'Irishness' -- so a thing

So Obama is in Europe for a bit touring for... whatever reason, while Netanyahu stays and talks to Congress. (Funny, thought surely he would be leaving after all that... guess not. Never to early to campaign in a foreign country!)

Anyway, he stopped in Ireland today. While what's trending on the BBC right now regarding the visit isn't really political, I kind of like these sorts of stories, ones like Obama visiting a little tiny Irish town and making lots of people very happy at once with his amusing quotes.

Hello Dublin! Hello Ireland! My name is Barack Obama of the Moneygall Obamas, and I've come home to find the apostrophe that we lost somewhere along the way. 

Anyway, mostly, though, I love the BBC's infographics.

Irishness. Irishness is a thing. Because the BBC said so.

Britishly yours,
Yes, "Britishly" is a word,
IBI

jump across Europe

So there's this guy, right? Éole Wind. OMO and I found his flickr page during class today.

Bratislava

He and his mates take pictures of themselves jumping across Europe.

I'm sorry, I'm so, so, sorry....

...if you are in America and don't have BBCA.

...if you hate Doctor Who and hate my posting about it.

...for quoting the Tenth Doctor when I'm about to go on about Eleven, but you can't erase so much love in just fifteen episodes!

...but no matter what you say about Blink or Silence in the Library or Time of Angels or even some of my favourites, like The Girl in the Fireplace and The Lodger...

That was the best episode of Doctor Who ever written.

Steven Moffat, I'd ask you to marry me if your daughter wasn't old enough to be marrying someone older than my parents.

Paradoxical mind screw. If you've never seen Doctor Who before, don't start here--watch through season five first. But if you ever needed a reason to watch Doctor Who, this episode would be it.

I can't wait for next week.

Mind-reelingly yours,
I won't be sleeping tonight,
IBI

online survey

religious advertising sucks...

...and I can't believe I'm blogging about this when I've got a whole list of better things to be blogging about.

Anyway.

Imagine my dismay when, upon realising that our AdSense account is now operational so we could potentially be making money off of advertising (which only works if you click on the links! so if you see an advertisement for something even remotely interesting, you know what to do... Google thinks you'll like it!) and viewing the blog in full to see what ads we were getting picked for us...

I found a Mormon ad.

Aaaah **HEADDESK**!

Now let me be perfectly clear, I have nothing against Mormonism as a religion. I'm not even all that irritated about their ads, which aren't terribly pushy, especially compared to the postcards I get in the mail.

No, what I have something against is when religious organisations of any nature blatantly advertise that you ought to join their religion, without having any way of knowing your previous religious affiliation, if any. What I have something against is when religious organisations push the idea that their religion is so obviously superior that they don't even care what religion you practice or don't practice, they will still believe you ought to convert. What I have something against is when religious organisations insist in response to the previous accusation that all they want is for everyone to be saved, i.e., blatantly stating that their religion is so superior and their deity/ies are so judgemental that all others are condemned to some sort of (generally eternal) punishment (generally in the afterlife) for their beliefs.

It's not that I think nobody should ever be allowed to speak about their religion in a positive light, inviting others to join in their belief.

It's just that I believe they ought to be advertising only to people who actually want to know.

Not the entire Internet.

Headbashingly yours,
IBI


EDIT 25/4: If you're freaking out now, or worried I've gone mental, I recommend that you read the addendum in the comment section. Might clear up where I'm coming from a little more.

dancing in mah kitchen

with mah iPhone in the waistband of mah sweatpants 'cause I don't got no pockets.



Strangely yours,
IBI

why the US should lower the drinking age...

...and why it never will.


Today's images come to you from Flickr Commons. Usernames are listed below each image.


Alright, so, I'm proving a couple of things with this post:


1.) Dude, I could rule BEDA. Hell yeah.
2.) There is at least one thing about American culture that are, from an objective standpoint, really friggin' stupid.


Anyway.


[This note added after continuing: Into the controversial territory. Administration, don't hail down on me now, I'm not censoring now because I fear the man coming down on me, damn it. Okay, so maybe the cursing was overboard. You know what I mean.]

2D glasses

If you have four minutes, PLEASE just watch the video, it will make explaining this post much easier.



Okay then. If you can't watch the video because YouTube is being blocked, here's what you need to know:

1.) About 10% of Americans experience some kind of discomfort, whether it's a headache or just feeling ill, while watching 3D movies. That's 30,000,000 people.
2.) Everything is in 3D now. Movies, that is. Well, and reality. But that usually doesn't give people headaches.
3.) Hank Green, whose wife Katherine has trouble with 3D movies that's been keeping her from going to movies even though they usually go and see everything that comes out, had this idea after they saw Tron--why not ask someone who makes 3D glasses to make the lenses the same, rather than different, creating what is essentially 2D glasses, i.e., glasses that make 3D movies look flat but still crisp and clear?
4.) So he did it, and he ordered five thousand, and now you can buy them for eight dollars (eleven with shipping).

