More randomness

[cleolinda]

My sinuses are unhappy. I had best not be getting sick, because I do not have time for that shit.

I hate not getting half my comment notifications, because that's how I read everything. So I'm trying to keep up at Recent Comments, but I don't know that I'm managing all that well.

Hmm... earlier today I was trying to watch the War of the Worlds DVD with my mother, and I finally just had to get up and go upstairs about the time Dakota Fanning decided she needed to go to the little girls' tree. Partly because I did too (well, not the little girls' tree), but mostly because that movie makes me feel panicked and queasy in general. I mean, even as I'm snickering here and there or shouting at people to "RUN, FOOLS!," you have to admit that Spielberg can do tension, and the whole movie is set up to say, this is what it would look like if aliens really did invade. As opposed to Independence Day, which is deeply stupid, but at least that one's fun. WOTW just gives me persistent heebs for two hours.

(WOTW/15M? Same answer.)

I am having way too much fun slowly adding all my major bookmarks to http://del.icio.us/cleolinda (thanks to luna_k for the link), and considering that I've nearly maxed out my 1000-link Yahoo Bookmarks limit, that's a lot. I'm kind of browsing through old linkspams looking for good permanent things to add as well--news stories tend to evaporate after a few weeks, so none of those. I'll still have linkspam here, but this site allows me to tag the individual links, so if you remember something I posted and want to look it up again, it might be easier to hunt down on my del.icio.us page.

In other news, I had Stevie Nicks' "Stand Back" playing, and I just realized that she's saying "Like a widow, I can't mend" (I guess?), and not "Like a weirdo, I can't bend." (What? Truly, would you not be a weirdo if you couldn't bend?)

The Hollywood Stock Exchange: One of the first sites I ever used when I first got to college and hit the internet big time, and I tend to check in on it every year or two. Oddly, this is actually a good way to play, although I suppose you could get all hectic and Wall Street about it. (Yes, this is completely fictional and imaginary.) Tips, if you want any: Buy low, sell high. Try to buy when a movie is just announced or still in production. If you want to sell them off the moment they gain a couple of dollars, fine; if you want to hold them long, though, make sure you pick things that are almost certain to be made, or are already in production. I find that looking up solid favorites (Kate Winslet is a good example) on the site and seeing what movies they're doing next helps. Try to get in under $20 a share; if it's a major major major production, try to get in under $50, or even $100. I bought the max number of shares of Narnia the week it was added to the site, at $2.44, and it's now $169.76. Profit, if I were to sell now? 8,366,000 imaginary dollars.

An interesting twist: because the stocks are based on a movie's theatrical release, they're eventually closed. It's not like buying shares of Coke or Apple, which will be around for years. So when the movie leaves the site--well, let me quote: "MovieStocks of wide release films cash out after four weeks of wide release. MovieStocks of films which stay in limited release cash out after twelve weeks." Goblet of Fire is insanely high right now ($272.65), but it just made $101.4 million its first weekend. If you think it'll make more than $272 million dollars by the end of four weeks, it might be worth the investment.

Alternatively, you can buy any stock you think people will go nuts over, and then sell it after they've gone nuts and bought tons of it. I could sell my Narnia stock now and make eight million. However, if I think it'll make more than $169 million dollars in the first month of its release, it would be smarter to wait until it cashes out.

(This is why leaving your account alone for months at a time can be a good idea: you don't end up constantly buying and rebuying and second-guessing yourself.)

So, if you want to pick up some good cheap stocks (max purchase: 50,000 shares), try these:

The Corrections  (CORCT) -- $1.23
I'm Not There: Suppositions on a Film Concerning Dylan (DYLAN) -- $2.07
The Magician's Wife (MAGWF) -- $1.06
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (PRFME) -- $4.73
The Prestige (PRSTG) -- $15.24

Of course, if you all run out and buy these, the price will go up. (I'm holding long, so I'm not trying to cause a jump so I can cash in or anything). And since someone will probably ask: I have a "cleolinda" account, but my long-time, high-earning account is "jmorrow," named for a character I was writing at the time, back before "Cleolinda" even existed.

