I'm constantly tinkering with the front page of The Thunder Child. Right now I've decided to have two new weekly features - highlight photos of the Max Fleischer Superman cartoons, starring with 3 a week of The Mad Scientist (the very first adventure), and 2 a week of Buck Rogers, the Buster Crabbe 1939 serial.
I've had the Buck Rogers DVD for a year now, and am finally going to watch it, just for this!
Also changed around the actual links to Latest Articles and Latest Reviews.
Now, if only my reviewers would send me stuff. The guy who'd irritated me so much is still with me and has sent some good stuff. Of the other 3 guys, haven't heard from 1 at all and so will not contact him again. He and the other 2 didn't do what I'd asked 'em to do, which was send me a list of books they'd wanted to review so I could get them sent to them. Annoying. But we'll see what can be done.
Meanwhile I have to read Shanghaied to the Moon by Michael Daley, it's been on my desk for 2 weeks or more...
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Back To Science Fiction
Nothing science fiction on BBC Radio 7 today - but that doesn't mean there isn't sci fi stuff to listen to there. They have 7 days of radio shows to listen to there. There still isn't any sci fi there, except the last 3 episodes of Out of the Silent Planet, and the last few episodes of Silver Chair.
I railed a few days ago about Radio Spirits having changed their website and gotten rid of their Archives and Schedule to Come, but they appear to have fixed that little problem.
So, lots of good radio to listen to, but only 1 hour a day, of course. And not much sci fi until:
Saturday 1-13
X Minus One
A Wind is Rising
Original Air Date - 10/3/1957
X Minus One
Prime Difference
Original Air Date - 1/2/1958
and Superman is coming:
Wednesday 1-31
Adventures of Superman
Dr. Bly's Confidence Gang, Chapter 1
Original Air Date - 9/4/1945
Saturday 2-3
Dimension X
Report on the Barnhouse Effect
Original Air Date - 4/22/1950
Wednesday 2-7
Adventures of Superman
Dr. Bly's Confidence Gang, Chapter 2
Original Air Date - 9/5/1945
and if anyone here is a fan of Vincent Price, there's going to be an interview with him, along with an airing of one of my favorite radio programs, Three Skeleton Key (in which Price starred several times):
Tuesday 2-6
Escape
Three Skeleton Key with Vincent Price
Original Air Date - 3/17/1950
Speaking of Radio
Vincent Price and Chuck Schaden (Interview)
Original Air Date - 9/8/1971
I railed a few days ago about Radio Spirits having changed their website and gotten rid of their Archives and Schedule to Come, but they appear to have fixed that little problem.
So, lots of good radio to listen to, but only 1 hour a day, of course. And not much sci fi until:
Saturday 1-13
X Minus One
A Wind is Rising
Original Air Date - 10/3/1957
X Minus One
Prime Difference
Original Air Date - 1/2/1958
and Superman is coming:
Wednesday 1-31
Adventures of Superman
Dr. Bly's Confidence Gang, Chapter 1
Original Air Date - 9/4/1945
Saturday 2-3
Dimension X
Report on the Barnhouse Effect
Original Air Date - 4/22/1950
Wednesday 2-7
Adventures of Superman
Dr. Bly's Confidence Gang, Chapter 2
Original Air Date - 9/5/1945
and if anyone here is a fan of Vincent Price, there's going to be an interview with him, along with an airing of one of my favorite radio programs, Three Skeleton Key (in which Price starred several times):
Tuesday 2-6
Escape
Three Skeleton Key with Vincent Price
Original Air Date - 3/17/1950
Speaking of Radio
Vincent Price and Chuck Schaden (Interview)
Original Air Date - 9/8/1971
Monday, January 08, 2007
Incompetence in America
Yes, I know I promised to get back to reporting science fiction here, but a couple of things have happened that really tick me off and I feel like venting.
My parents are in Germany. Today is the day that they are flying back to the States. Germany is 6 hours ahead of us here in the Eastern time zone. I got a call about 10 am from a mechanical voice telling me that 'my flight had changed.' My parents flight was supposed to leave Frankfurt Germany at 11.10 am, now it's leaving at noon, and the subsequent flight from Atlanta has also been changed.
Now, that's all well and good except at the time they called me, it was already about 4 pm in Germany. My parents had already left for the airport, already been waiting an extra long time for their plane (although they would have anyway since you're supposed to get their 2 hours eary for an international fligh), etc.
So, me, being in the States, I'm getting old news. There's no way I can call and tell my parents about the the time changes because they're probably already on the plane. This phone call should have been made the night before.
Then, I popped out to a store and was listening to the radio. Had it on a different station than I usually listen to, so I don't know who was talking, and on the two times he came back from a commercial break he never announced his name. He said he was the third most listened to radio show in America, whatever that means.
Anyway, he was talking about the work week and the work year of politicians. And apparently this was reported in the Washington posts.
Politicians - Members of the House of Reps, work a 3-day work week. They fly in from their homes and families on Monday, work from Tuesday to Thursday, and then fly home to spend Fri-Monday with their families again.
And for this, how much are they paid? By OUR tax dollars! $300,000 a year? More?
But it's worse than that, of course. Way back when there was no air-conditioning, Congress didn't meet in August in Washington DC because it was the height of summer and it was too hot. There's no excuse for that today, but they continue to have the WHOLE month of August off.
There's also a 6 day holiday during Memorial, instead of the 3 day weekend that most Americans get.
And apparently they get a 2-week break in April.
ANd according to this guy, they've taken today off, because TONIGHT, the Ohio State college football game is taking place. So the whole House of Representatives is not working today because there is a college football game TONIGHT.
And what is the average American going to do about it? If this story propagates from the Washington Post to every newspaper in the country, so that every literate person in the USA reads it, what are they going to do about it?
I'd say a country-wide refusal to pay our taxes until the government starts working for what we pay them. They are supposed to be working for us, after all. We are supposed to be their employers. Since when do employees get to decide that they'll give themselves a raise, and make it retroactive? Politicians do that all the time.
Scary.
Anyway, science fiction today. What's on at BBC7's Listen Again? If you haven't been tuning in daily you've been missing Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis, being read by Alex Jennings. An interesting book. A Christian allegory. And I'll just mention one scene. An 'eldil' or angel appears at a boat in which is the human Ransom, and two hrossa, intelligent beings who worship Oyarsa, their chief Angel. (He's not God.) The eldil tells the hrossa to take Ransom to Oyarsa, and then leaves. At this very moment, a gigantic fish-like creature that they'd been searching for breaks out of the water, and they go after it. And they catch it. And everyone is happy. And then a gunshot rings out and one of the hrossa, Ransom's friend, is killed. "It's my bent people who have done this," says Ransom sorrowfully.
No, says the hrossa. "He was killed as a punishment. The eldil told us to take you to Oyarsa and instead of leaving immediately, we continued with this hunt. So Oyarsa punished him by killing him." [I paraphrase.] Nice Oyarsa. Somebody gets caught up in the moment, delays coming to you by a couple of hours, and to punish him you kill him. Well, he'll certainly never do *that* again, will he.
Typical of the psychoticness displayed by the God of the Old Testament. It never fails to astonish me how people today can read that book and not shake their heads and say, "If this is God, I refuse to worship him because he is clearly a psycho!"
Okay, enough prosletyzing about the joys of rational thought.
There's also Silver Chair, by CS LEwis, more of the Chronicles of Narnia. HAven't been listening to it.
The Museum of Everything started on Wednesday, that's a bit of a fantasy show but amusing.
Museum of Everything
Wander around our many galleries and experience the history of everything, including the real identity of Jack The Ripper. Episode 1 of 6.
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Peter is young, eager to please and impatient. When he is left alone with a book of spells, it all goes a bit wrong.
ON Saturday is the 2nd and final part of Man and His Time by Brian Aldiss, and the 4th and final part of Celebrity Mummies (which I suspect was the inspiration for Night at the Musuem:
Celebrity Mummies
The comedy horror set in the British Museum continues. How to get 8,000 angry body parts back in their cases before opening time? Episode 4 of 4. [Rptd Sun 12.00am].
