The 5 things about publishing that surprised David B. Coe.
In my story (that has been accepted, but I have no contract, cough, cough) War Stories, the bookend POV character says that it's better to talk about what you've seen and done in war. "Because all those old guys who fought the last great war came back and kept their mouths shut. The demons they carried home ate them from the inside." Reference for some of those "old guys" I knew who informed that part of the story. My great uncles fought in the war. I know some things of their service, but not their full stories. In January we buried the second to the last one of them. (Grokked from Jay Lake)
"Minimum of four years book publicity experience." I'm out. But, hey, if you know someone who wants to move around in the world of publishing, maybe you know someone who could be a Sr. Publicists at Tor/Forge Books. Maybe it's even you.
Ikea instructions for Stonehenge. (Grokked from matociquala)
In case you every really wanted to know what paranoid sounds like, here ya go. I have to admit I only got halfway though (or less, it's really damn long) before giving up. And now I'm wondering if this person is checking linked sources and my photo will appear in there as part of the code. Because, BTW, if you translate my last name in German (it's Slavic) it means "The Book of Life." And I'm named for two saints. Code much? (Pointed to by John)
Of relation to the newly uncovered War on Women, the women's economic opportunity index. Damn those socialist countries like Germany and Austria for making us look bad. (Grokked from Jeffery Beeler)
You know, dilithium crystals make anti matter experiments so much easier. And with that, Steve punches his geek card to be valid for the next month. (Grokked from Jay Lake)
Anti-government extremists groups proliferate when the President is a Democrat? Not to mention African-American? Shocked, shocked I am… Good thing the conservatives quashed that DoHS report on the rise of conservative militia groups and the threat they pose. It's good to know conservatives are consistent in their reality denial.
And this just in, velociraptor chokes on chicken bone and dies. Okay, well, it was a really, really big chicken. And technically, so was the velociraptor. I always find it interesting when researchers are faced with the obvious. Look, "predator" is not an eating strategy. Obligate carnivore is. And if you observe any obligate carnivores you will notice that they will also scavenge meat when they can (because it poses less risk to them and doesn't require great energy expenditure). (Grokked from Jay Lake)
When I was in college I attended a lecture on shipwrecks and the presenter was going on and on about how this wreck he had just finished excavating was so strange because there were personal items from all across the Mediterranean (Egypt to what would become Southern Spain). And the hold included some artworks of renown (Egyptian and Peloponnesian statuary). And they were stunned at the variety of items. I asked if they had considered the possibility of piracy and theft. Their response was, "Almost all the ships of this time were engaged in some piracy, and they were all merchant vessels with items for trade. But all these different things just perplex us." Um, pirates have always been the most egalitarian crews (pulling from all types of people and both sexes), so having a wide range of personal items seems pretty natural to me for a mixed crew (after all, at the time the Mediterranean was a vast network of commerce between nation states from both sides of Gibraltar to the Red Sea). And that they were hauling plunder for sale in foreign ports also seems an obvious fit. But the archeologist just wasn't getting it.
Alligator Quotient: Alligators on a plane. All I'm sayin'.
Friday, March 9, 2012
1, 2, 3 What are we fightin' for, don't ask me I don't give a damn
I think this is because I've heard one too many comment about this. Okay, in the wake of the Super Tuesday election here in Ohio, I've heard many people (including our own Mike Dewine, who supported Romney before he switched to Support Santorum) talk about how Romney outspent Santorum 10 to 1, but only won by 1%. And how this goes to show that, "it's not about money." Yeah, bullshit. Here's the real facts. Two weeks ago Ohio was a walk-away for Ricky. He lead Romney by 20 points in almost all the polls. And in two weeks Romney wiped that all away. A 21 point swing in two weeks. That's what all that money bought. And that's a hell of a bargain.
Now I could also talk about how the shiny "not-Romney" candidate seems so spectacular to every new electorate that bellies up to the electoral bar. Only to have that said candidate open their mouth while people are paying attention. At that point, the curve bends quickly in the other direction. This is what's called "the whackaloon effect." The "Oh, (insert not-Romney candidate here) feels what I feel, he speaks from the heart, and I'd like ot have a beer with them," sentiment quickly turns to "ZOMG, this freeze-dried whackaloon could never win in a general election, and they're pretty horrible to boot. The probably have frosted-kittens for breakfast."
Do I need to run out the list of all those who have become road kill this year? And do I need to point to the plethora of not-Mitts whom the faithful would love to run, only for those people to chuckle and say, "No more for me, thanks, I'm driving"?
