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China Aid
Taking a page from the "million hoodies" campaign in honor of shooting victim Trayvon Martin, China Aid created this show of support for Chen Guangcheng, who is blind, with hundreds of people donning sunglasses.
Updated at 9:13 a.m. ET: After the dramatic nighttime escape of Chen Guangcheng from house arrest in his Chinese village, one of the first people to know that the blind lawyer was safe in Beijing was thousands of miles away — in Midland, Texas.
Pastor Bob Fu, 44, says he knew of Chen's escape three days before the security guards surrounding the house discovered it. He says he was among the first to receive and post a 15-minute video of Chen, made in hiding, appealing to Chinese President Wen Jiabao to bring to justice the local officials who illegally imprisoned him and his family for months. Fu says he also had a hand in preparing U.S. officials for Chen's escape and arrival at the U.S. Embassy, while also helping lay the groundwork for alternatives, the details of which he says he cannot divulge.
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Fu knows China's security apparatus from personal experience. He made his own escape from China, arriving in the United States as a refugee with his wife and newborn son 16 years ago.
Now, through his Midland-based nonprofit China Aid, Fu is one of the leading voices on behalf of religious freedom in China, connected with activists in his home country and respected on Capitol Hill.
"Bob Fu is one of the most credible people you'll ever find about what is going on in China," said Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., who chairs the Human Rights Subcommittee within the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. "He's very well connected and knows people inside of China who are the agents of reform — people like Chen who (take action) because they want a better China."
According to tax documents, China Aid has raised several million dollars to fund legal counsel for "house church Christians," financial support for the families of jailed dissidents and publicity for human rights cases in China. In extreme cases, China Aid has helped fund "logistics" for an underground railway, Fu says.
In China, worship is allowed only in state-sanctioned churches, mosques and synagogues. Evangelizing outside those sites and worshipping in independent churches, often called "house churches," is prohibited.
China censors 'Shawshank' as Clinton heads to Beijing amid dissident drama
Fu's activism goes back to the Tiananmen protests of 1989, when he led a group of fellow students from Liaocheng University in Shandong province to join the massive rallies in the capital. After the crackdown on demonstrators he was one of many student activists required to attend special political study sessions and write self-criticism day after day. He worried that he would be forced to leave his hard-won position at the university.
U.S. relations with China are being put to the test over the fate of Chen Guangcheng, a blind Chinese dissident who escaped from house arrest in China and is believed to be in the U.S. embassy or another safe site. NBC's Ian Williams reports.
During this time, Fu said, he read a book given to him by American missionaries who were teaching English in China. It was the story of a famous Chinese intellectual who was addicted to opium in the early 1900s, but was able to shake the drug after he converted to Christianity.
"I was really, really struck by the story," Fu said, in an interview with msnbc.com. "I came to the realization if you want to change China, the first thing you need to do is change people's hearts. And if you want to change other people's hearts, you first you have to change yourself."
Jerry Huang / AP
Bob Fu of the Texas-based rights group China Aid in Midland, Texas on Monday.
Fu and his wife, Heidi Cai, began holding underground worship services and Bible studies, he said. At the same time, he was teaching English at the Communist Party School in Beijing.
"I was God's double-agent," he said, chuckling.
In 1996, they were arrested and held in jail for two months, and then placed under house arrest, Fu said. Then they received word that they soon would be jailed again, he said, in the "sweep" that preceded China's Oct. 10 National Day.
By this time, Fu's wife was pregnant with their first child, he said, but without the necessary permission from the government, which controls when a woman is allowed to have her one child. If she had been found out, she would be forced to have an abortion, Fu said.
So in the dark of night, Fu escaped through a second-story bathroom window and Cai left in disguise, he said. They fled to the countryside, Fu said, where they were protected by "house church brothers and sisters."
Fu said that with the shelter of this network, the help of a Christian policeman and travel documents obtained by a highly placed businessman, they were able to join a tour that went to Thailand and then Hong Kong, which was still under British control. Just three days before the territory was transferred to Chinese sovereignty, Fu and his wife were give refugee status, and flew to the United States.
NBC sources: Blind activist is under US protection
Fu and Cai lived in a suburb of Philadelphia, where he started China Aid in his garage while attending Westminster Theological Seminary. They later moved to Midland, Texas, where they are raising their three children.
What prompted Fu to set up China Aid was a 2002 crackdown on a group of Christians in a house church in Hubei province that led to many arrests, among them five people who were sentenced to death, he said.
Fu and a group of contacts in the Christian, dissident and exile communities started publicizing the case and raising money, he said. Ultimately, Fu said, they used the funds to pay for 58 lawyers to defend the accused. They contacted the media, making the front page of The New York Times and The Washington Post.
Andrea Mitchell talks with Bob Fu, founder and president of China Aid, and Christopher Johnson, former China analyst with the CIA, about Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng's escape from house arrest under the Chinese government, and his current location in U.S. custody.
"That year, all the five death sentences were overturned," Fu said. "It was a major legal victory, and even the 'evil cult' charge was removed."
A group of activists who came of age as he did during the Tiananmen movement, are now human rights lawyers, many of them Christian, he said. Fu said he taps into this network, and links them to Washington by picking up the phone.
'Little ants'
Fu compares himself and fellow human rights activists to "little ants" forcing "one case after another into courts, moving around and mobilizing and going through all the technical procedures" in place under China's laws, but often not observed or even taken seriously by officials.
"We want to move the pile of dirt with 1 million ants," he said.
"I had never envisioned or wanted to establish (a nonprofit) like this," he said, but now that China Aid is nearly 10 years old, Fu is gratified by some success. "We can help the persecuted, and we did advance rule of law," he said.
China Aid is doggedly following and publicizing many human rights cases around China, Fu said.
"You can write to imprisoned Christians to encourage them and to let them know that you are praying for them," through China Aid, the website says.
Video reveals blind Chinese activist's plight
Fu's group also prints and distributes Bibles in China.
For Fu, the escape of Chen was a major triumph, but it also has generated new concerns — for the wife and daughter of Chen, and for those who helped get Chen to safety.
In an opinion piece published in the Washington Post on Monday, Fu calls out the bravery of one such supporter, He "Pearl" Peirong, who drove Chen the 300 miles to Beijing after he escaped over a compound wall in Shandong.
"I am awed by the courage of those who helped Chen escape. Pearl told me she is willing to die with Chen because he is such a 'pure-hearted courageous person'," Fu wrote. "I was talking to her last week when she said 'guobao laile,'— that state security had arrived."
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text: Lightning over Naples 31 October 2011 david Life ...also during our holiday, we experienced quite a spectacular thunderstorm. When the storm was in the distance (over Naples) we went onto the roof of our hotel and tried to take some photos. The chances of clicking the shutter at *exactly* the right moment were remote. But you don't know unless you try. So I was delighted to get this shot: Wow, nice one! I was really happy to have gotten that. But we saw loads of similar strikes, at one point we saw two at the same time, one either side of Mount Vesuvius - impressive.

subset: commoncrawl


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Our Forgotten World Rail Trail Adventure
An exceptional North Island journey experienced by modified golf buggy - truly off the beaten track.
1 / 5
If I had to sum up our day trip along the Forgotten World Highway, I'd use one word - exceptional. One of New Zealand's most secluded roads, it runs 148km between Stratford in Taranaki and Taumarunui in King Country. But this was to be a journey not by car, but by golf buggy.
Laura and I arrived in Taumaranui the night before our adventure and stayed at the Forgotten World Motel which has been neatly restored. The next day there was a short transfer to the starting point of the trip, which we would make aboard the modified golf carts that roll along the railway tracks. The mechanics of the carts are fairly simple - you just accelerate and brake as needed and follow your guide who is in the leading cart.
The railway we travelled along in our wee carts follows the Forgotten World Highway as it passes through the heart of the North Island. A colossal railway network complete with numerous tunnels was originally built in the early 1900's, and it was much used when the area prospered back in the coal mining days. Now the region is mostly deserted.
On the first part of the trip we headed through rolling green farmland complete with grazing sheep, passing by the ruins of old cars, vintage tractors and abandoned cottages - it really felt like we had stepped into yesteryear. We were amazed to discover that one particular valley home to only a couple of houses was once a thriving village of over 3000 people!
The second part of the trip in the afternoon took us through lush native New Zealand forest that is completely untouched, it has remained the same since the first immigrants settled here, whether Maori or Pakeha. The contrast with the earlier stage was striking.
As the day drew to a close we arrived in the "Republic of Whangamomona". This self-proclaimed nation was dreamt up in 1989 in protest at the New Zealand government's decision to make the town part of the Wanganui region rather than leaving it as part of Taranaki. Every 2 years a new president of the republic is elected. None of this is officially recognised of course - but it is nonetheless the perfect excuse for holding a huge biannual local fair which is a source of pride for the town's 15 residents.
We made sure to get our passports stamped at the Whangamomona Hotel where decades of photos of the local rugby team are proudly displayed. The local team is quite distinctive as they are the only rugby team in New Zealand that is authorised to play in black uniforms besides the mighty All Blacks themselves.
This was without a doubt one of the best activities we have tried out when it comes to experiencing an authentic, off the beaten track experience. The pace is gentle, leaving you time to soak up the scenery, snap some great photos, and converse with your local guide and fellow travelling companions.


