I thought the article itself was thoughtful, funny, and did a good job finding a variety of people within the group (young, gay married couples) to talk about (I really hate when portraits of single people are used to generalize in-depth about entire groups or social trends). One thing that seemed a little funny/peculiar to me, though, are the photos that go along with the article. They're deliberately warm and posed to look like vintage 50's photos; you can imagine similar colors and textures in an ad for a new washing machine with a smiling, aproned housewife. The point is clear, in that nothing evokes cliche, traditional marriage like the 50's, and so there's the wry twist of having the spouses in the pseudo-vintage photos be men. In the moment, though, it kind of itched at my brain. I would have preferred more straight-up, uncreative, journalistically realistic photos of the couples, the men.
I think it goes back to always fantasizing about an Asian family on TV that isn't, say, plagued by the ghosts of relatives through the mysterious aunt's hundred secret senses (like Spidey-sense, only for the undead); or involved in a secret gambling ring that involves nonconsensual organ donation (cue bamboo flute, Mulder!). My dream Asian family would probably watch some TV, eat some take-out, and go to bed. Awful television, except for me. Reality--complex and imperfect and confused and confusing--is way more compelling to me.
Microsoft Warns of 8 "Critical" Security Flaws
By REUTERS
Filed at 6:56 p.m. ET
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O) on Tuesday warned of eight ``critical'' security flaws in its Windows operating system and Office software that could allow attackers to take control of a computer.
Microsoft, whose Windows operating system runs on 90 percent of the world's computers, issued patchher forms of communication through computer networks.
The company has been working for more than three years to improve the security and reliability of its software as more and more malicious software targets weaknesses in Windowrnight with captain Brian Lara on 15.
The first test in the four-match series ended in a draw when India were unable to separate the last-wicket pair.
--------------------------------------
I swear that's what it says.
I'm writing to report an apparent security breach that I experienced while finishing up my online application tonight. I copied and pasted my essay into the last page of the online application and clicked "Save". The browser reloaded the page. I was expecting to be returned to the essay page, with some sort of message indicating that I had successfully saved my essay. Instead, I appeared to be on page one of someone else's online application. (See attached PDF file.) I reloaded the page, and clicked to several other pages, hoping there was some kind of mistake. As far as I could tell, I was in somebody else's application--and all kinds of personal information that was not my own was available to me.
Attached is a PDF file of the page one I was taken to, missing the outer navigation frame of the page. I was able to submit my own application successfully by quitting my browser and logging in again, but I wanted to let your staff know what happened. Please feel free to contact me at this e-mail address or (***) ***-****.
Best,
![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
aetheraWeb Application #-----
Application to D.M.A. Composition program, Conservatory of Music
I am, needless to say, incredibly sketched out.
- Mood:GAH!!!!!
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
I would be interested in checking out the following if Bear & Jen were doing them:
View Answers
A podcast of seriously eclectic music
15 (60.0%)
A podcast of seriously eclectic music with the occasional "something eclectic read out loud" (any genre, not necessarily written by Bear & Jen, just stuff that's cool) 14 (56.0%)
An album of Christmas carols or holiday-type songs (done up on sitar and banjo and oboe and the like) 13 (52.0%)
An album of slightly New Agey, folky music (in the style of the high school senior project) 11 (44.0%)
An album of classical compositions by ourselves 21 (84.0%)
Assume for the purposes of the poll that all of these things would just be free downloads.
Well, nothing that's not been said.
I do not know where to go.
I want to make things that count,
Things that will be new...
What am I to do?
Composing. Composing is hard. Or, maybe, fraught with paralyzing self-doubt?
I SUCK!!!!
(sob)
I AM TEH GENIUS!!!!
(sigh)
I'm going back to it. Urgh.
