Linkee-poo hunkers down for the storm

Some steampunkery goodness in the form of the lost world of aerial ropeways. (pointed out by Dan).

Who doesn't enjoy a good were-flamingo story? (Sotry by fellow VPXIII-er L.K. Herndon.

Elizabeth Bear (aka eBear, aka matociquala) weighs forth on the care and feeding of the speculative fiction writer over on the Clarion blog. "We suffer from vitamin D deficiencies," check, "and flabby muscles that cannot adequately support our spines," check, "and repetitive motion trauma," check (and "ouch!"), "and deep vein thrombosis," not sure I'm there yet, but I have had extremity pain while writing long periods of time.

And Jim Hines gets his zazzle on. Gotta do that myself one of these centuries.

Proud of the conservative wave yet? Dear Congress, it's about jobs, not this other bullshit. This just makes me want to point and laugh, unfortunately you're motives and intent leave me too sad and shaking with rage to play the clown. Hey, TP, remember when you said you'd hold these idiots accountable if they didn't cut the spending and reduce the size of government? How well are they doing so far? Yeah. It's beginning to look like the TP is just a feint by the social conservatives to mask their moves.

But then again, principled opposition never holds up in reality. And it always helps when you ignore the parts that don't fit the internal story.

Waiting for the storm

Yeah, I should probably clean my windshield.

Linkee-poo of one

Becomes sometimes it's just that good.

Friend and commentor Rick is starting up a new webzine. There will be more details to come, but so far it looks cool. Good luck, Rick.

Random Thoughts on a Sunday

Friday and Saturday was spent cleaning and freelancing. Today will be spent snow blowing, odd chores, and studying.

So, there's this meme going around about how auto-correct sucks. And I agree. As someone who uses some fairly rare words, and unusual spellings, it can be a severe pain if I'm not watching. There are times I have to rekey a word three times before the damn software stops trying to make it something else. Now, part of this is the fact that until college I didn't consider English classes all that important (and a young teacher who followed my class from 7th to 12th grade and imprinted my brain with the joys of the 80s sweater dress didn't help with my focus on the material). So my spelling and grammar skills are sub-par (although they've been improving).

However, there are some pretty simple words that are getting replaced. Like "bicycle" and "house". Seriously folks, if you all knew how to spell as least half as good as I do you wouldn't be having these problems. I mean, my bane is the homophone and from/form. But I do better than this.

Linkee-poo takes some exceptions as coupons

Superstars Writing Seminars with an audio of Tracy Hickman on why writers write. It's in the middle of the page. (Grokked from Miranda Suri)

Michael Chabon subbing for Ta-Nehisi Coates gives the best definition of writing and blogging I've seen yet. Yes. This. (pointed out by Dan through Daring Fireball)

On Magical Words they're going through the Hero's Journey. Always a fun time.

edited to add the next two links
The more things change the more the present looks like an aberration. If this Huff article on early 20th century clerical support for abortion services didn't track to history I've already research, I'd say thy had made it up. Unfortunately for reality, the history is real. And unfortunately it seems like we need to learn this lesson all over again. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

Kristine Kathryn Rusch on surviving the mid-list predations. It's a long post with links to other articles. I'm not through it yet, but I will read and devour this when I have time. (Grokked from Jay Lake)
end edit

Part of the myths we tell ourselves, and how they can be very hurtful. That's an article commenting on the Giffords' case and how "she's a fighter" and the assumption that will make her better. It's the popular myth about how we should not go gentle into the good night. And the final part of that article shows the logical flaw of such an argument. Grokked from Jay Lake who had his own experience with cancer. I have my own stories of cancer, most of which also break that myth.

Vince makes with the funny. As Lewis Black said, "How could nobody in government see this coming? Everybody with a job could see this depression/recession coming, because somewhere around Nov. 2007, either you said this, or a coworker looked around the cubicle and said, 'Uh, I think we're fucked.'"

The Slactivist weighs in on some of the current idiocy being bandied about regarding abortion activists equating themselves with abolitionists. I could make a meta argument about the previous administration attempting the same thing with the Greatest Generation/WWII and neo-neo-conservatives/libertarians co-oping the Founding Fathers/Revolutionary War. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

And Paul Broun continues in his ignorance. Can somebody buy this guy a clue? I could make this a meta argument about how the right just doesn't understand the words coming out of their mouths. Tie in Sarah Pallin and a few others. No, really you all, grab onto a reality rope cause you're all about to sink into that morass.

