tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.comments2022-11-05T07:54:06.122+00:00A Wannabe Writer's BlogA.M.J. Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287422340207762774noreply@blogger.comBlogger194125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-54541035101431292422015-11-26T08:03:39.867+00:002015-11-26T08:03:39.867+00:00“"Its always good to learn tips like you shar...“"Its always good to learn tips like you share for blog posting. As I just started posting comments for blog and facing problem of lots of rejections. I think your suggestion would be helpful for me. I will let you know if its work for me too."<br /><a href="http://www.journalnow.com/business/business_news/local/awesome-products-owner-sentenced-for-payroll-fraud/article_b17da910-172f-11e3-9b36-0019bb30f31a.html" rel="nofollow">ld hardas</a>Javedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03537855714030074614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-49701983067406229382015-09-22T13:04:21.668+01:002015-09-22T13:04:21.668+01:00Hi Catherine - I love your creative piece, it'...Hi Catherine - I love your creative piece, it's a really good insight into the assumptions and prejudice people can have (often without them realising). Glad you liked the post; I find identity fascinating (maybe to do with me identifying as Scottish, despite being born in England!). It's amazing how upset people can get when their assumptions about a person's identity are proved wrong too...<br /><br />I will check out Sherman Alexie's work, it sounds really interesting - thanks for the tip!A.M.J. Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12287422340207762774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-45792369203712198162015-09-20T21:51:18.955+01:002015-09-20T21:51:18.955+01:00Hi my name is Catherine Manning and I really enjoy...Hi my name is Catherine Manning and I really enjoyed this piece. I agree with your point that,"ethnicity is real," and important to our identities. Being a Latina woman, I can see how my personal history has shaped my behaviors and identity. However, I also know how damaging it can be when others try to label me based on their own perceptions of Latino culture. I actually wrote a creative post on this: https://thechroniclesofawannabewriter.wordpress.com/2015/09/19/oh-the-joys-of-experimental-writing/ <br />I was inspired by a piece by Sherman Alexie (he writes a lot about being a Native American and how that shapes his identity for himself and others) <br />Ultimately, I agree with your final thoughts about Rachel Dolezal. One should always be comfortable with their true self. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-69988439760032906242015-02-12T21:46:55.592+00:002015-02-12T21:46:55.592+00:00That's a nice thought, but as you point out, t...That's a nice thought, but as you point out, there are some stories that are not much fun to be part of. So we'll just teach the AI what sort of stories we like... I strongly recommend reading Yudkowsky's The Hidden Complexity of Wishes (http://lesswrong.com/lw/ld/the_hidden_complexity_of_wishes/). It's short, and the main point is that "There is no safe wish smaller than an entire human morality."<br /><br />(Incidentally, I'm not convinced about exponentiality. It all seems a bit mystical to me. Nonetheless, I do think that AI is a significant risk. Even if it doesn't develop exponentially, it may develop faster than we can handle.)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07054776639438927923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-45152016580083754202014-11-17T16:19:28.588+00:002014-11-17T16:19:28.588+00:00Yes indeed ... this was poor. Only the Robin Hood ...Yes indeed ... this was poor. Only the Robin Hood one in this series (and bit of the 2D one) have been anything - such a shame for Capaldi. For various reasons I've recently purchased, and mostly re-watched all of the Pertwee and Baker stories. And that's what (by and large) they were - stories. Not just a character vehicle targeted at as wide an audience as possible. Genuine stories, with a theme, an angle, a point to them. It's true that the later Baker episodes drifted off somewhat, but it's a shame - given the bigger budgets available - that we're lacking any of the narrative wit that used to be the essence of Dr Who. MainyMikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14073595786043830608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-20984889993120649922014-08-13T11:25:31.269+01:002014-08-13T11:25:31.269+01:00I fear the Middle East is a conflict for which the...I fear the Middle East is a conflict for which there is no hope of peace. It's a tragedy that appears to have no solution. Maybe I could have said the same about the Soviet Union in 1980 ... but has that 'freedom' really helped? Now we have internal conflicts between minorities that were all equally suppressed by the soviets. Is the iron glove the best form of control? Is humanity incapable of living together on this little planet? We never seem to learn.MainyMikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14073595786043830608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-58996926993635970402014-04-24T21:07:43.105+01:002014-04-24T21:07:43.105+01:00pretty nice blog, following :)pretty nice blog, following :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-79643739270882205142013-11-27T07:08:00.023+00:002013-11-27T07:08:00.023+00:00Great title and article.Thanks for sharing..