It was a fabulous show. There was a set of songs by Gustavo Santaolalla (an Argentinian/Mexican rock musician who plays guitar and ronroco), eighth blackbird did a silly-and-also-pretty piece, and then everybody got together and played "Ayre". Dawn Upshaw--can I just say this again?--is farking *amazing*. And it's nice to see someone "playing" a laptop on the mainstage, instead of just around the corner in the "special" space for "crrrrrazy" music. There was a huge turnout and the audience seemed really into it. I think it's a great idea to team up an opera superstar with a fairly new, adventurous program. It really lures more traditional music fans into coming out and having fun. We grooved through the whole concert, got a CD signed by Santaolalla/Upshaw/Golijov and a bonus DVD of Kaija Saariaho's opera, "L'amour de loin" signed by Upshaw (who starred in it). I am a sick, freakish, crazy Kaija fan, and the opera was only performed in Europe, and I'd just found out there was a DVD, so I was especially fangirl over that.
( some music geeky thoughts on 'ayre' )
The moral of the story is that Bear and I dressed up all fancy, had a very tasty dinner, and heard some beautiful and fun music. It was really wonderful. I've really, really missed the whole "free concerts twice a day" thing about conservatories. Listening to lots of music I haven't heard before makes me feel like more of a person.
Am I angry? Am I amused? I think I'm *both*.
*seethe* *fume*
BWAHAHAHAHAHAA!!
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
Your feelings on Andrew Lloyd Webber:
View Answers
I love him! Like a million times! 1 (3.4%)
I used to love him once. I feel guilty about it now. 4 (13.8%)
I used to love him once. I feel no shame. 7 (24.1%)
He's okay. 7 (24.1%)
Apathy. 5 (17.2%)
HATRED!!! 5 (17.2%)
Who the hell is he? 0 (0.0%)
Bear: Oh, I'm sorry.
Jen: Well, I don't know. I guess it's kind of fun, the way clipping your toenails is fun.
(Pause)
Jen: (sheepish) You don't like clipping your toenails?
Bear: No, it's just that...I think I actually know what you mean.
1 Noise removal: the process of removing "hiss" from a recording. I'm doing this with a bunch of samples of gently striking a wooden harp with a hammer, in a desperate bid to finish a piece by tomorrow for the SEAMUS conference.
For the love of everything good, get your RealPlayer going and check out those tracks, especially the last one. *drool*
WARNING: It might be so foul and vile that I will be unable to bring myself to post it online. In which case, sorry.
Feel free to gank the icon if you want; I tweaked the official Nano icons because they aren't really the right shape for LJ.
- Music:Finnegan's Wake - The Dropkick Murphys
When he said that, it itched at me for a couple reasons. First of all, there are SO MANY CHINESE PEOPLE in the Pasadena area. If you really need to check out some Chinese people, you really don't need to rent a movie. Like, really. At all. It was the first time (that day) that I'd noticed I was the only Chinese person in the vicinity. Secondly, I have never seen a Chinese person do this bow, except on TV, and at this one dance recital where a ten-year-old girl was doing a balletic dance to music from "Mulan". I was pretty sure that the teacher's claims of everyday bowing were totally wrong. The second reason, though, caused subsidiary itching in a way, because whenever I think to myself, "I do/don't think Chinese people do this" I'm always forced to remember that I don't really know. I have to go ask Mom.
It's just funny, that when it comes to Chinese culture, I'm neither an insider or an outsider. There are things that I viscerally understand, that are hard to verbalize to other Americans, that are a natural part of my life and make me sometimes consider Chinese-ness something I'm "inside". Then there are other moments, like that one, where I realize I'm not all that grade-A authentic.
I am a B-grade Chinese person. Sad, yo.
(P.S. Mom: "People do that in kung fu movies, sure." Jen: "But not, like, in real life, right? Mom: (laughs) "Not for maybe three hundred years.")
- Music:South Australia - The Pogues
( Icons )
I'm tempted to editorialize and navel-gaze, but I think that's way less interesting and fun than making a poll!
Rules of the game:
* If for any reason you'd like to remain anonymous, feel free to post an anonymous comment.
* If you want to add info/refine an opinion, please feel free to post a comment.
* For the purposes of the poll, by "child" I mean "child who is too young to stay home alone".
Pass it on if you'd like, by all means!
Poll #574635 about your mom. and your dad.
