Linkee-poo wears headphones to keep people from bothering him

Arrr, it be talk like a pirate day. Avast ye scurvy rats, Bank of America goes belly up. Arrrr, har har har.

The shipwrecks of Boston Harbor for your sail and steampunky goodness. (Grokked from ChiaLynn)

Julia Rios and some conservation about LGBTQIA in YA that is still going on. In case you didn't see the post that "started it all" (note, started this conversation, not the ongoing conversation), writers were asked to straighten some gay characters before being offered representation (and the response which says, "nu uhn"). (Grokked from Catherine Shaff-Stump)

"… (I)t took me years to learn to filter advice and commentary (on the writing process) so I could grab out the bits that did apply to me, and let go of the bits that didn’t, without having to agonize over why I couldn’t write like author X or workshop member Y." Jay Lake being very wise on advise to young writers. YMMV in a meta sense.

And to either refute or enforce that sentiment, Chuck Wendig's 25 ways to plot, plan, and prep your story. Note, that's 25 ways (and I think he missed a few) on how to write a novel. Use 1, 2, 16, or none as your own style (and as I'm learning, each novel) needs to get done. Chuck the ideas that don't help you get it done (but learn, in case you need it for the next novel or some young person asks you how to write a novel and through your perspicuity you realize that this idea that doesn't work for you would be their key to finishing and being successful). Some of those ideas he provides samples.

And part of the ridiculous, a GOP congressman business owner (note, 500 employees is not a "small business") weighs in on the "millionaire tax." Yes, after covering expenses, $400,000 just isn't enough to make his personal ends meet. Also note that after taking the "$6.5 million" he made last year and subtracting $400,000 (his pay), then divide by 500, on average he's paying those people $11,800 a year (or a little less than 3% of his pay, also more than likely part-time with no benefits - subtract SocSec and you get even less, so I'm being generous to him here). Imagine how hard it is for his employees to make ends meet when he can't do it with 340 times their pay. Also note, that since his pay is $400,000 he wouldn't be hit by the tax on those making over a million a year, unless all 500 of those are his personal employees which he pays out of his personal accounts. Which, IMHO, would be the Dumbest Business Plan Evar™. I wonder if that $400k also includes his pay from Congress? (Grokked from Morgan J. Locke)

Tweet of my heart:
@ferretthimself: You know, I was GOING to be a multi-millionaire. Then I saw the kind of taxes Obama planned for me, so I'm just gonna work minimum wage.