Man in His Time
To mark sci-fi master Brian Aldiss' 80th birthday, his award-winning story about space travel and its impact on life back home. Episode 2 of 2. [Rptd Sun 12.30am].
Sunday is the last episode of Blood of the Daleks, a 2-parter. For some reason I missed the first part. Annoying,
Doctor Who
Blood of the Daleks: Lucie realises the true intentions of their 'saviours'. But could the Doctor really want the same thing as the Daleks? Episode 2 of 2.
Beyond the Vortex
Nick Briggs offers lessons in how to sound like a Dalek, without gargling with coal.
My parents are in Germany. Today is the day that they are flying back to the States. Germany is 6 hours ahead of us here in the Eastern time zone. I got a call about 10 am from a mechanical voice telling me that 'my flight had changed.' My parents flight was supposed to leave Frankfurt Germany at 11.10 am, now it's leaving at noon, and the subsequent flight from Atlanta has also been changed.
Now, that's all well and good except at the time they called me, it was already about 4 pm in Germany. My parents had already left for the airport, already been waiting an extra long time for their plane (although they would have anyway since you're supposed to get their 2 hours eary for an international fligh), etc.
So, me, being in the States, I'm getting old news. There's no way I can call and tell my parents about the the time changes because they're probably already on the plane. This phone call should have been made the night before.
Then, I popped out to a store and was listening to the radio. Had it on a different station than I usually listen to, so I don't know who was talking, and on the two times he came back from a commercial break he never announced his name. He said he was the third most listened to radio show in America, whatever that means.
Anyway, he was talking about the work week and the work year of politicians. And apparently this was reported in the Washington posts.
Politicians - Members of the House of Reps, work a 3-day work week. They fly in from their homes and families on Monday, work from Tuesday to Thursday, and then fly home to spend Fri-Monday with their families again.
And for this, how much are they paid? By OUR tax dollars! $300,000 a year? More?
But it's worse than that, of course. Way back when there was no air-conditioning, Congress didn't meet in August in Washington DC because it was the height of summer and it was too hot. There's no excuse for that today, but they continue to have the WHOLE month of August off.
There's also a 6 day holiday during Memorial, instead of the 3 day weekend that most Americans get.
And apparently they get a 2-week break in April.
ANd according to this guy, they've taken today off, because TONIGHT, the Ohio State college football game is taking place. So the whole House of Representatives is not working today because there is a college football game TONIGHT.
And what is the average American going to do about it? If this story propagates from the Washington Post to every newspaper in the country, so that every literate person in the USA reads it, what are they going to do about it?
I'd say a country-wide refusal to pay our taxes until the government starts working for what we pay them. They are supposed to be working for us, after all. We are supposed to be their employers. Since when do employees get to decide that they'll give themselves a raise, and make it retroactive? Politicians do that all the time.
Scary.
Anyway, science fiction today. What's on at BBC7's Listen Again? If you haven't been tuning in daily you've been missing Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis, being read by Alex Jennings. An interesting book. A Christian allegory. And I'll just mention one scene. An 'eldil' or angel appears at a boat in which is the human Ransom, and two hrossa, intelligent beings who worship Oyarsa, their chief Angel. (He's not God.) The eldil tells the hrossa to take Ransom to Oyarsa, and then leaves. At this very moment, a gigantic fish-like creature that they'd been searching for breaks out of the water, and they go after it. And they catch it. And everyone is happy. And then a gunshot rings out and one of the hrossa, Ransom's friend, is killed. "It's my bent people who have done this," says Ransom sorrowfully.
No, says the hrossa. "He was killed as a punishment. The eldil told us to take you to Oyarsa and instead of leaving immediately, we continued with this hunt. So Oyarsa punished him by killing him." [I paraphrase.] Nice Oyarsa. Somebody gets caught up in the moment, delays coming to you by a couple of hours, and to punish him you kill him. Well, he'll certainly never do *that* again, will he.
Typical of the psychoticness displayed by the God of the Old Testament. It never fails to astonish me how people today can read that book and not shake their heads and say, "If this is God, I refuse to worship him because he is clearly a psycho!"
Okay, enough prosletyzing about the joys of rational thought.
There's also Silver Chair, by CS LEwis, more of the Chronicles of Narnia. HAven't been listening to it.
The Museum of Everything started on Wednesday, that's a bit of a fantasy show but amusing.
Museum of Everything
Wander around our many galleries and experience the history of everything, including the real identity of Jack The Ripper. Episode 1 of 6.
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Peter is young, eager to please and impatient. When he is left alone with a book of spells, it all goes a bit wrong.
ON Saturday is the 2nd and final part of Man and His Time by Brian Aldiss, and the 4th and final part of Celebrity Mummies (which I suspect was the inspiration for Night at the Musuem:
Celebrity Mummies
The comedy horror set in the British Museum continues. How to get 8,000 angry body parts back in their cases before opening time? Episode 4 of 4. [Rptd Sun 12.00am].
Man in His Time
To mark sci-fi master Brian Aldiss' 80th birthday, his award-winning story about space travel and its impact on life back home. Episode 2 of 2. [Rptd Sun 12.30am].
Sunday is the last episode of Blood of the Daleks, a 2-parter. For some reason I missed the first part. Annoying,
Doctor Who
Blood of the Daleks: Lucie realises the true intentions of their 'saviours'. But could the Doctor really want the same thing as the Daleks? Episode 2 of 2.
Beyond the Vortex
Nick Briggs offers lessons in how to sound like a Dalek, without gargling with coal.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Message Boards and More
As I've said before, I've been surprised and disappointed - perhaps naively - that the fans who inhabit the Lady Vols message boards are just as low class, silly, childish, hypocritical, poor sports, etc., as anyone on any other message board, whether it be the college message board sytem called Scout, or on usenet. (Where I am sad to see that women's basketball, college or otherwise, has no presence.)
Of course I'm talking about 5 or 6 out of the 20 that post there regularly...or mebbe 10 out of 30.. obviously not every fan is a jerk...but those that aren't jerks will very rarely call out someone who *is* being a jerk. I've done so on occasion and been informed that I should leave the moderating of the boards to others, or that I'm too "self-righteous."
And that's annoying. Let's just validate their behavior on the boards, why don't we! Let's not teach these guys manners, they're just having fun!
But there's a wider problem with the behavior exhibited on message boards, and that is that these people probably bring these attitudes into 'real' life, into their work and their relationships at home and work.
And it's not just the poor sportsmanship, it's the ability to comprehend what they read, the eagerness to go ballistic over a perceived slight, the inability to see that when they complain about something on someone else's message board, and then do the exact same thing on their own...I would think they'd see how hypocritical and stupid that is but apparently they don't.
Still, the thing is not to let the actions of fans disenchant one against the team. UConn may have great people and great fans - but I'll always root against them just because of Auriemma. Similarly, even though I'm not too impressed with Tennessee's fans, I will root for the team because I like Pat Summitt...
and I think I'll stop going to the Vols message boards because they're really starting to irritate rather than amuse me now....
Of course I'm talking about 5 or 6 out of the 20 that post there regularly...or mebbe 10 out of 30.. obviously not every fan is a jerk...but those that aren't jerks will very rarely call out someone who *is* being a jerk. I've done so on occasion and been informed that I should leave the moderating of the boards to others, or that I'm too "self-righteous."
And that's annoying. Let's just validate their behavior on the boards, why don't we! Let's not teach these guys manners, they're just having fun!
But there's a wider problem with the behavior exhibited on message boards, and that is that these people probably bring these attitudes into 'real' life, into their work and their relationships at home and work.
And it's not just the poor sportsmanship, it's the ability to comprehend what they read, the eagerness to go ballistic over a perceived slight, the inability to see that when they complain about something on someone else's message board, and then do the exact same thing on their own...I would think they'd see how hypocritical and stupid that is but apparently they don't.
