Miri is finally doing better, she's up and moving, off the IV, and getting back to her usual bouncy self. Now the fun will be keeping her mellow while she's stuck in the hospital a few more days! Not sure yet what the plan for removing the drainage tube in her neck will be.
It feels like all I do is ask for hand outs (yes, I can hear people nodding, and I'm sure the anonymouses will happy be all snarkeriffic)- but Miri's hospital stay has chewed through the budget (especially gas money, ugh!), and today we discovered one of the van's tires needs replaced asap. (Fraking Murphy). So I'm asking if people could please toss 5-10$ at paypal, and spread the word, so we can get through this latest roadbump. *sigh*. elerihamilton at gmail dot com.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
Miri in Hospital
Heyo, all. Just a quick summary report on the Mousie. She'd been fighting an ear infection since early May, and was still struggling after 2 rounds of basic antibiotic. On MOnday she had a swolen, stiff neck, so we headed to the ER.
They did a CT scan, found abscessing, and did surgery to clean it out and put in a drain. However, over the last couple days, her fever isn't responding like they'd hope- so they went in for another CT and more surgery.
The Dr's are worried that they aren't finding what they should be (puss and dead tissue) with her fever still high (it keeps spiking up to 104), so they put in a second drain to try and get more air in-gunk out.
We're betting right now that she won't be out before the weekend. We're at Seattle Children's, G-3008 if people want to send her cards. She loves mail :)
They did a CT scan, found abscessing, and did surgery to clean it out and put in a drain. However, over the last couple days, her fever isn't responding like they'd hope- so they went in for another CT and more surgery.
The Dr's are worried that they aren't finding what they should be (puss and dead tissue) with her fever still high (it keeps spiking up to 104), so they put in a second drain to try and get more air in-gunk out.
We're betting right now that she won't be out before the weekend. We're at Seattle Children's, G-3008 if people want to send her cards. She loves mail :)
Monday, May 17, 2010
Wisdom Ganked
Completely ganked from Semionaut's Notebook (which you should be paying attention to, good stuff there...)
1. It’s Never “Just a Game.”
2. All Games Are Not Made for All People
3. Opinion is Not an Objective Truth
2. All Games Are Not Made for All People
3. Opinion is Not an Objective Truth
Story is the shared exploration of a relationship over time.
Play is any pastime with a primary goal of self-guided exploration of possibility within a bounded space.
Toy is an object created or used for the purpose of play that suggests, but does not enforce, a set of rules and/or conditions that can be used as a bounded space for play.
Game is a set of rules and/or conditions established by a community and intended as a bounded space for play.
Community is a group of people who have interests or experiences in common.
Participatory Storytelling is the intersection of Story, Play, and Community.
When it is working right, participatory storytelling is where Uru thrives. And that DOESN'T just include 'canon' storytelling.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Ponder...
I have a question, in an area I know less than nothing about, so I fully expect rolled eyes and sighs of dismay from those in the know...
Given that the Plasma engine is as complicated as it is, and even Cyan is having to reverse engineer it as part of open sourcing it...
Would it make more sense from a time/energy/money investment sense, to start from near-scratch with an Open Source engine, like OGRE or Crystal Space?
Given that the Plasma engine is as complicated as it is, and even Cyan is having to reverse engineer it as part of open sourcing it...
Would it make more sense from a time/energy/money investment sense, to start from near-scratch with an Open Source engine, like OGRE or Crystal Space?
Friday, May 07, 2010
Uru Rationalist Manifesto
Uru Rationalist Manifesto (With Discordian Commentary)
We, the undersigned (which might just be me, but hey, what's the internet for, but intense navel gazing?), being members of the Myst, Riven, Exile, Revelation, End of Ages, D'ni and Uru (Henceforth known as the D'niverse [cause who the heek wants to type those names out every time...]) Fan Community, do attest to and support the following statements:
1) Everyone in the Community, up to and including all moderators of all forums, sites, fan gatherings, Cyan Worlds Employees and Interns are assumed to be reasonable, rational human beings. (And not cabbages, super heroes, gods or other paraphenalia, and the ones who aren't rational, we're pretty sure we can spot on our own...)
2) Human Beings Screw Up. This is part of being human. (So is bad BO and liking liver and onions, but you gotta draw the line somewhere...) Mistakes, oversights, bad moods, PMS and other factors are a normal part of human interaction, and are to be expected.
