Olympics and Sci-Fi Authors Fight Back
Jul. 27th, 2012 11:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatSo, I'm watching the Olympic Opening Ceremonies...they are incredibly long. Most likely because on US television there are about 15-20 minutes of commercials every 20 minutes. So basically 2 and 1/2 hours of Olympics and 2 hours of commercials. Got to love US non-subscriber television.
Commentators: We are racing through our notes. Audience members? We've never seen a parade of nations move like this. They are going at a rapid clip. [There's a lot of nations. Some I've never heard of. Mauritas? Also India, China, the US and Indonesia are the 4 biggest.
China first, India second with 1.4 billion, US at 313.08 million, and Indonesia...can't remember that number.] To put this in context? Great Britain only has 63 million. It blows me away, considering at one time, Great Britain was occupying North America (its colony),
China (Hong Kong), Indonesia, and India. For a little country - it does get around. It's also managed somehow to make English the International Language. If you need a lesson on size does not matter - there it is.
My favorite bit was the industrial age and tribute to children's literature and NHS - which the commentators dealt with well. They stated: "This is interesting, while we're having a heated partisan fight about this - they are so proud of it that they've included it in their presentation at the Olympics."
The other interesting bit is the music to God Save the Queen, along with the lyrics sounded very similar to God Save the Flag or Grand Old Flag. I think the US stole the tune?
Maybe not. My brain is admittedly fried this week. I'm off on everything. Even been making mistakes at work let alone online. It was a bad week.
At any rate, the parade of nations is notable for two bits - the commentators historical notations on each nation, its population and its athletic history and the fashion - which doesn't interest the commentators so isn't commented on. If they don't say anything about the US uniform controversy, I'll be disappointed. (The US Olympic team got in a boat-load of trouble for using Ralph Lauren's design - because Lauren's clothing is made in China. Congress came thisclose to ordering them to ditch the expensive and attractive outfits and get a designer who has American workers. But I think the expense stopped them. ) A week doesn't go by without the US embroiling itself in some Olympic oriented controversy or for that matter Mitt Romney sticking his foot in his mouth. This week Republican hopeful Mitt Romney stuck his foot in his mouth criticizing London's handling of the Games. Britian's Prime Minister Cameron retorted, well its a lot easier to have it in the middle of nowhere than a bustling global city. (LOL! And they were getting along so well. Romney fought to have the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah - which is actually in the middle of nowhere. Cameron didn't exaggerate.) Hmm...for the first time in history, the women athletes outnumber the men on the US team - 261 men/268 women. (Oh-ho...they did comment on the controversy about the outfits. Stating the US doesn't only compete with the Chinese in sports but also in merchandise and outfits. LOL! The commentators are hilarious.]
Ah, finally we're done with the two hour parade of nations. And to the final performances.
I need to check out the Artic Monkeys. New band. Cool. Liked the bicyclists with the dove wings. Wish the commentators wouldn't talk over the music though.
2. No one has mentioned this on my flist, so maybe you didn't know?
Here’s the story. Someone using the name Ibnul Jaif Farabi uploaded six titles under his name. The works “by” Mr. Farabi include novels actually written by Arthur C. Clark, Robert Heinlein, CJ Cherryh, John Scalzi, and other writers. The person who uploaded them changed the titles only slightly (Clark’s Childhood’s End became The End of Childhood, for example), and came up with “original” covers. Many of the inside illustrations are unchanged, however.
John Scalzi sent his DMCA take down notice to Amazon.com on Saturday, July 14, and CJ Cherryh followed on Sunday, July 15. Both writers also posted a request for their Facebook fans to write scathing one-star reviews of Mr. Farabi’s books, and warn others about the scan. By noon on Sunday, July 15, all six of “Mr. Farabi’s books” had been pulled, and were no longer for sale on Amazon.com. Score one for irate fans and copyright holders!
Read more at http://www.business2community.com/trends-news/fan-protests-new-front-in-the-copyright-wars-0222932#XmcBVPJt8iKzpVUk.99
Okay end of nasty week, going to bed. I may or may not come back to the net over the weekend. The week has rolled over me, wrung me out, and kicked me. Physically, mentally and emotionally. Leaving me feeling a bit like an old dish-rag. Methinks I'll treat myself to the new Batman movie this weekend and maybe a few hours at the gym swimming. Not all that interested in the Olympic games for some reason. I'll watch snatches but as I grow older my interest in competitive spectator sports seems to diminish for some reason.