Still, the thing is not to let the actions of fans disenchant one against the team. UConn may have great people and great fans - but I'll always root against them just because of Auriemma. Similarly, even though I'm not too impressed with Tennessee's fans, I will root for the team because I like Pat Summitt...
and I think I'll stop going to the Vols message boards because they're really starting to irritate rather than amuse me now....
More Fun After The Game
Sooner or later I'm going to get back to reporting science fiction news here on this blog, but for today...just a few more comments about fans of sports teams
Just checked out The Summitt and of course there's always the posters with class who say "Good game," and the gus from the other boards who visit and comment: "Opponent played good game," etc. etc., but now the other types are coming out, who have to get in their slams against Geno and the players and what the UConn fans are saying *on their own board*, about how the dunk is no big deal, how UConn beat themselves, etc.
I wish there was an alternate universe where UConn won so I could see how all the posts would be different, and yet the same - just coming from different people.
But, I'm glad Tennessee won. Simply because I don't really like Auriemma.
It was not a very balanced game, on either side. Candace Parker scored 30 points, next closest person was Sidney Spencer with 14. No one else in double figures. Well...whatever it takes to win. And its not like Alexis Hornbuckle didn't *try* to score 20 points, but her shots just didn't go in.
And as far as Dallas Cowboys football...Tony Romo bobbled the snap on a potential winning field goal. You've got to feel sorry for the guy. No matter what his team says to prop him up, you know he knows that they'd like to kick him, instead.
Lots of football today. I absolutely can't watch it. I have stuff to do!
Just checked out The Summitt and of course there's always the posters with class who say "Good game," and the gus from the other boards who visit and comment: "Opponent played good game," etc. etc., but now the other types are coming out, who have to get in their slams against Geno and the players and what the UConn fans are saying *on their own board*, about how the dunk is no big deal, how UConn beat themselves, etc.
I wish there was an alternate universe where UConn won so I could see how all the posts would be different, and yet the same - just coming from different people.
But, I'm glad Tennessee won. Simply because I don't really like Auriemma.
It was not a very balanced game, on either side. Candace Parker scored 30 points, next closest person was Sidney Spencer with 14. No one else in double figures. Well...whatever it takes to win. And its not like Alexis Hornbuckle didn't *try* to score 20 points, but her shots just didn't go in.
And as far as Dallas Cowboys football...Tony Romo bobbled the snap on a potential winning field goal. You've got to feel sorry for the guy. No matter what his team says to prop him up, you know he knows that they'd like to kick him, instead.
Lots of football today. I absolutely can't watch it. I have stuff to do!
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Lady Vols defeat Uconn Huskies - barely
I watched the first half of the Vols game and enjoyed it - they took a 12 point lead into the locker rooms. Loved the first few minutes of the 2nd half - Candace Parker dunked. And that fired up the Huskies and they started cutting into the 18 point lead. When they got it down to 5 points, I turned off the TV. I just couldn't stand it.
But, they won by 6.
Of course, the Vols boards is saying that Candace was being singled out by the refs for *bad* calls. Meantime, the Huskies boards is saying that the refs gave her special consideration! You've just to laugh.
Unfortunately, I can't give any opinions one way or the other, since I wasn't watching the games when the fouls against her started being called! A friend will be sending me a DVD of the game, I hope, so I'll be able to watch it at that time and make my decisions.
In other sports news, Colts beat the Chiefs. I'd like to see Peyton Manning win a superbowl this year. Well - really it's Tony Dungy whom I'd like to see win it - but it's Peyton Manning - and more obviously their defense - that has to get them there.
I'm going to spend some time watching the Cowboys. I don't really have time to watch them - I've pretty much wasted the whole day today when I have so much other stuff to be getting done - but, heck, I'm gonna do it anyway.
But, they won by 6.
Of course, the Vols boards is saying that Candace was being singled out by the refs for *bad* calls. Meantime, the Huskies boards is saying that the refs gave her special consideration! You've just to laugh.
Unfortunately, I can't give any opinions one way or the other, since I wasn't watching the games when the fouls against her started being called! A friend will be sending me a DVD of the game, I hope, so I'll be able to watch it at that time and make my decisions.
In other sports news, Colts beat the Chiefs. I'd like to see Peyton Manning win a superbowl this year. Well - really it's Tony Dungy whom I'd like to see win it - but it's Peyton Manning - and more obviously their defense - that has to get them there.
I'm going to spend some time watching the Cowboys. I don't really have time to watch them - I've pretty much wasted the whole day today when I have so much other stuff to be getting done - but, heck, I'm gonna do it anyway.
A tale of three games
Jan 6, 2007. Today, in a few interminably long hours, the Tennessee Lady Vols are going to match up against the Uconn Huskies.
The game is going to be on TV, so I'll be able to watch it and see for myself how each of the players play, and how the referees call the game. Since it's on a major station, I'm hoping that we'll be able to see all kinds of replays of fouls called, which is usually not the case when WCBB plays on other stations.
In addition to watching the game, I'll be keeping track of it on the Lady Vols and UConn message boards. These message boards are the two most active in WCBB, it seems, each with a game thread for every game thread so viewers can comment (and share info with those unlucky enough not to be able to watch.)
In the past, when I have read these gamethreads after having actually seen the game, I usually feel like they were watching a different game from the one I watched. They complain about fouls that *were* fouls, they complain about fouls that *weren't* fouls, etc, while for the most part I saw it completely differently.
Each of the boards seems to think that the referees are biased against the other team. [Of course, that's so in lots of college sports, I think, and women's refs generally do have that reputation. I don't understand why it's never been addressed by the NCAA.]
Anyway, as a Pat Summitt fan, I'd like the Lady Vols to win the game. I was moved for a while to wish they'd lose. Childish of me, you'll think it, but a couple of idividuals on the Lady Vols boards were 'talking smack' about certain things, which annoyed me as exhibiting poor sportsmanship, and I wanted them to be shut up. Of course, they 'talk smack' on the UConn boards as well - but Pat Summitt is a classy coach and it always surprises me when people who profess to admire her don't follow her example of classiness.
But, I read an article in the Courant earlier tonight: The article in which Geno Auriemma had some things to say that I can only describe as.... ugh. Just ugh. Plus, he made a jeer at UT being the leader in the world in foul calls - I guess he's preparing for tomorrow and if the Vols win it'll be because the refs are biased in their favor.
I can't remember Summitt ever excusing a loss by saying that the refs caused it. She yells at them alot during games - as do all coaches - but afterwards? To the media? IF anyone *has* ever seen such a quote in a newspaper, please tell me!
The funny thing about the refs is that both fan bases hate one named Sally Bell. The Vols fans says she hates the Vols and always makes calls against them. The Huskies say that she's a Vol lover! Now how can that be, I wonder?
Anyway, from all that I've learned about Geno Auriemma over the past two years, and especially what I read tonight, I have to say that, despite the fact that his players are gonna play hard, and they have loyal fans, I think the man is an extreme jerk and I seriously hope the Huskies lose by 40 points!
And I hope the Terrapins lose as well. They are *finally* playing a ranked team, although the Spartans are only ranked 19th...however, I am happy they are on TV as I will be able to watch Sa'de Wiley-Gatewood, who has a history with the Vols. I'd like to be able to compare her style of play with that of the Vols...just to see what's so different.
Mind you, I don't like the Vols style of play! I like to see a motion offense with every player on the move all the time, running through screens and making cuts. That's fun to watch.
Well, we'll see how it goes.
If the refs let the ladies play, and if the ladies on both sides handle the pressure of this national stage...it should be a good game. And sorry to the Huskies, but I will visualize you losing by 40 for the next several hours! The thought is the will is the deed.
Go Lady Vols.
The game is going to be on TV, so I'll be able to watch it and see for myself how each of the players play, and how the referees call the game. Since it's on a major station, I'm hoping that we'll be able to see all kinds of replays of fouls called, which is usually not the case when WCBB plays on other stations.
In addition to watching the game, I'll be keeping track of it on the Lady Vols and UConn message boards. These message boards are the two most active in WCBB, it seems, each with a game thread for every game thread so viewers can comment (and share info with those unlucky enough not to be able to watch.)
