CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-18 15:43:40 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

Extrovert vs. Introvert

via: http://debsanderrol.com/2013/05/another-extrovert-vs-introvert-chart-but-with-input-by-an-extrovert/

I like it.

2013-04-21 23:02:05 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

Dear New Zealand,

If you get tired of this guy, can we have him for the UK parliament?

2013-04-21 13:13:57 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Nestlés CEO Peter Brabeck-Lethmate, just said that water should be privatized and having it is not a right. Basically - if you can't pay, don't think you have a right to survive. Well, fair enough. Lets say that "being allowed to live" is  not a human right, but lets take cash out of the equation and where does he think he stands? 

(Swedish Article Below, google translate it)

2013-04-09 23:30:10 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

I have seen the future.

It is grim.

2013-04-08 08:24:23 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

I guess it should be mentionned that I'm a feminist in the same way that I'm an antiracist and against homophobia.
It seems dumb that this has to be said - but appearently it does.

2013-03-29 14:41:50 (4 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

Give that man a raise. And a round of applause.

2013-03-24 00:18:13 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

To anyone interested in teaching filmmaking to high school students, here is the curriculum a friend of mine asked for. Please offer critique and or refinement. Thanks! What follows is a copypasta from an email to a friend who requested my curriculum. Turns out, there might be other people who are interested:

I start of with some film history: persistence of vision and frame rate are psychology terms that make motion picture possible and the "industry" went through many iteration before finally getting to film. There's some youtube videos that we screen in class: (if you can't get to youtube in the 21st century, you need to raise hell about teaching a film class and needing access).

Pixar's Zoetrope
phenakistocsope Film Before Film - Phenakistoscope
zoetrope: Things - Zoetrope

chronophotographic
glass plate series: Buffalo Running 1883... more »

2013-03-21 22:47:10 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 1 +1s)

I watched this video twice and cried both times. 

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/honoring-students-with-special-needs

I'll donate $1 for each public share of this post up to, say, $2,000. Let's bring a little joy into these kids' hearts.

Hat tip to +Chris Brogan 

2013-03-21 15:48:18 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

When 'rape culture' becomes 'anti-rape culture' and people blame the rapists not their victims, I'll shut up about living in a rape culture.

2013-03-19 22:05:13 (1 comments, 8 reshares, 2 +1s)

I want some of these.

2013-03-19 21:25:46 (14 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Can you spare a short film script for a high school English class?

In a few weeks, I'll be teaching a screenwriting workshop to a class of 13-16 year olds. 

I'm looking for short film scripts to use as teaching examples in the class.

I'd like to use scripts from a few different writers to show the pupils how different writers approach screenwriting, within the constraints of the format.

If you have a short film script you'd be willing to share, please let me know.

I ideally need scripts under 5 pages with a standard narrative structure. The content must be suitable for 13-16 year olds (no sex, swearing, extreme violence etc).

The scripts would not be distributed outside of the class. They'll be used to show the pupils how short film scripts work, before they move on to writing their own.

2013-03-17 22:22:13 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Speedreading like The Flash

Because I've got a massive number of books to read, I bought a "teach yourself" book on speedreading.

According to it most people read at 200 words-per-minute, and speedreading doubles or trebles that rate.

I did a reading speed test and it turns out I read at 400wpm.

I think this is what inside my head will sound like if I manage to treble my reading speed.

2013-03-14 22:37:55 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

So painful. So truthful.

2013-03-14 13:04:01 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Google Reader to be axed: What are the alternatives? http://goo.gl/mag/NfMF8RI

2013-03-13 12:10:44 (4 comments, 5 reshares, 4 +1s)

I can die happy now.

2013-03-12 23:58:27 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

Books which made me

I've changed my Google profile pic to a selection of the fiction works I've read that could be said to have formed me as a person and a writer.

For those who like lists, they are:

number9dream – David Mitchell
The Count of Monte Cristo – Alexander Dumas
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance – Robert M Pirsig
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? – Philip K Dick
1984 – George Orwell
The Naked Lunch – William Burroughs
Roadside Picnic – Arkady and Boris Strugatsky
V for Vendetta – Alan Moore, David Lloyd (and others)
Norweigan Wood – Haruki Murakami
HP Lovecraft – Call of Cthulhu and others

#books  

2013-03-12 23:19:02 (0 comments, 6 reshares, 3 +1s)

2013-03-03 19:12:29 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

If enough people watched and actually thought about this video on Wealth Inequality in America, there would probably be riots in the streets.

2013-03-02 19:27:57 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 2 +1s)

Get fit at your desk

Writers tend to be deskbound. These may help prevent upper body problems from leading such a life.

