Month: December 2012

Sunday Song: Worlds End in Whispers

Dana Hunter1 Comment

Earlier this week, I was rather afraid the Mayans were right. My homicidal felid was sweet and playful and wanted attention without engaging in attempted murder, and she remained this way all day. Fortunately, she returned to her ordinary self that evening, and so disaster was averted.

But there was a time when I thought the world may end in a meow with a trill in it. Why she was making this noise, I don’t know, because my cat does not normally produce trilling little meows. Makes you wonder what the end of the world does sound like. Continue reading “Sunday Song: Worlds End in Whispers” →

Sunday Song: Worlds End in Whispers
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New Design

Dana Hunter20 Comments

Love it? Hate it? Issues with it? Let me know and I will bend the ears of the PtB on FtB.

I can tell you the first thing I’m rattling cages about is this bloody sans serif font. Otherwise, it’s just a matter of getting used to the new look. At least so far. I mean, the Amazon Silk browser doesn’t seem to utterly despise it yet, and Silk’s a whinger, so hopefully it will work out…

New Design

Serious Sled Dog Research In the Offing, Here

Dana Hunter10 Comments

Whenever the weather’s cold, Starspider recoils a bit, draws her wool greatcoat tight round her, and exclaims, “It’s colder than a sled dog’s arsehole out here!” It doesn’t seem to matter what the actual temperature is – this starts when the weather dips below 60°F in September and continues until late spring.

One days, I finally asked her, “How cold is a sled dog’s arsehole?” Continue reading “Serious Sled Dog Research In the Offing, Here” →

Serious Sled Dog Research In the Offing, Here

Friday Freethought: “The Church Also Had Its Geology”

Dana Hunter5 Comments

Robert Ingersoll would not have been surprised by Pat Robertson’s acceptance of science when it comes to the age of the earth. He lived during a time when science was advancing with extraordinary leaps and bounds. Lyell and his geologists were figuring out how the Earth worked; Darwin and Wallace with evolution by natural selection had discovered how you get design without the designer. Unanswerable questions were being answered. And churches, once sole arbiters of The Truth™, were finding themselves forced to be accommodating. Science had to be shoehorned in somehow, if they didn’t want to perfect the art of shoving their fingers in their earholes and screaming, “LA LA-LA LA-LA NOT LISTENING.”

Ken Ham woulda howled.

Of course, trying to have their cake and eat it too makes churches look ridiculous, only not as ridiculous as shunning reality altogether… Continue reading “Friday Freethought: “The Church Also Had Its Geology”” →

Friday Freethought: “The Church Also Had Its Geology”

Friday Freethought: "The Church Also Had Its Geology"

Dana Hunter5 Comments

Robert Ingersoll would not have been surprised by Pat Robertson’s acceptance of science when it comes to the age of the earth. He lived during a time when science was advancing with extraordinary leaps and bounds. Lyell and his geologists were figuring out how the Earth worked; Darwin and Wallace with evolution by natural selection had discovered how you get design without the designer. Unanswerable questions were being answered. And churches, once sole arbiters of The Truth™, were finding themselves forced to be accommodating. Science had to be shoehorned in somehow, if they didn’t want to perfect the art of shoving their fingers in their earholes and screaming, “LA LA-LA LA-LA NOT LISTENING.”

Ken Ham woulda howled.

Of course, trying to have their cake and eat it too makes churches look ridiculous, only not as ridiculous as shunning reality altogether… Continue reading “Friday Freethought: "The Church Also Had Its Geology"” →

Friday Freethought: "The Church Also Had Its Geology"

New at Rosetta Stones: Fear and Fascination

Dana Hunter2 Comments

Hey, look at all the pretty volcanoes! They’re totally going to keep you from noticing that I still haven’t written the next installment of The Cataclysm, right?

No?

Crap in a hat.

Ah, well, enjoy the volcanoes anyway. Here’s a bonus Sunset Crater that didn’t make it into the post.

Sunset Crater, Arizona
Sunset Crater, Arizona
New at Rosetta Stones: Fear and Fascination

Ode to a Caboose, the Reprise: The Story of the Iron Goat Trail Caboose

Dana Hunter3 Comments

My intrepid companion (otherwise known as Cujo359) wrote a wonderful post on the Iron Goat Trail caboose. If you want to know its history, and see a lot of detailed pictures showing how various bits of a caboose work, head on over there. Hell, go even if you aren’t that interested – you might be surprised how quickly you get sucked in.

Iron Goat Trail Caboose. Image courtesy Cujo359.
Iron Goat Trail Caboose. Image courtesy Cujo359.

The comments system here hates Cujo, so he sent me a reply directly to nedchamplain’s question on the original post: “those are real metal tracks.” Indeed. And you can see photos of them putting the caboose in here. Which is awesome. There’s an excellent shot of the tracks, for them as is interested.

Cujo just got a fantastic new camera, by the way. I’m going to be dragging him all over the northwest and possibly other places next summer, and between us, I think we’ll manage some shots that’ll blow you away. If you wish to suggest places you’d like to see us visit, you may do so in comments, and we will take them into consideration. Also, for those who are interested, I’ll plan a few trips where cantina patrons can join. Feel free to leave suggestions for places you’d like to go with us!

Ode to a Caboose, the Reprise: The Story of the Iron Goat Trail Caboose

Tell Me Again About Our Post-Racial Society

Dana Hunter3 Comments

Actually, tell it to Ashley Miller’s dad, who disowned her for dating outside her race. He apparently didn’t get the memo about racism being a thing of the past. A scene with two lovers holding hands in which there is some contrast in skin tone is, to him, so intolerable that he must cut his daughter out of his life. Of course, he’s a coward as well as a racist, so he made his wife tell his daughter that he is willing to give her up over the skin color of her beau.

Lovers holding hands. Image courtesy Tanjila Ahmed.
Lovers holding hands. Image courtesy Tanjila Ahmed.

Racism is still a reality. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s not. Don’t tell yourself that lie.

I hope Ashley’s father has a photo like this one.

Parent and child. Image courtesy Steve Baty.
Parent and child. Image courtesy Steve Baty.

I hope it makes him weep. I hope it will make him think, and I hope it will eventually make him come to some different conclusions.

Tell Me Again About Our Post-Racial Society