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December 15th, 2009
missmurchison
 | 08:35 am - Brrr
It's 4 degrees below zero. I'm glad it's warmed up a bit. Yesterday, I had to bring in the bird feeder, scrape ice off it, and run hot water over the lid so that I could open and fill it. But it's very pretty out there, with lots of snow on the ground.
It's also nice to see Christmas decorations going up. My favorite so far is about a half mile from my house. Someone has set up store mannequins in pink prom dresses and attached gold wings as part of his display. It looks like he's filming Attack of the Freaky Paris Hilton Angels.
During the time it took to write this, the temp dropped to minus 3. I'd probably feel warmer if I got rid of the Weather Bug at the bottom of the screen.
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December 14th, 2009
yourlibrarian
 | 07:10 pm - SPN Recs: Graphics, RPS and Misc
It's not the end of the year yet, but I'm leaving town next week, so I figured I'd start posting some recs for the year this week and wrap up when I return. ( Read more... )
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December 13th, 2009
yourlibrarian
 | 05:57 pm - Television ratings suggest sci-fi fans have lives
Two interesting bits of info from Nielsen. One from last month noted that TV viewing hours are higher than ever in history, even though you wouldn't expect it from the all the constant fretting about declining network ratings. In fact "The average household watched eight hours and 21 minutes a day."
At the same time, the most time-shifted programming on TV is sci-fi heavy whereas the highest rated stuff is sports, reality programming, and the obligatory procedural. This data suggests that many sci-fi viewers (nearly half the audience for the top ten shows) have other things to do while the show is actually on.
And this isn't even counting all the people who watch it through torrents or streaming sites.
And now, a question. Does anyone use water filters in their homes that are either carafes, faucet attachments or counter top filters, and if so what do you use and are you happy with them?
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elmyraemilie
 | 07:00 pm - Good bread, easy to make
From allrecipes.com:
Kneadlessly Simple Easy Oat Bread:
5 1/2 cups unbleached all-pourpose white flour or bread flour, plus more as needed
1 1/4 cups old fashioned or quick oats (not instant oatmeal)
3 tablesppons granulated sugar
2 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon Fleischmann's RapidRise or Bread Machine yeast (I used regular Active Dry and it seemed fine)
1/4 cup honey or mild molasses
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups ice-cold water, plus more as needed
1. FIRST RISE: In a very large bowl, thoroughly mix flour, 1 cup oats, suga, salt and yeast. Stir together honey, oil and ice water in a separate bowl; add to dry ingredients and stir vigorously. If too dry, stir in just enough additional water to mix together; dough should be slightly stiff. If dough is very soft, stir in more flour to stiffen. Brush top of dough with oil (I used spray vegetable oil--works like a charm). Cover bowl with plastic wrap. For best flavor or convenience, refrigerate dough 3 to 10 hours; this is optional. Then let rise in a cool room 12 to 18 hours.
2. SECOND RISE: vigorously stir dough. If necessary, stir in enough additional flour to yield a hard-to-stir (elastic) consistency. Generously grease two 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 inch bread pans, making sure sides are greased the whole way to the top. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of oats in the bottom of each pan, shaking pan to distribute them evenly. Using oiled kitchen shears or a serrated knife, divide dough in half. Put half in each bread pan; with oiled fingers, smooth top of dough. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of oats over the top of each loaf, pressing it lightly to imbed it in the dough. Cover pans with greased plastic wrap.
3. LET RISE USING ANY OF THESE METHODS: For a 2 to 3 hour REGULAR RISE, let stand at wram room temperature; for a 45-minute to 2 hour FASTER RISE, put in a turned-off microwave with 1 cup boiling water; for SLOW RISE, refrigerate up to 24 hours, then put in a warm room. As dough nears plastic wrap, remove it; continue until dough is 1/2 inch above pan rim.
4. BAKING: Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 50-60 minutes, until tops are well browned. Cover with foil, bake 10-15 minutes more, until skewer inserted in center comes out with only a few particles on tip, or until center registers between 208 and 210 degrees. Bake five more minutes to be sure it's done. Cool 15 minutes in pan. Turn loaves onto rack to finish cooling.
5. SERVING/STORING: Best served at room temperature or toasted. Store airtight at room temperature three days; may be frozen, airtight, for up to two months.
The only faintly tricky thing with this recipe is figuring out when you want to eat the bread, then choosing the timing/rise methods to get you to that place. Very good--dense, moist brown loaf with a faint molasses flavor. I anticipate that it's going to make some kick-ass PB & J.
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iconism
[dee_groovy]
 | 08:14 am - Vintage paperback icons
Mostly gothic but some other covers as well. Resources in the resource post.
  
This way ---->
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gen_icons
[dee_groovy]
| 08:14 am - Vintage paperback icons
Mostly gothic but some other covers as well. Resources in the resource post.
This way ---->
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December 11th, 2009
elmyraemilie
 | 06:02 pm - 'Tis the season!
I will make Santa-hat icons for the first six folks who request one--two each from LJ, IJ and DW. All you have to do is comment to this post and provide me with a photo of your desired "hat-ee" to use as a base for the icon--a head and shoulders shot is about the best, but I'm open to others if you have a real favorite. Doesn't have to be a person--I've hatted birds and teddy bears in past seasons. You'll have your Santa-hat icon in time to use it this holiday season.
Merry whatever you're celebrating!
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elmyraemilie
| 07:17 am - Quirky, New York Times style
It's a droll little article from the NYT about Hannukah in Montana, among other things. ![[personal profile]](http://s.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png) sara_merry99, you know for sure that this made me think of you.
