Blatherings

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:29:36 GMT

Very nicely done...

Monty Python and the Holy Grail in Lego

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:55:58 GMT

I am now a woman with a blow torch.

Muahahaha.

(I must've looked like hardcore DYI plumbing lady at Home Depot today, buying flanges and PVC bits and a blow torch, and it's all for cake! Well okay one bit was actually for the shower hose...)

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:31:51 GMT

I stopped knitting long enough to update my knitting gallery, since it's been almost a year and a half since I last did that. Whoops. Heh.

Plus there are now so many things in there that I broke up the Quick Find at the top into categories, so it'd be more...um...quick.

http://kimberlychapman.com/crafts/knit-gallery.html

I'm not going to list everything out individually but everything from Elephant Girl down is new. Enjoy.

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 21:07:32 GMT

GIP.

Sticker art by Peo.

Corran and I are endlessly amused by this.

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:18:29 GMT

Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson has confirmed the first script for the two films based on JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit has been completed.

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:42:37 GMT

Sick of BPA being in all of your food packaging and washable containers?

Sign the petition to the FDA to ban it:

http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/fda_no_bpa/

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:40:01 GMT

Check out these funky knits...eyeballs and intestines!

http://bencuevas.wordpress.com/

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:32:54 GMT

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:18:44 GMT

Hey Wolverine/Jackman fans, lookie what I found:

http://xmenfilms.net/blog1/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/resize_img4a206fb348d56.jpg

And more at: http://xmenfilms.net/blog1/?page_id=834

Happy Drooling.

I still need a good Wolverine icon.

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:28:34 GMT

Here's a quick frugal cake decorating tip:

If you're making your own fondant and use up the standard 2lb bag of powdered sugar, you can store the fondant in that bag with the top twisted shut and held with a twist-tie. It's got a sugar-dusted lining so it won't stick too much, it's good thick plastic, and the perfect size.

Then when you're done with that fondant, you can chuck the bag knowing that you got a second use out of it and didn't need to use virgin plastic.

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:49:08 GMT

A holiday present from Muppet Studios:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgbNymZ7vqY

Good thing it's kid-safe because Peo walked in just as I was starting it. Don't worry, the violent lyrics have been altered in amusing ways...

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:54:21 GMT

Want to know more about why fructose (and therefore high fructose corn syrup) is bad for you on a biological level? This is a really interesting lecture (it is about an hour and a half long but worth it, and it's mostly listening with only a few slides you really have to look at, so you can do other things while listening) that goes into depth about how the body deals with fructose and sucrose badly:

One thing I didn't know: apparently some formulas now contain as much as 46% corn syrup solids, which is leading to an obesity epidemic in six-month-olds. I never bought formula so I've never looked at the ingredients so maybe it's not in all of them, but damn, even being in one...if that's not a good reason to breastfeed I don't know what is!

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:51:29 GMT

Wow, this is some impressive knitting:

knitting from nothing, rug by WWII prisoner of war - "The former prisoner of war, who spent more than 19 months in Germany’s World War II prison camps, not only survived interrogations and torture but managed to knit arguably Australia’s most valuable war artefact, outside a museum."

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:22:02 GMT

Whistleblower under attack - "Defence Minister Peter MacKay...attacked Colvin's credibility after the diplomat's testimony that suggested widespread Canadian knowledge and cover-up of the abuse of Afghan prisoners transferred by Canadians to local authorities..."

I heard the basics of this story on NPR yesterday morning and was very ashamed. I suppose it was naive to imagine that the Canadian government and military were above this sort of thing, but I thought they'd learned something after Somalia. Apparently not.

I'm unimpressed by the Tory attempt to discredit the whistleblower. In fact, I'm generally unimpressed by any attack on any whistleblower. The more anyone shouts and stomps about a whistleblower, the more likely I am to believe the whistleblower. Especially when it looks like they've been working to cover it up for some time.

Bravo to Colvin for coming forward and here's to hoping it leads to a shakeup and gets the nasties out of there for good this time. *sigh*

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:16:26 GMT

Remember the cupcake version of Kerry Vincent's surprise birthday cake from a Food Network Challenge I made for a Cake Wrecks event?

I got email from Kerry Vincent today praising it and thanking me for it. How cool is that?

You know, I've got pretty high exposure for a total amateur...

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:08:36 GMT

Hahahaha...we caught an ad for Planet 51 while watching The Daily Show, and while we don't watch many ads, we had to go back and watch the full ad after we saw this guy:

It's an adorable puppy dog modelled after Alien.

I TOTALLY WANT ONE.

