I just saw one of
I just saw one of the funniest commercials in my life... unfortunately, the company that it advertises didn't mean it that way. Xerox is running an ad (RealPlayer required, sorry) during the Olympics wherein a college professor says that publishing a book costs thousands of dollars, and a snotty kid says that "NO! With Print-On-Demand, anyone can be a published author!"
I've been calling bullshit on this one for years, and I'll keep calling it. Folks, good editing isn't cheap. Neither is good layout. And certainly neither is good marketing. Just because you can write a book and publish it a single copy at a time doesn't mean that you can do without editing, layout, and marketing. In fact, even if you go for e-book format and never print it at all, you still can't do without any of those things, and the professionals in these fields are worth every penny they're paid (and frequently, more). Just because you don't have books stacked in a warehouse doesn't mean that publishing a book doesn't cost money.
You're very welcome, Shirley!
You're very welcome, Shirley!
According to Cheney, the Bush
According to Cheney, the Bush Defense Budget Will Revive High-Tech Economy. I guess that means that there's a line item in there somewhere to buy lots of dog food over the Internet.
Yeah, it's another one of
Yeah, it's another one of those "What x are you?" quizzes. In this case, it's What D&D character are you?. My result: I am a True Neutral Elf Bard Ranger.
Alignment: True Neutral characters are very rare. They believe that balance is the most important thing, and will not side with any other force. They will do whatever is necessary to preserve that balance, even if it means switching allegiances suddenly.
Race: Elves are the eldest of all races, although they are generally a bit smaller than humans. They are generally well-cultured, artistic, easy-going, and because of their long lives, unconcerned with day-to-day activities that other races frequently conccern themselves with. Elves are, effectively, immortal, although they can be killed. After a thousand years or so, they simply pass on to the next plane of existance.
Primary Class: Bards are the entertainers. They sing, dance, and play instruments to make other people happy, and, frequently, make money. They also tend to dabble in magic a bit.
Secondary Class: Rangers are the defenders of nature and the elements. They are in tune with the Earth, and work to keep it safe and healthy.
Some people have waaaay too
Some people have waaaay too much time on their hands: The Dartboard IP Project. Yes, those wacky Harvard kids put a dartboard on the Net.
If you loved (or hated)
If you loved (or hated) my recent link to the American Dialect Society, you'll love World Wide Words: Investigating International English from a British Viewpoint. Where phrases come from, turns of phrases, etc., including a link to Lake Superior State University's 2002 List of Banished Words.
An annual feature here: Words
An annual feature here: Words of the Year 2001 from the American Dialect Society. The "Word of the Year" was, unsurprisingly, "9-11."
Via Paul Music, something fun
Via Paul Music, something fun and kind of interesting, but obviously written by people with way too much time on their hands: Slayage: The Online International Journal for Buffy Studies.
All entries © 1999-2008 Tom Negrino and Dori Smith