More linkspam:

sigma7: "I feel like I've been slacking on the Sony-rootkit front, as my life has been consumed by The Movies (warning: cracktastic). But Boing Boing's been doing a better job of keeping track (keeping a roundup with parts one, two and three) and there are more of them than me. Oh, and don't miss 'FCC: All Programming To Be Broadcast In ADHDTV By 2007' -- 'We're going to roll out an exciting lineup of major sporting-event highlights, late-night yell shows, and a brand-new season of The O.C. that will feature 37 new characters and—well, I don't want to give too much away, but let's just say it will have a lot more guys jumping up and down, saying, "Hey! Hey! Look over here!"' "

There are so many quotation marks in that last bit that they don't even look real to me anymore.

Skull of Green River Murder Victim Found.

Singer-Songwriter Chris Whitley Dies.

The CIA is taking applications for new spies, and... they don't seem like they're being too careful about it.

Cruise Buys Sonogram Machine for Katie.(Someone sent me this link, but my email's crashed and I can't get back in to find out who.)

Fla. Teacher Pleads Guilty in Sex Case.

Whither the Southern Accent? "Wolfram said the 'dearest feature' of the Southern accent — the vowel shift where one-syllable words like 'air' come out in two syllables, 'ay-ah' — is certainly vanishing. Other aspects — such as double-modal constructions like 'might could' — are still pervasive." Listen to the man: he knows what he's talking about. I don't know anyone who does the Foghorn Leghorn "ay-ah" thing, but I totally say "we might could" instead of "maybe we could" now and then.

First official shot of Ralphdemort, for those of you curious, but not curious enough to see the movie in its first week out. It's kind of Red Dragon by way of... I don't know, something without a nose. Eeeeh.

The Harry Potter Sequel Generator.

Dear Harry,

Sorry you couldn't join Hermione and me at the Great Pyramids for spring break. Last night, we went to Club Sandwich, where we drank a potion made of fermented Kabbalah water and a toad's lip. Everyone who drank it turned into maple syrup! Hermione figured out it was a prank by a nasty, senior-class dentist from Slytherin. All I know is that I woke up this morning with a tattoo of a lunchbox on my thigh. Anyway, we'll see you soon.

Your secretly evil friend,
Ron

Richard Griffiths (Mr. Dursley) Ejects Cell Phone User from Theatre.

Two out of two major movie magazines agree: Movies in Fifteen Minutes is not fine holiday fun. But that's okay, because they're not the ones buying it. : D

OMG Girlz Don’t Exist on teh Intarweb!!!!1

RIP Sam, the Ugliest Dog in the World. Warning: not for the faint of heart. I know, you're sitting here thinking, how ugly can a dog be? "Haunt your waking dreams" ugly, my friends.

Katy Towell is self-publishing The Little Girl Who Was Forgotten By Absolutely Everyone (Even The Postman). I can't remember who originally sent me the link to Skary.net, but it's fun stuff.

Useful: Free File Host List November 2005.

BPAL wants to know if you've been naughty or nice. Unfortunately, I saw this about 2 am last night, after taking Lucky out for ANOTHER emergency walk, and my retail defenses were weak. Sigh. omg my soul craves Fée.

Keira Knightley in the Land of Oz. Warning: Scary image of Jeff Koons as a Flying Monkey. (Don't miss Vogue's previous fairytale layouts, Alice in Wonderland and Beauty and the Beast.)

Rio de Janeiro Carnaval Barbie. Less naked than I was expecting, somehow.

(Barbie's just jealous that she didn't get an official Memoirs of a Geisha contract.)

And finally: anyone got any good holiday music?

Comments

[lilgoala.livejournal.com]

I am resolutely not clicking the Ralphdemort link, because I haven't seen the movie yet. But I curse you for testing my willpower. ;)

That dog is like, sucking my soul out through my eyes. o.o

[lilgoala.livejournal.com]

Also? I hate (hate) that Tom is one of Barbara's 10 MFP of 2005. He's not fascinating, he's psychotic. -.-

[mouseykins1.livejournal.com]

But....but....RED EYES ARE IMPORTANT! I WILL NOT SETTLE FOR GREEEEEN!
Although, really, if you haven't seen GoF yet....you're crazy.
Damn, Tom. We know that this is important to your whole "My Evil Spawn will take over the World One Over-Aged Fangirl at a Time" plan, but really. You're just deranged now.

