Anatomy of computer crime

Note: Followup to this entry at http://tacit.livejournal.com/240750.html

So apparently, Macintosh users are now the targets of Eastern European organized crime.

First, a bit of backstory. Last December, I wrote an article about how I had done a Google search for my name and uncovered a massive hacking attack against a Web hosting company called iPowerWeb. iPower, a company in Phoenix, Arizona, has trouble securing their Web servers, and Russian organized crime can hack any Web site hosted by iPower completely at will.

That was last December. Today, as I write this, iPower still has not fixed their server security; each day, a whole crop of new Web sites hosted by iPower is hacked, and the hackers plant redirectors on the site that are designed to snare unwary visitors and send them to servers in Eastern Europe that attempt to infect users with computer viruses.

For the past couple of months, I have been emailing iPower every day with new lists of hacked Web sites they’re hosting. Each day, I bug them to fix their computer security. Each day, they remove the virus redirectors that I tell them about, but they do not fix their server security; so the next day, more of their Web sites are hacked. Some poor sots who host Web sites with iPower have had their sites hacked over and over again.

In the past 48 hours, the nature of the hacks has changed. Between December and now, the hacks were all the same; the hackers would penetrate an iPower Web site, create a directory on the site named /her, create a directory on the site named /bad, and then create a directory with a one or two digit number as a name. The redirector pages would go in the numered directory. This made spotting hacked iPower Web sites trivially easy.

About two days ago, the hackers began changing the naming scheme of the directory. This led me on a path to discovering an entire network of compomised Web sites, feeding into an elaborate underground network of computers used to distribute computer viruses.

And they’re distributing Mac viruses now, too.

If you haven’t read the earlier post that I linked to above, now would be a good time to do so. It’s OK, I’ll wait.

Back? Good. Until a couple days ago, finding the hacked sites on iPower was a breeze, because the directory structure was always the same and the hackers used the same keywords to try to poison Google searches. Now, however, the hackers have changed the naming structure of the directories, and they are no longer using the same keywords to try to snare Google searches. They’re not using my name often any more, for example.

They are using a number of sex and porn-related keywords, though, some of whihc are very unusual. The Google cache of hacked iPower Web sites provides an easy way to compile lists of words and phrases that are common to all the hacked sites, and searching on Google for these words and phrases yields a treasure trove of Web sites that have been hacked.

Interestingly, these words and phrases also show up in many, many forum posts, almost all of them on forums running phpBB or phpNuke software, and invariably old, insecure versions of this software.

It also produces lists of domains with strange names, such as http://6.bgmww-news.info and http://3.vxwzj-news.info,

WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING

The links here and elsewhere in this post are live. As of the time of this writing, they redirect to active virus distributors which can and will infect unpatched Windows computers, and in one case will try to infect Mac computers, with a virus. DO NOT click on these links if you don’t know what you’re doing. DO NOT allow any of these sites to download or install software onto your computer.

So we see a pattern: certain words and phrases, appearing over and over again in hacked Web sites hosted by iPowerWeb, and also appearing in messages placed on hacked phpBB and phpNuke forums, and also appearing in domains with strange names.

In each case, visiting one of the hacked iPower Web sites, reading one of the messages in a hacked forum, or visiting one of the strange domains does the same thing. And, interestingly, it reveals an elaborate network of computers all intended to transmit viruses while obscuring the source of the viruses. Ready to go down the rabbit hole? Here we go!


The central lynchpin of the entire network is a site called traffloader.info. Traffloader.info is a Web site hosted by an outfit called leaseweb.com (Edit: As of April 8, 2008, traffloader.info is off Leaseweb and is now being hosted in the country of Moldovia), which also hosts the sites with strange domains. If you visit traffloader.info in your browser, you’ll see nothing but a blank page; it sends back no HTML code at all. There appears to be nothing there.

But all the hacked iPower Web sites, all the messages placed on hacked forums,a nd all the strange domains that are hosted by leaseweb.com all redirect to traffloader.info. Specifically, they redirect to a script on traffloader.info called “go.php”. Here’s how it works.

A person does a Google search for certain comon, popular keywords. It might be my name, or “free sex movies,” or “build ultralight helicopters”–they create hundreds of thousands of lists of popular keywords, which they place on hacked Web sites, into hacked message board posts, or onto domains they either create or hack.

The person sees one of the attack pages in Google and clicks on the Google result. The page or message board post redirects the user to http://traffloader.info/go.php, and usually includes information about where the user came from, presumably so the hackers can tell which particular hacked sites are most effective. The information passed to the script varies, but often includes the name of the hacked site the user came from, and the Google keywords used.

Traffloader.info then redirects the user to any one of a bunch of other sites. These other sites might look like porn sites, and try to download a virus disguised as movie player software. They might look like virus scanner sites,and try to download a virus disguised as antivirus software. Sometimes, the sites have embedded iFrames or redirectors that will try to download additional files to the user’s computer.

I’ve spent hours tracing the way the system works. Here’s a bird’s eye overview:

Russian Business Network virus downloader system

A user clicks on a Google search that leads to a hacked iPower site, a hacked forum post, or a domain hosted by leaseweb.com. The user is redirected to traffloader.info, which records information about where the user came from and what keywords he used. The script at traffloader.info then sends the user to a site such as

adult-youtube-8.com/freemovie/234/0

or

xpantivirus.com/2008/3/_freescan.php

which attempts to download a virus.

The site that the user ends up on seems to be chosen more or less at random (at least if there’s a system behind it, I haven’t been able to figure out what that system is yet). Some of the sites are more sophisticated than others; some of the sites redirect the user to other sites. For example, traffloader.info will sometimes send the user to a script hosted at chillyclips.com/movie1.php which will in turn send the user to movstube.com/movie1.php.

Now, movstube.com is a particularly interesting payload site. Unlike all the other sites, it attempts to attack both Mac and Windows machines; all the other sites host Windows-specific attacks.

The script at movstube.com checks the browser’s “user agent”. For folks who don’t know a lot about how browsers work, each time your Web browser accesses a Web site, it tells the site what it is and what kind of computer you have. When you go to a Web site, your browser might say “Hi there! I’m Internet Explorer 7 running on Windows XP” or “Hello! I’m Safari running on an Intel Mac”.

The script at movstube.com looks at this user agent. If it sees a Windows user agent, it attempts to download a Windows virus pretending to be movie viewer software, just like many of the other sites do.

But…

But if the script sees a Mac user agent, it sends the browser to

http://64.28.178.27/download/1023.dmg

The file 1023.dmg is a Macintosh disk image file. It contains an installer that attempts to install a piece of Mac malware variously called OSX/DNSChanger or OSX.RSPlug.A. This is a Trojan horse that attempts to modify the Mac’s domain name server settings so that a Mac user who surfs the Web can be secretly redirected to sites controlled by the Russian malware writers, without knowing it.

The good news is that the Mac malware can not infect a computer without help. You must choose to install it and you must type your administrator password in order to be infected. The bad news: clearly, the Mac is now on the radar of malware writers.


Some of the sites in the network controlled by traffloader.info are believed or known to be associated with the Russian Business Network, an organized group of Eastern European criminals. The fact that the attacks on iPower use payload sites known or believed to be controlled by RBN suggests strongly that RBN is behind the iPower hacks. It also suggests strongly that RBN is either responsible for or associated with the people responsible for the Mac malware.

I first notified iPower that their Web server security had been breached last December. As of today, there are still new hacked sites appearing on their servers daily.

The whois information shows something very interesting, as well. All of these computers associated with virus distribution — traffloader.info, movstube.com, xpantivirus.com, chillyclips.com, magicporntube.com, and so on–every one, without exception, is registered by the same registrar: a place called estdomains.com. Each of these Web sites is known to be associated with virus distribution on behalf of organized crime, yet each of them is still active and resolving, and each has the same registrar.

Yep, that’s estdomains.com – the choice of organized crime.

1,014 thoughts on “Anatomy of computer crime

  1. Well Done.

    Now, the question is: what can IPowerWeb (and other hosts) do to fix their security?

    How can other hosts be affected by the same kinds of problems?

    I have my own theories, here.

    -Dan

    • I don’t know what iPower can do to fix their security; they seem not to care about the problem at all, and they have taken no action save for deleting specific URLs I inform them about.

      The owners of phpBB and phpNuke sites need only update their software as new patches come out; the phpBB systems that have been compromised in particular are generally running very old versions of phpBB, and in a lot of cases the sites seem to have been abandoned entirely.

      At this point, given that no ISP save for iPower seems to have suffered the large-scale, systematic breach iPower has encountered, I am beginning to believe that someone within iPower is responsible for, or at least complicit in, the attack.

  2. Well Done.

    Now, the question is: what can IPowerWeb (and other hosts) do to fix their security?

    How can other hosts be affected by the same kinds of problems?

    I have my own theories, here.

    -Dan

    • Re: What happens if you click on a similar link in Firefox?

      No. You’ll still be in danger of an infection.

      The “scripts” here are PHP scripts living on the servers, not Javascripts that are run inside the browser; disabling Javascript in Firefox won’t prevent a server-side PHP script from running.

      The virus dropper Web sites attempt a number of different exploits, mostly targeted at Explorer vulnerabilities. I don’t know if they target Firefox vulnerabilities; I haven’t analyzed their behavior using Firefox. In any event, if the attempted exploits don’t work, the virus droppers try to trick you into downloading the virus manually; this is a social engineering attack and it doesn’t matter what browser you use.

      • Ok.

        Just wondering because I sometimes type a url incorrectly, and instead of getting a 404, I get an ad for site hosting. Wanted to know if it was possible to be infected that way.

  3. Re: What happens if you click on a similar link in Firefox?

    No. You’ll still be in danger of an infection.

    The “scripts” here are PHP scripts living on the servers, not Javascripts that are run inside the browser; disabling Javascript in Firefox won’t prevent a server-side PHP script from running.

    The virus dropper Web sites attempt a number of different exploits, mostly targeted at Explorer vulnerabilities. I don’t know if they target Firefox vulnerabilities; I haven’t analyzed their behavior using Firefox. In any event, if the attempted exploits don’t work, the virus droppers try to trick you into downloading the virus manually; this is a social engineering attack and it doesn’t matter what browser you use.

  4. Ok.

    Just wondering because I sometimes type a url incorrectly, and instead of getting a 404, I get an ad for site hosting. Wanted to know if it was possible to be infected that way.

  5. A perfectly innocent looking video link to “adult-youtube-8.com/freemovie/234/0” has popped up on at least three of my LJ groups. It’s been deleted each time, but god only knows how many people clicked on it before it was….

    • I (and about 200 other people, many of them my friends) were added by an unknown person today with that link in his user profile. Researching it led me here. (I wouldn’t call something with “adult” in it “perfectly innocent looking,” ha ha…)

      Seems a rather 2-bit operation, though. Makes sense to add people who know each other, since that’s how trust-based things like LJ (and Google) work, but why only 200? Why not 2000?

      • “innocent-looking”

        The video link in question was a typical YouTube-style video window with nothing in it save the arrow one clicks on to make it play. Since these windows do not display their URL, I was not aware that the content was theoretically “adult” until I clicked the arrow and was redirected to the site listed in ‘s post. While I’m not averse to porn, I would probably have considered it spam and avoided it if it had been clear that it claimed to contain adult content.

      • I’m guessing because of the anti-serial-adding friending rate limits. They’re high enough that someone legitimately adding a few friends at a time won’t run into them, but they’re low enough that someone trying to automatically add a bunch of friends (either legitimately or not) will hit them fast.

        I see in the log of changes to LJ that the developers have added a patch to the HTML cleaner to strip out any known bad links, but I don’t know if this is live yet, or if not, when it is going live.

        (Disclaimer: just a volunteer, not in a position to make statements on LJ’s behalf.)

        • Ah, interesting. I don’t stay well-enough informed about LJ to know that there’s a limit to how many adds you can make. Makes sense, though.

          I see in the log of changes to LJ that the developers have added a patch to the HTML cleaner to strip out any known bad links, but I don’t know if this is live yet, or if not, when it is going live.

          If I’m reading this right, won’t that just turn into a mess, though? All the spammers have to do is generate new URLs faster than LJ can patch the HTML cleaner, right? I’d think LJ would get sick of this.

          Not to mention, we shouldn’t be relying on LJ or any company to “protect” us from these things. It’s nice, but there’s always going to be more of “them” coming up with new ways to get people. I’d REALLY think that people would know better than to click the links and download the malware, although given how many of my friends — whom I’d LIKE to think are smart and savvy — have been compromised or at least taken in by the new friend add, gives me little hope.

          • I’m sure they absolutely will get sick of it, and the only cure for it is to burn out the spammers at the source, but at least it’s a means of reducing the amount of damage they do on LJ.

            From what said, it wasn’t even necessary to click on the video; just visiting the profile in which the video was embedded was enough to redirect. And that’s very bad from a LJ perspective, if you can’t trust an LJ profile enough to visit it…

            I went to the profile of one of the spammers, saw that there was a video in there a dodgy-looking domain, and closed the window in general irritation, before anything was visited or downloaded.

      • I think it was mainly fandom-related communities…. One definitely was, because I remember assuming that it was a fanvid and clicking to play it. It looked like any other YouTube video window, but instead of the video playing in the frame on my friends page, it took me to that adult-youtube link and automatically DLd something. Bah.

  6. A perfectly innocent looking video link to “adult-youtube-8.com/freemovie/234/0” has popped up on at least three of my LJ groups. It’s been deleted each time, but god only knows how many people clicked on it before it was….

  7. If you’ve accidentally clicked on a link (there’s one in academics_anon), how do you check for malware if you realized immediately and shut the window? It redirected to the adult_youtube_8 site; I closed it immediately. I’m on a Mac.

    For those who may not know; the trick it’s using right now is posting a “podcast video” with a spinning line wheel in the center, imitating “video loading” from YouTube; if you click on the supposed “stop” button it takes you to the new site. The entire thing is only an image which is hiding the link.

    • If you’re on a Mac, you are not infected unless you see a file called “1023.dmg” get downloaded, then appear on your desktop, then a program runs and asks you to type your Mac administrator password in.

      The Mac version of this malware can not infect you if you do not type your password. However, if you’re still nervous, there’s an easy way to check for it.

      Open your hard drive. On the top level of your hard drive, you will see a folder called Library. Open it. Inside, look for the folder called Internet Plugins. Open the Internet Plugins folder and see if you can find a file called plugins.settings; if you can, you are infected and if you can’t you are not.

      If you are infected:

      1. Drag the plugins.settings file to the trash and empty the trash.

      2. Open the Terminal. It is in your Applications folder, in a folder called Utilities.

      3. In the Terminal window, type

      sudo crontab -l

      and hit return. (Note, the thing after the dash is the lowercase letter L, not the number 1.) You will be asked for an administrator password. Enter it.

      4. If it says “crontab: no crontab for root” when you enter your password, you are no longer infected and you can stop here. If it says anything else besides “crontab: no crontab for root” then go on to the next step.

      5. Type

      sudo crontab -r

      in the terminal and press Return. When you are asked for your password, enter it.

      6. Restart your Mac. That should take care of it.

      • You’re a lifesaver. There was nothing in the Plugins folder that resembled your description, so I think I’m safe. I would advise anyone who had my experience to also go to their cookies in their browser and delete anything from any site that you can’t immediately identify, as well as clearing the browser cache. That’s what I did first.

        Thanks a million for the directions. I remember when I used to know how to do line-edits in DOS back in my tech support days; unfortunately, those days are long past for me now.

      • Tacit,

        Like Griffen I clicked on the ‘podcast’ in one of my book communities because I wanted to check it out before making a complaint to LJ Abuse.

        I’m on Firefox though my IE is up-to-date with security updates and was directed to the adult-youtube-8.com/freemovie/ site but was advised my computer couldn’t display without software.

        As I had zero interest in seeing the ‘podcast’ and the site confirmed my suspicions that it wasn’t appropriate for the comm, I clicked off the link right away.

        Then I read griffen’s warning and am feeling panic. Have run a quick scan with Norton 2008 Internet Security. Is this enough though?

        • I’m wondering the same thing – I was in Firefox, as well, on Windows, and I clicked to try to stop the loading and was sent to the site – is there anything we can do to check on Windows, similar to the process for Mac?

          Thank you so much for posting all of this.

        • Most likely, yes, though one particularly nasty trick that many viruses do is to disable antivirus software, either by damaging the software outright or by corrupting its .dat files. If I am concerned that a Windows ssytem is infected, I will use an online scanner; these load the scan software from a remote host, so a local piece of malware can’t disable it. The downside is they take a long time–often more than an hour–to do the scan.

          There’s a free online scanner at

          http://housecall.trendmicro.com

          available in two flavors–ActiveX (for Internet Explorer) and Java (for Firefox and anything else).

          • Thank you for the link.

            My system is still being scanned. It took me a while to get the Housecall running. So far is has located 4 pieces of malware – all Trojans 🙁

            Does this mean my Norton is completely screwed now? I hadn’t run a scan following the visit to the malicious site.

          • If you have been infected by malware, I would tend to advise you don’t trust local vrus scanners; it’s quite common for malware to disable local antivirus software. Norton Antivirus (which I don’t recommend, for other reasons) in particular is vulnerable in this regard.

            At the very least, once the malware is cleared from your computer, re-install your antivirus software and then run the updates again.

      • 1023.dmg

        I’m infected. After doing sudo crontab-1 it asks for my password then reads “command not found. So I try sudo crontab-r and it does not ask for my password and reads “command not found”

        Any help would be much appreciated.

          • Re: 1023.dmg

            I’m infected as well. When I type sudo crontab -r it does not ask for my pw, and comes back with
            crontab: no crontab for root

            What should I do?

            Thanks for your help – these threads have been very helpful as I thought I was infected immediately and didn’t know what to do.

          • Re: 1023.dmg

            If you see crontab – no crontab for root, and you don’t have a file called plugins.settings in your browser plug-ins folder, the infection has been removed; you need only restart the computer to be back to normal.

            If oyu use the sudo command and you don’t get asked for a password, that means you’re either logged in as the root user or you have used the sudo command some time in the last few minutes. (You need only type the password once, and then subsequent uses of th sudo command in the next few minutes won’t ask for it again.)

          • Re: 1023.dmg

            Recent infection from another location, by way of Google search and clickthroughs. Handled the removal myself, wasn’t sure I’d gotten all the pieces, and came stumbling on your site.
            Long time no see, additionally – pretty sure we were talking on polyfamilies back a few years gone now.

            Versions of this are now propagating as the same dmg name, but the mounted volume is “77”. Installs a file “QuickTime.xpt” which is a re-run of the DNS change.
            plugins.settings also was present.
            Still haven’t seen a copy of the sendreq script.
            I would additionally advise removing the “installer.pkg” file in /Library/Receipts .

          • Re: 1023.dmg

            I’m infected, my browser redirects me. I believe the 1023 file came from http://64.28.178.27 .

            How do i go about removing it? I having trouble following the advice above, i googled it but no luck. sorry, but please help?

          • Re: 1023.dmg

            Use TextMate or a source viewing software, I opened the file and viewed the content and tried to find all the files that it would download into the drive including their path. I removed about 4 total..including the one located in Library/Receipts. Sorry for not enough info but, I haven’t been redirected yet. If anyone has an a layout of this issue and what total files to take out please post.

          • Re: 1023.dmg

            i would apreciate it if you would post the locations and names of all the files to be removed, just so i can make sure everything is squeaky clean. =)

          • Re: 1023.dmg

            sorry i miss-read what you typed. If anyone has a list of all of the files to be removed it would be greatly appreciated if you would post the list.

    • In Safari, it started downloading an .exe file – I got a warning about that and aborted the process, so the only thing I had to delete was the browser pre-file for the malware. (I clicked by accident – grrrrr. Shows that there’s nowt as dangerous as a user).

      Check the file to which you’ve set your browser downloads.

      Thanks, for the info tacit – this is getting nasy indeed.

      • The .exe file is a Windows virus; it won’t affect a Mac.

        As near as I can tell so far, only one of the payload sites — movstube.com — attempts to drop a piece of Mac malware. The others only drop Windows viruses.

  8. If you’ve accidentally clicked on a link (there’s one in academics_anon), how do you check for malware if you realized immediately and shut the window? It redirected to the adult_youtube_8 site; I closed it immediately. I’m on a Mac.

    For those who may not know; the trick it’s using right now is posting a “podcast video” with a spinning line wheel in the center, imitating “video loading” from YouTube; if you click on the supposed “stop” button it takes you to the new site. The entire thing is only an image which is hiding the link.

  9. If you’re on a Mac, you are not infected unless you see a file called “1023.dmg” get downloaded, then appear on your desktop, then a program runs and asks you to type your Mac administrator password in.

    The Mac version of this malware can not infect you if you do not type your password. However, if you’re still nervous, there’s an easy way to check for it.

    Open your hard drive. On the top level of your hard drive, you will see a folder called Library. Open it. Inside, look for the folder called Internet Plugins. Open the Internet Plugins folder and see if you can find a file called plugins.settings; if you can, you are infected and if you can’t you are not.

    If you are infected:

    1. Drag the plugins.settings file to the trash and empty the trash.

    2. Open the Terminal. It is in your Applications folder, in a folder called Utilities.

    3. In the Terminal window, type

    sudo crontab -l

    and hit return. (Note, the thing after the dash is the lowercase letter L, not the number 1.) You will be asked for an administrator password. Enter it.

    4. If it says “crontab: no crontab for root” when you enter your password, you are no longer infected and you can stop here. If it says anything else besides “crontab: no crontab for root” then go on to the next step.

    5. Type

    sudo crontab -r

    in the terminal and press Return. When you are asked for your password, enter it.

    6. Restart your Mac. That should take care of it.

  10. You’re a lifesaver. There was nothing in the Plugins folder that resembled your description, so I think I’m safe. I would advise anyone who had my experience to also go to their cookies in their browser and delete anything from any site that you can’t immediately identify, as well as clearing the browser cache. That’s what I did first.

    Thanks a million for the directions. I remember when I used to know how to do line-edits in DOS back in my tech support days; unfortunately, those days are long past for me now.

  11. In Safari, it started downloading an .exe file – I got a warning about that and aborted the process, so the only thing I had to delete was the browser pre-file for the malware. (I clicked by accident – grrrrr. Shows that there’s nowt as dangerous as a user).

    Check the file to which you’ve set your browser downloads.

    Thanks, for the info tacit – this is getting nasy indeed.

  12. The .exe file is a Windows virus; it won’t affect a Mac.

    As near as I can tell so far, only one of the payload sites — movstube.com — attempts to drop a piece of Mac malware. The others only drop Windows viruses.

  13. Tacit,

    Like Griffen I clicked on the ‘podcast’ in one of my book communities because I wanted to check it out before making a complaint to LJ Abuse.

    I’m on Firefox though my IE is up-to-date with security updates and was directed to the adult-youtube-8.com/freemovie/ site but was advised my computer couldn’t display without software.

    As I had zero interest in seeing the ‘podcast’ and the site confirmed my suspicions that it wasn’t appropriate for the comm, I clicked off the link right away.

    Then I read griffen’s warning and am feeling panic. Have run a quick scan with Norton 2008 Internet Security. Is this enough though?

    • I’ve pieced it together over a period of many hours, usually working on it about half an hour a day. At first, I was only looking for compromised iPower sites; I’m trying to nudge them to fix their site security (and I think if they’re still massively compromised next week, I’ll start emailing the site owners directly rather than emailing iPower abuse). When the pattern of the attack pages changed a couple days ago, I started looking into it further, and putting together a more comprehensive picture of how the network works.

  14. I’m wondering the same thing – I was in Firefox, as well, on Windows, and I clicked to try to stop the loading and was sent to the site – is there anything we can do to check on Windows, similar to the process for Mac?

    Thank you so much for posting all of this.

  15. Most likely, yes, though one particularly nasty trick that many viruses do is to disable antivirus software, either by damaging the software outright or by corrupting its .dat files. If I am concerned that a Windows ssytem is infected, I will use an online scanner; these load the scan software from a remote host, so a local piece of malware can’t disable it. The downside is they take a long time–often more than an hour–to do the scan.

    There’s a free online scanner at

    http://housecall.trendmicro.com

    available in two flavors–ActiveX (for Internet Explorer) and Java (for Firefox and anything else).

  16. I’ve pieced it together over a period of many hours, usually working on it about half an hour a day. At first, I was only looking for compromised iPower sites; I’m trying to nudge them to fix their site security (and I think if they’re still massively compromised next week, I’ll start emailing the site owners directly rather than emailing iPower abuse). When the pattern of the attack pages changed a couple days ago, I started looking into it further, and putting together a more comprehensive picture of how the network works.

  17. I’ve had a good look at this for a couple hours now, and all I can say is that I’m impressed.

    I’m currently running my damn-near-bulletproof investigatory DreamLinux 2, having a look at page sources and such.

    It shouldn’t be too hard to get the physical location of these servers, I don’t think.

    • Some of the payload servers appear to be hosted in the Eastern European country of Moldavia, which puts them safely outside the reach of law enforcement in Western countries.

  18. I’ve had a good look at this for a couple hours now, and all I can say is that I’m impressed.

    I’m currently running my damn-near-bulletproof investigatory DreamLinux 2, having a look at page sources and such.

    It shouldn’t be too hard to get the physical location of these servers, I don’t think.

  19. Again I only understood about HALF of what you described. but every time you post this stuff I learn more.

    how in the world do you have time for your LIFE???!!!???

  20. Again I only understood about HALF of what you described. but every time you post this stuff I learn more.

    how in the world do you have time for your LIFE???!!!???

  21. Thank you for the link.

    My system is still being scanned. It took me a while to get the Housecall running. So far is has located 4 pieces of malware – all Trojans 🙁

    Does this mean my Norton is completely screwed now? I hadn’t run a scan following the visit to the malicious site.

  22. Leaseweb.com. Hosting and Ip addressing. ¿a hackers network?

    Recently we’ve got a annoying problem. I noticed same behaviour and iframe exploits as well as redirection to webs hosted at leaseweb.com to scripts also like go.php. To be more accurate, bubamubanches.info . I wonder how a commercial hosting located at amsterdam allows this kind of hosts on their networks. Also i noticed redirections from this sites (using badware mathematical logic) to several of chinese hosts (.cn) as lotrain.cn (also known as rabegin.cn).

    I was reading a lot about Russian and chinese networks been a complete hard to track networks as they seems like the far west (no law). Also we notices Turkey AIH networks as potentially damaging networks but, leaseweb.com seems to be a amsterdam network,. I can´t understand why an european network like that can have that kind of stuff and allows that kind of hosts on their networks, Do we have here also another potential network like RBN / CN or AIH networks? are leaseweb.com aware of this kind of criminal issues, more complex, are they allowing intentionally this kind of exploits???

    I need to know if there is a relationship between RBN Networks, CN, AIH, and leaseweb.com Can we confirm this point?

    Good job with the explanation. I was little bit confused with the complexity but now i see it clear…

    Do you know which people can be involved on such things like this? any hackers group behind? any fake “security company”?

    I would like if there’s somebody who can give as much information of their observations as they can to be prepared and to allow us to defend ourselves from this hustlers….

    Thanks again and Good Job !

    • Re: Leaseweb.com. Hosting and Ip addressing. ¿a hackers network?

      Interesting. At the moment, bubamubanches.info does not appear to be resolving, and dig shows no IP address assigned to it.

  23. Leaseweb.com. Hosting and Ip addressing. ¿a hackers network?

    Recently we’ve got a annoying problem. I noticed same behaviour and iframe exploits as well as redirection to webs hosted at leaseweb.com to scripts also like go.php. To be more accurate, bubamubanches.info . I wonder how a commercial hosting located at amsterdam allows this kind of hosts on their networks. Also i noticed redirections from this sites (using badware mathematical logic) to several of chinese hosts (.cn) as lotrain.cn (also known as rabegin.cn).

    I was reading a lot about Russian and chinese networks been a complete hard to track networks as they seems like the far west (no law). Also we notices Turkey AIH networks as potentially damaging networks but, leaseweb.com seems to be a amsterdam network,. I can´t understand why an european network like that can have that kind of stuff and allows that kind of hosts on their networks, Do we have here also another potential network like RBN / CN or AIH networks? are leaseweb.com aware of this kind of criminal issues, more complex, are they allowing intentionally this kind of exploits???

    I need to know if there is a relationship between RBN Networks, CN, AIH, and leaseweb.com Can we confirm this point?

    Good job with the explanation. I was little bit confused with the complexity but now i see it clear…

    Do you know which people can be involved on such things like this? any hackers group behind? any fake “security company”?

    I would like if there’s somebody who can give as much information of their observations as they can to be prepared and to allow us to defend ourselves from this hustlers….

    Thanks again and Good Job !

    • I’ve been doing that, and cc’ing Google security on many of the emails I send iPower. Google can’t keep up, though. They flag the URLs usually a few days after each site is compromised, by which time there’s several days’ worth of fresh compromises to deal with.

          • Acknowledging that there’s potential exposure to a libel suit in this suggestion, is there a legally acceptable way of contacting the *customers* of IPower? After all, the poor bastards whose sites are getting hacked on a weekly basis would probably be very interested in knowing the cause of the problem. Somehow, I doubt IPower is being forthcoming with the explanation, assuming the customers even notice.

          • That’s a really good question. I’ve thought several times about not notifying iPower of each day’s new crop of intrusions, and instead sending an email explaining the situation to each of the customers whose sites are hacked. I’ve even gone so far as to write a form email that I can just drop the particular details of a specific Web site hack into.

            I still have this weird fantasy that iPower Web will actually get their security problem under control, despite all the evidence to the contrary. And it’s a lot more work to send out 100 emails to 100 owners of hacked sites tan it is to send iPower a single email listing 100 sites that have been hacked that day.

            But I’m thinking that iPower either doesn’t care that every site they host can be hacked, or (more likely) someone at iPower is actually in on it–being paid to leave their servers vulnerable, or whatever. (A friend of mine floated the hypothesis that it might be extortion; iPower may be deliberately leaving their servers unsecured because they fear retaliation, such as a DDoS attack, if they don’t.)

            Regardless, I do think the time is drawing near to skip iPower and reach out to the owners of the hacked sites directly. I’m not worried about libel; in the US, truthfulness is an absolute defense against charges of libel or slander, and I’ve taken great care to document and support all the reports I’ve written.

          • There’s also the question of the affected customers, and their businesses. It can be argued that by failing to protect their customers’ accounts, iPower interfered with interstate commerce, or some similar legislation. And who doesn’t love a visit from the Feds, whichever Fed group happens to be the most irked by the whole issue?

  24. I (and about 200 other people, many of them my friends) were added by an unknown person today with that link in his user profile. Researching it led me here. (I wouldn’t call something with “adult” in it “perfectly innocent looking,” ha ha…)

    Seems a rather 2-bit operation, though. Makes sense to add people who know each other, since that’s how trust-based things like LJ (and Google) work, but why only 200? Why not 2000?

  25. “innocent-looking”

    The video link in question was a typical YouTube-style video window with nothing in it save the arrow one clicks on to make it play. Since these windows do not display their URL, I was not aware that the content was theoretically “adult” until I clicked the arrow and was redirected to the site listed in ‘s post. While I’m not averse to porn, I would probably have considered it spam and avoided it if it had been clear that it claimed to contain adult content.

  26. more info

    Hi:

    I got more info, does anyone make sense about this code:

    var Var="";
    for(incr=0;incr

    ??

    (i modified the index.html reply on rabegin-dot-cn/fel that showed like this:

    but changing the annoying whitout sense unknown letters with more comfortable names (a function instead ivcmkcvztzt is called now fun1 and so on.. Maybe a web developer can explain to us what it does?

    Also i noticed something strange, this virus dropper web also has another entry point, same ip address but with different hostheader it has a index.html login and password web:

    http://lotrain.cn

    ¿Maybe a control panel for the virus dropper host?

    What do you think about it?

  27. more info

    Hi:

    I got more info, does anyone make sense about this code:

    var Var="";
    for(incr=0;incr

    ??

    (i modified the index.html reply on rabegin-dot-cn/fel that showed like this:

    but changing the annoying whitout sense unknown letters with more comfortable names (a function instead ivcmkcvztzt is called now fun1 and so on.. Maybe a web developer can explain to us what it does?

    Also i noticed something strange, this virus dropper web also has another entry point, same ip address but with different hostheader it has a index.html login and password web:

    http://lotrain.cn

    ¿Maybe a control panel for the virus dropper host?

    What do you think about it?

  28. the code doesn´t appeared

    Sorry, the code doesn´t appear, i’m not so comfortable with livejournal or something like that, and i don´t want also to paste something dangerous???
    I now changed the script tag with a $cript tag, and for with f0r, and < with #minorthan# ... in order to don´t be assumed as code, i hope it works: Malicious code: <$cript type="text/javascript">

    function ivcmkcvztzt(utxqdyryr){

    var tgywcyqbsz=””;

    f0r(kokecbksrt=0;kokecbksrt#minorthan#utxqdyryr.length;kokecbksrt+=2){

    tgywcyqbsz+=(String.fromCharCode(parseInt(utxqdyryr.substr(kokecbksrt,2),16)));

    }

    document.write(tgywcyqbsz);

    }
    ivcmkcvztzt(“”);

    Easy to understand code:

    <$cript type="text/javascript">

    function fun1(param4fun1){

    var var1=””;

    f0r(increment1=0;increment1#minorthan#param4fun1.length;increment1+=2){

    var1+=(String.fromCharCode(parseInt(param4fun1.substr(increment1,2),16)));

    }

    document.write(var1);

    }
    fun1(“”);

    I hope now this works,.

    Regards, and sorry for this, not so comfortable with these stuff 🙂

    RCB

  29. the code doesn´t appeared

    Sorry, the code doesn´t appear, i’m not so comfortable with livejournal or something like that, and i don´t want also to paste something dangerous???
    I now changed the script tag with a $cript tag, and for with f0r, and < with #minorthan# ... in order to don´t be assumed as code, i hope it works: Malicious code: <$cript type="text/javascript">

    function ivcmkcvztzt(utxqdyryr){

    var tgywcyqbsz=””;

    f0r(kokecbksrt=0;kokecbksrt#minorthan#utxqdyryr.length;kokecbksrt+=2){

    tgywcyqbsz+=(String.fromCharCode(parseInt(utxqdyryr.substr(kokecbksrt,2),16)));

    }

    document.write(tgywcyqbsz);

    }
    ivcmkcvztzt(“”);

    Easy to understand code:

    <$cript type="text/javascript">

    function fun1(param4fun1){

    var var1=””;

    f0r(increment1=0;increment1#minorthan#param4fun1.length;increment1+=2){

    var1+=(String.fromCharCode(parseInt(param4fun1.substr(increment1,2),16)));

    }

    document.write(var1);

    }
    fun1(“”);

    I hope now this works,.

    Regards, and sorry for this, not so comfortable with these stuff 🙂

    RCB

  30. 1023.dmg

    I’m infected. After doing sudo crontab-1 it asks for my password then reads “command not found. So I try sudo crontab-r and it does not ask for my password and reads “command not found”

    Any help would be much appreciated.

  31. I don’t know what iPower can do to fix their security; they seem not to care about the problem at all, and they have taken no action save for deleting specific URLs I inform them about.

    The owners of phpBB and phpNuke sites need only update their software as new patches come out; the phpBB systems that have been compromised in particular are generally running very old versions of phpBB, and in a lot of cases the sites seem to have been abandoned entirely.

    At this point, given that no ISP save for iPower seems to have suffered the large-scale, systematic breach iPower has encountered, I am beginning to believe that someone within iPower is responsible for, or at least complicit in, the attack.

  32. If you have been infected by malware, I would tend to advise you don’t trust local vrus scanners; it’s quite common for malware to disable local antivirus software. Norton Antivirus (which I don’t recommend, for other reasons) in particular is vulnerable in this regard.

    At the very least, once the malware is cleared from your computer, re-install your antivirus software and then run the updates again.

