SF Weekly did a write-up of 15 Degrees Below Zero for our show tonight at the Luggage Store Gallery. (This was definitely unexpected!) I think it's only available online, though, not in the actual print version.

"Local experimental outfit 15 Degrees Below Zero traverses the boundary between chance and control, playing inside a loose compositional wireframe that's more defined than those preferred by pure-improv noiseniks, but with the sonic details nevertheless fleshed out via aleatory improvisational flourishes. 15DBZ songs are really more like extended ambient/post-industrial/drone journeys — one Edgetone Records album is indicatively titled New Travel — where the listener is twisted and pulled by an invisible gravity, sucked into a slowly rotating wormhole, then released at the end in a new place. With instrumentation that includes shimmering guitars, spinning sample loops, and spritzes of distortion and noise, 15DBZ is public transportation that takes you somewhere you didn't know you wanted to go until you got there. If only Muni were so cool. Los Angeles cello/electronics duo Mem1 opens."
-John Graham,
http://www.sfweekly.com/events/15-degrees-below-zero-mem1-1708893/

2:59 PM 11/11/09 · My love of crossovers nearly joygasmed cuz of this. First there was the original crew of Star Trek teaming with the X·Men, interesting turn of the Phoenix Force combining with Gary Mitchell. Then in another comic, roundabout the same time within a couple months, the crew of the Enterprise·D wind up in the past, on their way home from Star Trek: First Contact, but not their past and in an effort to get home they cross paths with the X·Men...

...the whole thing got mixed up with that time travelling despot Kang the Conqueror.

To finalize all this, after the crew of the Enterprise·D got home they discovered that somehow the X·Men got caught up in their wake. Which worked out well as their was an issue with a world where a good chunk of the population started randomly generating superhuman abilities, which was well done not in comic form this time but an actual novel.

Wolverine reprogramming the holodeck so he and Worf could go toe to toe with Juggernaut, Sabretooth, and a few other of his rogues made for a fun ending.

( cover of the original issue )

I hope this is allowed here! I didn't want to join another fanfic community just for this post. Sorry if I annoyed anybody!

I just had a thought: It would be entirely possible to have Star TrekVoyager x-over with SG-1! In particular I am looking for angsty episodefics where a Voy episode is re-created using the SG-1 team instead ofVoyager. It would be cool if SG-1 ended up on a planet from the Voyagerseries, and one of my fav. Voyager eps was Course Oblivion, so if there was a Jack/Daniel fic based on that episode, that would make my day! :)I would be surprised if there were no SG-1/Voyager fics!

Like other strongly pro-choicers I'm pissed off about the Stupak amendment. That said, I think Pelosi, (who keep in mind is also strongly pro-Choice), included it in the House Bill as a strategic gamble to get it passed in this stage with the expectation that it will be stripped from the Bill in conference committee.

But I admit I'm not sure if the amendment remains that the Bill should be voted against, as I'm seeing some pro-Choicers advocate. WaPo Columnist E. J. Dionne makes a pretty good case for passing it even if the amendment remains:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/11/AR2009111122256.html

The truth is that even with the Stupak restrictions, health-care reform would leave millions of Americans far better off than they are now -- including millions of women. This skirmish over abortion cannot be allowed to destroy the opportunity to extend coverage to 35 million Americans. Killing health-care reform would be bad for choice -- and very bad for the right to life.

One thing I keep in mind regarding this and other parts of the proposed Bill I don't like is that when FDR got Social Security passed it didn't contain many of the things he wanted at first, but in the years after that the SSI was greatly improved, and thus passing a compromise Health Care Bill now, and then fighting to improve it in the future, is most likely FAR better than not passing anything at all.

I'm going to be visiting my parents in New York from this Saturday through December 7. I had to choose between seeing them for Thanksgiving or Christmas, and since we've got some people visiting around Christmastime I figured I'd be able to stay longer if I came for Thanksgiving instead.

I'm anxious about leaving my pets (my fiance will be here to take care of them) so I've been giving Toffee and Tribble a lot of cuddles and making sure they're in good health before I leave. The only thing I've noticed is that Toffee is chattering her teeth A LOT. I can hear her doing it right now. I looked at guinealynx and she doesn't seem to have malocclusion because she's eating normally and isn't losing weight or drooling. I heard this chattering a lot for the past few days. I just tried to open her mouth to see inside and she DID NOT like it. She's the submissive of the two and very skittish and I don't want to stress her out. How do I open her mouth to look at it? And is this tooth chattering normal? Could she maybe be in heat?

Gah, the last thing I need is to worry about any of my pets before I leave them for 3 weeks. Dealing with my mother will be stressful in itself. :P

godfuckingdamnit. today was a wash from the moment i got home:

the ants are (a) not on fire and (b) not dead, although they are definitely meandering about sickly.
(c) my apartment smells like paint for no fathomable reason.
(d) a very large orb weaver has put a web across my laundry room door, which means i have nothing to wear for tomorrow.
(e) or friday.
(f) or saturday, at which point i will bicycle all my shit to the laundromat, rather than attempt to battle with this (ok, it's not that big, fuck off).

(g) i wanna cookie!

i'm trying to use up all the ingredients in my freezer and cupboard. can i prepare pearl barley and dried lentils in the crock? thanks!

