With the Gods, Nothing Is Left Undone

Oh Great Internet Brain, I'm looking for a mythology reference with dates (even if relative). Not in a "Greek Mythology as we know it started in…", but more granular. See, I know that Greek Mythology (sorry, but it's the mythology I know best) evolved over time. It started (or at least became codified) as a matriarchal system that didn't include Zeus or many of the male gods we know now to be part of Greek Myth. For many hundreds of years Hera was the prime deity, and her daughters ruled the cosmos. It was only after the northern Greeks (who did not have an island culture, but lived up toward the Alps) invaded the islands that Zeus and his sons became the dominate culture (but Hera worship was so strong she and her daughters survived until Roman culture supplanted Greek and appropriated the various gods into their pantheon). I know other religions also evolved in this manner (you can look at Christianity and what their focus through the ages have been, for example the concept of the end of the world isn't new, it presaged and pervaded the thoughts of the middle ages European Christianity, but the concept of the Rapture, which is strong in the evangelical community in America, is less than 200 years old). The stories change. In Egypt the mythos constantly changed as the power struggles between the priests ebbed and flowed. But I'm looking for a reference that shows how they've changed and when. There's plenty of "we've got the Gods, all the Gods, on discount" sites, but I haven't found one that gives the provenance and history of the individual mythologies. And I haven't seen any that say, "at this time in history, this was the prevalent belief system within this mythos."

Anyone know of any?

A Fae with the ability to change aspect, appearance, and temperament

Dear Great Internet Brain,

Is there a type of fairy/fae that changes according to human belief, or an old story of this happening? What I'm looking for is similar to have Brownies and Boggarts are related (Brownies are beneficial or at least neutral, Boggarts are malevolent, but one can turn into the other depending on how they're treated), but in a larger sense. I'm looking for a type of fae that morphs based on the preconceptions of the humans living in their area (tall/short, handsome/grotesque, beneficial/malevolent, etc). I mean the Brownie/Boggart thing might work, but I was trying to find out if there were other instances of that type of relationship. American Indian, European/English or even Russian traditions would work here. Also, any references you could point to would be fabulous.

Because I will soon be able to watch TV again

Oh Great Internet Brain,

I'm looking for an external TV tuner that can pull in both analog and digital cable signals and isn't a USB device (would like either a composite coax or the 3 RCA jack output, although HDMI might work as well). If it had the ability to digitally record more than one show at a time would be nice, but not entirely necessary. Also would like to not have to pay a monthly fee to use a device (both the analog part and this last rule out TiVO - seriously TiVO, I can't use your device without paying an extra $15 a month? Fail. And yes, I doubt you actually work with my incredibly small local cable provider). If it had an input switch for more than one input would also be helpful but not necessary.

See, for my TV rig I'd like to replace the VCR I'm using as an analog tuner stationed before all the recording devices and TV. Our local cable offers a few digital channels (unadvertised) and I'd like to watch them without having to turn off all the rest of the rig and just use the TV's built in Analog/QAM tuner. Was able to watch the NOVA show on Sprites, and switched to digital to do so, reminded me what a pain in the rear it is.

TIA.

Figures don't lie, but…

Okay, is someone with a big readership linking to my linkee-poo posts? 'Cause even though my posting schedule is way slower than it used to be, some of these numbers of unique views are just astronomical. I'm humbled, but I don't think it's really me. Did I get on someone's list or something?

I know, I should probably go crunch the numbers of where all these hits are coming from (there has been an increase in attempted spam and link farming lately). I just don't have the time at the moment.

Cotton Scrubs

Oh Great Internet Brain,

It can't be this hard to find 100% cotton, solid navy blue scrubs (4x - extra moose size). Anybody have a good resource?

TIA

Here comes a candle to light you to bed

So, there was this idea for a novel that came to me yesterday. It's a mashup of several things, but it'll end up being a very dark urban fantasy (toeing the line to horror). And here's where I need you're help.

Oh Great Internet Brain,

I need twisted nursery rhymes or children songs about murders or murders. Particularly songs used to tell children to behave or the killers will come for them.