  33. Some of the payload servers appear to be hosted in the Eastern European country of Moldavia, which puts them safely outside the reach of law enforcement in Western countries.

  34. Re: Leaseweb.com. Hosting and Ip addressing. ¿a hackers network?

    Interesting. At the moment, bubamubanches.info does not appear to be resolving, and dig shows no IP address assigned to it.

  35. I’ve been doing that, and cc’ing Google security on many of the emails I send iPower. Google can’t keep up, though. They flag the URLs usually a few days after each site is compromised, by which time there’s several days’ worth of fresh compromises to deal with.

  36. I think it was mainly fandom-related communities…. One definitely was, because I remember assuming that it was a fanvid and clicking to play it. It looked like any other YouTube video window, but instead of the video playing in the frame on my friends page, it took me to that adult-youtube link and automatically DLd something. Bah.

  37. I’m guessing because of the anti-serial-adding friending rate limits. They’re high enough that someone legitimately adding a few friends at a time won’t run into them, but they’re low enough that someone trying to automatically add a bunch of friends (either legitimately or not) will hit them fast.

    I see in the log of changes to LJ that the developers have added a patch to the HTML cleaner to strip out any known bad links, but I don’t know if this is live yet, or if not, when it is going live.

    (Disclaimer: just a volunteer, not in a position to make statements on LJ’s behalf.)

  38. Ah, interesting. I don’t stay well-enough informed about LJ to know that there’s a limit to how many adds you can make. Makes sense, though.

    I see in the log of changes to LJ that the developers have added a patch to the HTML cleaner to strip out any known bad links, but I don’t know if this is live yet, or if not, when it is going live.

    If I’m reading this right, won’t that just turn into a mess, though? All the spammers have to do is generate new URLs faster than LJ can patch the HTML cleaner, right? I’d think LJ would get sick of this.

    Not to mention, we shouldn’t be relying on LJ or any company to “protect” us from these things. It’s nice, but there’s always going to be more of “them” coming up with new ways to get people. I’d REALLY think that people would know better than to click the links and download the malware, although given how many of my friends — whom I’d LIKE to think are smart and savvy — have been compromised or at least taken in by the new friend add, gives me little hope.

  39. I’m sure they absolutely will get sick of it, and the only cure for it is to burn out the spammers at the source, but at least it’s a means of reducing the amount of damage they do on LJ.

    From what said, it wasn’t even necessary to click on the video; just visiting the profile in which the video was embedded was enough to redirect. And that’s very bad from a LJ perspective, if you can’t trust an LJ profile enough to visit it…

    I went to the profile of one of the spammers, saw that there was a video in there a dodgy-looking domain, and closed the window in general irritation, before anything was visited or downloaded.

  40. Ok, well I was definitely infected. I stupidly thought that the program was a video add on. Yeah, I’m kicking myself now. I installed the thing, typed my password, and all that. So I had it. What I don’t understand is what the virus does. Being a Mac user, I have no experience with viruses. The main things I worry about are having it send emails or ims to people in my address book or on my buddy list. I also worry about something picking up passwords or credit/bank account information. Does this thing do anything like that?

    So anyway, I did the thing in terminal and it showed I was infected and then I followed your instructions and it said the no contrab thing so it should mean I’m clean. Is there anyway that this program is still operating on my computer and anything more I should do to ensure it’s gone?

    Thanks for allowing idiots and computer illiterates like myself to post here and ask for help.

    • What this particular Trojan does is it resets your name servers to hostile name servers in Russia. What that means is that whenever you go to a Web site using your browser, your Web site name server request is handled by the hostile server in Russia, not by your ISP; the hackers can, if they want to, send you to a false page anywhere they want. (So for example if they decided to create a fake Apple page, any time you type http://www.apple.com in your browser you will go to their page, not the real Apple page.)

      This malware does not attempt to spread itself or email or IM any of your contacts.

      If you are not showing the signs of malware infection any more, you’re good to go. 🙂

  41. Ok, well I was definitely infected. I stupidly thought that the program was a video add on. Yeah, I’m kicking myself now. I installed the thing, typed my password, and all that. So I had it. What I don’t understand is what the virus does. Being a Mac user, I have no experience with viruses. The main things I worry about are having it send emails or ims to people in my address book or on my buddy list. I also worry about something picking up passwords or credit/bank account information. Does this thing do anything like that?

    So anyway, I did the thing in terminal and it showed I was infected and then I followed your instructions and it said the no contrab thing so it should mean I’m clean. Is there anyway that this program is still operating on my computer and anything more I should do to ensure it’s gone?

    Thanks for allowing idiots and computer illiterates like myself to post here and ask for help.

  42. What this particular Trojan does is it resets your name servers to hostile name servers in Russia. What that means is that whenever you go to a Web site using your browser, your Web site name server request is handled by the hostile server in Russia, not by your ISP; the hackers can, if they want to, send you to a false page anywhere they want. (So for example if they decided to create a fake Apple page, any time you type http://www.apple.com in your browser you will go to their page, not the real Apple page.)

    This malware does not attempt to spread itself or email or IM any of your contacts.

    If you are not showing the signs of malware infection any more, you’re good to go. 🙂

  43. Got here through a friend’s page… just a little confused. What happens then if you’re running Windows? I think I got redirected to one of these sites by clicking a video game link from Google. It did the whole trying to d/l an add-on for a movie viewer. I clicked no and cancel and tried to close the pop-up window when it came up (I never hit ok) but it wouldn’t go away. I ended up just killing Firefox from the process window. Afterwards, I ran McAfee which didn’t find anything but I’m paranoid about being infected.

    Help? x.x;

    • If you did not allow the downloaded file to run, you’re most likely not infected, particularly since you use Firefox (many of the pages attempt Internet Explorer browser exploits to get the downloaded file to run, but these exploits are generally ineffective against Firefox).

      However, for peace of mind, I would recommend running an online antivirus scanner, such as the one at

      http://housecall.trendmicro.com

  44. Got here through a friend’s page… just a little confused. What happens then if you’re running Windows? I think I got redirected to one of these sites by clicking a video game link from Google. It did the whole trying to d/l an add-on for a movie viewer. I clicked no and cancel and tried to close the pop-up window when it came up (I never hit ok) but it wouldn’t go away. I ended up just killing Firefox from the process window. Afterwards, I ran McAfee which didn’t find anything but I’m paranoid about being infected.

    Help? x.x;

  45. If you did not allow the downloaded file to run, you’re most likely not infected, particularly since you use Firefox (many of the pages attempt Internet Explorer browser exploits to get the downloaded file to run, but these exploits are generally ineffective against Firefox).

    However, for peace of mind, I would recommend running an online antivirus scanner, such as the one at

    http://housecall.trendmicro.com

  46. Re: 1023.dmg

    I’m infected as well. When I type sudo crontab -r it does not ask for my pw, and comes back with
    crontab: no crontab for root

    What should I do?

    Thanks for your help – these threads have been very helpful as I thought I was infected immediately and didn’t know what to do.

  47. Re: 1023.dmg

    If you see crontab – no crontab for root, and you don’t have a file called plugins.settings in your browser plug-ins folder, the infection has been removed; you need only restart the computer to be back to normal.

    If oyu use the sudo command and you don’t get asked for a password, that means you’re either logged in as the root user or you have used the sudo command some time in the last few minutes. (You need only type the password once, and then subsequent uses of th sudo command in the next few minutes won’t ask for it again.)

  48. Acknowledging that there’s potential exposure to a libel suit in this suggestion, is there a legally acceptable way of contacting the *customers* of IPower? After all, the poor bastards whose sites are getting hacked on a weekly basis would probably be very interested in knowing the cause of the problem. Somehow, I doubt IPower is being forthcoming with the explanation, assuming the customers even notice.

  49. That’s a really good question. I’ve thought several times about not notifying iPower of each day’s new crop of intrusions, and instead sending an email explaining the situation to each of the customers whose sites are hacked. I’ve even gone so far as to write a form email that I can just drop the particular details of a specific Web site hack into.

    I still have this weird fantasy that iPower Web will actually get their security problem under control, despite all the evidence to the contrary. And it’s a lot more work to send out 100 emails to 100 owners of hacked sites tan it is to send iPower a single email listing 100 sites that have been hacked that day.

    But I’m thinking that iPower either doesn’t care that every site they host can be hacked, or (more likely) someone at iPower is actually in on it–being paid to leave their servers vulnerable, or whatever. (A friend of mine floated the hypothesis that it might be extortion; iPower may be deliberately leaving their servers unsecured because they fear retaliation, such as a DDoS attack, if they don’t.)

    Regardless, I do think the time is drawing near to skip iPower and reach out to the owners of the hacked sites directly. I’m not worried about libel; in the US, truthfulness is an absolute defense against charges of libel or slander, and I’ve taken great care to document and support all the reports I’ve written.

  50. There’s also the question of the affected customers, and their businesses. It can be argued that by failing to protect their customers’ accounts, iPower interfered with interstate commerce, or some similar legislation. And who doesn’t love a visit from the Feds, whichever Fed group happens to be the most irked by the whole issue?

  51. Thank you Thank you Thank you

    Just wanted to thank you for putting this up.

    Like a fool, I downloaded the malware, and I found that I had been infected.

    However, I am now dis-infected ollowing your instructions, thank God.

    I am very grateful.

  52. Thank you Thank you Thank you

    Just wanted to thank you for putting this up.

    Like a fool, I downloaded the malware, and I found that I had been infected.

    However, I am now dis-infected ollowing your instructions, thank God.

    I am very grateful.

  53. Oh that’s so cool! I’m in the place where right now I’m living BDSM vicariously through other people’s accounts so it’s great, as always, to read your stuff. Your approach to BDSM actually makes a lot more sense to me than the other kind. I, for example, know for a fact that there are aspects of BDSM that I would normally not be into, but if I could get the right emotional connection with another person/people, then I’d be all for it. (Flogging is one example of that…)

    That’s not quite what you meant about the kind of headspace you get into through BDSM, but I think they’re related.

  54. Oh that’s so cool! I’m in the place where right now I’m living BDSM vicariously through other people’s accounts so it’s great, as always, to read your stuff. Your approach to BDSM actually makes a lot more sense to me than the other kind. I, for example, know for a fact that there are aspects of BDSM that I would normally not be into, but if I could get the right emotional connection with another person/people, then I’d be all for it. (Flogging is one example of that…)

    That’s not quite what you meant about the kind of headspace you get into through BDSM, but I think they’re related.

  55. Re: 1023.dmg

    Recent infection from another location, by way of Google search and clickthroughs. Handled the removal myself, wasn’t sure I’d gotten all the pieces, and came stumbling on your site.
    Long time no see, additionally – pretty sure we were talking on polyfamilies back a few years gone now.

    Versions of this are now propagating as the same dmg name, but the mounted volume is “77”. Installs a file “QuickTime.xpt” which is a re-run of the DNS change.
    plugins.settings also was present.
    Still haven’t seen a copy of the sendreq script.
    I would additionally advise removing the “installer.pkg” file in /Library/Receipts .

  56. Re: 1023.dmg

    I’m infected, my browser redirects me. I believe the 1023 file came from http://64.28.178.27 .

    How do i go about removing it? I having trouble following the advice above, i googled it but no luck. sorry, but please help?

  57. Hey well I’m kind of new at all this.. but anyway the 1023.dmg file started to download, i stopped it, then deleted it. Well now Safari won’t load videos.

    I tried crontab it showed no crontab for root but I think i was logged in as root/admin.

    I don’t see a plugins.settings file in the plug-ins folder either.

    Any help?

    New Safari update + restart has not corrected the problem.

    • If you don’t have the file plugins.settings, and you didn’t allow the .dmg file to download, you’re not infected; your problems with viewing movies are unrelated, and the timing is coincidence.

      There are a few things you can do to resolve problems with Safari not showing movies:

      1. Re-download and re-install QuickTime. You can find the download page here.

      2. Install Flip4Mac, which allows Safari to play Windows (.wmv and .avi) movies. You can find the Flip4Mac download here.

      3. Re-install the Flash player plugin; you need this to view Flash movies. You can find it here.

  58. Hey well I’m kind of new at all this.. but anyway the 1023.dmg file started to download, i stopped it, then deleted it. Well now Safari won’t load videos.

    I tried crontab it showed no crontab for root but I think i was logged in as root/admin.

    I don’t see a plugins.settings file in the plug-ins folder either.

    Any help?

    New Safari update + restart has not corrected the problem.

  59. Me too….

    I got infected too. What a fool I was!

    It’s affecting my search results and when I click on some links it’s directing me to to their dumbass sites.

    Could someone please tell us how to remove 1023.dmg

    Thanks

    • Re: Me too….

      You can tell quickly if you are infected. Infected Macs will have a file called plugins.settings in the Internet Plugins folder inside the Library folder. Double click your hard drive icon. Inside you will see a folder called Library. Open it and find the folder called Internet Plugins. Open the Internet Plugins folder and see if you can find a file called plugins.settings; if you can, you are infected and if you can’t you are not.

      If you are infected:

      1. Drag the plugins.settings file to the trash and empty the trash.

      2. Open the Terminal. It is in your Applications folder, in a folder called Utilities.

      3. In the Terminal window, type

      sudo crontab -l

      and hit return. (Note, the thing after the dash is the lowercase letter L, not the number 1.) You will be asked for an administrator password. Enter it.

      4. If it says “crontab: no crontab for root” when you enter your password, you are no longer infected and you can stop here. If it says anything else besides “crontab: no crontab for root” then go on to the next step.

      5. Type

      sudo crontab -r

      in the terminal and press Return. When you are asked for your password, enter it.

      6. Restart your Mac. That should take care of it.

  60. Me too….

    I got infected too. What a fool I was!

    It’s affecting my search results and when I click on some links it’s directing me to to their dumbass sites.

    Could someone please tell us how to remove 1023.dmg

    Thanks

  61. Re: Me too….

    You can tell quickly if you are infected. Infected Macs will have a file called plugins.settings in the Internet Plugins folder inside the Library folder. Double click your hard drive icon. Inside you will see a folder called Library. Open it and find the folder called Internet Plugins. Open the Internet Plugins folder and see if you can find a file called plugins.settings; if you can, you are infected and if you can’t you are not.

    If you are infected:

    1. Drag the plugins.settings file to the trash and empty the trash.

    2. Open the Terminal. It is in your Applications folder, in a folder called Utilities.

    3. In the Terminal window, type

    sudo crontab -l

    and hit return. (Note, the thing after the dash is the lowercase letter L, not the number 1.) You will be asked for an administrator password. Enter it.

    4. If it says “crontab: no crontab for root” when you enter your password, you are no longer infected and you can stop here. If it says anything else besides “crontab: no crontab for root” then go on to the next step.

    5. Type

    sudo crontab -r

    in the terminal and press Return. When you are asked for your password, enter it.

    6. Restart your Mac. That should take care of it.

  62. If you don’t have the file plugins.settings, and you didn’t allow the .dmg file to download, you’re not infected; your problems with viewing movies are unrelated, and the timing is coincidence.

    There are a few things you can do to resolve problems with Safari not showing movies:

    1. Re-download and re-install QuickTime. You can find the download page here.

    2. Install Flip4Mac, which allows Safari to play Windows (.wmv and .avi) movies. You can find the Flip4Mac download here.

    3. Re-install the Flash player plugin; you need this to view Flash movies. You can find it here.

  63. mac OS X 10.4.10 user with 1023.dmg.download

    i recently just noticed that i had these two files on my desktop
    1) 1023.dmg.download
    2)1023-1.dmg.download

    i can see that they have not been fully downloaded. when i tried to move them to trash and delete them a message prompts me that they are still in use. It has a stop tab and a continue tab on them. I have clicked both stop and continue but they have not gone away. How can i get rid of these files?

  64. mac OS X 10.4.10 user with 1023.dmg.download

    i recently just noticed that i had these two files on my desktop
    1) 1023.dmg.download
    2)1023-1.dmg.download

    i can see that they have not been fully downloaded. when i tried to move them to trash and delete them a message prompts me that they are still in use. It has a stop tab and a continue tab on them. I have clicked both stop and continue but they have not gone away. How can i get rid of these files?

  65. Nobody else mentioned this, oddly. Silver has a flavor, a strong one, and especially when the silver is tarnished a little, I find the flavor lingers. (this is, presumably, why we polish our good silver before thanksgiving dinner.) I think it tastes kind of nasty.

  66. Nobody else mentioned this, oddly. Silver has a flavor, a strong one, and especially when the silver is tarnished a little, I find the flavor lingers. (this is, presumably, why we polish our good silver before thanksgiving dinner.) I think it tastes kind of nasty.

  67. Since I clicked a link for “parisrocksagain.com” and got prompted to download 1023.dmg, I found this entry – it’s not just Google anymore!

    There are at least 50 (that I could find via a google search for parisrocksagain.com) Livejournal accounts with links that are redirecting to these malware files.

    Nice to know that we’re safe in our little corner of the internet, isn’t it?

    (two of the LJs that I know are and )

  68. Since I clicked a link for “parisrocksagain.com” and got prompted to download 1023.dmg, I found this entry – it’s not just Google anymore!

    There are at least 50 (that I could find via a google search for parisrocksagain.com) Livejournal accounts with links that are redirecting to these malware files.

    Nice to know that we’re safe in our little corner of the internet, isn’t it?

    (two of the LJs that I know are and )

  69. Re: 1023.dmg

    Use TextMate or a source viewing software, I opened the file and viewed the content and tried to find all the files that it would download into the drive including their path. I removed about 4 total..including the one located in Library/Receipts. Sorry for not enough info but, I haven’t been redirected yet. If anyone has an a layout of this issue and what total files to take out please post.

  70. Oh those wacky chemists… funny, back when I was a chemist, I don’t think I knew anybody *that* wacky…

  71. Oh those wacky chemists… funny, back when I was a chemist, I don’t think I knew anybody *that* wacky…

  72. SAME

    some dumbass posted the 64.28.178.27 ipo address virus inc. with a search result for one of my bands. well if you suck at music at least you can get good at being a loser.

  73. SAME

    some dumbass posted the 64.28.178.27 ipo address virus inc. with a search result for one of my bands. well if you suck at music at least you can get good at being a loser.

  74. Eternally Grateful

    just wanted to say thanks-a-million for saving my life with this info on removing the 1023.dmg and eventual virus from my Mac OSX 10.4.11… like an idiot, i actually consented to installing the file and was willing to bear any monetary cost to right my wrongs before i stumbled across your most helpful advice… Thank you!

  75. Eternally Grateful

    just wanted to say thanks-a-million for saving my life with this info on removing the 1023.dmg and eventual virus from my Mac OSX 10.4.11… like an idiot, i actually consented to installing the file and was willing to bear any monetary cost to right my wrongs before i stumbled across your most helpful advice… Thank you!

  76. Orientation play is ‘forcing’ a partner to hve sex with, or have sexual contact with, a person of the ‘wrong’ sex for that person’s orientation–like, for example, ordering a woman who identifies as straight to have sex with another woman.

    There’s a fairly narrow range of people for whom it works. The person needs to be flexible enough in sexual identity that it’s possible, but not identify so easily as bisexual that it’s trivial.

  77. Orientation play is ‘forcing’ a partner to hve sex with, or have sexual contact with, a person of the ‘wrong’ sex for that person’s orientation–like, for example, ordering a woman who identifies as straight to have sex with another woman.

    There’s a fairly narrow range of people for whom it works. The person needs to be flexible enough in sexual identity that it’s possible, but not identify so easily as bisexual that it’s trivial.

  78. Вебкамера в женской спальне

    Добрый вечер всем обитателям отличного сайта tacit.livejournal.com !
    Сдала сессию, скучно… Взяла у подруги вебкамеру, могу теперь время убить 🙂 рада любому общению!
    Моя вебкамера находится на http://web.1stmov.com/ , часов 8 онлайн я в день бываю точно 🙂
    Жду в онлайне интересных людей, с которыми можно пофлиртовать и поговорить обо всем.

    • Re: Вебкамера в женской спальне

      y0и..dmgDobryy evening to all inhabitants of the different site tacit.livejournal.com! It passed session, it is boring… It undertook in friend to vebkameru, I can now time it killed:) it is glad to any contact! My vebkamera

      translation the best as my mac could do, computerized translations are only but so good, but hopefully that make some sense to us english speaking ppl

  79. Вебкамера в женской спальне

    Добрый вечер всем обитателям отличного сайта tacit.livejournal.com !
    Сдала сессию, скучно… Взяла у подруги вебкамеру, могу теперь время убить 🙂 рада любому общению!
    Моя вебкамера находится на http://web.1stmov.com/ , часов 8 онлайн я в день бываю точно 🙂
    Жду в онлайне интересных людей, с которыми можно пофлиртовать и поговорить обо всем.

  80. I also found this out myself from malware filled search results

    After regularly getting malware filled search results, I decided to investigate on it with the idea of informing the affected webmasters.

    At first I also found there was a pattern in those malware redirections. Eventually I got one that yields 95% hacked sites.

    At this point I started compiling a list with the url, webmaster’s email and such.

    I also tried the urls directly but got an error page, so I knew it was looking at the http referer value.

    But I still continued to check if this pattern was consistent, to end up noticing most of them were giving a Vdeck error page.

    When I noticed this, I sent an email to Vdeck support to inform them of an obvious vulnerability in their system since most of the infected sites I found used their system.

    They shortly replied a predefined script asking for my customer ID. Of course I’m not their customer, I’m just trying to inform them of a major issue, so I replied telling them that.

    It’s been a few days and I haven’t heard back from them.

    But I continued my verifications and some sites were affected the same way but didn’t show a vdeck error page.

    It’s about at this time that I started checking the whois records to find out that 100% of the hacked sites I found came from either iPowerWeb (95%) and StartLogic (5%). I then did a whois query on those 2 and on Vdeck to find out the 3 companies are registered at the same address.

    Isn’t it strange that all the infected sites I found are stored at the same address, in Phoenix Arizona!

    Then I sent an email to iPowerWeb and haven’t heard from them yet. I honestly don’t expect a response but I feel I can’t let this story go.

    There seems to be only a few possibilities that could explain this situation:

    – iPowerWeb and StartLogic both use the same extremely unsecured software and don’t do anything to fix it
    – these companies make money from those malicious redirections
    – their employees help hackers to get in or do the hacking themselves

    In any event, this is more than a simple pattern, it’s a rule. If you have a web site on iPowerWeb’s hosts, you’re more than likely going to get hacked, and most of the time you want even know it!

    Stay away from this company as they don’t care the least bit about their security issues.

  81. I also found this out myself from malware filled search results

    After regularly getting malware filled search results, I decided to investigate on it with the idea of informing the affected webmasters.

    At first I also found there was a pattern in those malware redirections. Eventually I got one that yields 95% hacked sites.

    At this point I started compiling a list with the url, webmaster’s email and such.

    I also tried the urls directly but got an error page, so I knew it was looking at the http referer value.

    But I still continued to check if this pattern was consistent, to end up noticing most of them were giving a Vdeck error page.

    When I noticed this, I sent an email to Vdeck support to inform them of an obvious vulnerability in their system since most of the infected sites I found used their system.

    They shortly replied a predefined script asking for my customer ID. Of course I’m not their customer, I’m just trying to inform them of a major issue, so I replied telling them that.

    It’s been a few days and I haven’t heard back from them.

    But I continued my verifications and some sites were affected the same way but didn’t show a vdeck error page.

    It’s about at this time that I started checking the whois records to find out that 100% of the hacked sites I found came from either iPowerWeb (95%) and StartLogic (5%). I then did a whois query on those 2 and on Vdeck to find out the 3 companies are registered at the same address.

    Isn’t it strange that all the infected sites I found are stored at the same address, in Phoenix Arizona!

    Then I sent an email to iPowerWeb and haven’t heard from them yet. I honestly don’t expect a response but I feel I can’t let this story go.

    There seems to be only a few possibilities that could explain this situation:

    – iPowerWeb and StartLogic both use the same extremely unsecured software and don’t do anything to fix it
    – these companies make money from those malicious redirections
    – their employees help hackers to get in or do the hacking themselves

    In any event, this is more than a simple pattern, it’s a rule. If you have a web site on iPowerWeb’s hosts, you’re more than likely going to get hacked, and most of the time you want even know it!

    Stay away from this company as they don’t care the least bit about their security issues.

  82. I still dont know hot to remove it, can someone post something to help me out?

    I got the virus but i don’t know how to get it out cpuld someone help me

  83. I still dont know hot to remove it, can someone post something to help me out?

    I got the virus but i don’t know how to get it out cpuld someone help me

  84. hooray! have fun camping. your userpic is awsome! is that you spinning? looks like some i’ve taken of my firey friends:

    walking & spinning is cool

  85. hooray! have fun camping. your userpic is awsome! is that you spinning? looks like some i’ve taken of my firey friends:

    walking & spinning is cool

  86. I assure you, that is most decidedly not true. Why, just this afternoon I really cut loose and rearranged my living room! 😛

  87. I assure you, that is most decidedly not true. Why, just this afternoon I really cut loose and rearranged my living room! 😛

  88. Есть вебкамера, жду тебя

    Привет
    Тестирую свою вебкамеру на сайте http://moevideo.locter.com , заходите ко мне для общения.
    Если у вас нет вебкамеры, то вы сможете только видеть меня и писать мне в чате сообщения.
    С нетерпением жду собеседников. Язык общения только русский, сорри, другие плохо знаю 🙂

  89. Есть вебкамера, жду тебя

    Привет
    Тестирую свою вебкамеру на сайте http://moevideo.locter.com , заходите ко мне для общения.
    Если у вас нет вебкамеры, то вы сможете только видеть меня и писать мне в чате сообщения.
    С нетерпением жду собеседников. Язык общения только русский, сорри, другие плохо знаю 🙂

  90. Купила вебкамеру, хочу общаться

    Всем привет
    Обитатели tacit.livejournal.com – скучаю, включила вебкамеру и сижу жду собеседника в своем видеочате 🙂
    Заходите ко мне в видеочат на сайте http://videocam.qreviewer.com , буду рада поговорить,
    чем меньше комплексов у вас, тем веселее нам будет общаться. Жду тебя.
    Я девушка симпатичная, в меру упитанная, как говорится, все при мне.

  91. Купила вебкамеру, хочу общаться

    Всем привет
    Обитатели tacit.livejournal.com – скучаю, включила вебкамеру и сижу жду собеседника в своем видеочате 🙂
    Заходите ко мне в видеочат на сайте http://videocam.qreviewer.com , буду рада поговорить,
    чем меньше комплексов у вас, тем веселее нам будет общаться. Жду тебя.
    Я девушка симпатичная, в меру упитанная, как говорится, все при мне.

  92. Kiddies with public ink

    It seems to me that a lot of people with visible work put a lot of thought into it before hand.
    Recently I discovered a rant on quite a respected figure in the tattoo community’s Myspace. I say rant, it was more like pure venomous hatred.
    It would seem that some find young people with visible ink, impatient and disrespectful, and they must all just think it’s cool to have visible work.
    I’m 23, My first tattoo was on my shoulder, then my wrists, then I got a full sleeve. Then I moved to my hands, then neck and I also have a large part of my leg tattooed.
    It took me about two years to get the opportunity to get my hand tattooed by my idol, and then my neck by an artist I greatly admire, a lot of time, effort and thought was put into both of these.
    Even though I’m somewhat older and do have a fair bit of coverage, I might still be classed as young and “under-tattooed” to have such visible work, and I can’t help but think that’s kinda crazy!
    Sure I’ve seen some 18 year olds with kanji on their necks or poorly executed skulls on their hands, and you can almost tell they rushed into it, wanting everyone to see their new work as clearly as possible, and fine that to me is impatient and maybe even attention seeking.
    Basically what I’m trying to say is that not everyone who has visible work is disrespectful to the art, some people invest a great deal of time, money and effort into getting that particular location inked with the highest standard work possible.
    It’s kinda funny to find prejudice within a community that tries so hard to divert it away from itself.

    Thoughts?

    • Kiddies with public ink

      I feel that those young ones with public ink are all about the coolness factor of having a tattoo. (I’m heavily tattooed and STILL haven’t mastered being cool )

      Its clear these people have not lived in the real world where money matters. Its not really as simple as getting a great big whopping tattoo and thinking that everyone will accept it. They won’t, people judge all the time, and there is still a stigma about being heavily tattooed.

      Those young people with public skin tattooed would have thought long and hard, done their research, and thought about life as a responsible family person before getting tattooed, they would already be thinking the tattooed persons thoughts and not rushing into it.

      I dunno if that makes sense, I can’t really word it how I want.

  93. Kiddies with public ink

    It seems to me that a lot of people with visible work put a lot of thought into it before hand.
    Recently I discovered a rant on quite a respected figure in the tattoo community’s Myspace. I say rant, it was more like pure venomous hatred.
    It would seem that some find young people with visible ink, impatient and disrespectful, and they must all just think it’s cool to have visible work.
    I’m 23, My first tattoo was on my shoulder, then my wrists, then I got a full sleeve. Then I moved to my hands, then neck and I also have a large part of my leg tattooed.
    It took me about two years to get the opportunity to get my hand tattooed by my idol, and then my neck by an artist I greatly admire, a lot of time, effort and thought was put into both of these.
    Even though I’m somewhat older and do have a fair bit of coverage, I might still be classed as young and “under-tattooed” to have such visible work, and I can’t help but think that’s kinda crazy!
    Sure I’ve seen some 18 year olds with kanji on their necks or poorly executed skulls on their hands, and you can almost tell they rushed into it, wanting everyone to see their new work as clearly as possible, and fine that to me is impatient and maybe even attention seeking.
    Basically what I’m trying to say is that not everyone who has visible work is disrespectful to the art, some people invest a great deal of time, money and effort into getting that particular location inked with the highest standard work possible.
    It’s kinda funny to find prejudice within a community that tries so hard to divert it away from itself.

    Thoughts?

  94. issues getting rid of the 1023.dmg

    Thanks for your info. I stopped the 1023.dmg download and tried to delete it. However, my Mac wouldn’t let me because the file was ‘in use’. How is this possible? I’m not sure what to look for in the Activity Monitor. Do you have any suggestions?

    • Re: issues getting rid of the 1023.dmg

      Mot likely, if you stopped the download in the middle, it’s still in use by your browser. Quitting your browser should let you throw it away. If not, restart the computer.

  95. issues getting rid of the 1023.dmg

    Thanks for your info. I stopped the 1023.dmg download and tried to delete it. However, my Mac wouldn’t let me because the file was ‘in use’. How is this possible? I’m not sure what to look for in the Activity Monitor. Do you have any suggestions?

  96. Re: issues getting rid of the 1023.dmg

    Mot likely, if you stopped the download in the middle, it’s still in use by your browser. Quitting your browser should let you throw it away. If not, restart the computer.

  97. I would love to pick your brain for a research project….

    I have a 15 page research paper about computer crimes that I am currently working on and would love to hear your input on a few things. E-mail me if you are willing!!

    Thanks, Ashley

    • Re: I would love to pick your brain for a research project….

      Tried to respond to your LJ address, but it bounced. Sure! What kind of questions do you have?

  98. I would love to pick your brain for a research project….

    I have a 15 page research paper about computer crimes that I am currently working on and would love to hear your input on a few things. E-mail me if you are willing!!

    Thanks, Ashley

  99. Kiddies with public ink

    I feel that those young ones with public ink are all about the coolness factor of having a tattoo. (I’m heavily tattooed and STILL haven’t mastered being cool )

    Its clear these people have not lived in the real world where money matters. Its not really as simple as getting a great big whopping tattoo and thinking that everyone will accept it. They won’t, people judge all the time, and there is still a stigma about being heavily tattooed.

    Those young people with public skin tattooed would have thought long and hard, done their research, and thought about life as a responsible family person before getting tattooed, they would already be thinking the tattooed persons thoughts and not rushing into it.

    I dunno if that makes sense, I can’t really word it how I want.

  100. Re: I would love to pick your brain for a research project….

    Tried to respond to your LJ address, but it bounced. Sure! What kind of questions do you have?

  101. Interesting problem. The crotch rope holds the harness in place, so without that, you’d need some way to pass the rope around the hips or upper legs.

    One solution might be to wrap a few turns of rope around each thigh, loosely enough to then take the bottom part of the karada and pass it through the ropes around the thighs (on the outside rather than the inside) and then back up. I’ll have to do some experimenting. 🙂

  102. Interesting problem. The crotch rope holds the harness in place, so without that, you’d need some way to pass the rope around the hips or upper legs.

    One solution might be to wrap a few turns of rope around each thigh, loosely enough to then take the bottom part of the karada and pass it through the ropes around the thighs (on the outside rather than the inside) and then back up. I’ll have to do some experimenting. 🙂

  103. Removing

    I feel so stupid for installing it but anyway, i have followed the instructions and have removed the install.plugin, and 1023.dmg file and i also removed the install.pkg file. But when i go into terminal and type in sudo crontab -l and hit return it asks for my password but it won’t allow me to type it in. What should i do?

  104. Removing

    I feel so stupid for installing it but anyway, i have followed the instructions and have removed the install.plugin, and 1023.dmg file and i also removed the install.pkg file. But when i go into terminal and type in sudo crontab -l and hit return it asks for my password but it won’t allow me to type it in. What should i do?

  105. Re: Removing

    Dw about my last post. I don’t know how to use terminal. I followed your instructions and it came up with some quicktime.something thing but then i went to the next step and restarted my computer and it’s gone. Thanks so much man.

  106. Re: Removing

    Dw about my last post. I don’t know how to use terminal. I followed your instructions and it came up with some quicktime.something thing but then i went to the next step and restarted my computer and it’s gone. Thanks so much man.

  107. Now I’m trying to figure out how to research if there is a quanta of misery.

    All I can think of is an analogue with the black body radiation problem specifically seeing if there is an analogue to the ultraviolet catastrophe:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet_catastrophe

    Where a person would be able to radiate an infinite amount of misery at some finite frequency of emission or if like the solution to blackbody radiation there are quanta of misery which make the amount of energy in any finite field finite.

    So want to be the Max Planc of misery and help sort this out? I’m thinking we first need to do some experimental work we can isolate a subject and watch them move up the frequency scale of emission from twitching to grumbling to bitching and from there all the way up to LJ assisted fatwa against the misery inflicter. For that we could use perhaps some sort of electrified probe or failing that Fox News

  108. Now I’m trying to figure out how to research if there is a quanta of misery.

    All I can think of is an analogue with the black body radiation problem specifically seeing if there is an analogue to the ultraviolet catastrophe:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet_catastrophe

    Where a person would be able to radiate an infinite amount of misery at some finite frequency of emission or if like the solution to blackbody radiation there are quanta of misery which make the amount of energy in any finite field finite.

    So want to be the Max Planc of misery and help sort this out? I’m thinking we first need to do some experimental work we can isolate a subject and watch them move up the frequency scale of emission from twitching to grumbling to bitching and from there all the way up to LJ assisted fatwa against the misery inflicter. For that we could use perhaps some sort of electrified probe or failing that Fox News

  109. How old is he? He looks like a wee version of our kitty, or like his little brother (if he had a little brother.)

  110. How old is he? He looks like a wee version of our kitty, or like his little brother (if he had a little brother.)

  111. ive read 21 of the books listed (27 if you count each harry potter book separately) and loved most of them.

    besides all the classics, i highly recommend 39, 64, 68(if you have ovaries), 73, 76(but not when you’re depressed), and 88

  112. ive read 21 of the books listed (27 if you count each harry potter book separately) and loved most of them.

    besides all the classics, i highly recommend 39, 64, 68(if you have ovaries), 73, 76(but not when you’re depressed), and 88

  113. Who made that list??? “Bridget Jones Diary”? They’ve got to be kidding! But that allows for an interesting question: how would you improve the list?
    Franklin, what about you? What books definitely got to go, and which ones would you put instead?

