Ok, after a bit of feedback (mostly given over instant message), I have to make a couple clarifications.
1) "For Dummies" and "Complete Idiot's Guide to" books are not all bad. The names just seem a bit like saying "you're a damn retard!" and they're very over-published. It gives an air of "the world is a buncha idiots, so here you go, books aimed for idiots".
2) Some books shouldn't have "For Dummies" books. Yes, I use a few, namely for Linux, C++, HTML, and other such. Mostly for pointers and tricks, not for complete teaching. The market is quite full of these books.
And to close, if I offended anyone.... Well... This is an opinion blog. I'm not here to play nice guy, I'm here to state what I feel and observe. So like it or leave it.
1/29/08
I'm Not a Dummy For Dummies
The more I look at the bookstores, the more intelligent I feel. Hordes of Stephen King clones, do-it-yourself everything (if I'm not doing it myself.... how am I doing it?), self-help for every possible neurosis, and the latest sappy tearjerker du jour. I see all this, and realize two very important things. First of all, the intelligence and capability of the 21st century man is comparable to a squid, and secondly that I don't stand a fucking chance of getting published.
I like to go to the library, its kind of like finding religion. I go in with all this anger and general lost feeling, and I leave with some semblance of direction and hope, or at least the hope I'm not wasting my time with the books I checked out. That and I feel somewhat more secure in myself, knowing I didn't need "Choosing a Dog For Dummies". (Yes, it really exists, look at this.) I think at this point, I can easily add another bit to my squid analogy. The 21st century human being has as much spinal content as a squid. Every possible neurosis has a "For Dummies" it seems. Where's "Hypochondriacs For Dummies"?
This is not to say the "For Dummies" books are all bad. I've perused a few, myself. Notably for programming and the random publishing information. I find that a few are genuinely useful and actually have helped me in certain skills or in my understanding of things. But the rest... The rest are so useless that the only use they really have is kindling. (Kind of like Dianetics. I've actually used that book as kindling, and I must say, it burns rather nice.)
Another thing that disturbs me is the idea that any level of celebrity means you're automatically entitled to a biography, be it by yourself of a third party. I don't see exactly how the biography of Cher or the Backstreet Boys is of any literary value. Sure, its entertainment, but dear god, think of the paper that had to become that tripe! It could have been something better, like used to wipe an inmate's ass! There are more books on the Backstreet Boys than there are fans of the Backstreet Boys. Seriously, though, do we need another biography of Princess Di or OJ Simpson? More so by their bodyguard's brother's drug dealer?
Now for how this affects me and my craft, directly. I can't write with a target audience of sentient sea sponge in mind. That's the majority of what sells, sadly. The majority of what gets published. Not to mention the fact that everything HAS to fall into categories that are as close to single-word as they can manage. Sci-fi, horror, romance, mainstream, its like we dumb everything down to the point where innovation is so hard to do, and then indoctrinate future writers with "its all been done before, don't even think your stuff is in any way new or groundbreaking. Now sit down and write another For Dummies guide. How about Masturbation For Dummies? That been done yet?"
You laugh now, but keep an eye out next time you're in a bookstore. I'll have the last laugh yet.
I like to go to the library, its kind of like finding religion. I go in with all this anger and general lost feeling, and I leave with some semblance of direction and hope, or at least the hope I'm not wasting my time with the books I checked out. That and I feel somewhat more secure in myself, knowing I didn't need "Choosing a Dog For Dummies". (Yes, it really exists, look at this.) I think at this point, I can easily add another bit to my squid analogy. The 21st century human being has as much spinal content as a squid. Every possible neurosis has a "For Dummies" it seems. Where's "Hypochondriacs For Dummies"?
This is not to say the "For Dummies" books are all bad. I've perused a few, myself. Notably for programming and the random publishing information. I find that a few are genuinely useful and actually have helped me in certain skills or in my understanding of things. But the rest... The rest are so useless that the only use they really have is kindling. (Kind of like Dianetics. I've actually used that book as kindling, and I must say, it burns rather nice.)