In the past, when I have read these gamethreads after having actually seen the game, I usually feel like they were watching a different game from the one I watched. They complain about fouls that *were* fouls, they complain about fouls that *weren't* fouls, etc, while for the most part I saw it completely differently.
Each of the boards seems to think that the referees are biased against the other team. [Of course, that's so in lots of college sports, I think, and women's refs generally do have that reputation. I don't understand why it's never been addressed by the NCAA.]
Anyway, as a Pat Summitt fan, I'd like the Lady Vols to win the game. I was moved for a while to wish they'd lose. Childish of me, you'll think it, but a couple of idividuals on the Lady Vols boards were 'talking smack' about certain things, which annoyed me as exhibiting poor sportsmanship, and I wanted them to be shut up. Of course, they 'talk smack' on the UConn boards as well - but Pat Summitt is a classy coach and it always surprises me when people who profess to admire her don't follow her example of classiness.
But, I read an article in the Courant earlier tonight: The article in which Geno Auriemma had some things to say that I can only describe as.... ugh. Just ugh. Plus, he made a jeer at UT being the leader in the world in foul calls - I guess he's preparing for tomorrow and if the Vols win it'll be because the refs are biased in their favor.
I can't remember Summitt ever excusing a loss by saying that the refs caused it. She yells at them alot during games - as do all coaches - but afterwards? To the media? IF anyone *has* ever seen such a quote in a newspaper, please tell me!
The funny thing about the refs is that both fan bases hate one named Sally Bell. The Vols fans says she hates the Vols and always makes calls against them. The Huskies say that she's a Vol lover! Now how can that be, I wonder?
Anyway, from all that I've learned about Geno Auriemma over the past two years, and especially what I read tonight, I have to say that, despite the fact that his players are gonna play hard, and they have loyal fans, I think the man is an extreme jerk and I seriously hope the Huskies lose by 40 points!
And I hope the Terrapins lose as well. They are *finally* playing a ranked team, although the Spartans are only ranked 19th...however, I am happy they are on TV as I will be able to watch Sa'de Wiley-Gatewood, who has a history with the Vols. I'd like to be able to compare her style of play with that of the Vols...just to see what's so different.
Mind you, I don't like the Vols style of play! I like to see a motion offense with every player on the move all the time, running through screens and making cuts. That's fun to watch.
Well, we'll see how it goes.
If the refs let the ladies play, and if the ladies on both sides handle the pressure of this national stage...it should be a good game. And sorry to the Huskies, but I will visualize you losing by 40 for the next several hours! The thought is the will is the deed.
Go Lady Vols.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
The Timelash!
I've got so much to do, and so little time.
Saw Night at the Museum yesterday, liked it, have to write a review for it. I want to write an article on Nikola Tesla from The Prestige - a movie that I didn't really care for at all, but I liked Bowie's Tesla...
I've got 3 gigs from Elance that I have to work on so I can get paid some money, so I can pay my new clippings person, and a new person to do some typing for me...
I've got a book to read and review ....
Too much, too much, dahling.
Well, I've added a 'tooncast' to The Thunder Child. A webcomic called Groovy Ass Alien Kreatures. It's only updated once a week, which is too bad. Three times a week would guarantee more readers, *I* think, but then they probably don't have time to do more than one a week, either!
Let's give a loud shout out to Wesley Autrey, the 50-year old black construction worker in New York City who saw a guy fall on a subway train track, and WHILE A TRAIN WAS COMING, jumped down onto the tracks, and held the guy down in the little depression between the train rails, saving his life while the train ran past them.
Talk about a real life super hero.
Saw Night at the Museum yesterday, liked it, have to write a review for it. I want to write an article on Nikola Tesla from The Prestige - a movie that I didn't really care for at all, but I liked Bowie's Tesla...
I've got 3 gigs from Elance that I have to work on so I can get paid some money, so I can pay my new clippings person, and a new person to do some typing for me...
I've got a book to read and review ....
Too much, too much, dahling.
Well, I've added a 'tooncast' to The Thunder Child. A webcomic called Groovy Ass Alien Kreatures. It's only updated once a week, which is too bad. Three times a week would guarantee more readers, *I* think, but then they probably don't have time to do more than one a week, either!
Let's give a loud shout out to Wesley Autrey, the 50-year old black construction worker in New York City who saw a guy fall on a subway train track, and WHILE A TRAIN WAS COMING, jumped down onto the tracks, and held the guy down in the little depression between the train rails, saving his life while the train ran past them.
Talk about a real life super hero.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
NIght at the Museum
Still haven't seen it, so I'm going to go today!
I don't have time. I've got 2 gigs for Elance that I've got to do, I've got my stuff for The Thunder Child and various other projects...but I don't care. I'm going to go see it!
New at The Thunder Child:
An interview with Adrian Sherlock, creator of Damon Dark, a character in the mold of Commander Straker of UFO or The X-Files. He's made several shoestring mini movies about the character which are all available at Youtube.
Also several articles on the 1967 Casino Royale. They were intended to be published to coincide with the release of the Daniel Craig movie, so they are a wee bit late... but better late than never.
Also an article on the soundtrack for The Seven Faces of Dr. Lao.
http://thethunderchild.com
I don't have time. I've got 2 gigs for Elance that I've got to do, I've got my stuff for The Thunder Child and various other projects...but I don't care. I'm going to go see it!
New at The Thunder Child:
An interview with Adrian Sherlock, creator of Damon Dark, a character in the mold of Commander Straker of UFO or The X-Files. He's made several shoestring mini movies about the character which are all available at Youtube.
Also several articles on the 1967 Casino Royale. They were intended to be published to coincide with the release of the Daniel Craig movie, so they are a wee bit late... but better late than never.
Also an article on the soundtrack for The Seven Faces of Dr. Lao.
http://thethunderchild.com
Friday, December 29, 2006
Darn I wish I had a cellphone
Finally looked at my phone after about 4 hours and saw I had a message. The guy- who does have a cell - had called from the tunnel at 2:30 to say he was running late...presumably because he was stuck in the tunnel.
Of course by that time I had already left, but at least he made the effort.
Still believe he cheated me, though. There is absolutely no way it took him *10* hours to type 20 500-600 word articles. There is just no way.
But most of my anger is not really at him but at me, since I should have known better than to let either of these two situations develop (the clipping and this).
Oh, well. Lessons still learned.
I'm now alternating between Sleepy Hollow and CSI (which has just ended) on TV, while working on my laptop. I don't care for gore so it's kind of hard to watch CSI, each time they show something graphic I switch to Sleepy Hollow...and of course there we've got Johnny Depp digging into someone's decapitated neck with one of his forceps or whatever...still if you can ignore the gore in Sleepy Hollow most of it is pretty good...don't really care for the ending but what can ya do?
I will go see Night at the Museum tomorrow and write a review of it.
Of course by that time I had already left, but at least he made the effort.
Still believe he cheated me, though. There is absolutely no way it took him *10* hours to type 20 500-600 word articles. There is just no way.
But most of my anger is not really at him but at me, since I should have known better than to let either of these two situations develop (the clipping and this).
Oh, well. Lessons still learned.
I'm now alternating between Sleepy Hollow and CSI (which has just ended) on TV, while working on my laptop. I don't care for gore so it's kind of hard to watch CSI, each time they show something graphic I switch to Sleepy Hollow...and of course there we've got Johnny Depp digging into someone's decapitated neck with one of his forceps or whatever...still if you can ignore the gore in Sleepy Hollow most of it is pretty good...don't really care for the ending but what can ya do?
I will go see Night at the Museum tomorrow and write a review of it.
Rant pt 2
I ended up not going to the movie today...as the guy who has just stolen $56 from me also kept me waiting 30 minutes before he did it.
He lives in Norfolk, I live in York County. To make sure we both didn't have to drive a heckuva long way, we compromised on the Casemate Museum inside Fort Monroe, a well-known landmark just as you get off the tunnel from Norfolk over the James River. (Or whatever that particular body of water is!)
