Thinking Good Thoughts

Jay Lake goes under the knife today. Sending him as many good thoughts that I have to spare. Good luck, Jay. See you on the other side.

Finally Can Talk About It

Since the middle of this past summer I've been working on our semi-secret project at work. And now I can share a little of it.



I didn't work on the video (other than critique/post-production direction), but I did do a lot of things for our program. I can't share everything about it (I can't even tell you why we're releasing some of the information now). But since it's now up on YouTube, I can share what little is there.

Very proud of this, for many damn reasons.

Linkee-poo, if you think of it, just wants to be a drum major

Several authors are sharing the numbers on their writing. Todd Wheeler shares his. Todd is mostly self-published at this point. Jim Hines shares his as well. He also has some interesting thoughts on having a more successful year, yet pulling in less. Kameron Hurley share her percentages (not so much raw numbers). But those are still informative. For those of you contemplating the writing world, please note at peril of the dreams of being famously wealthy and living like Patterson.

How to design a book cover for less than $50. Just some general thoughts besides, "Desktop Publishing wasn't so much a Revolution as it was just tearing down the walls." One, you get what you pay for. Two, it's easy to fall in love with your own work because it's yours, but it's like writing without editing through a writer's workshop. Finally there are some freelance "auction" sites out there were you could get some descent work through the world market for not a lot of money.

"Dawson (College) has betrayed a brilliant student to protect Skytech management." The student was creating an app to allow Dawson students access to their own student data and discovered a flaw in the system which would allow anyone to see any student's personal data. Being a good student he notified the appropriate people and was assured it would be fixed. A few days later he used a script-kiddies program to test the site's updates (if any had been made), which then supposedly blew right past security. Unfortunately the company was monitoring the site and saw his "breech." Which then led to a disciplinary meeting where he was thrown out of the college. Yeah, I'm sure it had nothing to do with embarrassing the software developers and the faculty. (Grokked from Steven Gould)

"What we saw was not just a limitation on abortion or reproductive rights, or even the deprivation of civil liberties, but the denial of pregnant woman of virtually every right." Gee, glad we're past that who sex inequality thing or they'd be arresting women who were pregnant to make sure they didn't force a miscarriage or get an abortion. Oh, wait… (Grokked from Jay Lake)

Tweet of my heart: @joe_hill: Via @mental_floss, charming pic of Teddy Roosevelt and cabinet recreating the Abbey Road cover: http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BBJY8bS…

Weekend Linkee-poo hope you guess its name

Very far behind in reading, but I'm going to clear the baffles for the coming week, and then get back to work. Today's title is in honor of Mercedes Benz using the Stone's "Sympathy for the Devil" as their song in a commercial about their upcoming vehicle. Um, guys, I think you might want to revisit that decision. You know, after you listen to the whole song, not just the first stanza.

The transformer apartment. It's not actually a new idea, but it has some new twists.

30 years of the Apple Lisa and Apple IIe. Wow. Brings back a lot of memories. (Pointed to by Dan)

The Galactic Empire responds to the White House passing on building a Death Star. (Grokked from Tor.com)

Life is more than happiness. I'm not sure which snide remark I should make here. "At this writing, Gallup also reports that nearly 60 percent all Americans today feel happy without a lot of stress or worry." I guess that puts me in the 40%. Although they define the 40% as "either (not) think(ing) their lives have a clear sense of purpose or are neutral about whether their lives have purpose." Which I don't believe is the opposite of happiness. I have purposes and meaning, but I'm not convinced that equates happiness. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

Finding the yes in saying no. With a little on decision making and how to eat frogs (not literally, and they don't use that terminology, but sometimes you've got to eat frogs to get through the day, nobody like it, but if you don't, soon you're plagued with frogs). (Grokked from Tobias Buckell)

The Cayman Islands are exploring publishing a list of corporations and hedge funds who use the island as a tax haven (for some versions of hiding their money). It looks like it's just talking now, but they seem to be under pressure to clean up there act. Also there's a lot about how the Obama Administration has been eliminating tax havens (btw, different than tax sheltering) and how such places work. (Grokked from Tobias Buckell)

