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It looks like I'll need to find a new webhost again.
If anyone can suggest a good one, please do. I'm so tired of changing hosts!
If anyone can suggest a good one, please do. I'm so tired of changing hosts!
Aug. 31st, 2007
Photo Phreakout
Aug. 31st, 2007 02:00 pmYesterday my train home was short a car AND two of the five remaining coaches had no AC. It was 90 degrees out, so inside those two AC-less cars it was hot as hell.
If you want to read the details, you can see them over on the Charlie On the Commuter Rail blog.
Anyway, the crowding in the three cool cars was so bad that I decided to take a few pictures. I used my cell phone to snap some shots. The first one (the one that I used) was through the window; I actually spent most of the ride in the vestibule, along with several other riders, because we were between two cool cars and there was just no way to get inside either car.
But when a conductor came in from outside and tried to start taking tickets, I snapped a couple more pictures through the open door. This caused a bit of a stir. She turned on me and asked if I'd just taken a picture. The door was closing, so I smiled and nodded. She wasn't willing to accept that, so she opened the door and asked me again if I'd been taking pictures.
"Yes," I answered.
"Of what?"
"I just wanted a picture of the crowd," I replied.
She didn't seem entirely satisfied, but let it go.
The odd thing is that apparently a few other people might have been upset. I got some odd looks from one or two of them as they came out at later stops, and one older woman stared me right in the eye and said "Don't take any more pictures!". I couldn't quite tell if she was hostile or what, but she passed relatively quickly. I didn't have my cell phone in hand, so I don't think she thought I was about to take a snapshot.
T policy allows photography, and I only take pictures of crowds; I don't focus in on individuals, and don't post my photos at a high enough resolution for the members of a crowd to be easily recognizable. Feel free to check it out for yourself; the picture is on the Charlie blog. There are no full-face close-ups.
Still...it was a weird experience.
If you want to read the details, you can see them over on the Charlie On the Commuter Rail blog.
Anyway, the crowding in the three cool cars was so bad that I decided to take a few pictures. I used my cell phone to snap some shots. The first one (the one that I used) was through the window; I actually spent most of the ride in the vestibule, along with several other riders, because we were between two cool cars and there was just no way to get inside either car.
But when a conductor came in from outside and tried to start taking tickets, I snapped a couple more pictures through the open door. This caused a bit of a stir. She turned on me and asked if I'd just taken a picture. The door was closing, so I smiled and nodded. She wasn't willing to accept that, so she opened the door and asked me again if I'd been taking pictures.
"Yes," I answered.
"Of what?"
"I just wanted a picture of the crowd," I replied.
She didn't seem entirely satisfied, but let it go.
The odd thing is that apparently a few other people might have been upset. I got some odd looks from one or two of them as they came out at later stops, and one older woman stared me right in the eye and said "Don't take any more pictures!". I couldn't quite tell if she was hostile or what, but she passed relatively quickly. I didn't have my cell phone in hand, so I don't think she thought I was about to take a snapshot.
T policy allows photography, and I only take pictures of crowds; I don't focus in on individuals, and don't post my photos at a high enough resolution for the members of a crowd to be easily recognizable. Feel free to check it out for yourself; the picture is on the Charlie blog. There are no full-face close-ups.
Still...it was a weird experience.
Photo Phreakout
Aug. 31st, 2007 02:00 pmYesterday my train home was short a car AND two of the five remaining coaches had no AC. It was 90 degrees out, so inside those two AC-less cars it was hot as hell.
If you want to read the details, you can see them over on the Charlie On the Commuter Rail blog.
Anyway, the crowding in the three cool cars was so bad that I decided to take a few pictures. I used my cell phone to snap some shots. The first one (the one that I used) was through the window; I actually spent most of the ride in the vestibule, along with several other riders, because we were between two cool cars and there was just no way to get inside either car.
But when a conductor came in from outside and tried to start taking tickets, I snapped a couple more pictures through the open door. This caused a bit of a stir. She turned on me and asked if I'd just taken a picture. The door was closing, so I smiled and nodded. She wasn't willing to accept that, so she opened the door and asked me again if I'd been taking pictures.
"Yes," I answered.
"Of what?"
"I just wanted a picture of the crowd," I replied.
