-
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
- Miley Spears on Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Indians
- Miley Spears on Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Indians
- Christian Andy on Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Indians
- Tom T. Trucker on Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Indians
- TawTew the Naturally Perfumed on Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Indians
Archives
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- November 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
Categories
Meta
READ FIRST
Posted in Crime and Punishment, Discordian and Ek-sen-trik, Education and Learning, Family and Friends, Love and Sex, Media and News, Politics and War, Religion and Philosophy, Science and Technology
Tagged notice
Comments Off on READ FIRST
Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Indians
Chief Oghema Niagara Thunderwater (Cleveland Thunder was proposed as the new name for the Cleveland Indians by his great-great-great grandson.)
Which of these American sports teams is your favorite?
1) Cleveland Indians
2) Los Angeles Mexicans
3) Houston Negroes
4) New York White People
Only one of these names is real, but it’s not going to be real much longer. The Cleveland Indians is becoming the Cleveland Guardians after the end of the 2021 season.
The Washington Redskins has already changed its name to the Washington Football Team, so it’s about time for this. It’s long seemed weird (and insulting) to me to name a sports team after a racial/ethnic group. Hopefully the Minnesota Vikings will change their name next (yes, Virginia, Vikings are real).
Once we’re rid of racial/ethnic group team names, maybe we can then move on to other misleading ones. Do the Dallas Cowboys run to the field to herd cows? Do the Houston Astros play in the International Space Station? Do the Texas Rangers still arrest people and fondly miss their former member The Lone Ranger?
And how could the Baltimore Ravens down the New York Jets–by getting caught in their propeller? No, I don’t think jets have propellers. And where could the Baltimore Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts and the Miami Dolphins play each other–air, land, or sea? And when the Boston Red Sox go for a spin with the Chicago White Sox, why don’t they both become the Pink Sox?
OK, so logical team names ain’t likely. I’ll stick with being happy getting rid of the racist ones.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cleveland-indians-guardians-name-change/
GURPS Fantasy Folk: Elves–Interview
As the cover for GURPS Fantasy Folk: Elves has yet to be decided, this is the cover of Steve Jackson Games Third Edition GURPS Fantasy Folk. Copyright by Steve Jackson Games.
I and one of my characters from GURPS Fantasy Folk: Elves are being interviewed!
We’re among several being interviewed by Titania, Queen of Fairies. It was a fun experience (I did it last year too). While the book is primarily written for Steve Jackson Games’ GURPS roleplaying system, much of the elf material can fit virtually anything elven. It touches on elvish things from over 1,000 years ago to the future (literally, as the not-yet-published book contains material never seen before!)
Comments on this particular post are turned off here, so please comment there!
No Pledge of Allegiance
I do not recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.
It is not that I don’t respect the American flag. I do.
I was trained to respect it both as a young child and in Boy Scouts. I display it on Memorial Day, Veteran’s Day, Independence Day, Flag Day, and other days. I’m careful to not let it touch the ground. I try to put it up quicker than I take it down. I don’t fly it at night unless there’s a light shining on it.
I wouldn’t fly it upside down (unless there was an emergency, for then that’s proper). I don’t wear it as clothing, don’t spit on it, and don’t carry things in it. I store it where it can stay dry and safe and not get torn.
I have never burned an American flag. I would not do so unless it was no longer in a condition to be displayed with honor, and then I would either give it for proper disposal by burning by a group like the American Legion or the VFW, or burn it properly in a private ceremony.
But I will no longer recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag.
While it existed in some form earlier, the Pledge was not officially adopted by Congress until after America got involved in World War II. The phrase “under God” wasn’t added until 1954.
Currently, it reads: “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,”
The “under God” portion to me violates the principle of Freedom of Religion/Separation of Church and State. So does the motto “In God We Trust” which wasn’t made official until 1956 when it replaced E pluribus unum which had been the de facto motto since 1776. Those phrases gained favor in the 1950s with its “America is God’s country” and thus “America is the greatest nation on Earth (i.e. we’re better than you)” philosophy. America then meaning, of course, non-Hispanic White America.
But beyond that, I will not pledge allegiance to an object. To me, that speaks of idolatry. Allegiance to a group, a cause, a philosophy, a nation; those I can understand. But not allegiance to a rectangular piece of colored cloth. If I had a choice between saving an American flag or saving a human being, I would not chose the flag. I would choose the person.
