The Declaration of Arbroath, Scotland, April 6th, 1320
"It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself."
Wednesday, April 6, 2005
Bloggerview
Always trying to think on different items for the FPI blog at work I decided to try some short interviews - blogs aren't necessarily the best place for a full length review, but I thought a mini-review could work and it looks to be a good way to supplement and compliment the reviews I've been posting. So today I asked one of the first authors mentioned on the new blog, Ian Hocking, if he would mind answering a few questions, which I'm glad to say he did - it's live over on the FPI site. If anyone wants to have a look and leave a comment, there's a work contact at the top header.
Good old day on the work blog actually today - a few weeks ago I blogged about artist Michael Zulli after following a link from Neil Gaiman's journal. Michael is working on his final Morpheus portrait - he is tired of always being asked for Sandman images, so he is doing one final one but is posting the work in progress, from sketch to finished oil work. It's a clever way of sharing a creative process that most of us don't get to see and is well worth a visit. Michael very kindly gave me his permission to post a couple of examples on the FPI blog and obviously his own page has full-sized versions (and all of the rest too). A signed hardback of Sandman - the Wake is one of my prized signed books; a nice Sandman drawing by Neil on the inner page and Michael's gorgeous artwork - luscious book.
Always trying to think on different items for the FPI blog at work I decided to try some short interviews - blogs aren't necessarily the best place for a full length review, but I thought a mini-review could work and it looks to be a good way to supplement and compliment the reviews I've been posting. So today I asked one of the first authors mentioned on the new blog, Ian Hocking, if he would mind answering a few questions, which I'm glad to say he did - it's live over on the FPI site. If anyone wants to have a look and leave a comment, there's a work contact at the top header.
Good old day on the work blog actually today - a few weeks ago I blogged about artist Michael Zulli after following a link from Neil Gaiman's journal. Michael is working on his final Morpheus portrait - he is tired of always being asked for Sandman images, so he is doing one final one but is posting the work in progress, from sketch to finished oil work. It's a clever way of sharing a creative process that most of us don't get to see and is well worth a visit. Michael very kindly gave me his permission to post a couple of examples on the FPI blog and obviously his own page has full-sized versions (and all of the rest too). A signed hardback of Sandman - the Wake is one of my prized signed books; a nice Sandman drawing by Neil on the inner page and Michael's gorgeous artwork - luscious book.
Tuesday, April 5, 2005
Woolamaloo decides
Life here in the People's Republic of Woolamaloo is generally quiete. Sure there is the odd raid on the post office and liquer store by the Kangaroo Liberation Front (KLF), but generally the most exciting thing to happen recently was when Drongo McSpuddin got drunk at sheep sheering time and accidentally shaved himself instead of the sheep.
However, that rare beast Excitement has arrived in dusty Woolamaloo as an election was announced. Woolamaloo's Prime Minister, Cheeser Hogan - known to everyone in town as 'Cheshire' because of his constant fixed grin - called for parliament to be disolved (usually done by pouring a mixture of acid and flat lager over the building - this makes election here very expensive since we have to replace the parliament building each time we vote. Luckily the parliament building is usually someone's old barn with some folding chairs in it).
Cheshire has been PM now for several parliaments and many are wondering if he will make it through to another session. He lost a lot of voters when he backed Bush and dispatched two entire battalions of koalas and two and a half soliders from Woolamaloo's crack Fosters Regiment to Iraq (the half would be Legs McKenzie, who lost both legs capturing the vicious Man Eating Mutant Sheep of Mobadonga gorge and is reckoned a hero round here). This may not sound like much to the bigger countries, but it still makes for a superior force to the Italian army. However, no-one can tell if this will be enough to give Johnny Walker of the Loosely Liberal Party or Vlad Tepesh of the Concerned Conceited Conservative Party the edge to prise power from Cheshire or not.
People here are especially worried about the security of postal voting after an investigation found 342 postal ballots with the same signature stuffed inside a kangaroo's pouch. Since some of the outlying homes and farms may be up to 40 miles from town it was hoped postal voting might be a boon to the turnout figures, but now the electorate have no trust in the system. Will there be more voting irregularities? Will there be a swing to the KLF? Or will no-one bother to actually vote?Naturally will bring you more of the thrilling election news from Woolamaloo as it develops.