Another thing that disturbs me is the idea that any level of celebrity means you're automatically entitled to a biography, be it by yourself of a third party. I don't see exactly how the biography of Cher or the Backstreet Boys is of any literary value. Sure, its entertainment, but dear god, think of the paper that had to become that tripe! It could have been something better, like used to wipe an inmate's ass! There are more books on the Backstreet Boys than there are fans of the Backstreet Boys. Seriously, though, do we need another biography of Princess Di or OJ Simpson? More so by their bodyguard's brother's drug dealer?
Now for how this affects me and my craft, directly. I can't write with a target audience of sentient sea sponge in mind. That's the majority of what sells, sadly. The majority of what gets published. Not to mention the fact that everything HAS to fall into categories that are as close to single-word as they can manage. Sci-fi, horror, romance, mainstream, its like we dumb everything down to the point where innovation is so hard to do, and then indoctrinate future writers with "its all been done before, don't even think your stuff is in any way new or groundbreaking. Now sit down and write another For Dummies guide. How about Masturbation For Dummies? That been done yet?"
You laugh now, but keep an eye out next time you're in a bookstore. I'll have the last laugh yet.
1/26/08
I Stole Your CD, and I Want My Money Back
Time to talk about piracy. Far be it from me to sit there and rant on about how evil it is, how it hurts the artists, and how you should go to jail. If that were the case, I'd be in the cell with you. But lets talk about the other side of piracy, how it actually helps the industry.
If it exists, you can steal it on the internet. Lets face facts, that is the truth. Anything from classical to the new KMFDM, its there and ripe for the taking. And odds are, someone you know is stealing it by the gig. If you aren't doing it yourself, that is. Now ask the stuck up money grubbers in charge of the major networks, labels, and anything even remotely related to any form of art... And you're a thief. A no good money-stealing thief. But they don't seem to care about the fact they're stealing just as much, more actually, from the artists. Most living musicians make their money on live shows and merchandising, not off the actual cd/digital sales. Last I saw, it was in the ballpark of 1%. One whole percent. Where's the other ninety nine? Well, go to the homepage of your favorite record label, and look at their CEOs. Odds are, that ninety nine percent is in their wallet.
So, with that in mind, how is piracy hurting the artist? In all reality, it isn't. Or at least it isn't enough to call for the end of cd sales like many right wing nutjobs will cry out. If you, or your pirate friend (ok, lets cut the shit, if you're reading this, odds are you're the damn pirate) are anything like a lot of pirates, you're using piracy as a "try it before you buy it" mechanism. Who wants to waste $20 on a cd that turns out to be a sub par piece of crap? And then turns around and goes platinum, just because enough people weren't sure of how craptacular it was, and bought it. The trend has become 1) pirate downloads cd, 2) pirate listens to cd and decides if 3a) its worth buying, and buys it or 3b) its not worth putting money on and giving the record sales that number to add to promotion and deletes it. Computer software does this, its called shareware. If you like it, you buy it. But the main point is you get to give it a trial period to form an opinion. Singles on the radio is not the same. More so when you listen to music that doesn't receive radio play, like I do. If its good enough to keep, odds are money will go into it, either in cd sales or live events, merchandise, and other venues where the artists get a larger share or better feedback.
Let's step away from music for a moment and look at the movies. $8 is a low price for a ticket nowadays. The last movie I saw in theaters, I put down a $10 bill before I even saw the concession stand. Then I had to sit in a sticky theater full of screaming children that ran up and down the aisles, deal with sound that was out of sync, and video that bounced more than a stripper's ass. All just to see a two hour movie that I couldn't pay attention to. Now I have to wait six months for it to hit DVD, just so I can pay $20 more to finally see the entirety of the movie I paid $10 for six months ago.
Let's add another dimension to that scenario. One that really isn't as uncommon as you'd think. Lets say I have a mental issue such as Social Anxiety Disorder. Now how can I go to a theater with 150 other people, dozens of screaming children, and all those other factors? Its simple, I really can't without severe medication or the symptoms of my disorder flaring up. So what recourse am I left to? Waiting six months for the DVD, having to plug my ears and turn my TV off not to have the movie spoiled for me? Yeah fucking right. I'm going to turn on my PC and download the movie. Why? Reasonable Accommodations. The Americans With Disabilities Act. Social Anxiety Disorder puts me under the label of disabled. The movie industry has to accommodate for people in wheelchairs by putting wheelchair-accessible seating in. They should have to accommodate for my problem somehow. Not too long ago they spoke of putting the DVDs out side-by-side with the theatrical release. Not bad, but I'd have to pay $20 for the DVD, while everyone else pays half that for the theater! How is that reasonable accommodations, making me pay twice as much just because I can't deal with theaters?
