tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-317979282024-03-07T15:14:41.130-06:00Rated-BA cliched clush-up of the 21st-Century by complete amateurs. NOW CONSIDERED SPAM!Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.comBlogger7440125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-24012116530886438322023-01-08T00:11:00.003-06:002023-01-08T11:55:30.204-06:00Lockdown, Pt. 4 - TV, Moving Pictures, and Streaming Services<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Day 24234092740974: I keep staring at the dog. The dog keeps staring at me. He looks hot; he's a hot dog. He runs again. I chase him.</span><br />
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<u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>TV and Movies</b> (and Services/Apps)</span></u><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have <b>Roku</b>, so those of you with inferior set-top services might not be able to access all of these. What's so great is that streaming offers </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">newer and original programming as well as </span>a wide array of older TV and classic films, which makes it easy to arrange online viewing "parties" and also participate in <a href="https://manodogs.blogspot.com/2008/12/why-is-boston-legal-canceled.html" target="">discussions the rest of us abandoned decades earlier</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />Again, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/the-big-tv-binge-what-australians-are-watching-in-lockdown-20200410-p54iue.html" target="_blank">our world is becoming smaller</a> in a cultural sense -- and that's a good thing! At least, it can be, if we agree to make it so and keep it that way. Let's do that -- for the children; let's do it for those <a href="https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1268254/coronavirus-weight-loss-latest-breathing-COVID-19-symptoms-NHS-news" target="_blank">fat, fucking children</a>.</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>COMET</b> and <b>DUST</b>(<b>x</b>) are pretty great for sci-fi fans, especially if you dig <i>Stargate</i> (which seems to be on every time I turn on <b>COMET</b>, although I've also caught <i>Sliders</i> in the afternoon). I have no idea what the "x" means or stands for in <b>DUST</b>, nor why they dropped it recently.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Pluto</b>'s <b>Sci-Fi</b> is lacking (so far) but you can find <i>Merlin</i>, the original <i>Being Human</i>, <i>Young Dracula</i>, <i>Robin Hood</i>,
and a lot of anime across the spectrum. You can also set your
favorites on <b>Pluto</b> so you don't have to scroll through the entire 250+ channels
to find the ones you enjoy. You can also catch a few of those shows on Vudu, Hulu, and Prime.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>STIRR</b>
looks cool but refuses to load on my older Roku for some reason. I
have a newer device but my modem doesn't see it and I'm afraid to troubleshoot too hard and wind-up without Internet -- I don't think they'll be sending out any techs for a while. I
hope to check out <b>STIRR</b> when I can.</span></span></li>
<li>I have absolutely never enjoyed any <a href="https://litreactor.com/columns/star-trek-picard-is-having-too-much-fun" target="_blank"><i>Star Trek</i></a> TV show and I'm sorry I haven't because there are a lot of them. I liked a couple of those movies, though.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>The Big Short</i> (Pluto TV) -- All you really need to know about the current, and past, financial issues facing the US and the larger world.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Impossible Peace: The Time Between World Wars</i> (Pluto History, Prime)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Republic of Doyle</i> (Prime, Tubi, Vudu) -- Simply one of the best shows there is, in the vein of the early seasons of <i>Burn Notice</i> and <i>Moonlighting</i>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Bosch</i> (Prime) -- Since it premiered, <i>Bosch</i> has gotten progressively better with each season. In fact, the first season is hardly representative of the series; it's a straight, by-the-numbers procedural that plays kind of dry. But, stick with it! <i>Bosch</i> returns in spades, becoming one of the best original shows on any streaming service.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Letterkenny</i> (Hulu) -- Unapologetically Canadian, and that's what I appreciates about it.</span></span></li></ul><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><div><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All of this has probably changed, since I wrote it three years prior and never got the chance to publish it. In fact, Hulu no longer even works on Roku I, so I was forced to upgrade my bedroom setup (which was also affected by unwanted visitors...). But, I'm strapped for content and have been afk for a minute, so take it for whatever it's worth and I'll try to find stuff to talk about soon.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>I've taken to eating sugary breakfast cereals by the fistful, right out of the goddamn box. I hang out in front of small town grocery stores, smoking and mocking your fat-ass children. I just jam it right into the front of the mask because fuck it; breakin' teeth in this motherfucker. Everything tastes like cotton.</span><div><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
<a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2020</a>
</span></div>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-14943131933387602732023-01-07T23:59:00.001-06:002023-01-07T23:59:10.092-06:00Hopelessly Hacked<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My entire everything was hacked, but I may be back (somewhat)!<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.theweirding.net">© The Weirding, 2023</a></span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-66319055586404939822020-05-15T09:00:00.000-05:002020-05-15T09:00:09.229-05:00NEW Fiona Apple - Fetch The Bolt Cutters<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Fiona Apple - <i>Fetch The Bolt Cutters</i></b></span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2020</a></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-66226999381408838982020-05-01T09:00:00.000-05:002020-05-01T09:00:04.908-05:00WINDHAND - Orchard<div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">WINDHAND - <i>Orchard</i></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Happy May Day, sukkas!<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2020</a>
</span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-76616309786486324352020-04-27T11:05:00.003-05:002020-04-27T23:10:17.986-05:00Lockdown, Pt. 3 - PodcastsDay 2530972486986. Last night, I heard them scratching at my door. This morning, I found the scratch marks ON THE INSIDE!!!!<br />
<br />
What's happening, you guises? I'm mainlining Lysol over the stove while my loaf roasts, but I'm chain-smoking, too -- just to be safe! I'm doing shots called "Bleachers." They burn like hell going down but my teeth have never been whiter. The only drawback is that your breath smells like a gas station bathroom.<br />
<br />
Getting ready to take a cruise to Italy! First-timer, here. I have to get a ride-share to the airport, but I'm a little worried because you can't smoke on the plane and it's a long way to Florida. Hoping to catch a few rays with the beach kids before we embark, so I need a haircut and uncomfortably oily massage to look my best. I'm no spring chicken.<br />
<br />
Last week, I cracked a joke about drinking hand sanitizer, then saw "Dr. John" on NBC the other day talking about some first-grader who did just that! I really shouldn't <i>have</i> to say this but I mean it sincerely:<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading, kid! *<br />
<br />
Meanwhile...<br />
<br />
