My Appendix Damn Near Exploded

Good news, bad news. The bad news is my appendix damn near exploded. The good news is it didn't it's out, and since I'm stuck in Omaha, we may well be recording Jonas' track for Season 3 of 118 Migration.

A lot of good news coming, and the infrastructure is coming back online slowly but surely.

Jonas Waight rises from the ashes...

(But will that be a good thing for the world?)

-W

Updates

Going to keep this brief. 

Mars City: Might have a line on an inker/colorist. First arc+ is written. Ben's throwing down pencils like a mad man. Some examples... it's gonna be a good time.

Lysander Scratch, Magi Hunter (From Mars City)
Zoom in by clicking.

The Blue Box that's Changing How We Think About Thinking

The Blue Box Test, The current RCD test used by Ocular
Studies classes at MIT, Miskatonic and Boulder State University

Found this test on a website and though I'd repost it. Something to be learned here one way or the other.
-Will

'The Blue Box That's Changing How We Think About Thinking
by Dr. Sudot Oehnym
UK Journal of Critical Thinking and Group Psychology

While this box of color is unremarkable, it's actually the leading test for a very specialized learning disorder that effects as many as 5% of Americans. It can (very rarely) short circuit  the rational segments of their brains and can effect anyone from the very young to the very old.

And there's a test for it that's almost too simple to be believed. This blue box.

While 19 of you will see a simple blue box, 1 in 20 you will see it as a shade of green, and 1 in 100 will see it as a dark or "forest" green (the rarest group.) The condition, called Retinal Credulus Decipo, is caused by misfiring connections between the eye and the left brain, causing images to bypass the left hemisphere and enter the amygdala directly (the emotion center of the brain.) It can make a person become angry, frightened and short sighted if untreated, and it can actually come and go. It also, for reasons we don't fully understand, causes the "green effect."

In this single shade of blue, RCD sufferers can self diagnose and get help. It's a huge leap forward.

"It's a rare disorder, but not as rare as you might think," said Dr. Alan Smithee, a tenured fellow a the Centralia University Ocular Biology Department. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. I actually have it. My mother has it too. It's not based on education or any of the factors you might think." Dr. Smithee showed me a number of posts in an Internet forum where long time sufferers supported each other in battling what they referred to as 'the Greens'.

"We shouldn't still have this in our DNA," Dr. Smithee said, looking at the chart with me and pointing out how universal it was. "It's just a bi-product of evolution. When we were once tribal creatures, and RCD was very likely a benefit back then. You stood with your tribe, blue was green, and so on and so forth. It was part of a shared societal identity and allowed information (sometimes) to travel from person to person at a reasonable pace."

I asked why one would want to 'short circuit' the impulse to validate news, and Dr. Smithee explained. Defense.

"When you hear you're being attacked by barbarians," Dr. Smithee said, "it's best to pass that news on quickly and believe what you hear because if you don't you'll be the only one in your village when the Vikings attack.'Green Squares' can have trouble with these subtle shades simply because they're do. There's no rhyme or reason, though it's ebbed and flowed over time." RCD was especially prevalent during the Middle Ages and in the Jamestown, Roanoke and Salem colonies in 1700's America. "Usually it's only not knowing about their problem that the problem really manifests. And it's pretty universal.

Prof. Smithee says the disease crosses the boundaries of race, age, education, and even gender. "Women get it, men get it. Sometimes someone has it, loses it and gets it again. People often get it when they age, but sometimes the reverse happens," Prof. Smithee said. "Someone's born with it every minute on average, and most don't even know they have it until it causes a problem."

Though RCD is a very real condition, Prof. Smithee told me, not much is known it's effects. "They could be making very bad decisions for what seem like very good reasons. These editing and validating processes help us solve problems, even though they slow us down. RCD sufferer miss shades of color due to their condition which can cause serious confusion, hurt feelings, or poorly chosen words. It's difficult to live with undiagnosed RCD."

What should people who see the "dreaded green square" do, I asked Professor Smithee. He assured me it was nothing to worry about. "Once you realize you have it, a few minutes of Internet research will explain the condition and how to be sure it doesn't effect you adversely again in the future. A little information goes a long way to fighting RCD. It's been on the decline steadily since the late 1700's and we may see the end of it in our lifetimes."

