sundries

[rm]

Okay people, I want updates -- Eleven in New York; GDL in Australia. Talk to me.

Hey, US people -- tax day! Luckily, I did mine last week, since I imagine a UK postmark would say "AUDIT ME" in big letters.

Queer people in the UK may want to check out My Gay Vote to see the leading parties' records on gay issues.

Volcano ash from Iceland is disrupting flights in the UK and it's expected to get worse. Um, eek? What is it with me and travel? ETA: All flights halted in and out of Heathrow. ETA2: This also explains the rotten egg smell by the British Museum the other day. ETA3: UK airspace closed until at least 7am tomorrow.

Tea Party supporters might not quite be who you think. A poll finds they tend to be wealthier and more educated than the general public. On the less surprising hand, they tend to be Republican, white, male, married and more likely to describe themselves as "angry."

Aaaaaaargh, Governors Island, aaaaaaargh. I know land is too valuable in NYC for it to be left as is, but still.

The girl who didn't get to go to her prom because she wanted to bring a female date and wear a tux, and then got excluded from the prom held by parents because she was sent to a fake prom, will be the Grand Marshall at this year's NYC Pride Parade.

Meanwhile, a burnt rainbow flag has been found at the New York LGBT Community Center. This is being treated as a hate crime.

It's referral time on Associated Content again. AC is a website I've been writing articles on and off for for years. It's not a scam, but it woks best if you're fast and are used to writing for the Internet (high keyword density), but I've made thousands of dollars from them. And now they are giving away iPads. Basically, if you follow my referral link and join AC and then publish one piece of content, I get an entry into the iPad drawing and so do you. So! If you're interested: http://www.associatedcontent.com/join.html?refer=9740

We finished season 4 of Buffy last night. Overall, I thought it all worked better in concept than in execution, but I suppose I'm used to that (*cough* Torchwood *cough* Doctor Who *cough*). I thought it was risky to make the final episode about the themes of the season as opposed to the action of the season and I was uncomfortable with some of the aspects of the whole "first Slayer" thing, which on one hand was THE BEST CONCEPT EVER, but dark-skinned, mute, violent, primitive woman? Sort of sketchy. Tara wearing Indian clothes and personifying death? Sort of sketchy and inexplicable. On the other hand? CHEESE MAN.

We're not done with Angel yet, but I need to mention Wesley reading him the riot act about his value and worth after all that fuckery goes down with Gunn & co was immensely powerful. It's a labor, but a necessary one, for me not to identify with Wesley. I'm well enough in touch with my self-hatred on my own; I don't need to let that in, no matter how awesome he is lending his ferocity to other people's power. Also, again, RTD borrowed so much shit from this show and I'm pretty sure he's an Angel/Wesley shipper and it's just ALL SO SAD.

Also, Wolfram & Hart CREEPS THE FUCK OUT OF ME.

Comments

Torchwood/Cardiff

[gummitch.livejournal.com]

Call for papers: http://fjm.livejournal.com/931764.html

Re: Torchwood/Cardiff

[rm.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, I know, but there's no way I can justify a fourth trip to the UK this year. Tragic it is!

Re: Torchwood/Cardiff

[fmanalyst.livejournal.com]

That's the one I'm hoping to get the money to go to.

[itcamefromjapan.livejournal.com]

I was uncomfortable with some of the aspects of the whole "first Slayer" thing, which on one hand WAS THE BEST CONCEPT EVER, but dark-skinned, mute, violent, primitive woman? Sort of sketchy. Tara wearing Indian clothes and personifying death? Sort of sketchy and inexplicable.
I love that episode, but oh god, THIS.

[rm.livejournal.com]

The thing is, I can see the argument for "there's no way the first Slayer was white," and think that makes sense, but still NOT COOL. And that whole thing with the Indian clothes? Maybe it's just because my writing partner is Bengali and named Kali but I was like "WTFBBQ... no....."

UK weather

[siege-ofcahoots.livejournal.com]

I was flying out of Heathrow last year right as they got the start of TEH SNOW. We sat on the runway forever and I seriously laughed at the flakes. I'm from New England; we don't notice until it's close to a foot.