So, first point is, "Yes, money is making a big difference in this campaign, and there's a hell of a lot of it sloshing around." And the next point is, "It's going to be Romney. Might as well line up to drink the kool-aid already as it's getting hot in the noon-day sun."
And here I'll make my predictions. I think Santorum will rack-up the South and Romney will be forced to choose between him and Rubio (who I don't think would actually accept the VP nod). And a Romnney/Santorum ticket is even more poisoned than a McCain/Pailin ticket (which is why I think Rubio will sit this one out and wait for 2016). There's still an opportunity for someone else to get the nod (whoever thought it would be Palin at this point in the campaign). Santorum, however, if he's not the VP will have enough candidates to make a stink at the convention (think Pat Buchanan in 92). Newt will settle for a cabinet position in a Romney Administration, possibly Sec. of State (and if that doesn't scare the ever lovin' crap out ya, you might want to think that through). Ron Paul, well, it's Ron's last hurrah. Thanks for playing, Ron. Really wish we would have put that blue reactant in the pool before you got in.
Now I could also talk about how the shiny "not-Romney" candidate seems so spectacular to every new electorate that bellies up to the electoral bar. Only to have that said candidate open their mouth while people are paying attention. At that point, the curve bends quickly in the other direction. This is what's called "the whackaloon effect." The "Oh, (insert not-Romney candidate here) feels what I feel, he speaks from the heart, and I'd like ot have a beer with them," sentiment quickly turns to "ZOMG, this freeze-dried whackaloon could never win in a general election, and they're pretty horrible to boot. The probably have frosted-kittens for breakfast."
Do I need to run out the list of all those who have become road kill this year? And do I need to point to the plethora of not-Mitts whom the faithful would love to run, only for those people to chuckle and say, "No more for me, thanks, I'm driving"?
So, first point is, "Yes, money is making a big difference in this campaign, and there's a hell of a lot of it sloshing around." And the next point is, "It's going to be Romney. Might as well line up to drink the kool-aid already as it's getting hot in the noon-day sun."
And here I'll make my predictions. I think Santorum will rack-up the South and Romney will be forced to choose between him and Rubio (who I don't think would actually accept the VP nod). And a Romnney/Santorum ticket is even more poisoned than a McCain/Pailin ticket (which is why I think Rubio will sit this one out and wait for 2016). There's still an opportunity for someone else to get the nod (whoever thought it would be Palin at this point in the campaign). Santorum, however, if he's not the VP will have enough candidates to make a stink at the convention (think Pat Buchanan in 92). Newt will settle for a cabinet position in a Romney Administration, possibly Sec. of State (and if that doesn't scare the ever lovin' crap out ya, you might want to think that through). Ron Paul, well, it's Ron's last hurrah. Thanks for playing, Ron. Really wish we would have put that blue reactant in the pool before you got in.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Story Bone
Just in case you've ever wondered, "how did they ever think of that"? Well, now you know. Also, if you've ever asked, "Where do authors get their ideas"? This is how. This is also why offering an author an idea that they can just write up and you'll share the profits makes those authors giggle with glee thinking of how they could probably get away with a good retort at that moment. We always have ideas. The hard part is writing them. And because the Muse demands, the latest idea.
I'm processing an image for one of our HALO/HAHO products and thinking, "You know how you can get the bends by coming up from depths too quickly? Since the atmosphere is just an ocean with looser organization of the atoms, I wonder if you would get the bends by rising up in the atmosphere column too fast? And at depths divers use helium mixed into the oxygen, is there something other than nitrogen that you'd use at altitude?" I think it's possible. We don't know it because we've never been able to rise faster than a ballon to any great height without also wearing a pressure suit or in a pressurized cabin. Which in this scenario is cheating. You don't get the bends on the way down (well, really you do, that's when the nitrogen seeps into your blood stream in higher than normal concentrations, but it's compressed so not gas bubbles, yet), so parachutists wouldn't have them. What if we or an alien were moving in an atmosphere with a different density, would that cause problems?
Unfortunately I don't know the answers here. If you use this, you'd have to do the research. Or ask your neighborhood rocket scientists.
I'm processing an image for one of our HALO/HAHO products and thinking, "You know how you can get the bends by coming up from depths too quickly? Since the atmosphere is just an ocean with looser organization of the atoms, I wonder if you would get the bends by rising up in the atmosphere column too fast? And at depths divers use helium mixed into the oxygen, is there something other than nitrogen that you'd use at altitude?" I think it's possible. We don't know it because we've never been able to rise faster than a ballon to any great height without also wearing a pressure suit or in a pressurized cabin. Which in this scenario is cheating. You don't get the bends on the way down (well, really you do, that's when the nitrogen seeps into your blood stream in higher than normal concentrations, but it's compressed so not gas bubbles, yet), so parachutists wouldn't have them. What if we or an alien were moving in an atmosphere with a different density, would that cause problems?
