Bookworm's Musings

So, as I was watching national news this week and they kept doing "in-depth" reports on the woman who had quintuplets, telling us about her personal life and so on, I couldn't believe some of the stuff they were telling us! It was so personal, I kept thinking: "Is this any of our business? Don't you have any taste?"
Anyone else feel the same way?

My Political Views
I am a left social libertarian
Left: 3.42, Libertarian: 4.51

Political Spectrum Quiz

My Foreign Policy Views
Score: -1.43

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My Culture War Stance
Score: -4.36

Political Spectrum Quiz

gakked from gillianinoz
Empire Magazine has revealed its list of the 50 Greatest TV Shows ever .
1. Bold the shows you watch/used to watch.
2. Italic the shows you've seen at least one episode of.
3. Underline the shows you own on DVD.
4. Post your answers.

( My Answers )

Well, December has been a month of Tech Support. This past month (more or less), I have done the following tech stuff:

• A clean format-and-reinstall of Vista Business on my Fujitsu Tablet. Goodbye, pre-installed OEM Crap and program/driver conflicts, hello fast-and-sleek computer. In my spare time these last few months, I've been working on my review for said tablet, and once it's all finished, I'll post it.
• A clean Install of Vista Ultimate on my Desktop. ♥ It runs so beautifully now, and everything is arranged just the way I like it.
  
• Added another GB of RAM to my Desktop, for a total of 4GB.
• Re-purposed an old laptop with a broken screen to serve as a internet workstation for the Kitchen. With an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse, and with Windows XP and Google Chrome installed, it works great.
• Installed Vista Business on my brother's computer, and spent about 3 days helping him set it up exactly the way he likes it. Now that he's been using it for a couple of weeks, he loves it and says it's much easier for him to use than XP. 
• Finally broke down and bought (I know, I PAID for software, heresy!) a copy of Natural Reader Personal Edition for brother. He had been using the free version, but it uses the built in Microsoft voice, which is female (and very poor quality), not male, on Vista. He hates the female voice, and I don't blame him. The male voice that comes with the Paid Natural Reader is wonderful: so smooth and easy to listen to. With Vista's very nice built-in speech-to-text engine and Natural Reader Personal edition, he can be truly independent now.
  
• Added more RAM to my brother's computer, for a total of 4GB.
  
• Added more RAM to my mom's computer, for a total of 4GB (seeing a pattern here?).
• Updated all the programs on Mom's computer to the latest versions. (Secunia PSI made this really easy to do.)
  
• Set up a new Netbook for my younger sister, who is starting college in a few days. Of all the members of my family, she's probably the least experienced when it comes to computers, so setting things up so they would be easy and intuitive, and writing step-by-step directions for how to do things was time-consuming. Luckily, my experience with setting up a computer for my mother stood me in good stead, soI was able to guess most of the things she would need instructions for. 
• When I dropped off the Netbook, she asked me to look at her Desktop, which was terribly slow and wouldn't do the things she wanted it to do. So I brought it home, installed Vista Home Premium, and set up multiple user accounts and all the programs and instructions she will need to do the stuff she wants. I'm actually still in the process of doing this, actually. I'll be using Vista's multi-user features for the first time, and hopefully with Vista's User Account Control features, I'll be able to keep her kids from installing crap and messing with things they shouldn't.
  
• Added 512MB of RAM to sister's Desktop, for a total of 1 GB. This is the lowest spec'd computer I've installed Vista on, and it actually runs quite well, faster than XP was  (in all fairness, I didn't try to troubleshoot the XP speed problem so the comparison isn't scientifically rigorous), although not as lightening-fast as my own computers do. I would give her more RAM, except that I'd have to buy it, because I don't have any 1GB chips laying around, and she only has two slots. So 1 GB it is.

As you can see, I've been very busy this winter break, doing lots of fun, and sometimes tedious, stuff. I've set up so many systems that I've actually got a little USB drive full of all the programs I need to install.
But there are a few things that I had planned to do that I DIDN'T get done:

• Finish my Dress and start a second one.
• Finish scanning recipes. And converting them to text. And adding them to the online database.
• Clean my Room (Was this ever going to happen, anyway?).
• Make another batch of Biscuit Mix.

