I had no idea about this until I saw jenhowell's journal. I've been pretty M.I.A. for awhile... Anyway, I plan on doing this, finding out what time it will be for me. Basic (free and ad-free) accounts should definitely stay. I never switched to Plus because I think the ads are fucking ugly and I'm happy to only have 6 userpics and not be able to make polls and shit. It wouldn't affect my account, but it would affect anyone new trying to sign up. They should have the choice.

-Sam

As you probably know by now, LiVEJOURNAL has discontinued new basic accounts; the only two options are a paid account or a plus account. beckyzoole has proposed this:

The one-day content strike is on for this Friday, March 21, from midnight GMT to midnight GMT.

For 24 hours, we will not post or comment to LJ. Not in our own journals, not in communities. Not publicly, privately, or under friends-lock.

This is a protest that will have long-lasting effects, showing up forever in the daily posting statistics.

This is a protest that will not harm LJ in the long run, as leaving LJ might do.

This is a protest that will demonstrate the power of community, as all users unite to support Basic users and the concept of adfree space.

This is a protest that will educate the new owners that LJ is driven by user-created content.


How Can I Help?

DO post about this in your own LJ.
DO post and comment about it in appropriate communities.
DO remember that it's based on Greenwich Mean Time, which may not be your local time.
DO turn off LoudTwitter and your RSS feeds for 24 hours.
DO feel free to friend beckyzoole for updates, and defriend when the strike is over.
DON'T forget to get permission from community mods before making an off-topic post or comment about the strike.
DON'T be spammy with your posts or comments about the strike.



What's this about?

* It's about free and ad-free LiveJournal accounts being abolished for new members, ignoring the advice from the newly-formed Advisory Board.

* It's about LJ staff trying to sneak this decision in under the radar, and when people found out, telling the users it was done 'to make the signup process less confusing'.

* It's about LJ staff failing to apologize for trying to hide the facts from view and for lying about the actual reasons for their actions.

* And finally, it's about the latest decision to hide certain user interests from the list of Most Popular Interests, some of them being fanfiction, bisexuality, fairies, sex and depression. This decision was not announced or explained in any way. Users found out for themselves. (Due to the protest from users, the interests are now back up in the list of Most Popular Interests)

Commentary by Captain Paul Watson
(http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=165320542)

The meat industry is one of the most destructive ecological industries on the planet. The raising and slaughtering of pigs, cows, sheep, turkeys and chickens not only utilizes vast areas of land and vast quantities of water, but it is a greater contributor to greenhouse gas emissions than the automobile industry.

The seafood industry is literally plundering the ocean of life and some fifty percent of fish caught from the oceans is fed to cows, pigs, sheep, chickens etc in the form of fish meal. It also takes about fifty fish caught from the sea to raise one farm raised salmon.

We have turned the domestic cow into the largest marine predator on the planet. The hundreds of millions of cows grazing the land and farting methane consume more tonnage of fish than all the world's sharks, dolphins and seals combined. Domestic housecats consume more fish, especially tuna, than all the world's seals.

So why is it that all the world's large environmental and conservation groups are not campaigning against the meat industry? Why did Al Gore's film Inconvenient Truth not mention the inconvenient truth that the slaughter industry creates more greenhouse gases than the automobile industry?

The Greenpeace ships serve meat and fish to their crews everyday. The World Wildlife Fund does not say a word about the threat that meat eating poses for the survival of wildlife, the habitat destroyed, the wild competitors for land eliminated, or the predators destroyed to save their precious livestock.
( Read more... )

I did end up making teh cupcakes! Hurrah! They are yum :)



( Two more pics and the recipe )

Happy Caturday, everyone!!!

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1952996574

:D :D

'nuff said.

Post the following in your own journal if you'd like to spread the word. (Which you should, as the concious, intelligent beings you are, who DO actually give a damn and don't want to live in isolated bubbles in Lala Land, right?)

========

A study by the world's leading experts says global warming will happen faster and be more devastating than previously thought


Robin McKie, science editor
Sunday January 21, 2007
The Observer

Global warming is destined to have a far more destructive and earlier impact than previously estimated, the most authoritative report yet produced on climate change will warn next week.