THe first day we were supposed to meet there, so that I could give him the stuff to work on, he never showed up. I waited for 30 minutes before leaving. He said that he hadn't realized that Fort Monroe was still an operating fort...and apparently didn't try to go inside and look for the musueum. (I had forgotten it was called the Casemate Museum and just called it the Civil War museum - but there is only one museum, period, inside the fort, so he should still have been able to find it.)
But, I'm easy going. So I decided to meet him there the next day. This time he was 15 minutes late. But he flourished a couple of maps that he'd used to try to find his way inside the fort (it's a big fort, and there's a building you can stop off at to pick up such maps, and the signs to the museum suck), so I cut him slack again. (Although to my way of thinking if you're meeting someone at a place you don't know, you leave early so you can get there early, in case you need some extra time. But, that's just me.)
So, today, I'd arranged to meet him at 3 pm. 3 pm in the Norfolk tunnel is not a good time, especially on a Friday...but I'd forgotten about that and he who lives on the other side of the bloody tunnel should have taken it into account.
Anyway, I waited for 27 minutes. (Actually, I waited for 45 minutes. I know Fort Monroe and the location of the museum well, but I'm always 15 minutes early for any meeting. If I'm not familiar with where I'm supposed to meet someone, I'm usually there *30* minutes early, just because I leave myself enough time in case I get lost.
So, I started driving away, was on the 'home stretch' out of the fort, when he drove past. He waved, so naturally I had to turn around and drive back to the Museum. Have to admit I was swearing. I'd been tempted to leave 2 minutes earlier than I had actually done - if I had done so I would have missed him entirely and could have saved my $56 - because I would have told him via email that he could keep those articles in lieu of payment and to heck with him.
Anyway, he did say he'd been caught in the tunnel - and I had turned the radio on on my way out and it had said that there was congestion in the tunnel so I knew he was speaking the truth....but if you've got an appointment to meet someone, and you know a certain tunnel is a b*tch at a certain time of day, you leave early, just in case.
So, he gives me the box I had given him, and a red binder. All of the articles were in plastic sleeves, and I'd told him as he finished each article to put it in the binder. (Why else would I have given him the binder?) Well, he hadn't done that. He'd put everything back in the box.
Where did you stop at? I asked. I wanted to take hold of the pages he'd typed, howsoever many there might be, and say, "It took you 10 hours to type this?" (Sure, each page was 8 X 10. But the article in question on each page took up, at the *most*, 2 columns of the page, and none were more than 600 words each, if that.)
Anyway, he starts paging through the sleeves, going deeper and deeper into them, and I'm just thinking...Christ. But, I just said, "Never mind." And handed him $80. So, he in essence stole $56 from me, because there is no way in hell that he worked 10 hours on that project. He worked 3 hours - at about 30 words per minute. That's what I think.
So, obviously I shouldn't have paid him the money...but I just wanted to close the situation and move on.
So, I've learned a couple of lessons now. Expensive, but I've learned 'em. Later on tonight I'm going to work on my newspaper clippings for exactly 1 hour. At the end of that hour I will know exactly how many pieces were done, and I will type up instructions for my next person which will state that I expect her to get that many pieces done each hour. She'll have the option to disagree with that production rate and decline the job - but if she agrees to it, then that's how I will pay her.
As for the typing... I've got to earn a few more bucks from Elance before I can have someone work on that project again. Then I'll advertise it in Craigs List again at a flat rate of $24 - 3 hours at $8 an hour, for someone who can type at least 70 wpm. If someone takes it, fine. If not, fine also. (And at the end of three hours however much that person gets done will give me an idea if I'm justified in my rage right now, or not. I'm thinking I'm quite justified, but we'll see.)
From now on, that's the way I'll be working.
So, sorry for the rant. I feel better now.
He lives in Norfolk, I live in York County. To make sure we both didn't have to drive a heckuva long way, we compromised on the Casemate Museum inside Fort Monroe, a well-known landmark just as you get off the tunnel from Norfolk over the James River. (Or whatever that particular body of water is!)
THe first day we were supposed to meet there, so that I could give him the stuff to work on, he never showed up. I waited for 30 minutes before leaving. He said that he hadn't realized that Fort Monroe was still an operating fort...and apparently didn't try to go inside and look for the musueum. (I had forgotten it was called the Casemate Museum and just called it the Civil War museum - but there is only one museum, period, inside the fort, so he should still have been able to find it.)
But, I'm easy going. So I decided to meet him there the next day. This time he was 15 minutes late. But he flourished a couple of maps that he'd used to try to find his way inside the fort (it's a big fort, and there's a building you can stop off at to pick up such maps, and the signs to the museum suck), so I cut him slack again. (Although to my way of thinking if you're meeting someone at a place you don't know, you leave early so you can get there early, in case you need some extra time. But, that's just me.)
So, today, I'd arranged to meet him at 3 pm. 3 pm in the Norfolk tunnel is not a good time, especially on a Friday...but I'd forgotten about that and he who lives on the other side of the bloody tunnel should have taken it into account.
Anyway, I waited for 27 minutes. (Actually, I waited for 45 minutes. I know Fort Monroe and the location of the museum well, but I'm always 15 minutes early for any meeting. If I'm not familiar with where I'm supposed to meet someone, I'm usually there *30* minutes early, just because I leave myself enough time in case I get lost.
So, I started driving away, was on the 'home stretch' out of the fort, when he drove past. He waved, so naturally I had to turn around and drive back to the Museum. Have to admit I was swearing. I'd been tempted to leave 2 minutes earlier than I had actually done - if I had done so I would have missed him entirely and could have saved my $56 - because I would have told him via email that he could keep those articles in lieu of payment and to heck with him.
Anyway, he did say he'd been caught in the tunnel - and I had turned the radio on on my way out and it had said that there was congestion in the tunnel so I knew he was speaking the truth....but if you've got an appointment to meet someone, and you know a certain tunnel is a b*tch at a certain time of day, you leave early, just in case.
So, he gives me the box I had given him, and a red binder. All of the articles were in plastic sleeves, and I'd told him as he finished each article to put it in the binder. (Why else would I have given him the binder?) Well, he hadn't done that. He'd put everything back in the box.
Where did you stop at? I asked. I wanted to take hold of the pages he'd typed, howsoever many there might be, and say, "It took you 10 hours to type this?" (Sure, each page was 8 X 10. But the article in question on each page took up, at the *most*, 2 columns of the page, and none were more than 600 words each, if that.)
Anyway, he starts paging through the sleeves, going deeper and deeper into them, and I'm just thinking...Christ. But, I just said, "Never mind." And handed him $80. So, he in essence stole $56 from me, because there is no way in hell that he worked 10 hours on that project. He worked 3 hours - at about 30 words per minute. That's what I think.
So, obviously I shouldn't have paid him the money...but I just wanted to close the situation and move on.
So, I've learned a couple of lessons now. Expensive, but I've learned 'em. Later on tonight I'm going to work on my newspaper clippings for exactly 1 hour. At the end of that hour I will know exactly how many pieces were done, and I will type up instructions for my next person which will state that I expect her to get that many pieces done each hour. She'll have the option to disagree with that production rate and decline the job - but if she agrees to it, then that's how I will pay her.
As for the typing... I've got to earn a few more bucks from Elance before I can have someone work on that project again. Then I'll advertise it in Craigs List again at a flat rate of $24 - 3 hours at $8 an hour, for someone who can type at least 70 wpm. If someone takes it, fine. If not, fine also. (And at the end of three hours however much that person gets done will give me an idea if I'm justified in my rage right now, or not. I'm thinking I'm quite justified, but we'll see.)
From now on, that's the way I'll be working.
So, sorry for the rant. I feel better now.
Hard to get good help these days
Today I'm just going to vent about what's been going on in my life recently. I am not a happy camper.
I am so busy running my various websites that I don't have time to work on my own projects - my newspaper clippings and a shipwreck database. Since I've got some extra money coming in these days thanks to Elance, I decided I'd go ahead and advertise for help on my local Craigs List and pay some entry level people to do the work for me.