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We have a range of vehicles to suit your journey by the hour or the day located in convenient locations across the UK.
Small city car, roomy estate or spacious van? You decide.
Or, request a call back if you have questions.
Our Clubhouse team will call you back within 24 hours.


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Every time someone I know gets a job in New York, they always move to Brooklyn.
I have no idea why. Brooklyn is overpriced, inauthentic and hard to get to. I blame the show "Girls" for the misconception that it's a great place to live.
And unless you're a member of the lower aristocracy, there's no way you're comfortably living in Manhattan fresh out of school.
When the local paper of record is writing multiple trend pieces about people enthusiastically living in glorified closets, you know something is seriously screwed up about your real estate market.
However, there is an answer. Across the river from Manhattan, a brief PATH ride away, is a modern paradise of inexpensive rents, authentic humans, and thriving culture.
If you're working in New York on a budget, you're a complete fool to live there and not in Jersey City. Here's why.
Source: Neighborhood Scout Jersey City, Brooklyn


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From Openmoko
The LM4857 is an audio power amplifier and part of the Neo1973 audio subsystem. It's connected to the VB power rail (battery terminal voltage) for power and thus needs to be powered off separately from the main system.
The audio power output may vary as the battery discharges:
- 0.5W per-channel stereo speaker output, used for the main speakers (LLS+- and RLS+-)
- 33mW per-channel stereo headphone output (32 ohms), for the headset (LHP and RHP)
- 43mW mono earpiece output, for the earpiece (EP+-)
- Line-out, unused.
The stereo (LIN and RIN) input is connected to WM8753. The mono (MIN) input is not used.
Mixer settings starting "Amp" control it via I2C, including:
- Amp Mode: Off (mode 0), Call Speaker (mode 6), Stereo Speakers (mode 7), Stereo Speakers + Headphones (mode 8), Headphones (mode 9)
- The volume controls Amp Left and Amp Right, and Amp Mono
- Amp Earpiece 6dB toggle amplifies the call speaker output


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Directly over the Hairless Ape's shoulder is another person who makes me suspicious; I suspect that Jim may have actually hired a waterhead for piano duties. I know waterhead is not a nice word, but I first heard it from Jim's own mouth when he used it to describe a retarded person. And I think that's what I'm seeing wearing a blue vest and pounding away on the Morningside piano right now. Maybe Slick Jim reversed the musician payment deal on him, telling him that instead of being paid to play on the show, he has to pay Jim to play. However it happened, somehow, some way, he's there.
F-B: Hairless Ape, Waterhead, Morningside Strangler
I don't know where in the hell the old piano player Chubbs went. The band is probably wondering the same thing. That is, except for Guitarist Joey. As discussed a few times over the past year, I suspect the smooth-handed Joey may be moonlighting as the Morningside Strangler, luring people into his van to check out 8-tracks, then giving his smooth hands a workout. I don't think Joey's wondering about Chubbs:
[Drummer] "Hey Joey, you seen Chubbertini around lately?"
Guitarist Joey: "Ain't nobody seeing Chubbs again."[Guitarist Joey] [dismissive tone] "Nah, I ain't seen him."[Pops the Bass Player] "Say, wasn't he going to help you install a tape deck in your van last weekend?"[Joey] [gruffly] "He didn't show up."[Pops] [innocently] "Didn't show up? That's strange. it's not like Chubbs to not meet his appointments. Say, you don't have his number lying around do ya? Maybe you can call him up?"[Joey] [eyes lower threateningly] "No pops, I don't have his number lying around."[Pops] "Joey, calm down will ya? I just wanna find out where he is, maybe ask around a bit to see if anyone's seen him."[Joey] [smirking] "Ain't nobody seeing him, pops."
And now this new, defenseless piano player has been dropped in there with Joey, defenseless as a feed mouse in a snake tank. Will the Morningside Strangler strike again?
|Did Jim just return from Florida?
Larry Bates is on the witness stand. The tense courtroom is packed with onlookers and media. Ron Johnson sits behind his lawyer's desk, a blue-plumed bird perched protectively on his shoulder. Twelve jurors listen intently as Bates is questioned.
[Defense Attorney] "Mr Bates, can you describe the word 'integrity' to me please?"[Larry Bates] "Sure. Integrity is being upstanding and moral."[Defense Attorney] "How about honesty, Mr Bates? Does integrity include honesty?"[Larry Bates] "Yeah sure."[Defense Attorney] "Sure? How about 'yes' or 'no'?"[Larry Bates] [slightly ruffled] "Yes, integrity includes being honest."[DA] "And being honest means not lying, would you agree Mr Bates?"[Bates] "Yes, I would agree."[DA] "Do you have integrity, Mr Bates?"[Bates] "Of course I do. What kind of question is that?"[DA] "Very well. I would like to play you several video clips, Mr Bates. In these clips, you are going to see Jim Bakker on camera. After each clip, I will ask you one question."[Bates] [squirms in chair] "Okay."
Jim Bakker weeping uncontrollablyThe courtroom watches as video is played of Jim Bakker, fake-crying while talking about Lori's House fundraising.
[DA] "Did you see that video clearly, Mr Bates?"[Bates] "Yes."[DA] "And do you think Jim Bakker was really crying in that video, or was he faking it?"
Larry Bates appears very uncomfortable in the witness box. A long pause ensues as Larry Bates considers his answer.
[DA] "Cat got your tongue, Mr Bates?"[Bates] "I would say yes, he is really crying."[DA] "Can you repeat your answer, Mr Bates, this time addressing the jury?"
Bates turns nervously towards the jury.
[Bates] "Yes, he is really crying."[DA] "Thank you Mr Bates. Now please watch the monitor again as I play another clip for you."
Tears stream down the face of a sobbing Jim BakkerA new clip is played of Jim Bakker, this time choking up while talking about road building. A juror laughs. Bates again shifts uncomfortably in the witness box.
[DA] "Do you think Jim Bakker was really crying in that clip, Mr Bates? Or was he faking it?"[Bates] "Where is this going? What are you getting at?"[DA] "Answer the question, Mr Bates."[Bates] "I'm not answering your question."[DA] "Why not, Mr Bates?"[Bates] [angry] "Because it's a stupid question."[DA] [petitioning judge] "Your honor, can you please compel the witness to answer my question?"[Judge] "Answer the question, Mr Bates."[Bates] [turning red] "Yes, he's really crying."[DA] "Can you please repeat that to the jury so that they can hear you?"
[Bates] [turns abruptly to jury] "Yes, he's really crying."
[DA] "Mr Bates, I have one final question, just for clarification purposes. Part of having integrity means not lying, right?"
[Bates] [face has turned bright red] "That's right."[DA] "I'm done with this witness, your honor."
|Enjoying yourself in Moldova, Flip?
I'm ready to do something different, and I've already started laying the groundwork for the next chapter of my life. We're new to Colorado, and it's beautiful here dude. Lots of natural stuff to see, shit that I like. I'm actually going to take a layoff from my job pretty soon and go back to school to study the earth sciences. And I suppose Jim Bakker is going to continue doing what he does. Oh well, I've done all I can. Either good will triumph here, or it won't.


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Burn and Crossbones Business Cards
These cards were designed by the Thorburn group here in Minneapolis. They are letterpress printed with a silver ink on both sides of a custom duplex black and white stock. Custom pasting of a duplex of paper stock is a good way to make a project with look and feel unique. It's very often the best way to get both the colors and stock thickness desired for a project. And lets face it - most of the stocks available from paper companies as pre-duplexed options are pretty fugly colors and/or texture combinations. This stock is Wausau Royal Complements Eclipse Black 100lb cover pasted to 100% cotton Neenah's Crane Lettra Flo White 110lbC. For production, these two papers were pasted together, then letterpress printed.
As an end note, I worked at Thorburn several years before the jump to full time operations of Studio On Fire. Check out the Thorburn site here for some solid design work.