Though it may seem like I am once again at famed author, <a href="https://warrenellis.ltd/marks/some-ambient-music-podcasts/" target="_blank">Warren Ellis</a>', behest (he recently invited readers to tip him off to podcasts we enjoy), I have actually been working on this post for a couple of weeks because I use several apps for my podcasts (and radio streams) and I needed to organize and synchronize them. <br />
<br />
<u><b>Podcasts</b></u><br />
<br />
I used to have a list of podcasts as long as my arm but I got tired of listening to a bunch of jibber-jabber. The coronavirus has me back to it, somewhat. It's a lot easier to multitask with the radio than it is with the TV because I'm not constantly looking at the screen.<br />
<br />
I don't have any music podcast suggestions. I used to have a short list of [streaming] Internet radio stations but most of them are no longer around, and I've lost that list anyway (it was for WinAmp and was available on the site for years). RIP, <b>KCUF</b> -- you are missed.<br />
<br />
I used WinAmp for 15+ years and loved it, then AOL bought it and killed it... like AOL does with <i>everything</i> it touches -- <b>STAY IN THE '90s, <a href="https://youtu.be/F2Z2CklSxM0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">AOL</a></b>! <b>iTunes</b> is always up to <i>something</i> in the background which slows my connection to a crawl, and its radio stations are severely limited and lacking, so I'm looking at alternatives. I don't have $120 a year to pay for <i>radio</i>.<br />
<br />
I have a catch-all Podcasts RSS feed folder to keep up with new episodes and a few Roku apps for listening to them, which is very unwieldy and why I am coordinating my lists. Were it not for all the security issues, I'd reinstall WinAmp... If anyone has suggestions for a decent, all-in-one radio/podcast/media app (or full-scale program, actually), please let me know!<br />
<br />
A lot of these are from <b>RT</b> and <b>Radio Sputnik</b>, which comrades can find on <b>Pluto</b>, <b>Portable TV</b>, and whatever radio thingy you use (<b>Tune-In</b>, et. al.). I didn't find it on <b>iTunes</b>, though subscribers might.<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>The Mother of All Talk Shows</i> -- Politics of the Brits. George Galloway is awesome. It's funny that we're called "Corbynistas" in the UK and "Bernie Bros" here; it just proves that it's all bullshit. <b>Radio Sputnik</b>, Sunday afternoons (in the US).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Hollywood Babble-On</i> (see sidebar)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/loud-clear/id1072835896" target="_blank"><i>Loud & Clear</i></a> - Highly recommended for daily headlines discussion.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>The Keiser Report</i> - The only common sense economist I've found. <b>RT</b>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/by-any-means-necessary/id1130613151" target="_blank"><i>By Any Means Necessary</i></a> - It's like Black Twitter for your ears!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-manliness/id332516054" target="_blank"><i>The Art of Manliness</i></a> - The newsletter is worth it, too.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/common-censored/id1375686977" target="_blank"><i>Common Censored</i></a> - Lee Camp has other podcasts, too.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/horror-queers-bloody-disgusting-podcast-network/id1449041559" target="_blank"><i>Horror Queers</i></a> - Detailed breakdowns and analysis of all kinds of horror films -- not just horror films with gay themes or characters. There are many <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-movie-crypt/id1326561266" target="_blank">good horror movie podcasts</a> but these guys are a lot of fun.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unexplained/id1078112813" target="_blank"><i>Unexplained</i></a> - On hiatus but past episodes should still be available.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-history-can-beat-up-your-politics/id169078375" target="_blank"><i>My History Can Beat-Up Your Politics</i></a> - Snakes on a plane.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/radio-juxtapoz/id1445792610" target="_blank"><i>Radio Juxtapoz</i></a> - Art and the Art world from the editors at <i>Juxtapoz</i>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://pinecast.com/feed/the-saucer-life" target="_blank"><i>The Saucer Life</i></a> - Snakes on a plane, part deux.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.themadsareback.com/movie-sign-with-the-mads-podcast/" target="_blank"><i>Movie Sign with the Mads</i></a> - Trace Beaulieu and TV's Frank Conniff discuss films.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://slangdesign.com/rppr/feed/" target="_blank"><i>Role Playing Public Radio</i></a> - Snakes on a train.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here are some podcast suggestions <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/five-of-the-best-talk-based-podcasts-20200327-p54em3.html" target="_blank">for the Bruces and Sheilers Dan Unda</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I left off links to the radio stations and streaming feeds I like for the reasons above (I haven't figured out how to listen to non-iTunes streams and podcasts in the iTunes app yet), but I generally listen to <b>Radio Sputnik</b>, <b>CBC</b>, <b>ABC</b> (Australier), and some <b>BBC</b>. Most of what I listen to is news-related but these channels also have content that is not necessarily about current events, or that goes deeper into the stories.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I still catch Joe Rogan, Marc Maron, Dan Carlin, and other staples here and there, but my current mindset is geared toward the immediate situation. There are more podcasts and streaming TV suggestions in the sidebars on all of the blogs, as well. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Speaking of, the next Lockdown post is what all TVs I am eyeballing -- shows, channels, and movies (a lot of docs), et. al. Until then! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">---</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">* Seriously, be safe! Millions of people around the world burn themselves baking bread every day -- <i>don't be a statistic</i>!</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2020</a> </span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-45769160977515215562020-04-24T09:00:00.001-05:002020-04-24T09:00:04.109-05:00NEW Fiona Apple - I Want You To Love Me<div style="text-align: center;">
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N541HLPeG6Y" width="480"></iframe> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Fiona Apple - <i>I Want You To Love Me</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2020</a> </span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-5346666335673907892020-04-22T13:13:00.001-05:002020-04-22T13:38:47.087-05:00NEW Cattle Decapitation - Bring Back the Plague<div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cattle Decapitation - <i>Bring Back the Plague</i></span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />Scrub up, y'all.<br /><br />Did you see that live music thing the other night -- the one co-hosted by Stephen Colbert and the two Jimmys (Jimmies, sp?)? God <i>damn</i>! About half an hour in, Colbert said something like, "I know everyone's feeling depressed, anxious, and uncertain right now..." and I thought, "I wasn't half an hour ago!"<br /><br />But, it's nice that they all came together digitally... I guess. J-Lo's legginess stimulated <i>my</i> economy but I couldn't stay for the whole affair -- it was just a tear-jerker, and I ran out of Kleenex during J-Lo. Elton John and the Stones were the only acts that didn't play something completely depressing! Hell, I had to <a href="https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/1272514/Tina-OBrien-instagram-handstand-braless-video-coronation-street-sarah-platt-news" target="_blank">start drinking</a> hand sanitizer to get through <i>that</i> much of it!<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When Coldplay came on, I started rooting for the fucking virus.