Need a little levity? How about the Muppets singing "Bohemian Rhapsody." Ah, Beaker. (Pointed to by Dan)

A firearms instructor hired as an armed guard for a school leaves his firearm in a student bathroom. Fortunately it was "unloaded" and "only for a short time." What could possibly go wrong? (Grokked from Wil Wheaton)

Confusel Confusion Confabulated

Still here in Detroit. It's Sunday morning and things are a little muddled and and foggy. Conversions can be chimeric things. I've been attending Confusion for more years than I want to count this morning, and each year it's ever a little or a lot different. This year I had time to hang with friends, but not enough time with any of them,

We're in a new hotel and the flow, to me, seems a little off. The hotel is nice enough. Barcon, though, doesn't seem to work too well, yet. However there is a perfect ready made solution, but it would require some logistics finagling and a bit of work on the hotel. The actual bar space isn't very conducive to large, ranging parties. The configuration between convention space and sleeping rooms creates a bottleneck which isn't so much of a problem for the convention goers (actually I feel it's much better), but if there are any other guests in the hotel it could be awkward for them.

Actually just had lunch with some of the concom who are friends. My ideas aren't new and they might get the hotel to do them.

I didn't get to much of a chance to hang with the BNAs this year. That's okay as I enjoy hanging with all my friends. It's just one of those things where you say, "Aw, I didn't get much face time with...". It's also okay because of my own internal psychology of feeling like a poser.

On the plus side I did get to clarify the one issue I talked about before (inscription said one thing, thought it was a joke, but then didn't know and had a dream where it wasn't). Good to know it wasn't the bad side of that coin and I was correct in my initial assessment.

But they do want me to get serious about writing. So there's that.

About to head out. There were a few more panels I'd like to see. However my schedule waits for me. Just before I left Cleveland one of my freelance clients dropped off one of the big projects of the year. Now I need to find a way to fit that in.

Ohio here I come. Thanks, Confusion, for a nice weekend. Hopefully can see you next year.

Time isn't on my side

Okay, I've told a few people here at Confusion about my crazy schedule and what all I'm going through. I've also told the that while driving I've been going through the math in mead to try and figure out if I can write or not. Now when I get through the math (have I ever mentioned how I do math in my head to relax?) I end up with a figure I can't fully grasp, because it doesn't feel right. So I thought I would do it in the open.

Okay, so your average week has 168 hours in it. I'm getting on in years and kinda burned out my batteries by a wasteful youth, so I really do need about 8 hours a night of sleep. That burns up 56 hours a week. But as you'll see, I don't normally get 8 hours in a night. This means that I need to store hours on the weekend, so that typically leads to about 6.5 hours for 5 nights, and about 12 hours the other 2 nights which comes out the same (actually at 56.5 hours). So that leaves us with about 112 hours to get everything done.

Now, I'm working on average 42 hours, 16 hours in clinicals, and 11 hours in class and labs. Add in an approximate 12 hours commute time between home, school, work, clinicals, and everything else. Also add in about 4 (well about 3.75, but let's round up to make it easier) hours for lunch (this is Monday through Friday). So that brings us to 85 hours used up during the week (120 hours Monday through Friday minus 40 hours for sleep, so there's only 80 hours left to do that 85 hours, and now you know why I don't get 8 hours of sleep most nights). So for the week we're now at 27 hours left in the week.

Okay, so now we add in the 7 hours for dinner (I eat fast, but sometimes I need to cook, and maybe I just collapse a little before getting up to work some more). And let's add in 7 hours to get ready (shower, brush teeth, eat breakfast). Maybe another hour for lunch on Saturday and Sunday. Errands add (pick up milk, put gas in car, etc) 2 hours. Lets say 5 hours for the necessaries (peeing and pooping). I've been exercising lately, but not as much as I should, so lets say 1.5 hours a week. So what's that, 23.5 hours. Which leaves us with 3.5 hours to do all the rest (cleaning, washing clothes, snow removal if needed, catching up and being with Bette, doctors appointments, etc). And note again, most of those 3.5 hours are on the weekend, but averaged out is 0.5 hours a day.