She didn't seem entirely satisfied, but let it go.
The odd thing is that apparently a few other people might have been upset. I got some odd looks from one or two of them as they came out at later stops, and one older woman stared me right in the eye and said "Don't take any more pictures!". I couldn't quite tell if she was hostile or what, but she passed relatively quickly. I didn't have my cell phone in hand, so I don't think she thought I was about to take a snapshot.
T policy allows photography, and I only take pictures of crowds; I don't focus in on individuals, and don't post my photos at a high enough resolution for the members of a crowd to be easily recognizable. Feel free to check it out for yourself; the picture is on the Charlie blog. There are no full-face close-ups.
Still...it was a weird experience.
If you want to read the details, you can see them over on the Charlie On the Commuter Rail blog.
Anyway, the crowding in the three cool cars was so bad that I decided to take a few pictures. I used my cell phone to snap some shots. The first one (the one that I used) was through the window; I actually spent most of the ride in the vestibule, along with several other riders, because we were between two cool cars and there was just no way to get inside either car.
But when a conductor came in from outside and tried to start taking tickets, I snapped a couple more pictures through the open door. This caused a bit of a stir. She turned on me and asked if I'd just taken a picture. The door was closing, so I smiled and nodded. She wasn't willing to accept that, so she opened the door and asked me again if I'd been taking pictures.
"Yes," I answered.
"Of what?"
"I just wanted a picture of the crowd," I replied.
She didn't seem entirely satisfied, but let it go.
The odd thing is that apparently a few other people might have been upset. I got some odd looks from one or two of them as they came out at later stops, and one older woman stared me right in the eye and said "Don't take any more pictures!". I couldn't quite tell if she was hostile or what, but she passed relatively quickly. I didn't have my cell phone in hand, so I don't think she thought I was about to take a snapshot.
T policy allows photography, and I only take pictures of crowds; I don't focus in on individuals, and don't post my photos at a high enough resolution for the members of a crowd to be easily recognizable. Feel free to check it out for yourself; the picture is on the Charlie blog. There are no full-face close-ups.
Still...it was a weird experience.
Tremont Credit Union sucks
Aug. 31st, 2007 02:54 pmSigh. Hotel reservations are open for Arisia, and I want to make sure we don't end up stuck in the overflow hotel; that would almost make it pointless to attend the con in the first place!
So I went to the Arisia website and tried to make a reservation. Unfortunately, my debit card expires before Arisia takes place, and I can't make the reservation unless my card will be good through the date of the con. I'll get a new card sent to me in November...but by the the odds are good that the hotel will be full.
So I called my credit union to see if I could find out what the new expiration date will be. With that info, I could have booked the room.
But they say they don't have that information, and I'll just have to wait until November.
I'll use Teri's card tonight, of course, but it still sucks. And I haven't forgotten that when Tremont CU took over the old Plan Credit Union, they assured us that they wouldn't close the branch inside our building...and then did close it within six months.
The next nearest branch is far enough away that getting there and back would take more time than we're alloted for lunch.
And we had only one ATM that we could use without getting surcharged to death - a little machine in a secure area of the building. It's frequently either broken or out of cash when I need it most (particularly on Fridays and before holidays). It's usually out of service for days.
So, as I said before, the Tremont Credit Union sucks.
So I went to the Arisia website and tried to make a reservation. Unfortunately, my debit card expires before Arisia takes place, and I can't make the reservation unless my card will be good through the date of the con. I'll get a new card sent to me in November...but by the the odds are good that the hotel will be full.
So I called my credit union to see if I could find out what the new expiration date will be. With that info, I could have booked the room.
But they say they don't have that information, and I'll just have to wait until November.
I'll use Teri's card tonight, of course, but it still sucks. And I haven't forgotten that when Tremont CU took over the old Plan Credit Union, they assured us that they wouldn't close the branch inside our building...and then did close it within six months.
The next nearest branch is far enough away that getting there and back would take more time than we're alloted for lunch.
And we had only one ATM that we could use without getting surcharged to death - a little machine in a secure area of the building. It's frequently either broken or out of cash when I need it most (particularly on Fridays and before holidays). It's usually out of service for days.
So, as I said before, the Tremont Credit Union sucks.
