Monthly Archives: March 2002

Mail run

I just got back from Dragon City picking up my mail:

Check out the cool Team BME clock that I just got from dragontat… which reminds me, I should turn on my @teambme email server for those of you who are on the team… FAKIR'S NEW BOOK!!! First of all, the presentation is gorgeous — it's a heavy leatherish book with nice foil stamped printing. The inside actually reminds me a lot of the first ModCon book — all black pages with just photos (other than the intro text). Those of you who have all the issues of Body Play will recognize many of the photos, but there are tons of ones I've never seen before, including some amazing photos of Fakir as a young man. I was a little disappointed because I had it in my head that it was a biography (that is still on its way I guess), but this is definitely a wonderful photo book. You can order the book at amazon.

This is the first of the two cheapo eBay medical books that I got today — Lasers in Aesthetic Surgery. It contains overviews of all the lasers on the market, and covers many of the surgeries they're used in. In this book, that means mostly blemish removal of various kinds. This is the second cheapo eBay book I got today (I think I paid $5 for it or something), and it's GREAT: Fundamentals of Maxillofacial Surgery. It's got very thorough (and very easy to understand) charts of blood vessels, nerves, etc… I may adapt some of the diagrams for BME/Risks… Also included in the clock package were some cookies perfect for eating by Rachel.

Morning

Today I'm planning on doing a small experience update, and then finally turning on a small percentage of the custom layout features (yes, that's right, it's finally happening). Which also means that when I get this last bunch of images processed, I will start turning on the access restrictions as bandwidth demands them (ie. if you're not a BME member, you may not be able to access IAM during peak hours).

I've been trying not to link to them as much lately to keep my stress level down, but I saw a few stories today I thought deserved to be mentioned:

  • I was tortured by US troops, says Taliban American – I thought this was interesting… Procedural errors (threatening torture) might even lead to throwing the whole thing out (since it's not being tried in the military tribunal).
  • From the U.S.A., the ABCs of jihad – This is pretty shocking — it's on how the US “supplied Afghan schoolchildren with textbooks filled with violent images and militant Islamic teachings”. They figured it would trick them into launching jihad against the Soviets… Unfortunately the plan backfired.

I also thought the talk about “universal design” at the end of this article on a volume control was very enlightened… I've tried to do that as much as possible with IAM as well (and I think IAM has a very easy to use edit mode). As far as links, this New Zealand biographical dictionary is really neat, and has tons of information on Maori history as well.

Oh, and I know I mentioned an RC car… We're short a pinion gear so I have to go pick that up, but here's where we're at on that project:

Finally, I haven't done a poll in a long time, so here we go:

If you could physically transport yourself to any place in the world at this moment, where would you go?
I'll take it that “in the world” means I have to stay on Earth. I'm looking for a home more than a journey right now, so just take me out to the property in New Brunswick.

If you could, in retrospect, change one thing about your childhood, what would it be?
There may have been many unpleasant things in my childhood, but changing them would change me, and I'm perfectly happy with who I am.

If you could permantly alter one thing about your physical appearance, what would you change?
I need to get in better shape… If that could be made permanent, great. But I'm not sure if just being “granted” this would do me any good.

If you could be instantly fluent in one other language thhat you currently don't read or speak, which would it be?
Chinese. I'm fascinated by Chinese philosophy, but really feel like I'm only grasping it partially due to the translations not doing the language justice.

If you could have had the starring role in one film already made, which movie would you pick?
I'm really not about acting or fiction at all, but as far as taking part in what must have been an unbelievable experience, you can put me in Apocalypse Now.

If you could return for one year to one age in your life, knowing what you know now, to relive that year as you wish, which year would you go back to?
I'm sure I'd change many things in many parts of my life, but I believe that being given the right to change one's past is destructive and would hurt one's ability to learn from mistakes. I would decline the offer.

If you could have chosen your own first name, other than your current one, what would it be?
I have no problems with my own first name. Names are our connection to previous generations, and, with everything else stripped away, represent important continuity. Again, I would decline the offer.