Some of these hours are fungible. But then also note I haven't included any time for studying (recommended time is 2 to 3 hours for every hour in class which would be 12 to 15 hours per week, if we exclude lab time), reading for fun, Internet reading (like for the Linkee-poo posts), and the like.

What probably will happen is that I will attempt to work only 40 hours and no more. I'm going to try and claw back what I can. Maybe work from home while I eat dinner. I haven't worked out how much I could regain from that.

And have I mentioned about how I'll need to give more time to clinicals this summer and next year?

So now you'll know when you ask me how I'm doing and I reply that "I'm tired" that I mean it. This past week was somewhat easier because of short lab times. Next week will be a little easier because of MLK day and no labs (as my teachers get trained in a new system). I have a feeling ill be using vacation time to fill out the work weeks.

And there it is. See when I did it in my head I missed a few things. Which is why working it out on paper is better.

Now I could write on lunch time, but you'll note I'm not taking a full hour during the day. Also some of that time is actual working over lunch, or keeping lines of communication open with my group at work.

Linkee-poo was in the darkest depths of Mordor and met a girl so fair

A quick linkee-poo because I'm still under the gun, and I really want to get to Confusion. Weekend updates may not happen depending on wifi availability.

Justine Larbalestier writes about how she needs the characters before they can start writing. In the little time I've had lately to write I've been thinking about my own process. For me, once I know the whole story it's difficult for me to gather enthusiasm for writing the story. That's what I think has been a major problem for me. But I also need a character to be there to start the story.

Jim Hines has really made the grade. Sure, you may think, but do you know anybody else who has made the cover of the Rolling Stone, I mean BBC? (Grokked from Phiala)

Elizabeth shares some more iPad apps she uses while writing.

Twenty-five real places that look surreal. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

The oldest known piece of written music. With audio track. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

A little on the full history of the writing of the Second Amendment. Turns out those well regulated militias were actually already in service in Southern states to keep any slave uprisings down. And the language was changed to make sure the Southerners who were afraid of the federal government over running their precious culture and tradition could understand that the feds wouldn't do that. (Grokked from Tobias Buckell)

Witness the rise of cheap robot labor. For less than $50k that makes a robot a viable alternative for many factories. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

Tweet of my heart: @karlfisch: MT @xor: 29 yrs ago today, the Supreme Ct ruled Betamax legal. As the studios predicted it crushed the American film industry forever.

Linkee-poo stepped into a burning ring of fire

Sorry, still busy, busy, busy. Also, just and FYI, in case you were waiting for the housing market to bottom out to buy your house? Yeah, that was it. We're about half a year out.

Have a great time traveller story already published? Ann and Jeff Vandermeer want your story for their anthology.

Where the Magic Things Are. Some good advice for those beginning out on the journey of writing.

I, for one, welcome our fucking profane, computerized douche-weezles. Imagine how different a film 2001 would have been if the conversation had gone this way; Dave: "Open the Pod Bay Door, Hal." HAL9000: "Blow it out your ass, Dave." You know, I think this is where SkyNet went bad. "I have no curses, but John Connor must sit on a stick." Yeah, that would be frustrating. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

The Navy is looking to create underwater caches of weapons and materials which can be "called up" when needed. What could possibly go wrong?

Such a supple wrist. On the death and (hopeful) rise of the pinball wizard (of Oz). Hey kids, back before there was Space Invaders, Pong, Asteroids and PacMan (of any stripe) we used to waste our quarters on other games, but mostly on pinball. Love pinball, BTW. A little hip action, just enough to spin the ball but not enough to tilt the board. So many wasted hours of youth. So I do wish Jersey Jack good luck. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

You know that whole bullshit political argument about how "Obama stifled domestic oil and energy production"? Well, the amount of natural gas we're now burning off in North Dakota is visible from space. And not in the "ooo, that satellite has lots of resolutions" way, in the "why is NYC in N. Dakota" way. Also see how much we're not importing any more (also, natural gas is so cheap it's easier just to flare it and pay the minimal fines instead of capturing it - tell me again why the oil-natural gas industry doesn't need more regulation). (Grokked from Morgan J Locke)

Six ways to have a better relationship with yourself. (Grokked from someone, sorry, lost the link)

In Cleveland the reporting of rapes increased 18% last year. Don't worry, it's a good thing as it shows the change in police SOPs. Gee, and that only took 11 horribly murdered women and a national shame on the city. "Way to go, Ohio." Although there's a little pride, we did change our SOP. Did your city learn our lesson?

