November 2008
2 posts
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Now panic and freak out
I’m chuffed!
One of the superstructs that I founded won The Pandora Award. This award was selected by Chris DiBona, Open Source program manager for Google for “the superstructure that is such a brilliant idea, once you hear about it, you can’t NOT do it”.
And, to boot, I am part of the SEHI 19 which wins me an invite to become a Superstruct Puppetmaster next time around....
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October 2008
17 posts
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A complaint - no choirs
“You’re listening to that AGAIN?”
I turned from my computer to face my daughter who was standing in the door. “I’m sorry. I’ll get the headphones.” To conserve energy, we only heat one or two, and only sometimes three rooms in the house. This pretty much makes headphones mandatory.
“It’s not the noise. It’s just that you have your music...
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On the Detroit TAZ implementaion of quantum...
It took me a long time to get in contact with Vera R. Marcus. I had made the mistake of referring to her as the ‘self-described leader’ of the Detroit TAZ community in a recent GEAS report not knowing at the time that she expressively forbid anyone to refer to her as a leader. And so it took a lot of one-sided phone messages and emails to prove to her that I was legitimately...
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Rally at the RenCen. Detroit TAZ defy Assembly12...
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A day in the Second Half Life
I was verifying the authenticity of recent uploads to NCBI’s database of Diseasome when a raven appeared on my screen and began to caw urgently.
It was my son’s Second Half-Life familiar and it was demanding my immediate attention. “Ok, Hugin. I’m following you” I said as I logged into the parent’s portal of Second Half-Life, the children’s only Second...
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Keeping up with friends old-school stylee
copystar: how can I shut up my cubemates? their constant hand-wringing is bringing me down
avantbook: be easy on them. not everyone can compartmentalize like you
copystar: actually I can’t compartmentalize - I just don’t complain
plaguepoet: you’re complaining now
copystar: bite me
avantbook: I agree in that we do need a positive distraction. something defiant
...
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Headhunters and Zombies
I had a large glass of red wine, a sofa cleared of toys, noise-canceling headphones, and some precious free time that I could dedicate to uninterrupted reading. Finally.
Years ago, when folks found that I was a librarian they would sometimes respond with a “must be nice to read books all day.” This always struck me as an odd response. Did libraries run themselves? And because this...
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There is no away
“Mom! Look! A monarch butterfly!”
I stopped digging small shovels of compost into a standardized ’medium’ Foodcycle bag and asked my daughter, “Where?”
“In the tallgrass behind the composter!”
I leaned back, looked up and got a good look at the butterfly as it fed on the nectar of a blazing star.
“Wow. But it’s not a monarch.”
...
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The medicine garden
I was standing at the edge of the library’s victory garden so deep in thought that I didn’t even notice that Daphne had walked up beside me until she brought me back to reality with a gentle, “Good morning Left Brain.”
I turned to her and her ever-present oversized yellow mug of mint tea. “Good morning Right Brain.” Neither of us really liked our nicknames but...
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Manfreds contraceptive melba toast
“Manfreds Contraceptive Melba Toast! The crunchy snack that keeps the stork away.. Its Manfreds!… “
One of things that drives my cubefarm-mates insane is my tendency to randomly break into song. My family has learned to ignore it but not Amanda who, at this moment, pushes back from her desk to address me directly, “What the hell was that?”
“Ah. Well, its a...
September 2008
9 posts
3 tags
Transcript of GEAS Superthreat number 05 video:...
Welcome to the Global Extinction Awareness System. You are watching super threat number 05. Generation Exile.
In 2019, our neighbours are climate refugees and economic collapse victims who are swarming the planet, looking for a habitable place to live.
Hardest hit: storm zones, drought zones, war zones
GEAS volunteers report from the front lines of the generation exile superthreat.
GEAS...
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Transcript of GEAS Superthreat number 04 video:...
Welcome to the Global Extinction Awareness System. You are watching super threat number 04. Outlaw Planet.
In 2019, the mobile internet and sensor networks we rely on to hold our societies together are being hacked, griefed, and gamed.
Hardest hit: the democratic process, social networks, every institution connected to the internet.
GEAS volunteers report from the front lines of the outlaw...
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Transcript of GEAS Superthreat number 03 video:...
Welcome to the Global Extinction Awareness System. You are watching super threat number 03. Power Struggle. In 2019, we’re all caught up in the alternative fuel wars as the world fights over what will take the place of oil. Hardest hit: oil exporting nations, coal plants, auto workers, consumers everywhere GEAS volunteers report from the front lines of the power struggle superthreat. GEAS...
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Transcript of GEAS Superthreat number 02 video:...
Welcome to the Global Extinction Awareness System. You are watching super threat number 02. Ravenous.
In 2019, the food supply chain is broken, so we’re inventing new ways to feed ourselves.
Hardest hit: Mexico, China, The Middle East, The Processed Food Industry
GEAS volunteers report from the front lines of the ravenous superthreat.
GEAS volunteer mamaquila reports from Monterey City in...
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Transcript of GEAS Superthreat number 01 video:...
Welcome to the Global Extinction Awareness System. You are watching super threat number 01. Quarantine. In 2019, Respiratory Distress Syndrome, or ReDS, is here, and it’s not going anywhere. Outbreaks are just something we live with. Hardest Hit: Tropical and Subtropical Cities GEAS Volunteers report from the front lines of the quarantine superthreat. GEAS Volunteer BergMantra reports...
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First post
“Pass the Hotty Sause please” I asked my husband while I was spooning out the yellow dal into my bowl. Greg passed me the mason jar over the head over our 13 year old son who was perfectly happy and engrossed with the salty blandness of what was put before him. “That reminds me, I should have a batch of habaneros for drying soon”. Greg nodded. His access to the chem prep lab meant we could...