If you had to lose one of your five senses, which would it be?
Hmmm… Probably smell, even considering that it would mean giving up some ability to taste. Vision, hearing, and touch all seem like essentials to me (although I'm perfectly aware that people can lead equally productive lives missing them).

If you could “uninvent” one thing in the world so that it would no longer exist, what would you choose?
“Things” mean nothing. Uninventing bombs doesn't stop wars. Any “thing” that is removed from existance, will be replaced by something if there is a need. Just because we misuse something doesn't mean the answer is the elimination of that thing.

If you had to sleep with two famous people simultaneously, who would you choose?
I like that the question says “had to”, not “could”… So I guess that means I'm forced. I'll choose Mil0 (hey, she's at least a little famous) and… Oh, I don't know, add another Mil0 to that order, two would be fun.

If you could have one person you know be your slave for one month, who would you choose?
If Leeta would just do what I say (actually, she's been very good and has cut down a lot on the farting), I'd be happy. I'm not really looking for slaves.

If you could change one of your personality traits, what would it be?
I'd make myself more serene.

If you had to lose one of your limbs, which one would you sacrifice? Well, I suppse I'd choose my left leg. Of the four, that seems like the easiest to get along without.

If you could choose the way you will die, how would you want it to happen?
I choose immortality.

If you had to give up all sexual activity for one year, how much money qould you demand (minimum) in return?
Money is not a motivator to me any more. Been there, done that. Money is a piece of paper that you can trade for things you don't need.

If you could have directed any film in history, what movie would it be?
I'll take this to mean “pick a great movie that you'd like to make some little changes in”. If that's the question, then I'll choose Thin Red Line. If it was me, I'd have put a stronger emphasis on the Polynesian rebirth subplot.

If you could have been a lover of any person in history, who would you choose?
I'm perfectly happy with my role in history and the Loves that it has brought me. I've made obvious mistakes, but it does seem to correct itself on its own.

If you had to have one piece of music softly playing in your mind for the rest of your life, what would you want it to be?
Oh, no, what torture! Give me something long I guess so it's less boring. Give me something like der Ring des Nibelungen (Wagner, 17 hours long) so at least I don't go insane.

If you had to sleep with someone you despise in exchange for one thing, what is it that you would demand?
OK, that question is pretty messed up, so I'll give a messed up answer in return. All I'd demand is that they enjoy it… Then they can spend the rest of their lives trying to explain why they so enjoyed sex with their despised foe.

If you could arrange a jam session with any three musicians in history, who would you include?
Mozart (a revolutionary thinker that pushed classical music forward), John Zorn (a revolutionary thinker that pushed jazz forward), and Jimi Hendrix (a revolutionary thinker that pushed rock forward).

If you had to have one platonic friend witness your next sexual act, who would you ask?
Considering that I've had sex with a lot of my “platonic friends”, it rules out most of my close friends.

If you could wear only one color besides white or black, for the rest of your life, what would you wear?
Tan. Nice natural tan colours are very soothing.

If you could make someone else live one moment from your own life, who would you select, and what moment?
I'd choose various points in my life where people betrayed me, and force them to see it from another angle. While we're at that, hopefully some people will do the same for me.

If you could give a single piece of advice to the film industry in Hollywood, what would you say?
I'd remind people that their first job is to educate, and their second job is to entertain, and that it must always be in that order.

If you could choose the very last thing you see before death, what would it be?
Again, I chose immortality.

Well, I'm off now… I think I'm going to track down an illicit (long story) drink, and then I have to pack a bunch of ModCon books that I owe people, so that'll take me to the post office. Oh, and I wasn't kidding about the custom layout thing. By day's end, unless something unexpected comes up, I'll start turning those features on.

Funmail

Whenever experiences are added, I get mail back from angry people who's stories didn't get posted. This one was from a person who stole an old (and edgy) editorial, and tried to get an IAM membership with it. When it was denied. Here's the mail that I got in return (keeping in mind, our introduction was HIS fraud in a pathetic attempt to get access):

From: blueboy975@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: What I did and what I believe

I was just checking to see how hard it is for you to see a fraud. The experience I submitted is already an experience listed on your site. Man you need to check up on the shit that is already on your experience pages. Also your site is being investigated by the FBI if you don't believe me just look at what happened in Jacksonville. I know Alva being the business man that he is will move on. All he is looking for is the almighty dollar and does not have the same beliefs as you. Your group is sick and will be stopped. Once the general public finds out about all the mutlitations you are doing then the police will step in. So go ahead with your book and your nonsense while you can because the ride is coming to an end!!!!!!!!!!