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elmyraemilie
| 12:00 am - This is a test
Daggone AVG--won't let me post to Facebook. I think. Unless Facebook is having the hiccups simultaneously with me activating the new web security thingy.
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December 10th, 2009
yourlibrarian
 | 10:41 pm - A heartwarmer for the holidays
I rarely look around YouTube, but when I stumbled over this tonight I suspected many on my cat-loving flist would want to see it as well. A lovely vid of firefighters saving (quite a few) cats from a fire.
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gen_icons
[hesadevil]
 | 09:42 am - Get yer chocolate onna stick
I bring you some hot chocolate icons. These are for anyone battling with the cold or snow, and for those of you in need of a hug inna mug.
Teaser: 
( chocolat chaud icons )
Bonus 
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iconism
[hesadevil]
 | 09:25 am - Get yer chocolate onna stick
I bring you some hot chocolate icons. These are for anyone battling with the cold or snow, and for those of you in need of a hug inna mug.
Teaser:
( chocolat chaud icons )
Bonus
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December 9th, 2009
yourlibrarian
| 05:13 pm - Media Studies 2.0
I picked up a rec for this from ![[community profile]](http://s.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png) veni_vidi_vids and have to agree that this is one of the best series vids for Queer as Folk I've yet seen. I love the way the various characters get their moments and there's a real feeling of the large ensemble that made up this cast. If you haven't seen it yet, check out Unconditional by dreamrequiem.
Wow, are we having a winter storm here. Barely any snow as of yet but I couldn't sleep this morning from the force of the wind outside rattling the building. It's even distracting me now that I'm awake, and we had to go rescue some of the balcony Christmas stuff already. I'm just really glad I don't have to go catch a bus today.
I've posted the following to sim_studies but also wanted to include it here.( Read more... )
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December 8th, 2009
elmyraemilie
| 08:08 pm - Hunh.
I remember to turn NCIS on, and it's a rerun. Boo.
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yourlibrarian
 | 04:10 pm - Icons, and Social Programming
1) ICONS! On DW: "You can now rename icon keywords and the comments that use that icon will continue to use it -- it will no longer revert to default."
One of the main reasons people need more icon space is so that their old icons don't disappear if they want to add new ones. This is a much needed, great new feature. (There are some nice new features for community maintainers too). Also, DW is running a poll asking people how many icon slots they would like to see offered in the future, so if this matters to you, go vote. Plus, there is another poll about whether you would like to be able to "retire" icons from your icon page. This means that the icons will remain attached to their old appearances in posts and comments, but you won't have them currently available for use, and thus won't have to sort through them on your icon page when you're looking through the batch of icons you currently are actively using.
Just as an aside, it's pretty nifty to have new options spring out of current discussions so quickly. There is a major personal touch in the way DW is run.
2) Reading this Sequential Tart posting that asked "Are Dolls at all culpable for crimes committed by imprints? Do we ever really stop being ourselves? Do our selves really exist at all?" made me think of the latest Castle episode. About partway through I asked Mike, "Doesn't this make you think of Dollhouse?" all the more so due to Marc Blucas' being a guest star. Then, too, the "ice holes" made me think of Stephen Colbert.
3) Speaking of that Sequential Tarts post, there was this line: "As Topher pointed out to Boyd …we're programmed every day, by the media and by our social interactions; does it really matter how the programming is done?" ( Read more... )
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December 7th, 2009
gen_icons
[pfodge]
 | 09:55 pm - Stock Winter and Holiday Icons
  
The Rest Here
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iconism
[pfodge]
| 09:55 pm - Stock Winter and Holiday Icons
The Rest Here
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missmurchison
| 10:41 am - Alas, poor lizard
Somehow, I was struck by this plaintive little story in the local paper:
Mason City officials say one person was injured in a fire that apparently started when a shoe placed next to a heat lamp in the top of a fish aquarium overheated.
The fire happened Sunday afternoon at a mobile home. Officials say the fire was contained to the aquarium that was a housing a lizard.
Fire Capt. Richard Paulson says one person was injured and taken to a Mason City hospital. The person’s name was not immediately released.
Paulson says the lizard died in the fire.
Poor lizard. And I can just imagine the kind of living space where a shoe is likely to wind up on top of an aquarium.
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December 6th, 2009
missmurchison
| 09:07 pm - Good grief!
I can't stop laughing about this, although the fact that this guy is an elected official should give me pause.
In the opinion of Arlington Mayor Russell Wiseman, President Barack Obama's speech on Tuesday night on the war in Afghanistan was deliberately timed to block the Christian message of the "Peanuts" television Christmas special.
Wiseman made the statements on his Facebook page, where he declared Obama to be a Muslim. Only people on Wiseman's "friend's list" had access to the post. ( Unsurprisingly, the mayor also doesn't get the Friends List concept )
I'll be over here, listening to Joe Cool's Blues, one of my favorite albums. Wynton Marsalis' dad Ellis wrote some of the music for the Peanuts specials, and Wynton and his brothers join their dad and other artists to record these favorites. Now, that's family values transformed into art.
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announcements
[squeaky]
 | 09:23 pm - Issues with notifiactions
There have been a lot of issues with notifications with several email providers for the past 2 weeks. Seems that a spammer has been using insanejournal.com as a landing page for their spam. This is causing some email providers to either delay or completely block mail from insanejournal.com.
There isn't anything we can do about this besides continue to be vigilant in suspending these accounts. If you own an account that gets suspended with no notification it is because your account was mistakenly identified as a spam account. Due to the shear volume of accounts being suspended we cannot review each individual account so some mistakes may be made.
Please understand we have been and will continue to do anything we can to stop this spam and therefore restore the ability to send email to a number of providers.
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