William F. Wulf II's blog

Love Always Trumps Hate

03-ByakheeByakhee

There are some things that I love that can trump my distaste for other things. I love Giant Monsters, but I hate hand-cam movies--but my love for the Titanic Terrors trumps my dislike so I am pro-Cloverfield (even though I may never be able to watch it again).
Similarly, I hate musicals--a hybrid media that usually combines the worst of both music and stage. But I love anything to do with HP Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos.  Lovecraft was a mad genius who's mother dressed him like a girl for most of his childhood, and may or may not have been stark raving mad. But he knew a thing or two about his audience and shared his imagination with several other contemporary authors to form a more complete universe in which his particular horror could thrive. He is the father of modern horror, and though to read his stuff now is difficult for his thick prose, the core concepts of terror are timeless and not dependent on culture or language.

Shoggoth on the Roof is a satirical musical that crosses the famous Jewish Musical and the highlights of the most famous Mythos stories. The production quality on the CD album alone should be enough evidence of Lovecraft's genius--that 80 years later people are still inspired by his stories.

Some updates to previous posts: H20, PAN, zInterviews

* The water in the Davenport has run cold again, perhaps worse than before. It might be warm when I turn it on, or it might take some time and get really hot, or it might never get warm at all and I will have to turn the cold water off entirely. D33 is even more obsessed with her bath than I am with my shower and has demanded an investigation into the matter.

* The discharged batteries in my PAN members Maya and Stark have recovered most of their previous functionality after cycling through them several times.

* I had three interviews towards full time employment at Zillow today. They were rather a surprise, but it seems like HR wanted to get them over sooner rather than later and tomorrow my co-operator is taking off and leaving me to drive the site solo--which I dare not try to do through an interview. These interviews were far less formal than my grueling entry examinations; more like peer reviews from others in my department, and I am certain they went well. I will probably hear more tomorrow from either HR or Boss.

Lost Season 4 sees new life post-WGA strike

E! Online blogger Kristen is reporting that Lost will see five more episodes beyond the 8 already filmed. The season will be split, so that episode 7 will air on March 13th at 9pm, then go on break for six weeks. The already-filmed episode 8 will air after the break on April 24th, at 9pm, then for the remaining episodes the series will move to 10pm (to follow Grey's Anatomy). Apparently the plot that had been outlined for the original order of 16 episodes will still be fit into the shorter season. Fans may not get as much time with their favorite characters as they would like but they will nto be missing out on any big revelations or plot points.

Essentials for any good road trip

Tonight a friend asked me what she absolutely needed to take with her on her road trip. I gave her a very short list:

• Keys - these you need to operate your car
  
• Money - this get you food, fuel, and anything else you want
  
• Identification/Insurance - If you don't have them and you are asked for them, you will regret it
  
• Cell phone - All cell phones can dial 911, regardless of service. A man trapped in the Andes was rescued because of this
  
• Digital Camera -  Necessary for evidence. In the unlikely event of an accident, you'll want as much proof of your innocence as possible.
  

Anything else you can beg, borrow, buy or steal on the way.

Moonlighting

Moonlighting in� Futurist Warren Ellis' internet army by distributing his viral marketing. He asked, rather nicely for a drunken� bastard.

Crock Pot Adventures: Pulled Lamb

Before last night, I cannot remember the last time I had barbecue.

Pulled Lamb Barbecue:

1 boneless leg of lamb, 3 to 5 lbs
1 bottle of Barbecue Sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)
1 onion, sliced in strips (julienne)
1/2 cup chopped bell peppers

Cook on low for 8 hours. At around 6 hours the meat should be tender enough to pull apart. Use tongs or two large forks to pull the meat into strips, then let cook for the remaining two hours in the sauce.
Serve on buns, mashed potatoes, rice, or just get sloppy and shovel it into your mouth with your fingers.

D33 smelled my barbecue cooking yesterday, and then she showed up at my door this morning with a bag of fresh buns and a silly grin on her face.

Living Plumbing

The shower in my apartment has shifted to favor the hot water, overnight. I mentioned before how the hot water had no pressure and the cold had all of it. A few days ago the plumber was here to fix D33's shower, and now my shower has turned so that the majority of the pressure is in the hot water instead of the cold.
I love hot showers, so this situation favors me. This is the third or fourth time the plumbing has changed in the seven months I have lived here. It does not change every time the plumber does work, and it does not necessarily change with the seasons, and I cannot come up with any other plausible reason for it to change the way it does. The Davenport is an old building by comparison to most of the rest of the City on the Edge of the Future, and this relative age gives it a feeling of having a bit of soul, of character. In any other very old building I have been in, I have sensed a certain, almost living feeling from the atmosphere. The Davenport feels the same. 

Crock Pot Adventures: Stuffed Peppers

I found a great deal on bell peppers recently, and decided to replicate Mother's stuffed pepper recipe. I used to make these in a big stew pot for large parties to much fanfare, but during my vegetarian years I never bothered trying this with fake meat. This recipe stuffs six peppers, but I could only fit five into the pot.

6 large bell peppers

Stuff these peppers with:
1 lb ground meat (Lamb for me)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 c white rice, cooked (measure a cup, then cook)
1 T herbs de provence
1 t pepper
1 t salt
half a large onion, minced

Immerse stuffed peppers in this sauce:
1 can tomato juice
1 can condensed tomato soup
1/2 can water
1 can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 T herbs de provence
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup diced peppers

Cook on low for 5 hours.

What do you mean, my vote won't count?

This is from the Washington Democrats website:

"Last Minute Caucus Questions
    The February 19th primary does not count toward selecting delegates. If you want your vote to count you must attend your Caucus
    Unsure if you are regestered or have you recently moved? Register at your Caucus. No need to be registered as a Democrat
    You can bring the kids!
    You don't need your ID or voter registration card
    Can't stay long? You just need to sign in to vote
    Know any teens? They can participate if they will be 18 by November 4th, 2008"

What kind of crap is this? I can vote, but it will not matter? Apparently Washington State Law requires a public election for every primary. The Republicans chose half their delegates by Caucus and half by election. Democrats hold an election just to make people feel better, but chose all the delegates at the Caucus.

Tomorrow is Caucus Day, then February 19th the election.

Yogurt Experiments

Yogurt is a superfood I try to eat every day in order to quell my resltess digestive tract. I have had severe Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) since 2001 and after seven years I still do not understand it fully. I do know that the cultures in yogurt assist my own saprophytic colonies, so I try to start every day with yogurt. Buying yogurt is expensive, especially in the inner city. D33 started making her own a few months back, and she had been willing to make me some as well, but her erratic schedule means she often does not have either the time or the energy to make enough for me. She has a full sized kitchen where I do not, and bought a specialized yogurt-making machine. I have only a galley kitchen and a dining nook, and because of this I do not like to buy specialized kitchen equipment. This weekend I decided that I should be able to make yogurt with the equipment I have.
    Yogurt requires three things: milk, cultures (any leftover yogurt will do), and a constant temperature. Research on the WWW will show a variety of techniques, but these three things are the core of it. Helpful bacteria grow in milk when given the right setting. My problem was to find the right temperature and a way to keep it consistent. One batch left in the oven on its lowest setting failed entirely, and it took me two more experiments in the crock pot before I achieved success, but I now have the capability of making one gallon of yogurt for about $5 on a day that I have 8 hours to attend the batch. The crock pot with a thick towel on the lid traps heat very well, but it has to be turned on for 10 to 15 minutes every few hours. Once I get the process down, it should be highly efficient, enough for surplus for D33.