If you haven't heard about what's happening at Amazon.com (i.e. stripping the sales rankings from queer -- and BDSM, and poly, and other "adult" -- books), you'd best check this out.

http://jezebel.com/5209088/why-is-amazon-removing-the-sales-rankings-from-gay-lesbian-books
http://markprobst.livejournal.com/15293.html
http://community.livejournal.com/meta_writer/11992.html
http://community.livejournal.com/meta_writer/11369.html
http://fiercelydreamed.livejournal.com/48689.html

Amazon Rank (and more about that here: http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php/weblog/comments/amazon-rank/)

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/in-protest-at-amazons-new-adult-policy

http://clicheideas.com/amazon.htm

http://search.twitter.com/search?max_id=1505138954&page=1&q=%23amazonfail

*rageragerage*

Anyone know if Amazon.ca is doing the same? If so, I'm taking my wish list down and not buying there anymore. This is inexcusable, IMO.

ETA: Yes, some items on Amazon.ca have been affected. Right then. Screw you, Amazon. *removes wish list*

ETA2: And, for the record, what my profile now says:

You'll notice my (6 page, 150-item long) wish list has been entirely deleted (by me). Until Amazon stops deleting sales rankings from queer-positive and sex-positive books (Google "Amazon rank" for more info), I refuse to give them my business. I recommend shopping at your local brick-and-mortar queer-positive bookstore instead. E-mail me if you want suggestions as to where and what to buy. But please don't buy me or my family anything from here until Amazon ends censorship.

Anyone else noticed that GJ is totally gone? *blinks*

Las Vegas is covered in snow.

No, really.

Huge toy recall by Mattel/Fisher-Price going on. Details:

http://www.service.mattel.com/us/recall/39054_IVR.asp?prod=

Note that there's a lot of Sesame Street and Dora stuff in there.

They think there may be lead in the paint, folks. Prepare to overhaul the toy box. :(

ETA: This is on products purchased since May 1, 2007. So, not as bad as it could be (our stuff was definitely purchased prior to that).

thrifthorror

Oh, WOW.

pyat, you simply must check out the, uh... how shall I put this... bladed implement. I suspect there must be folks who collect such things. Ew.

*fights urge to take camera down to the local VV*

Today I woke up thinking "I'm going to garden! Hurray!"

Went outside to take the boo to preschool. Took a wee peek at the front garden to think about what I wanted to do first.

"Hmm. Something's missing. What... wait a minute. There's a hole-- SOMEONE STOLE ONE OF MY ROSES!"

Some local dipwad dug up and carted off my Martin Frobisher! In full bloom!

No, it wasn't raccoons -- nor was it likely some kid just pulling it up for the fun of it -- else I would've seen it lying on the ground somewhere in the vicinity. Kind of hard to miss a 2ft shrub covered in pale pink blooms, around here.

*rage*

So, as therapy, I went to the garden centre and bought more plants. Including roses. And I'm going to keep those on the inside of the fence, dammit. They're not getting their thieving hands on my David Austins if I can help it. *snarl*

Wow.

That makes the whole situation even more disturbing and angering. And, as the author notes, it's doubtful we've seen the end of this... :(

(ETA: the link above now points to her longer article at GJ, as -- you'll have noticed -- posting on LJ can be problematic of late. The GJ link has been updated and clarified.)

They're expanding the recall due to the possibility of cross-contamination.

I wonder if anyone even has food left, at this point?

So, I had set the alarm for 5:30 on Saturday morning so that Alex could get to the airport on time. Which meant that I had to re-set it for 6:30 for today. Which I did, last night.

( Or so I thought. )

Royal Canin's Medi-Cal Feline Dissolution Formula. It's a prescription food.

Sunshine Mills products, and wet food from Menu Foods going back as far as Nov. 8.

Good grief.

Rock Band. (Via today's Penny Arcade.)

Lead guitar, bass, drums, mic. Like Guitar Hero, but WAY cooler.

All right, folks -- who's in?

Eight-In-One pet food is being recalled. This time it's because of salmonella. Good grief. :(

Apropos of all this, a couple of links on making your own pet food:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/consumers/pet-food-alternatives.html

http://www.thestar.com/Life/article/198808

For the record, I want her to learn evolution. *sigh*

Now Del Monte's recalling food. :(

Recalled cat food list.

Recalled dog food list.

There are both Canadian and American brands on there. Testing says that the contaminant is rat poison. I hope no other animals are harmed by this...

Recently, Alex stumbled across the following video on YouTube. I forwarded the link to John Sakamoto at the Star (he of the always nifty Anti-Hit List), because this is something of a mashup -- but I guess he wasn't as impressed by it, so I'm posting.

I don't know whether to call this a bizarre coincidence or serendipity or totally effed up. It's not a perfect match, but it's fascinating to watch. Carole Pope's raunchy lyrics and rasping voice take the video's already present objectification and turn it into something with which my semotics and media profs would have had a field day. I'm not up for the kind of queer feminist analysis this wants to inspire, but I'm sure several folks on my flist will take up the cause... May or may not be work safe, between the lyrics and the whole short skirt schoolgirl thing.

Behold:

( Britney Spears/Rough Trade: High School Confidential )

I don't know if anyone else who's affected by this is up, yet, but ah, have you looked out the window?

Outside mine, everything is covered in what looks to be an inch of ice. The power's clearly gone off at some point (or so the stove and microwave tell me). There are people driving in it, and waiting for the bus, so it can't be that bad, and I expect the roads are heavily salted. But the maple beside our house looks like it's covered in transparent leaves, and courtesy of high winds, it's whacking the streetlights, the wires, and the siding so hard it woke me up.

That can't be good.

It's above zero, so with any luck this will melt (wait, is that a good thing? melting and then refreezing? no, that's not good, either).

Maybe we should just stay home today...

Amazon's recommendations -- as we all know -- are from outer space. (As am I, apparently. Elljay cut, not eh haychref, Ani!)

( Recent examples: )