auralchick

crisper @ 2:31pm: Minutes
Before we move to new business, I'll first read the minutes of yesterday's meeting.

The Greendale Westside Dog Pack convened at 9:30 AM by the fountain at the corner park. In attendance were Mister Floppy, Tiger, Boogertail, Snowball, Huck, and Baxter acting as Alpha-Male Pro Tem.

In accordance with recent policy change, sniffing of each others' butts was largely conducted before the meeting time and so the meeting was called to order at 9:31 by Baxter. After the reading of the previous day's minutes, the pack agreed to the following intended agenda items:

First, to practice the group theme song, Aroo-Aroo Yarroooo-ar-ar-aroo, at top volume.

Second, to reach a decision regarding which tree in the park was the Pack's peeing territory.

Third, to debate the merits of Frisbees versus various sorts of balls.

Fourth, to decide on a favorite chewy meat snack.

Fifth, newly added, a proposed vote on a resolution not to interrupt meetings to chase cats or cars.

However, the practice session was interrupted by the appearance of the Walters' tabby, Jangles, at the corner. The meeting was spontaneously adjourned in favor of chasing Jangles all the way to the river, and was unable to return to order for the duration of the day.

Now, onto new business. In light of yesterday's events, I suggest we move the fifth agenda item to the front of proposed business, so as to better insure that - going forward - we are not HEY IS THAT FLUFFYKINS OVER BY THE SLIDE? LET'S GET HER! MEETING ADJOURNED! WOOF! WOOOFWOOOFWOOOF! YARRRRRRRRRR!

------
For consideration: this is why they'll never have civilization. and by them, I mean us, too.

wild_stars, posting in poorskills @ 4:42pm: swaptree
I just discovered a website called swap tree. you post books, movies, music and games that you have and don't want anymore and then make a list of books, movies, music and games you want. Then the website finds people who have what you want, and want what you have and then you trade! how cool!
I can get new books I want to read for (almost) free by swapping.
I think this would be an asset to families with kids who are constantly outgrowing books and movies as well as college students looking to get rid of textbooks the bookstore won't buy back.
here's a link:
www.swaptree.com

grrm @ 1:56pm: Giants D
Various sources are reporting the Pepper Johnson might be a candidate for the defensive coordinator opening on the Giants, created when Bill Sheridan was released.

That would be a risk, maybe -- Pepper doesn't have the experience of most of the other candidates -- but it's one I'd be glad to take. I have fond memories of Pepper from his days in the Giants defense of the late 80s and early 90s. He was always a fiery competition, a real leader, and the Giants defense desperately needs some fire right now. The last thing we want is another Xs and Os guy like Sheridan. Pepper has never been a coordinator... but neither had Steve Spagnuolo until Coughlin hired him, and Spags was great.

Other reported contenders include Dick Jauron, Romeo Crennel, Percy Fewell, Bob Sutton, and George Edwards. Some of them might be okay... but if it was me, I'd go for Pepper.

crisper @ 1:40pm: Operation OverLOLd
What's that old truism? "They aren't making any more IP addresses"...? Well, this is it, soldiers. Word has come down from the Executives: it's time for the big push. We're crossing into MonolithiCorp's Class A address space tonight to take as many as five Class B ranges. SIGINT believes they are in the process of physically relocating their New England data center, so we will be attacking networks in the dot-150's while real-time IT support levels are reduced. As a diversionary assault, a wave of support tickets will be opened regarding dropped connections on their dial-in lines. There will additionally be DoS fire support during the actual landing itself.

The overall operational goal is to take the entire Class B 150 range, then press for armistice in the hopes of establishing new borders. The initial landing points will be the routers at dots 151, 155, and 159, referred to in your separate unit briefings by the operational labels Redmond, Cupertino, Mountain View. Secondary landings at dots 153 and 157 (codenamed Tokyo and Kyoto) will provide reinforcement and hopefully punch through to the interior network. Recent packet-sniffing indicates the enemy is largely defending with Linksys M70s but are likely to be upgrading to doubly-redundant Cisco 88s as part of this NOC move. If those unit replacements have already occurred in the existing NOC, the initial landings can certainly expect to encounter heavy filtering and substantial loss of signal.

Upon access, you are to secure and replace the router firmware and establish a secure VPN tunnel to the inner system. When the tunnel is in place, you are free to enter the main network to take and hold as many user accounts as possible and desired. Soldiers may take for themselves as much porn, music, video, and other recreational data as they wish from individual computers, but there is to be no identity theft or credit card fraud. You may loot these users, not rape them.

You'll find your separate unit briefings in email shortly. Good luck.

------
For consideration: We have seen the enemy and he is 127.0.0.1

dungeoneer @ 7:30pm: Today's Twitteration

• 05:17 Oh, so this is what having slept a sensible amount of time is like? Intriguing. #

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grrm @ 11:42am: Adventures in 2010
Life is magical... but full of pain.

The Jets are in the playoffs. Who woulda thunk it, a couple of weeks ago? The game against the Bengals was certainly impressive. Can they do it again, though? We'll see.

The Giants didn't play. I don't know who those guys in their unis were, but they sure were inept.

Goodbye, Bill Sheridan. A good guy, by all reports, but a horrendous defensive coordinator.

I meant to post yesterday on the weekend's games, but got busy writing instead, and finished a Tyrion chapter that I've been struggling with for six months. Nibbling away at that knot. We'll see if the finished chapter holds up to reread and polish today.

triple_entendre @ 8:07pm: function vs. form
It struck me just now that a pair of leg warmers would work perfectly for my momentary concern: I'm sitting here at my computer desk at home, and all of my body is in a good temperature range except for the lower legs, from ankle to kneecap.

It never occured to me that those had a practical use!

Trip

(Although it's probably just these size-too-small velvet pants that are really to blame)

crisper @ 3:20pm: 29: Behar-Bechukotai
The younger man takes the available seat and presses his fingers to his temples for a moment to steady his thoughts before beginning:
( Read more... )
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For consideration: Leviticus 25:1 - 27:34; freedom of slaves during the Jubilee; vows and gifts to the Sanctuary; God is very clear about what obedience and sin will result in

dungeoneer @ 7:30pm: Today's Twitteration

• 04:16 Bloody insomnia. Got to be up in two hours two. Dammit. #
• 05:48 Not even at work yet and I'm knackered already. This does not bode well. I need caffeine. And a far lower tolerance for caffeine too. #
• 06:00 Okay. Think constructive. Not got XAMPP installed yet. I'll start with that. #
• 06:00 And to accentuate the positive, my computer has a new power supply. A machine that doesn't switch off randomly is a good thing. #
• 06:52 @Trinora Awww. Remind me to pick your brains later, too. All Awesome Women must have their brains picked this week. #

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buckeyebrain, posting in jokes @ 7:47pm: Why is it that when you get your wife pregnant, everybody rubs her belly and says "Congratulations?"

Nobody ever rubs your dick and says "Good Job!"

crisper @ 1:44pm: 28: Emor
To look at the interviewer, you wouldn't know he's another priest.
Nothing about the way he ticks off boxes on the form seems the least bit holy.
"You understand," he pauses for a moment, "nothing can be permitted to foul the holiday."
What he means is, we must insure that I've reached the needed level of perfection.
I assure him that I fully understand the importance of the sacrifice.
Without it, we cannot insure that the gods will bring us justice.

Our whole civilization is predicated on divine justice,
The balance of consequence conveyed from above to an empowered priest.
There can be no blemish, no single thing wrong, with either sacrificer or sacrifice.
Only in this way can the ritual be fulfilled, our deal with the gods kept holy.
All else is flawed but this one thing must be perfection.
Once we renew, we'll rejoice in the holiday.