<br /><br />Okay, okay, that's a bit harsh. But, in my defense, I wouldn't have gotten through the first-grade were it not for drinking hand sanitizer; I'll be fine, but I'm humbled by your concern.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />Here's an excellent and accurate, though brief, <a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/music/a-z-music-death-metal-bands-logos-songs-a4421251.html" target="_blank">rundown on Death Metal</a> I came across this morning. And here's a new song from <b>Cattle Decapitation</b> that I've been sitting on and decided to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1yX9O1D68s" target="_blank">post early</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Speaking of early, some states (including mine) are listening to economists and dipshits instead of the medical community, and are reopening as soon as this week. Those "protests" to reopen that</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> the media harped on </span></span> were <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/far-right-pro-gun-facebook-trio-behind-anti-quarantine-protests-20200420-p54ldx.html" target="_blank">astroturfed</a> and funded by the Far-Right -- specifically, oil companies and investors. The same entities behind the aggressive military maneuvers in Iran and China, and the Neo-McCarthyism gripping the mainstream political/propaganda sphere: The War Machine literally <i>drinks</i> oil.<br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Those people should be at home, learning how to code.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Maybe blogs can't change the world or whatever, but I strongly suggest you <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/atlanta-georgia-coronavirus-stay-home-governor-brian-kemp-keisha-lance-bottoms-a9478401.html" target="_blank">stay the fuck at home</a></span>. Worry about everything else after this subsides, because <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronavirus-texas-dan-patrick-fox-news-republican-lieutenant-governor-a9478181.html" target="_blank">these people are fucking morons</a> who will <i>absolutely</i> get us all killed -- one way or another. I realize that's <a href="https://morningchores.com/self-sufficiency-hacks/" target="_blank">easier said than done</a>, but that's the reality we face. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I seriously doubt anyone's going to develop a vaccine against every strain of the common cold in a year, or even five. I agree, however, that there are many, many more important things than Dan Patrick's life and the lives of those who think the way he does. And don't fool yourselves: <a href="https://www.unz.com/estriker/antifa-organizer-exposed-as-member-of-elite-political-family/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Both parties think alike</a>.<br /><br />I've been watching the <a href="https://youtu.be/mCRDcPrkmaI" target="_blank"><i>Where My Country Gone?</i></a> show most afternoons. <a href="https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/04/22/strange-attractors-on-being-addicted-to-trump-and-his-press-conferences/" target="_blank"><i>Wow</i></a>, huh!? That's... entertaining, but hardly informative. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Where my money gone, BTW? Flying my Hoover Flags over here, waiting on that Stimulus -- the <i>biggest</i>, the most ever in all of history, much bigger than Where My Country Gone's predecessors <i>ever</i> would have sent -- Check.<br /><br />Anyway, I need to get my head focused on doing something productive. Enjoy!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
<a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2020</a>
</span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-74500744106960141102020-04-17T14:03:00.000-05:002020-04-17T14:04:17.683-05:00NEW The Black Dahlia Murder - Removal of the Oaken Stake<div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Black Dahlia Murder - <i>Removal of the Oaken Stake</i></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Black Dahlia Murder is getting in on the <b>D&D</b> scene. Here is <a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/the-black-dahlia-murder-and-d-d-an-interview.671128/" target="_blank">an interview with the band</a> from Morrus'. (I hope that link works.)<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2020</a>
</span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-76976397867479343002020-04-16T12:21:00.002-05:002020-04-17T14:08:58.116-05:00On Saving Comics<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> There is a lot of speculation as to whether or not the comic book industry will survive The Lockdown. Diamond and most publishing companies have closed for safety, as have most retailers. Like many other businesses, no one is sure when (or if) they will reopen.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Moving to digital is an option but it will take time for large companies to make that transition, and many customers (including this one) still prefer physical product. The impact this Lockdown has on retailers and distributor(s) could render the traditional comic book industry defunct, at least for a while.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
But, this is just the industry's latest hurdle.<br />
<br />
The problem with many comic books today is that they are hollow; they -- their characters, their stories, their overall content -- lack emotional resonance.<br />
<br />
Now, this is not a matter of Art vs. Commerce; this is a matter of connecting with the reader, establishing Suspension of Disbelief, and creating return customers which develops a solid customer base. Comic books have struggled to do all of these things in recent decades for several reasons that have absolutely everything to do with Art vs. Commerce.<br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Many argue that there is simply too much competition from other forms of entertainment, including video games, TV, and movies, and the comics industry cannot afford to pay talent as well as companies in those fields. A lack of interactivity is also often mentioned, as is the alleged proliferation of online piracy. Some of these arguments have merit, but all of them miss the larger point of emotional resonance.<br />
<br />
Comics companies have focused on branding, both in terms of individual titles and characters (properties) and in terms of overall company (Marvel, DC, et. al.), to the detriment of elements that actually attract and retain readers: Character, story, suspension of disbelief, a sense of continuity, dynamic art, and the other creative aspects of the medium and, specifically, the superhero genre. <br />
<br />
The most glaring examples of this have been the pandering to the LCD we have seen with political points being made through changes to long-standing characters, titles, and properties. Termed "virtue signaling," these sales gimmicks angered paying customers and failed to attract new readers. Marvel's full-throated embrace of this practice and subsequent bankruptcy illustrates the point.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Putting a random lesbian of color in Spider-Man's costume is not just lazy pandering, it's a slap in the face to both dedicated and casual readers. For 40+ years, I've been able to pick up a <i>Spider-Man</i> issue and jump right in: I'm familiar with the titular character and his personal issues and professional life, both in and out of costume, as well as the supporting cast, rogues' gallery, and the general history established over the decades of the titles' run.<br />
<br />
It has nothing to do with relating to Peter Parker because he's white, or male, or straight, anymore than it has to do with the fact that he's a perpetually 20-something divorcee (or not?), or photojournalist. Nor does it have anything to do with nostalgia or even a political stance -- aside from feeling betrayed by the company and creators involved.<br />
<br />
