paper from your shoe, plunk it in the woman's hand and tell her warmly, 'Here, you just might need this.'
 
As you exit, you spot your hubby, who has long since entered, used, and left the men's restroom. Annoyed, he asks, 'What took you so long, and why is your purse hanging around your neck?'
 
This is dedicated to women everywhere who deal with a public restrooms (rest??? you've GOT to be kidding!!). It finally explains to the men what really does take us so long. It also answers their other commonly asked questions about why women go to the restroom in pairs.   It's so the other gal can hold the door, hang onto your purse and hand you Kleenex under the door!

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

It's hard to say goodbye

Not the prettiest one around there, but she shall be missed:



Since tomorrow I'll be at the congress I wrote about last week, so there might not be any entries these days.

Monday, October 06, 2008

Must read

If anyone's making a Christmas list for me, add this please: Vincent Bugliosi's The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder.

Just to keep them safe

Need to keep these links safe and not loose them later.

http://www.mymagic.ru/buy.php

http://www.mirfantasy.com/en/

http://www.sargona.ru/eng/contacts.shtml

Friday, October 03, 2008

Keep it up

Not that I actually watch or care about it, but María José Castillo is still alive in the Latin American Idol thing, being now among the top two. I truly hope she manages to this appropriately for something.

I'm forced to know about this thing because of my co-workers, who have threatened to kidnap my cellphone and send votes from it. I've seen some videos of her performance and interviews, and I don't see anything spectacular there.

In other news, it was GNU's bday last week.

Thursday, October 02, 2008

Alert to MtGSalvation users

THIS email is REAL:

FROM: mtgsadmin@gmail.com

Your passwords may have been compromised.

It was discovered by a user who passed the info on to staff. I suggest changing your pass as soon as possible.

If you have any issues with this, please email me at shaara_song@(nospam)yahoo.com.

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Bullshit

Why the Discomfort Over Free Trade

If that title had a question, the answer would be VERY simple (pardon the translation):

MEMORANDUM

President of the Republic,
Minister of the Presidency

From: Kevin Casas, Fernando Sanchez

Date: July 29, 2007

Subject: Some urgent actions to trigger the YES campaign to NAFTA

Dear Oscar gift and Don Rodrigo:

After the long conversation on Friday, 27, after participating in a discussion on the FTA in San Isidro de Heredia, activity which was quite revealing, we have decided to bring this memorandum, which points out some actions that we think suitable to activate as soon as possible campaign in favor of NAFTA. Obviously, they are not the only ones that should be done, but we think are important.

1. Establish a committee strategy YES campaign

This is perhaps the most urgent of all. At the moment there is no clear guidance on what to do to win, how and with whom. But, even worse, there is no established mechanism to make such decisions. What you need, half is pure operational structure and pure response tactics, not strategy. That vacuum has been filled with decisions (or lack thereof) taken by the media group, which is clearly insufficient. It is essential that the President and Minister of the Presidency are part of that committee.

2. Building a social coalition in favor of NAFTA

Here transcribe what one of us wrote almost 3 years ago in a memorandum addressed to Marco Vinicio Ruiz: "The debate is not going to win the government nor employers are going to win, but it can win a coalition. One of the serious mistakes they have committed sectors favorable to NAFTA has been delegated his defense in the negotiators of the agreement, and generally in government. Even before the recent scandals that have undermined confidence in the political establishment, the levels of governance of the government were already very low and likely to confer legitimacy to a project as controversial. At this point nobody believes a word the government nor the politicians and thus would be crazy delegating the role of defending the treaty. Form a coalition and make the defense of NAFTA is a collective work is crucial not only to overcome the task of legitimacy, but to prevent the discussion acknowledged the same imbalance that was widely visible during the conflict in the "combo" in 2000 , When the organization of the opponents had no counterweight to the voice of the government. It is vital to demonstrate that in the discussion on the FTA, there are two large blocks of interest, and that means that the sectors that are interest-friendly nothing so intense and widespread as those of opponents, must be organized and articulated. This is essential if the discussion on the FTA does not run with the same sort of "combo". "

The importance of this point can not be ignored. The campaign on the FTA is becoming what they never should have left it to become: a struggle between rich and poor, and between people and government. The coalition that we have against is formidable: universities, churches, unions, environmental groups, and so on. And on the other side, in favor of NAFTA, only the government, and mean, the big businessmen. So there is no way to win. It is urgent to put into the campaign, at least for small employers, Solidarist and to what might be cooperative. And when we get into the campaign is simply that "appear" across the side faces of some of their leaders. Obviously, if these leaders can also effectively control some of these social movements, since so much the better. True, in solidarity, in particular, there is no strong national leadership. If so will have to create them now. We have to give it a presence in some ways faces of the same solidarity and this will become leaders. Who was Eugenio Trejos in the country 6 months ago? It is the exposure in the media that it has become a national leader.

