Intermissions

I’ve done something wrong in the scripting, and know it’s obvious but … I’ll have it out in a few days — it’d be faster but between holidays and other issues that sit higher on my priority list, well, that’s how it goes. In the meantime…

I tend to refrain from recommending comics, blogs, etc. Two reasons for this predominate. First, I know that my tastes can get peculiar – and not everyone likes what I like. Second, I like to ensure it’s going to last, at least somewhat. Nothing like sending someone to something lovable but dead. And not ever going to be undead, even. sigh. All that noted, I had a revelation. See, I wanted to put some money in the tip jar of a couple of these, and wistfully knew that for a few months the probability of doing so will be somewhere below the chances of Sylvanas forgiving the Lich King. But I realized if I shared, I might get someone who can do so in place — and even if that doesn’t happen, everybody who writes loves having an increased audience. Allow me to direct your attention to a few places I find fun as well as interesting. (Politics, economics, and a few things of that ilk also interest me, but most of you won’t consider them fun. For the most part, then, I’ll avoid them here.)

I’d like to commend to your attention the webcomic Looking for Group . It’s serial, not daily [meaning standalones – ed], so any given day’s comic may be mostly funny only to those who’ve read the backstory (archives). Do so, and you’ll know whether it’s for you within, oh, I’d say by the fifth or sixth episode. If you like it, the story updates every Monday and Thursday. For me… “Rejoice: For very bad things are about to happen,” may become a favorite tagline.

I have enjoyed Phil Foglio since I first met Phil and Dixie in Dragon magazine a long, long time ago. But what locked him in my list of permanent favorites was a little story called Psmith. Phil’s been republishing his Buck Godot stories online, and Psmith is there in its entirety. If you like it, jump to the story that precedes it (Zap Gun for Hire, which actually better introduces Buck Godot), and then follow as we appear to start the Gallimaufry series (published in 8 issues, originally). If you like this, by all means jump over to his current series and meet Agatha, Girl Genius – you can find the link on Buck’s pages, so I’ll not put that here.

I’m a bibliophile, but my preference is for science fiction. Allow me to introduce you to a free library of science fiction books – and I’m talking the kind of stuff libraries buy, not the ones by wannabes and apprentices trying to master the trade. Published, many still for sale. Eric Flint got into a philosophical discussion not so many years ago about the issue of online piracy – to paraphrase, straining so hard at the gnats that the steaks were missed. For a link to what I consider the best of several position papers on this (though both part of a series AND only dealing with books), I point you to his seventh Baen’s Universe editorial. But as you’ve come to expect, I’ve digressed – that’s not the big thing. Instead, as a result of his argument he was offered a chance to put his money where his mouth is, he asked Jim Baen of Baen’s Books to allow him the chance to do so, and we are all the lucky beneficiaries. I present Baen’s Free Library, an online, FREE collection of science fiction (mostly Baen published, but a couple of others have snuck in as well). Over 100 books and still growing – basically, Eric’s pretty much shown he was right, and it keeps going because it generates more money. Yes, it’s free – and it generates money. If that boggles, read the editorial I listed, or the Prime Palavars you can also find at the library.

I think those will keep you entertained for a while, so I’ll stop. And try and catch up on family, work, holidays, other projects… oh, yeah, and that script…

~ by Kirk on December 20, 2007.