[gabsy.livejournal.com]

I can't help feeling slightly attracted to Ralphdemort.

[elbiesee.livejournal.com]

Jeeeeezus.

Between Sam the Ugly Dog and Ralphdemort, you just rocked my ass to sleep tonight. Thanks a lot. :-P

(PS: Ordered your book as an early Christmas self-present this morning. I'm sure it'll be outstanding.)

[outinthestorm.livejournal.com]

Hee. I originally gave you the link to "the Little Girl" flash cartoon - I'm guessing you went to Skary.net from there?

And thank you for posting the link, it is much appreciated.

[anonymisty.livejournal.com]

BPAL wants to know if you've been naughty or nice.

Nooooooo! I'd been doing so well at avoiding temptation, and now they come up with this?

I'm doomed.

[outinthestorm.livejournal.com]

The labbies are evil, I tell you. Eeeeeviiillll!

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

I imagine the recent comments tool is a bit obsolete for thee, seeing as it only goes up to the fifty most recent comments. And now, I shall go back to praying that the gods of email and LJ start communicating with each other again. I mean, I'll go back to work.

[geartemis.livejournal.com]

I was compelled to click on the Ralphdemort picture. o_o; Dear god. And no, I haven't seen the movie yet. *waits to be shot*

[sigma7.livejournal.com]

Ralphdemort looks like a cross between a Grey, a turtle, and one of the spongmonkeys (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spongmonkey&oldid=27021529) with those teeth. I may need to see this. I want to see if the Ralph can connect with his inner alien hard-shelled Quiznos-peddling self. Oh, and kill 'arry Pottah.

Ah, CIA. Like FEMA, but with fewer letters.

Any guesses on if the LaFave sentence deal would've happened if the genders were reversed? Or, more interestingly, simply if she were male? I'm willing to say five years, minimum, hard time. Doesn't infuriate me. Just...interesting.

Oh, and get your Black Friday specials here (http://bf2005.com/), if you feel like braving the crowds. But I just got back from Volde-Mart (™ missmiah) and if I can't handle it at 5 pm on a Wednesday, I'm not even thinking about during Black Friday. I'll just stay at home, throw my money out the window and push myself into walls at random.

[corkdorkdan.livejournal.com]

I just realized that she's saying "Like a widow, I can't mend" (I guess?), and not "Like a weirdo, I can't bend

I always thought she said "Like a willow, I can bend", as in the tree. Lyricsfreak agrees - http://www.lyricsfreak.com/s/stevie-nicks/131619.html

Of course, Stevie's songs are always up for interpretation...

[corkdorkdan.livejournal.com]

OMG I definitely recoiled in horror at the ugliest dog. It looks like a possessed gremlin.

[zivia.livejournal.com]

WOTW just gives me persistent heebs for two hours.

And here I thought I was the only one who was in danger of having a panic attack mid-movie!

Wait... what?

[digdugnamco.livejournal.com]

How is this thing remotely "scary", to use a broad term for tension/panic/heebishness? Honestly, it was crap compared to the 1953 version, and I'm not even caring about the unnecessary changes/updates to the story at this point.

Cleo, this is PERFECT for a m15m because it is hardly worthy of publication in a future book. The film deserves a humorous thrashing due to all its faults, in full public view.

The original 1938 Orson Wells broadcast is online to listen to and the 1953 film was just recently re-released in an exceptional DVD presentation. Please check the source material, re-watch the new one, and then reconsider satirizing it. Please!

[arielchan.livejournal.com]

I loved the "Girls Don't Exist on the Internet" article. I wish I could email the writer props.

[mystic_notions]

christmas_music for your christmas music needs. It is still relatively new.

