The Howling Wasteland Of Russian Spam Ghosts

Or, to use its given name, Livejournal.

So, in the last few weeks, several of my friends have actively served notice that they’re fucking off from LJ – not just spending less time there, but actively saying “bye bye, not updating, not reading here any more”.

Now, it costs me nothing to stay – all of the stuff I post on my actual proper blog is simply auto-reflected there, and as of this post, I’m also punting a notification to twitter, just in the hopes of occasionally generating conversation. Because this is what I miss about Livejournal. The actual conversation with honest to god humans. Now, I know that 90% of what I post is links, because I don’t really devote time to actual write-about-a-topic type posts these days, so I’m not exactly surprised, but still – even if people aren’t commenting on what I write, I used to be moved to comment on what other people wrote, and, generally speaking, I no longer am, because most people aren’t writing very much.

So here is what I’m wondering: how many of my former LJ chums are blogging elsewhere now, and I’m simply not reading? Basically: if you’re reading this, and blogging somewhere that isn’t LJ, this is your excuse to plug said blog in the comments, so’s I can find it and add it to my RSS reader.

And, of less importance, but by no means unimportant: if I stopped cross-posting, would anyone care? If they did, would they start following my blog via RSS, and/or commenting on said blog? Because yes, I do like to get my ego fed, and I like it when people make with the comments.

(NB: anyone who is thinking of saying they’d just use LJ to syndicate an RSS feed from my blog to LJ can, with respect, shit right off. Get a proper RSS reader, that actually directs conversation to a place where people can listen, rather than LJ’s outright content-thieving tools.)

Opinions sought, please. Comment wherever you’d like, I’m sure I’ll find you.

My Nautical Romance

My Nautical Romance, by Miranda Brennan

“Yes, I use all eight of them in my solos. No, I have no ‘adventurous hentai past’. I have a law degree. And I want it on the contract that you guys are aware that I can throttle eight of you simultaneously.”

Atlantic Records did not question Sandy further. It was a shoo-in.

If this was Tumblr, this would be one of those them there re-blogs.

Some context: the image up there is part of a series of illustrations by my inordinately awesome girlfriend, Miranda. If you click on it, you will be taken through to her tumblr, where you will see more of her work.

And now the really important bit:

These illustrations, together with others will be available for sale at New Cross Turn Left this Sunday, the 24th of July, from 1pm to 11pm. You are therefore commanded to show up, and part with your hard-earned cash in exchange for this art, and indeed, the work of many other talented people.

Failure to show up will not be tolerated. The name of the event is also directions for getting there, so you have no excuse. Go to New Cross, Turn Left.

Also, for bonus points, if you could generally link, reblog and otherwise circulate this information, so that people show up to New Cross Turn Left and buy said art, that would be lovely, thank you.

Links for Thursday July 14th 2011

  • Sleevelessness: Papercraft horse posters
    More bloody lovely work from Mr Clandillon and FOAM.
  • The World Warrior | insert credit
    Despite not being the kind of good at them this article talks about, I have a fondness for beat-em-up games. And despite being basically lazy, and certainly not up for having people try to hurt me on a regular basis, this article also makes we want to take up a martial art. If you like either computer games or martial arts, or even if you like neither, you should read this damn fine bit of writing.

Transition

Transition

Here’s a salutary little lesson for me. Snapped this on a whim the other day, ran it through the plastic bullets randomiser for 365 bullets, saw it on the iphone screen, filled it under “eh, it’ll do”, and got around to blogging it today. Thought no more of it – really hadn’t thought it was anything more than a just-about-acceptable shot – until a nice person on Tumblr reblogged it. And then I came to look at it on a decent sized screen, and realised that it was much better than it looked on the iphone screen, or at least, I liked it much more.

Seriously, folks, if you like this, click through to flickr and view it at the largest size you can.

Links for Tuesday July 12th 2011 through Wednesday July 13th 2011

  • Computer reads manual, wins Civ – Edge Magazine
    Yes is pretty much exactly what you might think. Scientists at MIT have built a computer that is capable of teaching itself to play (and win) a moderately complex computer game. I know plenty of people who can't do that.
  • An Eye-Opening Adventure in Socialized Medicine | NeuroTribes
    I don't imagine there's anyone I know reading this who doesn't think that socialised medicine is a basic human right, but just in case I do know anyone who is actually daft enough to believe that the American "system" of health care is better than a British (at least at the moment, before the current pack of jackals have finished chopping it's legs off), then I invite you to read this cheering little narrative. The rest of you should read it just because it'll make you feel good.

Links for Thursday July 7th 2011

  • The iPhone SLR Mount
    OK, I quite want this. (As I do half of photojojo's stuff.) If only it were about half the price, I'd buy it like a shot.
  • Google Ads Preferences
    If you're currently logged in to Google (or if you log in), this page will tell you what ads Google currently things it should show you based on the sites google knows you have recently visited. And if you prefer that their sinister robots *not* spy on you while you browse the web, there's a handy button to opt out.
  • A field guide to bullshit – opinion – 13 June 2011 – New Scientist
    Oi! Hippies! Read this!