blame all your weakness on me, shame that I'm so contrite

Pinhole fireworks. It's lovely to watch.

Fascinating new scientific advance--I'll let Mr. Zaccheo describe it:

"We've turned Reynold's Wrap, JELL-O and milk into a way to look for organ failure," said Brian Zaccheo, a graduate student in the lab of Richard Crooks, professor of chemistry and biochemistry. The device gets to work when a sample of blood is placed on a layer of gelatin and milk protein inside the device. If a patient has pancreatitis, their blood will contain high levels of trypsin, which will melt the gelatin and milk protein. Then a drop of sodium hydroxide — or lye — is added to the device. If the trypsin was high enough to melt the gelatin, the layer of aluminum foil will be unveiled and the sodium hydroxide will dissolve it.

If it can be done for incipient pancreatitis, maybe it can be done for other things, in time. Either way, fantastic use of existing technology to save lives.

And scientists in another lab discovered how to make human gelatin! While my mind instantly goes two places (monsters crafted in darkest and most maddened science labs, wobbling their way through major cities, OR the nextest and bestest Jell-O tasty treat), what they're actually thinking of is gelatin pill capsules and gelatin pill coatings, for those individuals who reject (biologically, not ethically) animal gelatin.

So it's going to be entirely above-board. (Rats.)

The infamous Superman-rescues-kitten issue is now on the stands. Yeah...that so pushes the concept of the thriving, vibrant Muslim superhero clean out of my mind.

Chased by Krypto the dog. Yeah. Of course they made the right choice...Phhhht.

"Metal Gear cosplay is most representative of what I do," Omi tells Kotaku. "I pour everything I possess into it."

She really does. (She also does cosplay for other things, like No More Tears, Thrill Kill, Catherine, Sucker Punch and more.)

(Most of those links lead to Kotaku, just letting you know now; the last one leads to Miss Gibson's official site.)

Casual wandering this morning made me head-tilt:

Welcome to Grimley's Bloodbath & Beyond.

Banned products not allowed in this sim. Use of the folloing will get you kicked or banned.
guns & products made by Tyrant Ludd
products from Schism Industries
Xcite products by Javier Puff
products by Jeremy Duport like the SLMT Spine Gun 3.0

Now, typo and all, that's from the notecard one is handed when one enters the store--which is apparently just scant inches from the combat area and the rest of the (one presumes) RP sim. It's not unusual to be asked to use only specified weaponry, tags, fit the theme of the sim, whatever.

But--when did Xcite become a griefing tool? Have I missed something? Or are Xcite products banned because they're heavily overscripted?

Maybe they're banned simply because more Xcite escorts show up without a clue, than Sensations escorts. Who knows?

In the meantime, may I present a brief history of pneumatic tube transport? Enjoy.

And I'm also presenting the case for joining Diaspora. While I am not the biggest social media maven around--I tend to resist as long as I can, and, if I get dragged in, do so with the utmost of begrudging contempt--I think their points are sound: Facebook doesn't want us, Google+ doesn't either, and if we want to keep together with those of like minds who also do not favor RL everything, all the time--then Diaspora might be the way to go.

Am I joining it on that recommendation? Hardly. But I am looking into it.