Tuesday open thread, until the Khan steps on it.

It’s yours….

Standard FYI clause: I generally wait about 2 hours after Ta-Nehisi would typically open a thread (roughly noon, EST, back when such a thing was typical…!), and if none is forthcoming, I put one up here.

by emilylhauser on December 4, 2012 • Permalink

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by emilylhauser on December 4, 2012

https://emilylhauserinmyhead.wordpress.com/2012/12/04/tuesday-open-thread-until-the-khan-step-on-it/

51 Comments

Captain_Button
/ December 4, 2012

Well, crushing mighty empires beneath his sandaled feet was Conan’s bit. Pedantically it would be the Khan’s horse that would trample that which opposes him.

(Today in Emily-baiting.)
- emilylhauser
  / December 4, 2012
  
  I don’t know. Genghis Khan was reported to have emerged from his mother’s womb clutching a clot of blood. That speaks to a certain hands/feet-on approach.
Captain_Button
/ December 4, 2012

My brain is a pretzel from trying to get the new cover sheet for the TPS report right.

(Not actually what I am doing, but it is so arcane that no one outside my organization would understand what I am talking about.)
- emilylhauser
  / December 4, 2012
  
  (And presumably, it’s turning your brain into a pretzel anyway).
anibundel
/ December 4, 2012

Tunes for Tuesday is Beats Antique.
the other stuff is Hobbit and Voice related.

http://anibundel.wordpress.com/
Jordan Devereaux
/ December 4, 2012

I posted a follow-up to Sunday’s post. The second fino sherry cask whisky I tried over the Thanksgiving weekend was a rather nice 14 year old cask-strength dram from Springbank. Much better balance than the Bruichladdich and just plain tasty.

http://cocktailchem.blogspot.com/2012/12/whisky-review-springbank-14-year-old.html
Nora Munro
/ December 4, 2012

So I’d like to beat someone at work viciously with a rubber sandal but given that I’m still at work I should probably leave it at that.

I was doing really well today, too. Now I have many large feelings and want to eat all of them.
- caoil
  / December 4, 2012
  
  Ahhh, emotional eating. As a High Priestess in that temple, I understand. Could you trick the feelings by eating something more on the vegetable side?
  - Nora Munro
    / December 4, 2012
    
    Sadly, my access to vegetables is limited at the moment. One might, if one were prone to using impersonal third-person singular pronouns, note the irony in that fact when one considers my employer.
anibundel
/ December 4, 2012

I just want to say what a beautiful day in May we’re having. Global warming’s just the best!
- Jordan Devereaux
  / December 4, 2012
  
  It is, coincidentally, rather May-ish around here as well. Though that means mid-50s and raining.
  - watson42
    / December 4, 2012
    
    Funny, it’s 50 and raining here in Cambridge, MA. Makes me want to curl up on my couch with a book.
    - Jordan Devereaux
      / December 4, 2012
      
      Rain is actually pretty good at motivating me to go into the lab to get work done.
- Lizzou
  / December 4, 2012
  
  It’s f-ing freezing I am! *grumble grumble*
- aaron singer
  / December 4, 2012
  
  It was 70 in Chicago yesterday. On December 3. That just ain’t right.
  - emilylhauser
    / December 4, 2012
    
    As someone said to me yesterday, “It’s disturbingly pleasant.”
- wearyvoter
  / December 4, 2012
  
  It needs to do this in mid-February to make my air travel plans more convenient. Other note: The grass around here is greener now than it was in July.
caoil
/ December 4, 2012

I ask you, why is it so difficult to wring an answer out of people (as to whether they wish to attend an event or not)? I still have 30+ people on the invitation list for the movie next week who have not said a) yes; b) maybe; or c) no. Nada. Zip. Silence. Why not at least say ‘maybe’?
- Bookwoman
  / December 4, 2012
  
  This is a scourge of our times. As my mother used to say, these people have not been brought up comme il faut.
  - caoil
    / December 4, 2012
    
    I tell you, when I am bestowed with wishes by my fairy godmother, I’m going to wish for politeness from everyone on this little blue-green sphere. I’m not asking folks to provide a dissertation on their reasons for going/not going, I just want a single-click response!
- emilylhauser
  / December 4, 2012
  
  I have no idea. It drives me potty. My sympathies (and hearty wishes that I could come along!).
  - caoil
    / December 4, 2012
    
    You will be with me in spirit! (especially if you consider yourself on the hobbity end of the spectrum)
    - emilylhauser
      / December 4, 2012
      
      (I have very wide feet. I think I’ve answered your question).
      - caoil
        / December 4, 2012
        
        *two hobbity thumbs up*
        I promise to put up pictures when costumes are done, though they may be on fb – I’ll link it for you when they’re up.
- efgoldman
  / December 4, 2012
  
  Wait’ll you send invitations for a wedding or some other formal-ish event where you’re paying stupid money per guest.
  - efgoldman
    / December 4, 2012
    
    even = event
    Calling edit!
    Edit to line 1!
    - emilylhauser
      / December 4, 2012
      
      FIXT.
  - caoil
    / December 4, 2012
    
    See, I’d be one of those completely ruthless people who would have an RSVP cut-off date, and anyone who said boo after it would not be getting in. Can’t be polite enough to reply on time? I can’t be polite and conciliatory and let you in anyway.
    