Life here in the People's Republic of Woolamaloo is generally quiete. Sure there is the odd raid on the post office and liquer store by the Kangaroo Liberation Front (KLF), but generally the most exciting thing to happen recently was when Drongo McSpuddin got drunk at sheep sheering time and accidentally shaved himself instead of the sheep.
However, that rare beast Excitement has arrived in dusty Woolamaloo as an election was announced. Woolamaloo's Prime Minister, Cheeser Hogan - known to everyone in town as 'Cheshire' because of his constant fixed grin - called for parliament to be disolved (usually done by pouring a mixture of acid and flat lager over the building - this makes election here very expensive since we have to replace the parliament building each time we vote. Luckily the parliament building is usually someone's old barn with some folding chairs in it).
Cheshire has been PM now for several parliaments and many are wondering if he will make it through to another session. He lost a lot of voters when he backed Bush and dispatched two entire battalions of koalas and two and a half soliders from Woolamaloo's crack Fosters Regiment to Iraq (the half would be Legs McKenzie, who lost both legs capturing the vicious Man Eating Mutant Sheep of Mobadonga gorge and is reckoned a hero round here). This may not sound like much to the bigger countries, but it still makes for a superior force to the Italian army. However, no-one can tell if this will be enough to give Johnny Walker of the Loosely Liberal Party or Vlad Tepesh of the Concerned Conceited Conservative Party the edge to prise power from Cheshire or not.
People here are especially worried about the security of postal voting after an investigation found 342 postal ballots with the same signature stuffed inside a kangaroo's pouch. Since some of the outlying homes and farms may be up to 40 miles from town it was hoped postal voting might be a boon to the turnout figures, but now the electorate have no trust in the system. Will there be more voting irregularities? Will there be a swing to the KLF? Or will no-one bother to actually vote?Naturally will bring you more of the thrilling election news from Woolamaloo as it develops.
Monday, April 4, 2005
Fictional pussy
No, not the naughty variety - get your heads out of the gutter, you filthy lot (Lili, yes you, girl, siiting in the back of the classroom looking at teacher's cane - I'm talking to you here). Actually the four legged variety of pussies (and the type who occassionally wear boots) - the full text has kindly been made available of Frtiz Leiber's short story told from the point of view of a smart young kitten trying to work out his place in the family.
Dalek Fundamentalist threatens Parliament
I found this via Cheryl Morgan's excellent Emerald City: a Dalek was stopped outside Parliament in London by armed, anti-terrorist police worried about an attack. Turned out to be a stunt for a Doctor Who play - the police were not amused. Yeah, I can see their point - sliding a Dalek full of C-4 is just the sort of thing some fundamentalist might do... Presumably the same over-reacting plods would arrest the Time Lord himself if he had turned up to save the world from the Daleks and held him without charge as an illegal immigrant and security threat...
...Which brings me neatly to this week's Doctor Who. Have to agree with an earlier point raised here by Anonymous (one of the most prodigious authors of all history) and say that so far the use of single episodes of 45 minutes doesn't seem to sit very comfortably with the show. Perhaps when/if it opens up to two parters it may be better. Still, it was a fun episode and the revelation that Gallifrey no longer exists and the Doctor is the last Time Lord was spine-tingling.
First of all to old fans like me it was 'what?' Followed by 'when did that happen?' Then 'how did that happen?' 'Who did it?' How did they do it?' and it also begs the question, are the perpetrators now looking throughout time and space for the Doctor? And who could wipe out the Time Lords? I mean, since they have the power to remove your entire world from space-time and make it as if it never existed how could anyone destroy them and who would dare?
And you'd have to wipe them out throughout all of time as well, logically - since Time Lords exist all through time if they are wiped out in the future the earlier ones will notice and prevent it, so you'd have to wipe them all out throughout space-time simultaneously. And logically that would mean the Doctor too, so possible plot hole coming up, but be interesting to see how they deal with it. Certainly has the air of something which is going to slowly unfold throughout the new series.