You have to understand, I rewatched Aliens a couple of weeks ago and Alien vs Predator just yesterday for the first time, so it's particularly funny for me to go from thinking of hissing and drooling to, well, yapping and drooling.

If any of you see the movie and think it's Peo-appropriate, come back and let me know and I'll consider taking her to her first in-theatre movie because I'm keen for the excuse to see that alien dog some more.

We have decided she's old enough to see Shrek and have put it on hold at the library. Star Wars is still a bit violent for her, though. Mind you she's been having sword fights with invisible dragons in the backyard lately and likes to growl, "I'm a dinosaur-pirate who eats dragons FOR BREAKFAST." I have video of that and will catch up with photos and video one of these years...

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:58:05 GMT

Peo and I have finally gotten our H1N1 shots and Peo now has had a seasonal flu shot too. I got my seasonal one weeks ago but nobody, including my doctor's clinic, knew how to get me an H1N1. I got it today because Peo's doctor put her on a short list to get it because of my compromised immune system (no spleen). In particular, Peo has to have the killed virus because the live one is a danger to me, so that got her on the list.

The pediatrician's office called yesterday about a shot clinic today, so I took Peo out of school early for it, which annoyed her but she was pretty brave about it, considering how sore she was after getting a bunch for her fourth birthday last month. I asked if they'd do me too and they seemed happy enough to do it, as long as I paid up...yes, the three shots today came to a total of $70.

I know a LOT of people who can't afford $70 right now.

Here's to hoping this keeps us healthy for the next few months!

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:51:27 GMT

Peo espoused two pearls of wisdom during her lunch today:

1) I was cutting a pear up for her and a bit fell off of the plate. I said, "This piece is trying to get away! Better eat it and show it who's boss."

Peo said, "You are?"

I said, "Good answer."

:D

2) Later she said, "The day before tomorrow has the same name as today!"

And she's right.

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:24:07 GMT

For those who aren't worried about BPA in plastics, here's more to consider:

Study links BPA in plastics to erectile dysfunction

Among the men who work with BPA, the risk of having difficulty ejaculating was seven times greater than it was among the non-exposed group, and the risk of erectile problems was more than four times greater. The BPA-exposed workers also reported higher rates of low sex drive and lower overall satisfaction with their sex lives...

...Researchers compared the rates of sexual dysfunction in two groups of workers in China -- 230 men who worked at factories that produce BPA or epoxy resin (which contains the chemical), and some 400 men, including workers in other industries, who were not exposed to abnormally high levels of BPA. Epoxy resin is used in the lining of canned foods and is another potential source of BPA in addition to hard, clear plastic.

Now, most people reading this will never be working in a factory where they're exposed to high levels like that. However, it does mean that those of us who purchase products containing BPA are contributing to the health problems of the workers. In essence, our convenience is poisoning other people. It'd be nice if we had more choices to not have to purchase it at all, but since it's in almost all canned food, that's very hard.

And it does make me wonder about the long-term safety of exposing kids to the stuff.

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:19:59 GMT

I just watched all three parts of the CSI Vegas/Miami/NY crossover and the suckage was so great that I think I sustained permanent brain damage.

Aside from the monumental stupidity and suckage that is all portions of CSI Miami, from the craptastic acting to the bizarre sci-fi ultra-lab they've got going in the there with transparent computer monitors, the three-part story itself was implausible to the point of idiocy.

Excuse me, but as soon as there are multiple murders linked across state lines, shouldn't the FBI be descending upon the case? And once human trafficking got into it, hooboy you'd better betcha the FBI would be taking over entirely, especially at the point in NY when it was clear that the whole thing was based on trucking and covered so many states.

Yet there wasn't so much as mention of FBI involvement.

And even if it wasn't so bang-on-the-head obviously a federal case, why the hell would a junior CSI get to travel to another state and be flown around by helicopter? Weren't they just whining about lack of budget in Vegas a few episodes ago? But now they can not only spare a CSI to go tromping around for days, but include helicopters to fly him around? Mmm, no, I doubt that. And if there was a case that big that wasn't federal, you can bet a more senior person would be stepping in whether the junior had the case originally or not.

But okay, let's forget about the complete ignorance of jurisdiction, hierarchy, and the law. The actual story has a major stupid fuck-up that's so overwhelmingly bad that I could cry.

They set it up that this Zeta gang was not just bad, but thoroughly EEEEEEEEEEEEEEVIL. Like really, really, really cruel and evil. They made it clear that the gang held no value for human life, that they were super-efficient at disposing of any potential threat, and that as a result they were practically untouchable.