[alliemolloy.livejournal.com]

Also my new favourite community. LOVE it.

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

This may not be the official lost discussion enrty, but what the hell did Ecko say?

"I'm not doing it for you, I'm doing it for.......?"

[anonymisty.livejournal.com]

"Me."

[spiderfarmer.livejournal.com]

Stevie Nicks lyric is actually: "Like a willow I can bend". Although, like a weirdo, I can't bend is funnier. ;)

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/s/stevie-nicks/131619.html

Movies in Fifteen Minutes reviews: Oh puhleeze...buncha hipper-than-thou critics...you want I should go scuff up their Prada messenger bags?

[chorusgirl.livejournal.com]

YOUR ICON!

*Dies*

(Just came back from seeing it. Still on the high.)

[alliemolloy.livejournal.com]

OMG ME TOO.

[valkyrie79.livejournal.com]

On the southern-ism article, I totally get made fun of for saying "might should" and "might could" at work. Until people started pointing it out I would have sworn up and down that I never say that. If it's not in the context of a sentence it sounds stupid, but just seems natural when I'm saying it. I guess two and a half years up north haven't gotten rid of the accent.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I caught myself saying it one day and for some reason was aware of it for the first time and was like, "I just put two verbs together that probably shouldn't be together. Why did I do that? And why does it still make total sense to me?"

[boarderbunny.livejournal.com]

Three best christmas songs ever:
Looks like a Cold, Cold Winter - Bing Crosby
Sleigh Ride - Andy Williams
Nutcracker Suite - Les Brown and his Band of Renown

[jasonbeast.livejournal.com]

"Like a willow, I can bend."

[thunderphoenix.livejournal.com]

WOTW2K5 also sort of creeped me out, because you can tell Spielberg was intentionally referencing 9/11 throughout the entire thing.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Which was icky. I really felt like the missing persons posters were gratuitous--if people are on the march to get away from alien tripods, are they really going to stop and look at posters? How did they make the posters in the first place? Why would posters be along the roadside, instead of at a safe/meeting place like Boston?

[anne-jumps.livejournal.com]

I don't know anyone who does the Foghorn Leghorn "ay-ah" thing, but I totally say "we might could" instead of "maybe we could" now and then.

My dad makes fun of my South Georgia mother for saying "used to could" sometimes, accidentally.

I associate the "ay-ah" thing with older people from tidewater/coastal areas. They can even have an almost New England inflection in regard to the "r" ending-type-sounds.

I still put two -- well, one and a half -- syllables in "air," just not with the "ah" part.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I probably do more of an "ayer" thing myself, maybe 1-1/2 syllables.

The one thing that drives me nuts is the whole oil/foil thing. It is not "fole." FOIL. FOYYYYYYYYYL.

[goldengoddess22.livejournal.com]

holiday music! I just bought Baby It's Cold Outside (http://www.starbucks.com/hearmusic/product.asp?category%5Fname=Our+Compilations&product%5Fid=895679) which is a Starbucks compilation and it's amazing. I also uploaded it for a friend a few days ago and the links are still good on my journal here (http://www.livejournal.com/users/goldengoddess22/136777.html#cutid1) if you would like to sample any of the songs.

[astael.livejournal.com]

BPAL is SO EVIL. Sigh. Wonder how long it'll take me to cave this time.

Now, I want to see the ugly dog, but am almost sure I will regret it if I do. Hmm.

yay ralphdemort

[bibliotech.livejournal.com]

del.icio.us is the BEST BOOKMARKS SITE EVER. And now that i've said that, they will dot.crash on me.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Is it not fab? It's the convenience of Yahoo Bookmarks with the tagging goodness of LJ! And you can look at other people's bookmarks! And bookmark things FOR other people! (Except that I'm not going to mention that too loudly, or I would get a shitload of links from people.)

[wirrrn.livejournal.com]

Hey,

Koons as a Winged Monkey? shouldn't he be having some crazed monkey sex with Cicciolina dressed as a Munchkin or something?

And I still find Ralph Fiennes attractive, even in Nosferatu mode. Help me *g*