Dillon Levenque
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Posts posted by Dillon Levenque
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On 2/18/2019 at 1:12 PM, Love Zhaoying said:
My favorite SF novel, “The Stars My Destination”, was considered a Space Opera. By Alfred Bester.
It's not considered a space opera by me, but then what do I know? We do at least share a fondness for Alfred Bester. I took a pic of me going for a ride in my beautiful new rocket ship once; the filename I gave it was The Stars Our Destination.png .
Like a lot of people I liked "The Demolished Man" better but they are both absolute must reads for anyone interested in Science Fiction.
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12 minutes ago, Lindal Kidd said:
Driving instructors in the USA would get fired for stuff like that. But I think high speed driving (maybe on a closed course) should be a required part of driver education.
It'd be prohibitively expensive but it would probably save countless lives to say nothing of reduced property damage. And yes, definitely a closed course and in a car with dual controls and a skilled instructor. It's good to know what being at the limits of a car's safe handling speed feels like, just so you'll know when to slow the hell down.
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Another song recently heard on the car radio, this one with some forum history.
I posted this once long ago, in a version of this forum in which non-SL posts were technically not allowed. I had just stumbled across the video and wanted to share. Someone reported it as being Non-SL and it got deleted, which really ticked off a friend of mine: @Charolotte Caxton. I think she might even have gotten a slap from the mods for complaining about the deletion.
Some months later the GD forum rules changed to be more like this one, where we sometimes talk about RL. One day, probably a Friday, there was a kind of nonsense thread going on. Someone posted suggesting space aliens would treat humans like cows. I posted something that included a "Moooo". Charolotte saw all that and quickly responded. As I recall she just said, "Now???", and linked the song.
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Nothing to do with Valentine's Day, but I heard this on the car radio just as I was arriving home; hadn't heard it in forever. You know how there are songs that you just love so much that all it takes is the first few notes and you are instantly swept into the music? This is one of those for me. I know I played it on the feed thread, probably more than once. I have no idea why they called it Fisherman's Blues, it is the opposite of blues for me. When I hear that violin get going it's like my heart just soars. I love this song.
They hadn't been 'boys' for a rather long time when they did this live version, but I love how the crowd is just so into it.
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There was snow all over California the last few days thanks to a colder than usual storm. We had about five inches on the local Coast Range peaks, none of which exceed about 4000 feet. It's a different story in the Sierras. Donner got about ten inches on a fifteen foot base.
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of smuggled CMS* being moved
*Five Star Story Game Rule 23b, Subsection IV, Paragraph 17 states that any widely recognized acronym [in this case CMS/Canadian Maple Syrup] may be used to represent a single word.
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I enjoy being able to discuss non-SL related things from time to time. It can be a community building thing, as Syo mentioned earlier: people get to know more about each other than they might otherwise. In addition it's often a source of shared fun: the various 'game' threads that are alive in this section are by no means "SL Only" for example, and look how much fun a bunch of us had talking about Jason Momoa in a couple of other threads.
On the other hand I see no reason whatever to deliberately bring outside (meaning outside SL) politics into any section of these forums. There's already a well known place to do that. We all probably make casual politics-related comments from time to time and that's fine. I see no need to make it the purpose of a thread.
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1 hour ago, Nacy Nightfire said:
Growing up I, my friends and diverse neighbors, were taught never to discuss religion or politics with anyone except close friends and family. And even then to do so very carefully and respectfully. In an example similar to your own, my husband and I have been involved in a lengthy construction project and have employed a man who is Jehovah's Witness. This is a well known religion that I know nothing about. Although were are on extremely friendly terms, and he has worked for us on and off for the last 4 or 5 years, it would strike me as extraordinarily impolite to ask him to be an advocate for his personal ideology. I'm not incurious. On the contrary I am very fascinated (and respectful) of his and other people's religious beliefs. Therefore rely on my own research. It's so easy with the internet.
As an adult I extend this rule to discussions about sexual orientation, race and personal monetary issues especially with people who I've entered into a business relationship. To do otherwise put's people at an unfair and uncomfortable disadvantage when you pepper them with questions about things that are very personal. The Amish gentleman may not have indicated his discomfort, or you may not have picked up on it, but clearly he shouldn't have been put in that position. Often when unthinking folks do venture to ask highly personal questions, and are challenged, they get huffy an declare they are just "interested" it the other person. They feel they are extending some sort of compliment in their notice, attention and interest. This however is disingenuous and impertinent. Your farmer was, after all, a neighbor of a dear friend, not your dear friend. I'm sure in that "Big Book of Henry Ford" quotes will can find something similar. 😉
I'm not sure why you seem to be singling out Maddy in this thread, but that's your business. What I don't understand is where you're getting this idea that you have now tripled down on: your thinly veiled suggestion that she is anti-Semitic. You took issue with her quoting Henry Ford (who I learned, after googling, was in fact a raving anti-Semite), although the quote appears to have nothing whatever to do with religion. You put a little whipped cream on that by suggesting a "dog whistle". And now here you are again bringing up Henry Ford.