3) The best response to mistakes, bad moods, and other human normative SNAFU is to ask "How is this a problem for me?" Unless the mistake involves an FBI squad at your door, or direct meltdown of your hard drive, the answer is likely to be "It isn't." (And if it is your hard drive melting, how are you on the internet anyhow??)
4) If it is a problem, stop. Breathe. It isn't a problem, really. (No, really. Still don't think so? Go take a cold shower.)
Given that very few things are actually a ZOMG END OF THE WORLD problem in the community, and no one is really Out To Get Us we:
a) Support a MOULa as a collaborative effort between Cyan Worlds, Inc and the D'niverse community. (Can you say "sharing"? I knew you could!)
b) Recognize that Cyan has severely limited resources, not only for working on MOULa themselves, but overseeing community efforts; that this is ZOMG frustrating for people; and that there's not much to do but wait (and run in circles, and take up basket weaving, and raise clams in SL)
c) Feel that Cyan should make clear, reasonable, structured guidelines for adapting code and creating content for Cyan-maintained servers. (Foggy, irrational, and wobbly guidelines need not apply.)
d) That the oversight for those content rules should be provided by a Cyan appointed committee of fans, (if anyone uses the L word, I'll thwap you.) and that committee should consist of at least 2 people from each of the facets of the D'niverse community; Story/Canon/History; Social/Gathering/'OOC' and Technical/Code/'Hacking'
e) That once these things are in place, work can begin on releasing Uru assets in a controlled way (Who opened the floodgates?), because structure for returning those assets in a usable format to Cyan servers exists. (As opposed to That Which Will Crash The Vault)
f) Recognize that once the tools are out there, people will build what they want, when they want, how they want, and run servers and shards all over the place. More power to them! (Remember that whole "How is this a problem?")
Given all of the above, we:
i) Are going to avoid creating, participating in or encouraging drama in official places. (Drama Llamas will be stuffed and mounted)
ii) Bring up concerns we have with any person, forum, group, etc with them directly and privately, and only if we really feel the burning, burning desire to Go There. (Dirty laundry to the chute on the right...)
iii) Reserve the right to throw hissyfits, write essays, (create unimportant manifestos) and rabblerouse in our personal blogs because that's what they are for, and no one is forcing anyone to read them (How is this a problem still applies!)
iv) Are going to hang tight, and wait to see what happens with MOULa, because we can. (And because it's better than a sharp stick in the eye!)
SIGNED:
Me, Eleri, because it's my blog, and it would be very silly putting a manifesto in my blog if I didn't like it, hmmm?
We, the undersigned (which might just be me, but hey, what's the internet for, but intense navel gazing?), being members of the Myst, Riven, Exile, Revelation, End of Ages, D'ni and Uru (Henceforth known as the D'niverse [cause who the heek wants to type those names out every time...]) Fan Community, do attest to and support the following statements:
1) Everyone in the Community, up to and including all moderators of all forums, sites, fan gatherings, Cyan Worlds Employees and Interns are assumed to be reasonable, rational human beings. (And not cabbages, super heroes, gods or other paraphenalia, and the ones who aren't rational, we're pretty sure we can spot on our own...)
2) Human Beings Screw Up. This is part of being human. (So is bad BO and liking liver and onions, but you gotta draw the line somewhere...) Mistakes, oversights, bad moods, PMS and other factors are a normal part of human interaction, and are to be expected.
3) The best response to mistakes, bad moods, and other human normative SNAFU is to ask "How is this a problem for me?" Unless the mistake involves an FBI squad at your door, or direct meltdown of your hard drive, the answer is likely to be "It isn't." (And if it is your hard drive melting, how are you on the internet anyhow??)
4) If it is a problem, stop. Breathe. It isn't a problem, really. (No, really. Still don't think so? Go take a cold shower.)