I have been undergoing the tests since the last holiday.
My entire life has been spent in understanding and pursuing justice.
He knows as well as I do that every test will verify my state of perfection,
A level of purification beyond even that expected of every priest.
Nothing may enter the inner circle that is not entirely holy;
The sacrificer must be as perfect as the sacrifice.

This will be the first time I see the sacrifice.
That element alone is performed out of sight during the holiday.
It happens here - in these halls, in this Temple, in this heart of all that is Holy.
My whole life has built to this moment, to this culmination in my own need for justice.
I was always determined to walk the rarified path of the priest
with humility - not arrogance - my guide towards perfection.

The final tests are conducted, verifying my perfection.
It is time for me to walk into the inner ring to make the sacrifice.
We walk in silence; no more words to be exchanged with my fellow priest.
When I am done, we shall return to the flawed world to celebrate the holiday.
I wonder if this will change my own view of justice;
Will it seem not only fair, but actually more holy?

Now we have reached the Site Most Holy,
that bright and stony place where perfection meets perfection.
My companion raises his eyes. "Lords Above, we renew your pledge of justice!"
I step forward, beginning the chant of the blade, looking for the animal that I am to sacrifice.
"Oh," he says, "I thought you realized. You won't be living to see the holiday."
Only then, I realize the ritual blade is in the hands of the other priest.

When justice is the thing that is most holy,
It is not only the priest who must have achieved perfection.
It appears I am to be the sacrifice this holiday.

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For consideration: Leviticus 21:1 - 24:23; the necessary purity of the priests; quality of sacrificial animals; the annual holidays; justice means an eye for an eye, no more or less

dungeoneer @ 7:30pm: Today's Twitteration

• 00:14 Okay. Must find a new webhost. Kaolin's been a great host, but I suspect my needs are going to change. Any suggestions? #
• 00:31 Found more Dan Wilson badness, this time under his Duplo alias. Just what I needed! bit.ly/7y9kXl #
• 00:42 @webhostinghelp A bit more about my requirements: PHP, Perl (since I'm learning that), MySQL a must, GD and Ming libraries would be great. #
• 00:43 @webhostinghelp Moving a site with 250 articles. Currently PageRank 3, want to get that up, obviously... #

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danifesto @ 10:04am: Postscript
( You are about to view content that may not be appropriate for minors. )

gnotobiotically, posting in poorskills @ 1:12am: Cleaning stinky car carpet and upholstery
I discovered that a mixture of wet weather and using the heater in the car results in a nasty odor I am thinking is coming from the carpeting or upholstery. Do you guys have any tips on how to clean auto upholstery and carpeting to remove bacterial/mildew growth using household products? I've heard of using borax for stinky car carpets, but I'm thinking you're supposed to use it dry. And my carpets are stinky only when they're wet.

I'm posting here since I'm getting an error every time I try to post to poor_skills. Something about a full queue.

dungeoneer @ 7:30pm: Today's Twitteration

• 04:43 I wonder how long it takes to unlearn how to play the guitar. #
• 05:02 @MikeBrendan Never played either of those games. Last time I actually played my guitar was back in May. #

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crisper @ 9:49am: Alignment
The elevator descended no less than two thousand meters. They rode in edgy, uncomfortable silence. They dared not even think, much less speak, of what came next. The invisible servants of the Old Ones were everywhere, watching and listening and sifting through minds that were not careful. The Madness pressed in at all times, at the surface; it was only down here, specifically down here in the Sterile Area, that one could gradually think of anything other than simple Fear.

At last they passed through the Membrane and the paranoia was stripped away. Here, in this safe bubble, Humankind was going to build and deploy its defense when the stars were right - right for the Old Ones, that is. The data coming back from Hubble II could not be argued with: the End Times were fast approaching. The only question was, could Humankind survive beyond the End?

These were the thoughts that, at last, could be allowed to form in the Colonel's head. Now that they were in the Sterile Area, safe from the microorganic tendrils of the servitors, they could think about what they were attempting to do. And this, the Colonel had been informed, was their best hope so far.