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Vojislav Kostunica, Serbias prime minister for the past three years, has one of the most challenging jobs in the world. He nevertheless seems at ease with that burden, and appears more confident than while he was Yugoslavias last president (2000-2003). When we met in Belgrade last week, he was as matter-of-fact about the problems he is facing as ever; but whereas in the past he had occasionally agonized about the magnitude and complexity of those problems, today he treats them as facts of life that neither intimidate nor depress him. It may be telling that in appearance he has hardly aged over the past decade, while in substance he has become the key figure on Serbias political scene for many years to come.
The most pressing of those problems is of course Kosovo. The United States, NATO and several leading European Union countries have occupied one-seventh of his countrys territory for over seven years, and the officials who run the international community appear keenfor nowto detach the southern province permanently from Serbia. Kostunicas best defense against the pressure to sign Kosovo awayand that pressure keeps coming from Washington, Brussels, London and other power centershas been to insist on the need for any solution to be legal, to conform to the letter and spirit of the international law.
The law is clear: Kosovo belongs to Serbia, and its status was reiterated in the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 that stopped NATO bombing in June 1999. Detaching it from Serbia against Belgrades will would be an unprecedented violation of the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act of 1975. Ahtisaari and his political masters know that, of course, but like to pretend that it is but a minor irritant. As Kostunica says, When we mention the need for legality, some of these officials become exasperated, even agitated. They respond with various comments to the effect that we should not be bound by mere legality.
This, Kostunica adds, reminds him of the attitude of Yugoslavias late communist dictator, Marshal Tito. When commenting on how the countrys judges should try political cases, Tito famously advised them not to stick to the law like a drunk sticks to a fence. Such attitude irritates Kostunicaa constitutional lawyer, whose nickname in Serbia is the Legalistbut it does not surprise him. The whole negotiating process had been designed from the outset to lead to only one outcome: Kosovos independence, says he; and the role of the U.N. mediator, Finlands former president Marti Ahtisaari, was simply to choreograph that outcome.
Kostunicas account of Ahtisaaris bungled attempt to deliver the Serbs indicates that the promoters of the Albanian cause had selected the wrong person for the job. The Finn came to it as a self-declared proponent of detaching Kosovo from Serbia and an associate of the Soros-funded International Crisis Group, a leading pro-Albanian lobby group. Ahtisaaris opening gambit nevertheless was to try and assure Kostunica of his good intentions: he really wanted to assist Serbia, he said, in ridding herself of a problemof Kosovo, that is; and we should work together on finding the formula to make it happen smoothly and painlessly, since we (men of the world, big-time players in the international community) surely realize that Kosovo is lost to Serbia anyway.
Ahtisaaris approach may have been based on six years worth of flawed advice that he and others in the international community had received from Western diplomats in Belgrade and from a small but influential clique of pro-Western Serbian officials and analysts. All along their assumption had been that Serbia would cave in yet again and agree to Kosovos detachment, albeit with some meaningless fig leaf (conditional independence, international guarantees for minority rights, etc, etc); that Russia and China would endorse the deal at the Security Council; and that the problem would be taken off the agenda by the end of this year with the admission of yet another part of ex-Yugoslavia into the international community.
Observers agree that the nature of the new entity would be clear not so much for what Kosovo would be (an international protectorate, an EU-NATO condominium, a future province of Greater Albania) but for what it would no longer be: part of Serbia. As a Washingtonian insider has noted, The UN, the EU, the Contact Group countries, would issue the appropriate guarantees, mainly protection for the remaining Serbsand everyone would know the guarantees were just new lies on top of the old. When all the Serbs were cleared out and their holy places destroyed, there would be expressions of regret from Washington, Brussels, London, etc: Indeed, how sad. How unfortunate that these Serbs should have made themselves so hated.
The belief that this scenario might work was reinforced by none other than President Boris Tadics chief foreign policy advisor Vuk Jeremic, one of very few Serbian enthusiasts for John Kerrys victory in November 2004. Mr. Jeremic (who happens to be a Muslim on his mothers side) came to Washington on 18 May 2005 to testify in Congress on why Kosovo should stay within Serbia; but in some of his off-the-record conversations he assured his hosts that the task is really to sugar-coat the bitter pill that Serbia will have to swallow anywayand to ensure that the nationalist Radical Party does not score excessive gains in the process.
When confronted with Kostunicas polite but firm refusal to operate on those assumptions, Ahtisaari tried subterfuge, suggesting tête-à-tête off-the-record conversations with individual Serbian leaders. Aware of the potential for intrigue and double-dealing contingent upon such arrangements, Kostunica refused. All his meetings with Ahtisaari were strictly official, on-the-record, minuted, and attended by advisors. In the meantime the negotiations between Serbs and Albanians in Vienna, supposedly mediated by Ahtisaari, failed because they were doomed to fail. As Kostunica says, the Albanians were led to believe that they would get independence anyway, and therefore had no incentive to negotiate.
The biggest internal challenge for the prime minister was to ensure coherence of the official Serbian position, between himself, President Tadic, and foreign minister Draskovic. That has not been easy, and may have become impossible were it not for the remarkable unity of the countrys public opinion on this issue, manifested in the referendum on Serbias constitution last October that reiterated Kosovos status as integral part of Serbia. Confronted with the strength of popular sentiment, Kostunicas coalition partners and Tadicwhose Democratic Party is not in governmentrealized that breaking ranks would be tantamount to political suicide. Some of the lingering ambiguities in Belgrades leadership remain, however, and became apparent only days after our meeting when President Tadic announced that he would fight to save Kosovobut added that he does not believe that the fight would be ultimately successful.
Kostunica disagrees with that assessment, and believes that the chances of successof a compromise that would give self-rule to the Albanians but keep Kosovo within Serbias boundariesare better now than at any time since 1999. The fact that Ahtisaari felt compelled to move the deadline, long set for the end of this year, has tremendous psychological and political significance: the surest means of denial is delay. Many proponents of Kosovos independence now realize that setting a firm deadline was a grave mistake. We are witnessing a shift in momentum that does not work to their advantage.
The shift would not have been possible without Russias firm and unambiguous commitment not to support any Security Council resolution that is not acceptable to Serbia. We can only speculate whether Moscows stand would be so solid had the United States promised to treat Kosovo as a valid precedent for Transdnistria, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabakh; but having rejected any such possibility out of hand, Washington has ensured that Putin has no incentive to play ball. As for China, the danger works in the opposite direction: had Peking supported Kosovos independence, it could have facilitated the creation of a precedent that could be and therefore would be used against it vis-à-vis Taiwan (or even Tibet) at some future date.
Option B for the proponents of Kosovos independence was stated by the provinces prime minister, war criminal Agim Ceku, earlier this week: Albanians proclaim independence regardless of the UN and invite bilateral recognition by individual countries, most crucially the United States. The trouble is that the Europeans hate that option, even those (notably in London and Berlin) who are supportive of independence. Option B cannot work unless the European Union supports it as a whole, and within the EU so many countries have announced their oppositionSpain, Greece, Rumania, and Slovakia unequivocallythat it is not practicable. No individual EU country will recognize a self-proclaimed state in Kosovo unless it is an agreed policy consensually approved in Brussels. Ceku et al may try it nevertheless, but Washington is certain not to extend recognition that bypasses the Security Council if that risks a rift with the Europeans: the U.S. needs them on board to manage the mess in Afghanistan, and for the forthcoming disengagement from Iraq.
In conclusion, the untold news is that Kosovo will not become independent. The New York Times, the Washington Post and the rest of the Western mainstream will go on huffing and puffing and pretending otherwise, but there is not much they can do: Kostunica will not be duped, Serbia will not cave in, Russia will not relent, and the Albanians will not give up on what they had been promised by those who had never had the right to make the promise in the first place. They threaten renewed violence, but the threat only serves to reinforce the argument that they should not be allowed to get away with it. As Russias ambassador to the U.N. told his Western colleagues last Wednesday, you may be willing to give in to Albanian blackmail, but we are not.
As Kostunica says, once the reality sinks in well finally have some real negotiations. We do not know what the end result will be, but that is in the nature of all genuine negotiations: their outcome is unknown. Ahtisaari has failed, and his supporters are getting very nervous. As Misha Glenny confided to the former U.S. ambassador in Belgrade William Montgomery on December 7, I am seriously worried about the Kosovo situation . . . entre nous, I am very disappointed with Marttis performance.
Good. Very, very good.