    My take:
    Out: Bridget Jones, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, Memoirs of a Geisha, Count of Monte Cristo (yuck! such crap!), Chronicles Of Narnia, and I’d also throw out Jane Austen entirely.

    In: Thomas Mann “Joseph and His Brothers”, Ray Bradbury “Dandelion Wine” (and other works), John Galsworthy (“The Forsyte Saga”), more Nabokov (e.g. “The Defense”), Robert Penn Warren “All The Kings Men”, Stanislav Lem (everything), Erich Maria Remarque (most things). What else?… “Dangerous Liasons” is nice.

    What sci-fi would you put? Azimov? Simak? Kuttner? I’d say Strugatsky brothers, but that won’t say a thing to English speakers. It’s a funny thing with Russian sci-fi — Russians can enjoy Western sci-fi, but the opposite is not true…

    -Ola

  114. Who made that list??? “Bridget Jones Diary”? They’ve got to be kidding! But that allows for an interesting question: how would you improve the list?
    Franklin, what about you? What books definitely got to go, and which ones would you put instead?

    My take:
    Out: Bridget Jones, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, Memoirs of a Geisha, Count of Monte Cristo (yuck! such crap!), Chronicles Of Narnia, and I’d also throw out Jane Austen entirely.

    In: Thomas Mann “Joseph and His Brothers”, Ray Bradbury “Dandelion Wine” (and other works), John Galsworthy (“The Forsyte Saga”), more Nabokov (e.g. “The Defense”), Robert Penn Warren “All The Kings Men”, Stanislav Lem (everything), Erich Maria Remarque (most things). What else?… “Dangerous Liasons” is nice.

    What sci-fi would you put? Azimov? Simak? Kuttner? I’d say Strugatsky brothers, but that won’t say a thing to English speakers. It’s a funny thing with Russian sci-fi — Russians can enjoy Western sci-fi, but the opposite is not true…

    -Ola

  115. Hmm. Good question.

    I’d say Out would be Harry Potter, The Hobbit (not nearly as important a work as LoTR), Bridget Jones, Narnia, The Da Vinci Code. In: The Wizard of Oz, The Scarlet Letter, Tom Sawyer, Dante’s Inferno, Don Quixote, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, Waiting for Godot, The Crucible.

    Science fiction could be its own list altogether. I’m no fan of many of the early SF writers (in particular, Asimov always left me cold), but I’d say a list of SF literary works would have to include Childhood’s End, Stranger in a Strange Land, The Martian Chronicles, The Man in the High Castle, Neuromancer, Foundation, The Bicentennial Man, the Discworld series, From the Earth to the Moon, War of the Worlds, Cryptonomicon, The Sentinel which later became 2001: A Space Odyssey), Consider Phlebas, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, A Clockwork Orange, Ender’s Game, The Dragon Never Sleeps, The Time Machne (HG Wells), The Madness Season, Eye of Cat, Dune, Fahrenheit 451, Ringworld, The Left Hand of Darkness, Crash, The Diamond Age, The Uplift War, The Metamorphosis (Kafka), the Cthulhu series (if they can be considered SF), A Canticle for Leibowitz, Night Watch, A Fire Upon the Deep, Rainbows End, Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Kiln People…and I’m sure I’m forgetting some.

  116. Hmm. Good question.

    I’d say Out would be Harry Potter, The Hobbit (not nearly as important a work as LoTR), Bridget Jones, Narnia, The Da Vinci Code. In: The Wizard of Oz, The Scarlet Letter, Tom Sawyer, Dante’s Inferno, Don Quixote, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, Waiting for Godot, The Crucible.

    Science fiction could be its own list altogether. I’m no fan of many of the early SF writers (in particular, Asimov always left me cold), but I’d say a list of SF literary works would have to include Childhood’s End, Stranger in a Strange Land, The Martian Chronicles, The Man in the High Castle, Neuromancer, Foundation, The Bicentennial Man, the Discworld series, From the Earth to the Moon, War of the Worlds, Cryptonomicon, The Sentinel which later became 2001: A Space Odyssey), Consider Phlebas, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, A Clockwork Orange, Ender’s Game, The Dragon Never Sleeps, The Time Machne (HG Wells), The Madness Season, Eye of Cat, Dune, Fahrenheit 451, Ringworld, The Left Hand of Darkness, Crash, The Diamond Age, The Uplift War, The Metamorphosis (Kafka), the Cthulhu series (if they can be considered SF), A Canticle for Leibowitz, Night Watch, A Fire Upon the Deep, Rainbows End, Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Kiln People…and I’m sure I’m forgetting some.

  117. Re: 1023.dmg

    i would apreciate it if you would post the locations and names of all the files to be removed, just so i can make sure everything is squeaky clean. =)

  118. Re: Вебкамера в женской спальне

    y0и..dmgDobryy evening to all inhabitants of the different site tacit.livejournal.com! It passed session, it is boring… It undertook in friend to vebkameru, I can now time it killed:) it is glad to any contact! My vebkamera

    translation the best as my mac could do, computerized translations are only but so good, but hopefully that make some sense to us english speaking ppl

  119. Re: Removing

    when you type in ur password terminal doesn’t show that its being typed in, it is i promise, just type the password, and hit enter. hope that helped

  120. Re: Removing

    when you type in ur password terminal doesn’t show that its being typed in, it is i promise, just type the password, and hit enter. hope that helped

  121. Re: 1023.dmg

    sorry i miss-read what you typed. If anyone has a list of all of the files to be removed it would be greatly appreciated if you would post the list.

  122. MacRumors.com

    Okay, I just got an email from MacRumors.com telling me I had a private message; the message was a link to a site that redirected me to what looked like a porn site, but repeatedly asked me, via a Javascript alert, to download an update to ActiveX (a pretty common occurrence on Windows but very unusual on the Mac). Upon agreeing to download the update, “1023.dmg” was downloaded to my machine; I did not mount the disk image, immediately deleted the file, and googled its name, and that brought me here…

    Thanks for all the research you’ve done into this Franklin… it’s very interesting and I definitely feel like I’m down the rabbit hole now…

    For what it’s worth I’ve passed along my experience to one of the MacRumors moderators to alert them.. will post back if/when I find out anything.

  123. MacRumors.com

    Okay, I just got an email from MacRumors.com telling me I had a private message; the message was a link to a site that redirected me to what looked like a porn site, but repeatedly asked me, via a Javascript alert, to download an update to ActiveX (a pretty common occurrence on Windows but very unusual on the Mac). Upon agreeing to download the update, “1023.dmg” was downloaded to my machine; I did not mount the disk image, immediately deleted the file, and googled its name, and that brought me here…

    Thanks for all the research you’ve done into this Franklin… it’s very interesting and I definitely feel like I’m down the rabbit hole now…

    For what it’s worth I’ve passed along my experience to one of the MacRumors moderators to alert them.. will post back if/when I find out anything.

  124. Mac Malware

    My daughter didn’t set up her Mac computer properly, she didn’t set up an admin password. I was doing a google search, clicked, and a 1023.dmg downloaded to her computer yesterday.

    I’m not sure what to do now. I immediately deleted from the download. It didn’t want to trash immediately it said the file was in use. I safe started and was able to delete, but I don’t know if there are remnants left. This was all within a 30 minute period.

    I also sent the link to the webpage to Google, because I couldn’t find any contact information on the blog website where that file downloaded. I’m not sure what to do now.

    Does this file only redirect? Her finals are over in a week, I’d like to wipe the computer and rebuild it.

    • Re: Mac Malware

      If you don’t have a password, it will still ask you for one, and you’ll have to just hit the return key. If you didn’t do this, you’re not infected–it didn’t install.

      The reason the .dmg file didn’t delete is that it was still mounted. You’d have to drag the disk image itself (icon looks like a white plastic lozenge) to the trash to eject it, or restart, before you can throw away the .dmg; that’s true of all .dmg files.

  125. Mac Malware

    My daughter didn’t set up her Mac computer properly, she didn’t set up an admin password. I was doing a google search, clicked, and a 1023.dmg downloaded to her computer yesterday.

    I’m not sure what to do now. I immediately deleted from the download. It didn’t want to trash immediately it said the file was in use. I safe started and was able to delete, but I don’t know if there are remnants left. This was all within a 30 minute period.

    I also sent the link to the webpage to Google, because I couldn’t find any contact information on the blog website where that file downloaded. I’m not sure what to do now.

    Does this file only redirect? Her finals are over in a week, I’d like to wipe the computer and rebuild it.

  126. Re: Mac Malware

    If you don’t have a password, it will still ask you for one, and you’ll have to just hit the return key. If you didn’t do this, you’re not infected–it didn’t install.

    The reason the .dmg file didn’t delete is that it was still mounted. You’d have to drag the disk image itself (icon looks like a white plastic lozenge) to the trash to eject it, or restart, before you can throw away the .dmg; that’s true of all .dmg files.

  127. Very interesting

    My iPower site has been hacked 3 times in 4 months. I can’t wait till my contract runs out so I can move my site. If it were a money making site I would have broken the contract already.

    Awful!

  128. Very interesting

    My iPower site has been hacked 3 times in 4 months. I can’t wait till my contract runs out so I can move my site. If it were a money making site I would have broken the contract already.

    Awful!

  129. I have the DMG file in the trash, havent installed but it refuses to empty the trash, claiming that the file is in use, any suggestions?

    • As with all .dmg files, you can not empty the trash until you eject the disk image.

      A dmg is a disk image. When it mounts, you will see a white icon on your desktop that looks like a disk. You must eject that icon by dragging it to the trash before you can throw the dmg file away.

  130. I have the DMG file in the trash, havent installed but it refuses to empty the trash, claiming that the file is in use, any suggestions?

  131. As with all .dmg files, you can not empty the trash until you eject the disk image.

    A dmg is a disk image. When it mounts, you will see a white icon on your desktop that looks like a disk. You must eject that icon by dragging it to the trash before you can throw the dmg file away.

  132. Definitely not a switch. It’s a very narrow paddle carved from wood, and it’s completely inflexible:

    The pic doesn’t really do justice to how pretty it is. It’s a rich, deep red, and polished until it glows. 🙂

  133. Definitely not a switch. It’s a very narrow paddle carved from wood, and it’s completely inflexible:

    The pic doesn’t really do justice to how pretty it is. It’s a rich, deep red, and polished until it glows. 🙂

  134. Thanks

    I have to say that I appreciate you taking the time and effort to track this down. I have been at my wits end over the past year. My name has been showing up increasingly when I do a google search. I have a very uncommon name, italicized search on google would show only 30 hits. Over the past year it is up to 80 with more than half linking my name to porn sites. My full name and then that of my wife is used to link to these in most cases, which is extremely embarassing. They link through the forum sections of various apprantly unrelated innocuous websites. Obviously (I am not computer lit by any stretch), they are all using the same server. Many of mine link to magicpornotube. I have been fighting a losing battle trying to get Google to remove these links. Now I understand. Many are using phpbb as well. I guess my only out is to wait it out and not look at these links. Same thing happening to my brother in law as well. Embarassing as the other phrases in the links are extremely graphic relating to amateur sex movies and the like.

    Thanks for this. It helps my sanity. I still don’t understand how my name got in there in the first place. started with one or two a year ago, then ballooned to 50 or 60.

    Best regards

  135. Thanks

    I have to say that I appreciate you taking the time and effort to track this down. I have been at my wits end over the past year. My name has been showing up increasingly when I do a google search. I have a very uncommon name, italicized search on google would show only 30 hits. Over the past year it is up to 80 with more than half linking my name to porn sites. My full name and then that of my wife is used to link to these in most cases, which is extremely embarassing. They link through the forum sections of various apprantly unrelated innocuous websites. Obviously (I am not computer lit by any stretch), they are all using the same server. Many of mine link to magicpornotube. I have been fighting a losing battle trying to get Google to remove these links. Now I understand. Many are using phpbb as well. I guess my only out is to wait it out and not look at these links. Same thing happening to my brother in law as well. Embarassing as the other phrases in the links are extremely graphic relating to amateur sex movies and the like.

    Thanks for this. It helps my sanity. I still don’t understand how my name got in there in the first place. started with one or two a year ago, then ballooned to 50 or 60.

    Best regards

  136. Aww

    I have my name also linked to CRAPPY SPAM SITES. Ugh. There’s about 200 them, many of them disappear but then new ones come all the time. I hate this, I REALLY HATE THIS. I hope someone catches those SMELLING TURDS and burns their ASSES. Thank you.

    I’m so angry.

  137. Aww

    I have my name also linked to CRAPPY SPAM SITES. Ugh. There’s about 200 them, many of them disappear but then new ones come all the time. I hate this, I REALLY HATE THIS. I hope someone catches those SMELLING TURDS and burns their ASSES. Thank you.

    I’m so angry.

  138. estdomains

    I heard about estdomains before, but never in such a bad daylight. I guess they dont send viruses to their non-hackers clients. If so, someone should hit them with a banstick!

    piree,
    http://idealhost.nl

  139. estdomains

    I heard about estdomains before, but never in such a bad daylight. I guess they dont send viruses to their non-hackers clients. If so, someone should hit them with a banstick!

    piree,
    http://idealhost.nl

  140. I’m pretty sure that underneath all that weird imagery there is probably some underlying sexual symbolism. Oh… hang on…. :p

  141. I’m pretty sure that underneath all that weird imagery there is probably some underlying sexual symbolism. Oh… hang on…. :p

  142. I have an expectation that my romantic partners won’t drain my bank account and spend all the money on Mexican hookers and cheap booze.

    At least without inviting you along…

    Though on a more serious note, yes, good article.

  143. I have an expectation that my romantic partners won’t drain my bank account and spend all the money on Mexican hookers and cheap booze.

    At least without inviting you along…

    Though on a more serious note, yes, good article.

  144. Only if it is something a person is consciously doing, are they likely to know their own motivations. Like the example you gave of getting cut off by a driver, people “will offer personal explanations for other people’s behavior.”

    I’ve known this situation where a person held on to their personal explanation so tightly, that they were unwilling to actually find out what the other person’s motivation actually was. This person was blinded in their own reaction to the story they had made up. Unwilling to process the logic portion, which would show that their emotional reaction was overblown.

    People can get very defensive of their stories. Using them to justify and reason away things they don’t want to see or deal with in themselves. Using the story as teddy bear to protect them from the monster issue, they don’t want to deal with, hiding in their own closet.

  145. Only if it is something a person is consciously doing, are they likely to know their own motivations. Like the example you gave of getting cut off by a driver, people “will offer personal explanations for other people’s behavior.”

    I’ve known this situation where a person held on to their personal explanation so tightly, that they were unwilling to actually find out what the other person’s motivation actually was. This person was blinded in their own reaction to the story they had made up. Unwilling to process the logic portion, which would show that their emotional reaction was overblown.

    People can get very defensive of their stories. Using them to justify and reason away things they don’t want to see or deal with in themselves. Using the story as teddy bear to protect them from the monster issue, they don’t want to deal with, hiding in their own closet.

  146. Wow, simply beautiful! I’ve seen the falls before, but it was during the summer. I assume you did NOT have the fabulous brunch? When I was there, there was a fabulous, expensive brunch. I think an entire metal pan of bacon kept warm by a little blue flame was mine, all mine! Bwah-hahahaha!

    Ahem, anyway, beautiful! When you say cold, how cold do you mean? Some of us feel like single digits are cold (live in Utah), just wondering what you mean by cold?

  147. Wow, simply beautiful! I’ve seen the falls before, but it was during the summer. I assume you did NOT have the fabulous brunch? When I was there, there was a fabulous, expensive brunch. I think an entire metal pan of bacon kept warm by a little blue flame was mine, all mine! Bwah-hahahaha!

    Ahem, anyway, beautiful! When you say cold, how cold do you mean? Some of us feel like single digits are cold (live in Utah), just wondering what you mean by cold?

  148. No brunch for us, though I did stop at the gift shop for a hot chocolate, which became a lukewarm chocolate in less time than it takes to read this sentence. I have no idea how cold it was in Fahrenheit, but I suspect single digits.

  149. No brunch for us, though I did stop at the gift shop for a hot chocolate, which became a lukewarm chocolate in less time than it takes to read this sentence. I have no idea how cold it was in Fahrenheit, but I suspect single digits.

  150. A lot of folks call that kind of stuff “naturopathy.”

    I’ve heard people abuse the term “homeopathy” as well. Strictly speaking, it refers to “medicines” by placing vanishingly small amounts of things like onion juice in water, and then diluting it over and over again until the concentration drops to zero. The water is said to retain an “energy vibration” from the long-lost active whatever.

  151. A lot of folks call that kind of stuff “naturopathy.”

    I’ve heard people abuse the term “homeopathy” as well. Strictly speaking, it refers to “medicines” by placing vanishingly small amounts of things like onion juice in water, and then diluting it over and over again until the concentration drops to zero. The water is said to retain an “energy vibration” from the long-lost active whatever.

  152. The term “privilege” refers to a culture-wide phenomenon. It does not mean that every single person has a noticeable benefit in every single circumstance. As a guy, you might have the occasion where a female actually has a position of authority over you. That does not mean you are not still a member of a privileged class, or that the female is not a member of a discriminated class.

    You’re thinking of “privilege” in a situation-specific way, and thinking that things balance out because sometimes you get the shit end of the deal and sometimes you don’t. That is not what is meant by “privilege” in this context, and it is only because you are a member of a privileged class that you can remain so ignorant of your own privilege. The rest of us do not have that luxury.

  153. The term “privilege” refers to a culture-wide phenomenon. It does not mean that every single person has a noticeable benefit in every single circumstance. As a guy, you might have the occasion where a female actually has a position of authority over you. That does not mean you are not still a member of a privileged class, or that the female is not a member of a discriminated class.

    You’re thinking of “privilege” in a situation-specific way, and thinking that things balance out because sometimes you get the shit end of the deal and sometimes you don’t. That is not what is meant by “privilege” in this context, and it is only because you are a member of a privileged class that you can remain so ignorant of your own privilege. The rest of us do not have that luxury.

  154. “Some of the pictures of that morning are actually quite sweet, or at least as sweet as pictures of three women gang-raping a guy can be, though I’m not sure they’re really fit fare for this journal.”

    OHHELLYESTHEYAR:::ahem::: Excuse, me I meant to say “oh yes please!” *G*

    sounds like it was a an absolutely fabulous time. I deeply envy you your castle full of fab folks and slink hex 🙂

  155. “Some of the pictures of that morning are actually quite sweet, or at least as sweet as pictures of three women gang-raping a guy can be, though I’m not sure they’re really fit fare for this journal.”

    OHHELLYESTHEYAR:::ahem::: Excuse, me I meant to say “oh yes please!” *G*

    sounds like it was a an absolutely fabulous time. I deeply envy you your castle full of fab folks and slink hex 🙂

  156. gotta reCaptcha every one..

    There’s been quite a bit of traffic on the Full Disclosure mailing list about recaptcha vulns for a while. None of my blogs rely solely on it or other captcha style authentications anymore.

    Would be interested in seeing a serious analysis of this and if it really has been completely broken or not.

    Scott

  157. gotta reCaptcha every one..

    There’s been quite a bit of traffic on the Full Disclosure mailing list about recaptcha vulns for a while. None of my blogs rely solely on it or other captcha style authentications anymore.

    Would be interested in seeing a serious analysis of this and if it really has been completely broken or not.

    Scott

  158. So it looks like one particular instance of CAPTCHA technology, “recaptcha”, has a problem. We should still be using CAPTCHA to some extent…

    I have a number of small social networking sites exactly like you describe and always think “I’ll set up CAPTCHA later” and regret it after I block a few hundred spammer users.

    The funny thing is that for some of them there is nothing at all that they can use to spam with – no links, no comments, nothing.

  159. So it looks like one particular instance of CAPTCHA technology, “recaptcha”, has a problem. We should still be using CAPTCHA to some extent…

    I have a number of small social networking sites exactly like you describe and always think “I’ll set up CAPTCHA later” and regret it after I block a few hundred spammer users.

    The funny thing is that for some of them there is nothing at all that they can use to spam with – no links, no comments, nothing.

  160. I find it wonderfully ironic that Russian organized crime is driving new research in image recognition. At this rate I expect that if a true turing-test-passing AI is ever developed, it will be by telemarketers or something. Skynet had awoken, and it wants you to help it move some money out of a nigerian bank account.

  161. I find it wonderfully ironic that Russian organized crime is driving new research in image recognition. At this rate I expect that if a true turing-test-passing AI is ever developed, it will be by telemarketers or something. Skynet had awoken, and it wants you to help it move some money out of a nigerian bank account.

  162. Yep. With reCAPTCHA, only one of the two words is actually a CAPTCHA, and it allows you to get one letter wrong on that word, so it’s not really terribly secure.

  163. Yep. With reCAPTCHA, only one of the two words is actually a CAPTCHA, and it allows you to get one letter wrong on that word, so it’s not really terribly secure.

  164. Re: ginger figging

    Another idea for gingering up the male – grate fresh ginger and place a tablespoon or so in the end of a condom. Have him put the condom on – and attempt to masturbate. The more he strokes, the more ginger juice is forced into his urethra. As his erection softens, even more juice slips in – and around the head of the cock. In addition, the motion serves to “stir” the juices, so it tends to not fade away the way a “fig” would.

    If one were really REALLY evil, they might have the submissive keep a bowl of ice water at the ready, to “wash off” once they are allowed to remove the condom. Hee heee heeee….

    MzParker
    (who is really really REALLY evil!)

  165. Re: ginger figging

    Another idea for gingering up the male – grate fresh ginger and place a tablespoon or so in the end of a condom. Have him put the condom on – and attempt to masturbate. The more he strokes, the more ginger juice is forced into his urethra. As his erection softens, even more juice slips in – and around the head of the cock. In addition, the motion serves to “stir” the juices, so it tends to not fade away the way a “fig” would.

    If one were really REALLY evil, they might have the submissive keep a bowl of ice water at the ready, to “wash off” once they are allowed to remove the condom. Hee heee heeee….

    MzParker
    (who is really really REALLY evil!)

  166. Knitting explained

    It doesn’t take that long to make a sock or a hat. A couple weeks at most. And if you or someone you love lives somewhere cold, handknit mittens/socks/hats are nice.

    Or you could knit a dildo cozy. 😀

  167. Knitting explained

    It doesn’t take that long to make a sock or a hat. A couple weeks at most. And if you or someone you love lives somewhere cold, handknit mittens/socks/hats are nice.

    Or you could knit a dildo cozy. 😀

  168. What great photos (and I’m loving these posts, incidentally). The third photo of Emily is a particular beauty, and will be in my January Photo Favourites post in the first week of February.

    xx Dee

  169. What great photos (and I’m loving these posts, incidentally). The third photo of Emily is a particular beauty, and will be in my January Photo Favourites post in the first week of February.

    xx Dee

  170. Yeah, I can see this as a helpful tool! I can see where you would mark it as humorous too. Seeing how long it has been since you’ve actually been single. Being a single poly person, even in “non-hierarchical relationships” it isn’t uncommon to be treated like this. Even after the other person has sworn they wouldn’t treat you like this.

  171. Yeah, I can see this as a helpful tool! I can see where you would mark it as humorous too. Seeing how long it has been since you’ve actually been single. Being a single poly person, even in “non-hierarchical relationships” it isn’t uncommon to be treated like this. Even after the other person has sworn they wouldn’t treat you like this.

  172. Maybe I’m nitpicking, but:

    “I’ll be dumped if I become inconvenient”
    That may happen to the primary partners as well. Depends on what sort of inconvenience are we talking about, and the chances of resolving it.

    “I’ll be dumped if I become pregnant” Now, that question already had me worried. Are you planning on getting pregnant? Cause we sure won’t be able to help you much with all that parenting stuff. There’s a reason we don’t have children, you know. From what we know about how much time and effort it takes, you’ll probably want to dump us in that case.

    “I’ll be dumped if I’m seen as a threat by anyone else”
    Depends on how right they are about it, of course! I think that sentence should have a “for any reason whatsoever” to finish it with the intended meaning.

  173. Maybe I’m nitpicking, but:

    “I’ll be dumped if I become inconvenient”
    That may happen to the primary partners as well. Depends on what sort of inconvenience are we talking about, and the chances of resolving it.

    “I’ll be dumped if I become pregnant” Now, that question already had me worried. Are you planning on getting pregnant? Cause we sure won’t be able to help you much with all that parenting stuff. There’s a reason we don’t have children, you know. From what we know about how much time and effort it takes, you’ll probably want to dump us in that case.

    “I’ll be dumped if I’m seen as a threat by anyone else”
    Depends on how right they are about it, of course! I think that sentence should have a “for any reason whatsoever” to finish it with the intended meaning.

  174. This made me giggle, and be thankful that I haven’t dated any of these people.

    For various reasons I took just my ‘non primary’ partner with me to see my family at Christmas. Although some were confused, all behaved themselves appropriately (at least on that subject)

  175. This made me giggle, and be thankful that I haven’t dated any of these people.

    For various reasons I took just my ‘non primary’ partner with me to see my family at Christmas. Although some were confused, all behaved themselves appropriately (at least on that subject)

  176. Thank you for summing up every objection I have to ‘bisexual men’ who never, ever ever ever, act on attraction to the same sex.

  177. Thank you for summing up every objection I have to ‘bisexual men’ who never, ever ever ever, act on attraction to the same sex.

  178. I came across this via Tumblr, and found that an arrangement me and my boyfriend have isn’t entirely on it – we’re both switches, and he’d like me to co-top him with another D. I’ve tentatively agreed, even if a bit jealous, for the opportunity to learn more.

    The funny thing is, looking at this graph, I realize I might be engaging into something other than monogamy. omg what happened to me?

    Either way, applause for this awesome and complicated diagram and even more applause for use of Comic Sans that somehow did not make my eyes bleed.

    -Dama

  179. I came across this via Tumblr, and found that an arrangement me and my boyfriend have isn’t entirely on it – we’re both switches, and he’d like me to co-top him with another D. I’ve tentatively agreed, even if a bit jealous, for the opportunity to learn more.

    The funny thing is, looking at this graph, I realize I might be engaging into something other than monogamy. omg what happened to me?

    Either way, applause for this awesome and complicated diagram and even more applause for use of Comic Sans that somehow did not make my eyes bleed.

    -Dama

  180. That wasn’t strictly accurate. It would be more accurate to say, “Or by some other really good action that Cheney took, so that the next administration of liberals could continue to piss and moan about the free society they live in, paid for by the military’s sacrifice and borrowed against by Obozo and the Democrats”.

    To be strictly accurate, in 2008, when Bush left, China only owned about 1% of our Federal Debt. To be strictly accurate, at the end of 2010, that number had ballooned to 6%. That’s Obozo and the Dems, borrowing and wasting money in so-called “job saving” bills, which, to be strictly accurate, were full of the “pork” and “earmarks” which Obozo lied about not signing any legislation containing such.

    To be strictly accurate, I’ve noticed that a lot of liberals are attempting to take the serious errors that Dems and Obozo have done, and turn them around on the Republicans…and to be strictly accurate, that’s a bunch of nonsense, and it’s disingenuous at the same time.

    If you want to be strictly accurate, I can show you the figures.

  181. That wasn’t strictly accurate. It would be more accurate to say, “Or by some other really good action that Cheney took, so that the next administration of liberals could continue to piss and moan about the free society they live in, paid for by the military’s sacrifice and borrowed against by Obozo and the Democrats”.

    To be strictly accurate, in 2008, when Bush left, China only owned about 1% of our Federal Debt. To be strictly accurate, at the end of 2010, that number had ballooned to 6%. That’s Obozo and the Dems, borrowing and wasting money in so-called “job saving” bills, which, to be strictly accurate, were full of the “pork” and “earmarks” which Obozo lied about not signing any legislation containing such.

    To be strictly accurate, I’ve noticed that a lot of liberals are attempting to take the serious errors that Dems and Obozo have done, and turn them around on the Republicans…and to be strictly accurate, that’s a bunch of nonsense, and it’s disingenuous at the same time.

    If you want to be strictly accurate, I can show you the figures.

  182. God, mine would be weird as hell. Although that might be a good thing to go through, actually writing all that crap down.

  183. God, mine would be weird as hell. Although that might be a good thing to go through, actually writing all that crap down.

  184. Soft swap

    After eight years in the swing lifestyle, I believe the understanding here of soft swap is not quite correct. Generally, soft swap means swapping partners for sexual play that includes everything except for penis/vaginal penetration. Pleasuring to orgasm with your hands, fingers, tongue and lips are all part of it.

  185. Soft swap

    After eight years in the swing lifestyle, I believe the understanding here of soft swap is not quite correct. Generally, soft swap means swapping partners for sexual play that includes everything except for penis/vaginal penetration. Pleasuring to orgasm with your hands, fingers, tongue and lips are all part of it.

  186. Re: Soft swap

    Interesting. I wonder if it’s a regional variation? The swing community in Tampa seems to use the expression differently.

  187. Re: Soft swap

    Interesting. I wonder if it’s a regional variation? The swing community in Tampa seems to use the expression differently.

  188. Posted On My Home Page

    Wonderful infographic guys, great work. I have a website http://www.anopenrelationship.com centered around non-traditional relationships and I currently have this pic used for my front page sticky article. I have linked the image here so I think we are all on the level. Let me know if there are other steps I can take to make sure you get due credit.

  189. Posted On My Home Page

    Wonderful infographic guys, great work. I have a website http://www.anopenrelationship.com centered around non-traditional relationships and I currently have this pic used for my front page sticky article. I have linked the image here so I think we are all on the level. Let me know if there are other steps I can take to make sure you get due credit.

  190. I’ve got a statistically disproportionate number of amazing people around me, too. It really rocks – I think that being amazing and being surrounded by awesomeness is self-perpetuating.

    Yes: it’s essentially another case of men as subject, women as object. And in this instance, being all about chasing, it underlines (to me) the way in which men, to start or stake a claim in a relationship, must simply be *interested.* The women must be interesting. And the men seem to think they only need to express interest, and tell the woman she’s interesting repeatedly, to be liked. (As a woman who sometimes dates men, I’ve been repeatedly frustrated by the trend of people telling me I’m awesome but giving nothing of themselves: I summarise it as ‘I know I’m awesome – what are you?!’)

    (I, er, wrote a bit about some of that here, if you’re interested.

    The ‘is there, we wonder, some virtue in being difficult?’ reminds me that I keep meaning to write about what I call ‘the stupid dance.’ You know that thing – in an argument, or when upset, most frequently with a loved one, one person acts so upset and angry that they walk away, *just so that the other will do the dance where they show they care enough to go after them, to chase them.* It reminds both parties, but especially the person being walked away from, that the relationship is important, that it might end, and stimulates a great big dollop of ‘oh no, I might lose my partner, must make everything okay and forgive immediately.’ Or, at a baser level, works to express a strong emotion. It’s like a sort of… test.

    The stupid dance. Almost everyone does it – I’ve seen it all over the place, but no-one really seems to talk about it.

  191. I’ve got a statistically disproportionate number of amazing people around me, too. It really rocks – I think that being amazing and being surrounded by awesomeness is self-perpetuating.

    Yes: it’s essentially another case of men as subject, women as object. And in this instance, being all about chasing, it underlines (to me) the way in which men, to start or stake a claim in a relationship, must simply be *interested.* The women must be interesting. And the men seem to think they only need to express interest, and tell the woman she’s interesting repeatedly, to be liked. (As a woman who sometimes dates men, I’ve been repeatedly frustrated by the trend of people telling me I’m awesome but giving nothing of themselves: I summarise it as ‘I know I’m awesome – what are you?!’)

    (I, er, wrote a bit about some of that here, if you’re interested.

    The ‘is there, we wonder, some virtue in being difficult?’ reminds me that I keep meaning to write about what I call ‘the stupid dance.’ You know that thing – in an argument, or when upset, most frequently with a loved one, one person acts so upset and angry that they walk away, *just so that the other will do the dance where they show they care enough to go after them, to chase them.* It reminds both parties, but especially the person being walked away from, that the relationship is important, that it might end, and stimulates a great big dollop of ‘oh no, I might lose my partner, must make everything okay and forgive immediately.’ Or, at a baser level, works to express a strong emotion. It’s like a sort of… test.

    The stupid dance. Almost everyone does it – I’ve seen it all over the place, but no-one really seems to talk about it.

  192. But also a more poisonous effect for the object in question that she’s allowed to be high-maintenance because she can gauge her worth to those her pursue her by their willingness of those to do so. She can expect others to be mind readers, does not have to take responsibility for her emotions or needs and managing them and is not only objectified, but infantilized.

  193. But also a more poisonous effect for the object in question that she’s allowed to be high-maintenance because she can gauge her worth to those her pursue her by their willingness of those to do so. She can expect others to be mind readers, does not have to take responsibility for her emotions or needs and managing them and is not only objectified, but infantilized.

  194. That’s cool, you just keep telling yourself that you are not sensitive and you didn’t overreact, and I that I therefore must be wrong. Just keep on telling yourself that I don’t really understand, and that way you can dismiss me and everyone else around the world who is ordinary and conventional. Obviously, you and your little clique of friends are the “normal” ones, and the rest of the world is off-kilter, right?
    .
    That’s cool, but don’t get upset when someone comes along and kicks your anthill, and upsets your perfectly balanced world (the one where you and your little clique tell yourselves that you’re ok) with a dose of reality and the ordinary mundane occasionally. As much as you try to convince yourself that you’re ok, every now and then someone who is ordinary and normal will come along and show you that you’re not.
    .
    Oh, and one more thing…someday, you’re going to lose your looks, and all you will have left is that skewed viewpoint on reality. I hope that there are still enough of you, once sanity takes hold again, that you will still have someone to cling to.

  195. That’s cool, you just keep telling yourself that you are not sensitive and you didn’t overreact, and I that I therefore must be wrong. Just keep on telling yourself that I don’t really understand, and that way you can dismiss me and everyone else around the world who is ordinary and conventional. Obviously, you and your little clique of friends are the “normal” ones, and the rest of the world is off-kilter, right?
    .
    That’s cool, but don’t get upset when someone comes along and kicks your anthill, and upsets your perfectly balanced world (the one where you and your little clique tell yourselves that you’re ok) with a dose of reality and the ordinary mundane occasionally. As much as you try to convince yourself that you’re ok, every now and then someone who is ordinary and normal will come along and show you that you’re not.
    .
    Oh, and one more thing…someday, you’re going to lose your looks, and all you will have left is that skewed viewpoint on reality. I hope that there are still enough of you, once sanity takes hold again, that you will still have someone to cling to.

  196. I just want to say thank you for writing about your trip… and leaving it viewable to the general public. I’ve enjoyed it a lot. The pictures are amazing, and your descriptions are very entertaining. ^_^

  197. I just want to say thank you for writing about your trip… and leaving it viewable to the general public. I’ve enjoyed it a lot. The pictures are amazing, and your descriptions are very entertaining. ^_^

  198. FAIL

    To paraphrase something I read a while ago – Dawkins has said he feels a sense of visceral disgust upon seeing a woman in a burqa, much like the feeling I get when I see a white Oxonian man telling women that what they wear disgusts him.

    How many people who wear the burqa have you spoken to? Do you think it’s entirely about being stoned to death otherwise? This is rubbish, and I’m disappointed in you.

    I am not defending the burqa or the systems involved. I know breathtakingly little about it, as do you. Any opinion either of us form should be based on the expert knowledge of women personally involved. Anything else is irrelevant.

    Call yourself a feminist ally? The first thing allies do is *listen.*

  199. FAIL

    To paraphrase something I read a while ago – Dawkins has said he feels a sense of visceral disgust upon seeing a woman in a burqa, much like the feeling I get when I see a white Oxonian man telling women that what they wear disgusts him.

    How many people who wear the burqa have you spoken to? Do you think it’s entirely about being stoned to death otherwise? This is rubbish, and I’m disappointed in you.

    I am not defending the burqa or the systems involved. I know breathtakingly little about it, as do you. Any opinion either of us form should be based on the expert knowledge of women personally involved. Anything else is irrelevant.

