The number of the first death in the new PRISONER is 93. Was this on purpose? For those who don't know, the 93rd Current was the number associated with the powers of love and liberation, in Aleister Crowley's Thelema. The renewed interest in the Thelemic Magical System was responsible for a great deal of the nature and tone of 1960's Psychedelia. The notions of identity, freedom, and liberation...

Over on Wednesday Shuffle , moonandserpent has a very trenchant counterpoint , to my article, with a few points I'd never have thought of. Go read it, then read those books. I woke up to e-mail from someone wanting to interview me, today, because of my column. I need to do some research, and some thought on it. Plus I need to finish my Damn Dragon*Con presentation. Oh, speaking of which...

...at least not yet. Instead, I provide you with some of the random things I've dug up on the Internets today: Via moonandserpent 's grinding.be post , a fascinating Fortean Times article from last year on two crazy Italian kids from the '60s who listened in on the Soviet and American space programs , An interesting take on why Egypt is planning on killing all its pigs , though I have...

Ho . . . leeee . . . I can't decide if this is the awesomest thing ever, or soul-crushingly WRONG. (But I can guess which side moonandserpent will fall on.)

My LJ was remarkably quiet today, and featured a dearth of attempts at jokes. From this I conclude that most of you were hiding from the Internet, afraid of being suckered in. (The only one that actually got me today? An announcement that Norm Coleman had conceded the Minnesota Senate election. I wish .) Anyway, now that's over, have a bunny! Or, to be more precise, a baby fennec hare. Dear ...

Been thinking about sexual honesty and questions a lot, lately. Then this comes along. Thanks, moonandserpent . Read no further, if you don't want to know "too much" information about me 1. Is there anyone on your friends list you would ever consider having sex with? Hirasawa Susumu - [Welcome to the Circus] --- I'd consider a fair number. 2. Sex in the morning, afternoon or night? Mood...

It's rare that I look at a book and think, I know who needs to read that. A generalized, "oh, so-and-so might like this," sure -- but not the sort of surety where I would drag people into the store and push the book into their hands if only they weren't two-thirds of the way across the country from me. The book in question is Catherynne Valente's Palimpsest , out as of today, and I've been waiting...

I have no idea if the anecdote here is true, but if so, it explains so much .

moonandserpent asked me to: I am also not expecting anything from anyone. Except, of course, my obscenely wealthy stalkers ; you guys have no choice. Suggestions for what to read next are always welcome.

I didn't get the 3 Quarks Daily staff writing gig , but I didn't really expect to, either. It still kind of sucks. Part of me can't help but think that "incomprehensible and even insane" crack pertains. Meh. I'll be shopping for somewhere else to post the piece, in the next day or so. Probably here, or somewhere redundant . I think it's a well-fleshed-out piece, important enough to be seen many...