Queen Titania’s Court
(Guest post by Deby Fredericks of http://www.wyrmflight.wordpress.com These interviews of authors and one of their characters are scheduled to appear there in June 2021.)
You heard your name in the singing of the birds, and when you looked up, a robin flitted to you with a single, silver page.
You saw your name in the ripples on the river, and when you looked down, a brilliant green frog hopped up to present you a small lily pad laced with glittering golden letters.
You felt the wind tug you at your hand, and when you looked forward, a sidewinder drew your name upon the shining sands.
You scented aether, and when you looked behind, a darting bat delivered a message of cobwebs sketched upon velvety moss.
The swirling wings of butterflies, the whisper of leaves at dusk. In such ways does Titania, Queen of all Fairies, reach out to her favored kinfolk. Join us, on Midsummer Night, when every elf and sprite, fantastic beast and worker of wonders, is welcomed to Queen Titania’s Court!
Scheduled Books
June 5th, Lunar Boogie (C. S. Boyack)
June 7th, Fractured Fairy Tales (Alma Alexander)
June 9th, Investigation in Nottingham (Astrid Brandon)
June 12th, Owl Dance (David Lee Summers)
June 14th, A Gap in the Veil (Sam Schenk)
June 16th, War of Nytefall: Savagery (Charles E. Yallowitz)
June 19th, Winterlight (Sanan Kolva)
June 21st, Clan Elves of the Bitterroot (Barbara Mountjoy)
June 23rd, GURPS Fantasy Folk: Elves (Alden Loveshade)
June 25th, Chaos Wolf (Sheryl Hayes)
June 27th, Peavley Manor (Robert Dahlen)
June 29th, Overdues and Occultism (Jamie Sands)
June 30th, The Grand Finale (Deby Fredericks)
Painting is Sir Joseph Noel Paton’s “The Quarrel of Oberon and Titania.”
Posted in Family and Friends, Games and Conventions, Gaming, Media and News
Tagged alden loveshade, Alma Alexander, Astrid Brandon, Barbara Mountjoy, C. S. Boyack, Charles E. Yallowitz, david lee summers, deby fredericks, Jamie Sands, queen titania's court, Robert Dahlen, Sam Schenk, Sanan Kolva, Sheryl Hayes
14 Comments
The Gathering at the Grove 2021
Yes, this year the Gathering at the Grove is on! Last year’s gathering, which was to be called “The Slack Gathering,” was cancelled. This was due to a certain contagious disease that rhymes with “OVID mine-mean.” We were concerned that this year’s event would be cancelled as well–but fortunately “vaccine” beats “mine-mean.”
This year’s event is Slack Grove, and is planned for 18 – 20 June 2021. That includes both the Northern Hemisphere Summer Solstice and the American Father’s Day.
Due to COVID-19 and the availability of vaccines, all adult participants must be vaccinated for COVID-19 and show proof of vaccination before the event; please try to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The same applies to all child participants in categories that are at risk for a severe COVID-19 reaction according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines (https://www.cdc.gov/…/daily…/children/symptoms.html…). We will follow the current CDC guidelines.
Fortunately, the even is held outdoors, which makes safety easier.
Calling All Authors
This originally appeared on Deby Fredericks blog at https://wyrmflight.wordpress.com/2021/04/21/calling-all-authors/ This is reprinted with permission of the author. Image is Bottom and Titania, 1919 – Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale
Submissions are now open for my summer book event, Queen Titania’s Court!
Coming up in June, this humble blog will host Queen Titania’s Court, a celebration of fantasy books. Titania, Queen of all Faeries, summons magical people and beasts from every corner of the fantastic world to join her for a grand ball on Midsummer Night.
This invitation is for any and all fantasy writers, especially independent authors. Each day in the month of June, I’ll feature one author’s book. Pick ONE character from ONE of your books to attend the Midsummer Ball.
This is the second year I’m hosting this event. It was really fun to do, and hopefully helped some fellow authors draw attention to their work. There was room for more guests, so here’s where I appeal for your help. If you are a fantasy author, you are welcome to participate. Or if you know some fantasy authors, I hope you’ll suggest it to them.
