I Help OK Go Give Some Back

The OK Go Fracas

The truth is OK Go’s fighting for its career with its hands tied behind its back.

Piss off EMI.

And from the band itself:

Open Letter From OK Go, regarding non-embeddable YouTube videos

When push comes to shove, however, we like our fans more, which is why you can take the code at the bottom of this email and embed the “This Too Shall Pass” video all over the Internet.

This is 2010. We must all give some back.

Apple: Kill My Blog, Please!

I never intended this blog to be a just about every day thing.

But I got fed up with the crap I saw circulating about books, publishing, eBooks, etc.

And I had to go open my big mouth.

Because there was no one else countering any of it.

Especially after I woke up from the eInk nightmare that had been pimped by others.

Next week, Apple unveils its seekrit creation. Which, despite recent trademark filings, I still expect to be called the iSlate. Because, as I posted, iPad has ownership conflicts.

Anyway, I expect four things from Apple:

1) The iSlate — I still expect one with a seven-inch, not ten-inch, screen. But any damned size would do at this point.

2) Apple announcing digital books for it. (Hello, Disney?)

3) Digital books given a real marketplace — not just lumped together with free games and eejitastic fart apps as they have been in the App Store.

4) A new version of iWork — with digital book creation ability for all.

Do that, Apple, and this blog is dead.

You will be settling the crap I’ve had to argue about for months now. I’ll have nothing more I will have to say.

I’ll be able to shut this blog and I get back to reading books (Derek Raymond is waiting!) and my own damned writing.

If Apple does what I expect, this blog is d-e-d on January 31st.

Some people out there will rejoice. But they were morons to begin with and will remain so after I’m gone.

Note To Self: Sylvester Stallone

One of the absolute joys of reading Writer’s Digest were the interviews.

There was one with Sylvester Stallone — yes, the movie star, who also wrote a film called Rocky — back in the 1970s.

That interview was so striking it has forever stuck in my mind.

I’ve been begging Writer’s Digest to put it online — yes, for free! — because it would be instructive to everybody.

But apparently that’s not possible due to rights issues and lawyers and all of that kind of rotten stuff that drains the life out of us.

I forgot what issue it was and had been wailing about that on Twitter. Someone finally took pity on me and provided the info. Which I swear I saved but somehow managed to then lose.

Well, I got it again and I’m putting it here.

Thank you very much! I won’t lose it now.

And if any of you have that issue or can get access to it, do so! It’s really something.

After the break, an audio track embedded in YouTube that gives some of the background of the creation of Rocky. Yes, despite the fact it’s that prat Anthony Robbins doing it, it’s worth hearing.

Sacred Rite Defiled By Selfish Amusement-Seeking Asshats

Nevermore? Mystery visitor misses Poe’s birthday

A mysterious visitor who left roses and cognac at the grave of Edgar Allan Poe each year on the writer’s birthday failed to show early Tuesday, breaking with a ritual that began more than 60 years ago.

And this:

“I’m very disappointed, to the point where I want to cry,” said Cynthia Pelayo, 29, who had stood riveted to her prime viewing spot at the gate for about six hours. “I flew in from Chicago to see him. I’m just really sad. I hope that he’s OK.”

You and all of the other selfish nosy asshats ruined it. Now all of you go back to your worthless lives and take an overdose of something.