It's clearly a sales gimmick which not only signals to me that Marvel does not value my financial support, but that it doesn't value my emotional investment -- both of which are important <i>to me</i>. It clearly states that the company is more interested in attracting a customer base with which I have nothing in common than it is in preserving the continuity of their "properties." </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It clearly shows a lack of emotional investment <i>on Marvel's part</i> in character, story, continuity and history, customer appreciation, and more -- again, all of which are part and parcel of why I have supported the company throughout the years, as a dedicated subscriber to some titles and casual reader of others.<br />
<br />
I have no entry-point to that character, which has no relevance to me, no connection to the title (property), no place in its history (including supporting cast, larger world, et. al.), and offends me on basic principle. It's a political stunt I <i>literally</i> can't afford at $4.99 a pop!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Comic
books held a specific place in the pop-culture market which has
come under attack by special interest groups in recent years. The
industry's response has compounded this issue. As much as I never want
to argue over Wolverine's first (<i>technical</i>) appearance, Kirk vs. Picard, or <b>1<sup>st</sup>-Ed.</b> vs. <b>2<sup>nd</sup>-Ed.</b>
ever again, fanboys were the gatekeepers of a dedicated and passionate
community we've lost to Hollywood profiteers and strippers in cosplay
outfits.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Price-point is another impediment. I would happily pay half the going rate of a slick for a newsprint rag -- which, again, has nothing to do with nostalgia. And, given that potential customers can get an entire month of Hulu or Disney+ for the price of a single newsstand issue, it's hardly rocket surgery as to why the current price-point has failed to attract new readers. Which, again, has nothing to do with piracy or the back issue market.<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Virtue
signaling is far from the only sales gimmick the industry has relied
on in recent years: Constantly rebooting long-running titles (<b>#1
Collector's Item!</b>); massive, multi-title crossover events; an endless
string of forgettable one-shots and mini-series featuring popular properties;
celebrity "creators" (who are not famous for their work in sequential
art, nor writing, nor to me); 2423479847 variant covers; under-printing runs to force multiple printings of issues; and more, have all lead to a general
disenfranchisement of the existing customer base.</span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
The intentional devaluing of the back issue market
further disenfranchised long-time fans by eliminating the collectibles
aspect of the hobby.</span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
Saving the comic book industry requires the publishers to entirely reconfigure their mindset and approach to the product and the properties featured. Value our readership by rewarding it with quality content written, illustrated, and guided by talented creators.</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lower the price-point.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Attract better talent by eliminating WFH policies and offering a stake in the success of the title, as well as a possible stake in the continuation of their contributions should they become canon (e.g., Miller's contributions to <i>Daredevil</i>, Simonson's <i>Thor</i>, et. al.).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Better integrate studio to studio promotion and cross-participation, allowing creators to work on motion pictures, video games, boardgames and roleplaying games, and TV, as well as comics.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Approach comics as collectibles, not periodicals.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Loosen restrictions on properties to allow for greater creator contributions. I've never known the Big Two to fear ret-cons, so why hold branding sacrosanct? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> I don't care what politicians think about comic books; I don't want to be pummeled by your mainstream, third-grade reading level, partisan politics. I already know that Nazis are Bad and Good Things are Good, and I worry that you are attracting fans to the community who do not.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Capitalize on digital comics as a form: You can include movement, sound, and animation; create multiple endings for the reader to choose; connect them to dedicated forums that replace letters pages; and more. Ensure that (print) subscribers have access to these functions and products, and provide incentives for digital subscribers to add the print title to their order. </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">How these things can be accomplished I cannot say, but these are the <i>real</i> problems I see with the comic book industry as a reader, fan, collector, creator, and contributor. All of these points provide incentives to new and existing customers, promote that sense of community we've lost, and provide jobs for numerous people in a multitude of fields (writing, penciling, inking, computer technical and IT, lettering, coloring, printing, et. al.).<br />
<br />
Maybe I'll be able to offer more guidance in future posts, but (aside from the fact that the industry relied solely on Diamond for <a href="https://www.newsarama.com/49873-inside-dc-s-new-print-distribution-pla-and-the-new-distributors-involved.html" target="_blank">distribution</a> -- the entire point of anti-trust laws) comic books have simply failed to engage readers emotionally in recent decades. <br /><br />There are many reasons for this, and all of them should be addressed to strengthen the industry, but respecting the audience begins by respecting our dedication to the medium and the properties/brands (characters, titles, and companies' "universes") featured. Ditch the sales gimmicks and political stunts and focus on telling exciting, dynamic, and emotionally engaging stories featuring interesting characters presented by talented creators.<br /><br />As with my politics of putting We, The People, above our leaders and the various organizations that prey upon us, the "<i>radical</i>" concept of focusing on the Art in a creative field is generally derided by claims of, "It's a business." I think everyone is acutely aware of this, now more than ever.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I actually have very solid reasons for my beliefs, which have been formed both by vision and process over the course of many years, and my approach leads to a stronger, more successful, business model. Every other approach has failed, and did so predictably.<br /><br />Full stop.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
<a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2020</a> </span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-81357957887267989672020-04-12T20:46:00.001-05:002020-04-12T21:15:31.898-05:00Lockdown, Pt. 2 - Sh!t to Do, EASTER EDITION<div style="text-align: center;">
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<b>Morbid Angel</b> - <i>Where the Slime Lives</i></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I still can't post pictures but I did start looking into workarounds, and hope to be able to do so soon. Posting anything has become such a pain in the ass that this will have to suffice for a moment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span> <br />
I said I would at least keep posting music but, due to the atmosphere and the fact that I post <i>so much</i> death metal, I thought I'd give it a rest for a bit. I don't want people to think I'm being insensitive or mocking them. I'm a delicate, little flower; I am sensitive to the needs of others and shit.<br />
<br />