The funniest part was that the day before a local friend told us that the UK never gets snow, and that Dicken's London was basically an aberration.

And then the entire country shut down.

Re: UK weather

[siege-ofcahoots.livejournal.com]

EEK - volcanic ash is a bad thing for jet engines. And I guess I won't be going there tomorrow.

Re: UK weather

[gummitch.livejournal.com]

Not to mention how we were running out of salt despite the fact we're surrounded by the stuff!

[lonebear.livejournal.com]

On the tea party: Keith had a document on yesterday that basically proved that the *entire* tea-party movement was a republican idea.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I MISS KEITH.

[tod-hollykim.livejournal.com]

Eleven hasn't arrived in NYC yet. Not til Saturday and it's driving me crazy! I want it to be Saturday NOW!

Yay on the parade grand marshal. I haven't been in a long while, maybe I'll make it this year.

Boo on the flag burning. I've been tot he center- they have hosting pagan circles before. It's a neat building in a nice neighborhood.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Yes he has. Matt Smith was at an event in NYC last night that people were emailing me from. (Apparently someone asked the new companion if she's a chubby chaser?!?)

[elisi]

We finished season 4 of Buffy last night. Overall, I thought it all worked better in concept than in execution, but I suppose I'm used to that (*cough* Torchwood *cough* Doctor Who *cough*).
Being a Buffy fan helped *enormously* when I started watching DW/TW. :)

I thought it was risky to make the final episode about the themes of the season
Really it's about the themes of the show, the arcs of the characters, the metaphors that are always there under the surface... Restless is one of those episodes that you can keep coming back to, finding something different every time. (And because it's so surreal, any and every interpretation is valid!) Yes to the First Slayer (although there's an awesome fic out there, which delves into her life and how she became what she is, and gives her a name and a voice), but mostly - CHEESE MAN!

and it's just ALL SO SAD.
But S1 is the happy season!

Also, Wolfram & Hart CREEPS THE FUCK OUT OF ME.
Oooooh yes. *adores W&H*

Eleven in New York; GDL in Australia. Talk to me.
doctoreleven is probably the best place. (Although you might want to just follow the Matt Smith tag to avoid extraneous stuff.

[lefaym.livejournal.com]

I'm off to Melbourne tomorrow; I'm hoping to get internet in the motel room (depends how expensive it is), but I'll probably update on twitter via my phone regardless.

I think I have a question to ask GDL at one of the panels all planned out (if I get the opportunity) -- hopefully it's not something he's been asked too many times before.

CHEESE MAN.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I know. I just watched the head of the Plaid Cymru complain that they weren't invited and the newscasters explain that in America debates look like things that happen in movies.

[editrx.livejournal.com]

Signed up for AC - how did I not know this existed? Lord, I've had my head in a basket for the last year. I need more ideas like this! Thank you!

The "keyword density" is intriguing, and while I've written a lot for BYTE and of course a lot of other pubs, I think our density and targeted audience was a bit different, as they were coming directly to our columns expecting a particular voice, etc.. Targeted differently. Any tips? This may be a great way for me to break into some petty cash, at least. I hope. (fingers crossed for you for that iPad, too!)

[rm.livejournal.com]

It is a GREAT way to break into some petty cash. After you write stuff them them for a while, they start sending you offers from their partners which are usually like $25 a pop. Never take more than 20 minutes to write anything, really, as it's not worth it.

Product reviews and health articles tend to get the biggest upfront offers (not that much usually $3-5 at first, mine average $6 - $10) and then generate the best ongoing revenue. If I'm being REALLY focused I can make about $20 - $30 / hour on the site (and that's not including the good, higher paying assignments).

Articles are accepted within 2 weeks and you get paid by paypal a few days later, so it can help in a crunch.

[nekosensei.livejournal.com]

Hey! Have you heard about the Vatican's most recent screw up? This one comes from the pope's top aide, and it's a doozy.

Here's another link.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I have, but I'm like "the Vatican is anti-gay" so while all this is galling, it's not really news.