Frying pan, meet fryer

There's been a lot of buzz about the protests in Egypt. I'm not so trilled. I'm no fan of Mubarak, and I'm all for the people revolting against a totalitarian regime, but the opposition in this case (IMHO) isn't a step forward. They're saying "Democracy!" at least for now. However I'm not sold that they won't exchange one totalitarianism for another.

I guess I shouldn't be so cryptic, should I? The main opposition is the Muslim Brotherhood, and organization devoted to reestablishing the Caliphate, and one with ties to white supremacists here in the US (seems strange, I know, but there it is). The Muslim Brotherhood is outwardly dedicated to "religion focused government" (ie. theocracy). Their hands aren't clean in this matter. They are a Pan-Arab organization, and as such has ties to terrorist organizations (Hamas, al Shabaab, and even al Qaeda). The ties are not strong or permanent, as far as I've seen, but they have been substantiated (more so than the terrorist ties to Saddam's Iraq).

If they gain prominence outside of the existing Egyptian Constitution, the US may be drawn into this to support Mubarak, and that would be bad. (War on Terror, Israel, Mubarak being legitimately elected - yes, I know, but they had elections, etc)

The media is connecting this movement with the Tunisia revolution (Jasmine, whatever, a revolution I think for the good, BTW). While the uprising in Tunisia (which is still not a fait accompli) can be seen as the spark for this fire (yes, that was intentional, ask me about the buddhist monks in Vietnam some day), other than timing and kicking out someone who has overstayed their welcome, there's not much else to tie them together.

So before we all start rooting for the underdog here we may want to look this horse in the mouth (to mix my metaphors). IMHO, Egypt is looking to trade a tyranny of one for a tyranny by committee.

Linkee-poo didn't spend $1500 on your damn dog's collar

Okay, I haven't read these writing posts yet, so consider this a parking post.
SF Signal Mind Meld on the future of publishing (e-books or print, my guess is that there will be a mix with print books being the predominate form for many reasons). (Grokked from Tor.com).

Tobias Buckell weighs in on piracy. It's a long post. What I've read so far tracks to my own perceptions on digital piracy. It's a very nuanced argument where most people confuse anecdote for data.

Jim Hines expands his thoughts on the piracy issue.

Miranda Suri holds forth on writer groups. What she said. Yes, Virginia, some groups are personality, motivation, and time vampires. Avoid them. But there are others who understand and work to help every individual ini the group progress to their highest level possible. Find the later and avoid the former.

I also had half a post written on social vampirism before a crash sucked it away. Ironic, no? We all occasionally require the energy and enthusiasm of others. When you realize it's a cycle and the more you give, the more you get back, your experiences become richer. However, and just ask any instructor or entertainer about this, there are times when you pour out your body and soul and the crowd gives nothing back. That hurts physically and mentally. But you pick yourself back up and try again (hopefully to a different crowd). This kind of energy is the preverbal loaves and fishes, you gain more by sharing. If you horde it you end up with a meager meal.

And then comes the politics. I think several people went off their meds this past week.

Ted Haggard comes out as bisexual. Except that he doesn't, 'cause he's found God or is too old or something like that. Goes to my theory that most people who think "you can choose" your sexuality are actually bisexuals, but society doesn't accept them yet. So they feel they need to go one way or the other. In other news, the sun rises in the East.

$50,000 for thank you letters? Okay, I'm in the wrong business, again.

Sarah Palin once again proves she doesn't know WTF she's talking about. And people still think they should listen to her? Especially when she talks about history?

But, Rep. Paul Broun looks so normal to be batshit crazy. And then he goes and double-dog dares it. I'm coming to the conclusion that conservatives just don't understand how far in right field they've gone. That and they don't understand the definition of the words they're using.

Hey, a Republican proposal I can get behind. Yes, if you want to do something serious about cutting government spending, 2008 wasn't a very good year to model on. Now, 1998 is something else. I agree. You want to do this, do it whole heartedly. Don't wittle the edges, cut deep. Although he's just a candidate (and it's damn easy to say things when a candidate and just a representative), in Ohio it looks like we may just have to do that strategy. So far Kasich has a majority saying, "Yes," but then he hasn't actually said what he'll cut. When the reality switches from "cut them over there" to "OMG, we're all gonna die from these cuts," I expect to hear the howling from here.

linkee-poo misses you like an ache misses its tooth

First up the writing posts.