So, I threw all my usual chili ingredients in the crock this morning before showering. Turned it on low (10 hours) and gave it a little taste after about an hour, right before I left for work. Umm.. HOT! Guess I was a little too heavy on the cayenne/chili powder/crushed red pepper... I like it pretty dang spicy, but this had LOTS of kick to it already, and I know it's only going to get spicier while cooking all day. And I've got company to eat this tonight! They're like me--they enjoy the heat--but I'm thinking this is going to be close to nuclear by the time it's ready. I'd really rather not kill my company with this stuff.

Any suggestions on how to tone down the heat a bit? I've heard adding sugar helps, but I'm so afraid I'll add too much and it'll be gross. Anyone? Anyone?

day three: dear journal,

access to the database is still not available, and everywhere i look it seems there is data; it appears to swirl around me in great clouds - but it is a cruel mirage; i am taunted by it and desire nothing more than to quench my parched network connection with it. i'm adding overloaded constructors and other methods to the classes i've been building, but these only provide tiny amounts of nutrition. i'm worried i may not make it through another night.

sometime in the early morn, my humble abode was attacked by invaders. the lion cub, whom i have rightfully placed my trust in, has become a stalwart companion, ever by my side. he bravely chased the attackers off, but i fear they will return, and in greater numbers as i have no doubt they are aware on some level of the bag of kibble but mere yards from the battle's site. this will strain the tenuous hold on the our tiny demesne beyond reckoning.

at least i'm warm - the humming of fans blows toward me life-giving heat from the CPUs. i am firmly convinced that all hope is not lost.

Thank you for the suggestions! My appointment went extremely well. I went in with a huge list of questions, and she answered all of them. She said it’s fine for me to wear my iPod, and that actually the hospital used to provide headphones with relaxing music for surgery patients. She also said that if I need to, I can take a valium the morning of the surgery. That sounds lovely.

Next Thursday is the big day. I thought I’d like to have a tiki sendoff for my thyroid, but I can’t seem to find a good day for it. Do folks go to tiki on Tuesdays? I think I keep reading that. If I’m not with Amma next Tuesday night, I may end up at Forbidden Island.

Speaking of Amma, Amma is coming! She’ll be here for my surgery. What a nice guru she is. :) She has a tentative public program on Monday, then she’s here officially as of Tuesday. My mom and aunt arrive on Wednesday, so I’m not sure we’ll make it that day. Thursday is the start of the retreat, and also surgery day. Saturday night is devi bhava. I’m going to beg the PTB for some serious special needs accommodations, hoping that there is some chance I might be able to be there for it. Or more to the point, that my mom and aunt can be there for the puja, and receive a devi bhava darshan.

20 icons - James T. Kirk (TOS)
made for startrek20in20

Teasers:


Worlds are conquered, galaxies destroyed...but a woman is always a woman

Hello everyone!

It has been a very long time since I've posted here. I hope you and your piggies are doing well.

My Nuki has been to the vet many times over his 5-year life. He's had mites, a URI, a mammary tumor, and he just developed a cyst on his back.

The most recent visit was because of blood in his urine. Diagnosed with a UTI, Nuki was taken home and given more than 2 1/2 weeks worth of Baytril. While he was on the Baytril, his bleeding got better and then stopped, but once he was taken off, he began bleeding again.

When I took Nuki to the vet for a follow-up appointment, x-rays were taken of his bladder to reveal one stone. The vet gave me only one solution: surgery to remove the stone.

I do not want to do surgery for many reasons, so I have been searching online for alternatives. I read that a mixture of 75% cranberry juice and 25% water given orally can possibly break down stones. Is there anyone here who has had experience with this method? Is there anything else I can do to help break down or pass the stone naturally?

Thank you in advance for your input.

 Does anyone know if they're going to have the Creation Grand Slam convention next year?  If I recall correctly, they usually have it in April or May, but I can't find it anywhere on their website.

Hello, I noticed this community on one of my friend's journals and decided that it must be a wonderful place. I've been watching for a few days and snagging recipes, and seeing as I made my chili up tonight for the next few days' dinner I figure I'd share it with you.

2 lbs of lean ground beef browned and drained
1 large onion or two small coursely chopped or quartered and split
2 bell peppers (I used red and green, but yellow or orange are nice too) coarsely chopped.
1 jalapeno sliced, seeds in (because we like it hot)
If you like it really hot, add one hot banana (cubanelle) pepper too.
1 can of diced tomatoes
2 cans of tomato sauce
1 can of red kidney beans
1 bottle of Heinz Chili sauce
1/2 pound of white mushrooms sliced
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
Dried chili peppers to taste
2 tbsp of chili powder
1 tsp of onion powder
1 tsp of celery salt
Pepper to taste

Sometimes I throw in a can of kernel corn as well if there is one in the cupboard.

On medium or low all day (depending on what your "day" length is) and it's perfect, serve with texas toast, garlic bread, or dinner rolls. It's also nice over rice or nachos. This recipe has evolved in my house over the years because i was tired of chili that tasted like spaghetti sauce with kidney beans and chili powder. The flavour is hot and tangy, and it has a chunky consistency. In the crock pot the flavours soak through everything, and it's yummy. Enjoy!