2013-03-02 19:25:23 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

Get fit when stuck at your desk

Or go some way to preserve your upper body from damage by sitting at your desk.

2013-03-02 17:55:12 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

When Jennifer Lawrence met Jack Nicholson…

DOWN BOY!

DOWN!

(via +Bruce Garber)

2013-03-02 17:39:55 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 0 +1s)

Evernote resets all passwords

Someone is attempting to hack Evernote and get users' passwords. So it's implemented a password reset. Every Evernote user has to change their password.

Instructions are in the link. Do not use a link provided in any password reset email you receive.

#evernote   #hacked  

2013-03-02 01:14:53 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

That nice Mr Bowie gave us a present…

The Next Day David Bowie's new album is available to stream on iTunes… for free.

Thank you Mr Bowie! Thank you Apple!

2013-03-02 13:31:15 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Amazon and Solid Gold Bomb selling "Keep Calm and Rape…" T-shirts

UPDATE: Solid Gold Bomb has removed the "Keep Calm and Rape…" T-shirts from its online store. However, the T-shirts are still being sold on Amazon.co.uk.

UPDATE 2: Solid Gold Bomb are placing the blame on a single coder on their staff. But they don't explain why the T-shirts were allowed to go on sale (link: http://www.solidgoldbomb.com/pages/contact-us). The T-shirts are also being pulled from the Amazon Marketplace store. Solid Gold Bomb were also selling T-shirts with slogans like ""keep calm and knife her" and "keep calm and grope a lot" (source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21640347).

Amazon is enabling the retailer Solid Gold Bomb to distribute a range of "Keep Calm and Rape…" T-shirts.

The T-shirtsinclu... more »

2013-02-28 16:52:58 (1 comments, 3 reshares, 13 +1s)

Copy-editing humour: Lesser-known editing symbols

I may start using some of these…

(Found on Facebook)

2013-02-21 22:50:11 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings: "The goal is to become HBO faster than HBO can become us."

2013-02-20 23:28:19 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

To this day

This is the best anti-bullying film I've seen. Moving and positive, it shows the emotional impact of being a bully.

The film is part of the "To This Day Project" (http://tothisdayproject.com/).

For more on stopping bullying, visit Bullying.org (http://www.bullying.org)

2013-02-19 23:06:11 (9 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Possibly the best "screenwriter wanted" advert ever.

The final line was a clincher for me. How could I not want this job?

2013-02-16 21:53:33 (4 comments, 2 reshares, 1 +1s)

I was looking for a link to explain "adult furry parties" to a script reading client…

And I stumbled across this story.

It took me a while to stop laughing.

2013-02-15 21:01:39 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

It thought I would leave you with some Star Wars news...
It is worth reading it ALL!
Ngaarrr..,
See ya tomorrow :D
#starwars   #hansolo  

2013-02-15 20:48:16 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Google made an artificial brain. It has developed something akin to a visual cortex and likes cats. http://gizmodo.com/5921296/googles-artificial-brain-loves-to-watch-cat-videos

2013-02-15 13:10:57 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Why you should pay your invoices

If you run a company, you should always ensure you pay invoices from the Inland Revenue and your website developer. 

If you don't, the first can send you to prison, and the second can… well, see for yourself:  

2013-02-14 14:08:53 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Earlier today I learnt that Valentine's Day is a Christian corruption of a pagan festival involving werewolves and sex. Suddenly, I like Valentine's Day as I can send this to people…

(Werewolf art by *Lhuin - http://lhuin.deviantart.com)

2013-02-12 22:13:06 (19 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

GMing first game in 10 years - any advice?

This Saturday I'll be GMing my first game in about a decade. I used to GM a lot, but have only just back into playing tabletop RPGs, let along running one.

To make things even tougher for me, it's a Cyberpunk 2020 game which I've converted into the White Wolf's Storyteller rules.

The upside is I like to tell stories, play with people's heads and have (albeit limited) acting skills.

So does anyone have any advice for someone returning to GMing after a long absence?

Thanks. 

Image source: http://bit.ly/U7yaku .

2013-02-09 23:53:21 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Binging on Stargate Universe

I've spent the day watching episodes of a series I've long meant to watch: Stargate Universe, and it's left me with a couple of thoughts:

1. Grim is not entertaining
SGU strongly reminds me of Ronald D Moore Battlestar Galactica remake.

Both feature a broken down ship in space, which is stranded by accident, and becomes populated by a motley crew of people. And its well-written, well-acted, high production values – generally very well made.

And both have episodes with nearly identical concepts: the ship loosing all of their water, struggling to find food enough to feed everyone, a developing split between the civilian and military crews, and a commander trying to prevent mutiny created through politicians' machinations.