The doors opened to reveal the largest subterranean chamber ever constructed by human hands, a sphere a thousand meters across. They emerged at its top, looked down into its vast space. There, a monstrous construction was underway.

The Colonel was confused. "It looks like… an enormous chair… on a huge monorail line."

The Chief Scientist nodded. "When Great Cthulhu wakes from his slumber, we're going to strap him into a nice comfy carseat and just drive him around until he nods back off."

The Colonel - who had two small children of his own, the very children he was fighting to preserve the world for - took another long look at the gargantuan seat being built. Honestly, it wasn't the most Insane thing they were working on. Not even close.

It was that sort of world, now.

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For consideration: and over in this chamber is the enormous tinkling mobile that psionically projects Brahms' "Lullaby" directly into your reptile stem

snippy @ 6:34pm: Pork tenderloin with ginger/lingonberry sauce
I have to set out what I made for dinner tonight so I can remember how to do it again, it was so good.

I took a 2-pound pork tenderloin, washed it and dried it. Cut tiny slits all over and inserted garlic, then salted and peppered the surface. Started heating up the oven to 450 F. Heated up a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan and browned the tenderloin on all sides, then put it in an oven-proof dish and into the oven for 20 minutes.

In the frying pan I sauteed a couple of onions sliced into rings; when they were done I piled most of them around the pork, still roasting in the oven. Deglazed the pan with a cup of chicken stock and reduced by half. When the pork was done I pulled it out to rest the meat for 10 minutes and poured the drippings into the deglazing and continued to reduce for a couple of minutes. I stirred in a teaspoon of ginger jelly and two teaspoons of lingonberry jam and let it thicken. When the meat had rested I pulled the sauce off the heat, sliced the meat into lovely oval medallions, and stirred a tablespoon of full-fat yogurt into the sauce. I arranged some onions on my plate, topped them with the medallions, and then topped that with a big dollop of the sauce.

It was wonderful!

tammypierce @ 6:04pm: Favorite Books of 2009--Older Readers
Happy New Year, all!

Here are the books I read that are marketed to adults--I'm assuming my readers of nearly all ages will be looked into them, though I think I will put an asterisk * next to those that are particularly heartbreaking and/or violent, if only so you'll be warned in advance. I do some kind of hair-raising reading at times.

My abbreviations:
YA = Young Adult/Teen
YR = Young Reader/Intermediate/Tween
2nd read = the second time I’ve read it
collection = all stories by one author
syn. = synonym
alt hi = alternate history
anthology = stories/articles by different authors
b = boy hero, of interest to boys
c = current
ed(s). = editor(s)
f = fantasy
gn = graphic novel
h = horror
hi = historical
nf = nonfiction
sf = science fiction
v = novel in verse