Well, a few comments I guess:

  1. BME is not a US site, and while we do some US banking and hosting at times, the FBI has little to no juristiction over us. I'm sure there's a file on BME and me, but as long as I stay out of the US, it's not a major concern (and even in the US it is unlikely because of first ammendment protections).
  2. Given that I don't even tattoo people, there's no crime of “mutilation” here that I've committed. Successfully charging a publisher with facilitation in a crime (although Paladin Press didn't have so much luck with the Hit Man book) is a difficult task.
  3. Again, I am a publisher, and my right to publish this type of information is protected in virtually every Western country. It certainly is protected under both US and Canadian law. You may not like it, but it's perfectly legal. Even if the activities turn out to be criminal (and I don't believe they are), I still have the right to report on them.
  4. As far as this “nonsense” coming to an end, people have been saying that for 10,000 years and it hasn't stopped anything. This is an integral part of humanity, and until we stop being humans, this isn't stopping any time soon.

I'm sure there are government officials who'd like to see BME shut down… But as long as my nose is fairly clean (and it is), and I continue to speak out strongly for responsible modification, I can't see a prosecution of BME — attacking journalists for reporting things that really are going on in the world is extremely difficult. Any of the things that people have suggested BME may be guilty of (anything from child endangerment to helping facilitate illegal procedures) are either not illegal or not true, or BME is such a minor offender in comparison to thousands of others, that it would be very hard to build an effective case.

Oh, and when I got up this morning, I saw this horrible sight when I went to feed the dog:

New movies

Saira and I went shopping at W. Y. Trading (thanks to a recommendation from Derek) and I picked up a few new DVDs (they were like $10 US each, super cheap!). Here they are, along with the descriptions on the back:


Dial D For Demons
Several buddies stay at a resort villa that many suicides by using charcoal burn happened there. Before nightfall, they begin to witness many horrible incidents. One by one, they receive the exact time of their respective Doomsday via their cell-phones and beepers. In succession, each is charcoal-burnt to death. The only girl still alive, together with the spirit of her boyfriend, unveil the evil and mystery of a charcoal demon.

There is a Secret in my Soup
Maggie, a prostitute who is addicted to drugs and gambling, is locked up by three load sharks. These malignant and crazy guys start ill-treating her by various cruel, painful and inhuman ways. Maggie is finally died after several days of non-stop suffering. But the terrible game still continues, they amputate her dead body disgustingly…

My Cousin, the Ghost
Richard runs a Chinese restaurant in England, and has earned a deserved reputation for his mean-spiritedness. He even causes one of his cousins, Ma, to be deported by the U.K. immigration department. Another cousin, Kenny, finds himself in a unique situation when Richard dies. The latter's ghost turns up at the home Kenny and Ma share in Hony Kong. Kenny and Ma decide the only way to rid themselves of this troublesome spirit is to find him a ghostly bride, which leads to a supernaturally amusing comedy of errors.

Beep

First, my finger looks pretty much the same as it did when I cut it… It healed, and then unhealed. Admittedly, it's my fault — I wasn't thinking, and when encountering a locked door, I pounded it with my first, pinkie first. Suffice it to say that all healing up to that point was undone in a fraction of a second.

I also wanted to mention another community site that may appeal to some of you that are unhappy with the rules of IAM. Of course I'd prefer that you stay here, but because of the upcoming membership requirement on IAM I thought I should at least mention it as an option. Subkultures.net uses a similar interface, but has a slightly different rule set and philosophy, but if you fall into the “younger crowd” (for lack of a better way of putting it), it might be to your liking.

The changes to IAM's membership policy will probably happen on Monday (they'll happen whenever I get through the current image backlog).

Note: There is no official relationship between me and subkultures.net — their site just resembles IAM because they liked the interface (and I'm cool with that).