Oh well. I got a lot done anyway, and I'll just have to get the rest done in the first few weeks of Winter Quarter, before the classes get difficult.

Well, I finished one of the projects on my Winter Break list: Setting up the Kitchen Computer.
We had an old IBM ThinkPad laptop ( 533 mhz CPU, 256 MB RAM, 10 GB HD) that belonged to mom for a while, but the screen broke so she upgraded to a more powerful desktop.
So, we picked up an old flat screen monitor on eBay for around $60 and hooked it up to the laptop.  Works great.
I installed Windows XP on the laptop, added an external mouse & Keyboard, and a wireless card. Result: new computer for the kitchen. I installed Google chrome, created application shortcuts to our Google docs recipes account (Google documents has turned out to be the perfect recipe collection solution for us: search-able, simple, and accessible anywhere), Freezer Board Spreadsheet (also Google docs; we have a chest freezer, and the only way to know for sure what is in it is to keep a list), and cozi.com shopping list (allows us to send the shopping list to our cellphones, and to access and edit it from anywhere). While the computer is slow overall, the Internet Apps in Google Chrome are quite fast, so the system should work well for our needs. Since we all have our own computers, this computer is simply to allow us to access recipes, shopping list, and tracking sheets in the kitchen. No more printing out recipes or forgetting to add things to the shopping list.
For those who care, here's how I setup the computer:

1. Installed and updated Windows XP Home Edition, drivers.
2. Deleted the Service Pack and Hotfix Uninstall Folders.
3. Edited the Registry to get rid of Balloon Tips. Applied the desired wallpaper.
   
4. Installed and Configured ZoneAlarm Free Firewall.
5. Installed A Squared Commandline & Spybot - S&D.
6. Used compiled AutoHotKey scripts and TaskScheduler to have Asquared & Spybot run silently and automatically in the wee hours of the morning on a schedule.
7. Installed and ran SpywareBlaster.
8. Installed Google Chrome (and Mozilla Prism, but found that Google Chrome was faster).
9. Installed Java, AdobeFlash, AdobeShockwave.
10. Installed and ran Secunia PSI to make sure that all programs had the latest patches.
11. Ran Disc Cleaner.
12. Created Desired shortcuts/Internet Apps.

Done. All I need to do is manually update Spybot at least once a week, and it's good to go.
It's not blazing fast, but it's not hideously slow either. I wouldn't want to use it as my main computer, but for an internet workstation, it works quite well. It might have been faster with Windows 98, but neither Google Chrome nor Mozilla Prism support 98, so XP was necessary.