Mainstream—Adult

Ali, Ayaan Hirsi: INFIDEL (nf) * (female cicumcision)
Borowski, Tadeusz: THIS WAY FOR THE GAS, LADIES AND GENTLEMAN (collection) (death camps)
Collins, Gail: AMERICAN WOMEN (nf, history)
Corona, Laurel: FOUR SEASONS, THE (hi)
Crile, George: CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR (nf)
Cullen, Dave: COLUMBINE (nf)
Edghill, India: DELILAH (hi)
Franklin, Ariana (as Diana Norman): A CATCH OF CONSEQUENCE (hi)
Gilman, Dorothy: UNEXPECTED MRS. POLLIFAX, THE (c)
Gloria, Eugene: DRIVERS AT THE SHORT TIME MOTEL (poems); HOODLUM BIRDS (2nd reading, poems)
Goldman, Dave, Lt. Col.: ON KILLING (nf) * (the effects of killing in battle)
Goodwin, Jan: PRICE OF HONOR (nf) * (interviews with Muslim women)
Hambly, Barbara: PATRIOT HEARTS (hi)
Hamilton, Barbara (syn. Hambly): NINTH DAUGHTER, THE (hi)
Lehane, Dennis: SHUTTER ISLAND (2nd read, c)
Lustbader, Victoria: HIDDEN (hi)
MacDonald, Gregory: THE BUCK PASSES FLYNN (xth read)
McDaniel, David: VAMPIRE AFFAIR, THE (Man from U.N.C.L.E.) (c)
Nilsen, Alleen Pace & Don L.: NAMES & NAMING IN YOUNG ADULT FICTION (nf)
Norman, Diana (pen name for Ariana Franklin): A CATCH OF CONSEQUENCE (hi)
O’Brien, Stacey: WESLEY THE OWL (nf)
Parker, T. Jefferson: L.A. OUTLAWS (c)
Penman, Sharon Kay: FALLS THE SHADOW (hi)
Picoult, Jodi: HANDLE WITH CARE (c); PLAIN TRUTH (c)
Schreiber, Flora Rheta: SYBIL (nf)
Somerset, Anne: LADIES IN WAITING (nf, hi)
Skinner, E. Benjamin: A CRIME SO MONSTROUS: Face to Face w/ Modern-Day Slavery (nf) *
Uris, Leon: EXODUS (hi)(6th reading)
Wiesel, Elie: NIGHT (nf) * (death camps)

Thrillers—adult
c unless noted otherwise

Balducci, David: LAST MAN STANDING; STONE COLD; WHOLE TRUTH, THE
Burdett, John: BANGKOK 8
Connolly, John (3rd read for all: BAD MEN; BLACK ANGEL, THE; EVERY DEAD THING; DARK HOLLOW; KILLING KIND, THE; LOVERS, THE (new); UNQUIET, THE; WHITE ROAD, THE * (violent)
Emley, Dianne: FIRST CUT, THE
Flynn, Vince: ACT OF TREASON
Hartley, A. J.: ON THE FIFTH DAY
Johansen, Iris: BLIND ALLEY; DARK SUMMER; FIRESTORM; SEARCH, THE
Margolin, Philip: EXECUTIVE SEARCH
Preston, Douglas & Child, Lincoln: MOUNT DRAGON

SF&F--Adult

Aaron, Jason (writer) & Guéra, R.M. (illustrator): SCALPED: DEAD MOTHERS (gn, c) * (violent)
Andrews, Ilona: MAGIC BITES (c, f); MAGIC BURNS (c, f); MAGIC STRIKES (c, f)
Armstrong, Kelley: PERSONAL DEMON (c, f)
Azzarello, Brian: JOKER (gn, c)
Bishop, Anne: DAUGHTER OF THE BLOOD; HEIR TO THE SHADOWS (f, hi)
Bray, Patricia: DEVLIN’S LUCK (f, hi)
Brouwer, Sigmund: BROKEN ANGEL (adult/ya) (sf)
Carey, Jacqueline: SANTA OLIVIA (sf)
Gingrich, Newt & Forstchen, William: NEVER CALL RETREAT (alt hi)
Hambly, Barbara (xth reading for all, f): DOG WIZARD; SILENT TOWER, THE; SILICON MAGE, THE; STRANGER AT THE WEDDING
Keck, David: IN THE EYE OF HEAVEN (f)
King, Stephen: SHINING, THE (xth reading) (c, f)
Lindskold, Jane: THIRTEEN ORPHANS (f)
Priest, Cherie: FATHOM (horror)
Rardin, Jennifer: ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST (c, f); ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY (c, f)
Ringo, John: PRINCESS OF WANDS (3rd reading) (c, f)
Robb, J.D.: SALVATION IN DEATH (sf)
Saberhagen, Fred: THE HOLMES DRACULA FILE (xth reading) (c, f); AN OLD FRIEND OF THE FAMILY (xth reading) (c, f)
Sanderson, Brandon: MISTBORN (f)
Shepherd, Joel: SASHA (f)
Spencer, Wen: A BROTHER’S PRICE (f)
Strout, Anton: DEAD TO ME (c, f)
Sussman, Paul: LAST SECRET OF THE TEMPLE, THE (f)
Tan, Shaun: THE ARRIVAL (gn)
Vaughn, Carrie (c f): KITTY & THE MIDNIGHT HOUR; KITTY & THE SILVER BULLET; KITTY GOES TO WASHINGTON; KITTY ON HOLIDAY
Ward, J. R.: COVET (f)
Williams, Liz: SNAKE AGENT (sf)
Willingham, Bill (writer) & Buckingham, Mark (ill.): FABLES 11: WAR AND PIECES (gn, f)