    Maybe it’s a good thing I never wanted a wedding.
    - efgoldman
      / December 4, 2012
      
      Maybe it’s a good thing I never wanted a wedding.
      Bar mitvah, 50th anniversary, 75th birthday, whatever.
  - wearyvoter
    / December 4, 2012
    
    Re: wedding RSVPs: Tell me about it. We wound up with 10 yeses that didn’t show for one reason or another, so we told the nice people who catered our daughter’s wedding buffet that their staff could have at the leftovers, since we’d paid for the food anyway.
Captain_Button
/ December 4, 2012

Planned Parenthood in GA is looking for a Legislative Coordinator according to the email they sent me. (Because I have given them money and am on their mailing list.) Can forward if anyone is interested.
Paul Wartenberg
/ December 4, 2012

Thinking of designing a Io Saturnalia wallpaper for desktop screens… but what should the primary colors be?
- watson42
  / December 4, 2012
  
  I saw your question re submitting resumes in person yesterday but didn’t have a chance to reply so here’s my .02 USD.
  
  What I’m told is that submitting to HR in person is more or less futile unless one has serious qualification AND serious charm. However, you could contact some people in the organizations you’re interested in ahead of time, saying something along the lines of “I will be in the DC/Maryland area on and am interested in .” and ask for 15-30 minutes of their time/offer to buy them a coffee to discuss and set up a meeting.
  
  Even if you strike out, if nothing else they might be able to point you to other places to try. The rule of thumb, however, is that you’ll get one reasonably serious offer for every 50-100 contacts you make this way. Which is still *way* over the submit online method of job hunting.
  I admit to having mixed results with this method, but in comparing notes to other fellow-unemployed, a lot of that has to do with the fact that I’m brown (which apparently equals not American, no matter what my long-form birth certificate says) and female. Also, I’m fairly introverted so it took a little time to get this down. Still, I got quite a few good leads and some good information about my field and some career alternatives this way, all of which has helped me.
  - watson42
    / December 4, 2012
    
    oops, I did something weird and parts of my reply are gone. It should have said, “I will be in the DC/Maryland area on [dates] and am interested in discussing [characteristic, program, strategy, etc of the organization]”…..
  - Paul Wartenberg
    / December 5, 2012
    
    Thanks for the reply. My problem is, with my resume it’s difficult to find which private companies I can approach if I do this. Ergo, why I’m asking about Job Fairs in Maryland. Is there a list of them by the by?
Gonzai55
/ December 4, 2012

I know full well what I’m getting for Christmas this year, for good or ill.

What is not clear is what I will be getting for what I’m getting for Christmas. That is to say, I’m getting a Kindle Fire HD, and I’ve never owned any type of smartphone or tablet, so I’m working on what exactly to get for it, on a budget. I think I have all the appropriate hardware/accessories (case is also coming for Christmas; I have styli, charger, charger cord, hdmi cord, and screen protectors).

But I don’t know from apps, and there’s only so much memory/money to work with. Suggestions? Esp. in the realms of maps, weather, language learning/translation, notepad/to do list and radio.
- Tenar Darell
  / December 4, 2012
  
  Amazon Prime membership, if you don’t already have one and no one is buying it for you? Accidental breakage protection plan, if you’re keeping it and you drop things or have pets and tile floors?
  
  As for apps, angry Birds because it’s a good way to get rid of excess rage by knocking over virtual things. Evernote is my favorite list/notepad/grab bag app, because you can install on home computer too, but I only use free version which requires Internet connection to work, IIRC. Google maps now allows offline use, get it. I like NECN and Weather Underground for weather. Actually play with all google apps, they’re usually worthy try.
Gonzai55
/ December 4, 2012

And you’ve been stomped.
- Nora Munro
  / December 4, 2012
  
  No one stomps it like the Khan stomps it.
efgoldman
/ December 4, 2012

….until the Khan steps on it.
Which he did at exactly 2:57 pm.
Would his exalted self answer you if you communicated with him?
- emilylhauser
  / December 4, 2012
  
  I don’t know, to be honest! I thought about it the other day, but I really don’t know if he wants to be negotiating open threads and the opening of same with anyone other than himself and his clock. And I also realized that some of our folks wouldn’t get to chat at all if I didn’t open something, and… and… I just don’t know! To quote the girl: I’m confused!
efgoldman
/ December 4, 2012

Also please and kindly close the tag. Pretty please.
- emilylhauser
  / December 4, 2012
  
  ALSO FIXT.
caoil
/ December 4, 2012

Tonight’s plan:
Cut next batch of pants out of corduroy (using the correct pattern this time) while checking obsessively against original pair for size/shape. Serge. Watch Rick Mercer. Laugh hysterically. Serge again. Watch Mindy. Pack it in for the night.
- emilylhauser
  / December 4, 2012
  
  Did you burn all other patterns, or at least pack them in the attic, to make good and sure?
  - caoil
    / December 4, 2012
    
    No, but I think some strategical post-it notes might do the trick. If I put them in the attic (or what passes for one, it’s more of a crawl space) they’ll get all spidery.
- Nora Munro
  / December 4, 2012
  
  Fingers crossed and sewing mojo aimed in your general direction.
  - caoil
    / December 4, 2012
    
    Flatlining went reasonably well yesterday (though I had messed up on cutting some of the lining, so stitch-witchery to the rescue I think) so I am hopeful that we have passed the worst of the screw-ups.
    - emilylhauser
      / December 4, 2012
      
      (guessing that “flatlining” doesn’t mean “dying” in this context…).
      - caoil
        / December 4, 2012
        
        I have the same response every time I see it or type it. Basically it’s this: you stitch the lining directly onto the wrong side of the fancy fabric, and then treat it as one piece when you assemble/do all your seams. Different than bag-lining, which is where you assemble the fancy fabric into whatever it is, and independently assemble the lining version, and then sew them together at the neckline. I am given to understand flatlining has been around for some time, and thought it might give a better drape and support in this case.
Paul Wartenberg
/ December 4, 2012

For anyone working with Blogger (also Blogspot): does it make sense to add Google Affiliate Ads to one’s blog? Does it cost money? Does it earn money (very important question)? Is it easy to setup?