So, BrotherBookworm had the misfortune to get infected with the Virtumonde Virus over the weekend. Damn, that is one persistent little bugger!
Last night I finally got enough of it out that Windows Explorer stopped crashing (Spybot SD rocks!), but there is no guarantee that we got it all. Since one of the Virus' features is a keylogger, it is important to make sure that we got it all, so tonight we will begin a barrage of virus and trojan scanners to insure that it is truly gone. And then we'll uninstall IE and reinstall it, since the virus hijacked it as well. It kept trying to redirect me to it's phony anti-virus products when I was trying to access the Windows update site, but I was too crafty for such shenanigans.
And then we'll update all possible software to the latest versions (Secunia PSI will come in handy for some of this, a nifty new program that works quite well).
And setup a regular virus-scanning schedule. Spybot and A Squared Command Line. (Autohotkey to the rescue again: when I discovered that XP Task Scheduler dislikes some command line switches, I wrote a little script to automate the A2 command line update and scanner. Now, I just point Task Scheduler to the .exe, and, viola! Automated Scanning!)
And install ZoneAlarmPro.
And maybe AVG Free active scanner (I'm not sure if this would actually be helpful. Would it have caught the trojan? I'm not using an active scanner on my own computers at the moment, instead scheduling passive scanners to run every night, and I have so far experienced no ill effects, but this might be due to Vista's improved firewall and security features...).
In the course of dealing with the trojan, we discovered several other infections, some of which were boldly adding themselves to the startup processes. So, we'll be taking steps to prevent further infections.
BrotherBookworm uses Windows XP Media Center, and using it reminded me of how much I love Vista. Some of the best new features in Vista are little things that your average user will never notice, but that make a big difference when you're trying to do serious troubleshooting. Plus, with UAC and a better Firewall, the infection might never have happened in the first place. And you never have to open a browser to update Vista, unlike XP.
If only we had the XP Media Center Install disc, I would just transfer personal files, format, and reinstall. But, as is the case with many pre-owned computers, the install disc was missing when we got the computer (yes, they're supposed to be included, but many resellers seem to be emotionally attached to them and won't include them no matter what you do...).
If all else fails, we'll either format and "downgrade" to my extra copy of XP Home, or Upgrade to Vista Business, which I can get for a good price as a student. But would the expense really be worth it? I love Vista myself, and would love to finally have everyone on the home network using it, but there is no denying the fact that I have a perfectly good unused copy of XP available...
This is the first serious infection that has ever happened in my family, and I have no intention of repeating the experience!
On the plus side, we are a very techie family (as a household, we have more computers than actual people), and nothing brings us together and facilitates civil conversation like fixing a computer problem.
Now to go research restore points. One of the evil side-effects of this virus is that it erased all restore points made prior to infection. If restore points are portable, we can isolate one on a portable drive and prevent such evilness in the future. Here's hoping...
Continuing to live up to the Family Motto: Paid Tech Support? We don't need no Overpriced Tech Support! That's what Google is for!

Grabbed from katling73
( My Answers )

Oh fellow students, please remember that the campus cafeteria is a public place. Strangely enough, some of us are actually trying to consume food there!
We (I) would really appreciate it if you would refrain from doing the following while in the Cafeteria:

• Chewing with your mouth open.
• Showing us your masticated food.
• Laughing with food in your mouth, thus spraying it everywhere.
• Belching or passing gas loudly.
  
• Spitting (on the floor or anywhere else).
• Fake gagging or vomiting (please try to avoid the real thing as well, but life happens sometimes...).
• Discussing gross topics so loudly that the rest of us cannot help overhearing.
• Starting a fight/altercation with others, even if you're just joking around.
• Throwing small items.
• Knocking over chairs or tables.
• Shouting.

Seriously, people. You're all adults now, which means that you should know when good manners are both necessary and appropriate.

Thanks,
Me

I love Stargate Atlantis fanfiction, I truly do. But sometimes, when I'm reading a story, I imagine this little conversation in my head:

Author: So I've made this great character for my story! He's hot, really smart, gets away with a lot of shit that would get lesser men sued, and is perfect at everything. He also gets along well with everyone, and everyone loves him. Isn't that exciting?!
Me: How...nice for you. I can hardly wait.
Author: Thanks! I've decided to name him Rodney McKay. Doesn't that just roll off your tongue?
Me: ...
Me: Sorry to rain on your parade, but SGA already has a character named Rodney McKay.
Author: ... Noooo!
Me: Sorry, yes.
Author: (thinking...)
Author: I've got it! I'll just replace SGA's Rodney McKay with my Rodney McKay. Problem Solved!
Me: *headdesk*

Look at what I found!
Free PDF to Word Doc Converter 1.1
I tested it on a PDF file with images and a complex text layout, and it works beautifully! Easy and intuitive to use, it's perfect for converting PDF zines and ebooks into a more versatile, readable format. (I haven't tested it on commercial pdf ebooks, just fanfiction, FYI.)
PDF files are great for printing, but not so great for onscreen reading. If you zoom the text to a comfortable size, you often end up having to drag the page back-and-forth across the screen, line-by-line, which is hardly practical. But if you leave the text size as-is, headaches and eyestrain usually ensue.
With this converter, you can convert the PDF to a word document and either read it there or save it as html to read in your browser, where you can zoom the text size to suit your needs. Perfect.
You can also use this to make copying and pasting from PDFs easier - very helpful for research.
I have been looking for a tool like this for a long time!