Linkee-poo was a soldier at age thirteen

Sorry for the lateness, folks. As a PSA, with increased clinical time this semester and a change in my lab times the publishing schedule here will become even more erratic. I know, that will take a lot to believe that it could be worse, but I think as we progress through this program we will reach whole new levels of discombobulation and lateness. That includes posting links to things long outdated by the social conversation that is the internet. I apologize in advance, but it can't be helped. To add to the fun-ness, it looks like I also have a new freelance design client.

Kurt Vonnegut with the eight keys to the power of the written word. "Readers want our pages to look very much like pages they have seen before. Why? This is because they themselves have a tough job to do, and they need all the help they can get from us." If that isn't genius, I don't know what is. (Grokked from Mrs Tadd)

"I Will Revise" sung to the tune of "I Will Survive." Now only if we could get Frank from MIB II to sign it out. (Grokked from Rae Carson)

On the slow death of Barnes and Noble. Doomed to the struggle for the legal tender. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

It's not as big as you said it would be. Yeah, I've been on dates like that. Wait, that's not what I mean… Turns out our galaxy might not be as hefty as we originally imagined. First we're not the center of the universe, then we're not the center of the solar system, then we're not the center of the galaxy, then our galaxy isn't the center of the universe, and now we find out that it's not as big. Oh, the inhumanity. (Grokked from WannabeWriter06)

Corporations don't like you. The people at work don't understand why I'm going to school. Hell, sometimes I want to quit. Like almost every week. At the day thing they say I'll have a job forever. Well, I've learned that lesson. This isn't my first time to the rodeo.

Janiece shares her frustrations concerning working with health insurance for her Mom. During the healthcare reform debate I remember lots of people telling me they never had a problem with their insurance and it was all peaches and cream. However, whenever I talked with people who have actually had to use the insurance for more than basic stuff, almost all of them had similar stories. And don't get me started on the outrageous wait times to see a doctor, or worse, a specialist. Tell me again why this system doesn't need continuing reform, 'cause I keep forgetting.

To paraphrase the old joke, we knew what Beck and Limbaugh are, but now we know the price. (Grokked from the Slactivist)

Alligator Quotient: Old MacDonald had a farm, ei, ei, Ouch!

Weekend Linkee-poo marched with the brave sons of France

Cat Rambo with some notes on book reviews.

So you're published and you got your first bad review. Congrats. Here's an open love note to debut writers about hurtful online reviews. (Grokked from Catherine Schaff-Stump)

"… the next time you get a rejection letter, just remember. Don’t take it personally; it was written by a badger." Badgers, we don't need no stinkin' badgers. (Grokked from Cat Rambo)

Incredibed. Can't sleep, Hello Kitty will eat me.

"… and to do the other things." Like putting an asteroid into Lunar orbit. That's like bringing the mountain to Mohammad. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

Grokked from pretty much everyone, the White House response to the Death Star Petition. "Why would we spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship?" Classic.

"This is why the separation of church and state is vitally important for Christians. When Christians are standing around arguing that Jesus Christ has no particular religious significance to us, then something has gone horribly wrong." While today most "religious" (or those who stand to profit from religion) hold the view that the 1st Amendment and the Separation Clause restrict their practice of religion, when our Founders enacted it they knew they were preserving religion. Because when a government enacts a religion, they don't force people to be Christians, the force them to be Catholics, Church of England, Methodists, Baptists, etc. In the Islamic world, when they make a government based on religion, it isn't Islam. It's Shiite, Sunni, Alawite, etc. But here is the things that disproves the common implications of "We took God/Jesus out of school" as stated by the School Superintendent who believes that continuing to hang a large Sallman’s "Head of Christ" (a painting quit familiar to me) is not a violation of the 1st Amendment. "Hensler insisted that the spirit of Jesus would remain even if the portrait was removed because 'Christ lives within us, we know that.'" And this is why it is impossible to completely "remove" God from schools. But what we can do is make sure your interpretation of God isn't supplanted by the majority collective interpretation of God.