There is, of course, a little more science to this. This can be found here. You can buy the glasses here. The full story, if you can't view the video, is here.

The real question, though, is this:
Would you guys like to learn more about this whole thing, and Hank and vlogbrothers, as this would be an excellent opportunity for a blog + interview?

survey tools

Scientifically yours,
IBI

dancing on mah bed with the ceiling fan on

...to a vinyl copy of a 1965 Beatles compilation.

Most fun activity for a Monday night, am I right?



--IBI

I wish my parents could give me that talk.

perfect timing

Have a song that's been flitting through my head for the past couple weeks.



Lovingly yours,
IBI

a problem

So, I was reading through Vinyl Online's (because this blog is now Vinyl Online, as if we had more than a quarter of a print issue) stats and discovered a couple of troublesome things.

ONE -- I haven't actually posted something marked as "current events" in ages.

TWO -- Nobody ever lists as having viewed my posts. Sadface.

This, from where I stand, can be attributed to one of two things:

ONE -- When I post, it is either something very short or something veeeeeery long.

TWO -- I am not a terribly interesting person, on the whole--at least, not for more than a few lines. (This may also be why I don't get replies back to texts half the time--you know who you are.)

To remedy at least one of these, I present to you all... a moderate-length post about something that happened moderately recently.

--

In case you have been living under a rock, "LOL" was introduced to the Oxford English Dictionary just recently. This has brought about lengthy reviews in the BBC and New York Times (among others, I'm sure, but I've only read it in those two), as well as throughout the general public.

If I was reporting on this, I would be running around shoving a voice recorder into people's faces and going "SO HOW DOES LOL MAKE YOU FEEL?"

Except... I'd rather just continue sitting on my arse, thanks very much.

So instead I'll just make ranting comments about other people's comments as I read this fantastic and entertaining BBC article about LOL.

LOL-ternatives

• :D (smileys)

Simple and clear but may appear childish. Are you a Comic Sans fan?

• ROFL, LMAO, BWL

Even more annoying than LOL.

• !!!

One is fine, three reeks of desperation: 'Look!!! I made a joke!!!' Yes, we noticed.

• Haha, Hehehe, Arf arf

The safe option. Effective but not very imaginative. Were you really laughing?

• Hilarious! How funny!

You are living in the dark ages.

What is this I don't even, BBC. I love you.

Funny thing, none of these are credited as being good alternatives to the accursed abbreviation (not an initialism, as people do pronounce it).

Which must be wrong, as there are only two people I know all that well who blatantly, without irony say "lol". (Funny thing, both of them are guys. Heh. And they all say it's such a tween girl thing to do...)

But many mistake "LOL" for "lots of love", leading to some unintended "LOLs", such as the infamous tale of the mother who wrote: "Your grandmother has just passed away. LOL."

Derp derp derp fail. Seriously, who makes that mistake anymore. On second thought, don't tell me.

Finally, there is a third person, who I will not even quote because it is unworthy. This person stated on a Facebook page that one cannot say "lol" while laughing.

My friends, anyone who has met Luxy knows this to be untrue. I have seen it with my own eyes.

And now, I leave you with two things--

ONE -- A question: Your opinion on "LOL"?
TWO -- The dictionary entry itself, as reported by the BBC:

OED definition

LOL (ɛləʊˈɛl/lɒl) colloq.

A. int. Originally and chiefly in the language of electronic communications: 'ha ha!'; used to draw attention to a joke or humorous statement, or to express amusement.

B. n. An instance of the written interjection 'LOL'.

oh hai der

Good to know our own country has abandoned us.

Current time Germany: One in the morning (What are you doing up this late? No, really, this isn't a rhetorical question, what are you doing up this late on a Sunday/Monday?)

Current time Canada: Between four and seven or so (What time is it where you are?)

Current time Russia: Considering the number of time zones Russia covers... What time is it where you are, too?

Also, which one of you is using Internet Exploder?!

Curiously yours,
IBI

leading on your... feature.

Photos by Sam Javanrouh, who I really ought to email asking if I can use his photos so much.
NB: I haven't actually transcribed my interview all the way through, so these quotes might not be exactly worded. That'll be fixed in a couple days at the latest.