Happy reading, everyone!

grrm @ 2:31pm: Happy New Year
2010. Who would believe it? We're in another Arthur C. Clarke novel.

Here's hoping all of you have a great year.

crisper @ 10:27am: Chromagical
The six colors of the rainbow had been arguing for some time about who was best. When it looked like it was going to come to blows, they decided to consult the Leprechaun and let him judge. The Leprechaun agreed to take it on, once he'd been roused from his stupor and sobered up a bit. Designating his pot of gold as "the lectern", he instructed each color to make its case.

Red stomped up to the lectern. "Look at me! I'm badass!" it huffed and puffed. "I'm the color of rage! Of power! I get things done! Just look at the size of my wavelength!" The Leprechaun agreed that Red was very big and strong and whatever.

Orange glided up to the lectern a little tentatively. "I think I'm pretty good," it announced. "I mean, you see me in fire. On flowers. Other places. Oh yeah, and there's a piece of fruit named just after me! And no other words in English rhyme with me! How many of you can claim that?" The Leprechaun noted that Orange was special.

Yellow bounded up to the lectern with a big smile. "See how bright I am?" it beamed. "I'm the color of happiness. Of joy. I cast light upon everything else! Look how much of me is coming from the Sun!" The Leprechaun had to admit that Yellow was, indeed, very cheerful and fun.

Green strode up to the lectern with a shrug. "What can I say?" it smirked. "I'm everywhere. Leaves. Money. Hey, what color is that you're wearing yourself? Say no more." The Leprechaun hastily pointed out that his own personal color preferences were not going to influence the case.

Blue marched up to the lectern in a no-nonsense fashion. "What do you see when you look up?" he stated. "The sky. Our very own rainbow is surrounded on all sides by me. Thank you for your time." The Leprechaun said he appreciated Blue's concise approach.

Purple slinked up to the lectern. "Check me out," she purred. "I carry the blood of queens in me. I'm so sexy. I'm not even Purple anymore. You can call me... Violet!" The Leprechaun definitely seemed impressed with Purple's new name and attitude.

The colors then all eagerly awaited the Leprechaun's decision. He furrowed his brow and checked his notes and then he looked up and said, "What about you, there?" And he pointed in their midst.

The six colors all looked around, baffled, for a moment until they suddenly realized that - squeezed in between Blue and Violet - there was a seventh color! Chaos erupted as all the colors began talking at once: "Who are you? Where did you come from? Are you a darker blue? Are you a deeper purple? How long have you been there?"

"Call me... Indigo!" it whispered threateningly. "You ignorant, self-centered fools! Soon enough, I shall strike!" Then, with a twist, it was suddenly gone again, no longer distinguishable from either Blue or Violet.

This so unnerved the other colors that they immediately ceased their internecine arguing, formed a joint defense alliance with the Leprechaun as Dictator For Life, and immediately began arming themselves for a seemingly certain future confrontation with this potential enemy in their very midst.

And that, children, is why the rainbow is the most dangerous, repressive, heavily-militarized zone in the electromagnetic spectrum.

------
For consideration: and you must never, ever chase it

eviltemptress69, posting in jokes @ 3:18am: Perhaps the first joke posted of 2010!
Fresh from my shower, I stand in front of the mirror complaining to my
husband that my breasts are too small. Instead of characteristically
telling me it's not so, he uncharacteristically comes up with a suggestion.