So first I tried my newspaper clippings project. Woman did 9 hours before she said she had to stop as her husband was being transferred. (Military). So I came and picked up the material I'd given her - several boxes, etc, with instructions to separate out pages that had articles on both sides (since she didn't have a copier). Well, she'd filed things in appropriate files as I'd asked her, but she hadn't separated out the pages. And, from my experience doing the same work, there wasn't 9 hours of work there. 5 hours, maybe. *Maybe*
I didn't say anything, I just paid her for 9 hours and took the stuff away. Then I re-did the ad and lowered the pay rate, and got someone else who is going to start after the new year. I'll institute a few more controls - telling her exactly how many pieces of paper I expect to be done in an hour, etc., so she knows what to shoot for.
Then, there was the illustration fiasco, which I believe I talked about here. I do have someone lined up but since I'm about to have to overpay on yet another project I'm not sure if I'm going to go through with this one.
I've got a notebook full of shipwreck articles. Each one about 500 words long, if that. I wanted them typed into a word processing file. From there I'd take the information cotained within, massage the data (since to upload articles "as is" would be to violate their copyright) and then upload them onto the web.
I counted out those articles, and there were 60 of them. The guy who I chose for the job said he could type 70 words a minute. As I handed over the stuff, I said, "It shouldn't take you more than three hours." And I agreed to pay $8 an hour.
So, two days later he calls me and asks me if I want him to continue with the job, as he's worked for *10* hours and is only half way through. There's 116 articles there, he says.
And I was just flabbergasted. I wouldn't have minded so much paying this guy $80 for the project if he'd actually finished it, but to tell me he's worked for 10 hours and isn't even halfway through - that is just plumb ridiculous.
Obviously, he should have stopped work at 3 hours, seen how much longer it was going to take him, and called me then, not done 7 extra hours and *then* called me.
And he's sent me everything he's done...and it's obvious from that as well that there's not 10 hours worth of work there...at least not for a typist who can type 70 wpm.
I was extremely tempted to tell him to keep all the stuff I'd given him and whistle and wait for his money, but finally I thought, no, just pay him off and take this as a lesson. Either he's deliberately cheating me or he simply has no idea how to conduct business. If someone expects a task to take only 3 hours, and you can tell at the end of 3 hours it's going to take much longer, you contact the person THEN. You don't do an additional 7 hours work. Or if you DO do an additional 7 hours work, you finish the job in that time.
So, I'm not too happy right now. On top of that I've been redesigning my The Thunder Child site, and since I don't have a content management system I'm having to redo each page separately and that's taking forever. I didn't want to have the expense of a content management system - also I like the freedom of being able to modifying the layout of a particular page if it's necessary for the look of the article - but the time I've wasted --- I'm changing my header to remove the banner advertising I'd put up there, which I've decided looks tacky, as well as not generating any money-- is just too much.
I'm going to have to go see Night at the Museum this afternoon to cheer myself up. 3 hours out of my day that I can ill-afford, but I need a break!
I am so busy running my various websites that I don't have time to work on my own projects - my newspaper clippings and a shipwreck database. Since I've got some extra money coming in these days thanks to Elance, I decided I'd go ahead and advertise for help on my local Craigs List and pay some entry level people to do the work for me.
So first I tried my newspaper clippings project. Woman did 9 hours before she said she had to stop as her husband was being transferred. (Military). So I came and picked up the material I'd given her - several boxes, etc, with instructions to separate out pages that had articles on both sides (since she didn't have a copier). Well, she'd filed things in appropriate files as I'd asked her, but she hadn't separated out the pages. And, from my experience doing the same work, there wasn't 9 hours of work there. 5 hours, maybe. *Maybe*
I didn't say anything, I just paid her for 9 hours and took the stuff away. Then I re-did the ad and lowered the pay rate, and got someone else who is going to start after the new year. I'll institute a few more controls - telling her exactly how many pieces of paper I expect to be done in an hour, etc., so she knows what to shoot for.
Then, there was the illustration fiasco, which I believe I talked about here. I do have someone lined up but since I'm about to have to overpay on yet another project I'm not sure if I'm going to go through with this one.
I've got a notebook full of shipwreck articles. Each one about 500 words long, if that. I wanted them typed into a word processing file. From there I'd take the information cotained within, massage the data (since to upload articles "as is" would be to violate their copyright) and then upload them onto the web.
I counted out those articles, and there were 60 of them. The guy who I chose for the job said he could type 70 words a minute. As I handed over the stuff, I said, "It shouldn't take you more than three hours." And I agreed to pay $8 an hour.
So, two days later he calls me and asks me if I want him to continue with the job, as he's worked for *10* hours and is only half way through. There's 116 articles there, he says.
And I was just flabbergasted. I wouldn't have minded so much paying this guy $80 for the project if he'd actually finished it, but to tell me he's worked for 10 hours and isn't even halfway through - that is just plumb ridiculous.
Obviously, he should have stopped work at 3 hours, seen how much longer it was going to take him, and called me then, not done 7 extra hours and *then* called me.
And he's sent me everything he's done...and it's obvious from that as well that there's not 10 hours worth of work there...at least not for a typist who can type 70 wpm.
I was extremely tempted to tell him to keep all the stuff I'd given him and whistle and wait for his money, but finally I thought, no, just pay him off and take this as a lesson. Either he's deliberately cheating me or he simply has no idea how to conduct business. If someone expects a task to take only 3 hours, and you can tell at the end of 3 hours it's going to take much longer, you contact the person THEN. You don't do an additional 7 hours work. Or if you DO do an additional 7 hours work, you finish the job in that time.
So, I'm not too happy right now. On top of that I've been redesigning my The Thunder Child site, and since I don't have a content management system I'm having to redo each page separately and that's taking forever. I didn't want to have the expense of a content management system - also I like the freedom of being able to modifying the layout of a particular page if it's necessary for the look of the article - but the time I've wasted --- I'm changing my header to remove the banner advertising I'd put up there, which I've decided looks tacky, as well as not generating any money-- is just too much.
I'm going to have to go see Night at the Museum this afternoon to cheer myself up. 3 hours out of my day that I can ill-afford, but I need a break!
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Granny Basketball
If you're a woman in your 70s, or know of one who is, then you've got to show them this clip!
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Merry Christmas!
Yes, I wish everyone a merry Christmas - this regardless of your religious affiliation. I myself am an atheist, but it's the idea of the Season that I wish for everyone - peace on earth, goodwill to Men. (As in, all people, men and women.)
www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7 is the link for BBC radio 7. I've been remiss in daily listing the Sci fi stuff they've got on offer. You've missed part 1 of Out of the Silent Planet. You've also missed Parts 1 and 2 of the Paul McGann Doctor Who Chimes of Midnight. I'd enjoyed the War of the Worlds takeoff they'd done, but this one was just too grim - all about the murder of a servant in Edwardian London - and I decided I wasn't in the mood for it.
www.radiospirits.com is the home of American Old time radio. Stan Freberg (not Frieberg, or Freiberg, which is how I thought this was supposed to be spelled, even though I must have seen it spelled properly dozens of times. It's like Quartermass vs Quatermass - we see what we expect to see) hasn't been the host since October 6, 2006, according to Wikipedia, but it doesn't say why he's no longer there. COnsidering that he is 80 years old and was still broadcasting, I'm assuming it's ill health rather than a desire to retire that has made this occur.
Classic radio bit, which Freburg put on his record album is most famous for a bit in which, through the magic of sound effects, Freberg drained Lake Michigan and refilled it with hot chocolate, whipped cream, and a cherry, saying, "Let's see them do that on television!"