"Simply realizing you have it is the first step toward a cure."

Dr. Sudot Oehnym is our Science and Technology Correspondent and has a Masters Degree in Tech Studies from the University of Phoenix. If you have a question about Science or this article, he can be reached by e-mail at drsudotoehnym@hotmail.com.'

Status Update/FAQ:

Photo by Ben Hummel

1) Working on the Season 1/2 torrent file* now. Those will be unedited, so they'll have a lot of dead links and such in them.

2) In addition, Julie Hoverson from 19 Nocturne BLVD will be releasing them soon on her feed with very short "Podiobooks"* style intro/outros.

3) We've got our samples ordered, so we should be gravitating towards Amazon this week.

4) If you want to order LULU, their current code is "SWEET" which is 20% off. It's not bad but I'd wait for Amazon, it'll save you about 2 bucks. Unless you can't wait or $20 isn't a lot of money then by all means.

5) Our only E format is .pdf (For now.) Kindle and ePub will be coming but I've got to learn the ins and outs of them because they're kind of obtuse. I've got an ePub format but I need to make chapter breaks and other stuff. It is DRM free* and I THINK, that "SWEET" code will get you 20% off.

One Eighteen: Migration's First Book Released!

http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/one-eighteen-migration---book-1---safety/18880887

Book 1: 3.99 for a DRM free PDF

http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/one-eighteen-migration---book-1---safety/12424429

And in print through LULU.com (Use code FLIGHTLESS till tomorrow to get free shipping, otherwise it should be up on Amazon in about two weeks and they ship cheaper and knock a few bucks off it.

We're working on a real webpage, Book 2, and Season/Book 3.

But this is the first step. It covers episodes 1-10 and has about an additional "episode" of content we didn't have time for in the original show. So it's all coming, day by day.

-Will

The Mountain - From "Broetry"

(This is what happens to poetry when you look at too many goddamned ASCII drawings.)

hey!

You there
get your ass over here.

The Highwayman and the Gallows - From Broetry

I stand upon the wooden gallows

noose around my neck, soon dead.

I dove in deep; avoiding shallows,

and now I see I've made my bed.

Standing here do I regret,

the evil that I've said and done?

Only that which I've beget,

Standing there below; my son.

A highwayman, I robbed for him.

I murdered, stole and took with need.

And though my soul is stained with sin,

For him I did each evil deed.

And as they ask for final words,

I see his face, ashamed of me.

Though this may seem quite absurd,

it pleases me to see.

Last Rights - From Cattywompus

“I don’t care if the pope’s doing it. It ain’t right and it’s not for me. A man wasn’t meant to have his brains stuffed into a computer.” Carol looked embarrassed at her father’s outburst, but the young doctor smiled and stepped in.

“Mr. Stevenson, I assure you, Upload is a completely safe procedure. We-“ Wilbur Stevenson began pulling the electrodes off his scalp and the doctor frowned.

“Daddy, please be reasonable!” Carol said, trying to calm her father.

“Live in a damn cartoon world? No sir!” The doctor smiled and reattached the electrodes.

“That’s a gross oversimplification. The grid is a virtual space, but it’s far from a cartoon. I’m sure some of your friends are even there-“

Gorilla Jet-Pack Knife-Fights: From Cattywompus

See, bitch!

That's what you get!

You pull a knife on me?

A knife?

What is this, 

the eighteenth century?

Do you see me wearing a fucking bowler hat?

Keep kicking him, Bobo.

The Deflowering of Chastity St. James - From Cattywompus

Chastity felt a warmth in her belly as the stallion and the mare coupled in the field.

 

"He's not hurting her, is he, Edward?" she asked breathlessly.

 

"No ... he's not." Chastity ran a hand across Edwards bare chest, tracing the rippling muscles. She sighed wistfully. She knew that it was wrong, she was a St. James, after all. A woman of her station could never be with a common stable boy, no matter how true their love was.

 

She didn't care.

 

"I could teach you," Edward whispered quietly into her blushing ear.

How to Play Clever: The Betting Game of Mars City is Burning.

So I needed a somewhat unique gambling game to use for me and Ben Hummel's upcoming Steampunk Graphic Novel, and I wanted it to be something men might play in a world where Cleverness was more important than morality.