Then a third area of piracy. Software. Now, this is really where the "try it before you buy it" comes into play. A lot of software companies either release stuff for free or give a shareware license. Use it for a period, and if you like it, pay for it. Sensible enough. Most commercial programs have open-source alternatives for free, anyway. Now, there's another reason for piracy. A lot of programs, games most of all, go out of print. The company decides, for whatever reason, to just up and stop putting out a given game. So what are the options? Pay out the ass for a scratched up copy on Ebay... or piracy. I don't know about you, but paying $50 for a scratched up cd of a game that sold for $25 isn't exactly intelligent.
I'm pretty sure where anyone who isn't getting a share of the profits can see how piracy, in a certain light, makes sense. It is a system that fills in the holes that the consumer has found in the process. Holes that save the consumer a lot of disappointment or possible problems. Until a day comes where a better system comes along, we're either left with two options. Pay out and support a broken system, or don't put any money out and suffer ourselves.
If it exists, you can steal it on the internet. Lets face facts, that is the truth. Anything from classical to the new KMFDM, its there and ripe for the taking. And odds are, someone you know is stealing it by the gig. If you aren't doing it yourself, that is. Now ask the stuck up money grubbers in charge of the major networks, labels, and anything even remotely related to any form of art... And you're a thief. A no good money-stealing thief. But they don't seem to care about the fact they're stealing just as much, more actually, from the artists. Most living musicians make their money on live shows and merchandising, not off the actual cd/digital sales. Last I saw, it was in the ballpark of 1%. One whole percent. Where's the other ninety nine? Well, go to the homepage of your favorite record label, and look at their CEOs. Odds are, that ninety nine percent is in their wallet.
So, with that in mind, how is piracy hurting the artist? In all reality, it isn't. Or at least it isn't enough to call for the end of cd sales like many right wing nutjobs will cry out. If you, or your pirate friend (ok, lets cut the shit, if you're reading this, odds are you're the damn pirate) are anything like a lot of pirates, you're using piracy as a "try it before you buy it" mechanism. Who wants to waste $20 on a cd that turns out to be a sub par piece of crap? And then turns around and goes platinum, just because enough people weren't sure of how craptacular it was, and bought it. The trend has become 1) pirate downloads cd, 2) pirate listens to cd and decides if 3a) its worth buying, and buys it or 3b) its not worth putting money on and giving the record sales that number to add to promotion and deletes it. Computer software does this, its called shareware. If you like it, you buy it. But the main point is you get to give it a trial period to form an opinion. Singles on the radio is not the same. More so when you listen to music that doesn't receive radio play, like I do. If its good enough to keep, odds are money will go into it, either in cd sales or live events, merchandise, and other venues where the artists get a larger share or better feedback.
Let's step away from music for a moment and look at the movies. $8 is a low price for a ticket nowadays. The last movie I saw in theaters, I put down a $10 bill before I even saw the concession stand. Then I had to sit in a sticky theater full of screaming children that ran up and down the aisles, deal with sound that was out of sync, and video that bounced more than a stripper's ass. All just to see a two hour movie that I couldn't pay attention to. Now I have to wait six months for it to hit DVD, just so I can pay $20 more to finally see the entirety of the movie I paid $10 for six months ago.
Let's add another dimension to that scenario. One that really isn't as uncommon as you'd think. Lets say I have a mental issue such as Social Anxiety Disorder. Now how can I go to a theater with 150 other people, dozens of screaming children, and all those other factors? Its simple, I really can't without severe medication or the symptoms of my disorder flaring up. So what recourse am I left to? Waiting six months for the DVD, having to plug my ears and turn my TV off not to have the movie spoiled for me? Yeah fucking right. I'm going to turn on my PC and download the movie. Why? Reasonable Accommodations. The Americans With Disabilities Act. Social Anxiety Disorder puts me under the label of disabled. The movie industry has to accommodate for people in wheelchairs by putting wheelchair-accessible seating in. They should have to accommodate for my problem somehow. Not too long ago they spoke of putting the DVDs out side-by-side with the theatrical release. Not bad, but I'd have to pay $20 for the DVD, while everyone else pays half that for the theater! How is that reasonable accommodations, making me pay twice as much just because I can't deal with theaters?