Anyway, looks like they're changing the Radio Spirits site. It's been a month since I've been there, and I no longer see the Archives and the Upcoming Schedule! How stupid is that?
www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7 is the link for BBC radio 7. I've been remiss in daily listing the Sci fi stuff they've got on offer. You've missed part 1 of Out of the Silent Planet. You've also missed Parts 1 and 2 of the Paul McGann Doctor Who Chimes of Midnight. I'd enjoyed the War of the Worlds takeoff they'd done, but this one was just too grim - all about the murder of a servant in Edwardian London - and I decided I wasn't in the mood for it.
www.radiospirits.com is the home of American Old time radio. Stan Freberg (not Frieberg, or Freiberg, which is how I thought this was supposed to be spelled, even though I must have seen it spelled properly dozens of times. It's like Quartermass vs Quatermass - we see what we expect to see) hasn't been the host since October 6, 2006, according to Wikipedia, but it doesn't say why he's no longer there. COnsidering that he is 80 years old and was still broadcasting, I'm assuming it's ill health rather than a desire to retire that has made this occur.
Classic radio bit, which Freburg put on his record album is most famous for a bit in which, through the magic of sound effects, Freberg drained Lake Michigan and refilled it with hot chocolate, whipped cream, and a cherry, saying, "Let's see them do that on television!"
Anyway, looks like they're changing the Radio Spirits site. It's been a month since I've been there, and I no longer see the Archives and the Upcoming Schedule! How stupid is that?
Friday, December 22, 2006
Uncommon courtesy
Since courtesy doesn't appear to be common anymore, "Uncommon courtesty" is a more accurate title of this entry. There's all too little uncommon courtesy out in the business world these days.
If you go to any usenet board discussing sports, film, whatever, you'll find that rudeness is the order of the day. There's always at least one person on any board who likes to stir up trouble, and there are always a few others who will respond to newbie questions with sarcasm, etc. etc. People like to put other people down in order to puff themselves up.
And that's annoying, not so much that they're rude as that it heightens one's curiosity - are they as big-mouthed in their private lives as they are in the anonymity of cyberspace? I'd really like to know!
Anyway, my tale today is of two people, both of whom are just starting out in their careers, both of whom have just lost any chance of employment from me.
A couple of weeks ago I decided I wanted to find an artist to draw illustrations for a young adult book I'm writing. So I placed an ad in Craig's List, in the one for my local area.
I got one response with samples enclosed, from an artist who did good work but not in the way I liked. His work was more of a "hang on the wall" static, variety. So I said thanks but no thanks.
Then I got an email out of the blue from someone who was just the epitome of a conceited young man. (The kind who thinks he knows it all and can do it better than anyone else in his field, despite the fact that others have 30 years experience and he's just out of college -- I've seen them several times in my various places of employment.)
Anyway, I had offered $10 per illustration, and wanted 10 illustrations, of which 5 would illustrate action from the book, and the others would be simple generic drawings like fish or shells. And I specified I wanted line drawings. Not too time consuming, I thought. I'd seen caricaturists in malls draw people in five minutes, for that price, so I assumed it'd be a good 'entry-level' wage.
This guy didn't see it that way. "Takes 2-4 hours to do a decent illustration, and you want 10, that's not even minimum wage."
Now, if he had said just that, and that alone, I would have emailed him back and said, "Okay, I hadn't realized. Send me some samples and tell me what you'd like per each, and let's discuss it."
But that's not what he did. His entire message to me was redolent of sarcasm, as he accused me of trying to get something for nothing, and told me I should "dip a finger in some lampblack, draw as best I could, and tell my readers it was abstract art."
And I'm looking at this message and feeling kind of shocked. If the rate of pay isn't up to snuff for you, just laugh, shake your head, and move on. But this guy chose to contact me and bawl me out, and so I'm the one shaking the head.
So I emailed him back and said, "Hey, thanks for educating me, I hadn't realized. Had you done so in a professional manner, we could have discussed it and you might be looking at a job right now. But since you chose to be a smartass about it, you're not getting this job, you're not getting any jobs from me in the future, and you won't be getting any jobs from my friends whom I could have steered your way."
And, heck, potentially that could have added up to ("added up" being the operative phrase) some big bucks for this guy. I have several websites to which I'd like to add illustrations, and if I'd liked this guy's work he could have had those jobs. I know other people with websites, or who want books published and need illustrations, and he could have had *those* jobs.
But because he just *had* to put down a total stranger and exercise his cleverness and wit, he lost out on it all.
Then I got another response, from a young woman this time, who didn't have a problem with the $10 per illustration. But, the samples she sent me were of murals, not of actual illustratiuve art. So I sent her an example of a woman diver - who looked the way I wanted this woman's stuff to look, and said, hey, this is a test, redraw this for me very quickly (because I didn't want her to have to spend a lot of time on it).
And she misunderstood what I wanted, and thought I was going to send her clipart for her to redraw, and she thought she'd be cheating if she did that.
And, if she had voiced this concern in a professional manner, I could have said, "No, you misunderstood, it was just a test."
But she didn't. She went all ballistic and sarcastic on me, and I'm reading her illiterate rant and just throwing up my hands thinking, "Is no one teaching these kids manners or common courtesy or how to communicate in a professional manner any more?"
These kids have been watching too much American Idol, or sitcoms in which the people sit around exchanging verbal abuse, and think that they can get away with it in real life as well.
So, anyway, I emailed the woman back and said "Good luck in your future career."
The ad has another two weeks to run. I wonder who will email me next?
If you go to any usenet board discussing sports, film, whatever, you'll find that rudeness is the order of the day. There's always at least one person on any board who likes to stir up trouble, and there are always a few others who will respond to newbie questions with sarcasm, etc. etc. People like to put other people down in order to puff themselves up.
And that's annoying, not so much that they're rude as that it heightens one's curiosity - are they as big-mouthed in their private lives as they are in the anonymity of cyberspace? I'd really like to know!
Anyway, my tale today is of two people, both of whom are just starting out in their careers, both of whom have just lost any chance of employment from me.
A couple of weeks ago I decided I wanted to find an artist to draw illustrations for a young adult book I'm writing. So I placed an ad in Craig's List, in the one for my local area.
I got one response with samples enclosed, from an artist who did good work but not in the way I liked. His work was more of a "hang on the wall" static, variety. So I said thanks but no thanks.
Then I got an email out of the blue from someone who was just the epitome of a conceited young man. (The kind who thinks he knows it all and can do it better than anyone else in his field, despite the fact that others have 30 years experience and he's just out of college -- I've seen them several times in my various places of employment.)
Anyway, I had offered $10 per illustration, and wanted 10 illustrations, of which 5 would illustrate action from the book, and the others would be simple generic drawings like fish or shells. And I specified I wanted line drawings. Not too time consuming, I thought. I'd seen caricaturists in malls draw people in five minutes, for that price, so I assumed it'd be a good 'entry-level' wage.
This guy didn't see it that way. "Takes 2-4 hours to do a decent illustration, and you want 10, that's not even minimum wage."
Now, if he had said just that, and that alone, I would have emailed him back and said, "Okay, I hadn't realized. Send me some samples and tell me what you'd like per each, and let's discuss it."
But that's not what he did. His entire message to me was redolent of sarcasm, as he accused me of trying to get something for nothing, and told me I should "dip a finger in some lampblack, draw as best I could, and tell my readers it was abstract art."
And I'm looking at this message and feeling kind of shocked. If the rate of pay isn't up to snuff for you, just laugh, shake your head, and move on. But this guy chose to contact me and bawl me out, and so I'm the one shaking the head.
So I emailed him back and said, "Hey, thanks for educating me, I hadn't realized. Had you done so in a professional manner, we could have discussed it and you might be looking at a job right now. But since you chose to be a smartass about it, you're not getting this job, you're not getting any jobs from me in the future, and you won't be getting any jobs from my friends whom I could have steered your way."
And, heck, potentially that could have added up to ("added up" being the operative phrase) some big bucks for this guy. I have several websites to which I'd like to add illustrations, and if I'd liked this guy's work he could have had those jobs. I know other people with websites, or who want books published and need illustrations, and he could have had *those* jobs.
But because he just *had* to put down a total stranger and exercise his cleverness and wit, he lost out on it all.
Then I got another response, from a young woman this time, who didn't have a problem with the $10 per illustration. But, the samples she sent me were of murals, not of actual illustratiuve art. So I sent her an example of a woman diver - who looked the way I wanted this woman's stuff to look, and said, hey, this is a test, redraw this for me very quickly (because I didn't want her to have to spend a lot of time on it).
