I’m sorry I can’t be more fashionably cynical, but it’s just not in my make-up pouch.

A scientific attempt to create the most annoying song possible is perhaps only topped by a similar shot at the one most people would want.

There are finally a bunch of new entrepreneurs at Kiva.org. If the economy is making you cut back on charitable donations, try loaning to a couple of these businesses; the money gets repaid as they grow, so you can loan it out again.

Animator vs. Animation. Incredibly meta, and absolutely delightful.

When an English speaker doesn’t understand a phrase, they say “it’s Greek to me.” Greek speakers in the same situation may say “sounds like Chinese.” And Chinese speakers will refer in turn to the language of Heaven. It’s all mapped out here.

Birthday party, cheesecake, jellybean, boom

The lack of care for kids with mental health issues. (And, for something less depressing: the way moral panics directed at the young get overblown.)

A compromise on same-sex marriage. The authors discuss their plan like it’s a breakthrough, which it really isn’t, but it’s still worthwhile.

Protests against guilt-upon-accusation laws in NZ cases of copyright infringement.

I think this fic is turning me into a Buttercup/Princess shipper.

Speaking of random shipping, check out the blogging on Stelephant Colbert and Jon Sealwart, the recently named elephant seals. “Nation, there are those males that will contest my authority, undermining the very essence of harem life by stealing one, maybe two of my brides by pretending to be female, a favorite tactic of Jon Sealwart (on his off-time as well).” It’s like the Census of Marine Life has decided to spend its time writing cracktastic seal AUs.

Finally: KITTENS RIDING A ROOMBA. My life is now complete.

Fanworks, 2/16-2/22

Afganisu-tan/Fake News/Hetalia Axis Powers
We Are America (art | America, America, America | worksafe)

Fake News
Till It Be Morrow (fic | Stephen, Jon, Sweetness | PG-13)
Firm Haunches (fic | Jon/puppy!Stephen | PG-13)
Just Say… and Cycles (drabble, ficlet | Jon/Stephen | R, PG-13)

Fake News/Strangers With Candy
Five Times Chuck And Stephen Had Sex (Mostly With Each Other) (fic | Stephen/OMC, Stephen/Chuck, Chuck/Geoffrey, Seamus | R)

Next Week in Shine:
Seras asks Alucard about the bats and the bees.

Brief update

1) The sequel to Dalek, I Love You is available for listening: Dalek, I Love You Too.

2) Do we need a new Internet? Because they’re building one. Or at least, trying to.

3) I’m in New Zealand! Expect a decreased fandom output, as I’m on a connection that charges by the byte and my scanner is in another hemisphere. Meanwhile, those interested can follow my RL doings at Adventures in Hobbitland.

Fanworks, 2/9-2/15

Fake News
Everyone Experiments At Camp (synopsis | Stephen/OC, a bunch of OCs | PG-13)
Stewart’s Inferno (synopsis | Stephen/Jon, Jon/Tracey, Oscar Wilde, ensemble | PG-13)
That’s So Raven (art | Raven | worksafe and ~fabulous~)
Jon Almighty (synopsis | r!Jon, r!Stephen, families, God | crossover with Bruce Almighty | PG)
(untitled colbunker fic) (synopsis | Stephen, Jon | R)
In Time (fic | r!Jon, r!Stephen | PG-13)

Hellsing
Ready for bed (art | Pip/Seras | mildly NSFW)

The Mighty Boosh
Naboo the Enigma (art | lounging!Naboo | worksafe)

Strangers With Candy
High School Never Ends (series 3 mix | Chuck/Geoffrey, Jerri, ensemble | PG)

Victorian Romance Emma
Meine Schätzchen (sketch | Dorothea/Wilhelm | worksafe)

Original
Reseda in White (art | Reseda, natch | worksafe)

Next Week in Shine:
Pip makes a confession, and Seras has some thinking to do.

Website Updates!
There’s a slightly cheerier layout over at The Zen and the Damaged, and the fic involved has been limited to the comedy.