    Call yourself a feminist ally? The first thing allies do is *listen.*

  200. What I’m saying is much simpler, and much more limited in scope: a guy who forces women on pain of public execution to wear a burqa, and then says “I am doing this because it empowers women,” is full of shit.

    No, you said this:

    I have also heard that the burqa is ennobling and liberating to women, because it frees them from having to compete in the arms race of sexualization in order to feel that they have value. To both of those things, I say bullshit. Absolute, unmitigated piles of fresh, steaming bullshit.

    i.e. you said it is never empowering.

    Did you speak to all the women who find it empowering and decide they were wrong? Or did you just decide to ignore them?

    In a society with no objectification of women – that is to say, an imaginary society in which we don’t live and will possibly never live within our lifetimes – I’d be surprised if I saw many – if any – garments like this.

    And a final point:

    Your tactics are bad. If you want to work against the burqa (having decided to ignore those women) or even work against the cultures which you think force women to wear the burqa – your tactics are bad.

    A white Western man going, “Burqas bad! Evil stoning!” doesn’t make much difference.

    Look for the women working against the burqa. Understand – deeply understand – the complexities of their arguments and the difficult situations in which they work.

    Make arguments which respect the real dilemmas women are faced with and which don’t ignore the real problems with sexualisation of women in Western cultures.

    It is possible to argue against the burqa without being racist and reductionist.

    You’re just not doing it.

  201. What I’m saying is much simpler, and much more limited in scope: a guy who forces women on pain of public execution to wear a burqa, and then says “I am doing this because it empowers women,” is full of shit.

    No, you said this:

    I have also heard that the burqa is ennobling and liberating to women, because it frees them from having to compete in the arms race of sexualization in order to feel that they have value. To both of those things, I say bullshit. Absolute, unmitigated piles of fresh, steaming bullshit.

    i.e. you said it is never empowering.

    Did you speak to all the women who find it empowering and decide they were wrong? Or did you just decide to ignore them?

    In a society with no objectification of women – that is to say, an imaginary society in which we don’t live and will possibly never live within our lifetimes – I’d be surprised if I saw many – if any – garments like this.

    And a final point:

    Your tactics are bad. If you want to work against the burqa (having decided to ignore those women) or even work against the cultures which you think force women to wear the burqa – your tactics are bad.

    A white Western man going, “Burqas bad! Evil stoning!” doesn’t make much difference.

    Look for the women working against the burqa. Understand – deeply understand – the complexities of their arguments and the difficult situations in which they work.

    Make arguments which respect the real dilemmas women are faced with and which don’t ignore the real problems with sexualisation of women in Western cultures.

    It is possible to argue against the burqa without being racist and reductionist.

    You’re just not doing it.

  202. I wonder if you wouldn’t find it easier to measure arousal more simply, as fun as EEGs are. I mean, I find having electrodes attached to my torso as exciting as the next girl. But you could just measure something as simple as heart rate, skin conductance, blood pressure or breathing patterns, and make a toy that reacts to feedback by vibrating more/less/same.

    Personally I’d settle for a *guy* who could respond appropriately to these cues, but your experiment sounds like lots of fun.

  203. I wonder if you wouldn’t find it easier to measure arousal more simply, as fun as EEGs are. I mean, I find having electrodes attached to my torso as exciting as the next girl. But you could just measure something as simple as heart rate, skin conductance, blood pressure or breathing patterns, and make a toy that reacts to feedback by vibrating more/less/same.

    Personally I’d settle for a *guy* who could respond appropriately to these cues, but your experiment sounds like lots of fun.

  204. Problems in one culture don’t excuse problems in another culture. You could just as well excuse slut-shaming because we at least don’t cut off the clitoris. That’s bullshit, too.

  205. Problems in one culture don’t excuse problems in another culture. You could just as well excuse slut-shaming because we at least don’t cut off the clitoris. That’s bullshit, too.

  206. you can’t safely assume that any woman you see wearing a burqa is a cog in that system.

    Yes, thats correct

    And I acknowledged that, twice. I even said, directly, to you, It seems like you might be thinking that I am assuming the woman I saw was, individually and specifically, being forced to wear the burqa. if that’s the case, let me clarify: I don’t. That’s not what I’m try8ing to say, and I’m not proposing that there are no women anywhere who wear it voluntarily.

    At this point, I feel like I am not being heard, that in the zeal to paint me as the Great White Oppressor there are people in this conversation who are imposing their own sense of what I’m saying without actually bothering to listen to what I’m saying, and that people are criticizing me for holding ideas that I don’t actually hold.

    Therefore, since I’m tired of feeling that I’m not being heard and I’m especially tired of being told that I believe things which I don’t, I am well and truly done with this conversation.

    You may continue to discuss it if you like. I will no longer participate.

  207. you can’t safely assume that any woman you see wearing a burqa is a cog in that system.

    Yes, thats correct

    And I acknowledged that, twice. I even said, directly, to you, It seems like you might be thinking that I am assuming the woman I saw was, individually and specifically, being forced to wear the burqa. if that’s the case, let me clarify: I don’t. That’s not what I’m try8ing to say, and I’m not proposing that there are no women anywhere who wear it voluntarily.

    At this point, I feel like I am not being heard, that in the zeal to paint me as the Great White Oppressor there are people in this conversation who are imposing their own sense of what I’m saying without actually bothering to listen to what I’m saying, and that people are criticizing me for holding ideas that I don’t actually hold.

    Therefore, since I’m tired of feeling that I’m not being heard and I’m especially tired of being told that I believe things which I don’t, I am well and truly done with this conversation.

    You may continue to discuss it if you like. I will no longer participate.

  208. I’m in Seattle too! BTW – are you familiar with all the teledildonics developers out there/ Not quite the same focus as what you’re going for, but they may be good information sources. Allen Stein – the Thrillhammer guy – is right there in Portland.

  209. I’m in Seattle too! BTW – are you familiar with all the teledildonics developers out there/ Not quite the same focus as what you’re going for, but they may be good information sources. Allen Stein – the Thrillhammer guy – is right there in Portland.

  210. Whahahahaha! Your roommates-&-friends-filksinging story brought back many happy (& some embarrassing 😉 memories of hamstering at cons. Thanks for that!

  211. Whahahahaha! Your roommates-&-friends-filksinging story brought back many happy (& some embarrassing 😉 memories of hamstering at cons. Thanks for that!

  212. This makes my head spin. I was expecting a monogamy reference space in there somewhere then realised I’m probaly the only person asexual and aromantic enough to need a monogamy reference point to make sense of things!

  213. This makes my head spin. I was expecting a monogamy reference space in there somewhere then realised I’m probaly the only person asexual and aromantic enough to need a monogamy reference point to make sense of things!

  214. Yes, as written; but spoken Japanese sometimes drops the final vowel, as, for example, in “roku” (but of course this may depend on context). Another weird thing is that, (American) martial arts tend to use “shichi” for 7, and drop the final vowel, while in the Japanese movies I’ve seen, “nana” is more common.

  215. Yes, as written; but spoken Japanese sometimes drops the final vowel, as, for example, in “roku” (but of course this may depend on context). Another weird thing is that, (American) martial arts tend to use “shichi” for 7, and drop the final vowel, while in the Japanese movies I’ve seen, “nana” is more common.

  216. Re: Another twist:

    Just thought I’d point out (for those who don’t know, yet care about trivia like that) that French actually has one-syllable words up ’til and including 16.

    I also have a form of number dyslexia, but in my case it simply means that I have trouble remembering the order of numbers I see written. It was pretty bad working as a cashier, when I was supposed to give back, say, 13.70 bucks and I gave back 17.30 bucks instead (turns out people only tend to call you back on it when it’s not in their favour).
    If I slow down and focus, I can remember it better. Saying the numbers out loud or in my head also prevents me from remembering them wrong afterwards, but I need extra focus or I just pronounce it wrong in the first place, and then remember it wrong as a result.

    I had a harder time in history than in math, as it is (in my opinion) easier to check in math if you got the right number or not. Dates seem a bit more arbitrary to me unless you can look at a bunch of them, sort the order of the events and deduce the correct date for each, but that’s very time consuming.

    I have a good memory, and if the numbers are spoken, I would remember them. If they are written though, there is a good chance I’ll mix them up, I already do it for street addresses and phone numbers.

  217. Re: Another twist:

    Just thought I’d point out (for those who don’t know, yet care about trivia like that) that French actually has one-syllable words up ’til and including 16.

    I also have a form of number dyslexia, but in my case it simply means that I have trouble remembering the order of numbers I see written. It was pretty bad working as a cashier, when I was supposed to give back, say, 13.70 bucks and I gave back 17.30 bucks instead (turns out people only tend to call you back on it when it’s not in their favour).
    If I slow down and focus, I can remember it better. Saying the numbers out loud or in my head also prevents me from remembering them wrong afterwards, but I need extra focus or I just pronounce it wrong in the first place, and then remember it wrong as a result.

    I had a harder time in history than in math, as it is (in my opinion) easier to check in math if you got the right number or not. Dates seem a bit more arbitrary to me unless you can look at a bunch of them, sort the order of the events and deduce the correct date for each, but that’s very time consuming.

    I have a good memory, and if the numbers are spoken, I would remember them. If they are written though, there is a good chance I’ll mix them up, I already do it for street addresses and phone numbers.

  218. Re: Another twist:

    To my (English-trained) ear, 4 (quatre — approximately kat-tra) and 8 (huit — approximately you-wit or we-ta; “h”s are pretty much not pronounced in French), both have two syllables (Random French Numbers pronunciation guide, including spoken examples which seem similar to what I remember learning). But I don’t remember enough French to know for sure exactly how French counts syllables, especially in words where the final letter is sometimes pronounced and sometimes not (largely dependent on what makes the best spoken link to the following word; “huit” is one such word where the “t” may or may not be pronounced depending on whether a vowel or consonant starts the next word). So perhaps you’re right.

    Interesting post. I suspect as alludes to that the key factor would turn out to be having a way of compactly remembering the numbers, and for social reasons for most western people that’s probably going to be the words that we practiced oh-so-often when we were young. But other forms that easily come to mind are also likely to work.

    Ewen

  219. Re: Another twist:

    To my (English-trained) ear, 4 (quatre — approximately kat-tra) and 8 (huit — approximately you-wit or we-ta; “h”s are pretty much not pronounced in French), both have two syllables (Random French Numbers pronunciation guide, including spoken examples which seem similar to what I remember learning). But I don’t remember enough French to know for sure exactly how French counts syllables, especially in words where the final letter is sometimes pronounced and sometimes not (largely dependent on what makes the best spoken link to the following word; “huit” is one such word where the “t” may or may not be pronounced depending on whether a vowel or consonant starts the next word). So perhaps you’re right.

    Interesting post. I suspect as alludes to that the key factor would turn out to be having a way of compactly remembering the numbers, and for social reasons for most western people that’s probably going to be the words that we practiced oh-so-often when we were young. But other forms that easily come to mind are also likely to work.

    Ewen

  220. They (the minister in charge) announced this all quite a while back. One of the events was the second coming Christ, which happened on September 6, 1994. (If he “returned” by being born, he’s 16 now, and will be just over 17 when the end of the world hits. Bummer!)

    Oh, and the minister that started this says May 21 is the date of Rapture. October 21 is the end of the world. Important difference.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Camping#Controversy
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_end_times_prediction

  221. They (the minister in charge) announced this all quite a while back. One of the events was the second coming Christ, which happened on September 6, 1994. (If he “returned” by being born, he’s 16 now, and will be just over 17 when the end of the world hits. Bummer!)

    Oh, and the minister that started this says May 21 is the date of Rapture. October 21 is the end of the world. Important difference.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Camping#Controversy
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_end_times_prediction

  222. I read about these people a while back, and caught more stories when their caravan was running the I4 corridor.

    I feel kinda bad for the morons who gave up their homes & all their possessions & everything for this idiocy.
    You’d think, especially since the preacher’s been wrong before, they’d have more sense.

  223. I read about these people a while back, and caught more stories when their caravan was running the I4 corridor.

    I feel kinda bad for the morons who gave up their homes & all their possessions & everything for this idiocy.
    You’d think, especially since the preacher’s been wrong before, they’d have more sense.

  224. Will it be celebrated with lots of kinky sex as though one may never get to have sex of any kind, ever again? ‘Cuz if so, I totally wish I could be there.

  225. Will it be celebrated with lots of kinky sex as though one may never get to have sex of any kind, ever again? ‘Cuz if so, I totally wish I could be there.

  226. You’re absolutely right! I was like that myself. I’m from the ex-SU, originally, so I never believed in gods and always identified as atheist; but only in the last years I actually learned about rationalism, scepticism, the scientific method etc. and realized just how much bullshit I did believe in…

  227. You’re absolutely right! I was like that myself. I’m from the ex-SU, originally, so I never believed in gods and always identified as atheist; but only in the last years I actually learned about rationalism, scepticism, the scientific method etc. and realized just how much bullshit I did believe in…

  228. Delurking to comment re: Atheism is a religion!

    I’ve felt that way occasionally myself, mostly when I run across atheists who proselytize the way religious folks do. (Double fail points if they assume my spiritual activities are the result of blind faith.) Of course, that’s one of those “if it quacks like a duck…” sort of lines of reasoning, which I happily acknowledge are not at all airtight. 🙂

  229. Delurking to comment re: Atheism is a religion!

    I’ve felt that way occasionally myself, mostly when I run across atheists who proselytize the way religious folks do. (Double fail points if they assume my spiritual activities are the result of blind faith.) Of course, that’s one of those “if it quacks like a duck…” sort of lines of reasoning, which I happily acknowledge are not at all airtight. 🙂

  230. If you don’t believe in a god, you have no reason to behave in a good or moral way. Atheists have no reason not to murder or rape or commit other immoral acts.
    I would try to stay away with the punishment angle here, because it sounds like the sort of thing a well-controlled psychopath would say. Most Protestant Christians *also* have no religious reasons not to commit murder, rape, etc., but they don’t. People are mostly good on their own, not because their religion may or may not tell them to be.

    Atheism is a non-belief in a god or gods.
    There really aren’t clearly agreed-upon definitions. Someone who strongly disbelieves is an atheist, someone who believes it’s impossible to know is an agnostic, but someone who just doesn’t claim to know could go in either category, depending who you ask.

    Atheists think that everything in the world came from nothing.
    First cause isn’t a worthwhile argument for *or* against religion, but people try to use it both ways. There’s something that just exists, with no prior reason. It could be the universe, God, gravity, or turtles all the way down.

  231. If you don’t believe in a god, you have no reason to behave in a good or moral way. Atheists have no reason not to murder or rape or commit other immoral acts.
    I would try to stay away with the punishment angle here, because it sounds like the sort of thing a well-controlled psychopath would say. Most Protestant Christians *also* have no religious reasons not to commit murder, rape, etc., but they don’t. People are mostly good on their own, not because their religion may or may not tell them to be.

    Atheism is a non-belief in a god or gods.
    There really aren’t clearly agreed-upon definitions. Someone who strongly disbelieves is an atheist, someone who believes it’s impossible to know is an agnostic, but someone who just doesn’t claim to know could go in either category, depending who you ask.

    Atheists think that everything in the world came from nothing.
    First cause isn’t a worthwhile argument for *or* against religion, but people try to use it both ways. There’s something that just exists, with no prior reason. It could be the universe, God, gravity, or turtles all the way down.

  232. You know, while “peaked my interest” might not be the traditional phrase, it’s not actually incorrect.
    The transitive verb usage of “peak” means to reach a maximum. The verb usage of “pique” means to excite or agitate something. I’d argue that the two are sufficiently close in meaning for either to be useable in this context.

  233. You know, while “peaked my interest” might not be the traditional phrase, it’s not actually incorrect.
    The transitive verb usage of “peak” means to reach a maximum. The verb usage of “pique” means to excite or agitate something. I’d argue that the two are sufficiently close in meaning for either to be useable in this context.

  234. Aha! That personality type parody looks awfully familiar, I saw that years ago. (Before I saw the pages for the real personality types, LOL) Then I peeked at the homepage and in short order learned what BDSM stands for. I absorbed the info but as typical, forgot its source.(BTW – that was one the best primers to BDSM I read, keep up the good work educating the rest of us about kinky stuff. ~_^)…never thought I’d find you again through an LJ about a trip to Europe!

  235. Aha! That personality type parody looks awfully familiar, I saw that years ago. (Before I saw the pages for the real personality types, LOL) Then I peeked at the homepage and in short order learned what BDSM stands for. I absorbed the info but as typical, forgot its source.(BTW – that was one the best primers to BDSM I read, keep up the good work educating the rest of us about kinky stuff. ~_^)…never thought I’d find you again through an LJ about a trip to Europe!

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  238. If I wasn’t working I would but I do 10-hour shifts on the weekend. I’m keen to hear the results. I <3 brains.

  239. If I wasn’t working I would but I do 10-hour shifts on the weekend. I’m keen to hear the results. I <3 brains.

  240. I think you should start using the phrase “tandoori it”, maybe to be “kludged together a solution” (c.f. MacGyvering a solution).

    e.g.
    Did you managed to get the foo to talk to the bar? Yeah, I tandoori’d a solution with a spare switch.

  241. I think you should start using the phrase “tandoori it”, maybe to be “kludged together a solution” (c.f. MacGyvering a solution).

    e.g.
    Did you managed to get the foo to talk to the bar? Yeah, I tandoori’d a solution with a spare switch.

  242. The study sounds interesting enough as it is, but if there was tandoori involved it would be the science of the century!

  243. The study sounds interesting enough as it is, but if there was tandoori involved it would be the science of the century!

  244. I came here to say this.

    Once a company starts sorting things into “approved” and “unapproved” lists, they become responsible for what they approve. Period.

  245. I came here to say this.

    Once a company starts sorting things into “approved” and “unapproved” lists, they become responsible for what they approve. Period.

  246. Strange question, but are you saying you can’t already get aroused at will? I thought it was normal to know how to do that ^^;

  247. Strange question, but are you saying you can’t already get aroused at will? I thought it was normal to know how to do that ^^;

  248. I’m actually a bit shocked that a woman working in SAN FRANCISCO at a PIRATE SUPPLY STORE was shocked at kinky uses being made of their locks! :O

    — A <3

  249. I’m actually a bit shocked that a woman working in SAN FRANCISCO at a PIRATE SUPPLY STORE was shocked at kinky uses being made of their locks! :O

    — A <3

  250. I find this project very interesting. I’d offer to help with the electronics and signal processing side of it, but I’m inconveniently on the other side of the continent.

  251. I find this project very interesting. I’d offer to help with the electronics and signal processing side of it, but I’m inconveniently on the other side of the continent.

  252. Since I’m intimately involved with someone who has trouble becoming aroused, and even more trouble manifesting it physically, I’d be VERY interested in this research. If your friend’s partner’s work is anywhere along those lines, I’d be thrilled to be hooked up (no pun intended) to help with the research (assuming my partner agrees, of course). Sounds like a great concept, in general, though.

  253. Since I’m intimately involved with someone who has trouble becoming aroused, and even more trouble manifesting it physically, I’d be VERY interested in this research. If your friend’s partner’s work is anywhere along those lines, I’d be thrilled to be hooked up (no pun intended) to help with the research (assuming my partner agrees, of course). Sounds like a great concept, in general, though.

  254. Coincidentally, I just received this month’s issue of Make Magazine (Volume 26). This issue has an entire section on biosensing, and includes an article on how to use the NeuroSky headset to control external hardware. Seems like it might be useful.

  255. Coincidentally, I just received this month’s issue of Make Magazine (Volume 26). This issue has an entire section on biosensing, and includes an article on how to use the NeuroSky headset to control external hardware. Seems like it might be useful.

  256. I’ve never been so completely delighted to be your friend. It was an honor and a privilege to have participated. FOR SCIENCE!

  257. I’ve never been so completely delighted to be your friend. It was an honor and a privilege to have participated. FOR SCIENCE!

  258. The problem with the “relative to each other” numbers is that we’re back down to a 60Hz sample rate for returned data, so any higher frequency trends (above 30Hz) are indistinguishable from noise.

    Although this may not be a problem for some mad science; if this could be plotted “real time” and then get the subject to try and get the “10 second curve” to match the orgasm values just based on “correct thoughts” (a rough and ready bio feedback rig), might the subject be able to then orgasm just by thinking? 🙂

  259. The problem with the “relative to each other” numbers is that we’re back down to a 60Hz sample rate for returned data, so any higher frequency trends (above 30Hz) are indistinguishable from noise.

    Although this may not be a problem for some mad science; if this could be plotted “real time” and then get the subject to try and get the “10 second curve” to match the orgasm values just based on “correct thoughts” (a rough and ready bio feedback rig), might the subject be able to then orgasm just by thinking? 🙂

  260. Re: Data Dump Part 1

    Looking at the High Beta (easiest to see there, but also visible on the other curves), I’m guessing the “relax” period was actually later than you though (90s->120s) since that’s a very low level (pretty much on all except Delta).

    One interesting thing from the High Gamma, in particular… From the numbers, the orgasm started around time 178 and completed at 191. Yet the brain was going mad from around time 128 to 210.

  261. Re: Data Dump Part 1

    Looking at the High Beta (easiest to see there, but also visible on the other curves), I’m guessing the “relax” period was actually later than you though (90s->120s) since that’s a very low level (pretty much on all except Delta).

    One interesting thing from the High Gamma, in particular… From the numbers, the orgasm started around time 178 and completed at 191. Yet the brain was going mad from around time 128 to 210.

  262. That’s actually one of the uses I’ve envisioned for it.

    The goal is to make a sex toy that is responsive to arousal in various ways. The first thing I thought of was a toy that starts running whenever the wearer becomes aroused, but I’ve also thought about a toy that STOPS when the wearer becomes highly aroused. 🙂

  263. That’s actually one of the uses I’ve envisioned for it.

    The goal is to make a sex toy that is responsive to arousal in various ways. The first thing I thought of was a toy that starts running whenever the wearer becomes aroused, but I’ve also thought about a toy that STOPS when the wearer becomes highly aroused. 🙂

  264. I know I and my Goddess would be very interested in such a device adapted for male anatomy. I suspect my Goddess would be even more interested with the amount of frustration she could cause me with it!

  265. I know I and my Goddess would be very interested in such a device adapted for male anatomy. I suspect my Goddess would be even more interested with the amount of frustration she could cause me with it!

  266. Oh come on, they must at least be shrouded in quasi-factual speculations and the future version of Cracked.com articles.

  267. Oh come on, they must at least be shrouded in quasi-factual speculations and the future version of Cracked.com articles.

  268. afterward

    what about when the fantasy is finished? I am a bit concerned with what the best way to handle the “ending”. Any suggestions on how to make a smooth transition from fantasy to reality again comfortably?

  269. afterward

    what about when the fantasy is finished? I am a bit concerned with what the best way to handle the “ending”. Any suggestions on how to make a smooth transition from fantasy to reality again comfortably?

  270. Men, women, and androids are still segregated in many conservative third-world countries, such as Somalia, Northeast Korea, and the Federated Republic of Mississippi.

  271. Men, women, and androids are still segregated in many conservative third-world countries, such as Somalia, Northeast Korea, and the Federated Republic of Mississippi.

  272. Further proof that men really will stick their cock into anything. 😉
    Speaking of which, I have more photos to process from said weekend. >.<

  273. Further proof that men really will stick their cock into anything. 😉
    Speaking of which, I have more photos to process from said weekend. >.<

  274. Interesting

    This really needs some combination of “dating around,” “open relationships” and “casual sex,” or just “non-monogamous singles.” Everything about this chart still seems inversely defined by the monogamy/pair-bond/couple paradigm (in the way that the only items close enough are noted with “no love” or “no time for relationships,” which are both a bit disparaging of autonomous/independent “singles”).

    To me, with no obvious spot for “I have good relationships of all kinds, yes, but I’m still me, not a component in a couple,” it’s a non-monogamy chart without any actual position for simple non-monogamy.

  275. Interesting

    This really needs some combination of “dating around,” “open relationships” and “casual sex,” or just “non-monogamous singles.” Everything about this chart still seems inversely defined by the monogamy/pair-bond/couple paradigm (in the way that the only items close enough are noted with “no love” or “no time for relationships,” which are both a bit disparaging of autonomous/independent “singles”).

    To me, with no obvious spot for “I have good relationships of all kinds, yes, but I’m still me, not a component in a couple,” it’s a non-monogamy chart without any actual position for simple non-monogamy.

  276. Individuality

    There is no room for an individual—one who forms simultaneous multipe romantic/sexual relationships but sees herself, in poly terms, as her own “primary partner”—in this map. In short, you exclude everyone who doesn’t see being part of a couple as the basis of her identity.

  277. Individuality

    There is no room for an individual—one who forms simultaneous multipe romantic/sexual relationships but sees herself, in poly terms, as her own “primary partner”—in this map. In short, you exclude everyone who doesn’t see being part of a couple as the basis of her identity.

  278. Completely and utterly off topic

    Actually I haven’t even read this whole post yet, I just pulled out my headphones and scooted immediately to your LJ, which I sadly haven’t been keeping up on very well lately (honestly I haven’t been keeping up very well on ANYONE lately. Been working on the big music project. =P ) But I had to ask…

    Did I just hear you on Poly Weekly? ‘Cause that’s effin’ AWESOME. =D

  279. Completely and utterly off topic

    Actually I haven’t even read this whole post yet, I just pulled out my headphones and scooted immediately to your LJ, which I sadly haven’t been keeping up on very well lately (honestly I haven’t been keeping up very well on ANYONE lately. Been working on the big music project. =P ) But I had to ask…

    Did I just hear you on Poly Weekly? ‘Cause that’s effin’ AWESOME. =D

  280. Having gone back and read your earlier post, I now wonder if I had half-remembered it when I started thinking, some months ago, “Okay, I have a vibrator with multiple patterns (the Technobeat). What I want is a vibrator with multiple patterns *and* an option to randomly cycle through them.”

  281. Having gone back and read your earlier post, I now wonder if I had half-remembered it when I started thinking, some months ago, “Okay, I have a vibrator with multiple patterns (the Technobeat). What I want is a vibrator with multiple patterns *and* an option to randomly cycle through them.”

  282. I am! That’s ultimately one of the goals of this project.

    I like the idea of interfacing sex toys with an Arduino that can be programmed for a lot of different things. Adding a programmable brain and sensors to sex toys opens the door to all kinds of cool stuff, I think. The Tormenter project is a proof of concept, but the door is open to sex toys that respond to pressure, temperature, sound, wifi, Bluetooth, brainwaves, motion, light…you name it!

    What I will probably end up doing at some point is putting plans, schematics, and software on one of my Web sites.

  283. I am! That’s ultimately one of the goals of this project.

    I like the idea of interfacing sex toys with an Arduino that can be programmed for a lot of different things. Adding a programmable brain and sensors to sex toys opens the door to all kinds of cool stuff, I think. The Tormenter project is a proof of concept, but the door is open to sex toys that respond to pressure, temperature, sound, wifi, Bluetooth, brainwaves, motion, light…you name it!

    What I will probably end up doing at some point is putting plans, schematics, and software on one of my Web sites.

  284. that sounds more likely to work than to not-work. the toys i’ve had which didn’t get the job done were ones that didn’t vary.

  285. that sounds more likely to work than to not-work. the toys i’ve had which didn’t get the job done were ones that didn’t vary.

  286. Also, if you have any thoughts about things you’ve absolutely loved about science pubs, or things you hated, I’d love to hear them.

  287. Also, if you have any thoughts about things you’ve absolutely loved about science pubs, or things you hated, I’d love to hear them.

  288. sheesh…

    …another hour of sleep lost- great links, well done!

    also, which episode of poly weekly is that? 🙂
    Cheers, n

  289. sheesh…

    …another hour of sleep lost- great links, well done!

    also, which episode of poly weekly is that? 🙂
    Cheers, n

  290. Off-topic, but something very strange is happening with your journal

    Whenever I click the “computer security” tag, I get a “The connection to the server was reset while the page was loading” error in Firefox. Reloading doesn’t help. So, being slightly clever I hit Esc and then opened each entry in a new tab. Apparently, the entry causing the reset is this one:

    http://tacit.livejournal.com/330731.html (“Computer Malware in 4 seconds”)

    I don’t know if it’s just my browser, though, so I thought you might want to know about it in case it was not. (In any case, I was able to hit “Previous 10” all the way back to the beginning after aborting before the error, so it appears to be that entry and that entry alone.)

  291. Off-topic, but something very strange is happening with your journal

    Whenever I click the “computer security” tag, I get a “The connection to the server was reset while the page was loading” error in Firefox. Reloading doesn’t help. So, being slightly clever I hit Esc and then opened each entry in a new tab. Apparently, the entry causing the reset is this one:

    http://tacit.livejournal.com/330731.html (“Computer Malware in 4 seconds”)

    I don’t know if it’s just my browser, though, so I thought you might want to know about it in case it was not. (In any case, I was able to hit “Previous 10” all the way back to the beginning after aborting before the error, so it appears to be that entry and that entry alone.)

  292. Re: Off-topic, but something very strange is happening with your journal

    Wow, that’s bizarre. I can’t replicate the problem on any of my browsers. I looked through that particular entry for malformed HTML or other stuff that might gunk up the works and couldn’t find any. I’m officially flummoxed.

  293. Re: Off-topic, but something very strange is happening with your journal

    Wow, that’s bizarre. I can’t replicate the problem on any of my browsers. I looked through that particular entry for malformed HTML or other stuff that might gunk up the works and couldn’t find any. I’m officially flummoxed.

  294. Striped socks and science; I like where this is going!

    Hotel: um. Wow. I’ve stayed in some bad hotels in the Chicago area, but I think this one actually has most of those beat. The only one I can think of that might give it a run for the title involved a massively leaking water bed, a possible hidden camera, and a selection of rape videos on the TV. (I’m not against rape play, but these were the only things on the hotel’s video selection.)

  295. Striped socks and science; I like where this is going!

    Hotel: um. Wow. I’ve stayed in some bad hotels in the Chicago area, but I think this one actually has most of those beat. The only one I can think of that might give it a run for the title involved a massively leaking water bed, a possible hidden camera, and a selection of rape videos on the TV. (I’m not against rape play, but these were the only things on the hotel’s video selection.)

  296. I can understand the lack of sympathy, since your own scientific research is devoted to creating a device that will produce that exact state (hanging on the edge). It only made sense that you should have an experience of it yourself, no?

  297. I can understand the lack of sympathy, since your own scientific research is devoted to creating a device that will produce that exact state (hanging on the edge). It only made sense that you should have an experience of it yourself, no?

  298. Does any of your data suggest if there is a difference between being aroused by someone else V.S. a solo situation?

  299. Does any of your data suggest if there is a difference between being aroused by someone else V.S. a solo situation?

  300. I don’t think casual sex is necessarily directly related to cheating; most of the folks I know who like casual sex, don’t cheat.

  301. I don’t think casual sex is necessarily directly related to cheating; most of the folks I know who like casual sex, don’t cheat.

  302. Re: A Few Quick Points

    Heh. Right you are about the tags. That’s more rural ruin than urban decay. 🙂

    Interesting that you met him. Everything I know about him comes from Web sites about the monuments, which make him sound a bit…eccentric.

  303. Re: A Few Quick Points

    Heh. Right you are about the tags. That’s more rural ruin than urban decay. 🙂

    Interesting that you met him. Everything I know about him comes from Web sites about the monuments, which make him sound a bit…eccentric.

  304. There’s some interesting research that it has more to do with the length of the word used in basic math and counting. Kids seem to pick up monosyllabic math words/concepts/functions much quicker.

  305. There’s some interesting research that it has more to do with the length of the word used in basic math and counting. Kids seem to pick up monosyllabic math words/concepts/functions much quicker.

  306. Oh, there you go; the Hidden Bricks have a History. Though I’ll confess that I was holding onto the idea that it was an instruction rather than a maker’s mark…

    I’m still amused that the place was for sale, too. It was very special to someone once, but now it’s probably less of a fixer-upper than a knock-downer…

    (Yes, I am a few days behind in my LJ reading, why do you ask? *grin*)

  307. Oh, there you go; the Hidden Bricks have a History. Though I’ll confess that I was holding onto the idea that it was an instruction rather than a maker’s mark…

    I’m still amused that the place was for sale, too. It was very special to someone once, but now it’s probably less of a fixer-upper than a knock-downer…

    (Yes, I am a few days behind in my LJ reading, why do you ask? *grin*)

  308. thanks for the history lesson on something i’ve often drove by but wondered what the hell i was looking at…

  309. thanks for the history lesson on something i’ve often drove by but wondered what the hell i was looking at…

  310. Vroom!

    User referenced to your post from Vroom! saying: […] if you also follow , he’s been working for a while on developing the most annoying sex toy ever […]

  311. Vroom!

    User referenced to your post from Vroom! saying: […] if you also follow , he’s been working for a while on developing the most annoying sex toy ever […]

  312. Galileo’s Daughter gives a very insightful look into how the Big G got into papal hot water. He had asked the Pope for permission to publish his findings with his telescope. He got it. But he kinda went too far.

    A tip: When representing the Church’s position on planetary positioning in a dialog involving three people, never name the Church position’s character “Simplicio.”

    Oops-a-dingle.

  313. Galileo’s Daughter gives a very insightful look into how the Big G got into papal hot water. He had asked the Pope for permission to publish his findings with his telescope. He got it. But he kinda went too far.

    A tip: When representing the Church’s position on planetary positioning in a dialog involving three people, never name the Church position’s character “Simplicio.”

    Oops-a-dingle.

  314. Rule 6 is a tricky thing. Most scientists who champion a particular theory have some level of suspicion or conviction that theory is true. (For example, the scientists you mention in Rule 4 who proved bacteria cause ulcers, did it by ingesting the bacteria themselves because they were convinced it would give them ulcers… and that antibiotics could cure it.) If in some cases that level of dedication is necessary to prove a theory, where does one draw the line?

    PS thanks for writing this, it must have taken forever to build such a tower of text. ^_^

  315. Rule 6 is a tricky thing. Most scientists who champion a particular theory have some level of suspicion or conviction that theory is true. (For example, the scientists you mention in Rule 4 who proved bacteria cause ulcers, did it by ingesting the bacteria themselves because they were convinced it would give them ulcers… and that antibiotics could cure it.) If in some cases that level of dedication is necessary to prove a theory, where does one draw the line?

    PS thanks for writing this, it must have taken forever to build such a tower of text. ^_^

  316. Is there any chance that you’re going to reprint this elsewhere? I’d love to share it with some of my family members, but the adult ads on the sidebar make that an impossibility. Cheers. 🙂

  317. Is there any chance that you’re going to reprint this elsewhere? I’d love to share it with some of my family members, but the adult ads on the sidebar make that an impossibility. Cheers. 🙂

  318. It’s interesting, actually. I think the key is that the capital requirements for an Internet business are typically rather low. On the other hand, space industry (a principal interest of mine) has never been able to obtain sufficient capital, despite the very high likelihood of enormous returns. Asteroid mining, for example, might require a hundred billion dollars, but the first successful operation would almost certainly generate a hundred TRILLION in income within 20 years.

  319. It’s interesting, actually. I think the key is that the capital requirements for an Internet business are typically rather low. On the other hand, space industry (a principal interest of mine) has never been able to obtain sufficient capital, despite the very high likelihood of enormous returns. Asteroid mining, for example, might require a hundred billion dollars, but the first successful operation would almost certainly generate a hundred TRILLION in income within 20 years.

  320. Heisenberg’s principle doesn’t state that we can’t know a particle’s position and momentum at the same time… We can’t know a particle’s position and momentum at the same time because the particle does not HAVE defined position and momentum at the same time.
    I eventually realized that this is what the uncertainty principle says from things like A Brief History of Time. This took awhile because I first had to get past a complete line of bullshit from my high school physics textbook, where they said the reason they couldn’t be known was that you have to bounce photons off of a particle to measure where it is and where it’s going, and that’s disruptive.

