More linkages

Last night the solution of how Gary gets out of the problem I threw at him came to me. He he. Driving a taxi from the back seat using a sword. Brilliant! Of course he doesn't drive it well. And there's the various fall out of the solution (which may be worse) that needs to be worked through (at this point there's at least three car crashes, including the car Gary got into by mistake). I know how he gets out of the car, but what comes next should be interesting. I know he makes it back to his apartment by the end of the day, but not how he makes it (and who knows, maybe he might not make it back for a few days - that outline can and will change).

Google's Schmidt on the Book Settlement where he addresses the critics. Let me say up front, I'm with the crowd that says this project violates Google's Business Model of "Do no evil." Mr. Schmidt asks of his critics, after making the unbelievable statement of "they sued us, we didn't sue them" (um, yeah, that's normally how it works, but your settlement affects EVERYBODY, not just those who sued you), "I would like to hear from the critics a better solution to the problem as opposed to criticisms of the solution that we arrived at after four years of negotiation." Okay, Mr. Schmidt, here it is. Don't fucking do it. Is that succinct enough for you? Really, didn't you do any research into what you were doing. You're making a wholesale grab of copyright (no, don't try to deny it, it makes you look foolish) and you didn't think that people would be upset, including people who have a big fondness for free electronic copies? Dude, really, brain death doesn't suit you at all. Or maybe you should actually learn the publishing business before stomping on people's toes (fully investigate what happens when a book goes "out of print" - hint, it doesn't go into the public domain). Oh, and I'm not a party to that suit, I don't have anything that's covered yet, but when I do, count on me protecting my copyright to the fullest extent of the law (while I also argue to have at least part of the work available for free). But you don't get to make that decision for me. If you want to publish my stuff this way, negotiate the rights with me, I'm open. (article grokked from Jay Lake)

I've listened to Neil Gaiman's Graveyard Book a few times now (also read the hard copy). Can I just say I love Bella Fleck's Danse Macabre (which is one of my favorite pieces of music to begin with, and frankly fits a banjo to a "t").

Jeremiah Tolbert with his 5 Lies Writers Believe. Yeah. Yeah, sure, but you know he's an editor who is denying it. Just saying. :) (grokked from Anna Zanoni)

OT Links

Well, that explains some of the frieze-dried whackaloonery going around lately.