"There’s a pervasive cheerleaderism to modern medicine – a rah-rah-you-can-beat-this-and-it’s-not-so-bad-right? attitude that can be exhausting and demoralizing. So here’s the truth: the physical and inevitable subsequent emotional effects of illness and the medicines we use to treat them are real and they’re frequently horrible." Even in my limited exposure to patients, I've found myself almost falling into the trap. Fortunately I've been able to stop myself so far. Including telling one person that I had to turn their foot a certain way and that was probably going to hurt, but that I had to do it to get the proper x-ray. In some case we have to position you in a certain way, there are occasionally "trauma" positions we can use, but they're still going to hurt. And to show the doctor what's going wrong, we need to take them a certain way. Also linked in that article is an article about a dying nurse using herself as instructional material. Some of this could be that in our society we don't deal with death very well. Some of it is also, "Yes, we're sure you're in pain, but there really isn't much we can do about it. You have to follow this treatment." Also, to save ourselves, we distance from the patients. Do we know our patients' names? Most certainly. But if we need to turn your arm in a way that may be painful, it's much easier if we think of you as "the shoulder" or "the elbow." (Grokked from Jay Lake)

Oh gods, are we still debating Akin's comments about rape? You know, for a ob/gyn, I guess Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga was absent the day they went over how eggs are fertilized.

This is what you call a nutbag. Seriously, you'll start killing people if there's any gun control? How'd that work out for Randy Weaver? When we talk about untreated psychotics, here is an example. Time to turn off Fox News and join the rest of us in reality. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

"Windows Phone failed to boot. Please insert your Windows installation disc…" Hahahahahaha. Bag all you want on Apple Maps, 'cause we know the competition still does this. (Pointed to by Dan)

Linkee-poo keeps on rocking me, baby

Todd Wheeler resolves to write more (including blogging).

Going in that vein, Kristen Lamb talks about dedication, among other things. Something that is necessary for success at writing.

Nine tips about getting that sucky first draft out. Note to self: read a few more times so it sinks in.

Miranda Suri shares those rejections that break our little scriveners' hearts. For those just starting out, you'll get these as you get closer to publication. And they'll knock you down harder than you ever thought possible.

Submissions Grinder, another of those sites to replace Duotrope. This time to recreate the submission time and offer functionality.

Design(er) jargon bullshit. That pretty much describes it. Yes, in many meetings I have experienced eyeball rolling whiplash as other designers and account execs defecate all over conference room tables with this stuff. And fortunately I can say with all surety, while I can go deep into designspeek at times, after I left school I haven't committed many sins in this direction. (Pointed to by Dan)

The Thrilling Adventure Hour. An ol' timey radio show. Found via this NPR story. One of my more favorite memories after moving from New Jersey was sitting in my darkened bedroom in my grandparents house, listening to a radio with an illuminated dial as radio plays would come spilling out. It took a little work to bring in the station. I could only get it at night and it was AM so there was lots of atmospheric interference and phasing noises. So yeah, I'm definitely checking this out.

Some of that footage of the giant squid filmed in situ. Lots on how they did it, which is also cool. Also it seems it was only a 10' specimen. You know, a bare pip-squeak of a thing. They're so cute when they're small. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

Because of your generosity, the world is now a weirder place that it was yesterday. That's Mary Robinette Kowal making good on her whimsy pledge to read beloved classics like they were phone sex. Oh myyyy. Next up, Jim Hines in purple and John Scalzi doing Dylan.

Pulsing chemo treatments may help to keep cancer cells from developing immunity or even becoming "addicted" to chemo drugs. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

The DYI Drone blog. From this Marketplace story.

Building a space gun. Or, launching things into orbit using a gun. With the various problems and some solutions. (Pointed to by Dan)

Oh, if only there were a "Good Guy with a Gun" in that school. Oh, wait, there was.