Then a third area of piracy. Software. Now, this is really where the "try it before you buy it" comes into play. A lot of software companies either release stuff for free or give a shareware license. Use it for a period, and if you like it, pay for it. Sensible enough. Most commercial programs have open-source alternatives for free, anyway. Now, there's another reason for piracy. A lot of programs, games most of all, go out of print. The company decides, for whatever reason, to just up and stop putting out a given game. So what are the options? Pay out the ass for a scratched up copy on Ebay... or piracy. I don't know about you, but paying $50 for a scratched up cd of a game that sold for $25 isn't exactly intelligent.
I'm pretty sure where anyone who isn't getting a share of the profits can see how piracy, in a certain light, makes sense. It is a system that fills in the holes that the consumer has found in the process. Holes that save the consumer a lot of disappointment or possible problems. Until a day comes where a better system comes along, we're either left with two options. Pay out and support a broken system, or don't put any money out and suffer ourselves.
Social Networking
Ok, this is bugging me, badly. There's HOW many damn social networking sites? MySpace, Facebook, MyYearbook, Flickr, about a hundred others. Literally. I mean, just look at this list. Does anyone else find this ludicrous? Its just a bit out of hand.
Social networking isn't all evil, even I will admit that. Its all a part of telecommuting, getting jobs and organizations over the internet. It makes some jobs a hell of a lot easier, makes getting your band out there a lot easier, and just getting a lot of amateur entertainment out there. Doesn't mean said entertainment doesn't suck like a cheap whore, but it does mean they're trying, which is a good thing.
It seems every time I turn on shows like Dateline, 20/20, or 60 Minutes, someone is rambling about one of them, usually MySpace. Usually they're talking about pedophiles or phishing. Now, don't quote me, but I'm relatively sure pedophiles existed before the advent of MySpace. Sure, they may not have had as easy an outlet, and relied on tactics like panel vans with "Free Candy!" written on the side, but I suppose they're just keeping up with the times like the rest of us. Kudos to them, they're entering the demographic of those of us who can use a computer. My cousin may ask me for help logging into her e-mail, but a 50 year old guy has NO problem getting onto MySpace to find a 13 year old girl. Astounding.
Then there's the phishing. First off, these people are so bad at what they do, you don't need a damn PHD to realize "holy shit, its a scam!" 30 e-mails or messages that all say "Click this link to see my nude pics!" Now, it isn't exactly rocket science. Unless you're so naive to say "Wow, maybe this time there'll be nudes, and my credit rating won't fall any further!" And if you are, click the little X in the upper right corner of your screen, shut down your computer, and throw it and yourself out the nearest window.
Yet all these news shows point out the stupidity of the user on a weekly basis, and every time, my grandmother acts like its somehow new. "Oh, you hear about the new pedophile thing on MySpace?" "No, grandmother, have you heard about this neat thing called Fortran?" Old fucking news.
Then there's the people who use these sites. Now, before I get ranting there, let me say that I use one of them, myself. Just one. I don't need 30 profiles to attract people I'll never meet who just want to pad their own friends lists. Unless I talk to someone on a near-daily basis, I'm not about to consider them a friend. Less so when they live on the other coast of the country. Hell, whatever happened to getting your ass out of the computer chair, walking out the front door (yes, I know the sun hurts your eyes, buy some damn sunglasses or a hat) and meeting people face to face? Note to all 4chan users: wash your clothes and shower first, you smell like ass and ejaculate.
So while all you unwashed rabble sit and click "refresh" on your MySpace page, waiting for that 15 year old Taiwanese girl to reply to your proposition for cybersex, I'm going to put on a nice coat and go hit on the girls you're neglecting. Hell, if thats the case, why am I complaining about these sites? Shit, keep surfing them, and I'll be busy with all the girls you leave unattended to.
