The petunia belongs to the Monkey. We need a visit from Mr. Apostrophe.
So, Stacy is participating in the Clarion West Write-A-Thon this year. If you’d like to sponsor her you can head over to her post and see how you can pay pal it up.
Clarion was a great experience for her last year (at least it seems that way to me) and I’m glad she’s helping out this year. Along with pushing her own writing along in the process.
So, go speed-writer go. I’m looking forward to reading the short stories at the end of the six weeks.
I bought Stacy a book on ideas for free writing exercises a while ago. She did a couple then it got back-burnered.
Well, I finally convinced her to pick it up again, and post the results on her blog. The first one is available now.
I really liked this story. And no, Basil, I’m not just saying that ‘cuz we’re married. There were certain turns of phrase and plot twists that I thought really worked.
I’m hoping she’ll put a few more of these up as the weeks go by.
So, I was reading Slashdot today and came across a story in the Vancouver Sun about the ACTA: Copyright deal could toughen rules governing info on iPods, computers. This kinda pissed me off so I decided to, you know, actually exercise some of those rights I have and wrote an angry letter to the government. I sent it in through the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Contact Us pages. If it’s warranted they’ll reply to me within 5 business days.
For your reading pleasure.
Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement and the Destruction of our Rights
It’s troubling to be presented with news of secret agreements which are designed to destroy the rights of Canadians in favour of corporations. Reading about the ACTA agreement and the governments stance behind it is frightening. (Copyright deal could toughen rules governing info on iPods, computers)
I thought this was a free country. I thought this was a country that would defend its citizens. I thought we were innocent until proven guilty?
Has the Canadian government learned nothing from the debacle that is the DCMA in the United States? The destruction of private rights by corporations is shocking. The ability to wield the DCMA to stifle security research and hamper consumers from using their legally purchased products has happened time and again.
Is the assumption now that all music on my laptop or iPod is stolen? Do I have to submit to searches of my home to ‘prove’ I own the music I am listening too? Are we now going to re-appropriate our over-worked law enforcement offices from catching real criminals to looking through the contents of everyones iPods?
The amount of mis-use to stifle innovation and harass honest citizens is astounding. The invasion into my privacy is shocking.
The idea that the government is backing these types of legislations is a clear indication of the failure of the government to honestly care about it’s citizens.
Through the cost efficient access to the Internet that has been afforded by broadband in the last few years the large media companies are affraid for their bottom lines. There are a few artists who understand and embrace the new media. Look to the Radiohead In Rainbows release or the recent Nine Inch Nails Ghosts and The Slip releases. There are ways for media companies to work in concert with the Internet to grow their business. Instituting a police state on consumers is not the answer.
Please reconsider the governments stance on the ACTA. Please move the discussions and developments of these agreements which have a wide reaching impact on all Canadians into the open. Cloak and Dagger agreements hurt the consumer in the end.
Stacy’s had her second story published. Got check it out at Fantasy Magazine.
Congrats Stacy.