Randomness

[Entilzha]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/wayoflife/10/26/mf.drinking.storries/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

[Entilzha]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7066340.stm the meteorite from the Gobi Desert is beautiful.

[JadziaKathryn]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7066340.stm the meteorite from the Gobi Desert is beautiful.

Wow, you're right. It's gorgeous.

[enterprikayak]

Yay babies!
CONGRATS!

(you should print all our congrats and make them into a freaky little booklet for the baby so he knows the freaks are happy he's here on Earth. )

[Chris]

Yay babies!
CONGRATS!

(you should print all our congrats and make them into a freaky little booklet for the baby so he knows the freaks are happy he's here on Earth. )

Thanx for the idea , but since I don't want my one and only nephew thinking I'm psychotic with my extremely mild obsession with TnT I think I'll pass. But I will definitely make sure that he knows how happy I am that he's finally here.

[JadziaKathryn]

I just got an email from the EntST list reminding me that November is Drown Malcolm month. Just so you all know.

[Distracted]

[dark_rain]

I just got an email from the EntST list reminding me that November is Drown Malcolm month. Just so you all know.

WTF!?! So does that make December Asphyxiate Archer month?

[JadziaKathryn]

Maybe I should've elaborated. Drown Malcolm month means people write fics involving Malcolm and water. He almost invariably survives this near-drowning.

And dark_rain, I'm not aware of Asphyxiate Archer for December, but movements have to start somewhere... hey, you might be able to get Rigil to contribute something for that.

[dark_rain]

And dark_rain, I'm not aware of Asphyxiate Archer for December, but movements have to start somewhere... hey, you might be able to get Rigil to contribute something for that.

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

When is the "Spank T'Pol's bum" month?

[CX]

^

Have any of you read Robin Hobb's rant against fan fic? I haven't until recently, but I've found a couple of good responses to it that I thought I'd share with you:

In Defense of Fanfiction: Guestblogger Justin Goes Robin Hobbnobbing

Wherein Jane Offends Authors Against Fan Fiction

Some of the comments are pretty interesting, too. I even commented myself on the first one.

[JadziaKathryn]

Wow. I hadn't read this, but I will probably never want to read Hobb. Not that I'd heard of her before.

Guess what? A lot of my writing has been in fanfic. It has helped me grow as a writer. My original novel-in-progress (yes, just like the stereotype ) is on hold now, but I have written some original stuff. Still, I like fanfic. It's fun. There are really talented people.

And NOBODY is gonna convince me that *the_abomination* must be respected because of the artistic vision of the writers. Puh-leez. She seems to think the author always has it all under control and knows the characters/situations best. Riiight.

[Linda]

Hey, authors should be flattered that someone is so deeply into their characters as to write about them! No one is guaranteed a living by any particular skill. In the IT world, I have had to change skills several times. And many people have to retrain in completely new fields because their skills have become obsolete. So 'professional' writers have little sympathy from me. The world of creative writing is changing, you can't stop that. The internet has given fan fiction writers a boost and a place to develop their own talents. Some of them will go on to be published authors. Great! Any published author who resents fan fiction writers, to me, is trying to repress new writers from developing their talent. New writers should be mentored as Dean Wesley Smith has done with the Strange New Worlds anthologies and the writers' board he had for awhile where he gave new writers good advice.

And especially in the Star Trek universe, fan fiction should be not only tolerated, but encouraged. It keeps the franchise alive so the 'professionals' can make more money with new books and new movies and new series. Star Trek is now deeply embedded in our culture - it does not 'belong' only to the original creators. How far do the 'legal owners' want to go? Fine people for even discussing Star Trek characters in public as a violation of copyright? Now, I admit, that last statement is a little extreme, but it makes my point. I think the 'legal owners' of Star Trek would be slitting their own throats by trying to restrict fan fiction and fan videos and any other creative use of the Star Trek characters.

And beyond Star Trek, I think any creativity based on 'owned' creative works deserves to be disseminated. Whether the person creating these works based on the works of others should be allowed to profit financially on their own creativity is a gray area in my own ethical considerations. Certainly there should be some restrictions here, and permissions to be obtained before profit is allowed. But I certainly think fan fiction has a right to exist and to be disseminated to readers if NO profit is being made!

Heck, look who's ranting now! Well, this pushes one of my hot buttons.

[Linda]

"Spank T'Pol's bum month" comes right in between "rub T'Pol's bum month" and "bite T'Pol's bum month, I do believe. Though I have not heard if the nine other months have yet been assigned to T'Pol's bum.