Given that very few things are actually a ZOMG END OF THE WORLD problem in the community, and no one is really Out To Get Us we:
a) Support a MOULa as a collaborative effort between Cyan Worlds, Inc and the D'niverse community. (Can you say "sharing"? I knew you could!)
b) Recognize that Cyan has severely limited resources, not only for working on MOULa themselves, but overseeing community efforts; that this is ZOMG frustrating for people; and that there's not much to do but wait (and run in circles, and take up basket weaving, and raise clams in SL)
c) Feel that Cyan should make clear, reasonable, structured guidelines for adapting code and creating content for Cyan-maintained servers. (Foggy, irrational, and wobbly guidelines need not apply.)
d) That the oversight for those content rules should be provided by a Cyan appointed committee of fans, (if anyone uses the L word, I'll thwap you.) and that committee should consist of at least 2 people from each of the facets of the D'niverse community; Story/Canon/History; Social/Gathering/'OOC' and Technical/Code/'Hacking'
e) That once these things are in place, work can begin on releasing Uru assets in a controlled way (Who opened the floodgates?), because structure for returning those assets in a usable format to Cyan servers exists. (As opposed to That Which Will Crash The Vault)
f) Recognize that once the tools are out there, people will build what they want, when they want, how they want, and run servers and shards all over the place. More power to them! (Remember that whole "How is this a problem?")
Given all of the above, we:
i) Are going to avoid creating, participating in or encouraging drama in official places. (Drama Llamas will be stuffed and mounted)
ii) Bring up concerns we have with any person, forum, group, etc with them directly and privately, and only if we really feel the burning, burning desire to Go There. (Dirty laundry to the chute on the right...)
iii) Reserve the right to throw hissyfits, write essays, (create unimportant manifestos) and rabblerouse in our personal blogs because that's what they are for, and no one is forcing anyone to read them (How is this a problem still applies!)
iv) Are going to hang tight, and wait to see what happens with MOULa, because we can. (And because it's better than a sharp stick in the eye!)
SIGNED:
Me, Eleri, because it's my blog, and it would be very silly putting a manifesto in my blog if I didn't like it, hmmm?
Modus Operandi
Step 1- Break or skirt a rule. Get called on it.
Step 2- Cry discrimination, point out every other instance of broken rules by others as 'proof'.
Step 3- Sit back and watch the mayhem, as people wonder why their posts are getting modded, ask publicly, and get modded.
Step 4- Point at rash of deleted posts as proof of forum inequality and irrationality, watch as forum explodes into debate, and mods try to keep up.
(Bonus step: at some point manage to work in overzealously enthusuastic community member into debate, use their out there comments as 'community sentiment'.)
The not-funny thing is, this has worked Every Single Time. Every one. In multiple places. It's like watching a train wreck.
Even if reasonable questions and concerns come up during the ensuing flame-and-delete fest, they get lost in the chaos.
Step 2- Cry discrimination, point out every other instance of broken rules by others as 'proof'.
Step 3- Sit back and watch the mayhem, as people wonder why their posts are getting modded, ask publicly, and get modded.
Step 4- Point at rash of deleted posts as proof of forum inequality and irrationality, watch as forum explodes into debate, and mods try to keep up.
(Bonus step: at some point manage to work in overzealously enthusuastic community member into debate, use their out there comments as 'community sentiment'.)
The not-funny thing is, this has worked Every Single Time. Every one. In multiple places. It's like watching a train wreck.
Even if reasonable questions and concerns come up during the ensuing flame-and-delete fest, they get lost in the chaos.
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
What, again?
So, there's another round of Teh Drama in the Uru community again, the usual 'so and so is a problem, Cyan doesn't care, how come they pick on us and let others slide' and so on and so forth. And, as usual, it's a small but very loudly opinionated number of people raising the most fuss, while the vast majority of people just sit back, enjoy D'ni, and wait for the latest bruhah to roll over.
Yeah, so and so is about as extremist in their thinking as a person can get, to the point of it being almost funny, like making fun of Pat Robertson. So what? 99.9% of the rest of us *know* there's no credibility there, so why waste effort freaking out?
Yeah, Cyan isn't releasing things quickly, or being forthcoming, or many other ongoing complaints. So what? Uru is their product, they'll do with it what they will when and how they will it, even if people think it sucks rocks through a twisty straw. So what? Why spend so much energy beating against a wall you can't make come down? Why not put all that energy into making something people will enjoy, rather than being so angry?
Yeah, moderation on the forum is wobbly, inconsistent, and vague. Is it really that important, in the grand scheme of things, that heads roll and wrongs (perceived or actual) be righted? It's just a forum, a tiny corner of the internet with a few hundred or so consistently active people with a fairly common interest.
I remember a time when I thought such things were A Big Deal, worth ranting about, diving into arguments and chaos about, getting worked up until I alternated between rage and tears...and then I realized it wasn't worth the energy I was putting into it- my energy could happily go elsewhere into things that brought something to the community. So that's where I'm at, doing for, with what I have, how I can, and not fretting about what I can't do.