For the first episode last week though we made a special night of it. Gordon and I went through to our friends Bobby and Margaret Anne's to watch the show with them and their wee boys (who are 2&1/2 and 4&1/2) who love watching old Who on their dad's DVDs. Other chums came over too and it was a great night with us all watching together (with a little drinkie, naturally). We loved it, the kids were rapt throughout - truly it did appeal to all ages groups, wee kids and big kids alike! Followed by curry, more booze then the chaps took part in the Port Tradition while the ladies retired from the Billiards Room.
Well, not quite, but for some utterly obscure reason over the years we have developed this bizarre ritual among the guys where we have the most ridiculous toasts with Port, always delivered in the style of 19th century officers of the Bengal Lancers. No, I don't know why, nor why the girls don't join in. I suspect it has something to do with being rather drunk before reaching the Port stage.
No, not the naughty variety - get your heads out of the gutter, you filthy lot (Lili, yes you, girl, siiting in the back of the classroom looking at teacher's cane - I'm talking to you here). Actually the four legged variety of pussies (and the type who occassionally wear boots) - the full text has kindly been made available of Frtiz Leiber's short story told from the point of view of a smart young kitten trying to work out his place in the family.
Dalek Fundamentalist threatens Parliament
I found this via Cheryl Morgan's excellent Emerald City: a Dalek was stopped outside Parliament in London by armed, anti-terrorist police worried about an attack. Turned out to be a stunt for a Doctor Who play - the police were not amused. Yeah, I can see their point - sliding a Dalek full of C-4 is just the sort of thing some fundamentalist might do... Presumably the same over-reacting plods would arrest the Time Lord himself if he had turned up to save the world from the Daleks and held him without charge as an illegal immigrant and security threat...
...Which brings me neatly to this week's Doctor Who. Have to agree with an earlier point raised here by Anonymous (one of the most prodigious authors of all history) and say that so far the use of single episodes of 45 minutes doesn't seem to sit very comfortably with the show. Perhaps when/if it opens up to two parters it may be better. Still, it was a fun episode and the revelation that Gallifrey no longer exists and the Doctor is the last Time Lord was spine-tingling.
First of all to old fans like me it was 'what?' Followed by 'when did that happen?' Then 'how did that happen?' 'Who did it?' How did they do it?' and it also begs the question, are the perpetrators now looking throughout time and space for the Doctor? And who could wipe out the Time Lords? I mean, since they have the power to remove your entire world from space-time and make it as if it never existed how could anyone destroy them and who would dare?
And you'd have to wipe them out throughout all of time as well, logically - since Time Lords exist all through time if they are wiped out in the future the earlier ones will notice and prevent it, so you'd have to wipe them all out throughout space-time simultaneously. And logically that would mean the Doctor too, so possible plot hole coming up, but be interesting to see how they deal with it. Certainly has the air of something which is going to slowly unfold throughout the new series.
For the first episode last week though we made a special night of it. Gordon and I went through to our friends Bobby and Margaret Anne's to watch the show with them and their wee boys (who are 2&1/2 and 4&1/2) who love watching old Who on their dad's DVDs. Other chums came over too and it was a great night with us all watching together (with a little drinkie, naturally). We loved it, the kids were rapt throughout - truly it did appeal to all ages groups, wee kids and big kids alike! Followed by curry, more booze then the chaps took part in the Port Tradition while the ladies retired from the Billiards Room.
Well, not quite, but for some utterly obscure reason over the years we have developed this bizarre ritual among the guys where we have the most ridiculous toasts with Port, always delivered in the style of 19th century officers of the Bengal Lancers. No, I don't know why, nor why the girls don't join in. I suspect it has something to do with being rather drunk before reaching the Port stage.
Read any good wars lately?
Spotted a couple of unusual items on the web in the last few days to do with the American military (and hello to you as you no doubt monitor blogs for key words like 'American', 'military', 'Allah' and 'Penguin'). Dave Langford's Ansible had a piece on required reading lists for the Marine Corps (nicely graded for various ranks). Apparently the list was changed a little after 9-11. I suppose we should just be glad that they do insist even the grunts of the forces should read something...