Now, imagine you're part of that organization and several of your minions who have had dealings with one of your sex slaves have been arrested. You're going to know that the cops are looking for THAT girl. If you're really that evil and thorough, you kill her then and there and dump the body. You don't sell her to some two-bit local pimp!

But okay, let's say that for some stupid reason you do sell her to that pimp. You'd then be keeping at least a partial eye on that situation, and as soon as the pimp gave her away to a new guy, you'd kill her then, especially when the new pimp just lets her go (which was just sooooo plausible, shyah, right, the guy kills other girls but doesn't so much as rape this one).

Why set up an organization as being so thorough and so evil to just have them more or less fade away by the end? I'm totally okay with them not getting caught, but COME ON. They so would have killed her.

Bah, the whole thing sucked ass. I'm so glad we dumped Miami years ago and never bothered with NY after the first episode, and I'm not even sure why I'm bothering with Vegas any more anyway. I guess that one occasionally remains as good knitting background, but really, if there was something around to replace it, I would.

I'll do a lot of willing suspension of disbelief for things like CSIs doing police work that real-life CSIs never do, or working perpetually in under-lit offices, but I do require them to be working logical plotlines at the very least.

If I wrote something that wretched, I'd be ashamed of myself.

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:23:50 GMT

For my holiday baking, I'll almost certainly be doing some more batches of the Sneaky Chef's chocolate chip cookies that contain pureed beans.

That's right, BEANS. In cookies.

I hate beans. Blech. The texture is revolting. But I love these cookies because they've got that protein goodness in them and I can't taste it or detect it at all.

And I just found what appears to be a legal and free copy of the recipe online:
http://www.education.com/magazine/column/entry/chocolate_chip_cookies/

I've bought the book, but now all of you can try it too. They're delicious and reasonably healthy, for a cookie. Nobody ever believes that there are beans in there!

Recipe notes:

I omit the almonds because I don't like 'em. I do put in the optional walnuts, and have found that if I chop 'em up a handful at a time in the blender, it's faster and creates a bit of walnut paste that makes the cookies very flavourful with a wonderfully soft interior.

I use a mix of about 2/3 mini chips to 1/3 regular size chips because I find this gives better chocolate distribution.

Also, when I make the bean puree, I do it with bulk dried navy beans. All the cans I could find contained tons of other ingredients I didn't want. It's really not a big deal at all to soak them overnight, then put them on the stove the next afternoon for a good long time, then puree them in the food processor. I measure out lumps according to the recipes I make most often, wrap each lump in a bit of plastic wrap, and freeze 'em.

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:44:33 GMT

This is insanely adorable:

You can click to give him food and then he'll follow your mouse around begging. Click the center of the wheel to make him get back on it.

I tried leaving it open in a tab for awhile and he falls asleep eventually.

From here: http://abowman.com/google-modules/hamster/

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:05:51 GMT

noiseinmyhead Saw this and had to make sure I saw it...

From:
http://roflrazzi.com/2009/11/10/celebrity-pictures-hugh-jackman-anger-management/

After I stopped laughing, I told her that these are two I've been keeping open in my browser lately for general happiness and easing of all stress:

Both from: http://www.jackmanslanding.com - warning, this site may make various parts of you melt into goo.

I do think that Australia clearly grows very hot men. I know 'cos I married one. :D

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:58:37 GMT

It's not just the health insurance companies that are stupid. It's the providers too (as I've mentioned before in my tale of why nobody should ever go to River Ranch Radiology):

http://consumerist.com/5398768/hospital-sends-29000-bill-to-parents-of-murdered-college-student

Granted, it's an error. But it's a very bad and very stupid error, and the bit about the patient being indigent is getting into evil territory. It demonstrates once again that the US model of health care is too focused on dollars over concern for humanity, which can never realistically be rectified as long as it remains a for-profit industry.

It also reflects what I've been saying for some time about US health care: the stress of wondering if an error will come your way and then the subsequent stress of having to deal with the error and try to get it fixed is obscene. The last thing anyone needs when they are ill or dealing with an ill or deceased loved one is to have to deal with someone else's massive clerical errors. A more streamlined, single-payer system that covers everybody reduces errors simply by having less options that could be accidentally selected.

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:43:17 GMT

Another reason to not shop at Walmart...if they decide you've shoplifted (especially if you are part of a minority group that may make you more likely to be harassed) but then the security video shows that you were actually innocent, it won't matter to them and they'll still abuse you and your kids (including using language demeaning to your minority group) and try to fine you after the fact:

http://consumerist.com/5399061/walmart-goes-crazy-on-couple-suspected-of-shoplifting