Commentators: We are racing through our notes. Audience members? We've never seen a parade of nations move like this. They are going at a rapid clip. [There's a lot of nations. Some I've never heard of. Mauritas? Also India, China, the US and Indonesia are the 4 biggest.
China first, India second with 1.4 billion, US at 313.08 million, and Indonesia...can't remember that number.] To put this in context? Great Britain only has 63 million. It blows me away, considering at one time, Great Britain was occupying North America (its colony),
China (Hong Kong), Indonesia, and India. For a little country - it does get around. It's also managed somehow to make English the International Language. If you need a lesson on size does not matter - there it is.
My favorite bit was the industrial age and tribute to children's literature and NHS - which the commentators dealt with well. They stated: "This is interesting, while we're having a heated partisan fight about this - they are so proud of it that they've included it in their presentation at the Olympics."
The other interesting bit is the music to God Save the Queen, along with the lyrics sounded very similar to God Save the Flag or Grand Old Flag. I think the US stole the tune?
Maybe not. My brain is admittedly fried this week. I'm off on everything. Even been making mistakes at work let alone online. It was a bad week.
At any rate, the parade of nations is notable for two bits - the commentators historical notations on each nation, its population and its athletic history and the fashion - which doesn't interest the commentators so isn't commented on. If they don't say anything about the US uniform controversy, I'll be disappointed. (The US Olympic team got in a boat-load of trouble for using Ralph Lauren's design - because Lauren's clothing is made in China. Congress came thisclose to ordering them to ditch the expensive and attractive outfits and get a designer who has American workers. But I think the expense stopped them. ) A week doesn't go by without the US embroiling itself in some Olympic oriented controversy or for that matter Mitt Romney sticking his foot in his mouth. This week Republican hopeful Mitt Romney stuck his foot in his mouth criticizing London's handling of the Games. Britian's Prime Minister Cameron retorted, well its a lot easier to have it in the middle of nowhere than a bustling global city. (LOL! And they were getting along so well. Romney fought to have the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah - which is actually in the middle of nowhere. Cameron didn't exaggerate.) Hmm...for the first time in history, the women athletes outnumber the men on the US team - 261 men/268 women. (Oh-ho...they did comment on the controversy about the outfits. Stating the US doesn't only compete with the Chinese in sports but also in merchandise and outfits. LOL! The commentators are hilarious.]
Ah, finally we're done with the two hour parade of nations. And to the final performances.
I need to check out the Artic Monkeys. New band. Cool. Liked the bicyclists with the dove wings. Wish the commentators wouldn't talk over the music though.
2. No one has mentioned this on my flist, so maybe you didn't know?
Here’s the story. Someone using the name Ibnul Jaif Farabi uploaded six titles under his name. The works “by” Mr. Farabi include novels actually written by Arthur C. Clark, Robert Heinlein, CJ Cherryh, John Scalzi, and other writers. The person who uploaded them changed the titles only slightly (Clark’s Childhood’s End became The End of Childhood, for example), and came up with “original” covers. Many of the inside illustrations are unchanged, however.
John Scalzi sent his DMCA take down notice to Amazon.com on Saturday, July 14, and CJ Cherryh followed on Sunday, July 15. Both writers also posted a request for their Facebook fans to write scathing one-star reviews of Mr. Farabi’s books, and warn others about the scan. By noon on Sunday, July 15, all six of “Mr. Farabi’s books” had been pulled, and were no longer for sale on Amazon.com. Score one for irate fans and copyright holders!
Read more at http://www.business2community.com/trends-news/fan-protests-new-front-in-the-copyright-wars-0222932#XmcBVPJt8iKzpVUk.99
Okay end of nasty week, going to bed. I may or may not come back to the net over the weekend. The week has rolled over me, wrung me out, and kicked me. Physically, mentally and emotionally. Leaving me feeling a bit like an old dish-rag. Methinks I'll treat myself to the new Batman movie this weekend and maybe a few hours at the gym swimming. Not all that interested in the Olympic games for some reason. I'll watch snatches but as I grow older my interest in competitive spectator sports seems to diminish for some reason.
no subject
Date: 2012-07-28 11:06 am (UTC)I need to check out the Artic Monkeys. New band. Cool.
*laughs* They've been around for... *goes to check* 10 years. They're awesome btw. :)
no subject
Date: 2012-07-28 03:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-28 03:56 pm (UTC)