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COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- In their final non-conference contest of the season, the Golden Eagles faced in-state rival Chattanooga. In a tight game, the Lady Mocs ultimately stole a 2-1 victory under the lights at Tech Softball Stadium.
Tech was held to five hits with Angi Sakamoto and Brittney Spalding both connecting for two hits apiece. Taylor Ketchum (13-8) took the loss, pitching her 15th complete game of 2013.
The Lady Mocs were the first team on the scoreboard in the first inning after a lead-off triple by Chattanooga's Sam Taylor. The following batters grounded and popped up to sophomore Hannah Eldridge at shortstop.
Tech countered in the bottom of the first as Angi Sakamoto took the lead-off position for the first time this season. Sakamoto singled down the right field line and advanced on back-to-back fielder's choice, giving Chanelle Spalding her 16th RBI of the season.
In the second, the Golden Eagles had a chance to take the lead. Brittney Spalding doubled followed by Chelsea Burgess earning a free ticket after being hit by a pitch for the 11th time this season. With batters on first and second and no outs, Madison Taylor struck out for the first out. Cortney Fy advanced both runners but grounded out on a 5-3 play. Christian Gibbs grounded out to short stop, leaving two runners in scoring position stranded.
Chattanooga scored its winning run in the third. Former Golden Eagle Tyler Templet popped out to second baseman, but Taylor collected her second hit of the game. The Lady Mocs capitalized on the next play when Sara Poteat reached on a fielder's choice, as Taylor was thrown out at second. In the next moments, most of the crowd turned away, but Poteat took advantage and stole second in the midst of Golden Eagle down time.
With the winning run in scoring position, the Lady Mocs took advantage and sent Poteat across home plate the next play. Down 2-1, the Golden Eagles prepared for a rally. Brittney Spalding sent a single up the middle, followed by a Burgess single placed runners on first and second. Both advanced on a wild pitch, but found themselves stranded at the end of the inning.
In the fifth Gibbs got a free base, and Sakamoto advanced her on a beautiful bunt, that fell just steps in front of home plate. Eldridge singled again putting runners in scoring position. Chattanooga prevented any advancement on a great catch by the second baseman on a hard driven rope shot by Kendall Hooper.
The Golden Eagles were held to one hit in the final two innings, and could never get the tying run across home plate.
Tech returns to Ohio Valley Conference action Saturday and Sunday. The Golden Eagles will take on the top two teams in the conference. Saturday the Purple and Gold face SIU Edwardsville, followed by a trip to Charleston, Ill. to take on the top seed in the West, Eastern Illinois.


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Like Scotch whisky or French cheese, Jim Byrnes just gets better with age, and St. Louis Times is the most satisfying thing he's ever committed to wax. In fact, it's one of the finest blues records ever made in Western Canada; I certainly can't think of a stronger one.
With age comes reflection, and in this case St. Louis Times finds Byrnes thinking back on his old hometown—sometimes literally, as on his own "The Journey Home", with its riverside and baseball-park memories, and sometimes through songs written in or about the landlocked port. W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues" is here, albeit in rather New Orleans–flavoured form; more distinctive is "Nadine", on which producer Steve Dawson pulls out his pedal steel in order to accentuate how songwriter and St. Louis native Chuck Berry's fusion of blues and country birthed rock 'n' roll.
Lonnie Johnson, Albert King, and Little Milton also contribute tunes, while Colin James and No Sinner's Colleen Rennison guest, making for a package that spans more than a century of blues history with both authority and elegance.


