Last Saturday, (Feb 21st), saw the third Toronto Furmeet. They take place in the basement party room of an apartment near Islington Subway Stn. This one was a blast! Even having to evacuate for a fire alarm, (false alarm as it turned out),
hardly even paused the good time. There was a band, but their set was interrupted by the false alarm; just as well, they were awfully loud for the space. (They turned down the guitar a bit, but there wasn't much they could do about the drums.) And there was dancing and videos and games and a row of dealer's tables and chili and pizza and... just everything! (No fish, though.) :(
Several of us took pictures and videos. Here are some links from me and some friends:
Mine
http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n245/dotter_can/Islington%20Furmeet%203/
Chronos Wolf
http://s641.photobucket.com/albums/uu140/Chronoswolf/Islington%20Furmeet%203/
Bungee Skunk
- Pictures
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bungeeskunk/sets/72157614229187855/
- Videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKai2R0zYB0 (Party)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrqb-aayr2w (Bowling next day)
Sneff
http://www.flickr.com/photos/35705348@N04/sets/72157614342168934/
-- Dee
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Waa! You Don't Hate Me Anymore!
I attended the Islington FurMeet last night. It was fun, I met lots of people and took lots of pictures which I'll post later. One of the fursuiters I took lots of pictures of was Zets_Coony. Now I don't know much about yiddish, but "zets" has the right construction to be at least germanic, so just out of curiosity I googled him.
And that's how I found the Encyclopaedia Dramatica; a sort of WikiFur for trolls. They said -- among other things -- that Zets is homosexual, has poor spelling, comes from Ottawa and caused some sensation by taking a scaley as his boyfriend... the usual sorts of things that trolls find so mortally offensive that the mooks go looking for it. DUH!
(Incidentally, all I found about the word zets is that it's a surname from somewhere or other, some of whom have a restaurant near Pearson Intl, and either a network architecture or a fraternity of coders, don't really care which.)
I admit that, at this point, I became curious. So I tried to look myself up. Nothing! Not even a footnote, no matter how I spelled myself! Why don't the haters hate me? Am I not furry enough? Am I too straight? Are my spelling and grammar too good? I've written Furry pron, I've even posted it! I have no more chance of holding down a job than anybody else in this boot-faced economy! So why aren't they calling me names? Where are the G**D***ed barbarians!!!
Not that I particularly want to be called names by trolls, you understand. But somehow it's almost a worse insult to be ignored. Then again, what do you expect from trolls...
And that's how I found the Encyclopaedia Dramatica; a sort of WikiFur for trolls. They said -- among other things -- that Zets is homosexual, has poor spelling, comes from Ottawa and caused some sensation by taking a scaley as his boyfriend... the usual sorts of things that trolls find so mortally offensive that the mooks go looking for it. DUH!
(Incidentally, all I found about the word zets is that it's a surname from somewhere or other, some of whom have a restaurant near Pearson Intl, and either a network architecture or a fraternity of coders, don't really care which.)
I admit that, at this point, I became curious. So I tried to look myself up. Nothing! Not even a footnote, no matter how I spelled myself! Why don't the haters hate me? Am I not furry enough? Am I too straight? Are my spelling and grammar too good? I've written Furry pron, I've even posted it! I have no more chance of holding down a job than anybody else in this boot-faced economy! So why aren't they calling me names? Where are the G**D***ed barbarians!!!
Not that I particularly want to be called names by trolls, you understand. But somehow it's almost a worse insult to be ignored. Then again, what do you expect from trolls...
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Wabbit Season? Duck Season?
I went shopping today for groceries. As I left the store I noticed something. there was a car trying to park in the parking lot. A pair of bicycle drivers came up behind the car. They swerved around the car, surrounding it, through the spot where the driver was trying to park, then rode away quickly. They were yelling, "Driver! Driver! Driver!" as if it meant "F****t! F****t! F****t!" (The car driver waited until they had gone, then parked. I kept walking; I no longer have a car and rely on public transit.)
So, groundhogs notwithstanding, it seems that it's already bicycle season again. This is the season when bicycle driver take to the streets and the sidewalks, behaving:
- as if they're pedestrians for the purpose of motor vehicle laws;
- as if they're motor vehicle operators for the purpose of pedestrian laws; and
- as if what few laws relate specifically to bicycles are suggestions that may be observed, re-interpretted or disregarded as is convenient to them; as if
- they are unquestionable heroes of freedom and environmentalism;
- motor vehicle drivers are acting irresponsibly by being on the road;
- pedestrians are something like slalom gates...