***IMPORTANT! You have to e-mail me in order to take part. You can’t just comment on a blog post! ***
Check out this page if you want all the details. My e-mail is there, too. To see some of last year’s gala, start here.
Posted in Family and Friends, Media and News
Tagged deby fredericks, fantasy authors, interview, queen titania's court, writers
13 Comments
Greg Abbott: Don’t Wait for Help
Texas Governor Greg Abbott ended the mask mandate in Texas effective today, 10 March 2021. All businesses can open 100%.
That’s in spite of the fact health professionals say the risk is not over, and that it might be two or three months before COVID-19 vaccines are widely available.
The Expansive Futures Sci-Fi Bundle
Guest Blog by David Lee Summers
“Since the early days of science fiction, authors have explored the future of humanity and what other life might be out there among the stars. From cybernetics to spaceships to alien contact, future-focused sci-fi lets us explore complex issues while escaping from everyday life. Eighteen diverse visions of Expansive Futures have been gathered in a special collection curated by SFWA members, now available in a limited-time bundle,” says Nebula nominated and USA Today Bestselling author, Amy DuBoff.
Learn more about the Expansive Futures Sci-Fi Bundle at: https://storybundle.com/scifi
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) is an organization dedicated to promoting and supporting science fiction and fantasy writer in the United States and Worldwide. I have been a member since 2001 and they have helped me with legal and contract questions as well as providing me some great networking opportunities. The Expansive Futures StoryBundle is a collection of science fiction novels featuring award-winning authors along with fresh new voices. I’m excited that my novel The Solar Sea was chosen to be part of this collection which is sure to please fans of futuristic sci-fi and space opera. The Solar Sea imagines humanity’s first voyage through the solar system aboard a solar sail space vessel.
In addition to my novel, this bundle includes the Nebula Award finalist novel Eternity’s End by Jeffrey A. Carver; When You Had Power, the first novel in a new hopepunk series by bestselling author Susan Kaye Quinn; and Starship Hope: Exodus by rising star author T.S. Valmond, among many others. The Expansive Futures bundle will run for three weeks only, so grab this fantastic deal while you can and discover great new writers!
For StoryBundle, you decide what price you want to pay. For $5 (or more, if you’re feeling generous), you’ll get the basic bundle of five books in any ebook format—WORLDWIDE.
- Ganymede by Jason Taylor
- The Stark Divide by J. Scott Coatsworth
- Raptor by John G. Hartness
- The Chiral Conspiracy by L.L. Richman
- Exodus by T.S. Valmond
If you pay at least the bonus price of just $15, you get all four of the regular books, plus THIRTEEN more! That’s 18 books total!
- The Cost of Survival by J.L. Stowers
- Two Suns at Sunset by Gene Doucette
- Claiming T-Mo by Eugen Bacon
- The Solar Sea by David Lee Summers
- Eternity’s End by Jeffrey A. Carver
- A Fall in Autumn by Michael G. Williams
- Knight Errant by Paul Barrett and Steve Murphy
- Warrior Wench by Marie Andreas
- Annihilation Aria by Michael R. Underwood
- Glitch Mitchell and the Unseen Planet by Philip Harris
- Iron Truth by S.A. Tholin
- When You Had Power by Susan Kaye Quinn
- The Hammer Falls by Travis Heermann
This bundle is available only for a limited time via http://www.storybundle.com. It allows easy reading on computers, smartphones, and tablets as well as Kindle and other ereaders via file transfer, email, and other methods. You get multiple DRM-free formats (.epub, .mobi) for all books!
It’s also super easy to give the gift of reading with StoryBundle, thanks to their gift cards – which allow you to send someone a code that they can redeem for any future StoryBundle bundle – and timed delivery, which allows you to control exactly when your recipient will get the gift of StoryBundle.
Why StoryBundle? Here are just a few benefits StoryBundle provides.
- Get quality reads: They’ve chosen works from excellent authors to bundle together in one convenient package.
- Pay what you want (minimum $5): You decide how much these fantastic books are worth. If you can only spare a little, that’s fine! You’ll still get access to a batch of exceptional titles.
- Support authors who support DRM-free books: StoryBundle is a platform for authors to get exposure for their works, both for the titles featured in the bundle and for the rest of their catalog. Supporting authors who let you read their books on any device you want—restriction free—will show everyone there’s nothing wrong with ditching DRM.