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Flow Download (PS4/PS Vita/PS3) (UK Region)
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Nitwit of the Day!
Anne Stuart couches her nitwittery behind "oh I'm always honest" and "someday I'll learn to be discreet". Honestly Anne, do you think no one from Mira will see this? Well, ok, maybe you think they should. Why? Do you think they will have some sort of Road to Damascus moment and leap up to be passionate about selling your work? Been awhile since you've worked with people if you think that's a good strategy.
Here's why dissing your publisher is stupid. It removes every desire to go the extra mile for you. Every and any.
You don't have to be grateful for the work people do for your books. Just don't trash them in public. People aren't doing all you hoped for to help you? Suck it up, welcome to the real world.
And if by some chance, you DO say something you regret, you call up or email the interviewer and say "I've been a true nitwit in that comment, please don't post it (or please delete it)". You can recover from nitwittery if you work fast. Of course you can compound it by saying "I was right" and "it's only the truth".
And if you want to comment or email me all atwitter about this post here's what I have to say to you: "I'm always honest". It's not true of course. I've learned that discretion is the better part of being a grown up.
92 comments:
- Southern Writer said...
Oh my. If you don't want your contract, I'll be happy to take your spot.
Couldn't agree more with you on Dubya Bush, though.
- 11/03/2006
- Kristin B. said...
Problem is, a lot of writers don't seem to understand that a publisher is your employer, just like, you know, people who pay you to do work for them. Would I go out and bash my employer on the internet, for all the world to see? Dear dog, no. There's this thing called a "working relationship", ya see, and I like to keep it. Mutual respect is kind of an important part of that.
Not that I think that someone shouldn't "stand up to the man" if they're getting screwed. Just don't do it in a way that jeopardizes the rest of your career.
- 11/03/2006
- Bernita said...
~waiting breathlessly for someone to burble about "the climate of fear..."~
- 11/03/2006
I couldn't agree more.
And this should include writers posting foolish things that potential readers can see. Case in point: an author sued someone for plagarism. Because of the publicity, I picked up a copy of one of the author's books to see what he'd written. At the same time, the case received a judgment, and I posted a link to a news article in my blog--just a link and something indicating the case had ended. That day, I got a comment from him that looked like he spammed every blog that mentioned the case. The comment was angry, bitter and very distasteful. So much so that I put his book down on Chapter 1 and gave it away, and I never touched one of his books again. He could have easily taken the high road and approached the court case with dignity--and probably would have gotten more readers out of it. Instead, he took the low road and spammed blogs to vent his anger.
- 11/03/2006
- ~Nancy said...
Wow. I just don't get why authors - or anyone else - would want to do this.
Sure, plenty of people here at work rub me the wrong way, but I have to work with them, so I save my rants for when I talk to my hubby at home. That way, I get it off my chest, but I don't get anyone upset at me. (How we supposed to work together if I bitch to their face?)
Might be too late, but I'd take that part of the interview (or whatever) down.
Verification: lxxnq - The sucking sound of a contract being cancelled.
- 11/03/2006
- Maya said...
Harlequin noticed all right. They're just putting the best public face on it that they can:
You have to admire them for trying to make lemonade out of lemons.
- 11/03/2006
- Laura K. said...
Maybe she thinks if she disses everyone who's ever published her, it's ok. I have to say that the interview, which has the obvious effect of making her unpopular with her publisher, doubtless also makes her unpopular with some readers. She's doesn't write the kind of thing I read, but if she did I'd be crossing her off my list for the sheer whininess of her answer.
- 11/03/2006
Making books ain't cheap. A publisher invests tens of thousands of dollars on your book, minimum. Editorial, typesetting, production, paper, printing, binding, storage, review copies, marketing, publicity...the list goes on. Guess who pays for that? Your publisher. And if your book doesn't do as well as they'd hoped, you still get to keep the advance they paid you. They're the one taking the financial risk.
Dissing your publisher (especially publicly) not only removes their desire to work for you, but it's a h-u-g-e red flag to other publishers, that you're "difficult". Sure maybe you can pull a switcheroo a coupla times, but trust me, keep with the trash talk and you're gonna be Typhoid Mary in no time.
Don't be an asshole to your supporters. You expect your readers to support you with their dollars, right? Well, your publisher already did that. So be nice.
- 11/03/2006
- Zany Mom said...
There is an extra slash in your link to Ann Stuart's page, making your link not work. Just a heads up.
- 11/03/2006
- Sarashay said...
I just worry that scam publishers like PublishAmerica will use that warning to club their authors over the head with--"See what we mean? Saying bad things about your publisher will get you in trouble!"
- 11/03/2006
- carrie_lofty said...
Link is gone :(
- 11/03/2006
- Alley Splat said...
Miss Snark, the link didn't work - try this:
verification bbaeiiu, which sounds like what her publishers'll say when they read that!
- 11/03/2006
- Simon Haynes said...
I look at my own books as if they were boxes of cereal.
Once you hand in the final manuscript book marketing has more in common with selling groceries than promoting the author's neat turn of phrase.
Stack 'em in the shops and sell them with milk for all I care.
- 11/03/2006
- Ric said...
OMG! Is it any wonder that her publishers 'lose enthusiasm' working with her?
While there may be more than a kernal of truth in what she says, does Miss Snark have a definition for prima donna?
- 11/03/2006
People have the freedom of speech. But most do not want to take responsibility for their actions. Just because you can say it doesn't mean there can't be reprecussions.
I'm sure Ms. Stuart will whine if she doesn't get the publicity, etc, she thinks she deserves. But then she'll probably just blame it on Dubya.
- 11/03/2006
- cudd said...
Miss Snark, you have a 3rd / in the http:// part that might prevent the link from loading for most people--I had to copy shortcut, paste, and edit out the error to see the link myself.
- 11/03/2006
- Wilfred the Author said...
As I was taught in my management training. Praise in Public. Reprimand in Private.
This is one nitwit of the day that I agree with.
- 11/03/2006
I've never heard a writer spout off about how truly great they are before. LOL. Wow...humility..get some.
Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.
- 11/03/2006
- Myfanwy Collins said...
Oops, there's an extra / in your link so it's creating a dead link.
- 11/03/2006
- Dave said...
I learned a long time ago not to absolutely expose myself on the internet. One time was a lesson of the early days of AOL when someone spread my home address around. Another time was from a secretary and very good friend who forced me to justify a raging, screaming, angry memo to her (Then she made me tear it up). Those taught me to be just a little prudent and circumspect about what I reveal online or in e-mails.
Her comments were indiscreet and unecessary. That's the biggest hurt - unecessary - It wasn't the forum to say those things and it isn't a confidence among friends.
- 11/03/2006
- December Quinn said...
I don't even understand her complaint. She thinks they treat publishing as a business? Oh, no!
She should be grateful they do.
- 11/03/2006
A publisher who's "about slots and numbers"? What's the world coming to?
- 11/03/2006
This is like a jackass quarterback ripping his offensive line in the newspapers for not protecting him.
Doesn't she have an agent to do her nudging and complaining for her?
How pervasive is author ignorance of how publishing works?
Because if I'm a field rep for that publisher, and she just ripped me in public, I'd just as soon bury her in the midlist the next chance I get.
- 11/03/2006
- HawkOwl said...
"Diplomacy consists in thinking twice before saying nothing."
- 11/03/2006
"Discretion is the better part of being a grown up."
Classic, quotable and eminently true. Where do I buy that bumpersticker?
- 11/03/2006
Miss Snark, the link is not working. Care to reprint the content of Anne Stuart's snarkishness?
And it seemed that the folks at MIRA have responded. These ladies have class.
- 11/03/2006
- S William said...
I ditto southern writer. I sit down. I shut up. Pounding keyboards is better than making widgets.
- 11/03/2006
- Leslea said...
That last "rats" comment really punctuated the entire rant with nastiness. Prior to that, it just sounded foolish.
- 11/03/2006
Here's an author with multiple books in print. Who's been published by some of the top houses. Who received great reviews from Publisher's Weekly for her last two books. And then she goes and crabs about how Mira doesn't love her enough. How Zebra paid her too much and let her books disappear. How Signet's enthusiasm waned.
She sounds like a spoiled brat.
- 11/03/2006
- Existential Man said...
MIRA MIRA on the wall
who's the classiest of them all?
Despite being trashed by Stuart
for not loving her enough
you're proclaiming yourselves her fans, showing all the right stuff;
she whines, she complains like a big-shot writer
rather than accept the publishing game, taking her licks like a punch-drunk fighter
the sky is the limit for an ego so inflated--
not so suprising from her mouth pop comments ill-fated;
"enough about you, lets talk about me!
I'm the best around--can't you all see?"
iboas are cute and not a moment too soon
to squelch the rantings of this crazy loon.
- 11/03/2006
- King said...
Oh god. The snippy rules and regulations of the conglomerate publishing world. I'd think you'd be grateful if a writer ripped you self-deluded insular overeductaed mandarins-- if the writer were any good.
Your focus on manners instead of ethics, knowledge, and real talent is why you're discovering no great writers. You get instead merely the apple-polishing conformists.
What writer of integrity would want anything to do with you and your endless series of hoops to jump through?
Would a Tolstoy, a Joyce, a Hemingway?
The entire lit-world is set up to shut out the independent voice.
Who are your well-hyped authors? Clueless rich kids named Pessl and Foer?
Are they telling the real story of this nation?
Do they represent authentic American culture?
If you believe they do, it shows how completely clueless the lot of you are.
Thank you.
- 11/03/2006
Now I have a question. Where is this "response" from MIRA that a few have mentioned? I didn't see anything on the link that seems to qualify. Can someone help out a potential nitwit?
Also, did anyone else notice that the Isabel Swift blog has a link to the Sobol Award? I thought that had been declared a scam ... or at least awfully darn close (if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, all that). Why would she have that on the blog?
- 11/03/2006
You know... Anne Stuart's honesty is amazingly useful to rookie authors... I've seen her speak openly and honestly like this to other published authors at conferences and found it very educational to hear her honesty about past mistakes and to hear what challenges an author at her career stage faces. We have much to learn from her, I think. But I agree she shouldn't rant about her publisher on the record...
I'm not even putting this comment on the record...
- 11/03/2006
Many years ago a couple of writers publically complained about their publishers at a convention. Said publisher heard about it and was not impressed. Long story short, these writers are in the "where are they now?" category.
Don't like what your publisher is doing? Complain to your dog, or as you say Miss Snark, suck it up.
- 11/03/2006
- Elektra said...
You shouldn't even have to complain to your dog--go to the publisher in a professional manner. Say things like "what can I do to help market?", so them, and then I bet they'll start pushing a little harder, too,
- 11/03/2006
- pooks said...
I love Sister Krissie and her work, but I'll go even farther here. Yes, bitching about your publisher in public is insane.
To bitch about print runs, shelf space, editor woes, etc. to people who would give their eyeteeth to sit where you're sitting is insensitive to say the least. For her to complain about the lack of support she got (while mentioning she got overpaid) is downright rude.
What part of her readership was supposed to care?
However, I do agree with those how have said she is generous with her advice and experience, and I hope this doesn't hurt her. Generally if the sales are there, publishers will be, too.
- 11/03/2006
I found her answer very interesting. All the publishers were at fault and lacking. When I hear that I have to wonder what she did to contribute to this relationship being the way it is? After all, she is the common demonitar. But the most telling answer was her idea of friendship.
"Loyalty, of course. Looking out for me. Taking care of me. I'm someone who takes care of the world, striding through life, never needing help until I fall apart. Really good friends step in and help, even take over. "
Perhaps we can read into her answer about friendship her attitude and expectations of her publisher?
- 11/03/2006
the whole response from Mira--a show of appreciation for her which included photos-- was taken down within 5 minutes after my "MIRA MIRA" poem above was posted as a comment...i was surprised they let it go up at all.
- 11/03/2006
- lizzie26 said...
Wow, after reading this: http://www.isabelswift.blogspot.com
I have to say, MIRA did a great job in the come-back department! Anne Stuart must be squirming. Or maybe not.
- 11/03/2006
