Archive for 2008

New MicroSoft Ad Campaign Bitch Slaps Apple

by Amelia G : September 22nd, 2008

Back when I worked in other people’s offices, I used to refer to myself as technologically bisexual. I was equally comfortable on a MAC or a PC. I mean, most of my work was in Photoshop, PowerPoint, and PageMaker, with the occasional call for MicroSoft Word, Quark, or Illustrator. Once in the blue moon, I’d need to use some more esoteric software, but it was generally something available on both MAC and PC. And once I was inside the software, it was fundamentally the same thing on either platform. I could handle the amazingly wrenching switch from dealing with a doohickey key to a control key.

When I bought my own machinery, over the years, Blue Blood has been almost entirely PC. There has been the occasional person who already had a MAC that I bought MAC stuff for, such as a MAC cam or something like that, but, for the most part, Blue Blood has been entirely a PC-based company. I was not prejudiced against MACs. Certainly not at the beginning. I thought the machines were fundamentally the same, except a MAC had a nicer case, and a PC was more bang for the buck. This is not to say that a PC was in any way a technologically better machine. It wasn’t. It just cost a little more money to get the same thing in MAC format. Plus I could buy PC parts and really save by building my own power workstations.

But then Apple came out with their series of Think Different advertisements which made my teeth itch. First they bought all that footage of really cool dead people, like Apple had a fucking endorsement from Einstein or something. Then Apple pitched a fit when The Church of Satan web site, made by actual living person Peter Gilmore . . .

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• 12:44 Reading contracts I need to sign is not very entertaining. Did not get enough sleep. Eyes are glazing over. #
• 12:44 On the flip side, spicy tuna sushi is tasty. #

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• 09:48 @funkatron Getting that feeling coming back from a trip is like the essence of ouchie. Sympathy. #
• 09:49 Everyone on my LJ and Twitter sure is freaked out, angry, and gloomy this week. #
• 09:49 More pirate movies for Talk Like a Pirate Day tinyurl.com/4sx5a2 #
• 12:59 @babysinead I think there is just free-floating negative energy in the digiverse this week or something. #
• 13:00 @ForrestBlack I’m not 100% sure that is how it is supposed to go . . . #
• 13:02 @Annaleen You just reminded me I have a bagel and smoked salmon! Maybe I will eat that and then finally sleep. #
• 13:03 Pirate wench with musket tinyurl.com/48rc6o TOUCH MY MONKEY! TOUCH IT! #
• 21:25 @funkatron sports are supposed to be an escape from having to have that stuff in your head. #
• 21:30 @Halcyon Extremely entertained by anvil wit. Extremely horrified by newest job. #
• 21:34 I wish I were on a more normal sleep schedule. Finally got to sleep 4pm-ish today w/o night guard. Head pain woke me around 1 1/2 hrs ago. #
• 21:34 I hope key lime pie Tofutti Cutie with vanilla sandwich is the answer ’cause otherwise I’m effin’ stumped. #
• 00:38 @Halcyon I’m a fan of lots of NBC. I’ve got key lime left and wildberry with chocolate sandwich which would color-coordinate 🙂 #

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• 08:31 Very disturbing re-tweet if you are familiar with both rap and G&S: @AmeliaG my gift to you: tinyurl.com/29x7qs #
• 01:33 Free hot pirate wench stealing booty from pirates pics #1 tinyurl.com/4ylesd Adriana by Roman Sluka for BB #
• 05:54 Top Ten Pirate Movies of All Time tinyurl.com/3t3bzh #

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Free hot pirate wench stealing booty from pirates pics gallery #1

Adriana by Roman Sluka for BlueBloood.com

(Image Courtesy of Blue Blood)

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Top Ten Pirate Movies of All Time

by Amelia G : September 18th, 2008

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End — I’m going to count the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy which came out in 2003, 2006, and 2007 as all one entry in the pantheon of greatest pirate flicks of all time. I think most modern pirate enthusiasts like them some swaggering Johnny Depp. Costumer Penny Rose was nominated for numerous awards and won a Saturn Award from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, so I think it is fair to say that Pirates of the Caribbean is the biggest influence on current scurvy costuming for events such as tomorrow’s International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