Why would an atheist dislike the followers of one particular religion? That just doesn't make sense. I have spent a fair amount of time talking to Maddy and even more time listening and I have never heard her even hint at a religion or ethnic dislike. Ever. Believe me, I'd notice. As for your assertion* that she made the Amish lumberman uncomfortable, perhaps he enjoyed the chance to explain his beliefs directly as opposed to seeing them mis-stated by Hollywood (for example). Your point is based on an assumption you are not qualified to make.
* You wrote, "The Amish gentleman may not have indicated his discomfort, or you may not have picked up on it...". By doing so you asserted the man felt discomfort. And by the way one of the other things I've learned about Maddy is that she's pretty good at picking up on people's feelings, and that's only with written communication. I'd guess she's even better at it with in-person situations, particularly with someone she's gotten to know a little bit.
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a Simone Biles landing, smiling
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without, alas, the matching helmet
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whole thing comes crashing down
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On 1/31/2019 at 8:59 AM, Madelaine McMasters said:
"Lost in the Snow", a chapter from Twain's "Roughing It" is both an amusing and worrisome account of getting lost in a blizzard. If I recall correctly, Mark and his companions lost their horses in the midst of it, and tried in vain to find their way to safety. At about the moment they were giving up hope, they discovered they were just yards away from the warmth of a stagecoach inn, and the horses had found their way to the comfort of the accompanying stable.
In our family the "You think you have it bad? Well, when I was a kid..." stories are just as absurd as your horizontal snow, but shifted over a decimal place. I'm nothing if not lazy, and it was hard to get me out of bed on cold winter mornings to start my day of home-schooling. At the breakfast table, I'd often hear Dad's tales of woe, as he had to walk all the way next door to get to his school, and the trip from the school's front door to his classroom was longer than from his bedroom to the school's front door. And, of course, the stairs went up in both directions.
My daily commute was from my bed, down a short hallway to the stairs, after which I had to trudge all of 20 feet to the kitchen table, while enduring 60F because neither of my parents could be bothered to wake two hours before me and raise the thermostat to 68.
Pity me.
You poor thing.
Sorry; I'd have put a little more emphasis on that but after spending a few minutes trying to work up some honest pity I gave up.
The snow-related Twain story I like best is 'Cannibalism in the Cars", about a blizzard so severe it stopped a train out in the middle of nowhere. Among other things it's a marvelous illustration of parliamentary procedure at its best.
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On 2/2/2019 at 1:27 PM, moirakathleen said:
I always thought the purpose of this thread was to put comments or thoughts that come to mind while reading another active thread, but which would derail the original active thread - so the derail goes here, instead.
Thank you, Moira! That is precisely what the thread was created for, or at least the main reason. I wish I'd stopped by on Saturday. I"m not exactly sure what @entity0x meant; for one thing I'd always assumed that all of us are among the usual suspects. The part of my post quoted did point out that re-hashing a locked thread is a no-no here (because that's a forum ground rule) and I think for the most part that has been followed.
Now we just need Iva in here with one of her non-sequiturs and we'll be good to go. Oh, but I jinxed it, didn't I? She can't drop one of those now because it wouldn't be a derail!
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16 hours ago, Rolig Loon said:
Yes, I take that back, partly. I spent a rather nice summer in Pasadena in my teens. I remember it as quite bearable. I have also spend summer months in the Bay area, which is far from being hot. And yes, I have spent s few ghastly days in the Central Valley. Still, it's hard to beat an August day in the north woods here in the upper midwest (well, except for the mosquitos).
I spent my first ten years (as opposed to my teen years) in Pasadena. Our branch of the family moved north after that, and the trend continues.
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that long dormant alt, xYfabuloso22babyYx
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2 hours ago, Rolig Loon said:
It really is a clothing challenge more than anything else. I always look forward to winter because I love wearing bulky sweaters and turtlenecks. If I'm dressed properly, I don't care what temperature it is outside. (Well, OK, -30 is overdoing it a little.) As Maddy said somewhere else in this thread, though, I get really uncomfortable in August, because I'm faced with an impossible clothing challenge. Even if I could run around outside buck naked, I'd still be uncomfortable. All I can do is stay indoors and whimper. I would be miserable in Southern California.