  321. Heisenberg’s principle doesn’t state that we can’t know a particle’s position and momentum at the same time… We can’t know a particle’s position and momentum at the same time because the particle does not HAVE defined position and momentum at the same time.
    I eventually realized that this is what the uncertainty principle says from things like A Brief History of Time. This took awhile because I first had to get past a complete line of bullshit from my high school physics textbook, where they said the reason they couldn’t be known was that you have to bounce photons off of a particle to measure where it is and where it’s going, and that’s disruptive.

  322. I remember having a textbook that said exactly the same thing, which completely misses the point. It wasn’t until I did some reading on my own that I found out this explanation wasn’t true.

  323. I remember having a textbook that said exactly the same thing, which completely misses the point. It wasn’t until I did some reading on my own that I found out this explanation wasn’t true.

  324. Computer-controlled electro toy

    I have been also trying to implement self-made electro toys (though I’m male – i had the electrodes on my dick). I connected it to audio amp (with transformer, so no direct electrical connection to AC220V). As the wave generator, I used a software VST instrument “Massive” with Ableton. This is a great selection of generators, LFO’s, filters and another effects – but I used to hear them, not to feel them on my dick. A midi controller was a nice add-on, cause I had faders and knobs to control the waves. Damn i quickly discovered which settings got me pain, which aroused, which stimulated – bringing me to the heavenly good orgasm 🙂
    But I never repeated it – I’m in fear of connecting to AC-powered stuff. However, an amp with a laptop seems much safer…
    I think I still have somewhere on my disks the Ableton project, will be interesting to hear what kind of sounds caused so much pleasure 🙂

  325. Computer-controlled electro toy

    I have been also trying to implement self-made electro toys (though I’m male – i had the electrodes on my dick). I connected it to audio amp (with transformer, so no direct electrical connection to AC220V). As the wave generator, I used a software VST instrument “Massive” with Ableton. This is a great selection of generators, LFO’s, filters and another effects – but I used to hear them, not to feel them on my dick. A midi controller was a nice add-on, cause I had faders and knobs to control the waves. Damn i quickly discovered which settings got me pain, which aroused, which stimulated – bringing me to the heavenly good orgasm 🙂
    But I never repeated it – I’m in fear of connecting to AC-powered stuff. However, an amp with a laptop seems much safer…
    I think I still have somewhere on my disks the Ableton project, will be interesting to hear what kind of sounds caused so much pleasure 🙂

  326. Re: Your reply says a lot about you

    Calm down, please. http://www.skepticalscience.com/argument.php The Ice Age thing, along with the 164 other false arguments on that page alone, has been debunked, hardcore. #11 alone is particularly telling regarding things you only think you know.

    If by “Warmist” you mean “someone who agrees with the global scientific consensus, and not what oil company scientists or right-wing nonscientific publications say about it,” then yeah– I’m a friggin’ Warmist, all right. And proud to be one.

  327. Re: Your reply says a lot about you

    Calm down, please. http://www.skepticalscience.com/argument.php The Ice Age thing, along with the 164 other false arguments on that page alone, has been debunked, hardcore. #11 alone is particularly telling regarding things you only think you know.

    If by “Warmist” you mean “someone who agrees with the global scientific consensus, and not what oil company scientists or right-wing nonscientific publications say about it,” then yeah– I’m a friggin’ Warmist, all right. And proud to be one.

  328. But… but… there are no pictures of kittens!!
    Bunnie & kittie pics together in one post would be the *finest* thing ever.

    Hope to read more of your exploits, & to one day get to Frolicon myself….

  329. But… but… there are no pictures of kittens!!
    Bunnie & kittie pics together in one post would be the *finest* thing ever.

    Hope to read more of your exploits, & to one day get to Frolicon myself….

  330. I’ll bet you’re familiar with the KISS song “Plaster Caster,” but in case you aren’t, you should remedy that situation. (I read that it was inspired by some lady who collected casts of famous men’s dongs.)

    Also: Would have guessed the hardest (heh-heh) part of making such a replica is to prevent hair from getting into the mold.

  331. I’ll bet you’re familiar with the KISS song “Plaster Caster,” but in case you aren’t, you should remedy that situation. (I read that it was inspired by some lady who collected casts of famous men’s dongs.)

    Also: Would have guessed the hardest (heh-heh) part of making such a replica is to prevent hair from getting into the mold.

  332. That would be Cynthia Albritton aka “Cynthia Plaster Caster.” She apparently ran for mayor of Chicago, but unfortunately didn’t win. Heck, I would have voted for her, even if I haven’t lived in Chicago for about six years now.

  333. That would be Cynthia Albritton aka “Cynthia Plaster Caster.” She apparently ran for mayor of Chicago, but unfortunately didn’t win. Heck, I would have voted for her, even if I haven’t lived in Chicago for about six years now.

  334. I think I’d mentioned to you that I got one of those kits for a few years ago, but that we’d never gotten around to making use of it either. Now I’m suddenly re-inspired. 🙂

  335. I think I’d mentioned to you that I got one of those kits for a few years ago, but that we’d never gotten around to making use of it either. Now I’m suddenly re-inspired. 🙂

  336. I wish I could’ve gotten to Froli back in the day before I gave up on sex. Seems like it would’ve been a blast.

    I will say, Franklin, you’ve given a whole new meaning to the phrase “Hoisted by your own petard.”

  337. I wish I could’ve gotten to Froli back in the day before I gave up on sex. Seems like it would’ve been a blast.

    I will say, Franklin, you’ve given a whole new meaning to the phrase “Hoisted by your own petard.”

  338. mmmhmmm 🙂 nice franklin 🙂
    by the way I’m having house & gets tied up envy *lol*
    maybe rope camp will remedy this. I sure hope so 🙂

  339. mmmhmmm 🙂 nice franklin 🙂
    by the way I’m having house & gets tied up envy *lol*
    maybe rope camp will remedy this. I sure hope so 🙂

  340. latex

    What brand of latex? Where do they sell it? Is it the skin latex used as body art? Again, what major store carries it?

  341. latex

    What brand of latex? Where do they sell it? Is it the skin latex used as body art? Again, what major store carries it?

  342. Re: latex

    Liquid latex is available from a lot of different places. Costuming shops and theater supply places will have it; you an also find it online here.

  343. Re: latex

    Liquid latex is available from a lot of different places. Costuming shops and theater supply places will have it; you an also find it online here.

  344. You’re not the only one. I think that most David Conenberg movies do have that effect on most people. eXistenZ is my favourite of his films. 🙂

  345. You’re not the only one. I think that most David Conenberg movies do have that effect on most people. eXistenZ is my favourite of his films. 🙂

  346. I would love it if you could do a compare/contrast like this for tablets.

    Also, are you in the G+ beta, and what do you think of it?

  347. I would love it if you could do a compare/contrast like this for tablets.

    Also, are you in the G+ beta, and what do you think of it?

  348. This, my friends, is why I still have a phone I bought in 2006.

    There’s too much crap in every smartphone out there for me to even imagine myself being happy with any of them.

    So I’ll wait until the market improves and clears out the crap.

  349. This, my friends, is why I still have a phone I bought in 2006.

    There’s too much crap in every smartphone out there for me to even imagine myself being happy with any of them.

    So I’ll wait until the market improves and clears out the crap.

  350. Both of us were independently aware of the disused portion of the convention center, although was the one who discovered the portion with the map at some prior con, whereas I used the excuse of looking for my stolen display stand to prowl through the hallways that led us to the cockroachy bathrooms and the upper window overlooking the abandoned exhibit hall-turned-storage-room 🙂

  351. Both of us were independently aware of the disused portion of the convention center, although was the one who discovered the portion with the map at some prior con, whereas I used the excuse of looking for my stolen display stand to prowl through the hallways that led us to the cockroachy bathrooms and the upper window overlooking the abandoned exhibit hall-turned-storage-room 🙂

  352. I have the HTC Incredible, and love the thing. What you call “Fragmentation” I call “Flexibility”.

    To me the argument between iPhone and Android is the same as what it’s always been with Apple: You can have options or you can do it the Apple Way. The Apple Way is not inherently bad. For the majority of the population it will work well. For those without a natural affinity for gadgets Apple products are an obvious choice. However, personally I like options.

    The problem is that having options will always mean that some of your options suck, and there is always the difficulty of finding the good options. This is true of almost any situation where you increase the number of available options.

    For example: There were certain aspects of living with two bi-sexual women that were less than pleasant. As far as I could tell there was nothing about pizza choices they both liked. One like pan crust, the other thin crust. One liked pepperoni and hated sausage, the other liked sausage and hated pepperoni… It may seem silly, but you stop ordering pizza when you know that suggesting it will start a 40 minute debate. Then there was the fact that any time I got into an argument with either of them, they ALWAYS teamed up against me. However, it’s not that high a price to pay for knowing that on any given night one of them was almost certain to be “in the mood”, and every once in a while I’d come home and find two naked women laying on the couch together. Most guys don’t have these options, but they also don’t have to deal with two lovers going through PMS at the same time.

    Many of the issues you bring up as being bad with Android (form factor, storage, music player, text messaging, calculator, phone quality, the virtual keyboard, syncing to PC, even voice mail) can be solved by either choosing a different android phone, or by installing other apps.

    The base phone might compare badly, but Android isn’t about the base phone. If your music player crashes, well there are only 2 or 3 hundred music player apps to choose from. If you don’t want to use a Google account, turn the Google sync off and setup sync with Outlook and Windows Media Player. And of course you can always sync the music on your HTC with iTunes.

  353. I have the HTC Incredible, and love the thing. What you call “Fragmentation” I call “Flexibility”.

    To me the argument between iPhone and Android is the same as what it’s always been with Apple: You can have options or you can do it the Apple Way. The Apple Way is not inherently bad. For the majority of the population it will work well. For those without a natural affinity for gadgets Apple products are an obvious choice. However, personally I like options.

    The problem is that having options will always mean that some of your options suck, and there is always the difficulty of finding the good options. This is true of almost any situation where you increase the number of available options.

    For example: There were certain aspects of living with two bi-sexual women that were less than pleasant. As far as I could tell there was nothing about pizza choices they both liked. One like pan crust, the other thin crust. One liked pepperoni and hated sausage, the other liked sausage and hated pepperoni… It may seem silly, but you stop ordering pizza when you know that suggesting it will start a 40 minute debate. Then there was the fact that any time I got into an argument with either of them, they ALWAYS teamed up against me. However, it’s not that high a price to pay for knowing that on any given night one of them was almost certain to be “in the mood”, and every once in a while I’d come home and find two naked women laying on the couch together. Most guys don’t have these options, but they also don’t have to deal with two lovers going through PMS at the same time.

    Many of the issues you bring up as being bad with Android (form factor, storage, music player, text messaging, calculator, phone quality, the virtual keyboard, syncing to PC, even voice mail) can be solved by either choosing a different android phone, or by installing other apps.

    The base phone might compare badly, but Android isn’t about the base phone. If your music player crashes, well there are only 2 or 3 hundred music player apps to choose from. If you don’t want to use a Google account, turn the Google sync off and setup sync with Outlook and Windows Media Player. And of course you can always sync the music on your HTC with iTunes.

  354. Is there malware and a trojan on my laptop?

    Is there malware or a trojan on my laptop?
    I have 2 asus laptops with windows.
    I have Norton Antivirus, but still small popups appear all over the desktop. What should I do?

  355. Is there malware and a trojan on my laptop?

    Is there malware or a trojan on my laptop?
    I have 2 asus laptops with windows.
    I have Norton Antivirus, but still small popups appear all over the desktop. What should I do?

  356. Re: Is there malware and a trojan on my laptop?

    What kinds of popups? Have you tried scanning with an online scanner like the one at housecall.trendmicro.com?

  357. Re: Is there malware and a trojan on my laptop?

    What kinds of popups? Have you tried scanning with an online scanner like the one at housecall.trendmicro.com?

  358. xeromag

    Well, for some reason i can’t access your e-mail at xeromag now, and i really want to do it today, so:

    I’m the guy who translated (parts of) your poly texts into Polish, and i’m in the process of migrating it to other domain/server, and i thought i’d update them while on it. I’ll do it by hand, but perhaps it is possible for you to notify me of future changes, as i noticed you keep updating them?

    my mail is tomek_kulesza at yahoo com

    thanks,

    T.K.

  359. xeromag

    Well, for some reason i can’t access your e-mail at xeromag now, and i really want to do it today, so:

    I’m the guy who translated (parts of) your poly texts into Polish, and i’m in the process of migrating it to other domain/server, and i thought i’d update them while on it. I’ll do it by hand, but perhaps it is possible for you to notify me of future changes, as i noticed you keep updating them?

    my mail is tomek_kulesza at yahoo com

    thanks,

    T.K.

  360. eow… that garage has interesting….
    possibilities- I’m still contemplsting going to next year’s frolicon- so we’ll see if thta happens 🙂
    I take it you give it a high recommendation? 😉

  361. eow… that garage has interesting….
    possibilities- I’m still contemplsting going to next year’s frolicon- so we’ll see if thta happens 🙂
    I take it you give it a high recommendation? 😉

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  364. Hee!! That was Cleolinda-worthy. 🙂 I so hope at some point soon I have a car and money at the same time, so I can go see that. There’s three movies I want to see in theaters at the same time – this, Captain America and the Apes one. It’s been years since that’s happened, so this is extremely cool.

  365. Hee!! That was Cleolinda-worthy. 🙂 I so hope at some point soon I have a car and money at the same time, so I can go see that. There’s three movies I want to see in theaters at the same time – this, Captain America and the Apes one. It’s been years since that’s happened, so this is extremely cool.

  366. “Instead, I think it’s often about creating an illusion of safety. By finding some way to blame a victim of a crime, we can protect ourselves, if only a little bit, from the fear of that crime. If you are a victim because you did something wrong, then I don’t need to fear being a victim as long as I do things right. I don’t need to worry about having my car stolen, because I’m smart enough not to park it in a dark corner of a parking lot. I won’t be a rape victim, because I’m smart enough to know better than to wear that miniskirt or walk down that alley.”

    You’re 100% correct, there’ve been numerous studies that show when someone close to you is victimized it shakes YOUR sense of safety, so you find a way to make it their fault to restore that sense.

    And no, it’s not misogyny. Your analysis of some of the issues in the community being at fault is, IMO, far closer, and I say that because I’ve seen the exact same thing happen on at least 3 occasions with people I know in the gay male scene, and once to a het male who was victimized in the straight scene. It is unusual for it to happen to straight males in the scene, but more common in the gay scene than most people would admit. Same sort of community ripples & victim blaming happen in both cases.

  367. “Instead, I think it’s often about creating an illusion of safety. By finding some way to blame a victim of a crime, we can protect ourselves, if only a little bit, from the fear of that crime. If you are a victim because you did something wrong, then I don’t need to fear being a victim as long as I do things right. I don’t need to worry about having my car stolen, because I’m smart enough not to park it in a dark corner of a parking lot. I won’t be a rape victim, because I’m smart enough to know better than to wear that miniskirt or walk down that alley.”

    You’re 100% correct, there’ve been numerous studies that show when someone close to you is victimized it shakes YOUR sense of safety, so you find a way to make it their fault to restore that sense.

    And no, it’s not misogyny. Your analysis of some of the issues in the community being at fault is, IMO, far closer, and I say that because I’ve seen the exact same thing happen on at least 3 occasions with people I know in the gay male scene, and once to a het male who was victimized in the straight scene. It is unusual for it to happen to straight males in the scene, but more common in the gay scene than most people would admit. Same sort of community ripples & victim blaming happen in both cases.

  368. I need to read this in more detail, but yes. The conversations need to start happening, and the rationalizing and “mansplaining” need to stop.

    Oy vey, people! we’re cutting edge here, (pardon the pun) we have to take care of each other!

  369. I need to read this in more detail, but yes. The conversations need to start happening, and the rationalizing and “mansplaining” need to stop.

    Oy vey, people! we’re cutting edge here, (pardon the pun) we have to take care of each other!

  370. I really like your thinking, but let me play devil’s advocate for a minute to illustrate that life isn’t this cut and dried.

    I’m a very deeply consent oriented person. Probably to a nauseating fault. One of the key reasons I don’t generally identify as being particularly kinky, despite the fact that I am in my own ways, is that a big chunk of the BDSM mythology is built around rape fantasies, force, and, literally, humiliation.

    Kudos to you and many others for voicing the importance of negotiating and explicit consent. But I think you should acknowledge that almost every facet of human communication involves “mind reading”. Most human languages seem built more on metaphors than literals. Let me ask if you literally ask your partners for permission every time before you start to play with them. I doubt you or any human does. We take certain things for granted. We say we’ve already negotiated those things in advance and so now, it’s just a matter of reading body language and such. Seems reasonable, except that your partner may not want something now that you’ve done before. If you start down that road because you misread his/her signals and didn’t explicitly ask, is that sexual assault? Most of us would say no because of this assumption that you can’t sexually assault an existing partner, but why is this fundamentally different from combining explicit statements with nonverbal suggestion and cultural assumptions and coming up with mistaken conclusions about less-than-explicit consent?

    I have male friends who are very dominant and not likely to ask for things in words. It makes me squeamish. And then I watch women get choke-held, molested, and so forth without a word being spoken and then watch them get up with great big gins and stated plans for more of the same. Put a different way, some people really do want to be taken and don’t want to negotiate any of it before-hand; at least not explicitly. Let’s acknowledge it’s a fetish, plain and simple and healthy or not. What do you say to them and to the dom/mes that are happy to cater to it? That they are wrong?

    A friend of mine whom I respect greatly for starting and running a kink-oriented group in town puts things bluntly: if you are part of this group, it’s up to you to be an adult and say what you don’t want. Anything else is fair game. This is the “no means no” approach with a clear disdain for the “yes means yes” approach. Much as I argue with him about the wisdom of this policy, he has a point. This is stated very clearly to newcomers. This group has its culture and it is well understood. Is this wrong?

    You have to acknowledge that there are such sub-cultures like this within the BDSM spectrum. Is it appropriate that your (and my) standard should be uniformly applied to everyone, even when an entire group disagrees with it?

    Which brings me back to the BDSM community, writ large. It seems that people who are into forced play, rape fantasies, humiliation, and so forth naturally tend to tilt the balance toward less than explicit consent than the public at large generally assumes. Having a culture of explicit negotiation and such helps counter that imbalance, so keep at it. But I question whether it’s realistic to expect uniformity in this regard. The community is also at its core about diversity, including diversity of desires and views about human nature.

    Let me reiterate that I agree with your points, fundamentally. I like to pat myself on the back for asking the women I cuddle (and more) with about what’s OK or not. And yet I know that sometimes even my approach to consent isn’t clear enough. Communication is critical, but flawed. Good communication requires constant feedback and clarification. It must also be two way. Let’s not pretend that the alternative is between the burden of consent being 100% on victims or 100% on would-be predators. Let’s acknowledge that both parties have 100% responsibility for their and their prospective partners’ needs and accept that all people are somewhere between 0% and 100% perfect at either.

    And let’s acknowledge that cultural assumptions play a critical role. Making those assumptions explicit instead of unstated within your community is a great idea. But then, that’s what you do well, sir. Keep setting the tone. Cheers.

  371. I really like your thinking, but let me play devil’s advocate for a minute to illustrate that life isn’t this cut and dried.

    I’m a very deeply consent oriented person. Probably to a nauseating fault. One of the key reasons I don’t generally identify as being particularly kinky, despite the fact that I am in my own ways, is that a big chunk of the BDSM mythology is built around rape fantasies, force, and, literally, humiliation.

    Kudos to you and many others for voicing the importance of negotiating and explicit consent. But I think you should acknowledge that almost every facet of human communication involves “mind reading”. Most human languages seem built more on metaphors than literals. Let me ask if you literally ask your partners for permission every time before you start to play with them. I doubt you or any human does. We take certain things for granted. We say we’ve already negotiated those things in advance and so now, it’s just a matter of reading body language and such. Seems reasonable, except that your partner may not want something now that you’ve done before. If you start down that road because you misread his/her signals and didn’t explicitly ask, is that sexual assault? Most of us would say no because of this assumption that you can’t sexually assault an existing partner, but why is this fundamentally different from combining explicit statements with nonverbal suggestion and cultural assumptions and coming up with mistaken conclusions about less-than-explicit consent?

    I have male friends who are very dominant and not likely to ask for things in words. It makes me squeamish. And then I watch women get choke-held, molested, and so forth without a word being spoken and then watch them get up with great big gins and stated plans for more of the same. Put a different way, some people really do want to be taken and don’t want to negotiate any of it before-hand; at least not explicitly. Let’s acknowledge it’s a fetish, plain and simple and healthy or not. What do you say to them and to the dom/mes that are happy to cater to it? That they are wrong?

    A friend of mine whom I respect greatly for starting and running a kink-oriented group in town puts things bluntly: if you are part of this group, it’s up to you to be an adult and say what you don’t want. Anything else is fair game. This is the “no means no” approach with a clear disdain for the “yes means yes” approach. Much as I argue with him about the wisdom of this policy, he has a point. This is stated very clearly to newcomers. This group has its culture and it is well understood. Is this wrong?

    You have to acknowledge that there are such sub-cultures like this within the BDSM spectrum. Is it appropriate that your (and my) standard should be uniformly applied to everyone, even when an entire group disagrees with it?

    Which brings me back to the BDSM community, writ large. It seems that people who are into forced play, rape fantasies, humiliation, and so forth naturally tend to tilt the balance toward less than explicit consent than the public at large generally assumes. Having a culture of explicit negotiation and such helps counter that imbalance, so keep at it. But I question whether it’s realistic to expect uniformity in this regard. The community is also at its core about diversity, including diversity of desires and views about human nature.

    Let me reiterate that I agree with your points, fundamentally. I like to pat myself on the back for asking the women I cuddle (and more) with about what’s OK or not. And yet I know that sometimes even my approach to consent isn’t clear enough. Communication is critical, but flawed. Good communication requires constant feedback and clarification. It must also be two way. Let’s not pretend that the alternative is between the burden of consent being 100% on victims or 100% on would-be predators. Let’s acknowledge that both parties have 100% responsibility for their and their prospective partners’ needs and accept that all people are somewhere between 0% and 100% perfect at either.

    And let’s acknowledge that cultural assumptions play a critical role. Making those assumptions explicit instead of unstated within your community is a great idea. But then, that’s what you do well, sir. Keep setting the tone. Cheers.

  372. I am going to catch so much shit over this.

    First let me say that as a whole I agree with almost all you say. I don’t believe in fuzzy boundaries, if you don’t understand were the boundary is, error on the side of caution and respect to your partner. Rape is a horrendous crime and rapists are the lowest scum of the Earth.

    But there are a couple things I think you should consider about what you say.

    “we tell people to lock their cars and hide their valuables rather than telling people not to rob cars.”

    Actually we do tell people not to rob cars, and not to rape people. Almost all the people involved in these crimes knows they are doing something wrong, but at the moment they are doing it they don’t care that it’s wrong. The fact is that we live in a world with evil people, and we have a responsibility to protect our selves from them, or they will hurt us. This concept extends to every extent of our lives. Our country has to have a military because without one other countries will attack us and destroy our way of life, and if you don’t put your name on your frozen lunch before putting it in the freezer at work, someone that left lunch at home will likely eat it.

    This does not mean the victim is responsible for what happens to them, and it does not mean the perpetrator didn’t do something inherently wrong. But it does mean that we all have an inherent responsibility to do our best to protect our selves.

    “Instead, she argues in favor of a different standard: “Yes means yes.” If you don’t have direct, affirmative permission to put your dick somewhere, don’t do it. Even if you didn’t hear a “no.””

    For everyone in support of this, think back on every sexual experience you’ve had. Do they ALL include explicit verbal permission in BOTH directions (that’s right: What’s good for the goose [goose = women] is good for the gander [gander = men]). I’m willing to bet that if your honest with yourself the answer is “no”. I’m also willing to bet that most of your future experiences won’t include explicit verbal permission either.

    This is one of those great idea’s on paper that could NEVER work out in practice. The reason it wont work: Most of us, including most of the people reading this AND most of the people that speak out in favor of this, don’t really want it to work that way. Can you really imagine women asking a man if it’s what he really wants before they go down on him? People don’t want to have to stop and ask if their partner laying naked on the bed “really” wants to have sex or not, and they also don’t want to have say “yes”. They want their lovers to “know” them well enough to understand what they want.

    The other major problem is that our society programs women from an early age to believe there is something imoral about a woman that says she wants sex. This is increadibly hard for many women to get past. When I was in highschool I was interested in a girl at one point that found it almost impossible. If I asked her out right if she wanted me to touch her or do something sexual with her she’d say things like “I guess you’ll have to try it and find out.” I remember one situation that left me laughing. I was over to “help her study”. She answered the door wearing a nearly see through tank top that left almost nothing to the imagination, a pair of jeans shorts so small she couldn’t zip the zipper or button them, and no panties. Later after we were done having some fun I asked out right why she never just said “yes”. She said she didn’t want to look like a slut…

    The other problem is what constitutes “direct, affirmative permission”? If a women is lying naked on my bed spreading lube on herself with one hand and handing me a condom with the other, do I still have to ask? Am I supposed to ask her if it’s OK if she’s on top and mounting me? If so, then this “rule” is just stupid. So how do we build a universal standard for what “direct, affirmative permission” means? Who gets to decide what situations constitute an unspoken “yes”? That’s why “no means no” is so strongly encouraged. It leaves absolutely no possibility of ambiguity.

    Doing ANYTHING to discourage the “no means no” concept only increases risks for people. Consider that very carefully before trying to say it’s a flawed concept.

  373. I am going to catch so much shit over this.

    First let me say that as a whole I agree with almost all you say. I don’t believe in fuzzy boundaries, if you don’t understand were the boundary is, error on the side of caution and respect to your partner. Rape is a horrendous crime and rapists are the lowest scum of the Earth.

    But there are a couple things I think you should consider about what you say.

    “we tell people to lock their cars and hide their valuables rather than telling people not to rob cars.”

    Actually we do tell people not to rob cars, and not to rape people. Almost all the people involved in these crimes knows they are doing something wrong, but at the moment they are doing it they don’t care that it’s wrong. The fact is that we live in a world with evil people, and we have a responsibility to protect our selves from them, or they will hurt us. This concept extends to every extent of our lives. Our country has to have a military because without one other countries will attack us and destroy our way of life, and if you don’t put your name on your frozen lunch before putting it in the freezer at work, someone that left lunch at home will likely eat it.

    This does not mean the victim is responsible for what happens to them, and it does not mean the perpetrator didn’t do something inherently wrong. But it does mean that we all have an inherent responsibility to do our best to protect our selves.

    “Instead, she argues in favor of a different standard: “Yes means yes.” If you don’t have direct, affirmative permission to put your dick somewhere, don’t do it. Even if you didn’t hear a “no.””

    For everyone in support of this, think back on every sexual experience you’ve had. Do they ALL include explicit verbal permission in BOTH directions (that’s right: What’s good for the goose [goose = women] is good for the gander [gander = men]). I’m willing to bet that if your honest with yourself the answer is “no”. I’m also willing to bet that most of your future experiences won’t include explicit verbal permission either.

    This is one of those great idea’s on paper that could NEVER work out in practice. The reason it wont work: Most of us, including most of the people reading this AND most of the people that speak out in favor of this, don’t really want it to work that way. Can you really imagine women asking a man if it’s what he really wants before they go down on him? People don’t want to have to stop and ask if their partner laying naked on the bed “really” wants to have sex or not, and they also don’t want to have say “yes”. They want their lovers to “know” them well enough to understand what they want.

    The other major problem is that our society programs women from an early age to believe there is something imoral about a woman that says she wants sex. This is increadibly hard for many women to get past. When I was in highschool I was interested in a girl at one point that found it almost impossible. If I asked her out right if she wanted me to touch her or do something sexual with her she’d say things like “I guess you’ll have to try it and find out.” I remember one situation that left me laughing. I was over to “help her study”. She answered the door wearing a nearly see through tank top that left almost nothing to the imagination, a pair of jeans shorts so small she couldn’t zip the zipper or button them, and no panties. Later after we were done having some fun I asked out right why she never just said “yes”. She said she didn’t want to look like a slut…

    The other problem is what constitutes “direct, affirmative permission”? If a women is lying naked on my bed spreading lube on herself with one hand and handing me a condom with the other, do I still have to ask? Am I supposed to ask her if it’s OK if she’s on top and mounting me? If so, then this “rule” is just stupid. So how do we build a universal standard for what “direct, affirmative permission” means? Who gets to decide what situations constitute an unspoken “yes”? That’s why “no means no” is so strongly encouraged. It leaves absolutely no possibility of ambiguity.

    Doing ANYTHING to discourage the “no means no” concept only increases risks for people. Consider that very carefully before trying to say it’s a flawed concept.

  374. If you want me to listen to what you are saying, you have to give me the same respect. Try letting go of some of your preconceptions and listening.

    Living in fear is a choice. Another choice is to live in spite of fear.

    I and many others, including many women, choose to live is spite of fear.

    By seeing all men as potential threats you are surrounding yourself with threats, most of which aren’t real. You are wrapping yourself in fear and then accusing the men of the world of creating it. When the reality is most of that fear is based on threats that don’t exist. You are the cause of your own fear.

    “you just support a system which blames the women who are your partners”

    Bull shit I do! The rapist KNOWS it’s non-consensual. The rapist KNOWS they are committing a violation. The “I didn’t know” bull shit they pull is just crap they use to get away with it after the fact. THEY KNEW. And because they knew it is 100% totally their fault.

    Saying there are more ways to consent that explicitly saying “yes”. Does NOT support rape or rapists. It supports sexual equality and freedom.

    If your going to talk about supporting an a fucked up system, you’ve spent all afternoon arguing that women are too timid to stand up to men. Think about what that implies. How is the rest of the world supposed to believe women are equal to men if you don’t?

  375. If you want me to listen to what you are saying, you have to give me the same respect. Try letting go of some of your preconceptions and listening.

    Living in fear is a choice. Another choice is to live in spite of fear.

    I and many others, including many women, choose to live is spite of fear.

    By seeing all men as potential threats you are surrounding yourself with threats, most of which aren’t real. You are wrapping yourself in fear and then accusing the men of the world of creating it. When the reality is most of that fear is based on threats that don’t exist. You are the cause of your own fear.

    “you just support a system which blames the women who are your partners”

    Bull shit I do! The rapist KNOWS it’s non-consensual. The rapist KNOWS they are committing a violation. The “I didn’t know” bull shit they pull is just crap they use to get away with it after the fact. THEY KNEW. And because they knew it is 100% totally their fault.

    Saying there are more ways to consent that explicitly saying “yes”. Does NOT support rape or rapists. It supports sexual equality and freedom.

    If your going to talk about supporting an a fucked up system, you’ve spent all afternoon arguing that women are too timid to stand up to men. Think about what that implies. How is the rest of the world supposed to believe women are equal to men if you don’t?

  376. “Um, actually the statistics I just showed you up there prove that rapists constantly say what they did wasn’t rape. In fact, many rapists believe rape is pretty common and that rape isn’t rape, or it’s not as bad as all that. So here, you’re dead wrong.”

    I’m sorry the sick minded predators have a different definition of rape than I do.

    But I will guarantee you they know when their partner is unwilling. And if you know your partner is unwilling and you keep going, it’s rape. End of story.

    “I never said that “yes” was the only way to consent. What I said was that placing the burden of communication completely on the woman, expecting them to always have agency creates an environment of blame when a woman does not or cannot communicate.”

    GAH!?!?! Then why are we arguing? My argument is against the idea that the burden of establishing consent should be completely on men, and that there are other ways of establishing consent than “an explicit “yes.”” If we can agree that burden of establishing consent lies with both partners, than I’m not sure what the argument is.

    “PLEASE point out where I have said that”

    You didn’t, but you did argue to support someone that did.

    “TBH, I want the rest of the world to stop using the categories of “male” and “female” all together and to realise that intersex and gender variant people exist. That would be my ideal fucking world.”

    I don’t agree with doing away with them all together. That would take something away from the world, and make organizing breading programs as zoos and farms nearly impossible.

    However, I will agree that the world need recognize intersex and gender variant people. I will also say that the world needs to recognize the equality of both specific genders, and everything in between that can’t be put into a neat little box.

  377. “Um, actually the statistics I just showed you up there prove that rapists constantly say what they did wasn’t rape. In fact, many rapists believe rape is pretty common and that rape isn’t rape, or it’s not as bad as all that. So here, you’re dead wrong.”

    I’m sorry the sick minded predators have a different definition of rape than I do.

    But I will guarantee you they know when their partner is unwilling. And if you know your partner is unwilling and you keep going, it’s rape. End of story.

    “I never said that “yes” was the only way to consent. What I said was that placing the burden of communication completely on the woman, expecting them to always have agency creates an environment of blame when a woman does not or cannot communicate.”

    GAH!?!?! Then why are we arguing? My argument is against the idea that the burden of establishing consent should be completely on men, and that there are other ways of establishing consent than “an explicit “yes.”” If we can agree that burden of establishing consent lies with both partners, than I’m not sure what the argument is.

    “PLEASE point out where I have said that”

    You didn’t, but you did argue to support someone that did.

    “TBH, I want the rest of the world to stop using the categories of “male” and “female” all together and to realise that intersex and gender variant people exist. That would be my ideal fucking world.”

    I don’t agree with doing away with them all together. That would take something away from the world, and make organizing breading programs as zoos and farms nearly impossible.

    However, I will agree that the world need recognize intersex and gender variant people. I will also say that the world needs to recognize the equality of both specific genders, and everything in between that can’t be put into a neat little box.

  378. No title

    User referenced to your post from No title saying: […] Past a certain point, any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice. […]

  379. No title

    User referenced to your post from No title saying: […] Past a certain point, any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice. […]

  380. As someone that kind of works in the fraud/abuse field (more fraud than abuse, really), and formerly working for Earthlink… Last I heard I could count the number of employees in the fraud/abuse group on one hand.

    In general, it is extremely frustrating to try and get large companies upper management to even be interested in such things. Security costs money, but doesn’t bring any in. Worst case, security can actually bring down the bottom line. Never you mind that customers generally appreciate and potentially will do more business with companies that have better security. *shrug* It’s a pervasive mind-set, unfortunately.

  381. As someone that kind of works in the fraud/abuse field (more fraud than abuse, really), and formerly working for Earthlink… Last I heard I could count the number of employees in the fraud/abuse group on one hand.

    In general, it is extremely frustrating to try and get large companies upper management to even be interested in such things. Security costs money, but doesn’t bring any in. Worst case, security can actually bring down the bottom line. Never you mind that customers generally appreciate and potentially will do more business with companies that have better security. *shrug* It’s a pervasive mind-set, unfortunately.

  382. And a dangerous one. The laws at this point clearly state that if a company knows they have a maliciousness site on the servers, and they do nothing, they can be held liable for the damage done. A class action suite by everyone screwed over by a phishing site could cost them a lot more than the price of decent security.

  383. And a dangerous one. The laws at this point clearly state that if a company knows they have a maliciousness site on the servers, and they do nothing, they can be held liable for the damage done. A class action suite by everyone screwed over by a phishing site could cost them a lot more than the price of decent security.

  384. I can understand feeling ethically compelled to speak up in cases of rape or abuse, in order to prevent the offender from offending again. That absolutely makes sense to me.

    However, having said that…We live in a society that does not make it safe for victims of sexual assault to come forward. Essentially, what that means is that people who have been assaulted either have to remain silent, and potentially allow the perpetrator to assault again, or come forward, and face additional recrimination and sanction. Sometimes, this can be serious or even life-threatening; in Fundamentalist Muslim countries, women who report rapes have been jailed or even executed.

    The same thing doesn’t usually happen in Western societies–usually–but there is still a significant cost associated with coming forward. It seems odd to me to make the person who is assaulted pay the cost of exposing the perpetrator.

