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, July 28, 2011

Linkee-poo has got a crush on you

The incomparable Michelle Sagara West on bad panelist behavior (Michelle is on LJ, which has been having difficulty, I was able to read her rant through my RSS reader). If you're a writer and are now being invited to be a panelist, read and learn. I could give my own examples, but as her main point is "this movie is not about you", I'll restrain myself. Just like we all had to learn how to write a story, you should also learn how to be a panelist. It's not as easy as it looks. Observe all the panelist, see what works and what doesn't. Which authors didn't you know at the beginning of the panel, but by the end you wanted to check out their books. Learn how they did that, and do so likewise. Also, internalize Wheaton's Law.

Kaye Umansky on a life of writing the funny. Maybe only interesting to me, because in the next book, I'll be heading back to the funny.

On piracy, plagiarism, and what is and isn't applicable.

Writers need to be more like rockstars (NSFW, no pictures, but profanity and sex references abound). Only, rockstars aren't really like that, in the main (hey, Alice Cooper plays on the amateur-pro golf circuit and Ozzy can hold forth on the history of metal bands like a historian recounting the Hundred Years War). Also, nobody likes to work with jerks. See earlier comment re: Wheaton's Law. Follow that advice at your own risk. (Grokked from gabrielnovo)

More on the "No true Scotsman" response to the Norway shootings. Considering I've had three conversations where I've had to correct people about the political views and motivations of this nut, the initial rush of, "ZOMG, it MOOSLIMS" had it's desired effect. Nothing to see here, citizen, move along. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

History, it's a bitch. Conservatives, thy name is hypocrisy. Seriously, when do we start airbrushing people off the podium? (Grokked from Jay Lake) Need I say more?

Ten doomed industries. (Grokked from Jeffery Beeler)

This is why we have rules. They didn't read the MLK Day Bomber his Miranda rights, but had him "under arrest." See, this is why conservatives want to make sure terrorists aren't tried in civilian courts. Because civilian courts make a big deal out of following the damn rule book.

Oh look, voter fraud. Except, it's not really. Apples and oranges comparisons, implications, and not understanding their own laws on voter registration, yep, seems par for the course these days. He says he's found "the 'tip of the iceberg.'" Looks more like he found the q-tip with ear wax.

EDITED to add this one, just because it makes my blood boil, I couldn't hold it until tomorrow.
Really? Republican candidates can't source their campaign swag in the US? I have no problem finding, t-shirts made in the USA. Hell, even some made by unionized workers. Having sourced specialty advertising pieces for a lot of my career, I can tell you, for a fact, these people are spewing bullshit. And with the lax "Made in USA" laws you can find a lot more that have that label (even if they aren't made here).

2 comments:

vince said...

Yeah, Republican hypocrisy is rampant and ignored by mainstream media. As for the "voter fraud," any bets on whether it turns out he doesn't have his facts together either? The Republicans are changing voter laws to make it harder for the poor to vote, and no better example is Wisconsin's Republicans.

I'm an independent with areas where I'm conservative, areas where I'm moderate, and areas where I'm pretty liberal. I've voted for Republicans in my life, but there is NO DAMN WAY I would vote for ANY Republican these days, especially any one that uses the phrase "Tea Party."

Time to break out the tar and feathers.

Steve Buchheit said...

Vince, it's like a bunch of boys daring each other to go farther than the previous. And I think they just dared each other to pee on the electric fence.