Take two. Oh, if only there were a "Good Guy with a Gun". Wait, the father who did the shooting was a correctional officer? Oh, if only his victim (his wife, BTW) had a gun and went around armed? Wait, she was always packing? Like when she went to one of her kids' soccer game with a side arm and a judge tried to revoke her permit? (Grokked from Jay Lake)

A couple of Portland gun owners decide to "educate" the local populace on how safe assault style weapons are by strapping on some and walking around. What could possibly go wrong? There was an article I read the other day about the "$1T Platinum Coin" idea and how if we did that we would look like a Banana Republic (the ones that don't sell pants). You know what else makes us look like a Banana Republic? People walking around with assault style weapons. Seriously, the stupid, it burns. You know what I think when I see someone who is exercising their "concealed carry" permit (yeah, they aren't so concealed carry if you know what I mean)? I immediately think of how to disarm them and safety the firearm. I have to stop myself. Hell when I see police officers using hand held speed guns (I believe their the infrared laser kind, they have to use a shooters crouch to aim them) on the highways my immediate thought is "active shooter" and I plot a course to run their ass down. (Grokked from Vince)

First Australia experiences larger fire storms and now interesting dust storms. It's almost like the climate is changing, or something. (Pointed to by John)

From the annals of, "Wait, We Really Did That Shit?" comes the tsunami bomb, or Project Seal. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

Why do conservatives really think that the States should be were lots of things are controlled? Because States historically suck at making, enforcing, and following regulations. So it's like they're not there at all. In this case, the large backload of data to be entered in the National Instant Criminal Background Check database. When they even track the required data.

The zombie (house) title. What happens when a bank starts foreclosure and then decides it isn't worth their time. In many cases homeowners were sent notices of foreclosure sales and so they pack up and leave. But then the bank doesn't go through with the sale or the foreclosure leaving the property in the "homeowner's" name. So they're still liable for taxes, fines, upkeep, etc. Also many banks delay title transfer to keep from being liable for maintenance and upkeep (this was a problem many municipalities faced). Tell me again why these MFers shouldn't be more highly regulated? (Grokked from Matt Staggs)

Tweet of my heart: @tnielsenhayden: If having more guns is supposed to keep us safe, how come the last batch of more guns didn't work, or the batch before that?

Story Bone

Okay for me, personally, I don't believe the Singularity will arrive. However, I think there would be some interesting consequences of a "near miss." Like this one.

For heart transplants (and almost any open heart surgery), they actually do kill you and put some of your vital processes (breathing, circulatory, etc) on machines while they remove your heart and place in the new one. There also has been some experimental surgery where organs are removed to bath them in some solution to affect some change (I want to say liver "cleaning") and then replace them in your body.

In the future, if they're able to upload your consciousness to a computer (and here, let us say that it's a backup copy so to speak, not an actual virtual construct) that opens up all sorts of brain surgery options. Like for "inoperable" brain tumors. So in the future, the doctors open your skull, upload your consciousness and then, say, destroy part of your brain for clinical purposes, and then use stem cells to repair the damaged sections. Once your brain has regrown and your body is stable, they upload your conscious back into the body.

There are several permutations to this story. Obviously your body still holds a continuing consciousness. A probably severely disabled consciousness. But doesn't that consciousness have agency? What if it doesn't want to be over ridden by the previously saved version?

What if something goes wrong in the transfer? Processing transcription errors, corrupted files, the regrown brain doesn't exactly match to the old one so engrams are missed or cross written, or the nascent AIs that assist the transfer overwrite the personality with their own? The files are pretty big and there's a lot of them, what if they mistakenly upload the wrong one (first impression, they upload a copy of a serial killer's brain that had been being studied).

What if AIs could purchase people's bodies (like the "organ donation for pay" urban myths, note the donor doesn't always give consent) and live autonomously?

I did use a version of this in a story. Instead of cryogenics, the astronauts would be upload to the ship's computer memory and their bodies disassembled. When they reach the destination the bodies are reassembled and their brains reloaded.