Unfortunately I don't know the answers here. If you use this, you'd have to do the research. Or ask your neighborhood rocket scientists.
Linkee-poo knows it's a hundred years to Macondo
For those six of you who haven't heard, if you're in the Northern Hemisphere, and you have clear skies tonight, you might want to keep a sharp eye out for auroras. We're getting hit with a major electrical storm (CME - coronal mass ejection) today. This is after another large one rang the Van Allen Belt's bell on Monday/Tuesday. Of course, in NE Ohio, it looks like cloud cover tonight. Sigh. But I did finally get to see the Northern Lights earlier this year.
Want to write near future military scifi? Then http://defensetech.org/2012/03/06/seven-deadly-trends-for-ground-vehicles/">knowing what keeps the DoD up at nights might be a good place to start. That's a presentation that outlines seven trends that military ground vehicles will have to deal with in the future. Note, we're still pretty much fighting the last war with all of those.
John Scalzi comments about the "collusion" action by the DoJ. JOhn pretty much wrote what I would have (except for the hanging a dog in the fight at this point). So just go read him.
More proof the world is weirder that our imaginations. (Grokked from Jay Lake)
Robot UAVs play the Theme to James Bond. (Grokked from Tor.com, I think)
"And this is the point. There is no Left left in America. There is only the moderate Right, which is most Democrats, and the merged Religious/Financial Right, which is most Republicans." A view from across the pond on our American politics. When a president passes a health care bill mostly written by the Heritage Foundation only 15 years before is then excoriated for it being "socialist", well, you know just how far to the right we've gone. The car of state needs an alignment adjustment. Unfortunately, while the fringe-right aren't driving, they're pulling heavily on the arm that is driving. (Grokked from Jay Lake)
While the conservative propaganda machine churns on about how global warming is a hoax, on the other side of the island Kiribatians are in talks with Fiji to buy land so they have land to live on now that their island is being over washed because of rising ocean levels. IIRC, there's another island state which has already negotiated a homeland settlement in Australia and is currently sending their college age students tho the Aussies to help with the transition. Good thing we're not falling for all this panic talk here in the US. That would mean we would have to do something other than "Drill, baby, drill." We won't discuss the coral reefs dying because they can't grow fast enough to compensate for the ocean's rise and are getting deeper and deeper. (Grokked from Tobias Buckell)
Good thing we have that Equal Pay Act so we don't have to deal with women lawyers being paid $0.77 on the $1. Hey, it's an improvement. When I was a kid women in the workplace were lucky to make $0.63 on the $1. So everybody can slack off now, like the conservatives tell us there's no problem here anymore. (Grokked from Chia Lynn)
Tweet of my heart:
Well, not really:
@kaimac: I need a freelance non profit online marketing person for a six week assignment, starting ASAP. Know anyone? PLS RT
Let's see, they want someone who is an online marketing professional to do some freelance. And, oh, they need to both to be available instantly and for the next 6 weeks and they need to work "non-profit"? Now, I'm hoping they meant they needed someone who has experience working with non-profits. In that case, what they really need is a writer.
Alligator Quotient: I remember the sun. Haven't seen it in days.
Want to write near future military scifi? Then http://defensetech.org/2012/03/06/seven-deadly-trends-for-ground-vehicles/">knowing what keeps the DoD up at nights might be a good place to start. That's a presentation that outlines seven trends that military ground vehicles will have to deal with in the future. Note, we're still pretty much fighting the last war with all of those.
John Scalzi comments about the "collusion" action by the DoJ. JOhn pretty much wrote what I would have (except for the hanging a dog in the fight at this point). So just go read him.