Then another article which appeared in various news sources - one on the BBC was 1st April, so I thought it was a joke, but it has appeared in various other places since -although it could still be a joke. At least I hope it is... the US military are looking for someone to tender to produce a propoganda comic for consumption in the Middle East. Perhaps it isn't a joke since there is this information on a government site about federal business opportunities. Hmmm, maybe I should write a superhero comic for them? All about a superhero called Sarchasm, who uses his mighty powers of satire to overthrow evil regimes and rid the world of weapons of mass destruction, aided by his bullet-time cats in ninja suits, fighting for Truth, Justice and the Sarcastic way of life.
Of course Sarchasm would tackle such evils wherever he found it, so the current US administration may be in trouble there - something tells me they may not approve a comic book where ninja cats take out the Secret Service while Sarchasm takes over the mic at the State of the Union address to tell it like it is. Would go down well in the Middle East though, and that is what they're looking for after all...
Spotted a couple of unusual items on the web in the last few days to do with the American military (and hello to you as you no doubt monitor blogs for key words like 'American', 'military', 'Allah' and 'Penguin'). Dave Langford's Ansible had a piece on required reading lists for the Marine Corps (nicely graded for various ranks). Apparently the list was changed a little after 9-11. I suppose we should just be glad that they do insist even the grunts of the forces should read something...
Then another article which appeared in various news sources - one on the BBC was 1st April, so I thought it was a joke, but it has appeared in various other places since -although it could still be a joke. At least I hope it is... the US military are looking for someone to tender to produce a propoganda comic for consumption in the Middle East. Perhaps it isn't a joke since there is this information on a government site about federal business opportunities. Hmmm, maybe I should write a superhero comic for them? All about a superhero called Sarchasm, who uses his mighty powers of satire to overthrow evil regimes and rid the world of weapons of mass destruction, aided by his bullet-time cats in ninja suits, fighting for Truth, Justice and the Sarcastic way of life.
Of course Sarchasm would tackle such evils wherever he found it, so the current US administration may be in trouble there - something tells me they may not approve a comic book where ninja cats take out the Secret Service while Sarchasm takes over the mic at the State of the Union address to tell it like it is. Would go down well in the Middle East though, and that is what they're looking for after all...
Saturday, April 2, 2005
A press release from my union, the RBA:
"Joe Gordon, the bookseller dismissed by his employer for airing his thoughts in a web log (“Blog”), has successfully appealed against his dismissal and has been offered reinstatement. He had, however, been headhunted by The Forbidden Planet chain of specialist bookshops, and an amicable settlement was achieved in place of reinstatement.
<>Paul Lee, RBA National Officer, said “It is good to see that common sense prevailed and pleasing to report that our representations in the internal appeal were well heard and acted upon. I was surprised by the original, local decision to dismiss as Waterstone’s has a good reputation in such matters, and the company is generally very open-minded. Things may have been different, however, if commentary such as this had been truly in the public domain rather than in a hard to find blogsite”"
And yes, folks, that is it all over finally and I can tell you about it. Actually the appeal was upheld several weeks ago and I was offered re-instatement, but by this time I had been offered a new post with Forbidden Planet International and I really couldn't tell you all about it until something was worked out. To be fair Waterstone's got together freely with Paul, my stalwart union rep, to work out an equitable and amicable deal in place of re-instatement and so, after a long haul these events have now come to quite a civilised end, thanks in no small part to the efforts of the union (thanks, guys - having you in my corner helped to lift the weight and once again I commend them to anyone not in a union).
It has often been stressful and my friends and family have been quite wonderful in ensuring that I didn't succumb to the hovering vultures of depression or anxiety during it all. And finding a whole world (literally - folk from all over our little world; amazing) of new friends who I didn't even know was remarkable; the help and support I've enjoyed from the SF and the online and blogging community has been astonishing and I was taken aback at the media interest world-wide.
Back in the prehistoric days of the net, before GUIs and the web, we talked about a global electronic village and virtual communities. Having dinner with a friend recently she remarked that she thought this talk of virtual communities was nonsense (she didn't put it quite so delicately). Well, I've had a first-hand demonstration that there most certainly is a virtual community and that community cares and will help people they don't even know - recent use of the web and blogs for charity and to aid communications during the Asian Tsunami re-inforce this message, as does the growth in people supporting movements such as the Comittee to Protect Bloggers.