A draft copy of the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, obtained by The Observer, shows the frequency of devastating storms - like the ones that battered Britain last week - will increase dramatically. Sea levels will rise over the century by around half a metre; snow will disappear from all but the highest mountains; deserts will spread; oceans become acidic, leading to the destruction of coral reefs and atolls; and deadly heatwaves will become more prevalent.


The impact will be catastrophic, forcing hundreds of millions of people to flee their devastated homelands, particularly in tropical, low-lying areas, while creating waves of immigrants whose movements will strain the economies of even the most affluent countries.

'The really chilling thing about the IPCC report is that it is the work of several thousand climate experts who have widely differing views about how greenhouse gases will have their effect. Some think they will have a major impact, others a lesser role. Each paragraph of this report was therefore argued over and scrutinised intensely. Only points that were considered indisputable survived this process. This is a very conservative document - that's what makes it so scary,' said one senior UK climate expert.
( Read more... )

If you refuse to read this because you want to escape the realities, or because you are in denile about the reality, or because you don't think it's wrong to buy/wear/farm fur or because you have real fur and don't want to feel bad about having it, then please comment on this entry so I can remove you from my friends list. I am 100% serious about that. 100%.

Any respect, admiration and attraction I once had for Keira Knightley has now gone down the drain.

Mink and fox are being joined by an array of other animals. One of the most notorious is karakul lambskin, worn by stars such as Keira Knightley, which is made from the pelt of new-born lambs that are killed days after birth or even taken from the womb.

Ignorant fucking cunt. A part of me hopes she was unaware of where her fur coat came from and that if she knew she wouldn't wear it, but really, there is no excuse in this day and age for such pathetic and cruel purchasing. People who refuse to see the cruelty in buying and wearing real fur are a complete diappointment as human beings. It's 2006, not 1015 or prehistoric times. If your fashion and style means killing 50 million animals a year for fur then I pity you.

I know that some people on my f-list have real fur items and I would hope that you do some reaserch into this subject and relise how utterly discusting it is. If you refuse to do that then you really have lost a bit -alot, really- of my respect. There is no reason to be in denile about this and if you really learn about the treatment of animals in fur farms you would be appalled. Just as appalled as learning about curelty to the domestic animals that are now in shelters. Fur-farmed animals are no different to your dog or your cat or your other domestic animals. After all, dogs and cats in China are killed every day for their fur, and guess what? It ends up in the coats, clothes, shoes and fur-trimmed items you buy, mislabeled as something else.

( Celebs who wear fur )

( Want to learn more? Resources you can check out :) )

Looks like I will not be going to the Big Day Out next year. Can't afford the ticket, letalone getting up to Auckland and what-not.

And who do you think is playing there this year?

Tool.

Yes. Tool.

And I will miss it.

I WILL MISS IT. *falls over and sobs uncontrollably for a least half an hour*

Muse will also be there, as well as Violen Femmes and The Killers. My Chemical Romance are going but I don't really care all that much for them, except for the drool factor and one song.

I guess my consolation is that I'd rather just go to a Tool gig. It'd be more worth it anyway. Why can't they just play a concert by themselves instead of the friggin Big Day Out?? Ugh.
My other consolation is that the BDO will be full of annoying little sad-sack 15-year-olds who need a few good smacks upside the head.

There is a competition on The Rock FM to win side-of-stage with Tool, but you actually have to purchase a ticket first, which I cannot do. So ffnnnrrr!

Unlinked songs are what I have on my computer, if you'd like any of them uploaded, let me know!

- Please let me know if there are any expired downloads and I'll re-upload for you.
- Commenting if you download something is not required, but it's cool to know what people are listening to most.

( Read more... )

Snagged from lethal_dose50: Just...wrong.
Why on earth? OMG. I am so NOT open minded about that.

I haven't laughed this hard in a while!!! OMG. GENIUS.

Buy your car from Pirate Jim!

Um..art from..Um..OK this is so pathetic it's funny. I'm gonna make one and title it "Goddess Feel Me Breathe" ...or something. Bwhahaha *falls about laughing*

NOT WORK SAFE. AT ALL

Cow? Dog? Human? Um

Give it to the tailpipe, baby!!! NWS-ish

Worst Tattoos Ever Ooh yeah, Mr. Cool Ice!

The second to last pic brings a whole new meaning to the words "Finger me".... NWS

Babies that look something like E.T.... I feel sorry for them, actually...