3. Managing a recess in the Legislature

The campaign needs, urgently, presence in all communities in the country. Issuing a recess in the Assembly is key to getting our Members, which are more than the opposition and did not find any limitation to campaign-to communities, to organize the campaign "to walk". It is obvious that this can have some cost to the advance of the legislative agenda, but at the moment this is a problem of third order. The first thing is obviously to win the referendum. In any case, this time in the legislative agenda is not walk due to lack of quorum. That leaves us in the worst of all worlds: the press makes to PLN responsible for the failure of a quorum, while the opposition (and even many of our "allies") is not seen as responsible and go campaign finances. Moreover, the continuation of negotiations in legislative seat exposes us to constant blackmail from our "allies" of legislation, ending featured in the campaign of another.

4. Formalize an alliance with the mayors of municipalities, particularly those of PLN

This is crucial and for similar reasons as above: we need presence throughout the country. There is a letter signed by 72 mayors who is not at all negligible. In it, offering his support for the FTA, asking, is entirely as expected, some things in return. The contents of the letter has elements disposable, others entirely negotiable and others frankly positive for the government (for example, that offer explicit support for tax reform). It is vital to adequately respond to that letter, responding quickly and respond in a large public event.
.
But you have to do more, particularly with the 59 mayors of the PLN. We have to make them responsible for the campaign in each canton and pass, with all crudeness, a very simple idea: that the mayor does not win his canton on Oct. 7 will not receive a five government in the coming 3 years. The same reasoning can be applied to the aldermen, who may be responsible for specific districts. In the latter case we must remind them of their personal aspirations: to win the referendum depends on having real possibilities for aldermen remain or become mayors or deputies. This is not just because the performance of the PLN in the next election will be greatly affected by the outcome of the referendum, but because this election is going to help that the higher authorities of the PLN calibrated wooden leader who has and who does not. Many local leaders are not getting in the campaign to not "burn" before the next election. The reasoning has to be exactly the opposite: the failure to get a full, it will "burn".

What is at the basis of this is a matter of deep and important: it is urgent to expand the circle of people who are "playing hide 'in this referendum. At the moment there among our allies, within and outside the PLN-a general attitude of indolence, as if they think that the only one affected by a defeat would be the president. It is vital that they understand that they are going to come out directly and seriously harmed.

5. PLN to formalize

To build the social coalition said before we left, unfortunately, very short time. What we have in the Hand is something far less drinking, but useful: a political coalition. And that means putting squarely to PLN, which is by far the most important player in that coalition. With the exception of the fraction of legislation, until now the role of the organs of the PLN in support of NAFTA has been too restrained. Not a single official of the PLN in favor of NAFTA, nor a clear direction toward the party structure. That has created great confusion in the leadership, which is well aware, moreover, that there is a part of the party that is against the FTA. The formal structure of the PLN (Directors, Executive Committee) has to come out unequivocally speaking in defense of NAFTA, on the understanding that one of the biggest winners or losers in the referendum will be the PLN.

6. Structuring and launch massive campaign in media

Beyond what can be done in communities and businesses, is so little time that remains, that we should not be any decency in saturating the media with advertising. And precisely because of the short time, it is imperative to conduct the campaign in two directions:

1) to derail the notion that this is a struggle of rich against poor. This requires very well choose the faces of the mass communication and use it almost exclusively workers and small businessmen.

We also need a lot subirle the decibels and the presence of media and discursive to the government's social agenda.

2) Stimulate fear. That fear is four types:

I. Fear in the loss of employment. Here it seems highly recommended intensive use testimonials from people very easily and in a precarious situation, which may lose jobs or have already lost as a result of non-approval of NAFTA. This also is vital to reinforce the idea that this is not a struggle of rich against poor. Similarly, it is possible that in specific regions have a great impact visibility specific cases of companies that have delayed investments, which have cut shifts or who are considering leaving the country for non-approval of NAFTA.