2. Pirates of Penzance — Next up is the Pirates of Penzance, although it is hard to pick which version. Leap Day plays an important part in this story and Leap Day has been important in my personal life. Plus I think I first learned about pirates when I saw a live production of the Gilbert & Sullivan production in Manhattan. I consulted with my father on which movie version is best because, at summer camp as a kid, he played the part of the boy whose half-deaf nursemaid accidentally apprentices him to a pirate when she is supposed to send him off to learn the pilot trade. Pirate, pilot, anyone could make that mistake. Gilbert & Sullivan operettas are of course intended to be funny, but the D’Oyly Carte G&S company played the roles straight and just allowed the humor of the situation come through. There was also a more recent version featuring Kevin Kline, Linda Rondstadt . . .

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• 04:17 @Very_Wiley Something kinda Gilbert & Sullivan in the air tinyurl.com/3t3bzh #
• 04:24 @lamaupin Madonna Madonna Madonna www.blueblood.net/tag/madonna/ #
• 04:26 My turn to host meeting of Fabulous Book Club for Fabulous People tonight. Got late start on evening work afterwards. #
• 04:26 Just finished my part of project. Only 3 1/2 hrs late. Whoo . . . #
• 05:26 Sneak Preview of New Season of Dexter tinyurl.com/4jrpgm Free episode 1 Season 3 from Showtime 2 wks early #
• 05:27 @Very_Wiley There is a G & S Mix-a-lot mash-up of some sort? #

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Free Sneak Preview of New Season of Dexter

by Amelia G : September 16th, 2008

Like a lot of people, I went through a brief phase where I read various serial killer books. I never got the whole thing of glorifying serial killers, however, as most of the real life variety appear to be enormous losers. The serial killer concept is of someone who is empowered, but actual serial killers tend to be anything but empowered. Nonetheless, I did read a number of the novels with fictionalized murderers and liked some okay. I’m uncomfortable with bad things happening to good people, so this somewhat limits my ability to enjoy the genre. I read A. J. Holt’s Watch Me, found it absolutely delicious and unexpected, and pretty much stopped picking up that variety of thriller.

I’ve got a soft spot for whatever the term will eventually be for long-form cable television shows which emphasize quality, character, and complex story lines. So I gave Showtime’s Dexter a chance. If you have not caught this terribly fun show yet, I’ll give the overview without spoilers. In the first season, we meet Dexter Morgan, whose day job is blood spatter forensics for the Miami PD and whose nighttime avocation is meeting out justice. In the second season, we see what happens when there is a romantic triangle featuring a nice girl who knows nothing of Dexter’s hobby and a crazy bad girl who would not mind dating a killer.

The dialog is snappy and the story lines are very tidy and satisfying. Among other things, the show explores themes of alienation. The scenes are darkly hilarious where Dexter, while thinking very abnormal thoughts, fits in fine at his normal job with normal fuckin’ people. Michael C. Hall, best known for his portrayal of David Fisher on Six Feet Under . . .

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• 15:29 Wow, up and almost at ’em. Only 3 1/2 hours after my alarm. This kinda sucks. #
• 15:31 @clubmix1996 bark bark?That is surreal. #
• 15:32 @ashleysteel Disaster day in LA-la-land, ugh #
• 15:36 @fraying I recommend getting a night guard for your teeth from dentist, unless you don’t dream like that often. $500-800 & they rule pain #
• 15:37 @violetblue Best wishes #
• 15:39 @JasonCalacanis Thank you for the mortgage point! I though high risk for high profit was the game w/o whining when payoff is not there #
• 15:41 @valerielane I don’t see why not, so long as it was not constant #
• 15:46 @Weebeasty Espresso grind #
• 15:52 @Very_Wiley Err, thanks. Me want cookie. #
• 15:58 @lamaupin Welcome oh texatable one #
• 23:45 @mollycrabapple self-actualized individual can empower herself through any activity. Only spitting up someone else’s empowerment is fake #
• 05:36 Oh great, I’m awake again. Sleeping two to four hours at a stretch is my fave. This week is so busy too. #

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Is everyone I know unhappy and/or freaked out this month?

