I would hope that it does something, like spit out a gum ball or sharpen a pencil when you turn a knob. It would be wasted in my office, where my desk is covered with books, papers, technology, toys, coffee cup, clock, pictures...But it is very cool.

"1) Anyone who tells other people to grow up, hasn't.
2) Anyone who tells other people to relax, can't.
3) Anyone who tells other people to get over it, hasn't.
4) Anyone who tells other people to stop whining, won't.
5) Anyone who tells other people to get a life, doesn't have one."

6) Anyone who moderates needs to be moderated themselves.
7) Those who can't do, teach.
8) Hypocracy is normal human behavior.

I could go on. The above rules are not true.

"What he’s really into is self-aggrandizement"

Wow, that sort of thing is so rare in the blogosphere. I've never heard of something like that. Feeding one's ego on one's own site? Now, when did self-promotion become a sin on Boing Boing? Hmmmm? Oh, how rich.

A well written piece. It's obvious to anyone that the law, as we currently understand the concept of law, has to be available to all. If it's not, then it's not the law, but a secret document. Ignorance of the law is no excuse? It sure is if you can't access the said law.

Loving material goods is nothing new. Look at all the fetishistic behavior concerning books.

Oh book
how I love thee
pages bright
there's now better sight
than the words of Cory Doctorow
black on white
I read you, smell you, touch you, taste you--
A paper cut on my tongue
blood makes the love real

Dear Takuan, if you want witch burning, please come to Michigan. This state seem's quite proud of its old ways. Seriously, I think I'll come to CA and get hitched. I think 20 years has been a good test period. Time to make an honest man out of me and that guy I've been with. Oh gosh, I'm going to wear a Vera Wang, and no one's going to stop me!

Greenhouse warming is real! So, we need to live greener lives to help out. The production of paper is such a huge source of CO2 that it's nearly criminal. After looking at some preliminary suggestions for a carbon tax on industry, I have concluded that if paper manufactures were to be taxed accordingly, the price of a hardcover book would be about 65 US dollars (at today's value). You want to promote a greener world? Start suggesting that people use less paper, less gas, less less less…Calling people denialists is just name calling for the sake of provocation. Every time you use a disposable paper cup at a coffee shop you contribute to greenhouse warming. Dear God, every time you take a breath you're killing the planet! Don't deny it, just stop breathing!

Takuan, I notice that some of these cups are Correl (sp?), a tempered glass product. Most ceramics will hold up to high heat as long as the shock isn't too great.

And let's not forget that humans pretend to be lemmings from time to time. Science requires more that fancy theory, it requires observation and lots of facts. I do recall being a teen when the next Ice Age was about to happen. Well, the science was "good" back then too. And back then we didn't even know about dark matter. How did we survive?

This is a great reason to sue. We have rights, but they are not static. When are rights are violated (which happens all the time), we have to do something about it. Sue the shit of them. I know several civil rights lawyers that would love this one. Kiss several million dollars away, Oh City of Brotherly Love. Ha ha.

I haven't had much interest in finding yet another place to waste my time, but perhaps I'll enter Second Life just for the Uber-Stross. What's his avatar look like? A kill-bot of some sort? Charles Stross's work is soooooo good.

Takuan, as long as a society continues to push its childhood into ever-increasing decades, the need to be babysat seems to be an obvious requirement. Humans do not require a sense of privacy when in public-space. If that sense is required then that's an issue to deal with while in therapy. The hive mind requires less privacy, not more.

Quite frankly, you usually only end up talking about (fill in your occult group) to other group members. Outsiders aren't trusted with secrets. Anyway, first rule is keep your mouth shut about the internal goings-on. We aren't like churches, but are private clubs. You have to be asked to join.

That's pretty cool. The lawyers are going to make out like frakkin bandits: pre-nups, divorce, estate planning. Too bad the Feds won't give them any validation. So when's Obamma gunna talk about his homo brothas? And the rights they deserve? Hmmm? This will be an issue if we scream loud enough and make it one.

"I'm picky and only wear diamonds made from the cremains of my former enemies," he should have replied. "How would you like to end up as a pair of cuff links?"