[alterjess.livejournal.com]

Every time I think S4 wasn't all that great, I remember that it ended with Restless.

(And of course there was also Hush and Something Blue, but the Initiative was such a pathetic Big Bad after we'd just had Angelus and the Mayor.)

[rm.livejournal.com]

I feel like s$ tried to be very experimental and as such, had predictable results. The ambiguities of the Initiative had a lot of promise, but the execution is not where I would have gone. But then, in my head this is a MUCH darker show.

[98.livejournal.com]

I hope this is not spoilery but, regarding the apparent less-than-humanity of the first slayer, I think the last season had an episode that provided some explanation. I do not know if that explanation was already part of the concept at first slayer's first appearance or invented after it became known that viewers were reacting as uncomfortably as you did.

[laughingacademy.livejournal.com]

The screening last night was fantastic. Gorgeous theater, largely well-behaved crowd.

Matt Smith and Karen Gillan both really are that tall and lanky in person.

During the Q&A Matt Smith kept getting handed things from the crowd to pose with: a sonic screwdriver, a Four Scarf, and The Hat (from that redhead who cosplays Jack and has previously loaned the hat to Tony Lee, Russell Tovey, and others).

At one point a guy asked if the TARDIS would ever get a working Chameleon Circuit and was roundly booed; Matt agreed that it would be a terrible idea (after briefly explaining what the CC was to his family in the audience).

Yes, the last questioner from the crowd, a large gentleman, told Karen, "Please say you're a chubby-chaser."

Steven Moffat said that so far, no one has guessed the big twist of the season.

[laughingacademy.livejournal.com]

Yikes, the illustration for that article on Governors Island is terrible.

Did you see this piece about the landscaping in the arts section? By the end I was intrigued and cautiously optimistic.

[sunday-best.livejournal.com]

I signed up under your referral link for Associated Content. :)

[heron61.livejournal.com]

I was uncomfortable with some of the aspects of the whole "first Slayer" thing, which on one hand was THE BEST CONCEPT EVER, but dark-skinned, mute, violent, primitive woman? Sort of sketchy.

*nods* - Whedon is very good at many things, but dealing with anything remotely associated with race is not one of them. OTOH, I also loved Cheese Man.

[paulshandy.livejournal.com]

In Whedon's defense, he knows he is shakey on race issues, but doesn't consider that an excuse to ignore race. So hey, he's trying.

[kel-reiley.livejournal.com]

the thing about buffy is that all those things in s3 & 4 will come up again later on in various ways that you don't expect - it's sort of brilliant in that way

[chaos-by-design.livejournal.com]

I thought Restless was a brilliant episode, but I think it's also pretty polarizing. I'm pretty sure I've run into people who've absolutely hated it.

I see what you mean about the First Slayer, though it didn't bother me that way when I watched it, probably because I can admitted be pretty dense about racial issues sometimes. What she always represented to me though is actually the complete creepiness of the organization that made her, and this view is heavily influenced by things that come up later on.

[kiji-kat.livejournal.com]

Could you tell me a little more about Associated Content? I do some work for Demand Studios, but their "wanted" articles are a little (ok, way out) of my realm. It's mostly technical stuff, and I'm not a technical writer.

Does AC assign content, or do you pitch topics? How about with Examiner.com?

[rm.livejournal.com]

You don't pitch on AC, you just write about whatever you want. THey also have calls for specific content, that are either general (and not well-paying, so ignore) or targeted to you based on previous stories you've written.

On the bandwagon indeed!

[ekatarina.livejournal.com]

Signed up on AC for you. I've been thinking about for ages and now that they actually pay us foreigners it's worth a try.

Would you be able to take a moment and look over some stories of mine from time to time? I know you are mad busy so I understand if you can't.

Ekatarina

Re: On the bandwagon indeed!

[rm.livejournal.com]

Sure, once I'm back home, which seems sort of a big question of WHEN right now.

[sanat.livejournal.com]

Okay, signed up for AC too. I have enough random stores of knowledge that something's bound to come up...