res...Great title and article.Thanks for sharing..<br /> <br /><a href="http://www.tutorsindia.com/research-methodology-help.html" title="research methodology" rel="nofollow">research methodology</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-59529830024866040252013-04-10T22:20:29.685+01:002013-04-10T22:20:29.685+01:00I couldn't agree more. I've personally bee...I couldn't agree more. I've personally been finding the holding her up as some example of "feminist victory" bitterly hilarious - Thatcher was so outspokenly against feminism it's astounding anyone could be making that claim, especially her supporters. She'd be disgusted with that kind of talk and they of all people should now that. <br /><br />She's been dead for all of three days - and the historical revisionism is already in full swing.A.M.J. Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12287422340207762774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-38576997169286453842013-04-10T21:54:12.751+01:002013-04-10T21:54:12.751+01:00I'm not particularly happy that she's dead...I'm not particularly happy that she's dead, but let's say, I'm probably less upset about it than about any other death.<br /><br />There's a whole raft of measures that she initiated that I could point at to indicate how awful her policies were (selling off all national industries - British Gas, Steel, Coal, Telecomms, Railways, ... to introduce 'more choice and competition' - ho-ho; halving higher-rate tax almost immediately; driving communities apart; reducing land rates for the wealthy; stopping support for housing plans; ...) but what annoys me the most, was her decision to discard an entire generation to reach her goals. People being used as a means to her political goals.<br /><br />Too many eulogising over her have forgotten (or never knew) much. And those her merely cite her sex as a reason to applaud her have blinkered vision.<br /><br />The classic result of Thatcherism can be found in the vox pox responses given - listen to those who praise her use the words 'I' or 'me' so much, as those who condemn her refer to 'us', 'our', and 'community'. "Get out of life whatever you can, and trample over anyone too weak to keep up with you" - that's what she embodied; that's her legacy.MainyMikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14073595786043830608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-13162941506031590522013-01-13T18:03:20.324+00:002013-01-13T18:03:20.324+00:00Thanks Jim, and you're right - project managem...Thanks Jim, and you're right - project management is all about the stress. I'm just hoping for slightly calmer weeks from this point on...<br /><br />Glad you liked the story (and loving the coincidence of you having the same name as the main character!)A.M.J. Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12287422340207762774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-41565782341240710942013-01-13T16:44:39.986+00:002013-01-13T16:44:39.986+00:00If you're project managing and you're not ...If you're project managing and you're not stressed, you're probably not doing it right. :)<br /><br />Great story, consider yourself followed...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-9758928940933143032012-12-31T00:34:55.891+00:002012-12-31T00:34:55.891+00:00Hi,
I came across this site by accident. Just le...Hi,<br /><br />I came across this site by accident. Just letting you know keep writing. I write dark, edgy fiction, and I ghostwrite and I have become published in both genres. I also even act as a literary agent at this point as well. Drop me a line at brianwhitneywriting if you wish to discuss anything.<br /><br />Oh and I am a gamer as well. Ha.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17487380212658720802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-63745563605578362822012-12-05T00:48:29.412+00:002012-12-05T00:48:29.412+00:00First of all, I love Japan. I used to teach there ...First of all, I love Japan. I used to teach there and am going to return there someday to do so again.<br /><br />Second, what you describe is the veritable rut of life we all find ourselves in lest we are careful.<br /><br />I am ever planning trips somewhere. Last weekend I went scuba diving (and drinking afterwards lol) in Puerto valera, Philippines. I think I am still tired!<br /><br />Good to get out, isn't it? make a habit of it.<br /><br />Cheers.Jeremy Bateshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00877532315856151843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-38797983124450769182012-10-30T22:14:50.004+00:002012-10-30T22:14:50.004+00:00Before someone says it: I'm aware that Disney ...Before someone says it: I'm aware that Disney make good movies and we all know that Lucas has sucked spectacularly at producing anything decent out of the franchise. But the force does not feel strong with this one. Except if I get a decent Star Wars theme park out of this. Than I will have faith that Disney will not cock this up entirely. I still don't think we need episode 7 - 9 though... <br /><br />To the X-Wings!A.M.J. Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12287422340207762774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-6324627623612066402012-09-16T23:24:41.863+01:002012-09-16T23:24:41.863+01:00My two favourite / memorable book endings would be...My two favourite / memorable book endings would be in 'Use of Weapons' by Iain M Banks (unforgettable and bleak); and 'The Magic Toyshop' by Angela Carter ... for its complete transcendental anticipation. MainyMikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14073595786043830608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-87902169986421147682012-09-16T19:31:53.617+01:002012-09-16T19:31:53.617+01:00Ha! I saw the harbour picture in my 'preview&...Ha! I saw the harbour picture in my 'preview' of your blog, and thought to myself "oh - I know where that is!" Of course, not where I thought and I've never been there. I think people recognise specific (to them) visual cues, and if an image contains them, we get the 'feeling' we've been there before. That's what I think anyway.<br /><br />I am not mental. I have not been proven to be mental. Honest.MainyMikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14073595786043830608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-10948340432500093322012-08-22T18:02:48.434+01:002012-08-22T18:02:48.434+01:00Hmm, I think the problem here is what I think of a...Hmm, I think the problem here is what I think of as "outsider looking in" viewpoints. We are both outsiders looking in as we haven't read the book in question, so I've gone with what the majority have said who have read it; it's terrible writing and it's racist as hell. Many agree that it might not have been the intention of the writer but that the book adds nothing to the racism discourse and just perpertrates the worst stereotyping instead. And while freedom of speech certainly does give everyone a right to say what they want it doesn't give them the moral authority to do so without consequence; i.e. not getting published or advertised in a positive light in one of the longest running short story magazines in the world would be a reasonable consequence, imo.<br /><br />Then there's also the whole outside looking in problem of being white and deciding that something isn't racist when it belittles/insults non-whites. White folks don't get to do that, sorry. They can certainly identify something as racist, but I don't actually think white people have the right to say something is not racist when they're not the ones that could potentially be insulted by it. That's where my biggest problem lies with Kaye's decision to publish the first chapter - ever after being warned about doing so. He looked at it through privileged eyes and went so far as to insult people who criticised and called the book racist. Just not cool and not what I would expect from Weird Tales.<br /><br />I'm 98% sure this story is racist as it fits too closely with what a number of white extremists keep preaching about in parts of the world (and I think coal compared to pearl is pretty derogatory, and after reading some of the first chapter, it is meant to be derogatory in the context of the book.). I don't think the writer is necessarily a racist though - more likely misguided and ignorant of the fire she was playing with. Then again I imagine she had something to do with those youtube videos which are just... well, imo, inexcusable in this day and age.<br /><br />A comparison would be this: someone writes a story set in the near future, from a German's perspective, where Jewish people control everything and they are portrayed as the bad guys through most of the book (with only a few exceptions). The German characters are almost always cast in a positive light or as victims and we the readers are meant to take their side. It treads on too many toes and is massively insensitve to people's feelings and ignores the context of still existing prejudices. A writer is certainly free to write something like that but whether it should be published or advertised positively is a another story. <br /><br />As much as I want original fiction I don't want fiction like this to be getting endorsements from publications that, though may not be mainstream, are pretty well known in the speculative fiction crowd. That and I really liked Weird Tales (even if they are bit obssessed with Lovecraft - who also has a fair amount of racism in his works) so I'm very disappointed with what seems to have happened to their editorial team.A.M.J. Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12287422340207762774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-32402615669091921812012-08-22T17:10:23.823+01:002012-08-22T17:10:23.823+01:00Maybe I'm more gullible or just plain stupid, ...Maybe I'm more gullible or just plain stupid, but I didn't read it this way...<br /><br />There are two areas I think you’re unhappy about here. One is the book in question; and the other the fact the WT are/were publishing it.