  385. I can understand feeling ethically compelled to speak up in cases of rape or abuse, in order to prevent the offender from offending again. That absolutely makes sense to me.

    However, having said that…We live in a society that does not make it safe for victims of sexual assault to come forward. Essentially, what that means is that people who have been assaulted either have to remain silent, and potentially allow the perpetrator to assault again, or come forward, and face additional recrimination and sanction. Sometimes, this can be serious or even life-threatening; in Fundamentalist Muslim countries, women who report rapes have been jailed or even executed.

    The same thing doesn’t usually happen in Western societies–usually–but there is still a significant cost associated with coming forward. It seems odd to me to make the person who is assaulted pay the cost of exposing the perpetrator.

  386. It’s things like your bio-explanations that make me gleeful that I saw the Source Code with a physicist. We laughed hysterically at so much of it while the rest of the audience was clueless.

  387. It’s things like your bio-explanations that make me gleeful that I saw the Source Code with a physicist. We laughed hysterically at so much of it while the rest of the audience was clueless.

  388. I’m actually working on a programmable controller with a motor driver on it. The PCB will be about an inch by two inches, and the programming environment will be standard Arduino. More info here: http://gizmosmith.com/?p=212

    If you want a board, I’m expecting 10 of them in a couple of weeks (shipping via slow boat from China).

  389. I’m actually working on a programmable controller with a motor driver on it. The PCB will be about an inch by two inches, and the programming environment will be standard Arduino. More info here: http://gizmosmith.com/?p=212

    If you want a board, I’m expecting 10 of them in a couple of weeks (shipping via slow boat from China).

  390. Bravo for continuing this argument. I have gradually lost all patience for dealing with people who outright refuse to listen and who think that a strange woman might possibly be afraid of them is anything at all like what women go through daily with respect to rape and protecting themselves.

    As for your comments about grey areas and whether men absolutely 100% know that what they did was assault, well, here’s a great article about exactly those kinds of grey areas and reasons why “no means no” isn’t enough:

    Manufacturing Consent: Is It Rape?

  391. Bravo for continuing this argument. I have gradually lost all patience for dealing with people who outright refuse to listen and who think that a strange woman might possibly be afraid of them is anything at all like what women go through daily with respect to rape and protecting themselves.

    As for your comments about grey areas and whether men absolutely 100% know that what they did was assault, well, here’s a great article about exactly those kinds of grey areas and reasons why “no means no” isn’t enough:

    Manufacturing Consent: Is It Rape?

  392. action cards

    Is there a forum where players that have bought the game cand exchange their own custom action cards? That would be awesome.

  393. action cards

    Is there a forum where players that have bought the game cand exchange their own custom action cards? That would be awesome.

  394. F***book f***-ups.

    Oh dear, what a right mess they’ve made of Facebook? I fear that either Zuckerberg is having a mental breakdown or Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory has locked himself in the server room.

    Even in a place like Silicon Valley, I’m sure that they can take a break from diving into pools of gold like Scrooge McDuck to read the extremely negative reactions. I really can’t see how advertisers are going to be attracted to or stay with Facebook.

  395. F***book f***-ups.

    Oh dear, what a right mess they’ve made of Facebook? I fear that either Zuckerberg is having a mental breakdown or Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory has locked himself in the server room.

    Even in a place like Silicon Valley, I’m sure that they can take a break from diving into pools of gold like Scrooge McDuck to read the extremely negative reactions. I really can’t see how advertisers are going to be attracted to or stay with Facebook.

  396. Because Facebook wasn’t creepy enough as it was…

    On a slightly tangential note, I’m curious as to what (if anything) you consider a good example of Web 2.0 site design? I’ve been unimpressed by most of the recent round of redesigns big sites are going through, but I about those you think are actually getting it right, few though they may be?

  397. Because Facebook wasn’t creepy enough as it was…

    On a slightly tangential note, I’m curious as to what (if anything) you consider a good example of Web 2.0 site design? I’ve been unimpressed by most of the recent round of redesigns big sites are going through, but I about those you think are actually getting it right, few though they may be?

  398. “Democracy is based on the assumption that a million men are wiser than one man. How’s that again? I missed something.”

    “Autocracy is based on the assumption that one man is wiser than a million men. Let’s play that over again, too. Who decides?”

    — Robert Heinlein

    Representative democracy IMO is a way to have a government and minimise its excesses; and likewise to have freedoms and minimise their excesses. It’s not great, it’s just that there’s nothing better yet.

    As for anti-intellectualism, knowledge isn’t the same as either wisdom or leadership. Otherwise we would elect teh internets our supreme leader. Democracy tends to mass movements in eventual response to perceived social stimuli, like movement by some massive dinosaur being constantly nibbled on one side. It’s rarely innovative except right at the very start, and that shit gets stamped out fast. If a large sector of society is fulminating against intellectuals, then many people feel there is reason. They may be wrong; but they should not be ignored.

    Speak up. Debate. Raise and examine ideas. Otherwise you abandon the field to whoever else shows up.

  399. “Democracy is based on the assumption that a million men are wiser than one man. How’s that again? I missed something.”

    “Autocracy is based on the assumption that one man is wiser than a million men. Let’s play that over again, too. Who decides?”

    — Robert Heinlein

    Representative democracy IMO is a way to have a government and minimise its excesses; and likewise to have freedoms and minimise their excesses. It’s not great, it’s just that there’s nothing better yet.

    As for anti-intellectualism, knowledge isn’t the same as either wisdom or leadership. Otherwise we would elect teh internets our supreme leader. Democracy tends to mass movements in eventual response to perceived social stimuli, like movement by some massive dinosaur being constantly nibbled on one side. It’s rarely innovative except right at the very start, and that shit gets stamped out fast. If a large sector of society is fulminating against intellectuals, then many people feel there is reason. They may be wrong; but they should not be ignored.

    Speak up. Debate. Raise and examine ideas. Otherwise you abandon the field to whoever else shows up.

  400. Representative democracy helps buffer some of the worst effects — add in judicial review and it gets a lot better.

    My biggest problem with the Republican party the last few years is actually not specific policies, but that they seem to be opposed to judicial review with all their talk about “activist judges”.

  401. Representative democracy helps buffer some of the worst effects — add in judicial review and it gets a lot better.

    My biggest problem with the Republican party the last few years is actually not specific policies, but that they seem to be opposed to judicial review with all their talk about “activist judges”.

  402. … used for ….

    It could be used for her to wear under her dress as you take her out to dinner or the opera so that she can feel the harness and be totally aware that she is yours and must obey you. Just to remind her 🙂 I love that thought and I like the look of this simple harness. Thanks for the tuition.

  403. … used for ….

    It could be used for her to wear under her dress as you take her out to dinner or the opera so that she can feel the harness and be totally aware that she is yours and must obey you. Just to remind her 🙂 I love that thought and I like the look of this simple harness. Thanks for the tuition.

  404. Ironically (emphasis mine):

    “When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: ‘If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.’ It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

    “No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

    “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

    — Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement Speech

    (Not trying to contradict your point; I’m undecided on the issue myself, but the juxtaposition seemed too powerful to ignore.)

  405. Ironically (emphasis mine):

    “When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: ‘If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.’ It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

    “No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

    “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

    — Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement Speech

    (Not trying to contradict your point; I’m undecided on the issue myself, but the juxtaposition seemed too powerful to ignore.)

  406. Just curious why Dominionism crosses over in to conspiracy theories?

    You know, when I first made the chart, I put Dominionism up in the Fundamentalist circle. Then pointed out that Christian Dominionism is closely linked to conspiracy theories from both an affirmative and a paranoid direction.

    Many Dominionists advocate putting “stealth” candidates into office–candidates who conceal their Dominionist beliefs during the election and then reveal them only after they’re elected. On a local level, this has actually been a successful tactic in some parts of the US. Additionally, many Dominionists point to vaguely-defined conspiracies to undermine the “original Christian roots” of the United States, claiming that atheists or liberals or (insert some other group of people here) have sought to move the country away from the Christain foundation the Founding Fathers intended by distorting the Founding Fathers’ view of religion, erecting false walls between religion and government, and so on and so forth.

    So while Dominionism isn’t *necessarily* a conspiracy theory, I think her point that it usually goes hand in hand with conspiracy theories is valid.

    Also, would churches that teach only some people are real humans & other races are the result of humans (usually Cain) mating with animals or other such things producing “mud races” fit in there somewhere? It’s primarily “white power” churches in the US, but there’re a few Islamic sects with similar beliefs. They’re all evolution deniers of one stripe or another, not sure if they’re a big enough subset for their own X.

    I think the White Aryan Resistance, the Church of Christ the Redeemer, and a few others fit into that description. They might belong in the center–conspiracy theories, religious dogmatism, and poor understanding of science.

  407. Just curious why Dominionism crosses over in to conspiracy theories?

    You know, when I first made the chart, I put Dominionism up in the Fundamentalist circle. Then pointed out that Christian Dominionism is closely linked to conspiracy theories from both an affirmative and a paranoid direction.

    Many Dominionists advocate putting “stealth” candidates into office–candidates who conceal their Dominionist beliefs during the election and then reveal them only after they’re elected. On a local level, this has actually been a successful tactic in some parts of the US. Additionally, many Dominionists point to vaguely-defined conspiracies to undermine the “original Christian roots” of the United States, claiming that atheists or liberals or (insert some other group of people here) have sought to move the country away from the Christain foundation the Founding Fathers intended by distorting the Founding Fathers’ view of religion, erecting false walls between religion and government, and so on and so forth.

    So while Dominionism isn’t *necessarily* a conspiracy theory, I think her point that it usually goes hand in hand with conspiracy theories is valid.

    Also, would churches that teach only some people are real humans & other races are the result of humans (usually Cain) mating with animals or other such things producing “mud races” fit in there somewhere? It’s primarily “white power” churches in the US, but there’re a few Islamic sects with similar beliefs. They’re all evolution deniers of one stripe or another, not sure if they’re a big enough subset for their own X.

    I think the White Aryan Resistance, the Church of Christ the Redeemer, and a few others fit into that description. They might belong in the center–conspiracy theories, religious dogmatism, and poor understanding of science.

  408. How about “I’m fine with you having other partners, I just don’t want to have any others myself”

    My bf is a lot like this. He is my ‘primary’ and the relationship seems to meet his needs as a mono. He is even comfortable with the fact that while I will of course consider his feelings and talk with him before taking on a new partner, I will not abandon any of my partners just because another one asked me to. He understands that my other relationship/s do not threaten him. Like all couples, we have insecurities, but we talk about them and get to the root cause, rather than being possessive or passive aggressive. Of course there are no double standards, he is welcome to date someone else if he wishes. The same rules that apply to me apply to him, but as of yet, he has shown little interest in pursuing these options. It seems to work quite well and I am very glad for this relationship that we have built.

  409. How about “I’m fine with you having other partners, I just don’t want to have any others myself”

    My bf is a lot like this. He is my ‘primary’ and the relationship seems to meet his needs as a mono. He is even comfortable with the fact that while I will of course consider his feelings and talk with him before taking on a new partner, I will not abandon any of my partners just because another one asked me to. He understands that my other relationship/s do not threaten him. Like all couples, we have insecurities, but we talk about them and get to the root cause, rather than being possessive or passive aggressive. Of course there are no double standards, he is welcome to date someone else if he wishes. The same rules that apply to me apply to him, but as of yet, he has shown little interest in pursuing these options. It seems to work quite well and I am very glad for this relationship that we have built.

  410. I couldn’t find the sources you use in this comment about the AVN 2006 statistics or the distribution curve of adult entertainment vs other forms of mass media. Once you link or reference those sources, I’ll reply in full.

  411. I couldn’t find the sources you use in this comment about the AVN 2006 statistics or the distribution curve of adult entertainment vs other forms of mass media. Once you link or reference those sources, I’ll reply in full.

  412. I really really really think it may be a dreamhost issue. I do not run any wordpress installations and I’m getting nailed on all my dreamhost domains too. It injects all the html and php files with the redirects. I clean them up and they get nailed again. New passwords and enhanced security doesn’t seem to hamper it. I’m nearly at the point where I have to go elsewhere for hosting, despite having been with dreamhost for ages.

  413. I really really really think it may be a dreamhost issue. I do not run any wordpress installations and I’m getting nailed on all my dreamhost domains too. It injects all the html and php files with the redirects. I clean them up and they get nailed again. New passwords and enhanced security doesn’t seem to hamper it. I’m nearly at the point where I have to go elsewhere for hosting, despite having been with dreamhost for ages.

  414. kill

    Great. Dot Ru. HootieHoo. Gee, but ain’t it trendy and awl for dumbass fucktard americans, etc., to cough up at least $600.00 per month for a Dot Ru website? Does this provide lots of convenient proxies, ip addresses, name changes, registration.t owner name/business changes, blah blah blah, and tons of redirects and links….and is/are connected to/with in the 20,000 something plus other websites? Does this provide some kind of shell protection, er whatevs? Like, well gee, it seems to be out of the country, so Sorry If U Got Screwed Over…..hahahaha.

  415. kill

    Great. Dot Ru. HootieHoo. Gee, but ain’t it trendy and awl for dumbass fucktard americans, etc., to cough up at least $600.00 per month for a Dot Ru website? Does this provide lots of convenient proxies, ip addresses, name changes, registration.t owner name/business changes, blah blah blah, and tons of redirects and links….and is/are connected to/with in the 20,000 something plus other websites? Does this provide some kind of shell protection, er whatevs? Like, well gee, it seems to be out of the country, so Sorry If U Got Screwed Over…..hahahaha.

  416. It would be interesting to see how many other sites have either the same Registrant name or Registrant ID (even if it is phony). May help focus the search.

  417. It would be interesting to see how many other sites have either the same Registrant name or Registrant ID (even if it is phony). May help focus the search.

  418. Re: ginger figging

    that does indeed “ginger up” the male. the sensation is truly intense and should be manage to come he will experience the “heated” after affects.

  419. Re: ginger figging

    that does indeed “ginger up” the male. the sensation is truly intense and should be manage to come he will experience the “heated” after affects.

  420. What’s even better is that compression and encryption both take out long repeating sequences, which are one of the things that we tend to recognize on some level as being indicative of intelligence (“The dolphins keep going ‘aww blaw esspanol’, do you figure that means something?”), or at least periodic interesting behavior (tides, seasons, pendulums, quasars, etc). The more efficient and more secure a signal is, the less likely it is to mean anything to anyone who isn’t the intended recipient.

    I suspect that the best signal we could send to indicate we’re out here is something A) very simple and B) very loud.

  421. What’s even better is that compression and encryption both take out long repeating sequences, which are one of the things that we tend to recognize on some level as being indicative of intelligence (“The dolphins keep going ‘aww blaw esspanol’, do you figure that means something?”), or at least periodic interesting behavior (tides, seasons, pendulums, quasars, etc). The more efficient and more secure a signal is, the less likely it is to mean anything to anyone who isn’t the intended recipient.

    I suspect that the best signal we could send to indicate we’re out here is something A) very simple and B) very loud.

  422. I’d like to read a detailed description of what you consider personhood theory. The cursory glance on a google search seemed pallid.

  423. I’d like to read a detailed description of what you consider personhood theory. The cursory glance on a google search seemed pallid.

  424. For me personally, I see a lot of value in understanding the things that make me who I am. I’d love to know how much of my “me”-ness is influenced by genetics, how much by my environment and upbringing, how much through epigenetics, how much through experience, how much through choice (assuming such a thing exists, which is far from a given)…I’m curious. I think that more knowledge is always better than less knowledge, and I think that knowing these things gives us insight into the nature of the human condition.

    Having said that, it is almost universally true that people who are not part of the dominant cultural mainstream often have to defend themselves or explain themselves to members of that dominant cultural mainstream. It’s simply one more aspect of social privilege, and it’s a bit silly to expect folks to have to do it. Like you say, it doesn’t (or it shouldn’t) matter from a cultural, social, or legal perspective if I’m strait because I was born that way, or if someone who is gay chooses to be gay or is genetically gay, or whether being trans is an environmental thing or a matter of biological destiny. Regardless of the reason, all these things are part of human variability, and there’s more to life than conforming to whatever social norms happen o be fashionable at the moment.

  425. For me personally, I see a lot of value in understanding the things that make me who I am. I’d love to know how much of my “me”-ness is influenced by genetics, how much by my environment and upbringing, how much through epigenetics, how much through experience, how much through choice (assuming such a thing exists, which is far from a given)…I’m curious. I think that more knowledge is always better than less knowledge, and I think that knowing these things gives us insight into the nature of the human condition.

    Having said that, it is almost universally true that people who are not part of the dominant cultural mainstream often have to defend themselves or explain themselves to members of that dominant cultural mainstream. It’s simply one more aspect of social privilege, and it’s a bit silly to expect folks to have to do it. Like you say, it doesn’t (or it shouldn’t) matter from a cultural, social, or legal perspective if I’m strait because I was born that way, or if someone who is gay chooses to be gay or is genetically gay, or whether being trans is an environmental thing or a matter of biological destiny. Regardless of the reason, all these things are part of human variability, and there’s more to life than conforming to whatever social norms happen o be fashionable at the moment.

  426. There are politically motivated emotional reactions to the things that kill a lot of people, but fear generally isn’t one of them. They tend to be forms of disgust, hatred, or anger instead. Who is more in support of bans on smoking in restaurants, the Left or the Right? I’d guess the Left. If so, they’re not afraid of it, but disgusted by it. Which political side is doing something about lack of exercise? The Left more than the Right, at least now. Why? They’re probably angry about it. I could go on and on.

    As for fears, these dangers attack people on the Left and Right equally. There’s no partisan political advantage to be had by exploiting them. On the other hand, the irrational low-risk fears tend to be things associated with the “other side.” They’re very good for ginning up each side’s partisans.

  427. There are politically motivated emotional reactions to the things that kill a lot of people, but fear generally isn’t one of them. They tend to be forms of disgust, hatred, or anger instead. Who is more in support of bans on smoking in restaurants, the Left or the Right? I’d guess the Left. If so, they’re not afraid of it, but disgusted by it. Which political side is doing something about lack of exercise? The Left more than the Right, at least now. Why? They’re probably angry about it. I could go on and on.

    As for fears, these dangers attack people on the Left and Right equally. There’s no partisan political advantage to be had by exploiting them. On the other hand, the irrational low-risk fears tend to be things associated with the “other side.” They’re very good for ginning up each side’s partisans.

  428. I’ve gotta take some exception to your generalization. I don’t oppose nuke tech at all, but do oppose the kind of power centralization nukes require. Anyone, including myself, can buy a solar rig and profit from the power it generates; I must buy the power a nuke puts on the grid. I have no control over that power, not at all. I oppose nukes for the same reason I think building a hydroelectric dam without a viable fish ladder is flippin’ insane.

    Yes, wind and solar subsidies are high; but they are also inconsistent. The US was a wind turbine leader in the 80s. Wind subsidies, designed to encourage the industry, were revoked and restored (IIRC) four times in a decade. By contrast, Denmark held steady with its subsidies, and is now the largest wind turbine producer. The US industry just gave up, since it didn’t know if the subsidies would be there next year.

    The same is happening with solar. Yes, you mentioned Solyndra; but in the same loan guarantee a proposed nuke plant got an eight billion dollar loan guarantee. Solyndra went under not because of guarantees, but largely because China’s massive solar subsidies dwarfed the US’s, making the company less competitive.

    I do agree that many exhibit knee-jerk reactions against the stuff you list. I beg you to consider that many of us more liberal types have very different reasons to oppose. The decentralization of the power grid rates very high on my personal list.

  429. I’ve gotta take some exception to your generalization. I don’t oppose nuke tech at all, but do oppose the kind of power centralization nukes require. Anyone, including myself, can buy a solar rig and profit from the power it generates; I must buy the power a nuke puts on the grid. I have no control over that power, not at all. I oppose nukes for the same reason I think building a hydroelectric dam without a viable fish ladder is flippin’ insane.

    Yes, wind and solar subsidies are high; but they are also inconsistent. The US was a wind turbine leader in the 80s. Wind subsidies, designed to encourage the industry, were revoked and restored (IIRC) four times in a decade. By contrast, Denmark held steady with its subsidies, and is now the largest wind turbine producer. The US industry just gave up, since it didn’t know if the subsidies would be there next year.

    The same is happening with solar. Yes, you mentioned Solyndra; but in the same loan guarantee a proposed nuke plant got an eight billion dollar loan guarantee. Solyndra went under not because of guarantees, but largely because China’s massive solar subsidies dwarfed the US’s, making the company less competitive.

    I do agree that many exhibit knee-jerk reactions against the stuff you list. I beg you to consider that many of us more liberal types have very different reasons to oppose. The decentralization of the power grid rates very high on my personal list.

  430. I guess I missed the leap of logic that suggests that having ‘more grey matter to process complexity’ is automatically associated with optimism.

    Both groups are human and have (usually) all the same biological pieces. All I get from that data is that it is more likely that a conservative will allow fears to drive their decisions while it is more likely that a liberal will apply reason. It doesn’t mean that a conservative can’t reason or that a liberal doesn’t fear.

    And it certainly does not mean that either group can’t be swayed by propoganda.

  431. I guess I missed the leap of logic that suggests that having ‘more grey matter to process complexity’ is automatically associated with optimism.

    Both groups are human and have (usually) all the same biological pieces. All I get from that data is that it is more likely that a conservative will allow fears to drive their decisions while it is more likely that a liberal will apply reason. It doesn’t mean that a conservative can’t reason or that a liberal doesn’t fear.

    And it certainly does not mean that either group can’t be swayed by propoganda.

  432. …it’s the last bit he gets really wrong. Not the general outlines, mind you, but certainly the timetable.

    Perhaps I’ve misread this post, but do I understand correctly that Kurzweil pisses you off because he thinks uploading will happen a lot sooner than is reasonable to believe?

  433. …it’s the last bit he gets really wrong. Not the general outlines, mind you, but certainly the timetable.

    Perhaps I’ve misread this post, but do I understand correctly that Kurzweil pisses you off because he thinks uploading will happen a lot sooner than is reasonable to believe?

  434. CNBC: The Best-Selling Adult DVDs of All Time. Note that you have to get to the #14 best-selling title in order to find one that has sold 10,000 copies, and that this isn’t a yearly tally…it’s cumulative. #1 on the list sold about 32,000 copies, or a number of copies equal to 0.0106% of the US population. Would uou use that data to define what “mainstream” tastes in porn are?

    USA Today: Sales for a hit DVD were 35,000 to 50,000 two years ago. Now, they are about 20,000, [CEO of Sex-Z Pictures Bo] Kenney says [in 2007].

    From Hollywood Reporter: The average adult industry tape sells only several hundred to a few thousand copies but is very cheap to produce with multiples of $100,000 being considered a really high budget.

  435. CNBC: The Best-Selling Adult DVDs of All Time. Note that you have to get to the #14 best-selling title in order to find one that has sold 10,000 copies, and that this isn’t a yearly tally…it’s cumulative. #1 on the list sold about 32,000 copies, or a number of copies equal to 0.0106% of the US population. Would uou use that data to define what “mainstream” tastes in porn are?

    USA Today: Sales for a hit DVD were 35,000 to 50,000 two years ago. Now, they are about 20,000, [CEO of Sex-Z Pictures Bo] Kenney says [in 2007].

    From Hollywood Reporter: The average adult industry tape sells only several hundred to a few thousand copies but is very cheap to produce with multiples of $100,000 being considered a really high budget.

  436. He Who Walks Behind the Rows!

    Also, had I stopped at Prairie Dog Hell, I am pretty sure that I’d have been pursued across the plains by an irate carny on a five-legged steer as I fled with an armload of purloined foxes.

  437. He Who Walks Behind the Rows!

    Also, had I stopped at Prairie Dog Hell, I am pretty sure that I’d have been pursued across the plains by an irate carny on a five-legged steer as I fled with an armload of purloined foxes.

  438. You know, I thought so. But the sign up on the wall said “sheep,” and the people there insisted it was a sheep. Since I’m not exactly world-renown for mad leet ungulate-identification skillz, I figured I’d take their word for it.

  439. You know, I thought so. But the sign up on the wall said “sheep,” and the people there insisted it was a sheep. Since I’m not exactly world-renown for mad leet ungulate-identification skillz, I figured I’d take their word for it.

  440. I’m certainly no expert although i lived on a sheep farm for a few weeks as a child. It’s definitely bovine. Sheep heads are narrower their eyes are different and their noses don’t have as large an area of pink skin.

    That said these people should obviously not own animals in any form. Apart from the poor conditions, their inability to tell the difference between a two headed cow and a sheep. I’m also betting they are inbreeding those cows to encourage the genetic defect.

    I am hoping that eventually the mutation will become the cow’s strong arm and they will rise up against their oppressor’s and at least correct the sign.

  441. I’m certainly no expert although i lived on a sheep farm for a few weeks as a child. It’s definitely bovine. Sheep heads are narrower their eyes are different and their noses don’t have as large an area of pink skin.

    That said these people should obviously not own animals in any form. Apart from the poor conditions, their inability to tell the difference between a two headed cow and a sheep. I’m also betting they are inbreeding those cows to encourage the genetic defect.

    I am hoping that eventually the mutation will become the cow’s strong arm and they will rise up against their oppressor’s and at least correct the sign.

  442. It’s not just nuclear power that people are irrational about. Look at the opposition to the pipeline from Canada: the oil we’d get from Canada would be replacing oil from the Middle East, and not only are pipelines a considerably safer way to transfer petroleum than supertankers (see: Exxon Valdez, etc), I for one would much rather be sending my petrodollars to Canada than Saudi Arabia, where women are much better treated and gays aren’t killed.

  443. It’s not just nuclear power that people are irrational about. Look at the opposition to the pipeline from Canada: the oil we’d get from Canada would be replacing oil from the Middle East, and not only are pipelines a considerably safer way to transfer petroleum than supertankers (see: Exxon Valdez, etc), I for one would much rather be sending my petrodollars to Canada than Saudi Arabia, where women are much better treated and gays aren’t killed.

  444. So of the 300, how many cuts versus stabs? Can’t we expect any accuracy in news reports?

    Of course everyone *knows* the Bilderberg Club is an Illuminati front that performs human sacrifice in the Bohemian groove!

    Amazon says the book is 50 pages and $8….

  445. So of the 300, how many cuts versus stabs? Can’t we expect any accuracy in news reports?

    Of course everyone *knows* the Bilderberg Club is an Illuminati front that performs human sacrifice in the Bohemian groove!

    Amazon says the book is 50 pages and $8….

  446. Thank you so much for this post! Every point is so wonderfully made. It’s a bit disappointing that people who claim to be sex positive are getting it so wrong. I’ve been having similar struggles with some feminist literature I’ve been reading recently.

  447. Thank you so much for this post! Every point is so wonderfully made. It’s a bit disappointing that people who claim to be sex positive are getting it so wrong. I’ve been having similar struggles with some feminist literature I’ve been reading recently.

  448. It seems to me the basic idea is that sex is an activity people do that is neither inherently bad and wrong, so needing to be done in a specific way under specific circumstances to justify it (as sex negativity would have it), nor inherently great and wunnerful (as varieties of sex positivity you’re decrying posit), but which gets its ethical value from how it’s done. Like, y’know, everything else in an existentialist universe.

    Which actually kinda sounds like sex neutrality to me.

  449. It seems to me the basic idea is that sex is an activity people do that is neither inherently bad and wrong, so needing to be done in a specific way under specific circumstances to justify it (as sex negativity would have it), nor inherently great and wunnerful (as varieties of sex positivity you’re decrying posit), but which gets its ethical value from how it’s done. Like, y’know, everything else in an existentialist universe.

    Which actually kinda sounds like sex neutrality to me.

  450. Okay, the fried cheese curds were good.

    Well, better than good, really. An orgy for the tongue, one might say. And the conversation with the server who served them to us was priceless, too. (“Eiffel tower? What’s that?”) It’s only the rest of the weekend, with its mad science and inexplicable bullet holes, that nudged the cheese curds from my telling of it.

  451. Okay, the fried cheese curds were good.

    Well, better than good, really. An orgy for the tongue, one might say. And the conversation with the server who served them to us was priceless, too. (“Eiffel tower? What’s that?”) It’s only the rest of the weekend, with its mad science and inexplicable bullet holes, that nudged the cheese curds from my telling of it.

  452. Seems very accurate!

    In defense of the fear relating to high fructose corn syrup: i am actually so fructose intolerant that if I regularly ingested this stuff i would lose weight rapidly and eventually die. Well. I guess I won’t do that then!

  453. Seems very accurate!

    In defense of the fear relating to high fructose corn syrup: i am actually so fructose intolerant that if I regularly ingested this stuff i would lose weight rapidly and eventually die. Well. I guess I won’t do that then!

  454. the price of poker

    The price of sex is established by the cultural norms, remove the negative connotation in our society and the price goes down. Sex as a marketable commodity diminishes in value until at some point burger flipping has better returns. Place unreasonable restrictions on eating burgers and watch the price rise.

  455. the price of poker

    The price of sex is established by the cultural norms, remove the negative connotation in our society and the price goes down. Sex as a marketable commodity diminishes in value until at some point burger flipping has better returns. Place unreasonable restrictions on eating burgers and watch the price rise.

  456. Re: Yup!

    The link explaining Bayes’ Theorem is awesome, thanks!

    The Ethics of Human Cloning is, in my opinion, a bit less awesome. It was written by Leon Kass, a reactionary anti-technology bioethicist who authored the Bush-era ban on stem cell research and has, among other things, opposed in-vitro fertilization on the grounds that it “affronts huan dignity,” whatever that means. He’s a conservative Fundamentalist Christian whose religious views color and distort his ideas about ethics; for example, after the stem cell ban, he attempted unsuccessfully to lobby Congress to pass similar bans on longevity research. (His reasoning? “Christians already know how to live forever.”)

    He is also the author of the essay “The Wisdom of Repugnance,” which basically makes the claim that if something seems to be yucky, that must mean it’s immoral. The problem is that ALL new medical technology seems yucky at first. When the first organ transplants were done, people were horrified; several newspaper editorials characterized them as “cutting pieces out of corpses and sewing them into living people.” Today, we don’t have that repugnance toward transplant technology, and it saves hundreds of thousands of lives a year. So, immoral or not? I would say not.

  457. Re: Yup!

    The link explaining Bayes’ Theorem is awesome, thanks!

    The Ethics of Human Cloning is, in my opinion, a bit less awesome. It was written by Leon Kass, a reactionary anti-technology bioethicist who authored the Bush-era ban on stem cell research and has, among other things, opposed in-vitro fertilization on the grounds that it “affronts huan dignity,” whatever that means. He’s a conservative Fundamentalist Christian whose religious views color and distort his ideas about ethics; for example, after the stem cell ban, he attempted unsuccessfully to lobby Congress to pass similar bans on longevity research. (His reasoning? “Christians already know how to live forever.”)

    He is also the author of the essay “The Wisdom of Repugnance,” which basically makes the claim that if something seems to be yucky, that must mean it’s immoral. The problem is that ALL new medical technology seems yucky at first. When the first organ transplants were done, people were horrified; several newspaper editorials characterized them as “cutting pieces out of corpses and sewing them into living people.” Today, we don’t have that repugnance toward transplant technology, and it saves hundreds of thousands of lives a year. So, immoral or not? I would say not.

  458. i’m a biased usability student, but i think it’s entirely possible to redesign a site and give it a beautiful new look that gives a much improved visual perception but isn’t necessarily any easier to use or understand 😉

    people know how to ask for features and design-y things and love having their ideas implemented, but usability isn’t always intuitive… they’ll request things which go against basic principles even if you try to dissuade them. rather than debating, i sometimes go the route of making something that fits their requests, something that doesn’t, and then showing statistically which prototype performs better and discussing the reasons why…

  459. i’m a biased usability student, but i think it’s entirely possible to redesign a site and give it a beautiful new look that gives a much improved visual perception but isn’t necessarily any easier to use or understand 😉

    people know how to ask for features and design-y things and love having their ideas implemented, but usability isn’t always intuitive… they’ll request things which go against basic principles even if you try to dissuade them. rather than debating, i sometimes go the route of making something that fits their requests, something that doesn’t, and then showing statistically which prototype performs better and discussing the reasons why…

  460. lolol! you are a truly sick indicvidual & you rock so fucking hard! *lololololololol*
    I hate to admit it but my fav picture is “the kitten helped”- no big surprise I guess *lol*

  461. lolol! you are a truly sick indicvidual & you rock so fucking hard! *lololololololol*
    I hate to admit it but my fav picture is “the kitten helped”- no big surprise I guess *lol*

  462. Holy smokes! Everywhere should have tremendously awesome playgrounds like this that adults can play in! Oh joy, I can think of plenty of fun adult themed parties that could be held here as well. 😉

  463. Holy smokes! Everywhere should have tremendously awesome playgrounds like this that adults can play in! Oh joy, I can think of plenty of fun adult themed parties that could be held here as well. 😉

  464. When you finish this story here you should turn it into a book with one of those publishers that produce books by the individual copy that you can sell on your website. I know I would buy one.

  465. When you finish this story here you should turn it into a book with one of those publishers that produce books by the individual copy that you can sell on your website. I know I would buy one.

  466. The bits in quotation marks above are actual, literal, word-for-word quotes of actual, real-world arguments against copyright; they are not exaggerations or straw-man embellishments at all.

    Lest you think I’m taking these quotes out of context or otherwise distorting the argument, here’s the full version:

    Art is more needed by the poor. Copyright is a tool that keeps art away from those who need it the most, it’s a tool of privilege. Art shouldn’t be sold, it should be shared and traded. Fuck copyright.

    I am not saying anything about you, just speaking my mind about how people choose to get the money to “eat” or “pay their bills” and how entitlement creeps its way even into the better ones making them forget, in my very humble opinion, what’s the purpose of what they do and how many other ways they could buy food with, other than by making a profit out of a birth-given talent (privilege) which could improve other people’s lives, if they had access to, before becoming a product with a price tag on it. Also, it doesn’t hurt that artists love what they create: so, why they can’t focus on the happiness they bring to people instead on how much dollars per word, or image, or illustration they can scrape?

    Your idea of what your talent is worth, and how it should be “used”… THAT is entitlement, my dear artist.

    This is not about post-scarcity society, or socialism. It is, point-on, a direct argument that artists shouldn’t be compensated (“Art shouldn’t be sold, it should be shared and traded. Fuck copyright.”), and it’s positively dripping entitlement.

    It’s also not an extremist view by a single person. These ideas are echoed *everywhere* I see people talking about art and copyright.

    It’s also disingenuous to say that the world of art is post-scarcity. Creating art often has a cost associated with it beyond time, and often that cost is nontrivial. Have you priced photographic equipment, paint, and canvas lately? I have a client who’s an oil painter. Right now, he produces about eight paintings a year, working about 30-40 hours a week on them. Each painting begins as a photo shoot; from there, the photographs are brought into a computer, where he plays with different colors and textures before he gets the look he wants. From that point, he stretches the canvas–big pieces, as most of his paintings are about 4′ by 6′ in size–and starts with the oils. By the time all is said and done, he usually has between two and three thousand dollars of ‘hard’ costs invested in each one, not including his time.

    As long as the input costs aren’t post-scarcity, the output costs aren’t either. And, fortunately, we do see artists, at least sometimes, being compensated for their work–art isn’t post-scarcity just yet, and won’t be until society is post-scarcity (in the transhumanist nano-assembly sense, I suspect, rather than the socialist we-don’t-need-money-cause-everyone-works-for-the-joy-of-it sense).

  467. The bits in quotation marks above are actual, literal, word-for-word quotes of actual, real-world arguments against copyright; they are not exaggerations or straw-man embellishments at all.