One--descriptive

There's always music playing in Waterloo Records, at just the right level for listening, loud enough so you can't hear the other shoppers and quiet enough to concentrate. Four employees stand near the cash registers, chatting while their eyes casually follow the few customers milling about, working their way through the near-endless rows of CDs and LPs. The air is lightly scented with the smell of vinyl, new and old. It's a music fan's nirvana.
"I've wanted this job since I was a teenager," Matt says, scanning the store fondly. Now in his thirties, Matt is the manager of Waterloo Records.

King Street East at Ontario

Two--descriptive also 

All of Waterloo Records is divided into two parts. 
Wander through door, the logo hand-painted onto the glass. In one half of the store, rows and rows of CDs sit with their titles exposed. Pieces of blue paper flag employee picks with hand-written descriptions and recommendations. On the other, rows of LPs rest in their dust covers. Some sit in racks, some in bins. The smell of vinyl compliments the music pipped throughout the store. It's a homey sort of place, especially to the music lovers who have flocked the store since it opened in '82.

Sherbourne Queen Pedestrians Crossing

Three--direct quote

"Nirvana played here, too, over where the cash registers are. It was packed." Matt, a thirty-something-year-old music fanatic and manager of Waterloo Records, indicates a corner of the store with a wave. It's easy to see he loves his store as much as the music collection it contains. Rows upon rows of CDs and LPs sit arranged by genre, artist, employee preference and price, creating a maze of music punctuated with DVDs, hats, and kitchen utensils shaped like guitars. Music and the scent of vinyl fill the air, while music lovers are scattered across the floor. 

 

Adelaide Princess

So yeah. Comment or whatever.

'Kay thanks bye.

Literaturely yours,

IBI

not much of an experience

So here's my feature story experience.

I read two or three chapters of a book on the Internet.

And sent an email.

And made a phone call.

And looked through a week or two of [daily dose of imagery].

And wrote a blog post about Internet pranks.

All whilst waiting for my interview with Waterloo.

But it's today. So that's good.

Uninspiringly yours,
IBI

have a pretty picture

from the camera of Sam Javanrouh, via his photo blog [daily dose of imagery]

you ought to follow his blog--link in the sidebar

photogenically yours,

yes I recognise that my sign-offs have been getting worse and worse as I go on,

--IBI

An April Fool's Update

So, the New York Times did a great roundup of Friday's technopranks, which I definitely recommend everyone to check out (some of my favourites include the Huffington Post's jab at subscription costs from the NYTimes, ThinkGeek's Playmobile Apple Store, and National Public Radio's 3D eye implants). And looking at these is a fair bit of fun, particularly on Friday when they were actually operational and all.

But perhaps just as fun is seeing some of the continuing effects of these little pranks.

For example, the good ol' New York Times (I'm sure later I will rant about how I have FIVE ARTICLES LEFT in my monthly allowance, as of yesterday night--let me remind you, dearest readers, yesterday was the THIRD DAY of April) ran a followup article regarding Google Motion.

Apparently, with just a Microsoft Kinect sensor and a group of college students, one can really have Google Motion!

Of course, they have renamed it, a little more aptly--SLOOW (Software Library Optimized Obligatory Waving).

Now, this can only ever be considered as good as one that honestly, I hope never makes it to the end, for the good of both parties--selling nothing on eBay. It's still for bid, if you've got a bunch of extra cash, on the grounds of around half a million dollars and climbing.

Snickeringly yours,
IBI

it's that day

Coming soon: A proper April Fools' Day joke. (It's in the works.)

But until then, have a couple others in three different formats:





a video

a link

and an instruction:
(go on YouTube to watch any video 1911 style!)

Good times.

Funnily enough,
IBI

So I herd you liek books n stuff

I know. I'm terrible at fake bad-spelling. Don't mock me for my bad fake crap-spelling. (And no, I cannot physically force myself to abbreviate "you"--it's three freaking letters long. Who needs to abbreviate something that is three letters long?!)

Anyway, so, I sort of feel like cheating on this whole blogging thing tonight. Not actually cheating, I s'pose, but cheating in that I am going to be using material written previously.

So there are these things called books, right? And they've got words and things in them. Actually, almost always just words. And I read them. And then I write about them. And then other people read what I wrote about them and sometimes read the actual book. Because I am a book reviewer. This title is rather recent. Well, not really. But I think I'm more of a book reviewer now than I used to be.

Why, IBI? Why is now any different? Do you get PAID?!


No, I don't get paid. But I DO get to request books from my editor, who then mails them to me before they are released solely for the purpose of me writing about them. Which reminds me, I also have an editor. Her name is Ellen. She's pretty shnazzy.

Hopefully whoever you are reading this, you like reading enough to look at a couple books. Because I am Book Reviewer, and thus I am Opinionated and Have Suggested Titles.