Fellow Hamster Ferrett has been doing post on the Clarion Blog on five things about Clarion. For those of you who don't know, here's the Clarion website. If I had the time and money, or was young and dumb (as in, willing to take risks without having much to lose), I'd do Clarion. It's six weeks and from what I hear, fantastic if you can make it. I didn't have 6 weeks to blow, and wouldn't be able to fit it in (cue the "but you must sacrifice for your art" crowd in 3… 2… 1…), but I did have 1 week and instead went to Viable Paradise. You don't need either to have a healthy a full writing career, but they certainly help. If not for the actual information you get out of it, but for the camaraderie and kinship you can develop. Writing, like Death, is a lonely business. It helps to have friends that are doing the same thing you are. It's also why I like listening to the Writers' Almanac when I can (it's only 5 minutes, and includes poetry).

And, yes, I enjoyed writing, "Fellow Hamster Ferrett." It tickles the writing wonk in my head.

Jim Hines with the writer funny. 'nough said.

And then to politics

Well, the verdict on the financial crisis is in. Guess it wasn't all those bums taking about bad loans after all or the government "encouraging homeownership." As you read that article, you can see how some people's world views don't change easily. Take heart, that in reality, nobody leaves the table unscathed. But we don't need no stinkin' regulations I can hear the shouts from here.

And speaking of regulations, there seems to be a renewed attack on them (if only government would just get out of the way we could all be living shorter lives and eating fingers with our dinners). So, here's a story of just why we have them. It's also a story about how "trial lawyers" really aren't the bugaboo certain conservative cyclists want you to believe. One of the earliest (and some considered onerous and idiotic) regulations concern food product. There are regulations for everything, like how many tomatoes are needed before you can call "sugared red sauce" ketchup. See, there's also regulations on just how much cow you need before you can call something "beef." It's 70%, in case you're wondering. To call something "spiced taco meat filling" it needs to be 40% beef (or "flesh of the cow"). Seems Taco Bell's beefy filling is somewhere around 35%. If so, they can't use the words "beef" or "taco meat filling." And yet they use "beef" in their advertising, while internally calling it "taco meat filling." When it's neither. But, you know, we don't need any regulations to keep up, the consumers, safe.

And facts just destroy political theater. Although, Michelle Bachmann is that "magic projector" kind of theater anyway (with an under current of the "suburban horror" genre). While watching her rebuttal of the rebuttal of the SOTU, I started doing a mashup of her and the Church Lady. It made her speech much more tolerable. Dear TP, please get leaders who are both reality based and have a brain so they don't embarrass themselves on national TV. I want to take you seriously.

Story Bone

Not so sure it's a story bone, 'cause right at the moment I'm thinking it's a poem of some sort.

One of the other students at my lab table is trying to get a job reading heart monitors. Many modern hospitals have rooms like this, filled with banks of monitoring equipment (literally hundreds of them) where there are a second set of eyes watching the feeds. All those monitors connected to live people throughout the hospital system (they don't even need to be in the same building). And someone watching in the dark rooms in the bowels of the hospital, making sure nobody is dying. Ready with a call button to bring help. No names on the monitors, and the person watching doesn't even need to have nursing training to do their job. It's like a night janitor's job. The anonymous faces who scrub up the detritus of the day and make the floors all shiny, those who make the world work properly and make your shoes squeak on the floor. Imagine the stress they feel. You can't see the patient, can't hear them breathing or see their chests rise and fall. Can't feel their pulse. But you know all those things, watching the screens. Watching the patients breath twice removed. See their hearts pulse and flicker on the screens. Waiting. Waiting to reach out if need be, like angels stooping from heaven. Waiting to switch off the dead monitors.

Linkee-poo will just polish the fenders

Web ads, don't work? Well, you could have knocked me over with a bulldozer. No, really. Hey, industry, they haven't worked since 2000 when everybody learned how to ignore them. Here's something, ads don't work the way you think they do (and then they only work if you're selling widgets). Christ. WTF do they teach you all in schools these days? I understand when my bio instructor doesn't quite grok learned behavior with his powerpoint slides (last night was "blue for water-soluble enzymes" and then didn't understand that we then thought everything he had in blue was water-soluble enzymes, instead of "no, this color blue relates to this blue in the diagram"), he's a nuero doc after all. But for communication pros to not understand? It makes me Donald Duck mad.

Look, look, look. Violations of the law in the White House. Real crimes of stealing the country. Oh, wait, it was the Bush Administration. Nothing to see here citizen, move along. I would make a joke about political commissars, but that would date me as being too old.

But then, when you're the party of lower taxes and "government out of health care" and then propose the exact opposite (to raise taxes and get between patients and their doctors) your moral standing isn't all that high to begin with.

Sucks when your world view isn't supported by facts. I guess TP chewy toy Michelle Bachmann hosted an event where someone asked Justice Scalia about the constitutionality of earmarks. Probably created and building negative pressure system when he explained the truth. Yeah, I know, we're for the free market and bipartisanship, but only if you agree with my positions.

Well, my guess about the recent spate of death threats against a 78-year old sociology professor is really about bad grades or long simmering latent anger over an article nearly 30 years old. 'Cause it can't have anything to do with what anybody might say on the TV or radio, you know. Sometimes, the dots are right there, but we refuse to connect them. Granted, these people aren't the most stable of personalities, but eventually more and more people will begin to notice.

Confusion in Pictures

For those of you who say, "photos, or it didn't happen," Tobias has some good ones with me. Yes, I sat between John Scalzi and Pat Rothfuss, then next to Paul Melko and you didn't. I also got to hang with Jim Hines, including being on that PC panel he talked about (yes, that was a rocking' good time, much better than what I had thought it would be, learned a lot of Paolo Bacigalupi on how to handle such a panel). John Scalzi discusses it a little. Finally got to meet a bunch of people in the flesh (waves at Christine Purcell). I sat across from Cherie Priest, although I didn't have much to offer the conversation (actually met her first in the elevator as I was getting off, one of those moments of "shake hands quickly before they're caught in the closing doors). And had a small chance to catch up with some friends (who also happen to be excellent writers themselves). A weekend was way to short of time to spend as much time as I wanted with everybody.



No, they're perfectly in focus, everybody was a blur that evening. While I didn't get to sit with the Mer Gaggle (aka Kletcha Club) early in the evening, I still managed to have fun time until all these other people got out of my way and I could get closer. If it's my one regret of the weekend is that there weren't nearly enough hours in the day, and my attempts to clone myself were unsuccessful. Like I got to say hi to Dr. Phil, and then was on a panel with him, but never had a sit down talk this year. I need one of those Time Twirler-ee things from Prisoner of Azkaban.

I could name drop all the day long and still not mention everybody (Dosell, Catherine, Amity, Yanni, Christian, Deb, Stewart, Charles, Emily, Jim, Ed, Larry and the brothers Darrell...) . And I'd probably forget a few, which would only be because my brain doesn't focus that way, not because those people are forgettable. So I won't try.

Alive, or at least breathing

Alive and home. Will need to do a fuller post on the Con.

Got to spend time with friends. But it's never enough to spend all the time I'd like to spend with all my friends. Got to spend time getting to know some friends better, which is good. Also got to meet a lot of new people, or at least new in person. If I attempt to drop names, I'm going to forget someone, which I don't want to do.

When I went to leave today, my car battery was dead. I'm hoping that it'll hold a charge overnight for a few days until I can replace it. We'll find out tomorrow.

Very tired. Didn't get much sleep. Also I had a very disturbing dream Friday night. That lead to not being rested and having some difficulty engaging on Saturday. It was one of those dreams that when you fall back to sleep, even after walking around for a little bit, you drop right back into the dream. Was. Not. Fun. I'm not sure I want to discuss the subject matter, but I have a feeling I know where it came from and why. The dream wasn't what normal people would call horror, but for me keyed into one of the fears I carry in my heart (a fear that with my current life I know I'll never have to deal with). At least in the form I had to deal with in the dream. So if you were there and I seemed a little distracted Saturday morning, that's the reason.

I also didn't eat well while there. Which leads to other problems. I think I gained a few pounds this weekend, which isn't good. So I'm going to have to be doubly good for the next few weeks.

Did you have a good weekend?