And both shows have a lunatic genius scientist doctor.
more »

2013-02-09 20:09:14 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Make a post with the PULP-O-MIZER

I found the PULP-O-MIZER (http://bit.ly/12dujBH) via a post from +Steve Turnbull. It lets you make covers based on the old science-fiction anthology magazines.

So, I made one to promote my freelance copy editing business (http://rceditorial.wordpress.com).

Nice, what?

#writing   #sciencefiction   #pulp   #proofreading  

2013-02-09 16:20:13 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Ex-BNP members form hardline racist, neo-Nazi "British Democratic Party"

Launch event security provided by EDL to defend against attack by BNP.

Senior posts in "democratic" party not elected.

BDP's leader – Andrew Brons – is an ex-Mosley follower, ex-National Front. 

Nick Lowles of the antifascist campaign group Hope not Hate says the new party will be a serious challenge to Nick Griffin’s BNP. “The BDP brings together all of the hardcore Holocaust deniers and racists that have walked away from the BNP over the last two to three years, plus those previously, who could not stomach the party’s image changes.

“They and the BNP already have a mutual hatred of each other and neither party will stop until they’ve killed the other one off. The gloves will be off and it will be toxic”.

Neither theEnglish Defence ... more »

2013-02-07 23:21:13 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Word template for script pitches.

2013-02-03 01:25:53 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 2 +1s)

William Gibson's Theory of Celebrity – storified

When people ask me, "What's Twitter good for?" I point them to William Gibson's @GreatDismal page.

Here is one example why he makes social media worthwhile.

2013-02-02 17:17:35 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

This a copy of Harrison Ford's script from Raiders of the Lost Ark, on which he scribbled all his notes on. It includes dialogue and scene changes, as well as notes on developing and interpreting Indiana Jones' character.

My favourite dialogue note: "Too Solo-ish"

2013-01-18 13:08:52 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Religious group takes the proverbial urine

This job opportunity appeared in my inbox today. And not for the first time.

WEC needs an enthusiastic sub-editor to work across a range of projects (missional magazines, newsletters, campaigns, website). You will be expected to sub copy with accuracy and attention to detail. Duties also include writing snappy and accurate headlines, straps and abstracts/summaries, as well as the occasional feature.

This position is non-salaried as all WEC personnel look to God to provide their personal needs.

I have no problem with charities using volunteers, but they should be honest about it.

2013-01-09 12:54:26 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 9 +1s)

Copy editor humour

Pass the tissues and the O-negative would you?

2013-01-08 12:41:41 (83 comments, 394 reshares, 593 +1s)

Guide on how not to argue

Found via The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science (Official) on Facebook.

2013-01-08 09:16:56 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Happy birthday Bowie

It's David Bowie's 66th birthday today.

Happy birthday Dave!

And his next album's release date has been announced: The Next Day will be out on 13 March 2013.

And he's got a new single out as well – Where Are We Know?

This is a good day.

2013-01-07 16:15:11 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 1 +1s)

How to Change Lanes Like a Ninja

http://goo.gl/zy1eF

2013-01-06 22:45:46 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

A bunch of (honest) tips by script reader and editor +Lucy Hay.

2013-01-06 22:09:27 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Gangs of characters

This screenwriting tip is from +Danny Stack was written six years ago, but it's still very relevant. It describes building a network of characters within a TV drama.

This is another bookmark from my stash I'm trying to clean out.

2013-01-06 22:04:37 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Men Can Stop Rape

This is a positive campaign which shows how men can prevent sexual assaults, and helps to educate children and teens on healthy relationships.

It's US-based, but I hope it'll be able to spread further.  

2013-01-06 21:55:17 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

The Vastra, Jenny & Strax Show is unlikely

Pretty much everyone who has seen Vastra, Jenny and Strax in A Good Man Goes to War and The Snowmen loves them, and wants them to have a series of their own.

This is what Steven Moffat said out the possibility of such a show, after A Good Man Goes to War:

“I instantly pitched it to Ben Stephenson [Controller, Drama Commissioning],” Moffat told SFX. “He just said ‘…Yes!’. And then I said ‘I obviously don’t have time to do this…’ [laughs].”

So, I think I speak for every Vastra and Strax fan when I say "BUGGER!"

#doctorwho  

2013-01-06 21:25:28 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Interactive World of Darkness character sheets

I'm cleaning out my bookmarks this evening, and I found this: a bunch of interactive PDF character sheets for World of Darkness games.

I've used the Changling version, and it was very useful. (Especially as my handwriting is nearly illegible.)