Maybe not, depending. Anywhere west of the Coast Ranges is considered nice weather by most people. If you get into the Central Valley it's hotter than blazes and fairly humid with it, but anyplace within reach of the coast is fine. I've linked a comparison between Madison, WI and Los Angeles (which is by no means the best weather to be had along the coast).
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2 hours ago, Rolig Loon said:
It was -26 when I got up this morning, but it clawed its way up to -14 by mid-afternoon. Now that the sun has gone back down again, it's -18, headed for what they say will be -30 tonight. With wind chill, they said last night felt like -50. In this part of the world, people who really gripe about winter usually head south when they retire. The rest of us treat this as a clothing challenge. It's not the season to be a fashionista. I have on four layers, except on my feet, where I have two pairs of heavy socks and my insulated boots when I go outside. I'm not toasty when I go out to walk around, but I'm not truly cold either. It's just a pretty winter day -- crunchy too, as Maddy says. I don't have her water heater issue, thank goodness, so I will just pull the down comforter under my chin tonight and sleep well.
It's funny you should mention fashion. I just watched the evening news, featuring a 'live' report from earlier this afternoon out of Washington DC. Now, it's only forecast to be -2 F in DC tonight which is not even a patch on you guys in the Upper Midwest, but still. ANYTHING below freezing is cold. The guy was wearing a partially unbuttoned lightweight coat over a shirt and tie, no gloves, no hat! I'm sorry but that's just not how it's done. I did spend my one winter in the Twin Cities and I know how you folks dress when it's cold.
I can only assume they had one of those giant outdoor heaters like you see along the sidelines in football games sitting next to the camera (which might explain why there was no snow on the street behind him). I mean, they wouldn't shoot it indoors and dub the street scene in as a backdrop. Would they?
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Ethan is almost certainly right. You've lost your 3000 Lindens, I'm afraid. You won't get them back, but you should report the scam just the same. You need to learn to do two things.
First, go to your 'dashboard' page and look at your Transaction history (it's listed under 'Accounts'). You will see your 3000 Linden transaction there, along with a Transaction number AND the name of the avatar you paid. Screenshot or copy that information.
Next, learn how to file an Abuse Report and do so. Be sure to include the information from your Transaction history.
Until you've been here for some time, don't buy anything from individuals. Shop at stores or on the Marketplace.
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2 hours ago, Laoise Rumsford said:
Granted. But it's typed in Comic Sans.
I wish I could have a week of silence, sleep, and SL.
Granted, with each day divided into 12 hours of SL, 8 hours of sleep, and 4 hours of exercise, contemplation, and maintenance. This is a starting regimen only; as the week progresses you may increase the SL time but do not exceed 23.6 hours of SL in any 24 hour period.
I just wish that I could remember what else we need from the store as I'm pulling out of the driveway rather than as I'm arriving back home.
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Puedes encontrar personas que hablan español aquí: https://community.secondlife.com/forums/forum/276-foro-en-español/
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Granted (Sasy's wish) but the search algorithm is proprietary to LL and you'll never in life get it to work properly.
I wish I wouldn't forget to stop by here; this is the first time I've even noticed this thread!
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I knew I'd fetch at least one of ya with that remark :-). Having been cruelly victimized by many Oregonians in the course of multiple work visits in that state, I seldom fail to get a dig of my own in when given the chance. Oregonians once even had bumper stickers saying "Don't Californicate Oregon", long before The Red Hot Chili Peppers ever shared a garage.
Truth is these days if you find me in Oregon it'll typically be somewhere east of Highway 97, on two-lane roads where I tend to drive even slower than the affable small-town locals.
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48 minutes ago, Madelaine McMasters said:
Clicking on "View group info in the Viewer sidebar" will launch the viewer (if it's not already running) and bring up a window where you can join the group. You'll then get notices and landmarks for each Sunday's breakfast, which happens at 8AM SLT (California time).
While I'm perfectly happy with calling it California time, Maddy, it's also used by Nevada, Washington, almost all of Oregon (a smallish state north of us full of surly people who tend to drive too slow) and even part of Idaho.
The official name is Pacific Standard Time.
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hitchhiking home from his visit
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A Derail Thread
in General Discussion Forum
Posted
I came to the conclusion the same way I come to many conclusions: independently and without consulting any outside sources. I find I am far more often satisfied with conclusions obtained in this manner than by using any other method.
In truth, they really are considered classics. 'The Demolished Man' was almost avant-garde, at least for 1950's Science Fiction.
I did just take a look at Wikipedia; sources there at least make a case for me. It mentions he won the FIRST EVER Hugo Award, and Harry Harrison is quoted as saying, "Alfred Bester was one of the handful of writers who invented modern science fiction."