- Demented M said...
Miss Snark:
As an agent, what would you do with a client like this?
Do you try to talk to them?
Do they go to the bottom of your priority list and you hope they move on?
What do you do when pitching the author's next project in cases like this?
- 11/03/2006
Is it just me or does the HQ blog seem to be pimping the Sobol Awards???
- 11/03/2006
King, you sound like a failed writer. Most people who write vastly overestimate their own talent, even though they may be perfectly reasonable, intelligent folks. Thus, the industry blogs are filled with bitter retorts like yours.
Publishing is a business, not wish fulfillment.
If you're not a writer, but rather a dissatisfied reader, start your own publishing company. I'm serious. It's pretty cheap to do these days and you can publish the scads of brilliant "authentic" manuscripts that will land on your doorstep every day. And you will never be fed up with the arrogant, ignorant people who all think they can do your (low-paying, often thankless, always-for-the-sheer-love-of-it) job better than you. Nope. Never.
- 11/03/2006
amazingly, the post is back up
including my poem-comment which is astonishing if you think about it...they are expressing their dedication to her and yet also allowing my poem to remain, which, if it is allowed to stay, makes the point for them at the same time they are worshipping her!
i would think Stuart herself would object to her own publisher allowing a poem critical of her behavior to remain on the site.
gotta love the workings of cyber-space!
- 11/03/2006
Hmmm... "I am a goddess." I seriously doubt the problem with any of the publishers is their fault.
- 11/03/2006
Did Anne Stuart speak out of turn? Most probably. But she's an outspoken woman, which most of the time takes the form of intelligent discourse, unconquerable humor, and genuine support for other writers. She's also a very talented writer.
As blooper of the week, her mini-moan takes the blue ribbon. But as one who admires her work and her independent spirit, I hope--no I'm sure--she'll survive all of a piece. So will Mira because of the great crew of editorial staff who work there.
One day, the writing goddess willing, I'd love to write for them--so I can moan, too.
Good people on both sides. One bit-too-loud-this-time mouth on one of them.
- 11/03/2006
- Richard Lewis said...
Well, no such thing as bad publicity.
I never heard of Anne Stuart until today. Now, if I'm in a bookstore, I'll keep an eye out for her and browse through her novels.
Sure it's stupid to diss one's publisher in public (I have a wonderful one, that means you, Ed!) but that doesn't mean A.S. is crossed off my list of authors I'm going to read.
- 11/03/2006
- Richard Lewis said...
"I'm a goddess"
Me, I see tongue in cheek. Am I the only one?
- 11/03/2006
Once you get on the other side of the publishing wall, you'll find out just how quickly that excitement can turn sour and how authors are often treated like yesterday's newspaper--the good as well as the not-so-good. It's a business, yes, it's all about money and receipts, and that means authors are routinely treated like dirt by the publishing industry (not necessarily their editors--often the editors have no say in what goes on).
So she spoke a little too openly--her bad and unfortunately, it will be remembered. However, just how many of you have gone off on your employers to your friends and coworkers? Writing isn't a perfect career, there are major disappointments in store that you feel all the more keener when you see your books remaindered, your shelf life drop to six weeks at most, and your hard work pay off in pennies. Give the woman a break--she might have just been tired and worn out that day.
- 11/03/2006
- Miss Snark said...
She may have indeed, but it's still witless to say that stuff to anyone other than your hound or sweetie or friends.
People lose their jobs for blogging about the companies they work for!
They lose jobs for writing books that don't mesh with corporate "objectivity".
You'd have to be a complete nitwit to think saying these kinds of things in a public place is a good idea.
- 11/03/2006
Bad idea, Miss Snark? Witless?
No one disagrees with you--but not bad enough for so much disparagement of a woman of value and talent.
Can we chalk it up to a bad hair day? Mira handled the incident with class, because Isabel Swift is a classy lady. Anne Stuart had a witless moment; she is not a witless woman.
- 11/03/2006
Likely Stuart's grousing would have slipped under the radar had it not appeared on this blog. Did you feel it was your duty to make a mockery of her?
I don't think, Miss Snark, that you have any inkling of how difficult it is to be a working novelist. Unless you're a bestselling author you are patronized, left out of the loop, and lied to. If you make even a peep of protest, you're considered to be difficult.
I know the "talent" in every industry is viewed with distain, but they do put the scheckles in everyone's pockets so it would be nice to be treated with just a little respect.
I agree that Stuart was shooting herself in the foot, but you didn't have to help her. This is a very tough business and working writers are the ones with the least power. Cut us a little slack would ya, Miss Great and Powerful Snark.
- 11/03/2006
Sounds like Ms. Stuart was feeling comfy and treating the interview like a chat with a pal, when she should have been thinking about how it would sound to a larger audience. It might be okay to say those things to a friend. It's unprofessional to say them publicly.
This reminds me of the first interview I gave, years ago. The interviewer was a friend, but in this case, that was lucky. When we finished she told me she would edit a few things, pointing out that I needed to be careful. When one speaks in public one must be aware of who's listening.
Think about it: famous actors, interviewed all the time, are trained by publicists and handlers. They know exactly what to say to create the effect they choose. Sarcasm, tongue-in-cheek, etc. can be misunderstood when gestures and expressions (facial and vocal) aren't part of the equation.
You can also be edited, so you'd better hope the interviewer likes you.
Something to think about for when your book sells big and you go on your own publicity tour.
- 11/03/2006
- Miss Snark said...
Peep all you want.
Just don't do it in an interview.
- 11/03/2006
- writtenwyrdd said...
I found this link some time ago. I like to call this the "Be Nice...Or Else" lesson. http://miss-read.livejournal.com/778.html
- 11/03/2006
- M. G. Tarquini said...
Lots of people forget that what goes on the internet is public. And more or less permanent.
- 11/03/2006
" I've had trouble with publishers all along. I probably shouldn't have left Avon -- they were for sale at the time I left and they didn't seem to have a business plan, so I foolishly thought I could do better"
A writer of her stature should have her own business plan. She can well afford to hire a business manager, accountant and a lawyer if need be to oversee her income.
And like it or not, she might be a writer, but she's also a BUSINESS PERSON. She can call herself a small business owner, of if you're John Grisham, a corporation. But someone in business does not do well to diss the people with whom they want to make money with.
- 11/03/2006
- docbrite said...
Kristen B, if my publisher is my employer, I wish to hell they'd offer me a nice health plan and 401K. I've always thought of myself as an independent contracter, and don't consider myself an "employee" of my publisher any more than I consider myself the employer of the guy who comes to fix my toilet (to use a particularly elegant analogy). He's employed by the plumbing company, and temporarily subcontracting for me; I'm self-employed and subcontracting for the publisher. Obviously I hope my relationship with the publisher will be somewhat longer than with the plumber, but otherwise the situations seem roughly analogous. Anyone else agree? Disagree? I'd be curious to hear others' opinions on this.
(Of course, I agree that it is foolish -- though occasionally tempting -- to publicly criticize one's publisher. Employer or not, they are certainly the hand that feeds you.)
- 11/03/2006
Man, what an amazing rush to judgement. So many authors ready to piss on their own--when one of them dares to speaks her mind.
Interesting . . .
- 11/03/2006
Talk about a storm in a D-cup.
She had a case of foot-in-mouthitis. Big whoop, we all do. Yup, even the divine Ms Snark.
And I agree with docbrite. Publishers aren't employers. There's no reason authors should kowtow to them. Openly criticize them in public forums, maybe not too smart. But beg for scraps at their table - not so much.
And "I am a goddess" - joke, people. Good grief.
- 11/04/2006
C'mon Anonymous, that level of blabberie about a working relationship (to a public audience) is a major faux pas, especially to a journalist. It does sound as if she began to think of it as a cosy chat.
Still, (not being a romance fan!) it sounds as if she is pretty d**nm sucessful writer, so she'll be just fine!
- 11/04/2006
- Christine said...
What I want to know is...
How many eggs in a Clue Cake???
- 11/04/2006
- spyscribbler said...
I made that mistake on a very private loop of ten or so people who I thought I knew personally, when directly asked by another writer about a publisher's payment record. *sigh* I answered honestly (and turns out I was mistaken about one point, too). Word gets around.
When it comes to publishers, you're not doing yourself a favor by being honest. No matter how right you are, just don't do it. No matter how much you want to warn your writer friends, just don't do it. We mended the fences, but still ... don't do it. Not ever.
- 11/04/2006
- Stacy said...
Just so there is no confusion, I unofficially represent the man, not the poor downtrodden writer.
Publishers are out there with nothing but their reputation to cover their need for great amounts of cash. If the authors they spend these wads of dough tell all and sundry that they have no business sense, can't sell worth crap and treat their authors like s**t, then this WILL impact on the goodwill they depend on to move the damned books out of the warehouse.
And I know this is not a popular opinion around here, but authors need to get over themselves. If they are all so damn terrific and don't need the services provided by an established and reputable publishing house, then they should all run down to the nearest large Printery (that's what we call them here) and pay them to do up a cover for them and produce their magical tome. I'm sure they will sell like hotcakes.
- 11/04/2006
- Melissa said...
Anon-on speaking your mind
Even little ol me knows better than to piss on a publisher. Have I had problems with them? Yep. Do I post about them? No.
I do think she has a right to say what she wants, but this wasn't the smartest thing around. I hear authors complain all the time about the attention they get from their publisher, but that is one on one, not to the world. Granted, like I said, she has a right to say what she wants, but it wasn't IMHO the smartest thing in the world to say. And to a lot of struggling writers trying to make it, I am sure it came off as whiney and snarky. I understand she is disappointed in her publishers, but airing it publicly isn't the smartest avenue to take.
- 11/04/2006
Poor judgment, maybe, but illustrative to the rest of us on how supportive (not) the big pubs can be to the name writers. I assumed pubs took some care of those who are selling well and getting lots of attention. In my view, care means promo dollars, marketing efforts, and business-type items. Not friendship. I have friends for that--I don't expect it from my publisher(s).
Guess those of us who are disappointed with small press practices had better steel ourselves for when/if we sell to bigger houses.
- 11/04/2006
Oh, spare me the litany of geniuses who'd never have been published if the publishing community had insisted on authors having a fricking clue about social interaction instead of writing talent.
If you're brilliant enough, your publisher will overlook your immature, clueless, boneheaded behavior. Guess what? Odds are really, really really good that you are not that brilliant, so don't hamstring yourself by acting stupid. And for pity's sake, learn the difference between "You will never be published if you don't conform socially" and "Don't be an idiot in public if you can help it."
- 11/04/2006
I think my DD would say the writer sounds "bragadocious." I would say it's basically too much information.
- 11/04/2006
Writers are indeed business people, and the same wisdom applies: If you must diss someone, do it where other working stiffs do it -- to your SO, to your journal, to your close friends, to your therapist, and if you need the recipient to be somebody who gets writers and you know and trust the members, to your critique group. No place else.
A publisher is not an employer. A client of your freelance writing business is not an employer. Not any more than you are your doctor's or lawyer's employer. I receive fees and royalty checks without withholdings, get 1099s rather than W2s, receive no benefits whatsoever, and do my own withholding and make estimated tax payments for my FICA and income tax. I'm an independent contractor, and everybody I work with and for wants it that way. I do too. Whether the business associate you're railing against is an employer or not -- just don't.
- 11/04/2006
- Writerious said...
Thing is, and the part that I think King and his ilk are missing out on, is while writing may be an art (or a craft, or both), publishing is a business. And when writers seek to get their work published, they are, like it or not, removing the artist (or craftperson) hat and putting on the business hat -- or should be. Publishers and agents expect a professional relationship with their authors. They're not there to coach, cajole, or babysit authors, especially those with oh-so-precious Gustav Corbet-sized "I am an artiste!" egoes.
