Eldrad must live

Apparently an effective treatment for HIV - one might even say a cure - has been discovered. (From dosetsu.) Yay! :D

Also, upon sitting down to write my "epic" Dumbledore post, I realized that it would be totally TL;DR. So, in lieu of that, have this online conversation comparing Harry Potter and the new season of Heroes:

( Cut for spoilers (I guess?) about Molly's living situation in the new season )

In semi-related news, I set up TVersity on my computer so it can act as a media center and stream media to my PS3. So this morning I watched the new ep of Heroes, for the first time ever (well aside from the S1 eps I've watched on DVD) on my HDTV. And it was SWEET. Not only can I watch any video file on my computer on my PS3 - even if it's not in a PS3-supported format (ilu codecs) - but I also have access to my entire music library, which is also kinda awesome.

For those of you without the traditional "media center" systems - PS3/Xbox 360 - note that apparently this also works on the Wii, through the Wii web browser...it automatically converts music and video to Flash files that are playable in the browser itself.

As for my reactions to the Heroes ep? ( Spoilers, mostly for the new 'hero' introduced in this ep and for new Parkhinder developments )

Edit: Also, every time I listen to Silent Hill no Uta my brain BREAKS ALL OVER AGAIN. D: D: D:

As many of you may know, I love cheese. Now, I must clarify that I refer not to catchy but vapid pop music, or to bad romantic comedies (though I do love both genres), but to the dairy product.

However, my cheese loves are quite specific. Pepper cheese? No. Spreadable cheese? Generally, no (except cream cheese/neufchatel, which I don't even consider cheese really). Spray cheese? Ew. To be honest, the kind of cheese that I really love is white and soft (though again, not usually spreadable). There's nothing I love better than a mild white cheddar, or a good farmer. My favorite cheese is actually embarrassingly low-class - it's a widely available supermarket white cheddar in Britain known as Cathedral City, slightly sharper than your average mild cheddar, which is COMPLETELY AWESOME. (I discovered it during my first trip to Oxford with my parents at 15, and ever since I eat it like a mofo every time I'm in the UK.) This white mild cheese category of course includes mozzarella and parmesan, both of which I love in the proper contexts; parmesan belongs in grated form on top of things, while mozzarella is slightly more versatile, working well in several variant forms (pizza, string cheese, or just sliced on crackers).

What brings on this sudden cheese fervor? Possibly the fact that I finally bit the bullet and joined my local co-op yesterday, just because I found myself going there to get cheese and crackers for the second time this week. And they do have an awesome selection of cheeses, from English to Italian to French to Swiss to American...I picked up a nice raw goat's milk mild Wisconsin cheddar that went beautifully on the hippie organic version of Wheat Thins they sell there. (Earlier in the week I got a nice Irish sharp cheddar, which came in the awesomest wax rind-thing.)

In sadder news, rathershady and courters28, it looks like I won't be able to make it to your CO wedding. Between having to book on such late notice and the cost of airflight out of Cedar Rapids (which is RIDICULOUS), I just don't think I can afford it...The cheapest I could find that didn't get in at the buttcrack of the night was close to $600. D: I meant to tell you a couple of days ago but have been hella busy with classes and such.

Also, happy birthday to lordtravis!

Edit: I will leave y'all with a mildly amusing IRC conversation I had a while back:

For those of you innocents wondering what mpreg is, wonder no more!

jokersama: http://community.livejournal.com/mmmpreg/profile I feel so horrible having this visible on my comm list BUT
jokersama: BUT
jokersama: BUT
yoshitsune: ...ooh, I need to add that! :D
yoshitsune: dude, kotobuki tarako is THE SHIT
* yoshitsune still feels weird going to buy "love pistols" at prairie lights though
yoshitsune: that's where I get all my yaoi
yoshitsune: I think I'm the reason they get in like every new june/blu/other yaoi publisher release EVER
yoshitsune: >_>
* angrybabble eyes yosi for buying cartoon gay porn at prairie lights
yoshitsune: well, I'm not gonna buy it at the COMIC SHOP
yoshitsune: besides, I've gotten to the point where it doesn't skeeve me out unless it's something like sex pistols XD
yoshitsune: nothing like a half-naked jaguar furry guy on the cover to make you feel self-conscious!
jokersama: look, man
jokersama: as you said
jokersama: KOTOBUKI TARAKO IS AWESOME
jokersama: NONE OF THIS SHAME
yoshitsune: YEAH
yoshitsune: and besides, I mean, it's not like it's a half-naked PREGNANT jaguar furry guy on the cover XD
yoshitsune: (sadly this is possible in kotobuki's world)
jokersama: god, yosi, you filthy mpreg-lover
yoshitsune: dude, you know you love it too
yoshitsune: I should write a book
yoshitsune: "sex pistols: or, how I learned to stop worrying and love the mpreg"

SEMINAR PAPER IS DONE AND TURNED IN THANK JESUSU

Now which Netflix DVD should I watch, the first disc of Arrested Development or the first disc of Freaks and Geeks? It's nice to be able to make the important decisions again. XD

In less good news, apparently RPGFan lied to me, and Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm doesn't come out until the 30th. Woe. And in other news of suckitude, it appears that Veronica Mars has almost certainly (like 96% for suire) been cancelled. WOE. I hope all those bitches who were campaigning for its cancellation because their favorite ship wasn't being supported DIE IN A FIRE. AND ARE THEN FORCED TO WATCH ALL THEIR FAVORITE SHOWS TURN INTO MARMALADE BOY.