More proof the world is weirder that our imaginations. (Grokked from Jay Lake)
Robot UAVs play the Theme to James Bond. (Grokked from Tor.com, I think)
"And this is the point. There is no Left left in America. There is only the moderate Right, which is most Democrats, and the merged Religious/Financial Right, which is most Republicans." A view from across the pond on our American politics. When a president passes a health care bill mostly written by the Heritage Foundation only 15 years before is then excoriated for it being "socialist", well, you know just how far to the right we've gone. The car of state needs an alignment adjustment. Unfortunately, while the fringe-right aren't driving, they're pulling heavily on the arm that is driving. (Grokked from Jay Lake)
While the conservative propaganda machine churns on about how global warming is a hoax, on the other side of the island Kiribatians are in talks with Fiji to buy land so they have land to live on now that their island is being over washed because of rising ocean levels. IIRC, there's another island state which has already negotiated a homeland settlement in Australia and is currently sending their college age students tho the Aussies to help with the transition. Good thing we're not falling for all this panic talk here in the US. That would mean we would have to do something other than "Drill, baby, drill." We won't discuss the coral reefs dying because they can't grow fast enough to compensate for the ocean's rise and are getting deeper and deeper. (Grokked from Tobias Buckell)
Good thing we have that Equal Pay Act so we don't have to deal with women lawyers being paid $0.77 on the $1. Hey, it's an improvement. When I was a kid women in the workplace were lucky to make $0.63 on the $1. So everybody can slack off now, like the conservatives tell us there's no problem here anymore. (Grokked from Chia Lynn)
Tweet of my heart:
Well, not really:
@kaimac: I need a freelance non profit online marketing person for a six week assignment, starting ASAP. Know anyone? PLS RT
Let's see, they want someone who is an online marketing professional to do some freelance. And, oh, they need to both to be available instantly and for the next 6 weeks and they need to work "non-profit"? Now, I'm hoping they meant they needed someone who has experience working with non-profits. In that case, what they really need is a writer.
Alligator Quotient: I remember the sun. Haven't seen it in days.
Linkee-poo with a very special Charles in Charge episode
I have a number of political links from yesterday, so I thought I'd put them in their own linkee-poo and clear the baffles for a less spittle flecked linkee-poo later today. Sounds like a Good Idea™ to me.
"'Past experience has shown that when Hill people talk about reform, they often seek to weaken it,' (said) Meredith McGehee… who worked on Hatch Act reform… rank-and-file federal employees 'take the Hatch Act quite seriously but get disheartened when they see the upper echelons and political appointees being active.'" The Hatch Act has, personally, been a pain in the rear. But it's there for a real reason. I guess corruption is a bipartisan issue.
Well, that would disqualify almost all of the GOP Presidential Candidates. I'm so glad that the GOP is the party of "getting government out of your lives." Just think how crazy they would be if they actively accepted that they wanted to control the minutia of your life? Granted, okay, these are laudable goals, but are they really the bailiwick of a political party vetting committee? At least they acknowledge reality that they can't stop someone from getting on the ballot without their "blessing", and they're not actually going to force candidates to sign their purity pledge.
Mitt Romney on "my tax plan can't be scored," after independent accounting says it would blow the roof off the top of the deficit. Or, in other words, it's the Pie in the Sky Wishful Thinking Fairy at work again. Also, he admits that it's not really a plan at all.
Proving the axiom, there's no conservative fear-based lie that can be so thoroughly disproven that some whackjob won't bring it up again.
"Is there anybody here who thinks that makes a lot of sense?" No, Mr. President. There's no"body" who thinks that makes sense. Semi-organized slime molds with a propaganda agenda, however, think it makes all too much sense. Even after they fought so vociferously in 2004 to remind us the President can do very little to reduce world oil prices by themselves. Also note the same people who advocated for intervention in Libya, and then gnashed their teeth over how the president was getting us in involved in a war in Libya are now the same people who are advocating intervention in Syria.
Just because it's fallen off the radar screens, the 99% of us are still getting screwed while the 1% keep making more, and more, and more money.
Just in case you thought Sandra Fluke was a fluke of Rush Limbaugh going off his meds, nope. Obviously Rush is feeling more than a little intimidated by the women folk. Sorry Tracie McMillan, Rush is pretty much the definition of misogynist. He just hid it well for a long time, which is why you didn't see in when you watched the show in your High School clasess. (Grokked from Paolo Bacigalupi)
"'Past experience has shown that when Hill people talk about reform, they often seek to weaken it,' (said) Meredith McGehee… who worked on Hatch Act reform… rank-and-file federal employees 'take the Hatch Act quite seriously but get disheartened when they see the upper echelons and political appointees being active.'" The Hatch Act has, personally, been a pain in the rear. But it's there for a real reason. I guess corruption is a bipartisan issue.
Well, that would disqualify almost all of the GOP Presidential Candidates. I'm so glad that the GOP is the party of "getting government out of your lives." Just think how crazy they would be if they actively accepted that they wanted to control the minutia of your life? Granted, okay, these are laudable goals, but are they really the bailiwick of a political party vetting committee? At least they acknowledge reality that they can't stop someone from getting on the ballot without their "blessing", and they're not actually going to force candidates to sign their purity pledge.