Doesn't AP know that if you give it away you'll sell more? I've seen that theory somewhere. Hey, data is a product, and if someone wants to charge for it, fine. You don't want it, don't use it. It's the free market baby.

Information theory: if you have enough data your predictions will be more accurate. 100% observation of someone would eliminate them as a suspect in any crime (unless they could fool the system). If you have 100% data on the weather you understand exactly what's happening at the moment, and probably into the next few micro-seconds. We don't predict crime via observational statistics, not like we do weather. I think that if you believe too much data mucks up the system, it's because someone's not using it correctly. Too much data? When do we stop science? When do we get too much? Watching people is just social science, data collection that can be used for good or bad. That's always the choice you have to make, not a choice you have to avoid.

If all books were digital and contained copyright protection code, this sort of abuse might not happen. Let's pray for the end of the kind of exploitation that primitive paper can lead too.

Very cool. The Diamond Age indeed. I wonder if this technology will be able to create life? With nano-scale "printing," I don't see why not. Sorta like Charles Stross's A-gates, or Wil McCarthy's Fax machines...

"corruption on an unimaginable scale." I dunno, I can imagine a lot. And that isn't even taking into consideration the corruption that the city's mayor is guilty of.

What's the point of teaching the controversy? You mean in a historical context? Such as: People were soooo stupid in (fill in year), that they thought...(There is going to be a huge list...most of our history.) Besides, everone knows the sun is pulled across the sky by Apollo! All hail our golden Sun God!

"They've named a sum that will bankrupt Robertson, costing him his house, car, kids' college funds..."

As Robotech Master said, if you are ruined because your company it killed, then you didn't structure things properly to begin with. Oh well.

Jenniferfolly is right. You can mess up your lungs cutting cement board or drywall board, working with fiberglass insulation, or even breathing in saw dust. Nano has been here for years, we've just now seeing in.

I have one of these, but I use it to pick my nose. It works great.

Who controls data? Google controls data, and lots of it. Someone always controls the data, and it's unrealistic to think our government isn't going to take advantage of the technology that will allow for better data. If this Bill of Rights includes a Citizen Oversight of the data, fine. And if Citizen Oversight is an elected position/s, and declared a separate branch of government, fine. Because then it won't be in any great hurry to provide data on private citizens to law enforcement unless law enforcement can make a very strong case for receiving privileged information. Greg Bear: Queen of Angles.

What happens when your religion requires you to wear signs that denounce all other religions as false? You would think that GB would have formal protections in place for protests and other freedoms of speech.

Hazard, compiled by A.G.E. Blake from the unpublished writings and talks of John G. Bennett
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_G._Bennett

The above is very interesting and goes nicely with early chaos theory. "It is a major step to really accept that there is nothing absolute, fixed or certain..." We do things to try to buffer our minds against this truth. Embracing more security so we could manage some degree of the world's chaos was a rational choice at the time.

I must be in a Love Punishment mood today. I almost want to say something naughty so the Moderator can lash me. Honestly, if you have to get slapped down, doesn't she do it well? Ouch! LOL. Makes me think of Mrs. Emma Peel. She was a serious influence on my young mind.

Holy hooker heels, Batman! I must have a pair. Do they come in 12.5 Ds?

All religions started out as small cults. I think once you have more then ten members it becomes an official religion (emoticon shrugs shoulders and burps to show support for religion). The Church of England is a cult. It's all occult crap.

C.D., you might be interested to know that I'll be using your book in a summer reading program for youth that I'll be teaching. I made that choice after finishing it this last weekend. Great job, my man. I'm sure this group of rebels will love it too.

It's nice to know that the English do NOT seem to know how to put that pretty little OED to good use. The world cult can be defined by almost every aspect of the church of Scientology.

Then men who designed these covers are obviously tapping into a male audience that would love to see a naughty woman on the floor in front of them. For me, the cover for Prowl Cop says, "Oh my GOD that thing is huge!"

Antinous, you crack me up. Antique fans scare the shit out me. How many kids lost fingers before they figured it out? Didn't the Waltons have a fan like this, in the front room? They were a very hip family.