The Year Without A Valentine’s Day

The flight from LA leaves tomorrow, the 13th, and arrives in New Zealand on the 15th. Thanks to the International Date Line, I may not actually spend any of this year in the 14th. (Thus the subject line.)

No idea how quickly I’ll be able to reestablish Internet access after that, so bear with me.

In the meantime, have some links:

A heartwarming tale of what happens when marriage meets cancer.

The Onion on Japan’s creepy porn. (I’m not even sure this is exaggerated.)

The Guild, an awesome webseries about a group of MMORPGers.

The only summary of Hellsing you really need. (Spoileriffic, obviously.)

Finally, the BBC is running The Code of the Woosters. Not sure if it’s a reading or a dramatization, but if you want an introduction to Jeeves & Wooster, try this out.

Recommendations!

Childrens’ Hospital, a ten-webisode series starring the Corddry brothers and Ed Helms, with at least one Colbert voiceover. Brilliantly sends up the medical-drama genre.

Afganisu-tan – in a similar vein as the more recent hit Axis Powers Hetalia, a short comic summarizing Middle Eastern history with the countries personified as moe girls. If “bloody regional conflicts portrayed as cute girls thwapping each other” will offend you, skip this one.

The Crazy Adventures of Wassup Holmes, a rap video. Yes, Holmes is this gangsta.

Nice White Lady, a MAD TV sketch. A distillation of every “nice white teacher saves troubled minority class” movie ever.

Story Pirates invade TDS. It’s always fun to watch someone else take over Jon’s show. damnit, Viacom.

The BBC is currently running Dalek, I Love You, in which a Doctor Who fanboy meets a woman who claims to be a time traveler. Worth listening to for the geeking out alone.

Fanworks, 2/2-2/8

Bishoujo Kishi Seera Herushingu
Collection 1 (ancient art | Integra/Sailor Hellsing, Alucard, masked vampire | worksafe)
Collection 2, Collection 3 (ancient art | the full Sailor Team | worksafe)
Sailor Regenerator (art | girl!Alex | worksafe)

Code Geass/Doctor Who/Fake News/Hellsing/Red Dwarf/RG Veda
Damaged Little Boys (wallpaper | Rimmer, Alucard, the Master, Enrico, Rolo, Ashura, Stephen | worksafe)

Fake News
I’m Falling (Catch Me) (art | Jon, Stephen | worksafe)
With Painful Steps And Slow (fic | Jon, Stephen, the cast of A Colbert Christmas | R)
Jon’n'Stephen sketchdump (collage | Jon, Stephen, shoulder sprites | worksafe)

Fake News/Strangers With Candy
Why Should I Care?, part 4 (fic | Seamus/OC, Jerri | PG-13)

Strangers With Candy
Faces Of A Stranger (mix | Chuck/Geoffrey, Jerri/various | PG-13)

Where’s Waldo/Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?
Shut Up And Rescue Me (art | Carmen/Waldo, some ropes | worksafe, mostly)
The Mission (50 sentences | Carmen/Waldo, Chief, Zack, Ivy | PG)

Next Week in Shine:
Pip learns about Seras’ childhood tragedy – at least, what she remembers of it.

Website Updates!
New poll, this one on the topic of fangirls…
Sexy new incentive when you vote for Shine.
Two new profiles on the Sailor Hellsing front!

Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur.

The latest research suggests that couples tend to get unhappier when they have kids.

Epoch Time is coming. (It’s a geek thing.)

This video is just a little bit terrifying, even when you know the driver got out okay.

Finally, Hellsing fans take note: Cosplay cross pins!

I am never impossible. The most I ever allow myself to be is somewhat unlikely.

I may have to take this walk while I’m in New Zealand. (Two weeks to departure…)

Sitting back and listening while the Remyth Project does cool things.

“What do women want?” turned into an overview of everything we know on how female sexuality works. (This one’s long, and still only scratching the surface.)

On a similar note, check out the dynamics of by-choice single moms.

How the government once put 3.3 million Americans back to work. On jobs that made a difference. And it worked.