Mitt Romney on "my tax plan can't be scored," after independent accounting says it would blow the roof off the top of the deficit. Or, in other words, it's the Pie in the Sky Wishful Thinking Fairy at work again. Also, he admits that it's not really a plan at all.
Proving the axiom, there's no conservative fear-based lie that can be so thoroughly disproven that some whackjob won't bring it up again.
"Is there anybody here who thinks that makes a lot of sense?" No, Mr. President. There's no"body" who thinks that makes sense. Semi-organized slime molds with a propaganda agenda, however, think it makes all too much sense. Even after they fought so vociferously in 2004 to remind us the President can do very little to reduce world oil prices by themselves. Also note the same people who advocated for intervention in Libya, and then gnashed their teeth over how the president was getting us in involved in a war in Libya are now the same people who are advocating intervention in Syria.
Just because it's fallen off the radar screens, the 99% of us are still getting screwed while the 1% keep making more, and more, and more money.
Just in case you thought Sandra Fluke was a fluke of Rush Limbaugh going off his meds, nope. Obviously Rush is feeling more than a little intimidated by the women folk. Sorry Tracie McMillan, Rush is pretty much the definition of misogynist. He just hid it well for a long time, which is why you didn't see in when you watched the show in your High School clasess. (Grokked from Paolo Bacigalupi)
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Linkee-poo is studying, shhh
I am way, way behind in my reading, sorry folks. And I also have another test tonight. So not enough time to play on the internets today. May be later tonight.
Mur Lafferty on writing strong female characters. I'm pretty sure my book survives this test. There are four women characters (one of prominence, but sadly not a main character). One kicks ass. She's #2 in security and could probably be better than the #1 (and he knows it and isn't frightened). Another runs the #1 security guy's office (if you know any good executive assistants, and I've known a few, you know this character, she really runs the show). The theirs is the more prominent character, who has her version of feminine strength. She's tough as nails underneath, and uses her sexuality as a weapon. The fourth is a minor support character whom the protagonist gets to have banter with (also, she ties in a minor plot bunny). As some reviewers called her, she plays the Miss Moneypenny role. While my character doesn't play so much of a role, I'll remind everyone that while M may send Bond on a mission, it's Miss Moneypenny who gets him there. (Grokked from Jay Lake)
Next time you cut your fingeryou may save a life. An interesting way to get samples and build the list of bone marrow donation. (Pointed to by John)
For the geek in me, this is so very cool. Give tactile feedback on tablet screens through the use of electric charge to alter friction. If you're mind didn't just go, "bwha?!", either you're more hip to this than me, or you didn't understand. Also, if this is incorporated into the new iPad (or any tablet), I expect to see an app from the porn industry in less than a few hours offering options such as "smooth", "lubed" and "goosebump". Back when Apple introduced the new display tech on MacOSX, the standard joke was that it was so good, you'd want to lick the screen. Well, this is the screen that a licks you back. (Pointed to by John)
Vince rounds up the Daily Show and Colbert Show responses to Rush's oral thrush he inflicted on the rest of us. I really suggest watching the Daily Show video if you haven't seen it. He covers a lot of topics (include Megyn Kelly's "got mine, screw you" attitude, and the absurdity of the presumptions made in the piece, and the GOP's response to the controversy). It's all part of the reasons I left the GOP long ago. And frankly, if you haven't come to the conclusion that Rush's show and brain processes aren't the "most wretched hive of scum and villainy" since Mos Eisly put in the Waffle House, I'm not sure you're paying attention. Fortunately, Peter Gabriel is paying attention. Also, in case you missed it, I did edit my Rush post to include a video from "That 70's Show" that exemplifies the conservative mind sewer surrounding this subject.
And Janiece with some more perspective on the current kerfluffle (oh which Rush is just the latest snag).
Alligator Quotient: Anybody got a snorkel? A really long one?