- Give to worthy causes: Bundle buyers have a chance to donate a portion of their proceeds to the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America!
- Receive extra books: If you beat the bonus price, you’ll get the bonus books!
StoryBundle was created to give a platform for independent authors to showcase their work, and a source of quality titles for thirsty readers. StoryBundle works with authors to create bundles of ebooks that can be purchased by readers at their desired price. Before starting StoryBundle, Founder Jason Chen covered technology and software as an editor for Gizmodo.com and Lifehacker.com.
David Lee Summers Web Journal at https://davidleesummers.wordpress.com
An opinion of a guest poster to The Loveshade Family Blog does not necessarily reflect the views of the whole family.
Order of the Pineapple 2021: Robert Newport and Monty Python
Pat Pineapple as drawn by Toby Bruno.
The 2021 winners of the Order of the Pineapple have been announced! (As usual, this is awarded once a year on January 18 aka Pat Pineapple Day).
The honorees for 2021 are Dr. Robert Newport (Brother Hypocrates Magoun) and Monty Python!
Monty Python. M. Python revolutionized comedy, but also challenged social norms, religious credulity and hypocrisy, and closed-mindedness. Seven asteroids are named after M.P., and “Pythonesque” was entered into the Oxford English Dictionary–but won the award in spite of those. And likely no one else was honored by having a wheel of cheese (“Cheese Shop,” “Blessed are the cheesemakers”) sent into Earth orbit.
Dr. Robert Newport (Brother Hypocrates Magoun). He is a psychiatrist who knew OPers Greg Hill (Malaclypse the Younger) and Kerry Thornley (Omar Khayyam Ravenhurst) in high school. He contributed “The Parable of the Bitter Tea” to Principia Discordia. He helped run Hill’s Cinema Rio Theater. From the estate of the late Greg Hill, he contributed the vast majority of the archives for Historia Discordia compiled by OPer Adam Gorightly.
The Order of the Pineapple is also called the DisOrder of the Pineapple and the Pineapple DisOrder, but it’s usually abbreviated O.P. (The award has also been called Patus Pineappleus Bromeliadic and the winners The P.P. Bromeliadics or Bromedliaddicts). It honors those felt deserving, particularly those who have given extraordinary service to “the participatorial study of comedic attitudes and eccentric tendencies.”
The O.P. is awarded to very few people, typically only one or two a year. It’s presented on only one day a year, January 18 CE, which is 18 Chaos of the Discordian calendar. That date is recognized as Pat Pineapple Day. Pat is the Mascot of the ECG and Patron Saint of the very recently dissolved D D of the ECG. It was first awarded on 18 January 1982, so this is its 39th anniversary and 40th year.
It is absolutely required that members of the Order eat something containing or resembling pineapple on January 18–unless of course they forget or don’t feel like it.
Congratulations to them both!
EDIT: Link to Order of the Pineapple Wiki fixed
2020 … The Year We Came To See
A New Year’s Poem And Prayer
By John DeProspo
2020, the year we came to see
How divided a nation we’ve come to be
Is this the end of a once great nation
Or was the year an aberration?
2020, the year we came to realize
How many of our neighbors believe in lies
Or is it just a different reality they see
After twenty-five years of Hannity?
2020, the year that finally brought home
How democracy isn’t so sacred to some
They’d rather have an autocratic commander
One who deals in malevolence and slander
2020, the year that saw a divisive election
With 74 million favoring an incompetent’s selection
Nothing more defines a splintered nation
Than such a vote count that defies explanation
2020, the year that saw Republican leaders
Shun their Oath and become conspiracy breeders
Not adhering to the Constitution
They thought a bloodless coup was the solution
Now, as 2020 comes to an end
What’s in store, around the bend?
Will America rediscover what’s true and right
Can it come together and reunite?
2021 will usher in a new president
But will the year be kind to the White House resident?
Will he be able to heal the nation’s wounds
Or is American democracy irrevocably doomed?
So let us say a New Year’s prayer
That a sense of renewal will fill the air
That we will be as we once were then
And truly make America great again
An opinion of a member or guest commentator on The Loveshade Family Blog does not necessarily reflect the view of the whole family. This post originally appeared at http://thedailynooze.com/2020/12/29/2020-the-year-we-came-to-see/ and is used by permission.
Photo | amazon.com