...as if, in fact, they are not responsible for the control of a vehicle, which is probably why they calling what they do "riding" instead of "driving."
So it is time now for everyone to observe certain elementary precautions in order to stay safe on the roads and sidewalks.
Pedestrians should:
- stay to the edge of the sidewalk in case a bicycle approaches;
- where there is no sidewalk, stay in the gutter;
- watch in front of themselves for oncoming bicycles and be prepared to duck;
- look behind themselves periodically in case a bicycle approaches from behind;
- look all ways at corners and remember to check sidewalks, lawns, open spaces and the wrong way down streets;
- be aware of places of refuge to duck into in case of bicycles;
- try to walk during dark hours and school hours when bicycles are less likely to be about.
Remember that, unlike a motor vehicle, bicycles can approach from any direction.
Motorists should:
- be aware of bicycles that they pass, especially when approaching a corner, which could pass them on either side if they catch up;
- check for bicycles on both sides before turning either left or right;
- remember that bicycle drivers move quickly and rarely stop at boulevard stops, they can be in your path with no notice;
- do not play a radio or other music in the car as it might drown out the faint horns, bells and whistles that bicycle drivers occasionally use to warn of their approach;
- do not pass a bicycle in a single lane roadway as you could not possibly leave enough room to avoid a bicycle's random movement without encroaching into the next lane;
- after parking, if you are not causing yourself pain in your neck and back by turning to see whether a bicycle is approaching, you are not doing it properly -- this applies to parallel, slantwise and inline parking spots, as well as to passengers.
Remember, as police interpret any motor vehicle/bicycle collision, even if you have witnesses and photographs which can prove that the bicycle driver was behaving like a complete jackass, you are still at fault!
Stay safe everybody and good luck until the next good snow storm puts bicycles off the road for a while.
So, groundhogs notwithstanding, it seems that it's already bicycle season again. This is the season when bicycle driver take to the streets and the sidewalks, behaving:
- as if they're pedestrians for the purpose of motor vehicle laws;
- as if they're motor vehicle operators for the purpose of pedestrian laws; and
- as if what few laws relate specifically to bicycles are suggestions that may be observed, re-interpretted or disregarded as is convenient to them; as if
- they are unquestionable heroes of freedom and environmentalism;
- motor vehicle drivers are acting irresponsibly by being on the road;
- pedestrians are something like slalom gates...
...as if, in fact, they are not responsible for the control of a vehicle, which is probably why they calling what they do "riding" instead of "driving."
So it is time now for everyone to observe certain elementary precautions in order to stay safe on the roads and sidewalks.
Pedestrians should:
- stay to the edge of the sidewalk in case a bicycle approaches;
- where there is no sidewalk, stay in the gutter;
- watch in front of themselves for oncoming bicycles and be prepared to duck;
- look behind themselves periodically in case a bicycle approaches from behind;
- look all ways at corners and remember to check sidewalks, lawns, open spaces and the wrong way down streets;
- be aware of places of refuge to duck into in case of bicycles;
- try to walk during dark hours and school hours when bicycles are less likely to be about.
Remember that, unlike a motor vehicle, bicycles can approach from any direction.
Motorists should:
- be aware of bicycles that they pass, especially when approaching a corner, which could pass them on either side if they catch up;
- check for bicycles on both sides before turning either left or right;
- remember that bicycle drivers move quickly and rarely stop at boulevard stops, they can be in your path with no notice;
- do not play a radio or other music in the car as it might drown out the faint horns, bells and whistles that bicycle drivers occasionally use to warn of their approach;
- do not pass a bicycle in a single lane roadway as you could not possibly leave enough room to avoid a bicycle's random movement without encroaching into the next lane;
- after parking, if you are not causing yourself pain in your neck and back by turning to see whether a bicycle is approaching, you are not doing it properly -- this applies to parallel, slantwise and inline parking spots, as well as to passengers.
Remember, as police interpret any motor vehicle/bicycle collision, even if you have witnesses and photographs which can prove that the bicycle driver was behaving like a complete jackass, you are still at fault!
Stay safe everybody and good luck until the next good snow storm puts bicycles off the road for a while.
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