Mur Lafferty on writing strong female characters. I'm pretty sure my book survives this test. There are four women characters (one of prominence, but sadly not a main character). One kicks ass. She's #2 in security and could probably be better than the #1 (and he knows it and isn't frightened). Another runs the #1 security guy's office (if you know any good executive assistants, and I've known a few, you know this character, she really runs the show). The theirs is the more prominent character, who has her version of feminine strength. She's tough as nails underneath, and uses her sexuality as a weapon. The fourth is a minor support character whom the protagonist gets to have banter with (also, she ties in a minor plot bunny). As some reviewers called her, she plays the Miss Moneypenny role. While my character doesn't play so much of a role, I'll remind everyone that while M may send Bond on a mission, it's Miss Moneypenny who gets him there. (Grokked from Jay Lake)
Next time you cut your fingeryou may save a life. An interesting way to get samples and build the list of bone marrow donation. (Pointed to by John)
For the geek in me, this is so very cool. Give tactile feedback on tablet screens through the use of electric charge to alter friction. If you're mind didn't just go, "bwha?!", either you're more hip to this than me, or you didn't understand. Also, if this is incorporated into the new iPad (or any tablet), I expect to see an app from the porn industry in less than a few hours offering options such as "smooth", "lubed" and "goosebump". Back when Apple introduced the new display tech on MacOSX, the standard joke was that it was so good, you'd want to lick the screen. Well, this is the screen that a licks you back. (Pointed to by John)
Vince rounds up the Daily Show and Colbert Show responses to Rush's oral thrush he inflicted on the rest of us. I really suggest watching the Daily Show video if you haven't seen it. He covers a lot of topics (include Megyn Kelly's "got mine, screw you" attitude, and the absurdity of the presumptions made in the piece, and the GOP's response to the controversy). It's all part of the reasons I left the GOP long ago. And frankly, if you haven't come to the conclusion that Rush's show and brain processes aren't the "most wretched hive of scum and villainy" since Mos Eisly put in the Waffle House, I'm not sure you're paying attention. Fortunately, Peter Gabriel is paying attention. Also, in case you missed it, I did edit my Rush post to include a video from "That 70's Show" that exemplifies the conservative mind sewer surrounding this subject.
And Janiece with some more perspective on the current kerfluffle (oh which Rush is just the latest snag).
Alligator Quotient: Anybody got a snorkel? A really long one?
How to scare the neighborhood children
So, kids, eat all your vegetables and do well in school or you'll end up like this.
That's me in my new glasses. Not sure why I have that "frightened rabbit" look on my face (and this was the best of the few photos I tried). But this was me at the end of the work day yesterday. You can tell the time by how disheveled my hair looks. It's heading for the Baby Herman look, which means it must have been after 4pm. Man I need a haircut. I'm starting to look like the long-haired hippy freak I am inside.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Happy book day
Almost forgot to wish a lot of my friends Happy Book Day. The Modern Faes Guide to Surviving Humanity is out today. Congrats, everyone.
Linkee-poo has new glasses
And spent the lunch hour picking them up, so not much done today.
TREASURE! Five-hundred "new" fairy tales collected by the guy that gave the Brothers Grimm a run for their money. And there's an English translation in the works. I'll be in my bunk. (Grokked from phial, who sometimes comments here)
More on that habits thing I linked to earlier. This one is an interview on Fresh Air about the book The Power of Habit Why We Do What We Do In Life And Business by Charles Duhigg. I may have to put this on my list to read. His thesis is quite good, and his comments about how sometimes we really don't know why we have certain habits. I've known about cues and rewards for a long time (hey, I used to have more responsibilities for advertising, I'm not especially proud of it, but I always like to do good work). There are several bad habits I would like to break myself of. Wasting time in the evening on the internets is one of them (sorry, I like you all, I like posting and reading about you all, I like bringing you all cool stuff, but I'd much rather be writing fiction and poetry).
H.P. Lovecraft for beginning readers. Horton hears "ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn"? (Grokked from Jay Lake)
3D printed guitars. Oooo, pretty. Although I'd be interested in hearing how they sound. I know for electric guitars the body isn't supposed to add anything to the sound (Les Paul's first electric guitars were set on 2x4s and nicknamed "the Plank"). But for contrary information I submit the warmer sound and resonance of hollow body guitars (I used to play one). And for final proof, I only need point to Brain May (Dr. May to us). (Pointed to by Dan)
The fiction to reality timeline. I disagree with some of their "when it came into reality" (such as, I've been using voice activated computers since 1993 - a Mac 800AV - now, if they said "natural speech", then they have a point). (Grokked from Jay Lake)
In case you want to write near-future military fiction, it always helps to know the sum of all their fears. The new horizon of electronic warfare has the DoD worried. Remember back in the early 2000's when Donal Rumsfield was "revolutionizing" the Pentagon and put a priority on purchasing "off-the-shelf" technology to reduce costs (of both development and procurement)? Well, when you do that it turns out that many people can buy commercially available technology. Regulations to keep it out of the hands of people who mean to do us harm really don't present that high of a wall.
