Content Strike

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

I picked this up from beckyzoole. Personally, I'm less than pleased about the deletion of free, adless Basic accounts -- but I am seriously displeased with the rapidly growing censorship of sensitive topics. Meanwhile, LJ seems perfectly content to let people perpetrate abuse against people of nonstandard genders. So I'm in a mood to pour a bucket of cold water over the goat's head.


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Content Strike: Friday March 21

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The one-day content strike is on for this Friday, March 21, from midnight GMT to midnight GMT.

For 24 hours, we will not post or comment to LJ. Not in our own journals, not in communities. Not publicly, privately, or under friends-lock.

This is a protest that will have long-lasting effects, showing up forever in the daily posting statistics.

This is a protest that will not harm LJ in the long run, as leaving LJ might do.

This is a protest that will demonstrate the power of community, as all users unite to support Basic users and the concept of adfree space.

This is a protest that will educate the new owners that LJ is driven by user-created content.

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How Can I Help?

DO post about this in your own LJ.
DO post and comment about it in appropriate communities.
DO remember that it's based on Greenwich Mean Time, which may not be your local time.
DO turn off LoudTwitter and your RSS feeds for 24 hours.
DO feel free to friend me for updates, and defriend when the strike is over.

DON'T forget to get permission from community mods before making an off-topic post or comment about the strike.
DON'T be spammy with your posts or comments about the strike.
DON'T forget to turn your LoudTwitter and RSS feeds back on when the strike is over.

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The 24-hour strike will begin at the following times for the following locations:

Thursday, March 20, 2:00 PM -- Honolulu
Thursday, March 20, 4:00 PM -- Anchorage
Thursday, March 20, 5:00 PM -- San Francisco
Thursday, March 20, 6:00 PM -- Mexico City
Thursday, March 20, 7:00 PM -- Chicago
Thursday, March 20, 8:00 PM -- Montreal
Thursday, March 20, 9:00 PM -- Buenos Aires
Midnight -- London
Friday, March 21, 1:00 AM -- Paris
Friday, March 21, 2:00 AM -- Istanbul
Friday, March 21, 3:00 AM -- Moscow
Friday, March 21, 4:00 AM -- Dubai
Friday, March 21, 5:00 AM -- Islamabad
Friday, March 21, 6:00 AM -- Bangladesh
Friday, March 21, 7:00 AM -- Bangkok
Friday, March 21, 8:00 AM -- Singapore
Friday, March 21, 9:00 AM -- Tokyo
Friday, March 21, 10:00 AM -- Brisbane
Friday, March 21, 11:00 AM -- Sydney
Friday, March 21, 12 Noon -- Suva

the Omikuji project

[newroticgirl.livejournal.com]

I wanted to point out yuki_onna's nifty project:

the Omikuji project

Some details:

The Omikuji Project is an experiment in cyberfunded art. It is an old-fashioned approach to new-founded literature, the shortest path from author to reader. It is a secret and marvelous communication, a unique way for you to read stories unavailable in any other venue, in any other way. It is a network of tales, a community. It is whispering in the dark; it is a fireside confession.

On the first of the month, subscribers will receive either a PDF or a mailed letter containing one short story not less than two-thousand words, a small piece of illustrative art by the author (and occasionally by her friends), and any other literary flotsam I can find to send you. The mailing, however, is the heart of the project: printed on high quality archival paper, autographed, and sealed with a scarlet wax stamp, they are stunning collectible artifacts.

The stories will not be published in other arenas, so this is the only way to read them. I will continue this project so long as a minimum number of subscribers are interested (approximately 30).

~~~

My favorite part of the idea: On top of that, since the real omikuji are "sacred lotteries," one person from the subscriber list will be randomly selected to receive a gift each month. It'll always be something different, related to the story, so don't ask, they're surprises.



~~~

Seeing things like this makes me wonder if a similar project would work for me. Go, little brain hamster on little wheel! Make ideas happen! :)

Review: The Aphorisms of Kherishdar

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

The Aphorisms of Kherishdar by M.C.A. Hogarth. Catspaw DTP Services, 2008. Paperback with full-color inserts, 58 pages. ISBN: 978-1434891129. Five stars.

John W. Campbell famously said, "Give me something that thinks as well as a human being but not like a human being." Here it is. This collection presents 25 short stories featuring the Ai-Naidar, a race of felinoid aliens. The Ai-Naidar think in terms of family and clan, caste and cooperation – rather than individual choices as humans do. They are different from us, and thus fascinating.

The Ai-Naidar practice Civilization the way humans practice religion. The Emperor of Kherishdar, responsible for overseeing its five worlds and all its people, is believed to be the same soul who first established Civilization – reincarnated time and again to continue guiding His people. The Calligrapher, our narrator, is a Public Servant artist whose calligraphy, illumination, and aphorisms help people to feel secure in their place within the community and to weather the challenges that life presents.

Each of the 25 stories stands alone, and together they create a literary tour through Ai-Naidari culture. Every story begins with a word from the Ai-Naidari language, and includes somewhere within it an aphorism or other nugget of wisdom explaining a certain facet of their lifestyle and culture. Some stories deal with pleasantries like friendship and a game played by families expecting a new baby. Others deal with harsher things like breakups and misbehavior. We get to see how Kherishdar handles challenges in social dynamics – childcare, the disabled, criminals, and incompetents. The stories will leave you thinking about them, and Civilization, and your own society, long after you finish the book.

M.C.A. Hogarth happens to be an artist as well as a writer, so her delicate gouache paintings illustrate this book. The cover and five interior pictures appear in full color. These are rich, warm, flowing images that reveal much of Ai-Naidari culture. Hogarth is skilled at conveying mood through body language and symbolism in art. Also, the general layout of this book supports the “calligraphy” theme – titles are done in swooping serif font, and there are additional flourishes and embellishments elsewhere. The paper is palest ivory, just a shade warmer than white, very fine and smooth; not quite glossy, it holds the bright colors well, and the crisp scent of the ink lingers deliciously. It is very much like a modern version of historic illuminated manuscripts.

The beauty of the collection lies in the construction, the eloquence of the fiction, and the inspiration of its background. It’s rare to find someone with skill both at fiction and art, so the union of delivery is a special treat. Sociological science fiction is challenging to write, but rewarding; the detail and verisimilitude in these stories have made many readers wish to visit Kherishdar again and again. You’ll come to love these strange, splendid people and their Civilization which is so unlike our own, yet still recognizable. And all of this was funded by the community of fans who admire M.C.A. Hogarth’s writing and art – something we treasure, that we helped to make possible, so that others could share it. Come to Kherishdar; you’ll be glad you did.

The Aphorisms of Kherishdar is available through Amazon.com. Fans of science fiction, and especially xenolinguists, will love it. Students of anthropology, sociology, psychology, linguistics, and other human studies will enjoy the close look at an alien culture and how it works, for comparison against your own: it raises many excellent questions that are good for classroom, coffeehouse, or con suite discussions. Art mavens will appreciate not just the art, but the fact that an artist is the main character. Most highly recommended – run out and spend your lunch money on this one!