I’ve been trying to troubleshoot to find out what is making the blog take so long to load. In the process, I’ve been updating and optimizing the new design. Here’s what’s new: Imported the tag database from the Simple Tags Plug-in to the new native tags function of WordPress 2.3, deactivated the old plugin, and implemented the new Tag format in the template file. Installed the Technorati Tags and Related Posts for WordPress 2.3, and implemented them. Got rid of…
I’ve been reading vampire books since I was a kid. I have a pretty extensive collection of all kinds of vampire novels and short stories. For a while I was a member of the Lord Ruthven Society (Raymond McNally told me that “Vee neeeed new bloooood” – how could I resist? May he rest in peace.). Maybe I should renew my membership. It’s a subgroup of the International Association of the Fantastic in the Arts (IAFA), and they always have…
I’ve submitted an editorial on the Iraq Blackwater situation to the Op-Ed news network. Ousting Blackwater is a Win-Win I’ve granted them a 48-hour exclusive. You can also contact your federal representatives from that page. Any social bookmarking votes (digg, stumbleupon, etc) from the page would be appreciated. Vote for it at Technorati WTF
I’ve been awarded the “Thoughtful Blogger Award” by Jolly Roger at Reconstitution 2.0. JR said the most lovely thing: Virus Head is one of the most gracious people I’ve encountered in my years of blogging. She has a gentle patience that almost makes me feel bad for the chainsaw approach I take to some of my more notable commenters. I DON’T feel bad, of course, but seeing her way stops me dead in my tracks from time to time. For…
I am deeply honored to have been awarded an Open Minded Blogger Award by Hell’s Handmaiden. According to the American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms, an “Open Mind†is defined as: “A mind receptive to different opinions and ideas.” This award is given to Blogs that demonstrate respect towards others, research and consideration of opposing views, free-flowing conversation with commenters, and an overall spirit of civility and openness. It is time we recognize such commendable behavior on the internet. Open Mind…
I wrote my Ph.D. twice. I tried to write in academic language, but I never found my academic voice. Instead, I wrote in my own voice, and then translated it over. I tried to avoid becoming completely opaque, while maintaining the level of technically-precise terminology (or jargon) that seemed to be required. So I was delighted to see (thanks to Medusa at Professional Mirror Ph.D) that there is a random academic sentence generator from Pootwattle the Virtual Academic. Smedley the…