"If you want your breasts to grow, then every day take a piece of
toilet paper and rub it between them for a few seconds."

Willing to try anything, I fetch a piece of toilet paper and stand in
front of the mirror, rubbing it between my breasts. "How long will
this take?" I asked.

"They will grow larger over a period of years," my husband replies.

I stopped. "Do you really think rubbing a piece of toilet paper
between my breasts every day will make my breasts larger over the years?"
Without missing a beat he says "Worked for your butt, didn't it?"

He's still alive, and with a great deal of therapy, he may even walk
again, although he will probably continue to take his meals through a straw.

Stupid, stupid man.

auryn24 @ 6:28pm: Ringing in the new year at work...

Complete with a bright, full moon. Yuck!

tammypierce @ 3:06pm: 2009 books -- Young Adult/Teen and Young Reader/Tween
Yep, it's that time of year again, and for once I actually have the list done in time for New Year's Eve! I'm going to do it in two sections, adult and YA/YR, so nobody goes blind. What can I say? I read a lot when I'm sick, on tour, goofing off . . . ;-)

Now to see if the formatting carries over . . .

eta: Suzanne Collins's CATCHING FIRE--I can't believe I forgot to put it on!/eta

abbreviations
YA = Young Adult/Teen
YR = Young Reader/Intermediate/Tween
2nd read = the second time I’ve read it
collection = all stories by one author
syn. = synonym
alt hi = alternate history
anthology = stories/articles by different authors
b = boy hero, of interest to boys
c = current
ed(s). = editor(s)
f = fantasy
gn = graphic novel
h = horror
hi = historical
nf = nonfiction
sf = science fiction
v = novel in verse


Mainstream YA

Anderson, Laurie Halse: CHAINS (hi); SPEAK (2nd read)(c); WINTERGIRLS (c/f?)

Bauer, Marion Dane: AM I BLUE? (anthology, 2nd read)

Black, Holly & Casteucci, Cecil, eds.: GEEKSTASTIC (anthology)

Brown, Jennifer: HATE LIST (c)

Carvell, Marlene: CAUGHT BETWEEN THE PAGES (b); WHO WILL TELL MY BROTHER? (b)(v)

Garden, Nancy: ENDGAME (c) (2nd read)

Giles, Gail: RIGHT BEHIND YOU (c)

Hiaasen, Carl: SCAT (b) (c)

Hopkins, Lee Bennett: AMERICA AT WAR (poetry collection)

Rinaldi, Ann: GIRL IN BLUE (hi)

Shaw, Susan: ONE OF THE SURVIVORS (b?) (c)

Vaught, Susan: BIG FAT MANIFESTO (c); TRIGGER (c)

Watson, Carrie Gordon: QUAD (b) (c)

Wittlinger, Ellen: PARROTFISH (2nd read) (c)


Fantasy/SF—ya

Anderson, Jodi Lynn: MAY BIRD: AMONG THE STARS Book Two (f) YR

Breathed, Berkeley: FLAWED DOGS (picture book)

Briceland, V.: GLASS MAKER’S DAUGHTER, THE (f)

Bull, Emma: FINDER (f)

Cammuso, Frank (gn): KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE: The Dodgeball Chronicles 1 (b, f, c)

Cashore, Kristin: FIRE (f)

Chima, Cinda Williams: THE DEMON KING (f)(b)

Clare, Cassandra: CITY OF GLASS (f)

Cohen, Barbara & Lovejoy, Barhija: SEVEN DAUGHTERS AND SEVEN SONS (2nd read) (f)

Collins, Suzanne: CATCHING FIRE (sf)

Durst, Sarah Beth: ICE (f)

Fisher, Catherine: CORBENIC (b) (f)

Fletcher, Charlie: SILVERTONGUE (b) (f)