It makes for a much lower BP, and a much more enjoyable life.
Yeah, so and so is about as extremist in their thinking as a person can get, to the point of it being almost funny, like making fun of Pat Robertson. So what? 99.9% of the rest of us *know* there's no credibility there, so why waste effort freaking out?
Yeah, Cyan isn't releasing things quickly, or being forthcoming, or many other ongoing complaints. So what? Uru is their product, they'll do with it what they will when and how they will it, even if people think it sucks rocks through a twisty straw. So what? Why spend so much energy beating against a wall you can't make come down? Why not put all that energy into making something people will enjoy, rather than being so angry?
Yeah, moderation on the forum is wobbly, inconsistent, and vague. Is it really that important, in the grand scheme of things, that heads roll and wrongs (perceived or actual) be righted? It's just a forum, a tiny corner of the internet with a few hundred or so consistently active people with a fairly common interest.
I remember a time when I thought such things were A Big Deal, worth ranting about, diving into arguments and chaos about, getting worked up until I alternated between rage and tears...and then I realized it wasn't worth the energy I was putting into it- my energy could happily go elsewhere into things that brought something to the community. So that's where I'm at, doing for, with what I have, how I can, and not fretting about what I can't do.
It makes for a much lower BP, and a much more enjoyable life.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Iterations of Uru
It's been percolating though my head while sitting in Tsoghal, that there are, in essence, three different iterations of Uru at work. And all of these iterations have had dominance at one point or another.
D'niverse Uru- This is the Uru concerned with history, lore and story. It started with, and centers, around the D'ni, Atrus, Yeesha, etc. Fans creating story of their own, have this as a starting point and as an anchor.
Community Uru- This is the social network that has built up around Uru, built on the foundations of the community of the earlier games. It is independent of the other two, having existed in cohesive form even without a game to log into.
Virtual Uru- The code, the graphics, the potential for Age Building. This is the foundation for Open Source, and the promise of environment growth.
Cyan started the D'niverse Uru, as manifested through the original Virtual Uru. ALCUGS kept Virtual Uru alive for years, which helped maintain Community Uru, which breathes life into the D'niverse by making story and Ages. None could exist without the other, although they are able to stand alone for extended periods of time.
I'm thinking about how very well rounded and fleshed out Uru can be, if it has all three elements supporting it equally: an enthused community, building stories and Ages, that weave into and around the D'niverse. An Uru that is about Stories(Cyan's and our own) AND Open Source code AND Social Interaction.
There's absolutely room in MOULAgain for all three of these- We've started with the community flooding back into the cavern, and stories starting to emerge of where people have been, and what they've been doing. Stories that are creating seeds of potential Ages for fans to build. There's an intangible, hard-to-describe integrity to Uru that I think can easily be maintained by holding all of these iterations to have value and import.
Loss of that, and risk of becoming a 'free for all', will happen if we slip too far into the "If it ain't Cyan it's crrrappp" OR "If it is Cyan it's crrraaapp" mindset. Neither of those are sustainable for long.
D'niverse Uru- This is the Uru concerned with history, lore and story. It started with, and centers, around the D'ni, Atrus, Yeesha, etc. Fans creating story of their own, have this as a starting point and as an anchor.
Community Uru- This is the social network that has built up around Uru, built on the foundations of the community of the earlier games. It is independent of the other two, having existed in cohesive form even without a game to log into.
Virtual Uru- The code, the graphics, the potential for Age Building. This is the foundation for Open Source, and the promise of environment growth.
Cyan started the D'niverse Uru, as manifested through the original Virtual Uru. ALCUGS kept Virtual Uru alive for years, which helped maintain Community Uru, which breathes life into the D'niverse by making story and Ages. None could exist without the other, although they are able to stand alone for extended periods of time.
I'm thinking about how very well rounded and fleshed out Uru can be, if it has all three elements supporting it equally: an enthused community, building stories and Ages, that weave into and around the D'niverse. An Uru that is about Stories(Cyan's and our own) AND Open Source code AND Social Interaction.
There's absolutely room in MOULAgain for all three of these- We've started with the community flooding back into the cavern, and stories starting to emerge of where people have been, and what they've been doing. Stories that are creating seeds of potential Ages for fans to build. There's an intangible, hard-to-describe integrity to Uru that I think can easily be maintained by holding all of these iterations to have value and import.