    Lest you think I’m taking these quotes out of context or otherwise distorting the argument, here’s the full version:

    Art is more needed by the poor. Copyright is a tool that keeps art away from those who need it the most, it’s a tool of privilege. Art shouldn’t be sold, it should be shared and traded. Fuck copyright.

    I am not saying anything about you, just speaking my mind about how people choose to get the money to “eat” or “pay their bills” and how entitlement creeps its way even into the better ones making them forget, in my very humble opinion, what’s the purpose of what they do and how many other ways they could buy food with, other than by making a profit out of a birth-given talent (privilege) which could improve other people’s lives, if they had access to, before becoming a product with a price tag on it. Also, it doesn’t hurt that artists love what they create: so, why they can’t focus on the happiness they bring to people instead on how much dollars per word, or image, or illustration they can scrape?

    Your idea of what your talent is worth, and how it should be “used”… THAT is entitlement, my dear artist.

    This is not about post-scarcity society, or socialism. It is, point-on, a direct argument that artists shouldn’t be compensated (“Art shouldn’t be sold, it should be shared and traded. Fuck copyright.”), and it’s positively dripping entitlement.

    It’s also not an extremist view by a single person. These ideas are echoed *everywhere* I see people talking about art and copyright.

    It’s also disingenuous to say that the world of art is post-scarcity. Creating art often has a cost associated with it beyond time, and often that cost is nontrivial. Have you priced photographic equipment, paint, and canvas lately? I have a client who’s an oil painter. Right now, he produces about eight paintings a year, working about 30-40 hours a week on them. Each painting begins as a photo shoot; from there, the photographs are brought into a computer, where he plays with different colors and textures before he gets the look he wants. From that point, he stretches the canvas–big pieces, as most of his paintings are about 4′ by 6′ in size–and starts with the oils. By the time all is said and done, he usually has between two and three thousand dollars of ‘hard’ costs invested in each one, not including his time.

    As long as the input costs aren’t post-scarcity, the output costs aren’t either. And, fortunately, we do see artists, at least sometimes, being compensated for their work–art isn’t post-scarcity just yet, and won’t be until society is post-scarcity (in the transhumanist nano-assembly sense, I suspect, rather than the socialist we-don’t-need-money-cause-everyone-works-for-the-joy-of-it sense).

  468. We have had more nomadic rendezvouses in St. Louis than any other city – and we always take people to the City Museum.

    My description of it is:

    ‘Imagine what would happen if you gave Peter Pan a blowtorch’.

    It’s amazing, and each time I go – I see new things!

    On Friday nights, they keep it open to 2am with live music. It’s another level of awesome!

    It’s also the epicenter of the art community in St. Louis… and the awesomeness does not stop at the ticket booth. If you walk around St. Louis – you’ll see that spirit tucked away everywhere.

    St. Louis is one of my favorite cities to visit as a result. Glad you got to experience it 🙂

    RIP Bob Cassily.

  469. We have had more nomadic rendezvouses in St. Louis than any other city – and we always take people to the City Museum.

    My description of it is:

    ‘Imagine what would happen if you gave Peter Pan a blowtorch’.

    It’s amazing, and each time I go – I see new things!

    On Friday nights, they keep it open to 2am with live music. It’s another level of awesome!

    It’s also the epicenter of the art community in St. Louis… and the awesomeness does not stop at the ticket booth. If you walk around St. Louis – you’ll see that spirit tucked away everywhere.

    St. Louis is one of my favorite cities to visit as a result. Glad you got to experience it 🙂

    RIP Bob Cassily.

  470. The problem here is that is AGREEING that abuses of copyright defense, specifically SOPA/PIPA, is not the solution.

    Why does everyone have to jump from “well if you’re against this one thing, you must automatically be in favor of THE ENEMY!”?

    His whole point is that it’s a nuanced and complex issue, but that this post specifically is highlighting one problem area, which is the over-simplification and misunderstanding of the real issues that lead to entitlement a myopic view of the value of people.

  471. The problem here is that is AGREEING that abuses of copyright defense, specifically SOPA/PIPA, is not the solution.

    Why does everyone have to jump from “well if you’re against this one thing, you must automatically be in favor of THE ENEMY!”?

    His whole point is that it’s a nuanced and complex issue, but that this post specifically is highlighting one problem area, which is the over-simplification and misunderstanding of the real issues that lead to entitlement a myopic view of the value of people.

  472. Yeah, no shit. Damn. Even knowing it was coming, I was creepily startled by the invisible teddy bear puppet with the horror-movie voice. This is seriously not parody? Wow.

  473. Yeah, no shit. Damn. Even knowing it was coming, I was creepily startled by the invisible teddy bear puppet with the horror-movie voice. This is seriously not parody? Wow.

  474. Ah yes, well, that’s Pet Sematary for you.

    That would be like watching “Orgazmo” and deciding that Mormons make the best porn.

  475. Ah yes, well, that’s Pet Sematary for you.

    That would be like watching “Orgazmo” and deciding that Mormons make the best porn.

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  478. with or without his 2nd ex having ms, they guy is a serial monogamist.

    I have no objections to him PROPOSING an open marriage. But now he is running on high morality platform and is LYING about what he considers moral to appease the monied masses.

    and this post is no longer without comment, mine makes 3 lol.

  479. with or without his 2nd ex having ms, they guy is a serial monogamist.

    I have no objections to him PROPOSING an open marriage. But now he is running on high morality platform and is LYING about what he considers moral to appease the monied masses.

    and this post is no longer without comment, mine makes 3 lol.

  480. The City Museum is one of my favourite places in the world. And that rooftop jungle gym is awesome. So glad you got to see it!

    I must get back there sometime.

  481. The City Museum is one of my favourite places in the world. And that rooftop jungle gym is awesome. So glad you got to see it!

    I must get back there sometime.

  482. So you’re saying it changes the moral landscape if you get married, have an affair, divorce your first wife on her deathbed while she’s dying of cancer to marry your mistress, then have another affair, then divorce your second wife BEFORE she is diagnosed with MS to marry your other mistress versus divorcing your second wife AFTER she is diagnosed with MS to marry your other mistress?

    Now, frankly, I don’t care how many partners he has or how he runs his privte life…right up to the point where he starts running on a “morality and family values” platform and attacking other candidates for, err, marital infidelity.

  483. So you’re saying it changes the moral landscape if you get married, have an affair, divorce your first wife on her deathbed while she’s dying of cancer to marry your mistress, then have another affair, then divorce your second wife BEFORE she is diagnosed with MS to marry your other mistress versus divorcing your second wife AFTER she is diagnosed with MS to marry your other mistress?

    Now, frankly, I don’t care how many partners he has or how he runs his privte life…right up to the point where he starts running on a “morality and family values” platform and attacking other candidates for, err, marital infidelity.

  484. Zippers?

    This May sound like a silly question, or you may have even answered it already, but how do you work with zippers and such? I am trying to complete an underworld cosplay costume, and she has a zipper down the front of her outfit…any tips/advice would be completely appreciated 🙂
    colleenelise87@yahoo.com

  485. Zippers?

    This May sound like a silly question, or you may have even answered it already, but how do you work with zippers and such? I am trying to complete an underworld cosplay costume, and she has a zipper down the front of her outfit…any tips/advice would be completely appreciated 🙂
    colleenelise87@yahoo.com

  486. Honestly I was raped when I was 15. And it was terrifying.
    Now that I’m older I get insanly turned on from the idea of being “raped” by my master.
    It’s all person preference and opinion.
    I think you should have fraised your comment some other way.
    You’re a closed minded person.
    But remember you searched this up so you must have had some interest in the subject.
    🙂

  487. Honestly I was raped when I was 15. And it was terrifying.
    Now that I’m older I get insanly turned on from the idea of being “raped” by my master.
    It’s all person preference and opinion.
    I think you should have fraised your comment some other way.
    You’re a closed minded person.
    But remember you searched this up so you must have had some interest in the subject.
    🙂

  488. Avoiding jealousy just means that you’ll be blindsided when it does happen.

    I’m not a terribly jealous person, but I can be envious or wistful sometimes when someone else has something I want, whether it’s financial-, health-, or relationship-related. But when I’m not getting something important that I need from a relationship, and I see it being given to someone else, then I have been known to get jealous . . . which is an expression of insecurity for me.

    The difference is that instead of saying “I AM HAVING THIS FEELING, I MUST ACT ON IT!”, or “OMG, this is the end of the world!”, I try to examine the source of the feeling, identify the insecurity or resentment that is causing it, and then *ask for what I need* (without comparing it to what anyone else is getting, or saying that they shouldn’t be getting it.)

    It is possible that my needs and my partner’s needs and desires will be incompatible, and then we can have a conversation about it. Some things are deal-breakers in relationships for me, others are negotiable.

    I’ve managed to pretty successfully navigate being poly for 13+ years, and this technique has worked out pretty well for me. has written a lot about poly (and a great article regarding jealousy, rules, and refrigerators, which he has posted on his site — it’s an especially valuable resource), and he gives great advice ^__^

    — A <3

    P.S. , you rock the house. This totally both cracked me up and made me groan with recognition — any chance of you cross-posting it to the or communities?

  489. Avoiding jealousy just means that you’ll be blindsided when it does happen.

    I’m not a terribly jealous person, but I can be envious or wistful sometimes when someone else has something I want, whether it’s financial-, health-, or relationship-related. But when I’m not getting something important that I need from a relationship, and I see it being given to someone else, then I have been known to get jealous . . . which is an expression of insecurity for me.

    The difference is that instead of saying “I AM HAVING THIS FEELING, I MUST ACT ON IT!”, or “OMG, this is the end of the world!”, I try to examine the source of the feeling, identify the insecurity or resentment that is causing it, and then *ask for what I need* (without comparing it to what anyone else is getting, or saying that they shouldn’t be getting it.)

    It is possible that my needs and my partner’s needs and desires will be incompatible, and then we can have a conversation about it. Some things are deal-breakers in relationships for me, others are negotiable.

    I’ve managed to pretty successfully navigate being poly for 13+ years, and this technique has worked out pretty well for me. has written a lot about poly (and a great article regarding jealousy, rules, and refrigerators, which he has posted on his site — it’s an especially valuable resource), and he gives great advice ^__^

    — A <3

    P.S. , you rock the house. This totally both cracked me up and made me groan with recognition — any chance of you cross-posting it to the or communities?

  490. You grew up in Florida… I have a lover who grew up in Florida …. this explains a LOT 😉
    There must be something in the water there. Heck my dad went to high school in Florida and wasn’t left untouched by the quirky factor…. though im most like him and I grew up in new york. Maybe im just a side effect? 😉

  491. You grew up in Florida… I have a lover who grew up in Florida …. this explains a LOT 😉
    There must be something in the water there. Heck my dad went to high school in Florida and wasn’t left untouched by the quirky factor…. though im most like him and I grew up in new york. Maybe im just a side effect? 😉

  492. Robin Ince talks about this same thing in his Happiness Through Science show. And talked about it at FUSE when he was speaking there.

    Wonder and imagination are not exclusive to those things that aren’t real and can be even more amazing when they are applied to things that are real.

  493. Robin Ince talks about this same thing in his Happiness Through Science show. And talked about it at FUSE when he was speaking there.

    Wonder and imagination are not exclusive to those things that aren’t real and can be even more amazing when they are applied to things that are real.

  494. Can I take a moment to say how much i enjoy having you on my F-list?

    All of this work is brilliant, hilarious and most of all, intriguing!

    I am pleased to be subscribed to your newsletter.

  495. Can I take a moment to say how much i enjoy having you on my F-list?

    All of this work is brilliant, hilarious and most of all, intriguing!

    I am pleased to be subscribed to your newsletter.

  496. “…but I’m not 100% certain I’m doing everything right.”

    This may help:

    Log into your WP install.
    You are, of course, running Akismet
    Go to your list of posts
    Note that Akismet reports it has trapped some number of spam posts.
    Tell it to delete all that shit right now.
    Log into your database admin console via your DH panel.
    Dump that specific database to a text file — every table.
    Save that text file on your desktop (or wherever)
    open that file using Notepad or whatever you favorite text editor is.
    Look through all of it. Do searches for “pharm” or “cell” or other tidbits.
    If you find such junk in there, then that junk is in your DATABASE, and not categorized as spam.

  497. “…but I’m not 100% certain I’m doing everything right.”

    This may help:

    Log into your WP install.
    You are, of course, running Akismet
    Go to your list of posts
    Note that Akismet reports it has trapped some number of spam posts.
    Tell it to delete all that shit right now.
    Log into your database admin console via your DH panel.
    Dump that specific database to a text file — every table.
    Save that text file on your desktop (or wherever)
    open that file using Notepad or whatever you favorite text editor is.
    Look through all of it. Do searches for “pharm” or “cell” or other tidbits.
    If you find such junk in there, then that junk is in your DATABASE, and not categorized as spam.

  498. Re: but you *do* have rules, just not the usual limiting ones

    Yes, that’s exactly what I say. 🙂 Agreements begin with REQUESTS. If the answer No, and/or a Counter-offer is NOT one of the acceptable answers, then it’s a DEMAND (or as you called it, an Ultimatum), rather than a Request. More on that here: http://blog.unchartedlove.com/?p=843

    To support learning this, I like to use an exercise I call “Radical Requests”: http://blog.unchartedlove.com/?p=925

  499. Re: but you *do* have rules, just not the usual limiting ones

    Yes, that’s exactly what I say. 🙂 Agreements begin with REQUESTS. If the answer No, and/or a Counter-offer is NOT one of the acceptable answers, then it’s a DEMAND (or as you called it, an Ultimatum), rather than a Request. More on that here: http://blog.unchartedlove.com/?p=843

    To support learning this, I like to use an exercise I call “Radical Requests”: http://blog.unchartedlove.com/?p=925

  500. I’ve seen it argued that the behavioral differences we see between chimpanzees and bonobos are pretty much entirely ascribable to the fact that the bonobos’ habitat is much richer in food sources than those of chimpanzee populations. More food means less competition among bonobo groups and more ability to develop a protoculture based on intragroup bonds and cooperation rather than the intragroup violence and dominance hierarchies usually associated with chimps.

    I still maintain that our present culture is probably about the closest thing to post-scarcity that has ever existed, except possibly for some pre-agricultural human groups living in particularly abundant areas. A few resources like oil and rare metals are still reasonably difficult to mine, but for the most part, our experience of scarcity comes from the difficulty of acquiring imaginary resources like money and “jobs,” which are only scarce because they’re manufactured to be that way.

    Will definitely be looking into this author.

  501. I’ve seen it argued that the behavioral differences we see between chimpanzees and bonobos are pretty much entirely ascribable to the fact that the bonobos’ habitat is much richer in food sources than those of chimpanzee populations. More food means less competition among bonobo groups and more ability to develop a protoculture based on intragroup bonds and cooperation rather than the intragroup violence and dominance hierarchies usually associated with chimps.

    I still maintain that our present culture is probably about the closest thing to post-scarcity that has ever existed, except possibly for some pre-agricultural human groups living in particularly abundant areas. A few resources like oil and rare metals are still reasonably difficult to mine, but for the most part, our experience of scarcity comes from the difficulty of acquiring imaginary resources like money and “jobs,” which are only scarce because they’re manufactured to be that way.

    Will definitely be looking into this author.

  502. First of all, this is an excellent list and diagram. I do suggest you restructure the diagram somewhat if you intend to use it as a poster for sale (which I would buy :); right now the connector lines start to get confusing and hard to follow. I would suggest that you break the fallacies up into groups to match their positioning on the diagram.

    I also had trouble with some of your fallacy examples. The Andrew Wakefield example in particular felt overdone; the people making this error are unlikely to be saying “no matter that there are hundreds of counterexamples to my view” in the same breath. Felt less like a dispassionate example and more like mockery.

    A few others struck me as being too far removed from reality to be good examples. To me, an example should both illustrate the error clearly and be believable in a real-life context. “All dogs are mammals; all mammals are animals; therefore dogs aren’t animals” was too obviously false to do the latter for me. Maybe it’s my one and only logic course back in university speaking, but I don’t see anyone making the error when the claims are that obvious.

    …or is that me making a different error? 🙂
    (sorry, I’d have included the actual fallacy names, but Opera on Android isn’t playing nice with the LJ comment screen right now)

  503. First of all, this is an excellent list and diagram. I do suggest you restructure the diagram somewhat if you intend to use it as a poster for sale (which I would buy :); right now the connector lines start to get confusing and hard to follow. I would suggest that you break the fallacies up into groups to match their positioning on the diagram.

    I also had trouble with some of your fallacy examples. The Andrew Wakefield example in particular felt overdone; the people making this error are unlikely to be saying “no matter that there are hundreds of counterexamples to my view” in the same breath. Felt less like a dispassionate example and more like mockery.

    A few others struck me as being too far removed from reality to be good examples. To me, an example should both illustrate the error clearly and be believable in a real-life context. “All dogs are mammals; all mammals are animals; therefore dogs aren’t animals” was too obviously false to do the latter for me. Maybe it’s my one and only logic course back in university speaking, but I don’t see anyone making the error when the claims are that obvious.

    …or is that me making a different error? 🙂
    (sorry, I’d have included the actual fallacy names, but Opera on Android isn’t playing nice with the LJ comment screen right now)

  504. I don’t know if you’ve watched “Coupling,” but it’s a great fun BBC comedy. If you can Netflix or similar it you should check it out. Season 4 has the bits about that. I’ll see if I can find the episode.

  505. I don’t know if you’ve watched “Coupling,” but it’s a great fun BBC comedy. If you can Netflix or similar it you should check it out. Season 4 has the bits about that. I’ll see if I can find the episode.

  506. This was beautiful. Thank you for posting this.

    I had a conversation recently with someone I was very interested in that went a little bit like this:

    ME: I’m interested in you.

    THEM: I think I’m interested in you, too, but there’s this other person I’m in love with who feels nervous about me getting involved with someone new.

    ME: That’s totally understandable. It’s a risk. Adding a new relationship to an existing structure always destabilizes that structure. I’d like us all to take things slowly enough to build foundations that can withstand some instability.

    THEM: OH! That makes so much sense! Nobody’s ever pointed that out before. …WHY has nobody ever pointed that out before?

    Thanks for pointing it out in a visible and linkable way. 🙂

  507. This was beautiful. Thank you for posting this.

    I had a conversation recently with someone I was very interested in that went a little bit like this:

    ME: I’m interested in you.

    THEM: I think I’m interested in you, too, but there’s this other person I’m in love with who feels nervous about me getting involved with someone new.

    ME: That’s totally understandable. It’s a risk. Adding a new relationship to an existing structure always destabilizes that structure. I’d like us all to take things slowly enough to build foundations that can withstand some instability.

    THEM: OH! That makes so much sense! Nobody’s ever pointed that out before. …WHY has nobody ever pointed that out before?

    Thanks for pointing it out in a visible and linkable way. 🙂

  508.        I don’t have dyadic relationships. That is a monogamous structure. I have two parents, 6 siblings, 3 best friends. When I fall in love with a girl, I want to love her parents, and her kids, and her husband, and…the connection is between two…but the idea that…relationships are dyads is…grounded in monogamous thought. It is a structure imposed on our thinking by the meta-society of muggles. I don’t think of it that way. A new girl doesn’t date me. She dates ‘us’. Whether she’s actually interested in my SO or not…her world and my world connect. That includes any and all family, girlfriends, exes, and baggage. That’s how it works, in my opinion, in the real world.

    I’m not saying I’m right. But…your model seems to only work, from the way I understand it, if we assume that monogamy is the norm and the…basic way of doing relationships. That two people are the only ones in a relationship. Which…doesn’t mesh with my life experience or…a less ‘laboratory/clean room/box’ model of human sociology. In the real world…even in mono vanilla relationships, you date their ex, their mom, their first grate teacher and those are just the…shadows they carry around with them, not the actual people in their life that add/change/require attention/etc.

    Her boss takes a -lot- of time away from me. I don’t do jealousy. But I’m jealous of him. That is a relationship. She might even leave me for her boss, if he offered her $150k a year to move across the country. 40% of people who get married after the age of 30, do so with someone from work. Maybe this seems like a specious argument, and maybe it is…but…everybody has relationships, other relationships, if her relationship with her boss doesn’t make me jealous, and I have no reason to suspect that she’ll leave me for him, then I see no reason why a new friend, or a new romantic relationship, necessarily has to be weighted or ‘loaded’ with more meaning. The actual risk to me is not any greater. And…it seems profoundly vanilla and monogamous and thus simplistic to say ‘well that’s not a romantic relationship’. The whole binary model, on off, one man one woman, in love/out of love…just doesn’t work for me in anyway. I don’t work like that. In any relationship.

    I don’t know if I expressed what I’m trying to say, it isn’t coming out well, but hopefully it is clear.

    K.

  509.        I don’t have dyadic relationships. That is a monogamous structure. I have two parents, 6 siblings, 3 best friends. When I fall in love with a girl, I want to love her parents, and her kids, and her husband, and…the connection is between two…but the idea that…relationships are dyads is…grounded in monogamous thought. It is a structure imposed on our thinking by the meta-society of muggles. I don’t think of it that way. A new girl doesn’t date me. She dates ‘us’. Whether she’s actually interested in my SO or not…her world and my world connect. That includes any and all family, girlfriends, exes, and baggage. That’s how it works, in my opinion, in the real world.

    I’m not saying I’m right. But…your model seems to only work, from the way I understand it, if we assume that monogamy is the norm and the…basic way of doing relationships. That two people are the only ones in a relationship. Which…doesn’t mesh with my life experience or…a less ‘laboratory/clean room/box’ model of human sociology. In the real world…even in mono vanilla relationships, you date their ex, their mom, their first grate teacher and those are just the…shadows they carry around with them, not the actual people in their life that add/change/require attention/etc.

    Her boss takes a -lot- of time away from me. I don’t do jealousy. But I’m jealous of him. That is a relationship. She might even leave me for her boss, if he offered her $150k a year to move across the country. 40% of people who get married after the age of 30, do so with someone from work. Maybe this seems like a specious argument, and maybe it is…but…everybody has relationships, other relationships, if her relationship with her boss doesn’t make me jealous, and I have no reason to suspect that she’ll leave me for him, then I see no reason why a new friend, or a new romantic relationship, necessarily has to be weighted or ‘loaded’ with more meaning. The actual risk to me is not any greater. And…it seems profoundly vanilla and monogamous and thus simplistic to say ‘well that’s not a romantic relationship’. The whole binary model, on off, one man one woman, in love/out of love…just doesn’t work for me in anyway. I don’t work like that. In any relationship.

    I don’t know if I expressed what I’m trying to say, it isn’t coming out well, but hopefully it is clear.

    K.

  510. So, um, ? Have you thought to ask *him* why he continued to read, once he’d realized how uncomfortable the story was making him?

  511. So, um, ? Have you thought to ask *him* why he continued to read, once he’d realized how uncomfortable the story was making him?

  512. YES TO ALL OF THIS!!

    I remember walking out, and the first thing I said was, “What kind of biologist just reaches for an alien species with his bare hands? Was he the descendant of the Crocodile Hunter? ‘Isn’t she beautiful!!’ How you even know that was a female? Who hired that dumbass crew? I mean, it’s one thing to hire expendables, but a Biology Lab Assistant aught to know you don’t put your bare hands at the alien species.”

    It wasn’t a George Lucas level of betrayal, but it was close.

  513. YES TO ALL OF THIS!!

    I remember walking out, and the first thing I said was, “What kind of biologist just reaches for an alien species with his bare hands? Was he the descendant of the Crocodile Hunter? ‘Isn’t she beautiful!!’ How you even know that was a female? Who hired that dumbass crew? I mean, it’s one thing to hire expendables, but a Biology Lab Assistant aught to know you don’t put your bare hands at the alien species.”

    It wasn’t a George Lucas level of betrayal, but it was close.

  514. Last I looked, the 2012 Olympics, in London, England, was not financed by the US.

    I too would love to see a comparison with other government spending rather than voluntary public spending on the graph, though. Folks don’t get angry about the things they *choose* to spend their money on. They get angry about the stuff controlled by people who claim to know better and be working in the public interest.

  515. Last I looked, the 2012 Olympics, in London, England, was not financed by the US.

    I too would love to see a comparison with other government spending rather than voluntary public spending on the graph, though. Folks don’t get angry about the things they *choose* to spend their money on. They get angry about the stuff controlled by people who claim to know better and be working in the public interest.

  516. Hrair – Any number greater than four. It is translated to thousand and, less commonly, five. Hrair, combined with elil and the suffix -rah, forms the name Elil-Hrair-Rah, literally, “the prince with a thousand enemies”, which is shortened to El-ahrairah, the rabbits’ mythological champion and messiah.

  517. Hrair – Any number greater than four. It is translated to thousand and, less commonly, five. Hrair, combined with elil and the suffix -rah, forms the name Elil-Hrair-Rah, literally, “the prince with a thousand enemies”, which is shortened to El-ahrairah, the rabbits’ mythological champion and messiah.

  518. What a lovely place for a meaningful experience. 🙂 Just gorgeous!

    Does Facebook offer Langdon charts or something like them? I thought I read some time back that they had similar charting capabilities.

  519. What a lovely place for a meaningful experience. 🙂 Just gorgeous!

    Does Facebook offer Langdon charts or something like them? I thought I read some time back that they had similar charting capabilities.

  520. Apple is evil, and Steve Jobs could be a mega-douche. Seriously, these “prove” it. 😀

    http://www.biggercheese.com/index.php?comic=806 (sadly, appledefects.com is long gone 🙁 )

    http://hijinksensue.com/2012/06/19/surface-tension/

    http://hijinksensue.com/2011/03/11/2-pad-2-furious/

    http://hijinksensue.com/2010/07/16/first-world-problems/

    http://hijinksensue.com/2008/06/11/a-fistful-of-joshs/

    Now, yes, these are satirical. When examined seriously, and when one reads the posts that go with them however, it really does paint a picture of a company that cares for profits first, customers much further down the list, if at all. Apple releases “new” (read: mostly just the same old same old in a new wrapper until their monkey-slaves have coded a new operating system) versions of their products in a line of succession that’s ridiculously quick, and that’s impossible to keep up with unless you’re independently rich. Steve Jobs deserved to be bludgeoned with his own phone for that Antenna/”hold it the proper way” bullshit (little newsflash for you in whatever Hell you’re burning in, Stevie – the majority of the world is -RIGHT-handed.) And I honestly do believe Stevie ended up in Hell, because he managed to find a way to sell the concept that -everyone- “needs” to have a smartphone, whether it’s within their financial means or not. People screw themselves over every month, trying to afford the product that his smarmy, pretentious company of assholes convinced them that they absolutely -needed-. Jobs was an asshole.

    For that matter, get your iPhone wet in the slightest, even if it’s just accidentally dropping it on a damp lawn, and you have to pay full price for a new one. No “replacing” it under warranty, you *are* buying a new one if you want to keep your shiny toy. Hear that scream? It’s your wallet and bank account as Apple holds it down and has their way with it.

    Fuck Apple. Fuck them -ALL- in the left earhole with a dog dong. 😛

  521. Apple is evil, and Steve Jobs could be a mega-douche. Seriously, these “prove” it. 😀

    http://www.biggercheese.com/index.php?comic=806 (sadly, appledefects.com is long gone 🙁 )

    http://hijinksensue.com/2012/06/19/surface-tension/

    http://hijinksensue.com/2011/03/11/2-pad-2-furious/

    http://hijinksensue.com/2010/07/16/first-world-problems/

    http://hijinksensue.com/2008/06/11/a-fistful-of-joshs/

    Now, yes, these are satirical. When examined seriously, and when one reads the posts that go with them however, it really does paint a picture of a company that cares for profits first, customers much further down the list, if at all. Apple releases “new” (read: mostly just the same old same old in a new wrapper until their monkey-slaves have coded a new operating system) versions of their products in a line of succession that’s ridiculously quick, and that’s impossible to keep up with unless you’re independently rich. Steve Jobs deserved to be bludgeoned with his own phone for that Antenna/”hold it the proper way” bullshit (little newsflash for you in whatever Hell you’re burning in, Stevie – the majority of the world is -RIGHT-handed.) And I honestly do believe Stevie ended up in Hell, because he managed to find a way to sell the concept that -everyone- “needs” to have a smartphone, whether it’s within their financial means or not. People screw themselves over every month, trying to afford the product that his smarmy, pretentious company of assholes convinced them that they absolutely -needed-. Jobs was an asshole.

    For that matter, get your iPhone wet in the slightest, even if it’s just accidentally dropping it on a damp lawn, and you have to pay full price for a new one. No “replacing” it under warranty, you *are* buying a new one if you want to keep your shiny toy. Hear that scream? It’s your wallet and bank account as Apple holds it down and has their way with it.

    Fuck Apple. Fuck them -ALL- in the left earhole with a dog dong. 😛

  522. Oh, no — sounds awful 🙁

    My condolences to — I am sorry to hear of her loss.

    I hope the timber wolf is now in a better environment — it was very good of you to save her from an abuser.

    Still — difficult stuff. (And you might want to f-lock this in case the wolf’s former owner tries to go after you, since you’re admitting the break-in.)

    Wishing you luck that your weekend is peaceful and that next week will be much, much better.

    *hugs*

    — A <3

  523. Oh, no — sounds awful 🙁

    My condolences to — I am sorry to hear of her loss.

    I hope the timber wolf is now in a better environment — it was very good of you to save her from an abuser.

    Still — difficult stuff. (And you might want to f-lock this in case the wolf’s former owner tries to go after you, since you’re admitting the break-in.)

    Wishing you luck that your weekend is peaceful and that next week will be much, much better.

    *hugs*

    — A <3

  524. Wow, definitely a busy week. I think I’m not overstating things in saying that the world is a better place as a result of your activities.

  525. Wow, definitely a busy week. I think I’m not overstating things in saying that the world is a better place as a result of your activities.

  526. I was years into adulthood before I started to see some of this and understand its roots in our (US) culture, in particular for myself as a woman. I was taught avoidance tactics and techniques specific to living in a rape apologist culture, and part of that was learning the lie that men can’t help themselves.

    What utter bullshit.

    Thank you for continuing to address this, it’s applicable everywhere and I continue to apply it all everywhere I am. I am ready to be done with all this and I am willing to work to help change attitudes. This is like keeping plates spinning on sticks but if everyone will help, that’s not so hard.

  527. I was years into adulthood before I started to see some of this and understand its roots in our (US) culture, in particular for myself as a woman. I was taught avoidance tactics and techniques specific to living in a rape apologist culture, and part of that was learning the lie that men can’t help themselves.

    What utter bullshit.

    Thank you for continuing to address this, it’s applicable everywhere and I continue to apply it all everywhere I am. I am ready to be done with all this and I am willing to work to help change attitudes. This is like keeping plates spinning on sticks but if everyone will help, that’s not so hard.

  528. Oof. Helluva rough week for you, but it sounds like your part of the world is a helluva lot better place for you being in it! May the coming weeks be kinder to all of you….

    (P.S.–I quite agree with others about the attractiveness of reading glasses. 😉

  529. Oof. Helluva rough week for you, but it sounds like your part of the world is a helluva lot better place for you being in it! May the coming weeks be kinder to all of you….

    (P.S.–I quite agree with others about the attractiveness of reading glasses. 😉

  530. We’ve been discussing this quite a bit in the Denver community as well as the FetLife policies that silence those who speak out against unethical behavior within the community and as between partners.

    As a conflict resolution specialist (and budding attorney) I find it difficult to support their claim that they are protecting their members against slander. But when someone disregards “RED” 3x in one scene, fractures someone’s spine in another scene and is still regarded as a “community leader” worthy of being a DM, I’m sickened that I would be silenced from talking about this.

    Thanks for your words on this. I hope you don’t mind if I link you when I finally figure out what I want to write about this.

  531. We’ve been discussing this quite a bit in the Denver community as well as the FetLife policies that silence those who speak out against unethical behavior within the community and as between partners.

    As a conflict resolution specialist (and budding attorney) I find it difficult to support their claim that they are protecting their members against slander. But when someone disregards “RED” 3x in one scene, fractures someone’s spine in another scene and is still regarded as a “community leader” worthy of being a DM, I’m sickened that I would be silenced from talking about this.

    Thanks for your words on this. I hope you don’t mind if I link you when I finally figure out what I want to write about this.

  532. Ah, I worded that badly. By “alone time” I mean “dyadic time”–time which each couple in a group relationship can share together without the rest of the group. It’s been my observation that no matter how close Bob, Cindy, and Denise might be as a triad, each of them will probably, at some point, want to spend time with just one other person, without all three of them having to be together all the time.

  533. Ah, I worded that badly. By “alone time” I mean “dyadic time”–time which each couple in a group relationship can share together without the rest of the group. It’s been my observation that no matter how close Bob, Cindy, and Denise might be as a triad, each of them will probably, at some point, want to spend time with just one other person, without all three of them having to be together all the time.

  534. Everyone get their groan ready and hold on to it for a sec.

    Even pre-poly, even as a child and a young adult, I’ve never been a jealous person. Maybe that’s a side effect of growing up in a large family. I’m the 5th of 7 born to my mother and have multiple step sibs. Maybe it’s just a part of who I am.

    Jealousy doesn’t exist for me though. What DOES exist is a feeling of being excluded. That one is a rough one, but it’s not because I want what person X had. It’s because I want something that results in the same sort of feeling, or because I wanted to not be left out of something fun/interesting/etc. Now, some can say “Well that’s jealousy.” But I say it isn’t. It’s a feeling of having been, or even the fear of being, excluded. Typically, I talk to my partners and the item at hand is addressed and life moves forward with relative ease.

    Jealousy, to me, is a cop out term. It’s one word we use to describe, for example:
    -Feeling territorial: which is usually driven by some deeper item.
    -Feeling excluded, due to real, perceived, or feared events
    -Feeling lonely
    -Unmet needs
    -Repressed or hidden anger over something

    The list could go on and on. Jealousy, to me, is just a term to avoid addressing the real issue. As a responsible adult, and yes, this is a learned skill for me, I have to first figure out what I am feeling, and then take responsibility for that feeling. If I need something, part of that taking responsibility is to speak up about what I need without making it my partners fault that the need isn’t met. ESPECIALLY if it’s something I never told them about before!

    So no, I don’t get jealous. Sometimes I just have to look more closely at what is troubling me than I do at other times.

    Just my $.02, for whatever it’s worth.

  535. Everyone get their groan ready and hold on to it for a sec.

    Even pre-poly, even as a child and a young adult, I’ve never been a jealous person. Maybe that’s a side effect of growing up in a large family. I’m the 5th of 7 born to my mother and have multiple step sibs. Maybe it’s just a part of who I am.

    Jealousy doesn’t exist for me though. What DOES exist is a feeling of being excluded. That one is a rough one, but it’s not because I want what person X had. It’s because I want something that results in the same sort of feeling, or because I wanted to not be left out of something fun/interesting/etc. Now, some can say “Well that’s jealousy.” But I say it isn’t. It’s a feeling of having been, or even the fear of being, excluded. Typically, I talk to my partners and the item at hand is addressed and life moves forward with relative ease.

    Jealousy, to me, is a cop out term. It’s one word we use to describe, for example:
    -Feeling territorial: which is usually driven by some deeper item.
    -Feeling excluded, due to real, perceived, or feared events
    -Feeling lonely
    -Unmet needs
    -Repressed or hidden anger over something

    The list could go on and on. Jealousy, to me, is just a term to avoid addressing the real issue. As a responsible adult, and yes, this is a learned skill for me, I have to first figure out what I am feeling, and then take responsibility for that feeling. If I need something, part of that taking responsibility is to speak up about what I need without making it my partners fault that the need isn’t met. ESPECIALLY if it’s something I never told them about before!

    So no, I don’t get jealous. Sometimes I just have to look more closely at what is troubling me than I do at other times.

    Just my $.02, for whatever it’s worth.