The main inspiration for this is the song, The Shankhill Butchers by the Decemberists (although I like Sarah Jarosz's voice a little better). Although something along the lines of Lizzy Borden (Lizzy Borden took an axe…) works as well. I've run into the more common ones, "Oranges and Lemons", "Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater", "Ring-a-round-the-rosy", "Four and twenty blackbirds", like that. So probably something regional, or if there is a genre of murder ballads for children (if there's a specific name for it). Something that can be for a recurring horror, something to put the kiddies into therapy and having a need for their woobie.

Any thoughts?

As a reward, as a part of my search I turned this up. "What (the murderer) probably was not aware of was that a chunk of his skin would eventually be flayed (after he was executed), tanned and used to cover an 1852 copy of The Poetical Works of John Milton."

Sleep tight.

Playing the Market

Oh Great Internet Brain,

I need your help. As part of research for the WIP I'm trying to find if there is any market out there that functions in a peculiar way.

So, let's say there's this market and it has only one commodity. This isn't something necessary, nor is it something tangible. But there are a lot of people who are in the market (something like the percentage of people who participate in their 401k program). The items are exchanged through online transfer.

Here's the market. While the commodity is exactly the same for everyone, it's value is variable based on the person. While this is how all markets work (the buyer values the item more than what the seller is asking, and this is also true when the buyer "needs" the item), and the seller is the one who sets the price, in this case the price is based on the seller's profile, but isn't under the "control" of the seller. And the price can vary by a large amount. Think of a widget that is worth $10 to one person, but is worth $1000 to another.

Now here's the game. I haven't decided if the price paid is based on the seller's or buyer's value (again, this value is set by an external agency who isn't accountable to either party, but the values are known to both parties). There's no negotiation, and the decision to sell is solely the seller's option. Which of these make more sense?

Here's the wrinkle, once you're in the game there are only 3 ways out. The first way is death, that you die of natural or other causes unrelated to the game. The other two ways are based on the total value of your portfolio of commodities (either at an arbitrary number on the top end or bottom end). There's some belief that exiting at the top end is highly desirable (joy, bliss, enlightenment, whatever) and exiting at the bottom is exact opposite. People who exit aren't heard from again (for any of the 3 reasons). So it would be possible to exit the game with a low amount of the commodity, as well as exit on the bottom with a large amount of commodity depending on your rating from that external arbiter (your rating doesn't change very fast, so you can see overall trends and respond to them).

The value is based on your actions outside of the game (in case you needed to know).

I haven't been able to find any analog for this game to see a real world model for behaviors. Do any of you know anything like this?

TIA.

MBAs and Reputations

Oh Great Internet Brain,

Since I've dealt with many an MBA in my day, but never really considered one myself, I'm at a loss to answer these questions. If the Great Internet Brain could be of assistance, that would be fabulous.

I know that some business school MBAs are highly sought after (Harvard, Weatherhead (Case), U of Chicago, etc), but those are probably out of reach for me (both distance and cost). Are there sub-tiers of acceptance? Would a State U MBA be worth more than a smaller college MBA? And where does an MBA from someplace like the University of Phoenix fit in? Are there places and programs I should run away from (other than the diploma mills)?

I'm sure it's also dependent on the focus of the program. While I think accountancy would be cool, that really requires a BA in Accountancy. So this would be for either Management, Marketing, or Communications. But is there a focus that is more preferred than others? A for instance would be could be a marketing manager, but having a Marketing MBA isn't as preferable to a Business Management MBA for the position.

Any information you have, articles I should read, magazines I should get, websites to read, etc, would be greatly appreciated in this manner. Mostly what I'm seeing in my searches are sales pitches for specific programs, not so much the hard data of why I would want to go there (other than, "don't you really want to have this (name) behind your degree" or "we'll work with you" etc). And none of the information that would say, "sure, you can get a great MBA education there, but nobody is going to hire you" or vice versa.

TIA

Oh great internet brain

Part of a plot came today, but I have a question. The one twist that feels most strong, well, I'm not sure if it's become cliche yet or not.