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
1. Which relatives did you live with as a child?
View Answers
mother 30 (100.0%)
father 28 (93.3%)
stepmother 0 (0.0%)
stepfather 0 (0.0%)
grandparents 3 (10.0%)
other extended family 2 (6.7%)
2. Of the relatives you lived with, which (if any) of them worked full-time?
View Answers
mother 16 (55.2%)
father 28 (96.6%)
stepmother 0 (0.0%)
stepfather 0 (0.0%)
grandparents 1 (3.4%)
other extended family 2 (6.9%)
3. Of the relatives you lived with, which (if any) of them cared for you full-time?
View Answers
mother 21 (100.0%)
father 9 (42.9%)
stepmother 1 (4.8%)
stepfather 0 (0.0%)
grandparents 2 (9.5%)
other extended family 1 (4.8%)
4. Which of these services did your family employ on a routine, substantial basis? (i.e. roughly six or more hours each day)
View Answers
babysitting by family or friends 9 (56.2%)
professional babysitting 3 (18.8%)
daycare 8 (50.0%)
nanny or au pair 1 (6.2%)
other (please describe in comments) 5 (31.2%)
5. I felt that my parents neglected me as a child. (1=Strongly Disagree; 5=Strongly Agree)
View Answers
Mean: 1.47 Median: 1 Std. Dev 0.76
Mean: 1.47 Median: 1 Std. Dev 0.76
| 1 | 20 (66.7%) |
| 2 | 7 (23.3%) |
| 3 | 2 (6.7%) |
| 4 | 1 (3.3%) |
| 5 | 0 (0.0%) |
6. If you think you might have kids someday, how do you think having children will affect your work? If you already have children, how did you think having children would affect your work?
View Answers
I plan(ned) to continue working the same hours. 6 (24.0%)
I plan(ned) to work reduced hours. 6 (24.0%)
I plan(ned) to stop working for less than a year. 8 (32.0%)
I plan(ned) to stop working for several years. 5 (20.0%)
I plan(ned) to stop working permanently. 0 (0.0%)
7. If you have children, how has having children affected your work?
View Answers
I still work the same hours. 1 (33.3%)
I work reduced hours. 1 (33.3%)
I stopped working for less than a year. 1 (33.3%)
I stopped working for several years. 0 (0.0%)
I stopped working permanently. 0 (0.0%)
8. If you have children, what would you do differently, if you could?
View Answers
I would spend more time at work, for economic reasons. 0 (0.0%)
I would spend more time at work, for personal reasons. 0 (0.0%)
I would spend more time with my child(ren). 5 (71.4%)
My setup is great the way it is. 2 (28.6%)
9. It is important that children be raised full-time by their parents. (1=Strongly Disagree; 5=Strongly Agree)
View Answers
Mean: 3.07 Median: 3 Std. Dev 1.00
Mean: 3.07 Median: 3 Std. Dev 1.00
| 1 | 2 (7.1%) |
| 2 | 5 (17.9%) |
| 3 | 12 (42.9%) |
| 4 | 7 (25.0%) |
| 5 | 2 (7.1%) |
10. It is important that parents devote equal amounts of time to caring for their children. (1=Strongly Disagree; 5=Strongly Agree)
View Answers
Mean: 3.48 Median: 4 Std. Dev 1.28
Mean: 3.48 Median: 4 Std. Dev 1.28
| 1 | 3 (10.3%) |
| 2 | 3 (10.3%) |
| 3 | 8 (27.6%) |
| 4 | 7 (24.1%) |
| 5 | 8 (27.6%) |
Okay, maybe a little ashamed.
I've been pondering the possibility of switching from the Movable Type journal at
![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/syndicated.gif){kind=small}
jw_fathom to Livejournal. I love that the Movable Type journal is really customizable, is actually hosted on my server space, has a good search function, has archiving that isn't utterly idiotic, and can be read by friends without LJ accounts. But I really dig the ability to filter and lock posts (especially since I live in constant mild fear of people I don't want reading my journal stumbling upon it, like future co-workers or some family members), and I like threaded comments and e-mail notifications because they stimulate some good conversation. If I went with LJ, though, I think I'd have to get a paid account, because I really can't stand these lame-o design templates on the free accounts.Those of you with LJ paid accounts, what do you think of the amount of design control you get? What do you think of the whole thing in general?
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nati
