I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
And so the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're goin' through

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Linkee-poo knows if you don't mind your mother's words a wicked wind will blow ribbons from your curls

Okay, ever wonder just what you may learn at writing conferences, like Clarion, Odyssey and Viable Paradise? Well, here's Elizabeth Bear's lecture of story structure (aka, plotting). I need to reread this, because at VP I was dog-dead tired and kind of slept-walked through the week.

Ten things hard core readers should stop saying to non-readers. And here we'll invoke Wheaton's Law, "Don't be a dick." At the hospital when I have a patient who is reading, I engage them and ask what they're reading and if they like it. So many people say things like, "Oh, it's just a cheap romance novel", or "this author is really easy to read." I then explain that reading for fun is what it's all about, but are you enjoying the story? Most people say yes. I then tell them that's all that matters. But if someone isn't a reader, don't get on a high horse you're going to have trouble dismounting later. (Grokked from David Klecha)

What if strangers talked to everybody like they talk to writers. Hahahaha. (Grokked from Steven Gould)

A potential warp ship. All to encourage STEM programs. Conveniently ignores the problem of just how much energy it would take to expand and contract space-time. (Grokked from Stewart Sternberg)

There's something we need to talk about. "Death threats. Rape threats. Threats to kill my family, my pets. Detailed emails describing what it would be like to rape me, to murder me. Emails imagining what sex is like between my husband and me, and how he must hate it because I am disgusting. Hopes that someone else will hurt me. Admonishments to kill myself." Because this happens. It happens a lot. So, if we as a culture like to wage our finger at other "less developed" cultures because they make women wear burkas, bar them from driving or employment, or sexually mutilate them, we have our own crimes against women. This is happening in our (read: American) culture. Right now. Probably to people you know. If you want to say that because we don't make the women in this country (place whatever you're railing against in other cultures) we're better, I say "fuck that shit." Having dealt with abuse and abusers before, there is no comparison to say, "Well, be glad your abuse was just psychological because you could have been beaten" or "be glad your were just beaten because you could have been sexually abused." Because you could also say, "Be glad you were just sexually abused because you could have been killed." Notice the absurdity of that statement. There is no gradation, all abuse (psychological, physical, sexual) is the same. It inflicts similar levels of pain (and long term trauma) on the victim. That's why they're all classified as "abuse." It's time to end the culture of abuse (which, in case you aren't paying attention is rampant in the US). The time has come and the time is now. (Grokked from Morgan J Locke)

Don't think this is a real problem. You aren't paying attention. That's a link talking about the WaPo article originally titled "One way to end violence against women? Stop taking lovers and get married". This is what's known as 1) blaming the victim and 2) complete misunderstanding of the problem or issue. The two "geniuses" who penned that piece obviously have never heard that most rapes (of adults and children) and most abuse is done by family members. Most often spouses and fathers of the victims. "But only if women were married" (like that is actually a shield) and "it's calm down men". Heard it, talk to the hand. The authors are fucking ignorant. And, yes, people with doctorates can be astoundingly ignorant about social issues. Also note, this isn't the only socially deft article WaPo has published recently.

And then you have an Archbishop testifying that he wasn't sure that having sex with children was a crime. These are all current. This isn't in our dark past, these are all within this year.

No, no, no, you're not supposed to speak the truth. Even if you are leaving Congress and feel a little bitter on how you were leaving. This just won't do. (Note they didn't ask Heritage Action if they contributed) So, no, Congressmen (and Senators) don't vote to get better campaign contributions. That would be quid-pro-quo (which actually is against the rules). It's he walked back that comment about exactly that. And Santa Clause is going to reconstitute the polar ice cap.

(UPDATE) Doubt we'll see this candor from Eric Cantor. I have my own thoughts on just what happened in Virginia, and it doesn't mesh with the story line being promoted in the media (note, everywhere else in the country, the story has been the retaking of the GOP by establishment operatives, Eric Cantor is the only exception).

For another view on that… "The bottom-line here is Dave Brat didn’t beat Eric Cantor because Cantor’s campaign was poor or because of his immigration stance. And Brat’s victory over Cantor wasn’t just a fluke… What happened last night in Virginia was in the works for years, and it has dark money written all over it." Just in case you're wondering just where the left is getting their ideas about he Koch Brothers… hint, we have the paper trails. (Grokked from Morgan J Locke)

Hey, remember the whole "Obamacare had Death Panels" and the progressive response that, no, really there aren't any. And if you want to complain about bureaucrats having a say over if you live or die, have you ever had to use your insurance? Here's an example of what we were talking about. BCBS has decided that for their patient, radiation therapy isn't medically necessary (when it really is the only thing that is both prescribed by best practices, and obviously necessary). Heinous fakery all around. (Grokked from Jason Sanford)

Oh look, people actually support the new EPA rules on carbon emissions. Just in case you might have begin to believe the blowhards. Queue the "but they don't know the implications of this" argument from the usual suspects in 3… 2… 1… (Grokked from Morgan J Locke)

Speaker Boehner doesn't know what to call the Las Vegas shootings. He's confused (as is much of America) because the perpetrators were white, conservative, probably God-fearing people who wanted to bring down the government. And we can't call those people terrorists because we all know terrorists are brown and Islamic. Plus, that might alienate the Tea Party, which the GOP still needs to win elections. Remember that report our of DoH about having to watch ultra-conserative militias for possible terrorism? Remember how the GOP shouted that down. Ah, good times. Good times.

"'I think that the thing to learn from that is that I am a person who will stand up for what I believe in,' (Republican Senate candidate Dr. Monica Wehby) said Monday in response to the police reports (of her walking exes)… 'I'm a person who doesn't easily back down. I will fight for Oregonians with very strong conviction. I'm a very committed, determined person.'" Which I'm sure she would do in a totally non-creepy, stalker kind of way.

Tweet of my heart: @ChuckWendig And that's 3000 words down. Don't get excited, only four of them are any good. #writinglife4eva

No comments: