Date: 2008-06-24 20:14 Subject: There you go again.... Dobson proves he has agenda, film at 11 Security: Public

Sometimes, in the tradition of George Carlin (although far less wittily), you simply have to counter absurdity with more of the same.

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Date: 2007-12-06 12:31 Subject: GIP Security: Public

This is strictly a Gratuitous Icon Posting to make sure I don't lose the Sacred Heart of Elvis***, which has been my GJ default icon.  (No, it's not usually cut off at the top, but IJ's userpic "factory" function is a little hard to tweak *snerk*.)  For more info on the GJ sitch, check out http://asylums.insanejournal.com/07refugees/

Been an interesting past month and looks to continue for a while, no?  In addition to whatever's up at GJ, there's 1) LJ SNAFUS [2] and sale to Kremlin Kronies; 2) the horrific Megan Meier situation; 3) more batshittery from SFWA; and 4) OF COURSE the SVA/RDR vs. JKR/WB  fiasco.   Barring #2 which is srs & appalling bidnz, I for one have plenty of entertainment when I'm sick of watching what now passes for *good* Christmas movies.

Other than a mild cold, all are well in this house, if too preoccupied with RL to post much.  Hope all is well with you.

***I need to keep Elvis for a while in memory of my former coworker, bud, and back-watcher extraordinare Steve H., who died unexpectedly last month (and after finally getting his big break too, dammit).  I don't think he ever saw this icon, but he would have loved it.

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Date: 2007-10-21 21:40 Subject: Need feedback on Lulu.com Security: Public

1.  Has anyone used Lulu.com for publishing a cookbook? (Small *family* one, here.)  This would be a small print run. 

2.  Did you like the service?

3.  Was it more affordable than other services?  (appears to be on the surface for me, but are there any hidden costs?)

4.  Was the product good, and did you do any fancy-smantsy stuff like hardcover and dustjacket?

Fanks for any help/suggestions.

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Date: 2007-10-05 21:20 Subject: Doc Who potential spoilers Security: Public

Okay, so i saw what I guess is Martha's "last" episode (only not, because in typical decent-writerly fashion, they left an Out):

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Date: 2007-10-04 01:12 Subject: Top Chef SPOILERS Security: Public

*SPOLIERS* *SPOILERS* *SPOILERS*

Did I mention TOP CHEF SPOILERS? (Jeezus, it pays to be paranoid, nowadays.)

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Date: 2007-09-18 21:50 Subject: TMI. Security: Public

Found in today's spam:

"Morning [email redacted] I always wanted a bigger pe*nis, so did my wife!"

That's.... That's some special marriage, there. Who gets to be the girl during sex?

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Date: 2007-09-17 12:04 Subject: Another writer gone this year Security: Public

For SF/F readers and writers, we've lost another: Robert Jordan died Sunday.  Making Light has links to numerous sites and tributes.

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Date: 2007-09-14 23:43 Subject: Marduk was a sissy-boy sonovahoor Security: Public

Ya know, just when the Internet has lulled you into a false sense of security -- that is, you think you can find ANYTHING on it -- it lets you down and kicks you in the nuts.  In other words, I cannot find Ancient Sumerian phonetic spellings OR the cuneiform text for "Bite my camel's ass, loser."  Or for  "May that goat-fucking president's dick shrivel up and fall off,"  either.

Also missing in action: the REALLY interesting words we want to know, like "bastard," "son of a whore," "shithead," and that staple of the human race, "[Insert favorite deity here] dammit."

My protagonist shall have to choose something more prosaic and less colorful.  Woe.

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Date: 2007-09-11 21:48 Subject: In Memoriam and with Hope Security: Public

"A couple leaped from the South Tower, hand in hand. They reached for each other and their hands met and they jumped. So many people saw this as a scar burned onto our brains. But a man reached for a woman's hand and she reached for his hand, and they jumped out the window holding hands. I try to whisper prayers for the sudden dead and the harrowed families of the dead and the screaming souls of the murderers, but I keep coming back to his hand in her hand, nestled in each other with such extraordinary, ordinary, naked love. It is the most powerful prayer I can imagine, the most eloquent, the most graceful. It is everything that we are capable of against horror and loss and tragedy. It is what makes me believe that we are not fools to believe in God, to believe that human beings have greatness and holiness within them like seeds that open only under great fire, to believe that who we are persists past what we were, to believe against evil evidenced hourly that love is why we are here. "

Brian Doyle
adapted from “Leap”

text of the full essay here.