Loss of that, and risk of becoming a 'free for all', will happen if we slip too far into the "If it ain't Cyan it's crrrappp" OR "If it is Cyan it's crrraaapp" mindset. Neither of those are sustainable for long.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Troop Rally
The City will be placing a large dumpster outside our home from Wed, Nov 4 to Wed Nov 11.
On SATURDAY, NOV 7th there will be an ALL DAY work party starting at NOON, Rain or Shine!
We will need help schlepping, hauling and mucking both inside and outside. The goal is to clear out EVERYTHING that is garbage, broken, unsalvageable, etc.
This includes excavating out both backyard sheds, removing dead bushes and taking apart the broken shed and old doghouse in the back. Inside we'll be removing broken furnature, mattresses, cabnets and other schmutta that needs hauled away.
Please bring yourself, a package of large sized garbage sacks, and anything else you think you'll need, or can share for others to use.
LOANER EQUIPMENT:
tools
garden/work gloves
chainsaw
wheelbarrows
push brooms
If you can't make it on Saturday, please ping us to see about coming over any other day, either to help out, or to bring over garbage sacks and boxes. If you know other people that might be willing to come to the work party on Saturday, PLEASE bring them along.
This will take everyone's help to make this generous donation by the city worthwhile. If we're going to have a fullsize dumpster for a week, WE SHOULD FILL IT UP!
Please RSVP to me or Blade for directions :)
On SATURDAY, NOV 7th there will be an ALL DAY work party starting at NOON, Rain or Shine!
We will need help schlepping, hauling and mucking both inside and outside. The goal is to clear out EVERYTHING that is garbage, broken, unsalvageable, etc.
This includes excavating out both backyard sheds, removing dead bushes and taking apart the broken shed and old doghouse in the back. Inside we'll be removing broken furnature, mattresses, cabnets and other schmutta that needs hauled away.
Please bring yourself, a package of large sized garbage sacks, and anything else you think you'll need, or can share for others to use.
LOANER EQUIPMENT:
tools
garden/work gloves
chainsaw
wheelbarrows
push brooms
If you can't make it on Saturday, please ping us to see about coming over any other day, either to help out, or to bring over garbage sacks and boxes. If you know other people that might be willing to come to the work party on Saturday, PLEASE bring them along.
This will take everyone's help to make this generous donation by the city worthwhile. If we're going to have a fullsize dumpster for a week, WE SHOULD FILL IT UP!
Please RSVP to me or Blade for directions :)
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Emergency HtH Call
The financial situation here went from Going To Be Caught Up And Doing OK... to being $300 in the hole this morning.
Turns out the anethesiologist put through the $1300 we still owed, instead of letting us make payments.
And we have about $1700 in uncleared things, like all the smaller bills, and grocery shopping form last night, and the pumpkin patch, and my birthday. Each one will end up costing us another $35. And with the bank's new policy, we'll get hit with those charges based on the bank balance on the date the charge was authorized, not when it clears.
So we need to come up with an emergency $2000+, or we go back to being Completely Screwed.
Here is website:
http://helpthehamiltons.wordpress.com/
PAYPAL LINK
Turns out the anethesiologist put through the $1300 we still owed, instead of letting us make payments.
And we have about $1700 in uncleared things, like all the smaller bills, and grocery shopping form last night, and the pumpkin patch, and my birthday. Each one will end up costing us another $35. And with the bank's new policy, we'll get hit with those charges based on the bank balance on the date the charge was authorized, not when it clears.
So we need to come up with an emergency $2000+, or we go back to being Completely Screwed.
Here is website:
http://helpthehamiltons.wordpress.com/
PAYPAL LINK
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Unmanageable Community
Blade says it better than I can:
When Uru-related harassment and abuse follows me into other virtual realities, it's time to walk away. When standing up against people being rude and antagonistic gets me summarily rejected by long-time friends, it's not worth the drama anymore.
People want to carry chips and grudges, lash out at people just to prove they are right, that's fine for them. It's a waste of my time and energy to try and engage them.
Until the community responds by rejecting argumentative, attacking behaviour, *and* Cyan can pull off actual community management: someone(s) with actual, unquestionable authority and voice,this sort of backstabby nastyness will keep showing up again and again.