Social networking isn't all evil, even I will admit that. Its all a part of telecommuting, getting jobs and organizations over the internet. It makes some jobs a hell of a lot easier, makes getting your band out there a lot easier, and just getting a lot of amateur entertainment out there. Doesn't mean said entertainment doesn't suck like a cheap whore, but it does mean they're trying, which is a good thing.
It seems every time I turn on shows like Dateline, 20/20, or 60 Minutes, someone is rambling about one of them, usually MySpace. Usually they're talking about pedophiles or phishing. Now, don't quote me, but I'm relatively sure pedophiles existed before the advent of MySpace. Sure, they may not have had as easy an outlet, and relied on tactics like panel vans with "Free Candy!" written on the side, but I suppose they're just keeping up with the times like the rest of us. Kudos to them, they're entering the demographic of those of us who can use a computer. My cousin may ask me for help logging into her e-mail, but a 50 year old guy has NO problem getting onto MySpace to find a 13 year old girl. Astounding.
Then there's the phishing. First off, these people are so bad at what they do, you don't need a damn PHD to realize "holy shit, its a scam!" 30 e-mails or messages that all say "Click this link to see my nude pics!" Now, it isn't exactly rocket science. Unless you're so naive to say "Wow, maybe this time there'll be nudes, and my credit rating won't fall any further!" And if you are, click the little X in the upper right corner of your screen, shut down your computer, and throw it and yourself out the nearest window.
Yet all these news shows point out the stupidity of the user on a weekly basis, and every time, my grandmother acts like its somehow new. "Oh, you hear about the new pedophile thing on MySpace?" "No, grandmother, have you heard about this neat thing called Fortran?" Old fucking news.
Then there's the people who use these sites. Now, before I get ranting there, let me say that I use one of them, myself. Just one. I don't need 30 profiles to attract people I'll never meet who just want to pad their own friends lists. Unless I talk to someone on a near-daily basis, I'm not about to consider them a friend. Less so when they live on the other coast of the country. Hell, whatever happened to getting your ass out of the computer chair, walking out the front door (yes, I know the sun hurts your eyes, buy some damn sunglasses or a hat) and meeting people face to face? Note to all 4chan users: wash your clothes and shower first, you smell like ass and ejaculate.
So while all you unwashed rabble sit and click "refresh" on your MySpace page, waiting for that 15 year old Taiwanese girl to reply to your proposition for cybersex, I'm going to put on a nice coat and go hit on the girls you're neglecting. Hell, if thats the case, why am I complaining about these sites? Shit, keep surfing them, and I'll be busy with all the girls you leave unattended to.
I hate first posts
I severely hate the whole "first post" thing. The introduction and all that bullshit. So just let me say my name is Meatmarket, and I swear like a goddamn sailor. Like it or leave it.
I don't intend to let this be one of those touchy-feely blogs. I hate that bullshit. I want to talk cold, hard facts and shit about my professions. As for what those professions are, I'm a student, amateur (read: unpaid) computer repairman, and freelance (read: unpaid and unpublished) author. I'll likely reference my work via link or whatever, if you want to read it. I don't care. Shit, I don't care if you read this at all.
As for the cold hard facts, I tend to discuss politics, the net, whatever the fuck comes into my life. Youtube bullshit, 4chan, net drama, all that. I invite you to disagree with me. Cuz... Yeah, its what interests me. Just consider me Current TV with more profanity, credibility, and nerve. And less faggots in Ambercrombie and Fitch telling you what to think.
I don't intend to let this be one of those touchy-feely blogs. I hate that bullshit. I want to talk cold, hard facts and shit about my professions. As for what those professions are, I'm a student, amateur (read: unpaid) computer repairman, and freelance (read: unpaid and unpublished) author. I'll likely reference my work via link or whatever, if you want to read it. I don't care. Shit, I don't care if you read this at all.
As for the cold hard facts, I tend to discuss politics, the net, whatever the fuck comes into my life. Youtube bullshit, 4chan, net drama, all that. I invite you to disagree with me. Cuz... Yeah, its what interests me. Just consider me Current TV with more profanity, credibility, and nerve. And less faggots in Ambercrombie and Fitch telling you what to think.
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