Linkee-poo is do do da do do, living in the USA

You know, I keep thinking I've hit the limit on just how busy I can be and keep sane. And then we blow through another wall.

Chuck Wendig on how to push past the BS and write that gorram novel. The less said about the time needed to write the blog, the better.

The seven deadly sins of freelance writing. Also applicable to fiction writing.

Kameron Hurley on learning how to write again. Some people tell you it's like falling off a bike, but it really isn't.

Dr. Doyle with how to use the "y'all."

John Scalzi talks about the libraries he has known. I thought it was mostly a "tales from the heartland" kind of thing until I discovered that some idiot author made the mistake (again) of equating library loans to lost sales. I guess this is a conversation we need to have every three or four years. Sigh. There is now ample evidence that if consumers can sample your work for free in some fashion, this increases overall sales (mostly from the negative, when you close down those "free" avenues overall sales decrease). This isn't to say that you want to allow pirate sites full reign, but when you have institutions like libraries, or concerts in the park, radio, TV, and the various rental places, you really should support them. You know, if you're actually worried about sales. Whenever I get to "published author" status, I would love it if my book would be in as many libraries as possible. Because when somebody plunks down their hard earned money to buy my book, I want them to enjoy it. If you can try me out in the library (or "first few chapters for free") and know you will enjoy my stuff before you buy it, that's a more positive experience. The world still operates on the old sales axioms: Positive experiences = increased word of mouth = increased sales; Negative experiences = increased negative word of mouth (positive word of mouth times 3)= decreased sales.

Elizabeth Bear on some recent infringements of unrecognized privilege on her psyche. Most often these kind of comments are just tossed off the cuff, but by those who don't see their own privilege and how that puts down others.

Um, wow. A street photographer is approached to use images in display. He asks for more money than they initially offered and is turned down. However, DKNY still uses his photos. The guy seems pretty nice about it. Me? There would be lawyers. Seriously, If DKNY thinks his asking $100,000 for the Y is too much, just wait until a lawyer tallies up all the copyright infringement going on there. It wouldn't just be one usage, every single photo is another instance of infringement. I wouldn't normally think this of window dressers from someplace like DKNY, but… amateurs. Rank amateurs. (Grokked from Patrick Nielsen Hayden)

Lost micro-continent found in Indian Ocean. Anybody check to see if the stars are aligned? "In his house at R'lyeh, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming." (Grokked from Dan)

Of relation to the sub-conversation on death and dying, the RadioLab short episode on the Bitter End. Do you want to have intervention medicines (CPR, ventilator, and the various "heroic" efforts to save your life), or do you have a DNR? And do you really know what happens when doctors try these things?

In case you didn't see my single post with the video embeded, coronal rain. Wow. Just fargin' wow. (Pointed to by John)

Quad copters throwing and catching an inverted pendulum. Okay, that's impressive. (Grokked from Dan)

"For that purpose they sometimes keep a large amount of fat in their livers, so maybe No. 1 still has a source of energy in its body, and that’s why it still has no appetite." A giant isopod (basically a deep sea louse) hasn't eaten in 4 years. More proof the world we live in is weirder than we can think. (Grokked from Matt Staggs)

Physicists create a multiverse in the lab. Okay, my brain hurts. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

A response to the NYT article on the cost of medical care. "You want a market-driven healthcare economy? You’ll get it when the payer has as much clout as the biller does. And as Yglesias notes, the name of that payer is (in this case the) government. Anything else, and walking into a hospital is like jumping into a shark tank covered in blood. Good luck negotiating." Yes, that. (Grokked from Kelly Swails)