To paraphrase a bumpersticker "Myst, please save me from your followers"
So, at this point, I'm done with Myst fandom. I've had a lot of very good experiences in it, but again and again, I've seen a subset of Myst fans tear apart almost any attempt for someone to take charge of something to get things done. Every time, people get accused of 'power grabs' and 'trying to make thenselves feel important.' There's a subset of loud fans who are obsessed with taking pot shots at people and take the 'question authority' schtick to the extreme of 'question anything that might possibly be seen as authority at all as rabidly as possible and then claim they have been wronged when people finish lash out at them.' Even some of the more reasonable people seem to fall back on the utopian ideal of everything being run by consensus in every single case.
I'm tired of dealing with that sort of abuse. Especially from people who don't actually do anything but hand out abuse. It's been going on for YEARS in the community, and it's usually the same people who cause it. And when they get called on it, they get offended and indignant and use that as an opportunity to take further shots.
... I'm pulling out of Myst fandom as much as I can for a while. I made a commitment to help with Mysterium 2010, and I'll keep that commitment. But otherwise, I'm done.
When Uru-related harassment and abuse follows me into other virtual realities, it's time to walk away. When standing up against people being rude and antagonistic gets me summarily rejected by long-time friends, it's not worth the drama anymore.
People want to carry chips and grudges, lash out at people just to prove they are right, that's fine for them. It's a waste of my time and energy to try and engage them.
Until the community responds by rejecting argumentative, attacking behaviour, *and* Cyan can pull off actual community management: someone(s) with actual, unquestionable authority and voice,this sort of backstabby nastyness will keep showing up again and again.
To paraphrase a bumpersticker "Myst, please save me from your followers"
Monday, June 15, 2009
PT @shadesong *NEW* Learn how to setup a proxy to help #Iran citizens get their media out! PLEASE RT! http://is.gd/12IA6
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Thursday, June 04, 2009
An interesting discussion on "antagonists", excerpted from this article. Reading though it, it is easy to see how one or two people, by being 'antagonistic' (in the definition of this article), can bring a community to its knees.
The word antagonists is defined and used throughout this article in this way: Antagonists are individuals who, on the basis of nonsubstantive evidence, go out of their way to make insatiable demands,usually attacking the person or performance of others. These attacks are selfish in nature, tearing down rather than building up, and are frequently directed against those in leadership.
Some key phrases in this definition deserve closer attention.
Nonsubstantive evidence
The arguments that antagonists present are typically founded on little — or grossly misrepresented — evidence. They tend to quibble over trifles, providing strong proof of irrelevant points, or exaggerate the positions of their opponents. A favorite tactic is to make an assertion that cannot be disproved and then claim that the inability to disprove it makes it true.
Go out of their way
Antagonists initiate trouble; they do not wait for trouble to come along. This often goes hand-in-hand with hypersensitivity on their part. They tend to take every word and action as a personal attack and respond aggressively. For example, their response to something seemingly as minor as your being preoccupied and passing them in the hallway without speaking could result in an attack. Antagonists would rather cause trouble than give anyone the benefit of the doubt.
Insatiable demands
Antagonists are never satisfied. No amount of appeasement on your part or the congregation as a whole will suffice. Instead of calming antagonists, attempts to placate them only encourage them to make more demands. Many antagonists fight until there is nothing left but rubble. Sometimes even that doesn’t stop them.
Attacking
Harsh as the word attacking is, it accurately applies to antagonists. Although they may present some valid points, antagonists generally don’t offer constructive criticism. Their implicit goal is control, no matter what it costs others.
Selfish in nature
The attacks of antagonists are self-serving. They often seize on a slogan or pick some side of a valid issue and pretend that is what they are fighting for. It rarely is. An antagonist will quickly drop a particular slogan or issue once it no longer serves his ambitions.
Tearing down rather than building up
When people are at odds with each other, it is the result of an antagonist’s actions. Instead of pulling...people together, an antagonist divides them. Show me a divided and strife-torn congregation, and I will show you a congregation that has one or more antagonists in its midst.
At times most of us are selfish or headstrong. Without excusing such behavior, we can be sure that occasional surly behavior does not make an antagonist. What separates us from antagonists is the ferociousness of the attacks and the insatiable or tenacious quality that drags out problems interminably.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
oh, so that's what that is...
Evidently I am a "Language descriptivist".
this came up whilst experiencing second hand an argument about 'irregardless'. One one side, the ZOMG THAT ISN'T A WORD crowd, on the other the side I fell on... Are people using it? Can the communicate their meaning using that collection of sounds together? Yes? THEN IT IS A (&@)(*$^(* WORD!*
I tend to find most arguments about spelling and grammar to he horribly pedantic, ocasionaly bordering on the snobby. The only English 'rule' that ever makes me twitch is misplaced posesive apostrophes. And really run-on emails with no attempt to seperate out thoughts.