I posted this Morbid Angel song because I rediscovered it recently and forgot that <a href="https://youtu.be/_GIyTFl4Cb4" target="_blank">I love it</a>. I hated that album at the time (the whole community did) for many reasons, most of which seem petty now (like the fact that it was a death metal training bra to attract new listeners -- e.g., to get Riki fucking Rachtman to play it), but this was The Good Song on it. It popped-up as a suggested video a week or so back and I've been rocking it ever since.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I hope we don't get splogged by the engines, but this is the first in a series filled with lists and links regarding what I'm currently doing, listening to, watching, following, and whatever else I think you guise might enjoy. I call it a "blog." (I'm hoping it catches-on.) </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm actually answering <a href="https://warrenellis.ltd/isles/my-rss-reader-is-getting-dry/" target="_blank">Warren Ellis' call to action</a>. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Speaking of which (or whom), Ellis has a playlist of tunes he posts semi-regularly called <a href="https://spkmdl.libsyn.com/" target="_blank">#SPEKTRMODULE</a>. We here to <b>The Weirding</b> also have <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8AF2rQSMh_5-GE_lBMp7fc32g_796BX_" target="_blank">a veritable fuck-ton of playlists I put together back in my Facebook DJ-ing days</a> but I have no idea how you get to them. Just go to the YouTube channel in the sidebar and click on stuff -- that's what I do.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For all my provincialism (I would have sworn it was "provinciality" and now wonder why it's not), I have always enjoyed content from across the world, and f</span>oreign news outlets I follow are posting more content aimed at America[ns], as many here are likewise following world events more closely than they have in decades (if ever). A lot of the fare I'll be sharing is from across the world, so some of it is likely to be new to many readers (most, but not all, of whom tend to come from the US).<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There's a lot more bad shit ahead, but there <i>are</i> some upsides to all of this, such as that it's made our world a bit smaller and brought a lot of the problems we <i>all</i> face into focus. Now is the time to <a href="https://consortiumnews.com/2020/04/10/covid-19-coronavirus-and-civilization/" target="_blank">take things upon ourselves</a> and realize the Internet's original purpose: The sharing of information and ideas. And kick-ass music.<br />
<br />
<i>Comic Book Resources</i> has been posting a bunch of <a href="https://www.cbr.com/tag/dungeons-dragons/" target="_blank"><b>D&D</b> content</a> lately, as well as general <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/?affiliate_id=202987/" target="_blank">tabletop RPG</a> articles. I've been following <i>CBR</i> (again) for the last few months and this is new to me, so I don't know if this is new to them or not. I've lost a lot of links and feeds over the course of 12+ computers...<br />
<br />
Speaking of pen and paper <a href="https://theweirding.net/RPG" target="_blank">RPG</a>, I may have something in the works. Given the state of, well, <i>everything</i>, I make no promises, but I have been planning some stuff for a while. (If that link to the site doesn't work, I don't know what to tell you...)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Most of the content I've been consuming lately is <a href="https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/lesley-riddoch-truth-early-casualty-pandemic-2536877" target="_blank">political</a> in nature, and I realize that few people care for such (generally speaking) -- especially right now -- but, in coming weeks, I'll be providing lots of links that may interest you during the long, and somehow exhausting, hours in lockdown. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hey, there's another upside: We haven't been endlessly bombarded with Election 2020 bullshit... yet. Living in the heart of the Bible Belt -- literally the birthplace of both the Kefauver Commission and the Satanic Panic -- and loving death metal, <b>Dungeons & Dragons</b>, and comic books like I do, <a href="https://hongkongfp.com/2020/04/11/keeping-our-eyes-on-the-ball-human-rights-in-the-time-of-covid-19/" target="_blank">it's hard to not be concerned</a> with politics.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
Speaking of, basically no one is printing and/or distributing comic books at the moment... which is <a href="https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/45490/diamond-halting-distribution-new-product-alliance-shutting-down-completely" target="_blank">weird</a>. There can't be that many people left who were around before they started printing comic books. I'm reading the latest run of <i>Daredevil</i>, which is still new to me. I still have <i>Trees</i> and several others to get to, but I'm seriously considering a garden patch and some other things. I didn't even <i>think</i> to bleach all my new comics...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you'd rather, you can always <a href="https://www.chaosium.com/content/FreePDFs/Coloring%20Books/CHA5119%20-%20RuneQuest%20Coloring%20Book.pdf" target="_blank">color a bunch of pictures</a> or <a href="https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/622521/printable-coloring-pages-to-color-at-home" target="_blank">get your kids to color</a> them for you. Or, gather the family 'round the old sexbox and check out <a href="https://daily.jstor.org/we-have-all-the-cute-animal-posts/" target="_blank">cute animals</a>. Heck, you can even <a href="https://morningchores.com/free-range-chickens/" target="_blank">grow some of your own</a>! You could always break your record and <a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-book-titles-covers/" target="_blank">read a fucking book</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Future entries will tell you <a href="https://youtu.be/_GIyTFl4Cb4" target="_blank">what I am</a> watching and listening to, as well as where to find it all and why you should. Until then, <a href="https://youtu.be/SQWoGzWIv0E" target="_blank">enjoy</a>!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
<a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2020</a> </span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-85467683027046120642020-03-26T12:38:00.000-05:002020-03-26T12:55:02.650-05:00Lockdown, Pt. 1<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
I am still hamstrung by Internet-related issues, such as Blogger trying to force me to allow <b>i18n-cloud. appspot. com</b> in this browser window to post images or video. I have no idea what that is, nor have I seen it before, nor do I want to use it (whatever it is). Google [dba, Blogger] also wants me to sign-in to a slew of Google services I do not use and do not want, including Google Play, Google APIs, et. al.<br /><br />I believe there is a workaround but, yet again, I am unable to access <b>The Weirding</b> at all, which complicates matters. I'm certain these issues are related but have no idea as to how, nor have I figured out how to block/remove/restrict them yet. I planned to take the computer in for repair back when I last posted, then the COVID-19 outbreak occurred.<br /><br />I actually was very sick for several weeks, with an extremely dry and forceful cough, high temperatures, and so on, but it appears to be tied to the weather and is most likely a sinus infection or simple cold/flu. OTC medicines and a shitload of vitamin C got rid of the cough (mostly, it's productive when it occurs now and I'm not having long, <i>hard</i>, barking fits like I was) and fever, and my ears are draining, which is not indicative of the virus.<br /><br />That said, I definitely <i>could have</i> contracted it but, either way, I sequestered myself indoors a week or so back -- a few days before this became a media sensation and political football (to borrow a buzzword) in the US. I'm not sure people are taking it as seriously as they should, though traffic has thinned significantly, according to people with whom I've spoken. I have not left my house in almost three weeks now, except to check the mail.