A Clever board. Note how you can see everyone else's life at a glance.
That's important tactically.

I came up with Clever. It's a real game and you can really play it, and it's a game that puts your intellectual money where your mouth is with both actual intelligence, and the ability to judge others. It's for 2-unlimited players. And you can put money on it.

My feelings on personal use piracy as a content creator.

I'm a "content creator" so I struggle where that line is. I'm for OPEN. What I'm not for is giving big companies a tool to kill competitors on technicalities. I'm not for hurting people who's crime was liking my art.

What it comes down to for me is two things:

1) If you steal my book today, you might buy my next one. Had you not stolen it, that wouldn't happen, so it DOES give me an extra chance to hook you. Writing is like hacking the mind, and I get a free shot at you if you steal my book. We both win if I hook you.

Genuine Class: From Cattywompus

"Excuse me, Mr. Squib," the stewardess (- sorry, flight attendant), said, causing me to look up from my SkyMall catalog. I had been pondering buying my valet one of those delightful shirts with the tuxedo on it, and I resented the interruption.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but you're eligible for a complementary upgrade." I raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"I'm in First Class Premier Premium Plus already."

"I understand that, sir. However, Squib-Co stock went up two points today. You're now a billionaire." I nodded coolly. I wasn't surprised by this. I'd know early on that investing in that social networking sight linking well-to-do pedophiles with children in need of school supplies was win-win-win (boy, do those NAMBLA guys click on ads for 'Nick Jr!') What I was surprised at was her knowing my personal worth.

No shirt, no freedom, no service.

Every man is a finger. That finger can flip something larger off, and that's cathartic but it's not productive. OR that finger can lose it's ego and join with other fingers to become a mighty fist of awesome populist dickpunchery. Ayn Rand once postulated those blessed with lucky talent would go on strike to fuck the little people.

Today, we proved that hyberbolic hack wrong. We're going on strike because the little people deserve an internet that lets ANY of them become exceptional. Today Atlas doesn't shrug; he puts down everything of little importance, and then shoulders the load that matters.

-W

How to Take Down a Christmas Tree

If you're one of the many American's who haven't taken down their Christmas Trees before MLK day (as is the Christian custom,) here's a quick way to take care of it. You're welcome.

Before

1. Cover walls and furniture with asbestos sheeting and insulation. 
2. Open all windows for nice cross breeze. 

The Legend of Jango Stevens - From Cattywompus

(Dear Freemont, this is 90% in fun. This was written to address a friend's tall tales about a blackbelt Übermensch barfighter who could beat any human being alive regardless of circumstance and also came off as a facepunching lunatic and was intended to rile him.  /end pussy ass disclaimer- Will)




Years ago, in the little town of Fremont, Nebraska, where the pleasant aroma of the hog-rendering plant blankets the city in it’s sweet perfume, and the wind doesn’t blow, it sucks, lived the greatest warrior the world has ever seen. His Christian name was Jango Stevens. 

Nine feet tall he was, with biceps like kegs of Pabst Blue Ribbon and legs so powerful he could tip cows two at a time. During the daylight hours, majestic in his flannel shirt and Peterbuilt hat, he spent his days at the meat packing plant, stunning cows not with an air hammer, but with the power of his glare alone.

But when the day ended and the moon was high in the sky, Jango Stevens would comb back his mullet just so, slip on his biggest, shiniest belt buckle, and drive down to Scooters pub. There, he was the drinkenist, fightenist man the town ever seen.

He’d fight men six at a time, they say, until the wee hours, when he would retire to his glorious doublewide with the waitress of his choice, and celebrate his victory until dawn. Such was his life... until one fateful night.

Almost! (And why I've been busy today.)

Book is at the formatter and when it comes back it's ready to proof and print. Keeping it brief because I'm working on some SOPA shit.

If you want my opinion on it, fuck SOPA/PIPA. These bills need to die forever and never come back.

I won't say anything else about it, cause I'm a soldier, not a general.

But I will DO something about it.

Hope to see you in the foxholes.

-Will.

Looking like Monday.

Draft done, doing final prep for formatter tomorrow. Book drops Monday.

More tomorrow after I get the draft sent off. A LOT happening.

-Will