I'm not exactly tiny myself, but these fat people are fucking WRONG. WRONGGGG. That is...no one should ever be that comfortable being fat. Seriously. OMG. Ew. You have to read the comments to get what I mean.

This episode was brought to you by the letters...

Well, that was fun.
=======

I start volunteering at the SPCA on Monday morning.

Because I'm on go-slow today as I didn't sleep well and, frankly, I want sex. So there.

=====================

1. Elaborate on your default icon.
I changed it to a Jeff Buckley one yesterday. Someone else made it. I like it. I think it's hot.

2. What's your current relationship status?
I'm single, but that's getting boring now. I fancy someone though, and I also feel like fucking someone else.

3. Ever have a near-death experience?
No.

4. Name an obvious quality you have.
Apparently I'm sophisticated and articulate o.O I think I've got nice eyes.

5. What's the name of the song that's stuck in your head right now?
Forget Her by Jeff Buckley.

6. Any celeb you would marry?
Dunno about marry but I'd happily shag any number of them, including, but not limited to, Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Ioan Gruffudd, Joaquin Phoenix, Kate Moss, John Frusciante and Jeff Buckley if he were alive.

7. Who will cut and paste this first?
Probably no one.

8. Name someone with the same birthday as you:
Kirsten Dunst.

9. Do you have a crush on someone?
Yes, I do. He looks sexy in his pilots uniform.

10. Have you ever vandalized someone's private property?
No.

11. Have you ever been in a fight?
Yes. Not physical, I'm too hippie for that.

12. Have you ever sung in front of a large audience?
No.

13. What's the first thing you notice about people of the OPPOSITE sex?
They're whole face, and height. And hair. And hands.

14. What do you usually order from Starbucks?
Mocha frappe thing. I'm glad Gisborne doesn't have a Starbucks.

15. Say something totally random about yourself
I can rub my tummy and pat my head at the same time :P

17. Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity?
Someone once looked at a particular photo of me and said I kind of looked like Brittany Murphy o.O I can't see any likenesses with any celebs.

18. Do you wear a watch? What kind?
No, mine always break and the nice expensive one I have is no longer my style. SO, no. I want one though. A nice one. A GOLD one. Ooh. Shopping *orgasm*

19. Do you have anything pierced?
Yes I do. 4 in each ear, 1 labret. I want a Christina now.

20. Do you have any tattoos?
Yes, two.

21. Do you like pain?
Depends on the pain. Pain can be erotic, and I like that sort of pain.

22. Do you like to shop?
Yep. I admit it, I'm a typical woman.

23. What was the last thing you paid for with cash?
An choc ice cream sundae from McDicks.

24. What was the last thing you paid for with a credit card?
I don't have a credit card, but I do have an eftpos (debit?) card. I bought...what did I buy? I can't remember now.

25. Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone?
Don't remember.

26. What is on your desktop background?
Joaquin Phoenix and the infamous waitress.

27. What is the background on your cell phone?
A pixel image I made that says "Frauleine Tallulah" and has a cigarette. I made it in 2004 when I was into Germany, Tallulah, cigarettes, vodka and the 1920s.

28. Do you like redheads?
I'm genrally not attracted to most redheads. It depends on the shade though.

29. Do you know any twins?
I was ALWAYS friends with twins when I was little. I had two sets at one school and 1 set at another and they were my close friends.

30. Do you have any weird relatives?
Not really.

31. What was the last movie you watched?
A Michelle Pheifer and Bruce Willis one.

32. What was the last book you read?
The Vanishing Point, set in England and USA 1680's-17something. Quite good but she should have stayed with Gabriel, damnit! Gabriel was hot. And nice too. But mostly just hot.

33. Did you or are you planning to go to college?
Planning on it, yes.

34. What is your favorite pair of pants that you own?
My new jeans. Both pair, but the black especially.

35. Do you like to party?
Yes, I do :D

36. Where do you see yourself in five years?
Studying. And that's as far I know.

Why doesn't LiveJournal have any mood icons that are dogs or puppies?
They have about 50 million cats, foxes, aliens and angry goff teenagers, but no dogs or puppies??

That's just fucked up.

This message is addressed to everyone who is reading this post.

I want you to post anything that you want. Anything. Post a story, a secret, a confession, a fear, a love - anything. Be sure to post anonymously and honestly. Post twice if you'd like and then put this in your LJ to see what your friends [and perhaps others who you dont even realize read your LJ] have to say.