Interesting Links for 15-1-2011

[andrewducker]

• A suggested for selling books/comics online, with no setup costs. It's actually pretty smart.
  (tags: writing marketing publishing comics online business distribution selfpublishing ebook)
• Swine flu gives its survivors supercharged immunity
  (tags: medicine science health swineflu virus)
• Putting food labels on restaurant menus does not affect customer choices even a tiny little bit.
  (tags: food law)
• $1,000 reward offered for stolen cancer research laptop. WILL SOMEONE TEACH RESEARCHERS TO BACK UP!!!!!!!
  (tags: research theft EpicFail OhForFucksSake)
• Researchers Use MRI to Predict 60% Of Your Gaming Prowess
  (tags: psychology games computers brain neuroscience)
• Woman claimed to have cancer and burns in order to have a relationship with another woman while claiming to be a main.
  (tags: relationships wtf)
• How drug classification really works
  (tags: drugs satire funny)
• Fantasy names: a rant.
  (tags: writing scifi fantasy language)
• Government not able to limit RBS bonuses, due to contract signed by Labour
  (tags: rbs bonus banking uk government finance)

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

I am always happy to agree to differ. I don't see made-up polysyllables as wanky -- some are, yes, but they don't have to be. As to the fiction I read/films I see... I gave up on Hollywood and mainstream literary fiction some time ago, so I'm not a good case study. And, as it happens, the book I've just finished has influence from mediaeval Chinese literature in it. Along with a lot of other stuff. I'm a messy writer who draws in stuff from all over. The previous book came from a different set of influences.

[marrog.livejournal.com]

I gave up on Hollywood and mainstream literary fiction some time ago, so I'm not a good case study.

How fashionably cynical of you. I never 'give up' entirely on anything.

[andrewducker]

Fashionably cynical? Is there a particular reason you're being so rude?

[marrog.livejournal.com]

I think 'giving up' on a large chunk of modern media is fashionably cynical. It's an expression I'm sure you've heard me use before.

[marrog.livejournal.com]

Secondly, if you're referring to my previous comment, I'm being dismissive of a public article that you linked to that I considered to be badly written, diffuse in point, and ignorant of numerous important variables. The writer of said article then dismissed said variables saying they'd 'given up on modern literary fiction'. Which I think is extra doubleplus ignorant. Should I be nicer about that than I would be about an article by, say, Julie Bindel, just because the writer happens to be on your flist?

[andrewducker]

I think that if you're going to engage other people in debate you should do it politely and in good faith and if you're not going to engage, but just snark then you should do it some where else.

I have no problem with disagreement, I just want it kept polite.

[marrog.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm speaking in good faith. I think it's fashionable cynicism. I'm happy to back this up. I'd be happy to go on. But the other party has chosen not to. And that's okay too.