Traditionally, the skill of speaking well is known as rhetoric, which is "the art of influencing the thought and conduct of an audience" (as apposed to the common modern usage: "undue use of exaggeration or display" when speaking or writing) (Dictionary.com). For most of our history, skillful rhetoric has been the mark of an educated man. Obama is such a man, and I love listening to him speak.
Many politicians sound stiff and overly-rehearsed when speaking in public, and the overall message that they inadvertently send is that they are saying what they think you want to hear, regardless of its veracity. They never seem to relax, leaving you with the impression that they are watching their words carefully, lest their true beliefs - which might offend you - slip out. President Bush, for example, almost always tends to speak like this.
But listening to Obama speak is like listening to one of the many excellent revival preachers from my childhood. And I mean that in the most complimentary way. I may have left the Church and Christianity a long time ago, but I still remember the many eloquent speakers that I had the opportunity to hear as a child. Obama shares many speaking traits with them, including the distinctive, almost sing-song cadence that emphasizes key words and draws the listener's attention. He is confident and sincere, and is unafraid to look away from his notes and speak from his heart (or at least give that impression). His determination to speak meaningfully about important issues only enhances his sincerity. The fact that he only occasionally glances at his notes, instead looking at the audience in a way that makes it appear as if he is speaking directly to each individual, makes his listener feel as if the message he is trying to impart is important and worthy of careful attention and consideration. Yet, despite his sparing use of notes, his speech doesn't sound overly-rehearsed, as if he is quoting it by rote. Instead, he sounds sincere and compelling, despite the occasional stutter, stumble, or false start. He uses his whole body to convey his message and to cue the audience to his emotions, instead of standing stiffly behind the lectern, droning on and on into the microphone. Even his humor feels real, instead of 'folksy' or 'popular'. When he makes a joke, it's clear that he really thinks it's funny - he's not just trying to break the ice or 'fit in'.  And he almost always appears relaxed when he speaks, giving the impression that he is being truthful and that he doesn't have any hidden - and possibly offensive - views that might tumble out if he isn't careful.
Obama has an air of dignity and compassion about him that will serve him well as the next President of the United States of America.

More updates!
I have updated, reorganized, and relocated all of my Star Trek: Voyager Lists.
Here are the new links:

• Strange Things Voyager Slash Recs
• Tuvok Slash Directory
• Vorik Slash Directory
• Icheb Slash Directory
• Neelix Slash Directory

Enjoy,
BookwormDragon

Updates! Updates! Get your Updates here!

I have done a massive update for the Multi-Fandom Post-Apocalypse Survival Slash Fiction Thematic List. New stories have been listed and the whole thing has been moved!

It was getting so unwieldy and difficult to update quickly that I relocated it here, to a public Google Notebook.

This move has benefits for both you, the user, and me, the maintainer. Thanks to the Notebook system, you will now be able to navigate directly to a specific fandom on the list, and you will also be able to subscribe to the list using a RSS Reader. The simple, clear formatting of Notebook should make the list easier for you to read, as well. And because it is also much easier for me to update quickly and neatly, updates will be more frequent.

Please let me know if you have trouble accessing the new list for any reason. This list gets a reasonable amount of traffic, and if Notebook can't support that, I will need to make a backup or find another solution. If this works well, I may decide to move all of my Thematic Lists to Google Notebook, so let me know what you think. There are links for commenting and email posted at the top of the list.
Enjoy.

Title: A Tarnished Future
Author: BookwormDragon aka bookworm_2005
Beta: ulyferal
Genre: Gen
Rating: PG
Summary: What was wrong with the Future Feral in the episode 'A Bright and Shiny Future? How might T-Bone's discovery in the future change his own present?
Disclaimer: Neither the SWAT Kats Universe nor any of the Characters in the SWAT Kats Universe belong to me. No profit is made from this story on my part. No copyright infringement is intended.