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />I have taken measures to avoid all Russian, Iranian, Chinese, and North Korean operatives, which is remarkably easy, in case you wondered. I heard that Nashville is on lockdown and that there is a petition requesting Governor Bill Lee expand that statewide, which he has not done. In fact, no Southern GOP Governor has issued a statewide lockdown as of this writing. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-usmvYOPfco" target="_blank">Governor Abbott volunteered</a> Texas' septuagenarians for death, to which I say, "Okay, Boomers!"<br /><br />Fuck 'em; they're Texans and we need the beds. I suggest turning Six Flags Over Jaysus into a temporary shelter-in-place old folks' home / morgue -- at least until Easter, when all of this will magically be over!<br /><br />There <i>is</i> a COVID-19 crisis unfolding in Tennessee and around it -- Louisiana is quickly overtaking New York as the epicenter of the US outbreak as I write this -- but it is unlikely to turn into the nightmare we're watching across the rest of the world for another week or two. I plan on staying at home the entire time, mostly inside. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm going to post when I can and work on these computing issues, as well as catch-up on my subscriptions. I read the last four issues of the original <i>Daredevil</i> (2019) run and I have the newest incarnation lined-up and ready to go, along with <b>DKIII</b> and <b>Golden Child</b>. I also received the latest <i>Weird Tales</i> a while back and hope to get into that, too. I'll at least post some music for the foreseeable future.<br /><br />I suggest <b>Pluto</b>, <b>Xumo</b>, and <b>Al-Jazeera</b> for COVID-19 coverage, as well as <i>Merlin</i>, <i>Young Dracula</i>, and the original <i>Being Human</i>. It looks like Pluto is finally running some different <i>MST3K</i> episodes, so I hope they get some new RiffTrax, too. The <b>NHK</b> (Japan) channel is a really unexpected blast, as well!<br /><br />Stay inside; limit your IRL, personal interactions; do your very best to avoid beaches, public transportation, hiking trails, and fatal <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ubxghZ0rkc" target="_blank">viral infections</a>; and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b423FRM2Qug" target="_blank">wash your hands</a> often. "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOMJKl4DcFE" target="_blank">We're all in this together</a>," but <i>all of <b>you</b></i> need to be in this together over there --- - -- - --- ><br /><br />
<a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2020</a>
</span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-65598133725803418452020-02-28T09:11:00.000-06:002020-02-28T09:11:07.209-06:00Slayer - Read Between the Lies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b>Slayer - <i>Read Between the Lies</i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://www.theweirding.net/"><br />
© The Weirding, 2019</a></span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-5867398063107251372020-02-24T09:01:00.000-06:002020-02-24T09:01:00.396-06:00Update February 2020<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> I am still unable to access the site, though I am told that it is up and running. I did not mean to post two music videos back-to-back. I am still having issues posting images and videos to Blogger, and may have to skip a week or three, but I do not believe this is related to the issues with the site.<br />
<br />
I found malware on my PC having something to do with my AMD video driver. I found redirecting viri, as well (redirect.ovh.net). The site itself was hacked and the CNAMES were changed to a static IP address pointing to Texasinvasives.org. My personal IP address was then blacklisted, which is why I was unable to access my own website for all this time.<br />
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I received an e-mail stating that the site should have been up and running on the 18<sup>th</sup>. It only arrived yesterday (Sunday) and was sent to my Spam folder. I am unable to login to PayPal or GoDaddy; it sends me to the Brazil version of the sites instead. GoDaddy actually takes me to a site that does not exist: "eq.<b>DC</b>.godaddy.com."<br /><br />When I <i>was</i> able to access the site, I found a password file labeled "Decatur." That is the county in which I live. It appears that the US government has been embezzling all of the profits from <b>The Weirding</b> and related sites, including this one. This may have been going on for far longer than the last few years.<br /><br />All of this activity was tracked back to the Department of Defense and, specifically, the Department of Homeland Security. The <a href="https://californiaglobe.com/section-2/dhs-whistleblower-philip-haney-dead-in-amador-county/" target="_blank">DHS "whistleblower," Phil Haney, was found shot dead</a> yesterday. This is meant to serve as a warning to myself and other Julian Assange and Bernie Sanders supporters.<br /><br />In the days before any Republicans have lost their jobs or been <a href="https://www.jacksonsun.com/story/opinion/columnists/2018/04/20/missouris-republican-sex-scandal-way-better-than-trumps/535762002/" target="_blank">indicted</a>, their Statie supporters (and sundry religious extremists, et. al.) have surrounded my house and shot firearms -- <i>lots</i> of firearms. They've done this literally for decades, but the only time any of them have ever shot <i>at</i> my house was when I first blocked webzilla.nl, which they were using to spawn fake Russian sites from which they launch attacks.<br /><br />Simply by backlinking to any site from these fake Russian sites, they can get your site blacklisted as being in a "bad neighborhood." They also use porn sites and, specifically, porn sites featuring underage performers, bestiality, and other illegal activity. Another trick they've used over the years is backlinking from illegal torrent sites.<br /><br />No, Russians are not interfering in the election process (electronically, anyway); <b>IS</b>rael and <b>I</b>srael's <b>S</b>upporters are. No, the White House computer or network (or whatever) was not hacked or "breached." No, Chinese soldiers did not hack Equifax; that hack came out of Texas and was funneled through a megachurch.<br /><br />The US government is doing all of these things, using "private companies" as proxies for plausible deniability. Almost all of these companies are organized as LLC. Once you start investigating them, the sites close, the companies go out of business, etc. They all finally resolve to domains that have been out of business for years, most of which are companies that also closed down due to scandals, such as globalcrossing and worldcom, and numerous construction firms.<br /><br />No, Bernie Sanders supporters did not deface Mike Bloomberg's Knoxville, TN, offices. They really <i>are</i> stupid enough to not have installed security cameras, but they do have satellites in the area. Literally all of that is complete bullshit and I can definitively prove it.<br /><br />But, just for shits and giggles, let's think that last one through:<br /><br />A billionaire Democrat who is aggressively campaigning against a rabidly Right-Wing extremist sets-up shop in the very buckle of the Bible Belt, yet fails to include security cameras that are basically standard for most residences across the country? He's either a fucking idiot or an exceptionally bad liar. I think he's both.<br /><br />To whomsoever this may concern (not any of you): <br /><br />You do not scare me, but you <i>are</i> starting to piss me off.<br />
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<a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2020</a> </span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-47572185308182225012020-02-21T09:00:00.001-06:002020-02-21T09:00:07.427-06:00Decapitated - Spheres of Madness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Decapitated - Spheres of Madness</span></div>