I feel like I can’t write about anything which frightens me. I’m probably just feeling a little scared because I read too much news the last couple of insomniac days.

Hopefully a Tofutti cutie in lime pie will cure all.

I hate those body issues quizzes where they ask if you eat for comfort. I mean, DUH!

• 04:41 Watching 2nd half of Carlito’s Way. Eating bagel and salmon, no cream cheese. Eating brussel sprouts w/goat cheese. #
• 04:42 Wishing I could sleep through the night correctly now. I got up at a reasonable hour & stayed up until bedtime and that is supposed to work. #
• 04:46 Wrote about Ultimate Surrender Championship tinyurl.com/56v7yf #
• 04:47 Posted gallery of hot wrestler chicks tinyurl.com/5e3cbk #
• 04:47 Wrote Marquis and Kink Partner to Distro White Room tinyurl.com/5nkya6 #
• 04:48 Wrote Punk Bubble Bath tinyurl.com/5ama6c about Mr Unstable & Federal contracting #
• 04:52 Had trouble writing all week because I was stuck on 2 big projects but now it is flowing again. Wish I could sleep though. I’d be brilliant. #
• 04:53 Kind of bummed myself out writing the funny Punk Bubble Bath tinyurl.com/5ama6c What I wrote is too true even if my work is cool now. #
• 05:06 Does someone who really understands capitalization want to school my dumb punk ass in bizniz? Dinner is on me. #
• 05:07 MySpace capitalization tweets making my exhausted brain ache more. Back to (probably doomed) smack dealers on TiVo. #
• 05:55 I wish I could find my eye drops, but I’m too bleary-eyed to located a small clear bottle. #
• 07:34 @ForrestBlack @funkatron I’m awfully verbal today for being pre-verbal as I spiral . . . #
• 07:35 @ForrestBlack You should offere to photograph that for them. Fix the rift in the fabric of space, time, and sports #
• 07:37 I need nail glue #

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Punk Bubble Bath

by Amelia G : September 15th, 2008

A while back, I asked the Blue Blood boards Have you ever been fired from a job? It probably comes as no surprise to anyone that most of our members are extremely talented and conscientious and hardworking, yet have personality, err, quirks which make it hard to always fit in at a job.

I know my personal experience of working in other people’s offices was that everyone always adored me for the first two weeks. I did a lot of contract design work where I would get called in when everyone was crashing on deadline, and horribly behind, and I think I got love for saving the day with my efficient work processes. Unfortunately, after about six weeks in any of these offices, I would start contemplating the fact that I wouldn’t have to go to work if I drove off the road on the way. I also had the tendency to have trouble with some of the social portions of work.

Running my own media empire, I have become more reserved over time, but I did not used to really have any comprehension of corporate culture. I mean, I could wear a suit and twist the colored parts of my hair under and pin them down, but I was still me. I would cheerfully explain to my coworkers that I thought health insurance was the big lie the overculture used to force us to live small lives. I would explain how I lived in a punk rock group house with a dozen other people, so my occasional corporate paychecks went really far, and I could afford to spend a lot of my time having adventures. I would bring in copies of first my antisocial punk rock humor zine BLT aka Black Leather Times and . . .

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Marquis and Kink Partner to Distro White Room

by Amelia G : September 14th, 2008

Speaking of the folks over at Kink, they have also recently partnered with Marquis to distribute Peter Czernich’s White Room series via their Kink on Demand service.

Blue Blood readers are probably familiar with Marquis’s flagship glossy fetish print magazine through Forrest Black’s and my contributions and Big in America column for the past eight years. Marquis launched after the late lamented <<O>> Magazine folded in 1994 and later added everything from events to latex sales to books to videos to a naughtier sister magazine called Heavy Rubber in 1997. I think Peter Czernich may have been doing his extremely fetishistic White Room series, on video and in images, since even before he started doing Marquis.

At any rate, this is serious rubber fetish play and it is now possible to view it where you can purchase just one scene at a time via Kink on Demand. Says Kink’s John . . .

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