( Read the Story )
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Have you ever read bad!fic? I don't mean bad!grammar or bad!spelling fic, I mean fic that is so horrible that it gets stuck in your mind like that song from Lambchops.
I recently read this story with a mildly interesting premise which was then utterly destroyed by plot holes big enough to drive a semi-truck through and a complete lack of anything resembling an internal reality. What's worse, it was a Sentinel crossover, which I usually love. But suddenly, without warning, Jim was raping Blair (not just a little pseudo non-con, actual rape), and everyone was okay with that! Apparently, it was part of the Bonding process, and getting over it together was what would cement the Bond. It was just...wrong. Yuck. Yuck!
On top of this, there was pseudo incest on the part of some of the other main characters, an insidious Mary Sue, and, to top it off, a 'good sex will fix everything' attitude on everyone's part. It was horrifyingly terrible. Mind you, I knew right from the beginning that this story was going to require some suspension of disbelief, but there was no real warning concerning the horrors that lurked within - they just appeared out of nowhere! And the worst part? I read it four days ago! Even after four days, it still creeps into my thoughts at the most irritating times - I just can't seem to forget it, it was so horrible! I'm afraid that bad!fic of this sort might be contagious! What if I have been infected? I might write equally horrible fic without even realizing it! *shudder*
I feel a sudden urge to scrub my brain with steel wool. Help!

Well, I finished the Sedona Skirt on Thursday.
( See Pictures )

Total Cost, including Pattern, not counting labor or cutting errors: $32.72

I think it looks pretty darn good, especially for a first project!
As you can see, I top-stitched all the seams, which was rather nerve-wracking, since mistakes would show! Because of a cutting error, the diagonal lines are facing in the opposite direction from the pattern. Also, I accidentally got the waistband elastic pocket about 1/8" too large - I'll know better next time.
The waistband is the one time where I deviated from the instructions - instead of installing the elastic by placing it under the fabric fold and sewing along the edge while stretching, I made the pocket first and then threaded the elastic through. I don't know if that effected how the waistband looks or not, since I've never done it the other way. Still, I tend to wear my shirts untucked, so it doesn't really matter.
In the future, I need to pin and sew the panels together from the bottom up, not the top down. That way, the hemline will be perfectly even without needing to stretch any of the pieces, which is what I think happened this time and why a few of the seams appear slightly shorter than the others. That sort of problem will be much easier to hide in the waistband.
For the next skirt, I'm thinking of adding about 2" of width to each panel, allowing for more elegant draping and folding. We'll see.
This pattern, however, is most definitely a keeper! It was very easy to sew and the end result is very beautiful.
The only thing to look out for is the cutting layout: the pieces are asymmetric and cannot be cut on folded fabric.

So, I just thought of a great project: A del.icio.us collection of all Sentinel crossovers & fusions. Gen, Het, Slash. Any fandom. Any pairing. Any length. Any quality. If it uses any concepts from The Sentinel (even if the Sentinel characters themselves don't appear), it would be cataloged. I love Sentinel Crossovers and am always looking for more, and have often wished that such a database already existed. Does anyone know if a similar project already exists? If so, where is it hiding?

Well, the Sedona Skirt pattern arrived on Wednesday. I cut it out, and then cut the moleskin. I ran into a little trouble here. I accidentally mistook the 45" layout for something that could be cut on folded fabric (don't ask me why, my brain took a short vacation). I therefore cut my 5 yards of moleskin into table-lengths and stacked it, intending to cut all 5 copies at once. Oops. The pieces are asymmetric and must be cut with the fabric all facing up. I ended up with three pieces facing wrong side up. So, I turned the three pieces over and cut two more facing the same way. The diagonal lines will now run in the opposite direction from the pattern. Good thing I had that extra two yards, right? In the end, I was left with two extra upper skirt panels and three extra lower skirt panels. I put them away in a bag. As I amass remnants from other fabrics, I will cut pieces from them, and when I have enough I will put them together to make another skirt. Since moleskin has a lovely, satiny backside, I briefly considered simply alternating front and backside facing forward pieces, but decided not to in the end.
I just finished attaching the lower skirt panels to the upper skirt panels. Now I just need to attach the skirt panels to each other, and do the waistband and the hem.
In other news, I picked up almost a yard of dark blue velvet for just $0.50 on Saturday.