Folks, this whole period would have been far heavier to bear without all of that support, so well-intentioned and freely given and once again I thank you all for it very humbly; it really lifted me when I needed it and kept me going. Guess you could say I got by with a lot of help from my friends. The fact so many of you have been coming back to the Woolamaloo to visit is also very gratifying and I enjoy reading and interacting with your comments (isn't that one of the reasons why so many millions of us blog? Its not a solitary pursuit, it allows us to interact with so many different types of people) and I hope you'll still swing by. Now, if you'll excuse me I intend to go and have some very large drinks.
Doctor Who?
I have to say I am extremely disappointed with Christopher Ecceleston's decision to step down from his role as the Doctor already, only days after the triumphant return of Doctor Who to BBC screens (taking some 46% of the audience nationally). While I can undersand why any actor would wish to avoid the trap of being typecast, to take on this role and quit after one season seems to show a lack of commitment, especially when we're talking about a show which has only just been resurrected. Besides any actor in the UK should be fully aware of what this role entails - it's a British institution and he should know what he's getting into, so his reasoning seems flawed to me.
No-one expects him to do a run of Tom Baker proportions, but one season is rather weak - if he really felt this way surely we have to question why he took on the role? Its a shame because I thought he was rather good in the first episode; the new show seems to be pleasing old fans like me, new younger viewers and a lot of the critics (Americans mostly seem to be lost over the whole thing).
Still, the shock news of his sudden resignation did afford me the chance for some April Fool's leg-pulling as I tried to convince some of my colleagues that Eccleston's previous role as the second coming of Christ had gone to his head and that he quit because he believed this qualified him to be the new Pope. I also had another colleague half-believing that Stan Lee was willing to take over from the ailing Pontiff (well, he is always keen to recruit True Believers). Poisson d'Avril, as they say in France, although why the French would want to obtain a fish from a small, moody singer who whines about life when she's hardly lived any of it yet is beyond me.
And just to completely damn my immortal soul I then posed the question if the current Pope was known as John Paul would his successor be known as George Ringo? Well, they were Bigger Than Jesus allegedly... Yes, I know, I'm awful, but if you can't have a laugh in the face of events from time to time then the world would be much grimmer and without some leg-pulling people would be shorter.
I have to say I am extremely disappointed with Christopher Ecceleston's decision to step down from his role as the Doctor already, only days after the triumphant return of Doctor Who to BBC screens (taking some 46% of the audience nationally). While I can undersand why any actor would wish to avoid the trap of being typecast, to take on this role and quit after one season seems to show a lack of commitment, especially when we're talking about a show which has only just been resurrected. Besides any actor in the UK should be fully aware of what this role entails - it's a British institution and he should know what he's getting into, so his reasoning seems flawed to me.
No-one expects him to do a run of Tom Baker proportions, but one season is rather weak - if he really felt this way surely we have to question why he took on the role? Its a shame because I thought he was rather good in the first episode; the new show seems to be pleasing old fans like me, new younger viewers and a lot of the critics (Americans mostly seem to be lost over the whole thing).
Still, the shock news of his sudden resignation did afford me the chance for some April Fool's leg-pulling as I tried to convince some of my colleagues that Eccleston's previous role as the second coming of Christ had gone to his head and that he quit because he believed this qualified him to be the new Pope. I also had another colleague half-believing that Stan Lee was willing to take over from the ailing Pontiff (well, he is always keen to recruit True Believers). Poisson d'Avril, as they say in France, although why the French would want to obtain a fish from a small, moody singer who whines about life when she's hardly lived any of it yet is beyond me.
And just to completely damn my immortal soul I then posed the question if the current Pope was known as John Paul would his successor be known as George Ringo? Well, they were Bigger Than Jesus allegedly... Yes, I know, I'm awful, but if you can't have a laugh in the face of events from time to time then the world would be much grimmer and without some leg-pulling people would be shorter.
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