  536. Radical Bullshit

    I came across this thread and read with interest. My partner has been practising RH for just over a year. It has caused more arguments and bust-ups than I care to go into. I totally relate to the compassion, or at least my ideal of compassion. The neglect of emotions… I’m responsible for my own Im told time and time again. Conversations are blasted with ‘what you are saying is just your bullshit mind’. There is this fixation on words with RH… ‘you imagine you are happy’ ‘no you don’t feel sad’, ‘what sensation do you have that you associate with sad’. Personally it has driven me to distraction. Radical Honesty as a concept is good, but my experience of practioners is – unlikeable people, full of their own shit to the point they put others down – i.e. ‘youre a liar’. My partner or of this weekend ex partner is now off to be Brad Blanton new CEO, we have struggled to keep the relationship together, and Dr Blanton has written to me, telling me I should just get over my shit and let her go, be a man. So Radical Honesty is not my favourite subject. Its a con, attracting middle aged singles with more money than sense, young men with the allure he can teach them how to sleep with 500 women. The allure of workshops in attractive places, which would seduce anyone. Be honest people, and see RH for what it is, an old guy who has found a title to explain his bullshit behaviour and suckers people who are desperate.

  537. Radical Bullshit

    I came across this thread and read with interest. My partner has been practising RH for just over a year. It has caused more arguments and bust-ups than I care to go into. I totally relate to the compassion, or at least my ideal of compassion. The neglect of emotions… I’m responsible for my own Im told time and time again. Conversations are blasted with ‘what you are saying is just your bullshit mind’. There is this fixation on words with RH… ‘you imagine you are happy’ ‘no you don’t feel sad’, ‘what sensation do you have that you associate with sad’. Personally it has driven me to distraction. Radical Honesty as a concept is good, but my experience of practioners is – unlikeable people, full of their own shit to the point they put others down – i.e. ‘youre a liar’. My partner or of this weekend ex partner is now off to be Brad Blanton new CEO, we have struggled to keep the relationship together, and Dr Blanton has written to me, telling me I should just get over my shit and let her go, be a man. So Radical Honesty is not my favourite subject. Its a con, attracting middle aged singles with more money than sense, young men with the allure he can teach them how to sleep with 500 women. The allure of workshops in attractive places, which would seduce anyone. Be honest people, and see RH for what it is, an old guy who has found a title to explain his bullshit behaviour and suckers people who are desperate.

  538. Hm. I am working on my own list, and then I will compare and contrast to see if there are any actual differences. I suspect differences will lie in phrasing, not in meaning.

  539. Hm. I am working on my own list, and then I will compare and contrast to see if there are any actual differences. I suspect differences will lie in phrasing, not in meaning.

  540. I think all parties having a clear sense of what other parties expect and can/cannot offer them is important, too. Part of 5, but, I think, somewhat distinct?

  541. I think all parties having a clear sense of what other parties expect and can/cannot offer them is important, too. Part of 5, but, I think, somewhat distinct?

  542. Yes, I was going to mention forgiveness, too. bEcause we can strive to be the best we can in relationships and mess up occasionally, and that doesn’t mean it’s a “bad relationship” overall as long as we’re willing to make amends.

  543. Yes, I was going to mention forgiveness, too. bEcause we can strive to be the best we can in relationships and mess up occasionally, and that doesn’t mean it’s a “bad relationship” overall as long as we’re willing to make amends.

  544. Love it. Except…learning about relationships in kindergarten? That causes me a little cognitive dissonance…maybe high school, but for me kindergarten isn’t the time to learn about romantic relationships. Is this poster conflating romantic relationships with platonic or familial relationships? Because it does mention “partner” specifically a few times.

    I think my dissonance is occurring because I am approaching this poster with the expectation that “relationships” is romantic, while the term could also refer to platonic or familial ones. Still, it irks me and seems an awkward fit to use the kindergarten reference for a list that includes romantic partner advice.

    Still think it’s an awesome list. 😀

  545. Love it. Except…learning about relationships in kindergarten? That causes me a little cognitive dissonance…maybe high school, but for me kindergarten isn’t the time to learn about romantic relationships. Is this poster conflating romantic relationships with platonic or familial relationships? Because it does mention “partner” specifically a few times.

    I think my dissonance is occurring because I am approaching this poster with the expectation that “relationships” is romantic, while the term could also refer to platonic or familial ones. Still, it irks me and seems an awkward fit to use the kindergarten reference for a list that includes romantic partner advice.

    Still think it’s an awesome list. 😀

  546. love it!

    i *love* it, and i’d definitely buy at least one, probably more.

    to me, kindergarten fits. because i’m reading it with context of relationships in general, not just romantic or sexual. although the word “partner” throughout makes more sense in romantic/sexual relationships, i just internally substitute “friend”, “parent”, “child”, or whoever the actual connection is. for me, the *principles* themselves apply everywhere, and the earlier we teach, model, and share these concepts, the better.

    i also wonder about courage being rewarded. i think it IS true, yet not in the way people might expect. external rewards might or might not happen. yet internally, living up to my ideals and not down to my fears is a personal ideal. whether or not external rewards happen, when i am brave enough to behave based on who i want to be, i AM rewarded by living up to my ideals. sometimes, that is the only reward. and while i might hope for more, that is still valuable, precious, and “enough”.

  547. love it!

    i *love* it, and i’d definitely buy at least one, probably more.

    to me, kindergarten fits. because i’m reading it with context of relationships in general, not just romantic or sexual. although the word “partner” throughout makes more sense in romantic/sexual relationships, i just internally substitute “friend”, “parent”, “child”, or whoever the actual connection is. for me, the *principles* themselves apply everywhere, and the earlier we teach, model, and share these concepts, the better.

    i also wonder about courage being rewarded. i think it IS true, yet not in the way people might expect. external rewards might or might not happen. yet internally, living up to my ideals and not down to my fears is a personal ideal. whether or not external rewards happen, when i am brave enough to behave based on who i want to be, i AM rewarded by living up to my ideals. sometimes, that is the only reward. and while i might hope for more, that is still valuable, precious, and “enough”.

  548. I wish I’d learned these things in high school…. in kindergarten I was more concerned with making crafts out of paper plates and eating paste

  549. I wish I’d learned these things in high school…. in kindergarten I was more concerned with making crafts out of paper plates and eating paste

  550. If this is true, and we further accept the Hygiene Hypothesis as the trigger to auto-immune disease, does this mean that we have to constantly read the Bible or the Koran just to avoid slipping into dragon and unicorn belief/worship? 😉

  551. If this is true, and we further accept the Hygiene Hypothesis as the trigger to auto-immune disease, does this mean that we have to constantly read the Bible or the Koran just to avoid slipping into dragon and unicorn belief/worship? 😉

  552. Hee!

    I just found seminaked pictures of me on the web that I somehow failed to realise ever went up, whilst looking for something entirely different. How funny! Got copies of the photos, but somehow had managed to never see the actual blog post. So much fun! 🙂

    Many kisses in your direction, lovely Franklin!

    XXxxxXXX

  553. Hee!

    I just found seminaked pictures of me on the web that I somehow failed to realise ever went up, whilst looking for something entirely different. How funny! Got copies of the photos, but somehow had managed to never see the actual blog post. So much fun! 🙂

    Many kisses in your direction, lovely Franklin!

    XXxxxXXX

  554. Hello,

    I know you don’t know me, but I read your blog since I found out about it in the PolyWeekly podcast, when I was researching for my graduation paper. Now I am a teacher and clinical psychologist.

    So, my idea is that we’ll reach this uploading technology when we come around to use the human brain as a computer, creating an good enough interface. then we can clone the persons brain, circulate our own blood through it, so we have the same bacteria, etc, and then somehow copy one brain’s state to the other.
    Is this a possible alternative?

  555. Hello,

    I know you don’t know me, but I read your blog since I found out about it in the PolyWeekly podcast, when I was researching for my graduation paper. Now I am a teacher and clinical psychologist.

    So, my idea is that we’ll reach this uploading technology when we come around to use the human brain as a computer, creating an good enough interface. then we can clone the persons brain, circulate our own blood through it, so we have the same bacteria, etc, and then somehow copy one brain’s state to the other.
    Is this a possible alternative?

  556. I love you.

    Thank you for sharing a part of your life with me. For sharing yourself with me.

    I am amused that I wrote this post on the same date, at nearly the same time of day, 12 years apart from this entry.

  557. I love you.

    Thank you for sharing a part of your life with me. For sharing yourself with me.

    I am amused that I wrote this post on the same date, at nearly the same time of day, 12 years apart from this entry.

  558. I cannot say that I have. I haven’t signed up for a twtter account mostly because I felt it would add pressure as one more thing to keep up with. I would say that Life is complicated enough trying to keep up with people I know in the non-virtual world but I try to keep it all pretty simple on purpose.

  559. I cannot say that I have. I haven’t signed up for a twtter account mostly because I felt it would add pressure as one more thing to keep up with. I would say that Life is complicated enough trying to keep up with people I know in the non-virtual world but I try to keep it all pretty simple on purpose.

  560. That’s kind of the point.

    On the Mac, the trash is a special folder. Under Windows 95, they couldn’t make the trash a folder, because they couldn’t figure out how to handle a situation where you throw away two files of the same name–a folder can only contain one file of a given name, and the FAT filesystem lacks the ability to contain sufficient metadata to differentiate the files.

    So they came up with a system whereby the Recycle Bin is actually a monolithic database, and when you throw a file away you copy it into the database, then delete it. This creates all kinds of odd problems–for example, if your hard drive has 500 megabytes free on it, you can’t throw away a 700-MB file, because there isn’t enough room to copy it into the database. You can, however, have multiple files in there which have the same name.

  561. That’s kind of the point.

    On the Mac, the trash is a special folder. Under Windows 95, they couldn’t make the trash a folder, because they couldn’t figure out how to handle a situation where you throw away two files of the same name–a folder can only contain one file of a given name, and the FAT filesystem lacks the ability to contain sufficient metadata to differentiate the files.

    So they came up with a system whereby the Recycle Bin is actually a monolithic database, and when you throw a file away you copy it into the database, then delete it. This creates all kinds of odd problems–for example, if your hard drive has 500 megabytes free on it, you can’t throw away a 700-MB file, because there isn’t enough room to copy it into the database. You can, however, have multiple files in there which have the same name.

  562. And here I thought this was a hilarious take on some of the political mudslinging that went on during this campaign.

    It was all a plot to discredit Romney? What? 😀

    I think Cthulhu will be very upset to hear that he is associated with Satan, cause he could eat up Satan whenever he wants too, he wants to save Satan for last.

  563. And here I thought this was a hilarious take on some of the political mudslinging that went on during this campaign.

    It was all a plot to discredit Romney? What? 😀

    I think Cthulhu will be very upset to hear that he is associated with Satan, cause he could eat up Satan whenever he wants too, he wants to save Satan for last.

  564. And here I thought this was a hilarious take on some of the political mudslinging that went on during this campaign.

    It was all a plot to discredit Romney? What? 😀

    I think Cthulhu will be very upset to hear that he is associated with Satan, cause he could eat up Satan whenever he wants too, he wants to save Satan for last.

  565. And here I thought this was a hilarious take on some of the political mudslinging that went on during this campaign.

    It was all a plot to discredit Romney? What? 😀

    I think Cthulhu will be very upset to hear that he is associated with Satan, cause he could eat up Satan whenever he wants too, he wants to save Satan for last.

  566. Eh, immigration isn’t what it used to be either. I don’t understand how pols can look at it and not feel ashamed of what they’ve done to our country’s traditions and heritage.

    K.

  567. Eh, immigration isn’t what it used to be either. I don’t understand how pols can look at it and not feel ashamed of what they’ve done to our country’s traditions and heritage.

    K.

  568. Shortly before the election, I got into an argument with a coworker who, unironically and completely seriously, said that he wanted to go back to a post-WWII era. That’s all I had to say to , who then correctly identified the speaker as a middle-aged, Christian, straight, white male.

    After explaining that there isn’t a single defining thing about me that wouldn’t have gotten me lynched in an era like that, he still couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t also want to live in that idyllic؟ time.

    It just didn’t make any sense to him why I placed “economic security” (and that’s debatable) as a second priority to make sure I’m not jailed or killed just for being me.


    ؟ – the percontation point marks a point of sarcasm or irony.

  569. Shortly before the election, I got into an argument with a coworker who, unironically and completely seriously, said that he wanted to go back to a post-WWII era. That’s all I had to say to , who then correctly identified the speaker as a middle-aged, Christian, straight, white male.

    After explaining that there isn’t a single defining thing about me that wouldn’t have gotten me lynched in an era like that, he still couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t also want to live in that idyllic؟ time.

    It just didn’t make any sense to him why I placed “economic security” (and that’s debatable) as a second priority to make sure I’m not jailed or killed just for being me.


    ؟ – the percontation point marks a point of sarcasm or irony.

  570. I think you’re missing something in your analysis of the idea of “losing freedom.”

    Keep in mind that much of the Republican angry white cishet male constituency, and the white cishet women who vote with them (Romney did MUCH better with married 35+ white cishet women who have kids & white cishet women whose family income is over $250k/year) first of all often benefit disproportionality from the government. Look at some of the charts of $ flowing from blue states to red states, for instance. For them, the dog whistle of “welfare queens” isn’t just “minorities are getting stuff” but “minorities are getting a share of FINITE stuff & that might mean I don’t get any.” Of course this makes it doubly ironic that they vote Republican because in terms of economic policy they’re voting against their own best self interests, but that’s masked. Similarly, the religious types believe that any freedom for OTHER religions limits freedoms for their OWN religion.

    In other words, their idea of “freedom” is VERY much like the “scarcity” model of love you’ve discussed, the common idea people have that a person only has so much love to go around so they need to restrict who they give it to so it doesn’t run out. And the Republicans PLAY on that (as noted in the “own best interests” comment above” to convince people that there’re lots of “others” trying to take stuff away.

    Since, unlike love, money and resources ARE finite this makes a compelling argument, and you end up with people thinking “OMG we’re running out!” (that was behind all the Republican debt/deficit arguments) and this party is a homogenous group of people LIKE US so they’ll defend our stuff against people NOT LIKE US.” They really feel that others getting freedom lessens their own.

  571. I think you’re missing something in your analysis of the idea of “losing freedom.”

    Keep in mind that much of the Republican angry white cishet male constituency, and the white cishet women who vote with them (Romney did MUCH better with married 35+ white cishet women who have kids & white cishet women whose family income is over $250k/year) first of all often benefit disproportionality from the government. Look at some of the charts of $ flowing from blue states to red states, for instance. For them, the dog whistle of “welfare queens” isn’t just “minorities are getting stuff” but “minorities are getting a share of FINITE stuff & that might mean I don’t get any.” Of course this makes it doubly ironic that they vote Republican because in terms of economic policy they’re voting against their own best self interests, but that’s masked. Similarly, the religious types believe that any freedom for OTHER religions limits freedoms for their OWN religion.

    In other words, their idea of “freedom” is VERY much like the “scarcity” model of love you’ve discussed, the common idea people have that a person only has so much love to go around so they need to restrict who they give it to so it doesn’t run out. And the Republicans PLAY on that (as noted in the “own best interests” comment above” to convince people that there’re lots of “others” trying to take stuff away.

    Since, unlike love, money and resources ARE finite this makes a compelling argument, and you end up with people thinking “OMG we’re running out!” (that was behind all the Republican debt/deficit arguments) and this party is a homogenous group of people LIKE US so they’ll defend our stuff against people NOT LIKE US.” They really feel that others getting freedom lessens their own.

  572. This post may come off sounding a little “fandroid”, but I’m not.

    What version of Android are you running? 2.3.0 ? 2.3.1? …? I’m running 2.3.4 on my Verizon Droid 3 “world phone”.

    Let’s take your points in order… (hopefully I won’t miss any).

    Patching: yeah, this is one place where Apple has a theoretical advantage. I note my girlfriend’s iPhone 4 hasn’t been updated. I’m not sure she even loaded iOS5 on it. I would have liked to have ICS on my Moto Droid 3, but that’s ‘cos I’m a geek. Given that I replaced the launcher anyway (I use GoLauncher), many of the ICS improvements wouldn’t impact me.

    Interface: Now here’s something interesting. I also saw this with HTC WinMob phones (WM5.5, WM6, WM6.1). HTC have a habit of completely replacing large chunks of the GUI and replacing it with their own. Sometimes this is an improvement. Sometimes (many times) it’s worse. Motorolo also do this. The result is a confusing mis-mash of different designs all in your face. I think many of the gripes you have in this post are HTC related.

    Linux stability: I find my phone tends to spontaneously reboot once a month or so. Not sure why. When I bitched about this to my girlfriend she shrugged; “yeah my iphone needs rebooting every so often as well ‘cos it stops working”. But then my old T720 flip-phone would sometimes crash as well. I don’t get it…are phones hard to create?

    Data roaming: this definitely seems to be either a T-Mobile or HTC issue. My phone has a setting(Settings/Battery+Data manager/Data delivery – uncheck “Data roaming”). Indeed when I went to the UK and got my phone enabled for international roaming, the Verizon phone support person walked me through this _pro-actively_ to ensure it was turned off (“we don’t want you getting a large data roaming bill”). This isn’t Google’s fault.

    Crapware: Mostly this isn’t an issue. Who cares if it runs? It’s mostly (normally) idle in “wait” state. Except when the phone vendor adds additional stuff that’s badly written. I spot a theme; HTC…! Stop fucking up! I have had google maps go insane on me twice, and chew up CPU and kill the battery. Normally it’s well behaved. However, talking of maps, I have found the GPS on my phone to be worse than useless; 90% of the time it’s stopped responding and I need to reset the GPS subsystem before it’ll wake up. *sigh* Definitely something Apple appears to have done better.

    Contact management. Sounds like another HTC feature. My device doesn’t offer this flexibility; it’s all in one place and all sync’d to google.

    Flash and Wifi? Hmm, that screenshot looks like a HTC app. Another HTC “feature”? I can’t test this ‘cos Verizon charge me for WiFi hotspot activity, so I don’t have it enabled.

    Screen drawing: yeah, definitely jerky compared to iOS. Curiously my Asus Transformer Prime appears to be _more_ jerky after upgrading to Jellybean than it was on ICS.

    On-screen keyboards: The built-in one has improved over time, but it’s still not as good as iOS. You can get alternatives, as you say. My phone came with Swype, and my girlfriend looks on it with envy. I’m actually really impressed at swype’s accuracy; the “smarts” you like in iOS are in this keyboard, and more.

    I think what this boils down to is that HTC fucked up the UI. I’ve heard this from other people and sites as well. The “pure android” experience is, apparently, cleaner (a friend of mine has a Nexus (S, I think) on T-Mobile. If I was going to inflict T-Mobile on myself then I’d go for a Nexus, just to avoid the bloatware and locked loaders. The “openness” of Android is the “openness for vendors to fuck up” (I actually found the windows mobile phones to be the most open to _develop_ for).

    It’s funny how 90% of your complaints just don’t show up on my phone; Motorola fuck up in different ways.

  573. This post may come off sounding a little “fandroid”, but I’m not.

    What version of Android are you running? 2.3.0 ? 2.3.1? …? I’m running 2.3.4 on my Verizon Droid 3 “world phone”.

    Let’s take your points in order… (hopefully I won’t miss any).

    Patching: yeah, this is one place where Apple has a theoretical advantage. I note my girlfriend’s iPhone 4 hasn’t been updated. I’m not sure she even loaded iOS5 on it. I would have liked to have ICS on my Moto Droid 3, but that’s ‘cos I’m a geek. Given that I replaced the launcher anyway (I use GoLauncher), many of the ICS improvements wouldn’t impact me.

    Interface: Now here’s something interesting. I also saw this with HTC WinMob phones (WM5.5, WM6, WM6.1). HTC have a habit of completely replacing large chunks of the GUI and replacing it with their own. Sometimes this is an improvement. Sometimes (many times) it’s worse. Motorolo also do this. The result is a confusing mis-mash of different designs all in your face. I think many of the gripes you have in this post are HTC related.

    Linux stability: I find my phone tends to spontaneously reboot once a month or so. Not sure why. When I bitched about this to my girlfriend she shrugged; “yeah my iphone needs rebooting every so often as well ‘cos it stops working”. But then my old T720 flip-phone would sometimes crash as well. I don’t get it…are phones hard to create?

    Data roaming: this definitely seems to be either a T-Mobile or HTC issue. My phone has a setting(Settings/Battery+Data manager/Data delivery – uncheck “Data roaming”). Indeed when I went to the UK and got my phone enabled for international roaming, the Verizon phone support person walked me through this _pro-actively_ to ensure it was turned off (“we don’t want you getting a large data roaming bill”). This isn’t Google’s fault.

    Crapware: Mostly this isn’t an issue. Who cares if it runs? It’s mostly (normally) idle in “wait” state. Except when the phone vendor adds additional stuff that’s badly written. I spot a theme; HTC…! Stop fucking up! I have had google maps go insane on me twice, and chew up CPU and kill the battery. Normally it’s well behaved. However, talking of maps, I have found the GPS on my phone to be worse than useless; 90% of the time it’s stopped responding and I need to reset the GPS subsystem before it’ll wake up. *sigh* Definitely something Apple appears to have done better.

    Contact management. Sounds like another HTC feature. My device doesn’t offer this flexibility; it’s all in one place and all sync’d to google.

    Flash and Wifi? Hmm, that screenshot looks like a HTC app. Another HTC “feature”? I can’t test this ‘cos Verizon charge me for WiFi hotspot activity, so I don’t have it enabled.

    Screen drawing: yeah, definitely jerky compared to iOS. Curiously my Asus Transformer Prime appears to be _more_ jerky after upgrading to Jellybean than it was on ICS.

    On-screen keyboards: The built-in one has improved over time, but it’s still not as good as iOS. You can get alternatives, as you say. My phone came with Swype, and my girlfriend looks on it with envy. I’m actually really impressed at swype’s accuracy; the “smarts” you like in iOS are in this keyboard, and more.

    I think what this boils down to is that HTC fucked up the UI. I’ve heard this from other people and sites as well. The “pure android” experience is, apparently, cleaner (a friend of mine has a Nexus (S, I think) on T-Mobile. If I was going to inflict T-Mobile on myself then I’d go for a Nexus, just to avoid the bloatware and locked loaders. The “openness” of Android is the “openness for vendors to fuck up” (I actually found the windows mobile phones to be the most open to _develop_ for).

    It’s funny how 90% of your complaints just don’t show up on my phone; Motorola fuck up in different ways.

  574. not even in peas…

    Actually, it’s not even necessarily that straightforward in peas. Mendel supposedly “cooked the books” in his original experiments (according to a few famous folks, that that assertion is questioned by others.)

    Thanks for a good response.

  575. not even in peas…

    Actually, it’s not even necessarily that straightforward in peas. Mendel supposedly “cooked the books” in his original experiments (according to a few famous folks, that that assertion is questioned by others.)

    Thanks for a good response.

  576. There seem to be two “gotchas” in the reply: namely, that “all people are non-monogamous” (well, if we accept that as a premise, then of course people aren’t naturally monogamous; that’s a tautology!), and that bigotry isn’t bigotry if it isn’t backed by law.

    The notion that “all people” are monogamous is spurious at best. You can’t even say all people have two legs; assigning a complex series of behavioral traits to “all people” seems a bit…dubious.

    Worse, the notion that “all people” are this or that is a really big tool of oppression. Gay “therapy” centers say that there is no such thing as a homosexual because all people are heterosexual; it’s merely confusion/sinfulness/perversion/whatever that makes people act gay.

    Legislating against poly is certainly bigotry, but it’s not the only form of bigotry. He of all people really ought to know that.

  577. There seem to be two “gotchas” in the reply: namely, that “all people are non-monogamous” (well, if we accept that as a premise, then of course people aren’t naturally monogamous; that’s a tautology!), and that bigotry isn’t bigotry if it isn’t backed by law.

    The notion that “all people” are monogamous is spurious at best. You can’t even say all people have two legs; assigning a complex series of behavioral traits to “all people” seems a bit…dubious.

    Worse, the notion that “all people” are this or that is a really big tool of oppression. Gay “therapy” centers say that there is no such thing as a homosexual because all people are heterosexual; it’s merely confusion/sinfulness/perversion/whatever that makes people act gay.

    Legislating against poly is certainly bigotry, but it’s not the only form of bigotry. He of all people really ought to know that.

  578. I’m poly and single

    I agree with most of the other commenters on here; Dan Savage saying that poly is “something you do” discounts people (like me) who are poly and single, or like the above poster who is poly and in a monogamous relationship. If I consider myself to still be poly even if I am not actively “doing” it…wouldn’t that mean it’s something I *am*?

  579. I’m poly and single

    I agree with most of the other commenters on here; Dan Savage saying that poly is “something you do” discounts people (like me) who are poly and single, or like the above poster who is poly and in a monogamous relationship. If I consider myself to still be poly even if I am not actively “doing” it…wouldn’t that mean it’s something I *am*?

  580. I’ve seen him acknowledge asexual people before, so I would wager his statement is a not clearly phrased “of people who are sexual with others, none are monogamous” comment. That’s still problematic as heck, with Franklin having lined out some reasons above. It’s tough, tho, in a column with limited words to always couch everything with inclusive language. It can make it easy to lapse in to laziness and say “well obviously to anyone reading this it has to be about people who have sex so I don’t have to mention those that don’t.” Sloppy, tho.

  581. I’ve seen him acknowledge asexual people before, so I would wager his statement is a not clearly phrased “of people who are sexual with others, none are monogamous” comment. That’s still problematic as heck, with Franklin having lined out some reasons above. It’s tough, tho, in a column with limited words to always couch everything with inclusive language. It can make it easy to lapse in to laziness and say “well obviously to anyone reading this it has to be about people who have sex so I don’t have to mention those that don’t.” Sloppy, tho.

  582. The end of the world isn’t scary – what’s scary is the possibility of the world ending almost but not quite, and then we’re stuck in a post-apocalyptic B movie…

  583. The end of the world isn’t scary – what’s scary is the possibility of the world ending almost but not quite, and then we’re stuck in a post-apocalyptic B movie…

  584. The drawing was done by one of Shelly’s former metamours, and is a tattoo on her leg. It’s absolutely gorgeous, which couldn’t be more fitting.

  585. The drawing was done by one of Shelly’s former metamours, and is a tattoo on her leg. It’s absolutely gorgeous, which couldn’t be more fitting.

  586. Thank you, and great review, Franklin. It makes my decision to avoid getting an Android phone feel even better than I already felt-and I was feeling pretty good. Not having a need to be instantly available to anyone with a phone, I rooted my Nook Tablet ($149 aftermarket) and installed JellyBean about a month ago. I now Skype from a really nice tablet (that model of Nook has a condenser microphone) and can read (any format ebook), play music, cruise the ‘net, and do a little office work now and then. The secret for me is choosing a very limited set of apps based on the excellent advice available to me from folks just like you. Zero-trial learning is a wonderful thing. Thank you from the bottom of my hack heart. Twistesse

  587. Thank you, and great review, Franklin. It makes my decision to avoid getting an Android phone feel even better than I already felt-and I was feeling pretty good. Not having a need to be instantly available to anyone with a phone, I rooted my Nook Tablet ($149 aftermarket) and installed JellyBean about a month ago. I now Skype from a really nice tablet (that model of Nook has a condenser microphone) and can read (any format ebook), play music, cruise the ‘net, and do a little office work now and then. The secret for me is choosing a very limited set of apps based on the excellent advice available to me from folks just like you. Zero-trial learning is a wonderful thing. Thank you from the bottom of my hack heart. Twistesse

  588. *amused by Random Loft Handcuffs*

    Tonkinese are *glorious* cats — I think you’ll be incredibly happy (although watchful for unexpected adventures) with this little guy!

    I love Siamese/Oriental Shorthairs and all related breeds — grew up with a pair of seal-point Siamese sisters who lived to be 16 and 20, and am currently sharing my life (and, at the moment, my pillow) with the flame-point gentleman in my icon.

    I’ve always heard great things about the Tonk personality — here’s hoping your cheerful, inquisitive new housemate brings you much joy!! (How is he getting along with Kyla so far?)

    Last but not least — happy anniversary!! 😀

    — A <3

  589. *amused by Random Loft Handcuffs*

    Tonkinese are *glorious* cats — I think you’ll be incredibly happy (although watchful for unexpected adventures) with this little guy!

    I love Siamese/Oriental Shorthairs and all related breeds — grew up with a pair of seal-point Siamese sisters who lived to be 16 and 20, and am currently sharing my life (and, at the moment, my pillow) with the flame-point gentleman in my icon.

    I’ve always heard great things about the Tonk personality — here’s hoping your cheerful, inquisitive new housemate brings you much joy!! (How is he getting along with Kyla so far?)

    Last but not least — happy anniversary!! 😀

    — A <3

  590. Hi we have a large number of British expats who have had their bank accounts hacked after booking transfers via A2B transfers and I have checked their secure payment credentials which are served by Godaddy. Is this likely to be the issue?

  591. Hi we have a large number of British expats who have had their bank accounts hacked after booking transfers via A2B transfers and I have checked their secure payment credentials which are served by Godaddy. Is this likely to be the issue?

  592. After reading many storiies of people being figged I went out and bought some ginger root and snuck off to the bathroom to experience myself. Omg I love it…I just wish I had someone here as my master enjoying the fun with me and spanking me before making me do even more bdsm stuff.

  593. After reading many storiies of people being figged I went out and bought some ginger root and snuck off to the bathroom to experience myself. Omg I love it…I just wish I had someone here as my master enjoying the fun with me and spanking me before making me do even more bdsm stuff.

  594. I think this post is possibly the best I’ve ever read, you said it exactly how it needed to be said, and I think I hear you. I hear you saying that privilege has a lot to do with responsibility. And responsibility is something that We, as a world have fallen short of meeting Our responsibility to the world, the responsibility that cannot be ignored or separated from life lived as a human being.

    That it is ALL OUR responsibility to first make sure that every single human being that is born into this world has food, clean water, is clothed and housed with a bed sleep in. Because it truly does not take much to provide this most basic sense of privilege that all human beings must be at least offered. There are some things that we might be able to justify shirking Our responsibility — the being willing to fight against an oppressive regime or go to war to fight for another’s freedom, however until every county and culture is at least offered the most basic nutrition, water, shelter and a place to sleep, we are failing, and that is not OK.

    If the people who are free to exercise the freedoms and liberties that we are afforded, fail to meet the responsibility of first making sure that every human has food, water, clothing and shelter, and if not then only because the denied the no strings attached offer for food and water, then we do not deserve the life of excess we live.

    It’s not that Paris’s life is wrong, her life and any life similar could very easily be right, but only after every human being has been provided clean water, food, basic shelter from the elements including clothing.

    Until that responsibility is met, we are ALL failing, and there is no excuse,

    keep writing your book, and keep writing these truths so that more people awaken to realize these responsibilities that are Ours, to many people living their life asleep, is what enables the hell others are forced to suffer, going through life asleep is not living, it’s dying, and as a world we must fulfill our responsibilities so that we may live, and in the past there were many reasons we could not come to this realization, but there really aren’t any more valid reasons. It is important that awaken

    Keep up the good work Franklin

    excellent post, thank you for writing it

  595. I think this post is possibly the best I’ve ever read, you said it exactly how it needed to be said, and I think I hear you. I hear you saying that privilege has a lot to do with responsibility. And responsibility is something that We, as a world have fallen short of meeting Our responsibility to the world, the responsibility that cannot be ignored or separated from life lived as a human being.

    That it is ALL OUR responsibility to first make sure that every single human being that is born into this world has food, clean water, is clothed and housed with a bed sleep in. Because it truly does not take much to provide this most basic sense of privilege that all human beings must be at least offered. There are some things that we might be able to justify shirking Our responsibility — the being willing to fight against an oppressive regime or go to war to fight for another’s freedom, however until every county and culture is at least offered the most basic nutrition, water, shelter and a place to sleep, we are failing, and that is not OK.

    If the people who are free to exercise the freedoms and liberties that we are afforded, fail to meet the responsibility of first making sure that every human has food, water, clothing and shelter, and if not then only because the denied the no strings attached offer for food and water, then we do not deserve the life of excess we live.

    It’s not that Paris’s life is wrong, her life and any life similar could very easily be right, but only after every human being has been provided clean water, food, basic shelter from the elements including clothing.

    Until that responsibility is met, we are ALL failing, and there is no excuse,

    keep writing your book, and keep writing these truths so that more people awaken to realize these responsibilities that are Ours, to many people living their life asleep, is what enables the hell others are forced to suffer, going through life asleep is not living, it’s dying, and as a world we must fulfill our responsibilities so that we may live, and in the past there were many reasons we could not come to this realization, but there really aren’t any more valid reasons. It is important that awaken

    Keep up the good work Franklin

    excellent post, thank you for writing it

  596. For some reason, in my head I read Captain America’s lines in Archer’s voice, and Samuel Jackson’s in Redd Foxx’s voice. Many funny. Much wow.

  597. For some reason, in my head I read Captain America’s lines in Archer’s voice, and Samuel Jackson’s in Redd Foxx’s voice. Many funny. Much wow.

  598. It appears that Charles Babbage was the guy designing the Computer, and Ada translating an article by Italian military engineer Luigi Menabrea on the engine, wherein she added some notes, today ‘considered’ to be the first program. Nice of Ada to be writing notes, really.

    And I was mighty impressed by Grace’s work, until I found that COBOL was actually designed by a committee on which hopper was a technical consultant. It so happens that the first ‘Compiler’ Grace wrote was A-0, which was more of a loader & linker than a real compiler.

    Finally, pushing buttons to write directly to memory isn’t actually harder, it is just tedious. Very, very tedious, but not actually harder.

    This isn’t trying to take away credits for the women in the industry or the people who have come before us, because no matter how you quibble with what Ada wrote, or what Grace wrote, ultimately their work remains the cornerstone of today’s Software Industry.

    This is just me putting the writer in his place, because his tone comes off as asinine, and if you want to be that asinine, you’d better do your research first.

  599. It appears that Charles Babbage was the guy designing the Computer, and Ada translating an article by Italian military engineer Luigi Menabrea on the engine, wherein she added some notes, today ‘considered’ to be the first program. Nice of Ada to be writing notes, really.

    And I was mighty impressed by Grace’s work, until I found that COBOL was actually designed by a committee on which hopper was a technical consultant. It so happens that the first ‘Compiler’ Grace wrote was A-0, which was more of a loader & linker than a real compiler.

    Finally, pushing buttons to write directly to memory isn’t actually harder, it is just tedious. Very, very tedious, but not actually harder.

    This isn’t trying to take away credits for the women in the industry or the people who have come before us, because no matter how you quibble with what Ada wrote, or what Grace wrote, ultimately their work remains the cornerstone of today’s Software Industry.

    This is just me putting the writer in his place, because his tone comes off as asinine, and if you want to be that asinine, you’d better do your research first.

  600. This is why, when I went to get an AA in Net. Prog., my parents insisted I do puzzles they designed in pseudo-assembly, and took the time to make sure I understood how the hell we get from hardware and memory registers to machine to assembly, to languages like C before ever touching anything “Object Oriented”, much less the stuff there is now.

    I have to admit, it made understanding the levels in my TCP/IP homework easier, but I ultimately went into something else entirely.

    Attitudes in programming today, amongst people who are supposedly my peers (or at least, who are my age and younger) make little sense to me, after growing up with a hardware inventor and a software engineer for parents…

    -E-

  601. This is why, when I went to get an AA in Net. Prog., my parents insisted I do puzzles they designed in pseudo-assembly, and took the time to make sure I understood how the hell we get from hardware and memory registers to machine to assembly, to languages like C before ever touching anything “Object Oriented”, much less the stuff there is now.

    I have to admit, it made understanding the levels in my TCP/IP homework easier, but I ultimately went into something else entirely.

    Attitudes in programming today, amongst people who are supposedly my peers (or at least, who are my age and younger) make little sense to me, after growing up with a hardware inventor and a software engineer for parents…

    -E-

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