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With respect to the UK's overreaching "DOMA" "laws," we have none.<br />
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<a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2020</a> </span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-7652043021167946832020-02-20T22:58:00.001-06:002020-02-23T18:00:31.864-06:00Cannibal Corpse - Meat Hook Sodomy<br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />© Copyright 2020, <a href="https://www.rated-b.com/">Rated-B</a></span></span><br />
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</span></span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-28129266628258787062020-02-17T10:00:00.000-06:002020-02-17T10:00:04.976-06:00Another Couple of Weeks<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
I tried to avoid one of these long posts but the result is numerous, smaller posts, so here it is:<br /><br />The website is currently undergoing some major maintenance on the service-side end -- that is, at the DNS, hosting, IP, et. al. level (not on my end or yours). There is nothing I can do to fix any of the problems I have until that work is done.<br /><br />The ETA for that is next Monday (February 24th, 2020) but -- as with all such things -- that's merely an <i>estimate</i>. The site could be inaccessible for longer and other issues are likely to arise down the road.<br /><br />God willing, we should be able to navigate these waters with few issues but we're already plagued with issues that have nothing to do with any of that. Trying to "fix" these issues before that supply-side work is complete is pointless, so I'll be playing The Sims (and working) until then.<br /><br />I'll be posting here and there but, until all of this server-side work is completed, I can't post images or videos (and I still don't know why) and I can't get back to troubleshooting that issue until this other work is done.<br /><br />You may have problems accessing the site and content over the next few weeks. Thanks!<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2020</a>
</span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-88660933622162878932020-02-14T11:40:00.003-06:002020-02-14T12:42:53.549-06:00Dropping By<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
I'm still unable to upload pictures or videos to any of the blogs and still haven't figured out why. It's definitely related to my sign-in and/or some third-party site or function I (or some security app or tweak) have blocked, but I haven't found it yet.<br /><br />I wanted to give you an update earlier but I don't know anything more than that. Sorry, but I'm working on it. If I don't figure it out this weekend, I'll find some kind of workaround so I can get back to posting. I'm trying to avoid that because it's just one more thing to find and fix later.<br /><br /><a href="https://manodogs.blogspot.com/2016/02/7-links-for-valentines-day-weekend.html">Happy Valentine's Day</a>!<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2020</a>
</span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-73510167110659700822020-02-07T09:00:00.000-06:002020-02-07T09:00:00.205-06:00NEW Sepultura - Isolation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , "georgia" , "verdana";"> </span> <b><span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , "georgia" , "verdana";">Sepultura - <i>Isolation</i></span></b></div>
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From their new album, <i>Quadra</i>, out today!<br />
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<a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2019</a> </span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-15980271725772146702020-02-04T20:23:00.004-06:002020-02-04T20:23:38.986-06:00Wasn't Me<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Nevermind; it won't let me upload pictures unless I allow it to sign-in to Google Play and several things called "OpenSocial." Neither of which I use.<br /><br />Ma-an... Google really <i>is</i> in it up to their eyeballs! Technical glitch my ass.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2020</a> </span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-37951953092271140212020-02-03T08:40:00.001-06:002020-02-03T08:40:15.235-06:00Broke Pictures<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
I said I'd be breaking things and that's exactly what I am doing!<br /><br />I don't know what I did (yet) but I somehow managed to set things so that I can't upload photos to the blogs. There are tons of workarounds for this but there's no sense in going through all of that; the best approach is to retrace my steps, figure out what I've broken, and go from there -- because this has to be fixed, and working-around it is only going to make the issue more difficult to isolate and solve later on.<br /><br />I haven't even gotten to coding the template yet, but security is the most important thing at the moment and the first thing that has to be done. I told you this was likely to happen and, although I'm sorry that it has and was hoping it wouldn't, this blog is really old, so this is more than likely just the tip of the iceberg.<br /><br />Thanks!<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2020</a>
</span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-29816668140993002872020-01-31T09:00:00.001-06:002020-01-31T09:00:06.488-06:00NEW Shards of Humanity - Moths of Zeta<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Moths of Zeta</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
Shards of Humanity's second, full-length album is available April 13<sup>th</sup> (2020).<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Please let me know if this video does not work or does not resolve to the correct song; I am wrestling with internal settings and am unable to link to it directly.)</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2020</a> </span></span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0Memphis, TN, USA35.1495343 -90.048980134.7339688 -90.6944271 35.5650998 -89.40353309999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-25021489645388009932020-01-29T09:00:00.000-06:002020-01-29T09:00:05.791-06:00Wolverine #1 - Skottie Young Variant<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWqi87mKo3DfF5eoTYvI-u7hMww332kjvqJgzksEH5UGyRR1Ar3ATZ_ghVG3Dm5SzLwto6xgg5GNt3k4TZbrH4vajtqFJHZqtjooDWjfaYzJ0Jj9XUKxb_yP7dKJ4yx7h5eEh/s1600/wolverine-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Marvel" border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWqi87mKo3DfF5eoTYvI-u7hMww332kjvqJgzksEH5UGyRR1Ar3ATZ_ghVG3Dm5SzLwto6xgg5GNt3k4TZbrH4vajtqFJHZqtjooDWjfaYzJ0Jj9XUKxb_yP7dKJ4yx7h5eEh/s320/wolverine-1.jpg" title="Wolverine #1" width="208" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Skottie Young Variant</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <i>Wolverine #1</i> - Skottie Young Variant<br />
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<a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2020</a> </span></span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-46175226225540716712020-01-27T09:00:00.000-06:002020-01-27T10:03:13.772-06:00Hardcopy<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