Imagine, then, if you're in a different line of business. Let's go with the plumbing example. You run a small plumbing company. You install plumbing in newly-built houses. On your client list are several large building firms, and you've benefitted greatly from contracts with them. The business relationships with those firms have had their good and bad points. One day, the buisness reporter from local newspaper comes to interview you about your plumbing business, and ask you to tell him everything about what it's been like to work for these large building firms. So you tell him everything, good and bad, from the bonus you got from Firm XYZ for finishing the job early, to how the owner of XYZ can be a big jerk sometimes.
Day after the article comes out, the owner of XYZ calls, chews you out, and cancels your contract with the company.
Are you suprised?
What would really be surprising is if the owner of XYZ wrote a letter to the editor of the paper in praise of your small plumbing firm.
That's what MIRA's response was. Very classy. I think it says more than "We're not bothered by this author's complaints." It also says, "We support our author. Period. Complaints? We know not of what you speak." Very classy indeed.
- 11/04/2006
- BuffySquirrel said...
The eggs aren't in the cake, Christine; they're on the nitwit's face!
- 11/04/2006
- docbrite said...
ContractOr. You'd think after 13 months in post-Katrina New Orleans, I would know how to spell that word.
- 11/04/2006
- Shesawriter said...
Who among us hasn't made a faux pas or two? We're only human. I for one love Sister Krissie, and will chalk this up to a bad hair day. She's a gifted author whom I've admired for some time. Hell, she could write a book on toilet paper and I'd read it. ;-D
...just sayin'
- 11/04/2006
People are romanticizing publishing, reducing it to some cozy office business.
A writer isn't an employee or partner. A writer creates a product purchased by a giant corporation. The corporation doesn't have to do anything with the product, but if they choose that path the writer will most likely complain. After all it's the writer's life and career and she may have sacrificed years for this one product. And many times an editor is just as helpless as the writer. The editor IS an employee, and often doesn't have a say in what happens to a book once it's written.
- 11/04/2006
This is Anne Stuart being Anne Stuart. She's never minced words. And if you don't know her writing, or her history, or who she is in the romance writing world (and why successful romance writers in general agree that she IS a goddess), you should learn before you hop on the bandwagon to complain about her behavior.
- 11/05/2006
- Kanani said...
If ever someone needed a lesson in what to put out there and what not... it's her.
Interviews are not the opportunity to cozy up with the interviewer and talk off the top of your head. I mean, you can do this if you have amusing anecdotes, a personal philosophy that is in some way unique and helps you through the day, or you want to sell a cause. But by and large interviews are given for ONLY one reason: to sell your product.
And that product might be a book, your talents, or to talk about writing and inspire others.
She needs to hire a publicist who will be the front person on all her interviews. She simply has too much 'bla bla bla' on that site. Stuff we don't need to know and isn't very interesting.
As someone mentioned above, she can well afford to hire one. Or more to the point, she can't afford NOT to hire one.
And yes, when you make a gaffe, you really do need to say "I'm sorry."
Just like Mel-a-bu. Only no one quite believes him!
- 11/05/2006
first time i have ever heard of anne stuart.
- 11/05/2006
- blaironaleash said...
And "I am a goddess" - joke, people. Good grief.
Overall, not too smart, no. But the above - yeah. Are there really people who could fail to pick up on that?
- 11/05/2006
- Stacy said...
re the 'I am a goddess' comment: I think everybody realized that it was supposed to be a joke; it just wasn't very funny.
- 11/06/2006
- Stacy said...
I just had to add this. I am currently evaluating a self-published textbook that will be competing with a book I worked on; the author might have had a kernel of a good idea, and there is some material that is useful in there, but the whole thing is just badly done. No organizing principle, no appreciation for the art of book design, no feature to really SELL this. And just like that, it is a piece of crap. And the sad part is that when the author decided to self-publish and beat the major publishers at their game, everybody WANTED writers in that area. He could have got it published legitimately if he had been willing to do the work.
- 11/06/2006
- King said...
Snark-- what happened to the follow-up responses I posted here. Oh, you're a real believer in free and open discussion alright: NOT!
- 11/06/2006
Quoth King: Snark-- what happened to the follow-up responses I posted here. Oh, you're a real believer in free and open discussion alright: NOT!
Did Miss Snark pimp this blog as a place for free and open discussion? And I missed it? Dang.
P.S. King, you may want to review, yanno, punctuation usage. And spelling. If you, like, wanna be taken seriously as a writer. Weirdly enough, editors and readers seem to care a lot more about that kind of thing than an author's personal philosophy of the nature of publishing. While blogs are informal venues, it's been my experience that good writers don't stray too far from good grammar even when being casual. The good habits are so ingrained, they become the default. Just sayin'.
- 11/06/2006
- King said...
We live in an overregulated, constipated society. For the great writers of history-- Scott Fitzgerald, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Shakespeare particularly-- precise punctuation was a secondary consideration; because they had something to say!
You seem to be a lot of anal schoolteachers. (Read the entirety of my blog and you'll see that I actually make few punctuation mistakes. I also have something to say.)
A novel soon to be released by the cooperative project I belong to (I won't name the book for fear Snark won't post this; we are the opposition to her gang of miscreants after all) is filled with misspellings. It's also a great read by an extremely talented writer. The mistakes add to a sense of chaos which is the theme of the work-- representing the chaos of the contemporary age.
(Dear blog author: Can you please post this? Thank you! I'm so grateful!)
- 11/07/2006
Oh, King Wenclas, of course it's you. I've been reading about your crappy manifestos and attention-getting stunts for years.
Misspellings don't make a book more interesting or "chaotic." They make it hard to read. They give people a headache.
Language signifies. If you're going to write a book that massacres language then what have you got? "A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
Good luck making that big literary splash.
- 11/07/2006
- King said...
Those who would put language into a narrow box massacre language.
- 11/07/2006
Those who would put language into a narrow box massacre language.
The language of the eternally unpublished (printed, but unpublished): "The rules don't apply to me."
- 11/07/2006
BTW, King, you do understand that Shakespeare was using punctuation as was appropriate to playwriting of his era, and that the versions of Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky you've probably read were translations, right? Shakespeare's plays weren't meant to be read; they were meant to be seen and heard. And if you are fluent enough in Russian to understand the intricacies of punctuation usage in the originals, I salute you.
- 11/07/2006
Oh BS. I work for a publisher. Guarantee that Mira doesn't care. The people at Mira who work with Stuart don't do so because they're in love with her. They do so because Mira is their employer.
But Mira is not Stuart's employer, as someone upthread asserted. They buy her work because they want it to make them money. They will calculate how much it costs to promote the work and if it's worth it to them in potential sales, they'll promote it. This is not the PTA. Likes and dislikes don't set budgets at corporations -- and if they do, the people doing the liking and disliking without regard to the profit and loss sheets won't have their jobs much longer.
If dissing the publisher in a general way ups her sales, they aren't going to care. Recording artists do this all the time.
You people need to get out more, and cut the grade-school fingerwagging. Teacher is not going to give Stuart a demerit for talking out of turn.
- 11/07/2006
Thank you, last Anon (who works for a publisher). Finally, a good slap of common sense!
- 11/07/2006
The company that is MIra may not care about what she said, but I'll bet the individuals who worked on the books Stuart slammed do. Such things may not matter much while your star is shining bright, but it's really not smart to assume you'll always be doing so well that you don't need the goodwill of others.
- 11/07/2006
- Stacy said...
I can think of 3 authors right now who my company will not work with on new projects; they will only be asked to work on revisions of books on the market, always giving them the option of asset royalties if someone else does the revision. Why? Because they are not nice people and everybody hates them.
It is hard to work with people you despise, and the timeline for getting a book published is longer than a Hollywood marriage - you need to be able to tolerate each other.
You can't ignore the human element, and Publishers are not faceless behemoths, they are made up of hardworking people who just want the opportunity to do a good job. Putting up with an author's crap is part of the job, sure, but believe me, there is a limit. I think that if I saw a blog post like the one that sparked this thread, and showed it to my boss, her boss and the company owners (and I would, because there are some things people need to know), there would be a quiet, very quiet decision to slowly phase out our dealings with the author. She would never know about it, but her words would echo through these halls. And when she came in here smiling and laughing as many authors do, remembering our children's names and asking how we are, we would all smile back, thinking - what a hypocrite. Because NOW we know what she REALLY thinks of the work we do.
- 11/08/2006
- Care Taker said...
I know Anne Stuart casually via the author network (I is a auteur, meself,) and she's never made any secret of her crusty and cheerfully rebellious attitude. A few years back she gave one of the most rousing and hilarious luncheon speeches every delivered at a usually prim and stodgy Romance Writers of America conference. She made fun of man-tittied romance cover boy Fabio back when he was sucking all the publicity air out of our authors' universe, and though some said she was shooting her career in the foot, she sailed merrily onward. Why? Because she writes damn fine books and publishers can sell them easily. Writers who sell well have no problem getting more contracts, no matter what they bitch about in public. Writers who don't sell well play nicey-nice and kiss publisher butt in public all they want, to no avail. Huzzah to Anne! She is dead-on with her comments about the half-brained efforts of major publishers to package and sell books. And btw, to those who say "this is like dissing your boss in public," well, no, it t'aint. A publisher is not a writer's boss. A publisher is an investor and partner in the writer's creative work. The publisher makes a boatload more money off that work than the average midlist writer ever hopes to make. And the publisher often treats that work like leftover cheese on a hot sidewalk. Writers get stuck with lousy covers, deadend promotion plans, and the sheer apathy of major publishing houses who are more interested in reprinting ancient Danielle Steel books than in promoting current talent. Like a waitress in a restaurant, the writer is the one who gets stiffed for the cook's mistakes. Anne is saying what all of us fulltime veteran, write-for-a-living types know: you're lucky if you find a decent publisher who doesn't completely screw up your books and your career.
- 11/08/2006
Publishers love it when authors keep quiet and don't share information. I would hope, however, that an agent would see the value of authors knowing what's going on and talking to each other and sharing their hard-earned wisdom. But then maybe agents also have a vested interest in keeping authors ignorant and scared. Miss Snark ought to really think through her own potential bias here-- after all, if authors start talking amongst themselves, will the "insider status" of agents be threatened?
Krissie has never been either of those things-- ignorant or scared-- and she's done her best to make sure that other authors have the option to know and understand more about the ridiculously complex publishing industry. She's taught us more than any agent ever bothered to do. She's busted free of the patriarchal mentality that dominates publishing. The truth is, and she lets us know, the best writers can't become best sellers without the publisher doing its job, and frankly, a lot of publishers don't do their jobs as well as the authors do. They let their art directors create awful covers, and often the editors are too scared to point out that the hero actually has brown hair, not blonde hair as on the cover, or that the scene portrayed doesn't occur in the book and gives the wrong impression, or that the cover copy is misleading and foolish. The publisher doesn't ship books or make sure they get into the stores or send out review copies in time. They give absurd advances to celebrities for books that will never earn out, and then offer proven authors insultingly small advances. They insist that the best of our authors "dumb down" their books even though there really is a market for literately written and complexly plotted genre fiction.
And then publishers will cut an author loose, just like that-- because the publisher didn't do its job. There is no loyalty in publishing, and the sooner authors learn that, the better. Maybe if more authors spoke out, we wouldn't be operating in the culture of fear that seems to have overtaken Miss Snark.
- 11/20/2006


