Kameron Hurley's writing income report of 2017.
Jim Hines' writing income report of 2017.
Speaking of Jim, he reviews another friend's book, Catherine Schaff-Stump's The Vessel of Ra. Cath is a wicked good author and fellow VPXIII alumni, and that cover has a severe case of "Something Wicked This Way Comes" about it.
John Scalzi on why he no longer is giving an annual report on his income. John is an outlier, very far outside the box lines. And his experience and current income scheme is so atypical as to skew any comparison. Scalzi gave the basic outline of his deal back when he signed it.
"Here are five weapons you really don’t want to see your opponent bring to a fight." And article on fantasy swords. Odd, no mention of Morganti weapons (although technically not an individual weapon, but a group of weapons created by the Serioli). I have a love/hate relationship with magical weapons. Some are very cool (in a writerly way) like Stormbringer. But they tend to tip the odds to far toward the hero. Morganti weapons are an interesting balance. They don't care about intent. Such as, if the wielder cuts themselves with the blade, well, all the blade is interested in is drinking their soul. In my story collection (partials and notes for novels) I have only two magical blades. But I think I've given them enough twists and odd powers that while they are useful, they are more of a curse than a blessing.
The "2017 Locus Recommended Reading List" all the cool kids are talking about. Hey, I know some of those people.
"SpaceX launches satellite into orbit on a used Falcon 9 rocket."
"Activating T cells in tumors eliminated even distant metastases in mice, Stanford researchers found. Lymphoma patients are being recruited to test the technique in a clinical trial."
"There are a few ideas being tossed around trying to understand what might be happening around these larger galaxies. Some of the theories focus on the idea of tidal forces in the formless void of space." Our galaxy cluster might not be so odd as first thought.
"About three months ago, the car-size robot captured a series of photos from Vera Rubin Ridge, more than 1,000 feet (300 meters) above the floor of Mars' 96-mile-wide (154 kilometers) Gale Crater. Mission team members have stitched these images into a panorama that shows some of the key regions Curiosity has explored since touching down on the Red Planet in August 2012."
"What if your employer made you wear a wristband that tracked your every move, and that even nudged you via vibrations when it judged that you were doing something wrong?" This is where the Ironman suit becomes an annoying nag and tattletale. At one time we were upset to know that some electronic keycards could also be used to track an employee's movement around the office. The dystopias in fiction aren't often imposed from top-down (although they rule that way). As 1984 taught us, the were ushered in with the full willingness of the people being governed because it was easier (or had shiny things attached).
Where were they radicalized? "She said Mr. Osborne then dived into the right-wing media sphere and 'seemed brainwashed' by that world. Devices seized by the police showed internet searches for a variety of such sites, including that of the English Defence League, a far-right anti-Muslim group… Mr. Osborne was also found to have received an automated direct message on Twitter from Jayda Fransen, deputy leader of Britain First, another far-right organization. Some of the group’s videos were re-tweeted by President Trump last year in an episode that caused outrage in Britain." Well, that's where one was.
"Four migrants have been shot in a gunfight that broke out between Afghan and Eritrean migrants in France's port city of Calais." This may not seem weird to American eyes, but in Europe guns laws are much more strict. "It is unusual for migrants to carry firearms." It's unusual for anyone to carry firearms. "The clashes come weeks after French President Emmanuel Macron signed a treaty with Britain to speed up processing of migrants in Calais."
"The company, which makes Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Ho Hos, announced on Thursday that it is giving employees a one-time bonus of $1,250, with $750 of that in cash and $500 in the form of a 401(k) contribution. In a borderline on-the-nose move, Hostess is also giving employees one free multibox of snacks per week in addition to the small bonus… While the numbers may appear promising, corporations are actually spending less than one percent of their tax windfall on bonuses for employees… Additionally, those one-time bonuses do little to actually help workers in an economy where wages have remained stagnant for years, despite a four percent unemployment rate." I'd also want to see how long it takes for employees to be vested in their 401(k) programs (and participation rates). You may also remember Hostess for union breaking about 3 years ago. (Grokked from Michele)
"Despite Israeli and U.S. criticism, Poland’s Senate approved a highly controversial law on Thursday which bans any Holocaust accusations against Poles as well as descriptions of Nazi death camps as Polish." It's like if the French passed a law restricting the use of Vichy. But then nations always like to diminish the role of collaborators.
"Republicans are gathered at the storied Greenbrier Resort — home to a Cold War-era bunker once meant to house Congress in the event of a nuclear attack — to plot the party's legislative agenda for 2018 and strategize for what could be a bruising midterm election."
"Senate Republicans last December panned Speaker Paul Ryan’s pitch to overhaul entitlements. But the Wisconsin Republican is back at it again, repackaging his proposals in hopes of gaining traction on welfare reform… During a GOP retreat here in Appalachia, Ryan urged congressional Republicans to tackle 'workforce development.' He messaged the somewhat amorphous phrase as a matter of 'helping people'— not a budget-cutting excursive." Same shit, new wrapper. (Grokked form Michele)
So here we'll make a little note. Many manufacturers have job openings that they're having trouble filling. One major reason is lack of training (there are very few "unskilled" jobs anymore, most require knowledge of automated manufacturing processes and programming). Another major reason is a large part of the workforce out there can't pass a drug test (if they even are able to pass the credit score check).
"The state of Florida routinely violates the constitutional rights of its citizens by permanently revoking the 'fundamental right' to vote for anyone convicted of a felony, a federal judge ruled Thursday… U.S. District Judge Mark Walker said the Florida 'scheme' unfairly relies on the personal support of the governor for citizens to regain the right to vote. In a strongly-worded ruling, he called the state's defense of voter disenfranchisement 'nonsensical,' a withering criticism of Gov. Rick Scott, the lead defendant in the case." Of course it will be appealed.
"Two sources directly involved in the process say the GOP-authored House Intelligence Committee memo will not be released Thursday. The plan now is for the White House to return the memo – with redactions approved in consultation with the FBI – to the Intelligence Committee Friday." Do over. (Grokked from John Scalzi)
Was wondering why Hope Hicks was trending in my feed. "According to a New York Times report, Mark Corallo, a former spokesperson for Trump’s legal team set to be interviewed in the Russia investigation, plans to tell Mueller that, during a conference call with Hicks and President Trump last July, Hicks said that Trump Jr.’s emails 'will never get out.' This statement, Corallo now confirms to the Times, led him to worry that Hicks 'could be contemplating obstructing justice.' (Translation: destroying or otherwise covering up Trump Jr.’s emails.) Either that or, as Corallo reportedly told colleagues, Hicks 'was being naive'—believing the emails couldn’t be leaked to the public because, per the Times, she thought 'only a few people had access to them.' In fact, whether Hicks realized it or not, Trump Jr.’s emails were headed for delivery to Congress, which had requested them as part of its own Russia investigation." Chickens coming home to roost.
"Special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation has gathered enough steam that some lawyers representing key Donald Trump associates are considering the possibility of a historic first: an indictment against a sitting president." I'm not sure I buy it. But if it happened, that would leave us in a Constitutional Crisis that I don't think many people have gamed out. What if the sitting president was not only indicted, but found guilty in a criminal court of actions committed while in the White House? At best, Mueller will deliver a report to Rosenstein recommending impeachment and laying out the full case and pursue other cases against other officials and campaign workers. It's quite likely one or more of the president's family will be charged. At least that's my bet.
Tweet of my heart: @Blk_Dolphin CNN & Fox News has done to our parents what they thought violent video games & Marilyn Manson would do to us. (Grokked from Kathryn Cramer)
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