Tremont Credit Union sucks
Aug. 31st, 2007 02:54 pmSigh. Hotel reservations are open for Arisia, and I want to make sure we don't end up stuck in the overflow hotel; that would almost make it pointless to attend the con in the first place!
So I went to the Arisia website and tried to make a reservation. Unfortunately, my debit card expires before Arisia takes place, and I can't make the reservation unless my card will be good through the date of the con. I'll get a new card sent to me in November...but by the the odds are good that the hotel will be full.
So I called my credit union to see if I could find out what the new expiration date will be. With that info, I could have booked the room.
But they say they don't have that information, and I'll just have to wait until November.
I'll use Teri's card tonight, of course, but it still sucks. And I haven't forgotten that when Tremont CU took over the old Plan Credit Union, they assured us that they wouldn't close the branch inside our building...and then did close it within six months.
The next nearest branch is far enough away that getting there and back would take more time than we're alloted for lunch.
And we had only one ATM that we could use without getting surcharged to death - a little machine in a secure area of the building. It's frequently either broken or out of cash when I need it most (particularly on Fridays and before holidays). It's usually out of service for days.
So, as I said before, the Tremont Credit Union sucks.
So I went to the Arisia website and tried to make a reservation. Unfortunately, my debit card expires before Arisia takes place, and I can't make the reservation unless my card will be good through the date of the con. I'll get a new card sent to me in November...but by the the odds are good that the hotel will be full.
So I called my credit union to see if I could find out what the new expiration date will be. With that info, I could have booked the room.
But they say they don't have that information, and I'll just have to wait until November.
I'll use Teri's card tonight, of course, but it still sucks. And I haven't forgotten that when Tremont CU took over the old Plan Credit Union, they assured us that they wouldn't close the branch inside our building...and then did close it within six months.
The next nearest branch is far enough away that getting there and back would take more time than we're alloted for lunch.
And we had only one ATM that we could use without getting surcharged to death - a little machine in a secure area of the building. It's frequently either broken or out of cash when I need it most (particularly on Fridays and before holidays). It's usually out of service for days.
So, as I said before, the Tremont Credit Union sucks.
Arisia '08 Panel Ideas
Aug. 31st, 2007 03:03 pmEvery year I send in some panel suggestions to Arisia, and most years I do it at the last minute. When I do, I find myself trying to dig up lists of ideas from past years.
Maybe if I post my list on my journal this time, it will be easier to find next year.
Open Season: Game Systems as Intellectual Property
RuneQuest Reborn: The classic long out-of-print is now back in four different versions from three different (and competing) companies. What's going on?
Classic Authors: Many of the greatest genre writers can no longer be found on bookstore shelves; giants such Roger Zelazny, Fredric Brown, and Cordwainer Smith have vanished. Modern authors rehash classic themes and get taken as the originators. Tips and suggestions for younger/newer readers on buried treasures from long ago.
Cross-Genre: Mystery/SF - Many genre writers have also written mysteries, and vice-versa. Panelists discuss writers who've crossed over, as well as those who've mixed the two genres - or tried to.
Humor in SF/F
PS3, Xbox 360, Wii: Which is Best? (A Battle Royale)
The Plight of the Older Gamer - It was so easy in college. Nothing but time to kill and lots of other gamers on campus. But now that you've got a job and a family, is it possible to still be a roleplayer?
We Want It On DVD! - Cool shows and movies that aren't available on shiny disks - yet. Why is The Love Boat available when Max Headroom isn't?
When Game Groups Go Bad: Chemistry is essential to a good game. How to recognize when a player isn't right for a group, or vice-versa.
4.0?!? - Wizards of the Coast has announced that D&D 4.0 is on the way. What might we expect? What would gamers like to see? Is Hasbro/WOTC just being greedy money-grubbing trolls, or is 3.5 crying out for improvement?
Maybe if I post my list on my journal this time, it will be easier to find next year.
Open Season: Game Systems as Intellectual Property
RuneQuest Reborn: The classic long out-of-print is now back in four different versions from three different (and competing) companies. What's going on?
Classic Authors: Many of the greatest genre writers can no longer be found on bookstore shelves; giants such Roger Zelazny, Fredric Brown, and Cordwainer Smith have vanished. Modern authors rehash classic themes and get taken as the originators. Tips and suggestions for younger/newer readers on buried treasures from long ago.