Gibson, Marley: GHOSTHUNTRESS 1: THE AWAKENING; GHOSTHUNTRESS 2: THE GUIDANCE

Haddix, Margaret Peterson: FOUND (b)

Holm, Jennifer & Holm, Matthew: BABYMOUSE: OUR HERO (gn, younger readers)

Jinks, Catherine: GENIUS SQUAD (2nd of series) (b) (sf)

Kaye, Marilyn: BETTER LATE THAN NEVER (psychic); OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND (psychic)

Kimmel, Elizabeth Cody: SUDDENLY SUPERNATURAL

LaFevers, R. L.: FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX (b) (younger)

Lanagan, Margot: BLACK JUICE (collection) (f)

Law, Ingrid: SAVVY (YR) (f)

Mantchev, Lisa: EYES LIKE STARS (f)

Mitchell, Saundra: SHADOWED SUMMER (ghost)

Osterlund, Anne: ACADEMY 7 (sf)

Peterfreund, Diana: RAMPANT (f)

Prineas, Sarah: MAGIC THIEF, THE (b); LOST (Magic Thief 2) (b)

Rutkoski, Marie: CABINET OF WONDERS, THE (f)

Sherman, Delia: MAGIC MIRROR OF THE MERMAID QUEEN, THE (c, f)

Simner, Janni Lee: BONES OF FAERIE (f)

Smith, Cynthia Leitich: ETERNAL (f)

Snyder, Maria: POISON STUDY (f)

Staub, Wendi Corsi: AWAKENING (psychic); BELIEVING (psychic)

Stead, Rebecca: WHEN YOU REACH ME (sf)

Stiefvater, Maggie: BALLAD (c, f); SHIVER (c, f)

Summers, Gillian: INTO THE WILDE WOOD (c, f); SECRET OF THE DREAD FOREST, THE (c, f); TREE SHEPHERD’S DAUGHTER, THE (c, f)

Turner, Megan Whelan: KING OF ATTOLIA, THE (b, f)

Ward, David: ESCAPE THE MASK (b, f) YR

Wasserman, Robin: CRASHED (sf)

Webb, Holly: DOGMAGIC (f) YR

Wilson, N. D.: 100 CUPBOARDS (f); DANDELION FIRE (f) (b, YR)

Wrede, Patricia: THIRTEENTH CHILD (hi f)

Zahn, Timothy: DRAGON AND THIEF (b, sf)

Zink, Michelle: PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS (f)




Some really good books and writers here!

eviltemptress69, posting in jokes @ 4:18am: John the farmer was in the fertilized egg business. He had several hundred young layers (hens), called 'pullets', and ten roosters, whose job it was to fertilize the eggs.

The farmer kept records and any rooster that didn't perform went into the soup pot and was replaced. That took an awful lot of his time, so he bought a set of tiny bells and attached them to his roosters. Each bell had a different tone so John could tell from a distance, which rooster was performing. Now he could sit on the porch and fill out an efficiency report simply by listening to the bells.

The farmer's favorite rooster was old Al, a very fine specimen he was too, but on this particular morning John noticed old Al's bell hadn't rung at all! John went to investigate. The other roosters were chasing pullets, bells-a-ringing. The pullets, hearing the roosters coming, would run for cover.

But to Farmer John's amazement, old Al had his bell in his beak, so it couldn't ring. He'd sneak up on a pullet, do his job and walk on to the next one. John was so proud of old Al , he entered him in the Renfrew County Fair and he became an overnight sensation among the judges.

The result...The judges not only awarded old Al the No Bell Piece Prize but they awarded him the Pulletsurprise as well. Clearly old Al was a politician in the making: who else but a politician could figure out how to win two of the most highly coveted awards on our planet by being the best at sneaking up on the populace and screwing them when they weren't paying attention.

dungeoneer @ 7:30pm: Today's Twitteration

• 07:16 The name generators will need an overhaul. Must expand each bank of names by 50% for a start... #

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