<br /><br />On the first point, well, I’m not convinced by what I’ve read on the editorial page, and the little I’ve gathered from the site. I wouldn’t regard ‘coal’ as a derogative term; coal is black and useful, the basis of the Industrial Revolution; whereas a pearl just sits there and looks pretty (or not). Meanings are in the head (…or not; Putnam is an interesting read). And besides, it’s hardly an argument to be based on a single word. I could write the best novel in the world on race issues, but if I entitled it “Die Nigger Die!” would that make it a racist tome, or be merely cute marketing? The whole point about ‘art’ (and we’ve had this before) is that it’ll be something that might enrage people; or it should provoke a reaction if done well. Freedom of speech means that one is quite entitled to write the most awful, racist pap – there is (thankfully) no censorship of literature. I’m sure there are many overtly racist books in publication. In fact I think several of the ‘responses’ within the editorial are showing a clouded judgement. When Samantha Henderson writes, “it wouldn’t matter if you were American, Zahra, because according to her own statement Ms. Foyt has doubts that African-American readers even exist” she’s clearly interpreting the author’s words in a manner I do not. The statement: “if the book had not reached the African-American community of readers, if such a category still exists...” she isn’t disputing that African-American readers even exist; she’s questioning whether the category of an African-American community of readers still exists. I guess, hoping that such a distinction is archaic, and that we no longer split our reading communities into ethnic origin, but merely see them as ‘readers’ alike. If you look hard enough for something to complain about, you’ll probably find it. Whether it exists or not.<br /><br />Anyway, given that neither of us have read the book, it is wrong to criticise it. At worst, it seems naïve in outlook. Perhaps too innocent in its mechanics.<br /><br />So, given that I disagree, or have no strong opinion on (1) then it’s hard to see that (2) is wrong either. The objection would be if a large circulation periodical is publishing overtly racist material. Well, I’m not convinced it is. If, as hinted, this is an attempt to decry racism (even if poorly – and publishing poor literature is no crime) and one that’s slightly daring, then they should be supported. Always taking the safe option isn’t what life should be about, and is just what Penguin did after all. It would be too easy to hunt down that nth Potter drivel to print. Isn’t this what publishers should be on the lookout for … challenging material for their readers? At the end of the day if it incites discussion, then isn’t there some merit in that alone?<br />MainyMikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14073595786043830608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-11161283576089480202012-07-11T11:36:54.828+01:002012-07-11T11:36:54.828+01:00I liked the interpretation. I wasn't expecting...I liked the interpretation. I wasn't expecting the literal clone angle, but I thought it definitely give it a (modern) fairy-tale spin.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00968021488033814373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-54174535581901737902012-07-07T18:42:03.348+01:002012-07-07T18:42:03.348+01:00Nice blog you've got there. Do read my moronic...Nice blog you've got there. Do read my moronicmind.wordpress.com and share it if you like it. ;)moronicmindhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09007518881862762417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-42950536480025829312012-06-08T14:15:18.939+01:002012-06-08T14:15:18.939+01:00*In pushy voice* "Do it, do it, do it!"
...*In pushy voice* "Do it, do it, do it!"<br /><br />Think I started it up again after seeing some truly AMAZING anime drawings on deviantart. Check out http://myrollingstar.tumblr.com/ - she posts on deviantart too, but this is her personal blog and has some incredible artwork (I am very jealous of her abilities - but in a nice way).A.M.J. Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12287422340207762774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-87684753398516418952012-06-08T12:25:36.197+01:002012-06-08T12:25:36.197+01:00I look forward to seeing the finished product.
I...I look forward to seeing the finished product.<br /> <br />I wish I made the time to get back to my drawing.<br /> <br />Ahhh...I have to do it!<br /> <br />Thanks for the inspiration...push<br /><br />RMWAuthor R. Mac Wheelerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15679108828353499313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-43133449510975698622012-05-15T17:24:04.558+01:002012-05-15T17:24:04.558+01:00Yes ... renting is merely giving money to someone ...Yes ... renting is merely giving money to someone for nothing. Although the Americans tend to disagree. An important note though; a rented house will survive all manner of natural and unnatural disasters ... the second you purchase a house, the next butterfly to flap its wings in China will cause damage of 1000s to your new "weight around your neck until you be dead". It's a universal fact.<br /><br />At least your chances of being mis-sold an endowment mortgage are quite slim :) I got me one of them. Do avoid.MainyMikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14073595786043830608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460049377024299674.post-40248558848353568562012-05-15T15:36:57.127+01:002012-05-15T15:36:57.127+01:00NO IT WON'T I REFUSE.NO IT WON'T I REFUSE.dianne tanner dot co dot ukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03720163855450999083noreply@blogger.com