II. Fear of attack on democratic institutions. YES is crucial in making the equivalent to democracy and the institutions (that is what it said Eduardo Ulibarri, we must go to the filling of a YES values and the content of NO in the equivalent of violence and disloyalty to democracy) Here's something very important: this campaign already ceased to be rational and, consequently, on the contents of the FTA. Thus, the defense of democracy is the only recourse we have left to mobilize the emotion of the people who are in favor of NAFTA. At this time the people who are in favor not only has no motivation whatsoever, but who feel intimidated by the motivation that shows the people of NO. We must understand one thing: no one is willing to "die" by free trade, but maybe yes for democracy. We have to give a motivational ethics and not only instrumental to it.

III. Fear of foreign interference in the NO. We have to scrub all around the connection of NO with Fidel, Chavez and Ortega, in fairly strident terms. It is possible that this type of campaign may inconvenience to some people, but it is almost certain that can have significant impact to people simpler, which is where we have the most serious problems.

IV. Fear of the effect of a triumph of NO on the government. All surveys detected a significant degree of satisfaction with the President and the Government. Many people simply did not make the connection that a triumph of NO in the referendum, would leave the government in a precarious position, with totally reduced their effectiveness, and the country in a situation of ungovernability. This connection must be induce. This is an argument that can only work for certain sectors, but it can be very effective to sow doubt. There are three questions that we must planted in the minds of the people, that can make them tiemble fingers are considering whether to vote for the NO:

l. Are they willing to jeopardize economic stability, which almost everybody recognizes as an achievement of the government?

2. Are they prepared to return to the days of Abel, if not ruled anybody, there was no sense of direction and not anything happening in the country?

3. Have you thought about who is going to send in the country if he wins the NO? (Answer induced to the question: will send Albino, Merino, Carazo, etc.).

It is also very important to strengthen the presence on the radio (both national and local) and in rural tracts, where we have major problems. Put into operation batteries in all programs of opinion and improve the publicity of government in a series of radio programs led by people who had every disposition to help the government (eg Javier Rojas, Jaime Pena, etc.).. If the presence of each other on radio does not improve dramatically, this will manifest itself in our weakness in the rural areas. It is quite possible that the problems we have in rural areas have less to do with the merits of the campaign (items unattended or poorly served by this) and more with the way people are reported in rural areas, where the radio is a very powerful medium.

7. Generate large amount of printed documentation on the FTA and on the opposition, suitable for distributed

A serious problem that we have those who are doing proselytizing in favor of the FTA is the total absence of documentation for easy digestion, which can move en masse. As is known, this is a point that has not developed particularly well. At this time the country had wallpaper with ruffles. The documentation must be done is threefold:

1) to clarify the language very simple, some of the most insidious arguments against the FTA (medicine, water, cell phones, etc.).. As part of this, it's very important that some key institutions (eg ICE, CCSS, y, MTSS) generated flyers officially respond in very blunt terms that the flyers are being distributed in their same facilities by the unions of the institutions. This is information leaflets, which can not in any way, ask for support for the FTA (that due to the resolution of the TSE).

2) explaining the effects of a rejection of the FTA on sectors or specific aspects (eg slides of the presentation that uses Jorge Woodbridge);

3) to sow tares on the leaders, motives, methods, financing and international linkages of NO.

8. Organize a systematic program of visits to companies by senior government officials

At this time, the area of proselytizing easier to exploit and that gives us the best chance is by far the business. There's more than one million workers. We need a systematic effort to organize visits to the country's largest companies, with talks in favor of YES given by senior people and with documentation in hand. Any efforts to proselytize is potentially as effective as this. Ideally, this includes five steps:

1) Provide information on what and where are the larger firms;

2) That the bell contact employers to grant a space to chat;

3) That the company immediately sent a letter to the Ministry of Planning requesting that the government will send a representative to talk about the national development plan or vision of the future of the country or something like that (that to cover the backs of the face TSE);

4) Build a program of visits to companies for at least 30 heads of government;

5) The chief visited the company (in some cases accompanied by the deputy of the area) and leaves documentation.

If 30 officers visited 10 companies per week, it will be possible to cover almost 2500 companies in the next 8 weeks. We must give emphasis to the larger and targeted for export. What is important, however, is to ensure that the heads of government and the deputies not to drive platform with the President. This is an unjustifiable waste of time and effort.

9. Organize a massive act of force to give motivation to Campaign

There is great motivation among those who are in favor of NAFTA, disoriented by the absence of a bell, and in many cases, fear of expressing opinions. We have to motivate supporters of the YES, make them feel that the campaign is doing things that are not alone, that we are many. It is advisable to arrange a public event or a massive festival (it could be a march, but there almost always have problems). But people have to be accompanied and motivated.

V Congreso Internacional Innovación, Tecnología y Desarrollo Regional

Official website.

See you there.