Cross-Genre: Mystery/SF - Many genre writers have also written mysteries, and vice-versa. Panelists discuss writers who've crossed over, as well as those who've mixed the two genres - or tried to.
Humor in SF/F
PS3, Xbox 360, Wii: Which is Best? (A Battle Royale)
The Plight of the Older Gamer - It was so easy in college. Nothing but time to kill and lots of other gamers on campus. But now that you've got a job and a family, is it possible to still be a roleplayer?
We Want It On DVD! - Cool shows and movies that aren't available on shiny disks - yet. Why is The Love Boat available when Max Headroom isn't?
When Game Groups Go Bad: Chemistry is essential to a good game. How to recognize when a player isn't right for a group, or vice-versa.
4.0?!? - Wizards of the Coast has announced that D&D 4.0 is on the way. What might we expect? What would gamers like to see? Is Hasbro/WOTC just being greedy money-grubbing trolls, or is 3.5 crying out for improvement?
Arisia '08 Panel Ideas
Aug. 31st, 2007 03:03 pmEvery year I send in some panel suggestions to Arisia, and most years I do it at the last minute. When I do, I find myself trying to dig up lists of ideas from past years.
Maybe if I post my list on my journal this time, it will be easier to find next year.
Open Season: Game Systems as Intellectual Property
RuneQuest Reborn: The classic long out-of-print is now back in four different versions from three different (and competing) companies. What's going on?
Classic Authors: Many of the greatest genre writers can no longer be found on bookstore shelves; giants such Roger Zelazny, Fredric Brown, and Cordwainer Smith have vanished. Modern authors rehash classic themes and get taken as the originators. Tips and suggestions for younger/newer readers on buried treasures from long ago.
Cross-Genre: Mystery/SF - Many genre writers have also written mysteries, and vice-versa. Panelists discuss writers who've crossed over, as well as those who've mixed the two genres - or tried to.
Humor in SF/F
PS3, Xbox 360, Wii: Which is Best? (A Battle Royale)
The Plight of the Older Gamer - It was so easy in college. Nothing but time to kill and lots of other gamers on campus. But now that you've got a job and a family, is it possible to still be a roleplayer?
We Want It On DVD! - Cool shows and movies that aren't available on shiny disks - yet. Why is The Love Boat available when Max Headroom isn't?
When Game Groups Go Bad: Chemistry is essential to a good game. How to recognize when a player isn't right for a group, or vice-versa.
4.0?!? - Wizards of the Coast has announced that D&D 4.0 is on the way. What might we expect? What would gamers like to see? Is Hasbro/WOTC just being greedy money-grubbing trolls, or is 3.5 crying out for improvement?
Maybe if I post my list on my journal this time, it will be easier to find next year.
Open Season: Game Systems as Intellectual Property
RuneQuest Reborn: The classic long out-of-print is now back in four different versions from three different (and competing) companies. What's going on?
Classic Authors: Many of the greatest genre writers can no longer be found on bookstore shelves; giants such Roger Zelazny, Fredric Brown, and Cordwainer Smith have vanished. Modern authors rehash classic themes and get taken as the originators. Tips and suggestions for younger/newer readers on buried treasures from long ago.
Cross-Genre: Mystery/SF - Many genre writers have also written mysteries, and vice-versa. Panelists discuss writers who've crossed over, as well as those who've mixed the two genres - or tried to.
Humor in SF/F
PS3, Xbox 360, Wii: Which is Best? (A Battle Royale)
The Plight of the Older Gamer - It was so easy in college. Nothing but time to kill and lots of other gamers on campus. But now that you've got a job and a family, is it possible to still be a roleplayer?
We Want It On DVD! - Cool shows and movies that aren't available on shiny disks - yet. Why is The Love Boat available when Max Headroom isn't?
When Game Groups Go Bad: Chemistry is essential to a good game. How to recognize when a player isn't right for a group, or vice-versa.
4.0?!? - Wizards of the Coast has announced that D&D 4.0 is on the way. What might we expect? What would gamers like to see? Is Hasbro/WOTC just being greedy money-grubbing trolls, or is 3.5 crying out for improvement?