After Todd Wheeler commented on yesterday's linkee-poo, I couldn't remember if I had posted a link to Todd's debut novel, Garbageland. Todd is going the self-published route with this one, and I wish him well with it. I think I did a link before to it, but if I didn't, I apologize for that oversight.
(Moved to the top, because it's what we'll all be talking about this week) Rachel Maddow on embracing the label "Obamacare." This week we'll all be in an uproar as the Supreme Court hears a record long argument on the legal aspects of the ACA. While I've been a proponent of saying "healthcare act" and "ACA", lately I've been thinking the right has made a potentially massive mistake. Let's call it Obamacare, and if it'sup held in court, and people begin to realize all this teeth gnashing is over nothing, Obamacare will stick. And it will be a constant reminder of who started this journey, and which party was responsible. If it's struck down or repealed (unlikely unless it's struck down by the court), it'll fade into history like "Hillarycare." (Grokked from Jay Lake)
Along the lines of fantasy writers needing to treat their horses like actual animals instead of biological machines, five more things you should know about horses. I think if most fantasy writers can get through their head that horses are prey animals, that should help stories become more realistic very fast. Nope, even if your warhorse has trod through mounds of the dead in battle, when confronted with the predator stench of a dragon, that horse is going to high tail it out of the area. No mater how much you think it loves you. (Grokked from Jay Lake)
The 75 word every SF fan should know. Which brings up an interesting argument (for another day) about how SF is killing off it's fandom by requiring a pre-existing database of shared cultural memory to click into new works. I also see tell tale traces of these in Fantasy. (Grokked from Tor.com)
A visual guide on when it's okay to make shit up. (Grokked from Eric)
"Today it is cold, the light is dim, this vellum is hairy, something is wrong." Life in the margins of illuminated manuscripts. A little why I love those books (Cleveland Museum of Art contains a great collection). (Grokked from Jay Lake)
And will we know have connoisseur magazines for super conductivity? Never though that a superconductivity lab would have a wine list. (Grokked from ChiaLynn)
"He shared a story about one of the loudest abortion foes he ever encountered… He walked into an examining room to find her there. She needed an abortion and had come to him because… he was a familiar face… she assured him she wasn’t like all those other women: loose, unprincipled…'Nothing like life,' he responded, 'to teach you a little more.'" Life has a way of doing that, if you pay attention. Of course, the story ends with the woman going back to yell at those seeking an abortion. More of the "my abortion is moral, you're just a slut" mentality. (Grokked from Jay Lake)
No, I'm afraid astronaut is one of those titles you carry for life. Because it's a profession. Unlike "President", "Attorney General", "Governor" etc that are temporary positions. Although we like to keep those titles these days, I don't understand why. When I was growing up at best you would get "Former" added to the front of political titles when one was no longer serving in that capacity. It helped with keeping straight who was and who wasn't in power. That seems to have fallen out of favor. And what kind of assnards want to strip someone of their title "astronaut"? (Pointed to by Karl Z).
On the myth of cutting taxes helping the economy. It helps some people, just not the majority of us. "Why does this self-serving argument fly? Because too many Americans don’t get where they stand in the scheme of things. The U.S. has one of the most unequal distributions of income in the developed world… But much of the country's workforce believes it’s either already in the overtaxed bourgeoisie or on its way there." The stories we tell ourselves. (Grokked from Jay Lake)
Forced castrations reportedly found in Roman Catholic Care. In the 1950s, it's alleged that the Church castrated underaged sexual abuse victims in the Church run psychiatric wards. (Grokked from Jay Lake)
Alligator Quotient: I'm teaching the little buggers to play poker, and taking their pocket change.
3 comments:
Two things:
1. I read an early draft of Garbageland -- It's really good!
2. I suspect that the Obama administration has quietly been very pleased with the term "Obamacare" since day one. People 30 years from now will have no idea it was a term of derision.
Thanks for the link Steve, and the props Nathan. You are both mentioned by name in the acknowledgements of the book.
Nathan, yeah, if it's struck down, it'll fade into memory (just like "Hillarycare"). If it's upheld, having it referred to as Obamacare is only a plus.
Todd, no worries. I remember seeing your original announcement, but I couldn't remember if I posted a link back then. Sorry for the lateness.
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