And she misunderstood what I wanted, and thought I was going to send her clipart for her to redraw, and she thought she'd be cheating if she did that.
And, if she had voiced this concern in a professional manner, I could have said, "No, you misunderstood, it was just a test."
But she didn't. She went all ballistic and sarcastic on me, and I'm reading her illiterate rant and just throwing up my hands thinking, "Is no one teaching these kids manners or common courtesy or how to communicate in a professional manner any more?"
These kids have been watching too much American Idol, or sitcoms in which the people sit around exchanging verbal abuse, and think that they can get away with it in real life as well.
So, anyway, I emailed the woman back and said "Good luck in your future career."
The ad has another two weeks to run. I wonder who will email me next?
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
December articles at The Thunder Child
The Thunder Child has changed from a monthly ezine to a daily/weekly ezine - with new articles, reviews etc. being uploaded on a regular basis.
For December so far, here's what's been uploaded.
Critical Mass:
Atlantis Found, by Clive Cussler
Atlantis and Cold Nazi Gold, in Clive Cussler's Atlantis Found
Book review:
James Bama: American Realist, by Brian M. Kane
In Memorium:
Nigel Kneale. A summary of his science fiction work, complete with Five Million Miles to Earth trailer!
Book review:
Fledgling, by Octavia Butler
Movie Music:
The Music's By Barry. John Barry.
Movie Review:
Casino Royale, 2006
TV:
British Sci Fi: 1992
New Store For Christmas:
Science Magazines for Kids and Adults
TV:
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea: A Retrospective
Books:
The Honor Harrington Series: A Checklist
Book Reviews:
Armageddon's Children, by Terry Brooks
For December so far, here's what's been uploaded.
Critical Mass:
Atlantis Found, by Clive Cussler
Atlantis and Cold Nazi Gold, in Clive Cussler's Atlantis Found
Book review:
James Bama: American Realist, by Brian M. Kane
In Memorium:
Nigel Kneale. A summary of his science fiction work, complete with Five Million Miles to Earth trailer!
Book review:
Fledgling, by Octavia Butler
Movie Music:
The Music's By Barry. John Barry.
Movie Review:
Casino Royale, 2006
TV:
British Sci Fi: 1992
New Store For Christmas:
Science Magazines for Kids and Adults
TV:
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea: A Retrospective
Books:
The Honor Harrington Series: A Checklist
Book Reviews:
Armageddon's Children, by Terry Brooks
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Fat vs Hair
I'm staying up way past my bedtime, watching a show called The King of Queens. I've only watched bits and pieces of it before...but I've never cared for it. Basically, an overweight guy is happily married to a slender, beautiful woman. Anyone ever see a sitcom where a plain, overweight woman is happily married to a handsome, in shape man?
The episode tonight that I'm going to watch til its conclusion is one in which the husband Doug had intended to lose 25 pounds to go to his high school reunion. But he can't stand to drink lite beer so he says, I am what I am, and he gives up on his weight loss plan. So he tells his wife that she'll have to look good for the both of them. But, he doesn't like her new hair style - she's got it up in a bun, and doesn't want her to go to his reunion looking like that.
So the wife asks Doug's friend what he thinks of her hair, he tells her its ugly, and so she decides to wear it down, despite the fact that she likes it and her female friends tell her it looks good. She goes to her husband's reunion, where he shows her off as a beautiful woman, and she cooperates to show off her body to his ex class mates.
So what's the message being given out by this particular episode? The guy has a lousy job but because he's got a beautiful wife he can hold his own with the other guys who makes tons of money? [We see no old female classmates whom can comment on how much extra weight he's put on to the wife...] So the fact that *he* is a fat slob makes no nevermind.
And the show has just ended and because the late librarian at the school used to wear her hair in a bun, and looks like a bad tempered spinster, the wife decides to remove the bun.
Exactly how I thought this predictable episode would end.
Piece of crap.
The episode tonight that I'm going to watch til its conclusion is one in which the husband Doug had intended to lose 25 pounds to go to his high school reunion. But he can't stand to drink lite beer so he says, I am what I am, and he gives up on his weight loss plan. So he tells his wife that she'll have to look good for the both of them. But, he doesn't like her new hair style - she's got it up in a bun, and doesn't want her to go to his reunion looking like that.
So the wife asks Doug's friend what he thinks of her hair, he tells her its ugly, and so she decides to wear it down, despite the fact that she likes it and her female friends tell her it looks good. She goes to her husband's reunion, where he shows her off as a beautiful woman, and she cooperates to show off her body to his ex class mates.
So what's the message being given out by this particular episode? The guy has a lousy job but because he's got a beautiful wife he can hold his own with the other guys who makes tons of money? [We see no old female classmates whom can comment on how much extra weight he's put on to the wife...] So the fact that *he* is a fat slob makes no nevermind.
And the show has just ended and because the late librarian at the school used to wear her hair in a bun, and looks like a bad tempered spinster, the wife decides to remove the bun.
Exactly how I thought this predictable episode would end.
Piece of crap.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Bad Orson Welles
Just saw this in the news today.
There was a spoof announcement, on a major Belgian television station = that the French speaking portion of the country had separated from the rest of the country. Thousands of people took it seriously and news stations and websites were inundated with questions.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6178671.stm
Considering that Belgium is part of the EEC - at least, I think it is - I don't know what the big deal is. There is no Belgium anymore, surely, it's all Euros and Europeans...
There was a spoof announcement, on a major Belgian television station = that the French speaking portion of the country had separated from the rest of the country. Thousands of people took it seriously and news stations and websites were inundated with questions.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6178671.stm
Considering that Belgium is part of the EEC - at least, I think it is - I don't know what the big deal is. There is no Belgium anymore, surely, it's all Euros and Europeans...
Sunday, December 10, 2006
And now for something completely different - sci fi!
This is a science and science fiction blog, and I've been talking about other stuff recently...
So thought I'd better have something sci fi...
Went to see The Prestige today. Didn't much care for it. But it is sci fi, or perhaps steam punk would be a better word....so I'll be writing up a review of it for this blog shortly...for all that it's been out for at least a month already!
I've never seen Blake's Seven, but I like a guy who starred in the show, Paul Darrow. He guest-starred on a Colin Baker Doctor Who, Timelash, in which he portrays a character who looks remarkably like Richard III. And funnily enough, many years later I was walking around the Renaissance festival held in Minneapolis and came across a poster stall, and saw a Richard III portrait which used Paul Darrow as the model. P.D. Breeding-Black is the artist.
Anyway, did the ol' search on Youtube and came up with this 4 minute clip of a Monty Python song by Eric Idle set to Blake's Seven. IT is really hilarious. But I'm going to have to get this series soon and check it out.
So thought I'd better have something sci fi...
Went to see The Prestige today. Didn't much care for it. But it is sci fi, or perhaps steam punk would be a better word....so I'll be writing up a review of it for this blog shortly...for all that it's been out for at least a month already!
I've never seen Blake's Seven, but I like a guy who starred in the show, Paul Darrow. He guest-starred on a Colin Baker Doctor Who, Timelash, in which he portrays a character who looks remarkably like Richard III. And funnily enough, many years later I was walking around the Renaissance festival held in Minneapolis and came across a poster stall, and saw a Richard III portrait which used Paul Darrow as the model. P.D. Breeding-Black is the artist.
Anyway, did the ol' search on Youtube and came up with this 4 minute clip of a Monty Python song by Eric Idle set to Blake's Seven. IT is really hilarious. But I'm going to have to get this series soon and check it out.
Bruce Lee
I've only seen Bruce Lee as Kato, in Marlowe with James Garner, in Longsteet, and Enter the Dragon.
There's plenty of stuff at Youtube, so I thought I'd put three of 'em here.
First one is silent, and he's showing moves out of a horse stance. The next two have sound.
There's plenty of stuff at Youtube, so I thought I'd put three of 'em here.
First one is silent, and he's showing moves out of a horse stance. The next two have sound.
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