Amazing Confluence

Pekar! Crumb! Bragg! (Billy, not Fort) Together again for the first time!

New Blog

I've found Adam Ford's blog. He seems familiar, but I can't quite place him. Like me, he's interested in NeoPulp

Something for the Simpsons fans

Of which I am, of course, one. Finally someone's done a complete map of Springfield (as of season 15)

For that special someone in your life (i.e. me) you might want to consider the poster from Cafepress

Why I can't vote Labour anymore

You see, when our contemptible wanna-be Napoleon announced his government was banning gay marriages, I thought - at least Labour will stop this blatantly wedge-driven and totally discriminatory legislation in the Senate.

Nah.

They support it! This vile manifestation of religious homophobia has bipartisan support. Now Australia is back to denying basic rights to sectors of the community. I guess it makes us feel more relaxed and comfortable.

And it's nice to know that Mark Latham has at least one point of agreement with Bush.


Fuck! Looks like I'll have to join the Democrats (though I still think "The Lie Detectors" is a really fucked slogan.)

Intellectual Property News

The BBC are not only putting their archive online, they're making it available under a Creative Commons licence.

Why should you care? Because you (if you're English) will not only be able to download old BBC TV and radio shows and put them on whatever you damn well feel like to view/listen to them, but you'll also be able to use them in any way you see fit as long as it's not for profit. And you duly credit the BBC.

This may just be the first major shift in cultural dominance from the US back to England (and Europe.) By freeing up their content, the BBC are ensuring it will be around for a lot longer than the tightly restricted content produced by US companies.

Still not excited? Better read up on your Lawrence Lessig...

Bad news for Australians, though.


Here's the ever-glorious Kate Lundy's take on the forthcoming "Free" Trade Agreement.

I didn't know she was a Neal Stephenson fan!

Looking for weapons of mass destruction?

Here they are!

[from Boing Boing]

Query of the Day

Is Michael Moore an asshole?

Andy Kaufman is still dead!

But at least he's still updating his blog.

New Addition

Added Kate Orman's Live Journal to links - I really should separate them out. I met Kate (well, formally introduced myself to her) at David and Kyla's Dawn of the Coconut party. I also need to add Andrew's blog, but the link's at home.

Ideal film location?

Photo essay of abandoned town on an uninhabited island in Japan. From Boing Boing.

Giant Robots and Death Rays

I've always wondered where mad scientists get their stuff.

Useful Tool

Tired of having to register (for "free") at news sites? Try this.

US Censorship in Action

I knew I didn't dream this. I didn't hear the exact context, but during a US news programme the camera was moved off Colin Powell while the interview was in progress. It seems that press secretaries hold the real power in Washington. Transcript courtesy of Die Puny Humans

Word for Today

I've been using Google's define function for words I don't know (a habit I'll have to maintain if I'm going to have any success as a writer.)

Today's word is: preterition

Defined as: suggesting by deliberately concise treatment that much of significance is omitted

So, if I say the latest Howard budget treats most young parents as whores, am I using preterition?

Answers in the comments, please.

Why "His Girl Friday" wouldn't be made today.

Why are most recent American films crap? Could it be the script?

Bag found!

Crisis narrowly averted. Everything was in it too. Thank you CityRail! (for once...)

Internet Justice

This is a classic story of the biter bit

What's interesting is the virtual flash mob that came into being from the bulletin board which allowed for transnational surveillance of the reverse-scam.

Imagine if this was used for political purposes....


More Writing Update

Brett and I have changed the title our radio play from Unholy Matrimony to With This Ring I Thee DEAD! which is still not the perfect title, but is misleading enough in just the right way. We both agree it makes it sound like the title to a McBain film. The performance date is either the 12th or 19th of September. We've sent the revised script off Laura and are awaiting her comments. She has also indicated that they are approaching Tex Perkins to play the priest.

This is great, but I need to get another story together in time for the Thorby Writing Group at the end of May.

Writing Update

Yesterday I found out that Brett and I have had our radio play "Unholy Matrimony" accepted by FBi for live broadcast.

So my writing tally since last year:

I-jacked - fails to place in WA convention competition
Porn Again - wins Flash Fiction at Magic Casements 1 and is published in Agog 3
Crossed Lines - a ten minute play written with Brett - gets on short list for "Short and Sweet" festival, maybe produced for festival in 2005
Remembrance Day - wins "Writer of Promise" in Conflux Short Story competition - hmmm, I'm not listed in the results
In Final Battle - wins first prize in Daikaiju Flash Fiction Competition at Conflux (though to be fair there were only two other entrants.)
Unholy Matrimony - to be performed in front of a live audience at the Sydney Opera House Drama Studio

Wow - five out of six submissions at least placing - that's not a bad average.

The trick is now keeping up the momentum.

And I wish I hadn't lost my bag last night...

Sometimes your questions get answered for you...

I was discussing with Grant a few weeks ago what happened to the Daredevil writer Anne Nocenti - now I know

I Know!

I've fallen behind (again) with postings. Will put a lot more in tomorrow (last day of holiday).

Just had to link to this - Photos of Japanese vending machines