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Date: 2007-08-31 23:23 Subject: OTP: Censorship/Idiocy. (see also Law Noob/Potential Perjury; Overreaction.) Security: Public

Proof that LJ/6A are not the only fucking idiots on the block: http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/009334.html
Wherein the SFWA send threats citing DMCA to a file-sharing entity, and in which legitimately uploaded works get yanked. Stay tuned for whether the SFWA actually violated several writers' copyrights in so doing, or whether the sharing entity overreacted.

Newsflash: whomever is dumping the Stoopid Virus on the interwebs this month, please desist. Enough Stoopid already occurs in Nature.

ETA 9/11:

SFWA President makes a PR statement here: http://sfwa.org/news/2007/creativerights.htm. John Scalzi thinks this is reasonable. While I think Capobianco's post raises important questions and issues, I don't particularly appreciate the characterization "scribd.com and its ilk". "Ilk" tends to have negative connotations. For someone who actually sounded reasonable in statements a week ago, this release sounds rhetorical, elitist, and uselessly ad hominem. I'm not saying that scribd.com has the best moderation/policing in regard to infringed works; I'm saying Dammit, if you think so then deal with it constructively and LEGALLY, don't just sling mud. Making yourself sound like an asshole, clueless or otherwise, doesn't do a bit of good.

Scalzi's post pointing out the new statement is here: http://www.scalzi.com/whatever/2007/09/michael_capobianco_on_creative.html

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Date: 2007-08-14 01:01 Subject: HPDH -- in dialect. Security: Public

I have to admit that I am not a great fan of the Epilogue.  Furthermore, I was a teensy bit spoiled by the carpet book, and yarked a little in my mouth when I came to a certain conjoining of names.  (No, NOT the big ship names.)  But I've found a little Dialectizer which has made that passage slightly more palatable.

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Date: 2007-08-07 23:43 Subject: Icicle - Bicycle - Test-icle Security: Public

This is a test. This is ONLY a test.

Now I remember why I hated it whenever Semagic was upgraded.

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Date: 2007-08-05 20:32 Subject: And poss. allegations of $$ problems HAD to be next... Security: Public

Just in case anyone missed it, certain loathed communities are akshully sometimes yur frend, at least when it comes to tip-offs:

ETA:  This is not implying that the charities cited are not valid and worthy; simply that 6A should perhaps have been up-front with disclosing that there is a potential tie beyond "personal affinity" for the work the selected charities and organizations do.  Transparency, even above and beyond what is required by law, if often the best policy (especially if your client base has already been upset by your actions in the past or recent past).

Wherein 6A (in the person of Barak) represented itself as altruistic and supportive of charity, when it may have been effectually soliciting kickbacks (ETA: or at least sucking up to the charities and attempting to persuade users of their commitment -- a commitment which has not exactly been well-demonstrated of late):
http://community.livejournal.com/lj_biz/240498.html?thread=11868274

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Date: 2007-08-03 20:53 Subject: (no subject) Security: Public

Icon says it all.  I anticipate that *writers* are next up on the block, guys.

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Date: 2007-07-25 19:21 Subject: thoughts, musings and other crap, Part 2 Security: Public

SPOILERS AS NOTED IN PREVIOUS POST

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Date: 2007-07-25 19:20 Subject: SPOILERS thoughts, musings and other crap, Part 1 Security: Public

Crud, better get these up before LJ goes down again, or before I need to take off the Spoiler Warning. 

DO NOT READ IF YOU DON"T WANT TO BE SPOILED.

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Date: 2007-07-22 12:39 Subject: Best spoiler quote EVAR: Security: Public

"Man, even the good wizards in this book are assholes."

Aaaaaaaand..... user suspended due to C&D, TOS, or whatever the hell excuse LJ/6A are coming up with now.

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Date: 2007-07-21 19:15 Subject: (no subject) Security: Public

*Points to default icon*

CALLED IT YEARS AGO.

More thoughts later.

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Date: 2007-07-20 19:28 Subject: Who's on Watch for the Fourth Horseman? C'mon, own up. Security: Public

1.  It's the Potterdamarung (sp?);
2.  6A are being asshats again, probably in part because HP fen are distracted by #1; and
3.  For approx. 2.5 hours on Saturday, Dick Cheney will be POTUS while Bush gets a probe stuck up his ass.  Srsly.

I'm not waiting for Horseman #4; now retreating to my friendly neighborhood 1950s bomb shelter, with or without HPDH.  Somebody knock on the bulkhead door when the Wankapottercheneylypse is over.

*cue Ride of the Valkyries*

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Date: 2007-03-12 20:07 Subject: Gratuitous Alive Post Security: Public

Good times and bad times,
I've seen 'em all, and my dear --
I'm still here.

Apologies to Stephen Sondheim for lifting words.

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