Beyond that, I spell like crap, but I get my point across. I can never remember, and almost never care the difference between it's and its, and I don't think there needs to be five different way to spell one set of sounds.
Which is why people using netspeak doesn't bug me. Decrying the simplification of language down into the smallest recognizable set of symbols for a collection of sounds makes perfect linguistic sense.
this came up whilst experiencing second hand an argument about 'irregardless'. One one side, the ZOMG THAT ISN'T A WORD crowd, on the other the side I fell on... Are people using it? Can the communicate their meaning using that collection of sounds together? Yes? THEN IT IS A (&@)(*$^(* WORD!*
I tend to find most arguments about spelling and grammar to he horribly pedantic, ocasionaly bordering on the snobby. The only English 'rule' that ever makes me twitch is misplaced posesive apostrophes. And really run-on emails with no attempt to seperate out thoughts.
Beyond that, I spell like crap, but I get my point across. I can never remember, and almost never care the difference between it's and its, and I don't think there needs to be five different way to spell one set of sounds.
Which is why people using netspeak doesn't bug me. Decrying the simplification of language down into the smallest recognizable set of symbols for a collection of sounds makes perfect linguistic sense.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Midwives now!
Health Care Reform Must Include Access to Certified Professional Midwives
Print this out, mail it to your congress beasties and the white house. Spread this link around. Now is the time to beat DC over the head with this.
This is the letter I'm including with mine:
Dear (congressbeastie),
Both the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association have come out in opposition of Certified Professional Midwives and home birth (1), insisting that midwives are unreliable, and the only safe place to birth is in a hospital. This is despite the fact that multiple scientifically sound studies have shown no risk in planned home births with a trained midwife (2). Flat out, the ACOG and AMA are wrong.
There is no scientifically sound reason that women should be denied access in any way (legally or though limitations from a for-profit insurance system) to Certified Professional Midwives, and choice of birth location as deemed appropriate by the woman and her maternity care provider.
I urge you to reject the questionable, non-evidence-based stance of the AMA and ACOG, and support inclusion of Certified Professional Midwives in the future of US health care.
Thank you for your attention,
(Me)
(1) ACOG Statement on Home Births 2/6/08: "The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) reiterates its long-standing
opposition to home births."
AMA Resolution #205 "Home Deliveries" 4/28/08
(2) Perinatal mortality and morbidity in a nationwide cohort of 529,688 low-risk planned home and hospital births; BJOG: An International Journal
of Obstetrics & Gynaecology; April 2009
Outcomes of planned home births with certified professional midwives: large prospective study in North America; BJM 18 June 2005
Print this out, mail it to your congress beasties and the white house. Spread this link around. Now is the time to beat DC over the head with this.
This is the letter I'm including with mine:
Dear (congressbeastie),
Both the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association have come out in opposition of Certified Professional Midwives and home birth (1), insisting that midwives are unreliable, and the only safe place to birth is in a hospital. This is despite the fact that multiple scientifically sound studies have shown no risk in planned home births with a trained midwife (2). Flat out, the ACOG and AMA are wrong.
There is no scientifically sound reason that women should be denied access in any way (legally or though limitations from a for-profit insurance system) to Certified Professional Midwives, and choice of birth location as deemed appropriate by the woman and her maternity care provider.
I urge you to reject the questionable, non-evidence-based stance of the AMA and ACOG, and support inclusion of Certified Professional Midwives in the future of US health care.
Thank you for your attention,
(Me)
(1) ACOG Statement on Home Births 2/6/08: "The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) reiterates its long-standing
opposition to home births."
AMA Resolution #205 "Home Deliveries" 4/28/08
(2) Perinatal mortality and morbidity in a nationwide cohort of 529,688 low-risk planned home and hospital births; BJOG: An International Journal
of Obstetrics & Gynaecology; April 2009
Outcomes of planned home births with certified professional midwives: large prospective study in North America; BJM 18 June 2005
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Perfume Randomage!
This Friday (the 10th) Is the last day to sign up for the Chaos Pledge Circle! The more pledges we get, the more bottles we can buy, the more imps you get! We're at 8 people now, can we make it 10? Or even 15? WHEEEEEE!!!
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