Alligator Quotient: Swimming in a sea of proto-leather on the claw.
TREASURE! Five-hundred "new" fairy tales collected by the guy that gave the Brothers Grimm a run for their money. And there's an English translation in the works. I'll be in my bunk. (Grokked from phial, who sometimes comments here)
More on that habits thing I linked to earlier. This one is an interview on Fresh Air about the book The Power of Habit Why We Do What We Do In Life And Business by Charles Duhigg. I may have to put this on my list to read. His thesis is quite good, and his comments about how sometimes we really don't know why we have certain habits. I've known about cues and rewards for a long time (hey, I used to have more responsibilities for advertising, I'm not especially proud of it, but I always like to do good work). There are several bad habits I would like to break myself of. Wasting time in the evening on the internets is one of them (sorry, I like you all, I like posting and reading about you all, I like bringing you all cool stuff, but I'd much rather be writing fiction and poetry).
H.P. Lovecraft for beginning readers. Horton hears "ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn"? (Grokked from Jay Lake)
3D printed guitars. Oooo, pretty. Although I'd be interested in hearing how they sound. I know for electric guitars the body isn't supposed to add anything to the sound (Les Paul's first electric guitars were set on 2x4s and nicknamed "the Plank"). But for contrary information I submit the warmer sound and resonance of hollow body guitars (I used to play one). And for final proof, I only need point to Brain May (Dr. May to us). (Pointed to by Dan)
The fiction to reality timeline. I disagree with some of their "when it came into reality" (such as, I've been using voice activated computers since 1993 - a Mac 800AV - now, if they said "natural speech", then they have a point). (Grokked from Jay Lake)
In case you want to write near-future military fiction, it always helps to know the sum of all their fears. The new horizon of electronic warfare has the DoD worried. Remember back in the early 2000's when Donal Rumsfield was "revolutionizing" the Pentagon and put a priority on purchasing "off-the-shelf" technology to reduce costs (of both development and procurement)? Well, when you do that it turns out that many people can buy commercially available technology. Regulations to keep it out of the hands of people who mean to do us harm really don't present that high of a wall.
Alligator Quotient: Swimming in a sea of proto-leather on the claw.
Duty and Obligation
I debated being an agent of chaos, but in the end kept my registration intact. Plus, I know all the poll workers by first names. On the plus side, the guy in front of me was R, and his was the 4th R ballot. I was the 7th D ballot.
Scene from Last Night's Commute
Would have put this up last night, but as you could tell my piss and vinegar stores overfloweth.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Dear Rush Limbaugh,
Let me say first off that you can ignore me. I'm not a normal listener to your show. Mostly because I like to keep my intelligence intact and just a random sampling of your show and your viewers proves that would be impossible to do if I listened. But I do hear about your controversies, which seem to happen on a regular basis of about one every year and a half. You have a propensity for sticking your foot in your mouth, which is, I guess, better than the alternatives places you could be sticking either.
So take that into mind as I call you a despicable excuse for a bag of protoplasm to retain fetid water. You're not a poor excuse for a human being, you're a poor excuse for excrement. To call you a disgrace to thinking animals above the level of chameleons… whom I would rather spend time with instead of you, I'm sure our conversations would be more productive. The chameleon and me. I felt I needed to clarify that for you. Anyway, it would be an insult to the intelligence of chameleons everywhere to say that.
You called Sandra Fluke not only a slut, but a prostitute and someone who is only in school to have sex. And then you tried to apologize several times. But those weren't really apologies, and you're insulting our intelligence by trying to get us to think so.
And then you go on to say how you're the victim. You're only the victim of your own depraved mind. You're a sick, sexually obsessed, dirty old man. Saying you're sorry you used the words "slut" and "prostitute" but not the sentiment behind your slanderous statements. You stated that this student was having too much sex to pay for her own birth control. That she was doing it for money and wanted us to pay for it. And then you said that "we the people" should get the benefit of it by having her post web videos of her having sex.
Let me just say this for every woman I know, including my nieces who are still in college, you're whole commentary was an exposure of your depraved attitude towards women and your sense of entitlement. And I'm forced to ask, do you often watch sex videos on the internet? I'm just wondering because of how fast you got to that statement. Like you were building to something and needed the visual to finish. That any woman would want to be near you is an example of how messed up our society is. Frankly, I'm almost moved to get a restraining order against you on behalf of all women.