Is the meme of a child of someone who is wronged (killed, framed, shamed, emotionally destroyed, whatever) growing up and engineering themselves into a position to extract vengeance for their parent over done?

I Love the 80s

Okay, so there's that show on MTV. And there are plenty of novels that explore the sixties and even e seventies (nobody has a good picture from the 79s), but I'm blanking on novels based on a love of the 80s culture.

So here I expose my cultural ignorance and As if you know of any (can not have been written during the 80s, preferably published after 2000 to qualify as a truly retro look).

I mean, the music I used to go get drunk to and try and pick up chicks to is now considered "classic rock" and is pillaged for musak. I'm not saying it was a wonderful magical time, far from it. Bt there was a lot of fun to be had back then. It was the last burning of free love before HIV came along and spoiled the party. There was decadance to be had for the taking. And big hair bands with screaming guitar solos.

Romantic Comedies

Okay, one of the problems of some writing advice is it can lead to the story of the caterpillar who was asked how he walked with all those legs. And so. Now thinking about it, wasn't able to walk.

As you know, Bob, the next book is going to be a romatic comedy. So I've been going through that whole "Hollywood Formula" thing for the plot. I'm at the point of dissecting other successful romantic comedies. And here I have to admit that it's a genre I'm woefully under educated in, and what little I have is from the movies.

Now, I have "When Harry Met Sally" down pretty well, but what other romantic comedies should I be studying? Movie or book recommendations are welcome.

Oh Great Internet Brain - Christmas Light Effect

Oh Great Internet Brain, I have two questions regarding Christmas Lighting Effect.

The first one if for controller boxes. What I would like to do is set up several large "ornaments" (3-4' stars with strings of lights to illuminate them) and have them go on and off in a random fashion. Has anybody done this, or do they have experience with any of the commercial boxes available?

This year I've noticed a new trend. For large trees and boughs of garlands, ie. commercial displays, there are lights that have a strobing effect. This is like watching stadiums at sports events and seeing all the flashbulbs going off distributed throughout the audience. I haven't been able to find any such lights. There are random twinkle lights, but they don't have the power of whatever these places are using. Does anybody know what these lights are called or how I could set up the same effect?

As always, TIA.

You Million Dollar Money Maker iPad App Idea of the Week

Okay, there's a lot of music apps for the iPad, but very few set up for live band performances. So here's your idea, go ahead and use it. If you make it a pais app I only ask for a free copy for a friend.

There is a need for an app for bands that perform live music. There are some that work as music controllers and the like, mostly a lot of home rolled apps, but I'm talking about something else. What would be helpful is if a band could set up their playlists with lyrics and maybe tabulatures or notes all tied to the individual song. Then save them as cards, say (just an organizational idea). Then for their live performances the ability to juggle the songs as playlists, doing a preset for the order of songs with the ability to change on the fly (so, read cards in order, but can quickly flip between all cards).

That's the basic idea. If you could tie in things like, say, a tuning app, maybe a music washing section (like adding effects to a local channel), a sound board app (that could be it's own app, a commercial release would be cool), maybe a sound visualizer might be helpful.

Anyway, the song/playlist app would be th emain thing. Go forth and make your millions.

The Great Day in the Morning Conundrum

Anybody have experience with Yuengling Beer? They've just started selling here in NE Ohio. I know the history (oldest brewery, PA people love it, blah blah). I'm just wondering if anybody has had it and what they thought. I almost bought some of their Black and Tan last night. And since I heard a profile last year, I've been wondering what they're like.

But as you all know I'm a notorious cheap-skate. So paying $1 a bottle, with $6 being the minimum investment, is a little steep for me (yes, I'd pay $2 or $3 at a bar to try it, I'm not that cheap, but I don't go to bars anymore, so I guess I am that cheap). If all else fails I'm assuming that I'll be someplace around the holidays that I might get to try it.

Now, to counter the cheap-skate image, normally I do pay $7.50 (Guinness in cans) and $9.00 (Sam Adams Cherry Wheat) for a six-pack. Although that lasts me a year and a half most times. So I'm not a complete cheap-skate.

Just so you know.