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Posted on 11.14.05 by Widge @ 11:06 am
Well, it has taken all manner of beating myself up, but we finally threw the tip jar and the whole nine open on Needcoffee. Here's the bit. It took me forever to even get on the Google Adsense bandwagon, since I find advertising and asking for money and shit to be just so very…gah. But let's face it, this stuff costs money. So. Let's see how many people bite down on it. Maybe we can keep this damn thing afloat. We'll see. Filed under: General BS
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Posted on 11.13.05 by Widge @ 4:49 pm
Wow. Here's the MetaFilter post with links to his work. That is some creepy, haunting shit. I mean, look at this. That's the kind of stuff to give me nightmares. The cool nightmares where I have a steno pad and take notes. Filed under: Writing Fodder
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Posted on 11.11.05 by Widge @ 11:58 pm
And here's 31 & 32 as well. Filed under: Projects
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Posted on 11.11.05 by Widge @ 4:57 am
Find them here. Filed under: Projects
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Posted on 11.09.05 by Widge @ 4:46 pm
A shmoe must speak. Okay, I've seen lots of stuff about Google Print. They basically want to scan the shit out of libraries worth of books and put it all online. I applaud this, in fact, they already have Mystics in their system because I sent it in at the very beginning of their project. A lot of folks are pissing and moaning about the publishers and others losing their shit over this idea. It's because of piracy or it funds terrorism or greed or whatever excuse we have today. And a lot of authors are up in arms because they favor the idea because, at least in the case of most authors I'm aware of, they're not completely daft. But here's what it boils down to. Let's take a step back and few the real question here. The person who owns the copyright should have a say in what happens to their book. That's how it works. Ultimately, they get the final say. So if you're an author and you like the idea, go for it. I did. Because I have final say on all my work. If you're an author and you somehow signed away your rights to a publisher, well, you have a problem, don't you? All the whining and pissing and moaning in the world isn't going to save you from the fact that you signed your rights away. Next time, you'll know better, won't you? Publishers don't give a shit about you, the author, or the people who read you, or even the people who would love to read you if they could just find you. They. Don't. Care. And if they own the rights, they don't have to care. Now, don't misconstrue: I'm not saying that the publishers are right in being assholes about this. They're very much in the wrong. But that's Old Thinking. As Jeff Jarvis constantly points out on Buzz Machine, it's idiotic to think of content as a premium thing when anybody–and seriously, these days, anybody, look at me–can create content. So to hang on to content like Daffy Duck at the end of the "Hassan Chop!" cartoon is a sign of lunacy. But well within their rights. So what am I saying? They're stupid, but they have the right to be stupid. And rather than bitch and moan about them being stupid, I say leave them hanging onto their own remaining pearl as the clam shuts around them. The future of music belongs to those people who will open themselves up to being mashed up and remixed and reused. The future of literature is the same way. And movies. And everything else, for that matter. If you really want to affect change in how this is going, stop buying shit from people who won't play ball. The most sensible thing Boing Boing has had to say about this has been here, where they say to stop buying Sony CDs because they have a disastrous DRM toolkit on them. That's it…there's plenty of bands out there who WANT to be heard who AREN'T slaves to some record label. Buy their shit. Same thing with writers, directors, the whole nine. Let the Old Thinking die out. Quit subsidizing it, for God's sake. And most importantly, stop whining about what other people are doing–stupid or not–with their content and MAKE YOUR OWN. Filed under: General BS
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Posted on 11.08.05 by Widge @ 11:07 pm
…that sending your kids to public school is intellectual child abuse. Speaking as a victim of public schools: seriously, people of Kansas, do you love your children? At all? Found via MetaFilter. Filed under: General BS
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Posted on 11.08.05 by Widge @ 12:06 am
Still catching up on blogness from this past weekend. Did not realize we lost Bochner, the lead in my favorite episode of the original Twilight Zone: "To Serve Man." The phrase and concept behind "It's a cookbook" have shaped a lot of my stories, so to Serling and Bochner and actress Susan Cummings and others, I owe much. Read the full story here at the most excellent intel blog, In From the Cold. Filed under: General BS
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Posted on 11.07.05 by Widge @ 1:30 am
More goodness for an unannounced project that I have on tap. Just putting it here so I'll remember to find it later. Found via Gridskipper. Filed under: Projects and Writing Fodder
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Posted on 11.06.05 by Widge @ 11:56 pm
WWII Army Sea Forts. On stilts. Found via Boing Boing. And somebody's already caught it and asked WTF is up with this to which I must reply: patience. Patience. Filed under: Dark Blue Monstropolis and Projects and Writing Fodder
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Posted on 11.05.05 by Widge @ 8:56 pm
Hi. I'm at a debutante ball with my Sidekick and full bars. Not cash bars, mind you, but a strong signal. Frou frou factor is currently at lethal levels. The canary I brought with us to warn us of danger is currently knocking back schnapps…so we could be doomed. The centerpiece on the table looks like the severed limb of Alec Holland. Stay tuned for more updates. This could be fun. I turned down an invitation to one of these one time for the protection of the person who invited me…now you get to see why. Update: It's now 7:17pm. I must urinate and return quickly to the main hall…the doors are locked at 7:30 and no one is allowed admittance after that time. I assume that at 7:31 the ritual goat sacrifices begin. Seriously, how cool would it be if the ball itself was like From Dusk Till Dawn or the bacchanal of the mad Cthulhu cult, complete with bonfire? These centerpieces would burn like crazy if you threw them all in a pile. Hmmm, then I would be armed only with silverware against the hordes…but ah! Would I have ever felt so alive? No, I don't drink. Why do you ask? Update: It's 7:30…the doors are being bolted…and the fanfare of the horns makes me wonder what the hell I'm doing at Medieval Times. The high priest has taken the podium…prepare the steeley knives with which to stab the beast! Bring it! Must eat things with faces! Ia! Ia! Oh. Sorry. Update: 7:35…I swear to god the horns are kicking with an excerpt from Atom Heart Mother…what the hell did they slip in my water glass? Update: It's 7:48…they're presenting the debs…the musical accompaniment is the most vicious lounge music you have ever heard…isn't this the musical score from Austin Powers? It is really godawful terrible. Update: Lounge version of "I'd Like to Teach the World to sing." I shit you not. 7:55. Update: If kid gloves aren't made from real Update: This shocking update has been reported to me by a correspondent from the ladies' room: there is a vigorous debate going on as to whether or not the chandelier coverings are real silk or not. More information on this breaking story as we get it in. 8:55. Update: The evening is now officially paid for. Ran into two very cool people that I got to share a very bizarre trip with when I was young and foolish. Incredible to see them again after all this time. 9:23. Update: Holy crap. The debs received a petit four the size of your fist that was encased in a buttercream ganache blend that's comprised of crack cocaine, there's so much sugar in it. The deb in question didn't want it, so I got it. All the sugar. I can now see through walls. Hooooooooo doggie. 10:10. Update: The jury on the silk thing is still debating heavily with no sign of a consensus. Otherwise, I just wanted to comment that a rather large drunk man in a tux just walked past the table, carrying a bouquet and moaning, "Oh goddddd…" Thankfully, not something you see everyday. 12:13. Filed under: General BS
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John Robinson is a writer of prose, poetry and comics who also writes under
the pseudonym of Widgett Walls.
This is my latest book. Short stories written especially for you, or at least someone who reminded me a lot of you at the time.