For everyone:

Looking for Alaska by John Green

I am not even kidding. You ought to read this book. You can tell I am not even kidding because all of the hyperlinks around there go to Amazon and not my own review of the book. It is that good. Also, the only one that will have a picture, as I am lazy.

For people who really, really like British things:

Wonderland by Joanna Nadin. Quick synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Jude wants to get out of her small English town and go to London to study theatre, escaping both her father and the memory of her mother. Of course, she's a little scared for that, but thankfully her childhood friend has returned, spitfire Stella who is everything Jude is not. 

Beginning is a little dry, and the style screams I AM BRITISH MUAHAHAHAHA. It's not bad, but it's not really my taste. The story, though, is fantastic. The end turns everything on its head in a brilliant sort of way that I adore. Four stars. And yeah, that link does go to my proper review.

For people who want something really, really short:

Rose Sees Red by Cecil Castellucci. Set in 1983 while the Cold War rages on, teenaged Rose gives her impression on life via an entertaining story of a couple days in the life with a couple brand-new friends, including Soviet Yrena. 

A quick read, both short and fast-paced. Great characters. Interesting setting, NYC in the midst of the Cold War. Rose cares, but she's not some unapproachable current events buff. The bit about not having any friends at the very beginning is a little shaky, but that's all.  

For those looking for a historical fiction sort of read:

Ophelia by Lisa M. Klein. Basically, it's Hamlet from Ophelia's POV--

Plot of Hamlet in four minutes and two minutes, respectively.

--until then end when it gets a lot better because it's not Hamlet-but-not.

The style is pretty old-fashioned. But still comprehensible, which is a plus.

I think it's better if you haven't read Hamlet. 

But you should also read Hamlet because it is epic. And then watch the three-hour-long Royal Shakespeare Company version from '08.

Well, that's all for now. That looks lengthy enough. 

Literature-ally yours,

IBI

IBI's Official Stance on "Friday"

Torchwood

Two things I promise now:

1. Torchwood can be connected in a relevant manner to a music and art magazine.
2. Torchwood isn't entirely full of suck. It does have some redeeming factors. 
3. And a third, three for the price of two--This post is at a Doctor Who-appropriateness level, not a Torchwood level.

Alrighty then.

For those of you who don't know, Torchwood is a spinoff series of Doctor Who. If you don't know what Doctor Who is... Just... Just Google it... And don't tell me... It would be mean to ruin someone's day that way.

Also for those of you who don't know,

≠

Isn't that a lovely logo. The Torchwood one, I mean. Everybody knows the Doctor Who logo is beautiful.

The best explanation of the differences I've been able to formulate:
Doctor Who - The Doctor + more companions, sex and guns = Torchwood

It's lots of sex and aliens. And guns.

But. It also has had a surprisingly good response from critics!

Okay, so maybe that's a lie. Mostly it had a surprisingly good response from fans, who are really the only thing that is keeping the series going*. It's sort of amazing, the power of a fan base, especially one on the scale of the Doctor Who fandom.

I did find one particularly positive review, though! The... The Daily Record (I assume they're a British paper, though I've never heard of them--maybe they're something like the Telegraph) said of it, "the show is truly fabulous. John Barrowman is first-class as Jack, while the whole set up of characters should lend itself to some great adventures. A two thumbs up, five-star, 10 out of 10, gold-encrusted hit".

Isn't that lovely.

(It got better reviews as it bravely put-put-putted along.)

But but but it also some important themes and questions, such as making difficult choices and homosexuality; who deserves to live and who gets to choose; trust and death and everything in between. If you look hard enough, it's in there!

More importantly, it has some great music featured. (Told you I could make it connect.)

Credit goes to torchwoodguide.co.uk for lists of featured music for every episode (also, all of the times something logic fails and a series known as "Captain Jack's Large Weapon").

Anyway. Torchwood music, a splattering from across the series, including some that's actually on the soundtrack (thought not necessarily my favourites which I couldn't find on demand) and thus isn't nearly as fun to hear randomly in the middle of the show**. Have fun.

Scientifically yours,
IBI









We love you, Owen! And by "we" I mean mostly myself, as everyone else thinks you're an asshole and Jack's theme is a million times more badass!







*Seriously, not even kidding--it's the great ratings in a graveyard slot that have Torchwood running a fourth season. It's primarily set in Los Angeles. I'm not going to comment on that. Except to go cry in a corner about why they had to blow up the fabulous building in Cardiff, because even Cardiff, Wales is better than setting the show in Los Angeles. 
**Though not as distracting as suddenly realising, "I know this song!" when they're in a bar and pausing to make sure iTunes or Pandora or whatever isn't playing just to go, "Woah, it's MUSIC in a TV SHOW!" and I'll stop rambling now.