text:
Merrilee Mannerlyand Her Magnificent Manners
Introducing... Merrilee Mannerly! She loves good manners. Imagine Merrilee's surprise when a princess from a land of no manners moves in next door and invites her to a birthday party. With her grandmother's magnificent Manifesto of Manners, Merrilee Mannerly is ready to help her new friend, Princess Posy, host the best birthday party ever!
INTRODUCING, Merrilee Mannerly, the Musical! Merrilee Mannerly is a fun and energetic new musical based on the Mom's Choice Award-winning book by Mary Cashman and Cynthia Whipple. With lively music, dancing and lots of laughs, Merrilee Mannerly reminds us all that Good Manners are Always in Fashion.


text:
Click here to download the example program.
This is a version of the good old DualService presented in this blog entry. The main difference that the AIDL file has been removed and instead you will find this strange construct in DualService.java:
public class DualServiceBinder extends Binder implements ICounterService {
public int getCounterValue() {
return counter;
and in onBind:
public IBinder onBind( Intent intent ) {
return dualServiceBinder;
Now this DualServiceBinder "Binder derivative" is a strange thing. Binders are serialization-deserialization constructs that turn RPC invocations into byte streams and back. That byte stream can be sent through the Binder kernel driver and that's how interprocess communication works in Android. Binder derivatives are normally generated by the aidl tool. You can do it by hand but it is not for the faint of heart. Basically you have to implement transact/onTransact methods and serialize/deserialize your data by hand. If you follow my advice, you leave it to the aidl tool.
DualServiceBinder does none of it. It implements a plain Java interface (ICounterService) and exposes a plain Java method. On the other side, in DualServiceClient it justs casts the IBinder to ICounterService in the onServiceConnected method and invokes the method on it.
As you might have guessed, this is a hack. The author sidestepped entirely the Android IPC mechanism and abused two properties of the Android application model.
- By default, the Android application manager loads activities/services/providers into the Dalvik VM running in the same Linux process.
- Classes from the same DEX file (there is one DEX file per APK) are loaded by the same class loader.
Do you think I found the hack in a shady, unsupported freeware? No, I found it in a book (actually, my attention was turned to this book by a fellow Android programmer). The book proposes another trick: the "service interface" of their Binder descendant exposes just a getService() method that returns a reference to the Service instance and later the Activity invokes public methods of the service directly, circumventing even their own tricky service interface.
I definitely think it is a bad idea to propagate this hack even though it works on the existing Android implementations and is somewhat faster than the regular, AIDL-based invocation.


text:
At the end of last year, we released "The Existential Adventures of Tim Maia" an animated biography of the crazy and wonderful life of the legendary man himself. Narrated by Devendra Banhart, and produced by our dear friends at SuperHeroes Amsterdam and Momo & Sprits, the video is one of humorous excess in every way imaginable: drugs, women, money, guns and even a UFO cult thrown in. Tim really lived the dream, always with a smile.
After a special screening party in Brooklyn the film was premiered online by IFC.
Viva Tim!


text:
FAO is calling for countries in the global 'wheat belt' to step up monitoring and prevention for wheat rusts – fungal diseases that do especially well in particularly wet seasons. Yields could be affected across North Africa, the Middle East into West and South Asia, which account for more than 30 percent of global wheat output and nearly 40 percent of total land area dedicated to wheat planting.
Read the full article here.
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