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Another earthquake, but not more earthquakes

Posted on March 11, 2010 by adminLeave a comment

Haiti, Chile, Turkey, Chile (again). There’ve been a lot of earthquakes lately. But scientists say there haven’t been more earthquakes lately. Tremors are, and have always been, common. On average, per year, you can expect one 8.0 or above quake, 17 quakes between 7 and 7.9, and 130-odd quakes between 6.0 and 6.9. One thing that has risen: Death tolls. But scientists say that increase has more to do with…

200 free copies of my next YA novel, FOR THE WIN, for young reviewers

Posted on March 11, 2010 by adminLeave a comment

Tor Books, the US/Canada publisher, has two hundred advance copies of my next young adult novel, For the Win, available for free to young (19 or younger) gamers who are interested in reviewing the book on their blog or school paper. The book is about gamer kids all over the world who use multiplayer games to organize and fight back against abusive employers:

 200 free copies of my next YA novel, FOR THE WIN, for young reviewers
In the virtual future, you must…

Chile hit by 7.2 aftershock

Posted on March 11, 2010 by adminLeave a comment

What the hell, planet earth! Chile was just slammed by a 7.2 aftershock, as inaugural ceremonies for right-wing billionaire president-elect Sebastián Piñera began in Valparaiso. Chile was devastated by an 8.8-magnitude quake on Feb. 27.

 Chile hit by 7.2 aftershock
 Chile hit by 7.2 aftershock Chile hit by 7.2 aftershock

Leaked documents: UK record industry wrote web-censorship amendment

Posted on March 11, 2010 by adminLeave a comment

 Leaked documents: UK record industry wrote web censorship amendment
Last week, the UK LibDem party was thrown into scandal when two of its Lords proposed an amendment to the Digital Economy Bill that would allow for national web-censorship, particularly aimed at “web-lockers” like Google Docs and YouSendIt. Now a leaked document from the British Phonographic Institute suggests that the amendment was basically written by the record industry lobby and entered into law on their behalf by representatives of…

Conan O’Brien will perform at Bonnaroo

Posted on March 11, 2010 by adminLeave a comment

Recently-exiled latenight talk show host Conan O’Brien will be headlining the comedy stage at the annual Bonnaroo festival. Wonder if he’ll pick a random person out of the crowd to befriend and bestow insta-stardom? The date is part of Conan’s cross-country comedy tour, also just announced today.

 Conan OBrien will perform at Bonnaroo
 Conan OBrien will perform at Bonnaroo Conan OBrien will perform at Bonnaroo

Hicksville, a graphic novel mystery set in a New Zealand coastal village

Posted on March 11, 2010 by adminLeave a comment

0fbf5 201003110735 tm Hicksville, a graphic novel mystery set in a New Zealand coastal village

Dick Burger has been hailed by fandom as the greatest comic book creator since Jack Kirby. Unlike Kirby, however, Burger retained ownership of his characters and became a media tycoon, complete with a private jet furnished with a hot tub and a mansion in Los Angeles. He is also an insufferable bastard.

Leonard Bates is a North American journalist who is conducting research for a biography of Burger. When…

Is inflight videochat in the US illegal? United Airlines thinks so

Posted on March 11, 2010 by adminLeave a comment

Boing Boing partner John Battelle was on a WiFi-enabled flight last night, and wanted to say bedtime-goodnight to his kids using videochat. Lots of parents tuck their kids into bed over video when they’re far from home. What gentler, more loving example of the power of the internet could there be? Nope. A United Airlines flight attendant told John that this was prohibited because terrorists could use this to…

The effects of gold-medal hockey on Edmonton, Canada water usage

Posted on March 11, 2010 by adminLeave a comment

afc58 flush game The effects of gold medal hockey on Edmonton, Canada water usage

I feel a great disturbance in the public utility, as if millions of bladders cried out, and were suddenly silenced.

Pats Papers: What If Everybody in Canada Flushed at Once?

(Thanks, Christina!)

 The effects of gold medal hockey on Edmonton, Canada water usage
 The effects of gold medal hockey on Edmonton, Canada water usage The effects of gold medal hockey on Edmonton, Canada water usage

Lesbian panic shuts down Mississippi high-school prom

Posted on March 11, 2010 by adminLeave a comment

Mississippi’s Itawamba County school district has cancelled a prom after Constance McMillen, an 18-year-old student, asked permission to bring her girlfriend as her date. The student planned to wear a tux. The school district’s bureaucratic non-excuse for the cancellation is that it’s “due to the distractions to the educational process caused by recent events.” The district appears to be tap-dancing around the reason for the cancellation in an…

Free ebook download: Scott Kirsner’s "Fans, Friends & Followers"

Posted on March 11, 2010 by adminLeave a comment

kirsner.jpgTo coincide with South by Southwest, journalist Scott Kirsner is making his 2009 book Fans, Friends & Followers: Building an Audience and a Creative Career in the Digital Age available free, in digital form, for the duration of the festival. You can download it here.

Lots of folks you’ve seen at SXSW are featured in the book, including artist Natasha Wescoat, pioneering videoblogger Ze Frank, singer-songwriter Jonathan Coulton, Burnie Burns of…

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