I'm not in love with this design but I do not hate it. I have a lot left to do, design-wise, though. However, I mentioned that this blog has the fewest design options earlier (mostly in the font and color selection departments), so I am going to have to try and add those by hand.<br /><br />Which means I am likely to break everything. Which means I first have to back-up everything. If you've never looked at our links in the sidebar, please do. While I'm proud to be able to introduce you to so many great comics and pop-culture -related resources, I mention them so you understand why this is so much work: <br /><br />Each link has to be individually recorded because they do not show up in the template code. Meaning that I have to record each, individual link on every list in a separate file so I can recompile them should any disappear along the way. I also (theoretically) have to clear my cache and cookies and sign back in to my account every time I alter something to see if it worked -- a simple process which takes at least two to three minutes every time I do it.<br /><br />It's repetitive and painstaking and easy to screw-up, so I also have to make a backup of the blog after every change I make, before clearing my cache and cookies, relaunching the browser, and signing back in. So, a five-minute process each time I do it. Even my lack of math skills (and previous experience) suggests that this makes what seems like an easy task an all-day chore.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />So, fingers crossed, our little pixel party will still be around in one form or another once I get this done and I can get back to regular posting. If you have problems accessing content between now and then, I apologize.<br /><br />#TheseWindowsSoWhite<br /><br />Thanks!</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2020</a>
</span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-41298806552424936122020-01-24T09:00:00.000-06:002020-01-26T13:43:48.372-06:00Metallica - Battery (NEW, LIVE)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Metallica </b>- <b><i>Battery</i></b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Live from Sacramento, CA on December 7<sup>th</sup>, 2018</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2019</a> </span></span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0500 David J Stern Walk, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA38.5802045 -121.499660213.05817 -162.8082542 64.102239 -80.1910662tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31797928.post-9378335020483909842020-01-19T18:40:00.001-06:002020-01-19T18:40:50.261-06:00No Apologies (*)<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In going through old posts, I realize that I have, at times, been particularly hard on some people (mostly celebrities) and projects (mostly shit). No, it's true.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My views on a lot of things, especially political and social issues, have changed a lot, too -- some entirely. But I'm not taking down those posts and I'm not "updating" or whitewashing them to reflect the changes in my opinions. I'm only updating them to cash-in on recent developments and popular opinion.<br />
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Those posts were written by a different person in a different time; a time which, in retrospect, may have been Big Media's Last Gasp:<br />
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MySpace was bigger than Facebook, which wasn't even available to the public until 2008 or so; YouTube had only been online for one or two years; I don't think Twitter had even launched yet. Hulu didn't launch until 2008 or 2009 and Netflix still sent DVDs to your house because DVDs were still A Thing. Blockbuster was still bigger than Netflix back then!<br />
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The 24-hour cable news cycle was in full-swing; streaming media wasn't even A Thing until at least 2008-2009 and didn't become a serious contender until 2015 or so; tabloid blogs were all the rage (remember Perez Hilton?); people still went to the movies because Hollywood made more than just superhero films; and chicks like Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, and (the real) Paris Hilton were fucking crazy! <br />
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I'd forgotten how nucking futs Britney went! It wasn't just an off-color, or "tone-deaf," remark or two -- like the ones that kill careers today; she went off the rails for a while there. Remember when they sent a chopper to Paris Hilton's house -- <i>and broke into regular programming to show it in real-time</i>? Like it was an earthquake or 9/11. They're Impeaching the sitting "President" right now and I don't think they've interrupted regular programming for that!<br />
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I don't feel bad for reacting to those things like they were the end of the world -- that's how they were presented! TV, movies, and even cable TV were huge parts of American pop-culture, and our daily lives, which is how (and why) tabloids and sensationalized news stories about famous people got started in the first place. I still largely believed things the talking heads on TV told me about war, politics, health, and other important issues, and few of those outlets had a notable online presence (and none of them should).<br />
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Those posts were written 10+ years ago and <i>every</i>thing was different then -- including me. I can't apologize for those things. I started to apologize for piling-on to Britney Spears, for example, but I'd entirely forgotten about her skipping court appearances for custody of her children and serving her mom with papers on the set of her little sister's TV show. Shit, I'd forgotten her little sister ever had a career (in entertainment)!<br />
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The things I felt, thought, and said back then were shaped, not only by the events themselves, but by the media, the constant coverage, the proliferation of tabloid websites, the mainstreaming of it all, and a thousand other things -- most of which I've all but forgotten! <br />
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I certainly did go too far sometimes, but who didn't? That's not an excuse, that's just the way things were back then. Remember Perez Hilton? I was in competition with major players who had major backing from major corporations, all of whom went much further. And, again, a lot of that was some unprecedented shit and the drama was ramped-up by the traditional media by at least 1,000-fold.<br />
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Hell, I sometimes go too far today and I'm okay with that. The world's a fucked-up place and the morons running it are War Criminals with zero oversight. Most days I wake up, I'm (pleasantly) surprised that people aren't running wild in the streets -- which would hardly be an "overreaction," should they start.<br />
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For those who weren't around then or haven't noticed, the "news" cartels have simply replaced pop-culture celebrities with politicians. And blogs have largely been replaced by social networks. Traditional media is still as toxic as it ever was and its effect on viewers is evident on social networks today.<br />
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Keep this in mind when, five or 10 years from now, you re-read people railing on "Cancel Culture" and "#[everything]SoWhite," because these things, too, will be forgotten. Not the events or people, but the context in which they are taking place, and the things that are said in the midst of the fray will read entirely different once removed from that context.<br />
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So, if I hurt anyone's feelings or upset them, I didn't get their Twitter account removed or break into regular programming to show my chopper hovering over their mansion. That's an important distinction. Blogging, the Internet, TV -- everything was entirely different in 2008, 2010, 2012, et. al., and the context in which those things were written and those events took place matters.<br />
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I take full responsibility for the things I have said but I feel no responsibility to apologize for being fooled, swept-up by current events or my emotions, nor anything like that. All of that just makes me human, and I can't really change that.<br />
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<a href="https://www.theweirding.net/">© The Weirding, 2020</a> </span>Manodogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362585939645849627noreply@blogger.com0