Delicious LiveJournal Links for 5-14-2009

[andrewducker]

• The science of voodoo: When mind attacks body
  A retrospective study of 15 trials involving thousands of patients prescribed either beta blockers or a control showed that both groups reported comparable levels of side effects, including fatigue, depressive symptoms and sexual dysfunction. A similar number had to withdraw from the studies because of them.
  (tags: nocebo placebo drugs mind body psychology)
• Entitlement issues...
  Neil Gaiman explains that George RR Martin is not your bitch. An excellent mini-essay/rant.
  (tags: writing gaiman GeorgeRRMartin)
• Depression and Computerised CBT (Cognitive Behavorial Therapy)
  One person's experiences. More data = good!
  (tags: cbt computers therapy)

Comments

[tanyad.livejournal.com]

I already have a huge fangirl crush on Gaiman, but after reading that and following links about I love that man even more.

I've never understood the fan mentality of you owe me the next book/story/art what have you. People have lives outside of their work and it amazes me that people can't understand that about authors/musicians/artists as well.

[andrewducker]

He is great. And I can understand wanting the next book in a series, but some people are just ridiculous.

I tend to avoid buying book series until the entire thing is out nowadays. Harder to do with comics, of course.

[laserboy.livejournal.com]

While I agree with Gaiman regarding books, when it comes to writers committing to a monthly comic schedule... I have limited patience for writers signing up to a contract for x many -monthly- issues, a schedule agreed in advance, and then ignoring it. It is a job like any other.

The infamous Kevin Smith Black Cat series was a joke! As was the recent Wonder Woman relaunch which a (tv-based) writer committed to and didn't deliver. And there's Ultimate Wolverine vs Hulk as well: a 6 issue miniseries which started in 2005 and STILL hasn't finished!

[andrewducker]

Definitely agree when it comes to monthly comics - it's a contractual commitment to deliver something on a monthly basis. Rather different from "here's a book, there'll be more later".

The final issue of Planetary (#27) is currently being coloured and lettered. It should have been out in 2000...

[ashfae.livejournal.com]

I've done that computerised CBT course too, and it was excellent. I wish I could get a few other people I know on it, but it's not offered where they live.

[ashfae.livejournal.com]

(it's not perfect, clearly, and can't fix everything, but it's an excellent starting point and certainly worth doing while you're waiting for CBT appointments with a person; in my case the computer course felt like enough and I haven't wanted further therapy, so rah)