...At least I still have you, Heroes. You'll never leave me, right? No, it'll just kill off everybody D:

Let's Positive Linking!
- Speaking of Heroes... Man, this is totally my favorite show right now. If I had anyone to talk to in person about it who was as into it as I am my mania would be approaching golden-era-of-Buffy levels (back when my mom was watching it with me and we'd spend the week in between episodes discussing theories and squeeing). As it is, every Monday night and/or Tuesday morning is Heroes discussion time on IRC; it's usually me, jokersama, bemysty and nangke having sophisticated conversations about the show. ...okay, I'm totally lying, we're all "OMG SYLAR/HIRO/MOHINDER IS MAI LOLI" and "GODDAMMIT, YOU'RE BROTHERS, STOP TOUCHING EACH OTHER LIKE THAT."
- Oh man, this is great. It's a response to that horrifically sexist Mary Jane (from Spider-Man) statue I linked a few posts back. Someone apparently felt things should be equal-opportunity, and I bless their name...
- Although it turns out DC already did something similar. I applauded their equal-opportunity cheese/beefcake (mmmm, cheese beefcake sounds like a delicious dish)...and then I noticed the superheroes' chest hair and my brain immediately broke beyond repair. psst, Batman totally has Alfred do his manscaping, and Robin for the dirty bits.
- Guitar Hero Rocks the 80s confirmed for PS2 release July 17th. ZOMG YES. (They even have Dio! And Asia's "Heat of the Moment"! ILU EIGHTIES)
- Hot Dogs for Homophobes. I believe the title explains it all.
- Cake Flushing Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. (From jokersama.) The Hot Fuzz publicity tour is clearly SERIOUS BUSINESS (which by the way I am totally going to go see in the theater next week now that I have the time).

Edit: Oh my God, Lloyd Alexander died. That makes me so sad...I LOVED the Prydain Chronicles as a kid. Still do. ;_;

Well, the incomplete was OK'ed - my professor just wants it by the first day of classes next semester, which I'm perfectly happy to concur with (I want it done by then too!). So break will be less restful than I would have liked, but y'know, whatever.

On the plus side, my grading is DONE and turned in. I survived my first semester teaching, w00t! I will admit I was helped along by this story about Darth Maul teaching freshman comp. XD

However, two of my students attached...odd things to their papers. For some reason, one included a photocopy of his insurance card at the end of his final paper (why? I DON'T KNOW); the other included the entire five-page syllabus for another, completely unrelated, geography class (...) at the end of his. WEIRD.

Anyway, tomorrow I leave for three weeks of family holiday togetherness at home. Here's hoping all goes well. I'm not looking forward to the drama I'm afraid will ensue, and to top things off I found out from my mom the other day that apparently she has to have several biopsies done for a suspicious something that showed up during her pap smear. She's got two more doctor's visits for it after I get home, and of course I'll go with her for support. So much for any hope of a restful break, though. D:

( An amusing IRC convo from today that will be of special interest to both pornmongers and bakers! )

And for all y'all, the best Christmas special EVAR (from eslington). DUN-NUH-NUH-NUH DUN-NUH-NUH-NUH BAT-SANTA!

The scariest thing I've read in a while: Bush decides laws don't apply to him if he doesn't want them to (from pirochan; use bugmenot if it asks you to register). What the fuck. Apparently laws don't apply to Dubya; basically he says any laws conflicting with HIS PERSONAL interpretation of the Constitution, he doesn't have to obey. This includes things like the torture ban, requirements to give information to governmental oversight committees, et cetera.

...good God, it says something about the man that he doesn't have the guts to outright veto any bills, instead saying "sure!" and then quietly deciding to disregard them. Passive-aggressive much? Also, yay for checks and balances failing! I'm sure King George W. the Fourth was exactly what the Founding Fathers had in mind. >_<

Also, a sample of the kind of conversations I have on IRC:
jokersama: yosi, what religion are you technically anyways??
yoshitsune: lapsed catholic.
yoshitsune: though I tell annoying christian proselytizers that I worship herne the hunter.
jokersama: why, because he's so horny?
jokersama: er
jokersama: be-antlered...
yoshitsune: no, because he's PAGAN AND OMG SATANIC
jokersama: LOLLL
yoshitsune: I might as well be telling them that I have three nipples and invite satan in every night for tea and anal rape.
bobthetrout: you'd like that, wouldn't you?
yoshitsune: well, I DO like tea!

Also, an interesting tidbit from James I's Wikipedia summary:
"In 1614 James met the vivacious George Villiers, then the son of a Leicestershire knight. The King invested his time and efforts into Villiers, writing to him: 'I desire only to live in this world for your sake...God bless you, my sweet child and wife, and grant that ye may ever be a comfort to your dear dad and husband.' (Bergeron, King James, p175) James bestowed a multitude of honours upon Villiers, culminating with creating him Duke of Buckingham in 1623, making him the first commoner to be elevated to a dukedom in more than a century. In 1624, James wrote to him to ask: 'whether you loved me now...better than at the time I shall never forget at Farnham, where the bed's head could not be found between the master and his dog.' (Bergeron, ibid)"

Funnily enough, he also instituted severe laws and wrote strongly against sodomy. ...what's that, you think he might be overcompensating or trying to hide something? SURELY NOT.

I also find it quite amusing that the King James Bible, which to most conservative, fundamentalist Christian sects is like - well, actually is their bible, I guess XD - was commissioned by a man who was probably a closeted gay guy. At least he came by it honestly - his dad, Mary Queen of Scots' husband Lord Darnley, was also almost certainly bisexual and was killed along with his probable male lover (probably by Mary and her lover). Man, those wacky Stuarts. :D

...dammit, I wanna stay home and work on papers some more instead of going to class! >F