To say your mind is filled with more unwashed socks than the Grinch is to slander Dr. Suess, so I won't. But I will say your soul is full of gunk. Frankly I'm not sure that you don't leave a slime trail behind you like the bloated slug you resemble. That anyone would listen to your show and find it entertaining is an indictment on the modern education process.
So let me ask this. You're an "entertainer" and it's pretty obvious the only reason your "apologizing" is that 10 sponsors have pulled the plug. So you do it for the money. And I think you try to make the people who listen to you happy. So what does that make you? I'll leave you to your own logic.
You make me long for the olden days. Your olden days of puritainical rule and sensibilities. I would make the trip to Florida to throw rotten food at you in the pillories.
Pond scum feels sullied by the comparison to you. You're not an entertainer, your the neighborhood homeless guy on the corner shouting obscenities at the people in their cars. That you somehow duped people into giving you a radio show so you could spread your disease to more people is beyond my comprehension. I'm sure it involved drugs. The kind you used to take.
With all due respect, fuck off and die.
Yours,
Me
PS. I'll preemptively apologize. Some of my word choices weren't the most appropriate, and in my attempt to convey my point, I may have offended you. I sincerely apologies from the bottom of your black heart.
See how that doesn't work.
That I wasted my evening writing this scrib instead of study for my test on Wednesday can give you a measure of how much I'm pissed at this whole thing.
EDITED 03-06-11 I think what really gets to me is the pernicious mentality of social conservatives who ascribe to the old definition, "Conservatism: The fear that someone, somewhere, is having a good time."
And the mind set is very well portrayed in this youtube clip
So take that into mind as I call you a despicable excuse for a bag of protoplasm to retain fetid water. You're not a poor excuse for a human being, you're a poor excuse for excrement. To call you a disgrace to thinking animals above the level of chameleons… whom I would rather spend time with instead of you, I'm sure our conversations would be more productive. The chameleon and me. I felt I needed to clarify that for you. Anyway, it would be an insult to the intelligence of chameleons everywhere to say that.
You called Sandra Fluke not only a slut, but a prostitute and someone who is only in school to have sex. And then you tried to apologize several times. But those weren't really apologies, and you're insulting our intelligence by trying to get us to think so.
And then you go on to say how you're the victim. You're only the victim of your own depraved mind. You're a sick, sexually obsessed, dirty old man. Saying you're sorry you used the words "slut" and "prostitute" but not the sentiment behind your slanderous statements. You stated that this student was having too much sex to pay for her own birth control. That she was doing it for money and wanted us to pay for it. And then you said that "we the people" should get the benefit of it by having her post web videos of her having sex.
Let me just say this for every woman I know, including my nieces who are still in college, you're whole commentary was an exposure of your depraved attitude towards women and your sense of entitlement. And I'm forced to ask, do you often watch sex videos on the internet? I'm just wondering because of how fast you got to that statement. Like you were building to something and needed the visual to finish. That any woman would want to be near you is an example of how messed up our society is. Frankly, I'm almost moved to get a restraining order against you on behalf of all women.
To say your mind is filled with more unwashed socks than the Grinch is to slander Dr. Suess, so I won't. But I will say your soul is full of gunk. Frankly I'm not sure that you don't leave a slime trail behind you like the bloated slug you resemble. That anyone would listen to your show and find it entertaining is an indictment on the modern education process.
So let me ask this. You're an "entertainer" and it's pretty obvious the only reason your "apologizing" is that 10 sponsors have pulled the plug. So you do it for the money. And I think you try to make the people who listen to you happy. So what does that make you? I'll leave you to your own logic.
You make me long for the olden days. Your olden days of puritainical rule and sensibilities. I would make the trip to Florida to throw rotten food at you in the pillories.
Pond scum feels sullied by the comparison to you. You're not an entertainer, your the neighborhood homeless guy on the corner shouting obscenities at the people in their cars. That you somehow duped people into giving you a radio show so you could spread your disease to more people is beyond my comprehension. I'm sure it involved drugs. The kind you used to take.
With all due respect, fuck off and die.
Yours,
Me
PS. I'll preemptively apologize. Some of my word choices weren't the most appropriate, and in my attempt to convey my point, I may have offended you. I sincerely apologies from the bottom of your black heart.
See how that doesn't work.
That I wasted my evening writing this scrib instead of study for my test on Wednesday can give you a measure of how much I'm pissed at this whole thing.
EDITED 03-06-11 I think what really gets to me is the pernicious mentality of social conservatives who ascribe to the old definition, "Conservatism: The fear that someone, somewhere, is having a good time."
And the mind set is very well portrayed in this youtube clip
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)