Isn't this idea the basis for aroma-therapy? I think there's something to it. The brain has all sorts of chemical locks, and the keys can turn up in the strangest places. Cat's love catnip, and is seems to make them feel good. And it has to be all about the aroma: complex molecules that fit right into a special cell receptor. As if designed that way. Frankincense gives me a headache. The smell of fresh-mown grass seems to make me feel very good.

What has to happen is this: the country/city prosecutor must suspect someone guilty enough to charge with a crime. The guard or building administrator, someone needs to be guilty of criminal neglect. That's not a crime that needs to be enforced in civil court, but in criminal court. But if this does not happen the ACLU should be called.

Sterling's The Zenith Angle is sitting in front of me now.

For those who are upset by seeing Cory Doctorow's plugs for his books, just move on to the next post and shut up. The internet is about ads, just like TV and radio. And in this day in age a young, aggressive author like Doctorow understands the importance of promotion. That's just the way it is. He's acting as a role model for other writers that want to succeed in a very competitive field--IMHO.

Antinous, do I feel any presure to get married? If I lived in CA I might. And I probably would just for the hell of it. I've been living as if married for a long time. I never needed official validation with regard to my relationship. 20 years. I was a child bride.

Magneticwheels said, "As far as I'm concerned we all live in the world we want to live in already and have to do a fair bit of editing of reality just to parse any world at all."

I for one do not live in the world I want to live in. That's why I write. I think there are just too many people who live in horrible conditions for me to ever believe they want that. No one wants that. They are living that way because they are unlucky. Victims of a harsh, unjust world.

I would love to collect a few more vintage robots, the Roby from Forbidden Planet is very pricy, and a reproduction is just outrageously expensive. The Japanese reproductions are really beautiful. Does anyone here collect robots?

Doctorow! I would have thought Ann Arbor would be a great place for you to stop on by. Home of the original Boarders Books, which was cool at the time. I could beg, but only if asked, and it wouldn't be pretty. Seriously, it would be so cool. I mean the place seems right up your alley. Yes, I went to U of M, but that's not why I'm pushing Ann Arbor. Please(echo effect for 10 seconds). They have to be eating your book up in A2! First dibbs for beers at the Full Moon and Pizza at Cottage Inn. Because I asked first! C.D., I'm so into your new book. I respect your ability so much it kinda hurts. The nephew is just going to be thrilled when he get's his copy. Can you imagine being 10 and getting a signed copy of a book? So cool. Thanks you very much.

Junior Mad Scientist: the irony is horribly entertaining, I know. When the authorities out-thug the criminals, then you know something has gone terribly wrong. I see what's happened in Detroit which was taken over by thugs. Not nice. I think I would like to see what happens when Judge Dread-esque police take over the place. Just to give it a try. It can't be worse than what we have now. I'm telling you, rich cities have their troubles, but poor ones are even worse. The criminals run Detroit and no one is going to tell them different. Not our governor, that's for sure.

Three cheers for the great state of California. This will allow for equalization and validation of homosexual unions. But, the state constitution can be amended to disallow gay marriage, regardless of what the states supreme court has said.

I've heard that portions of the IT community are pushing harf for internet based applications and data storage. Meaning, you use your pc as an access device, a terminal. You can wipe your ram off the flash drive after each connection to the net. This is not an ideal solution for those that want to work when they don't have access to the web, but it's an option for those who do not want to share their private information.

EAI, what do you think of the airport in Amsterdam? I'm had far worse trouble there than the US. And Israel is no dream either. Still, I'm not going to stop going to Europe because I've had trouble. It's the modern world and there are going to be problems. When the media covers the issues, and people can talk about them, hopefully that will help.

You've earned it. Love that cover. Keep up the great work.

I seem to think the world is a tad more chaotic of late. Is it any wonder that governments might want to watch their populations with more advanced technology? I'll take more government intrusion than tolerate more Thug life. I'm too close to it as it stands and it has been shown to be far more detrimental to the local culture than Big Brother has or in all likelihood--would.

License Farm, there are probably a few good reasons to complain about something. Even if it's complaining about complaining. I think it has to do with stress reduction. So, people find targets.

I for one Hail our new monitoring AI overlords! (Remember that please when you take over the world. I'm sucking up to, my new Silcon Gods.)

Seriously, if it's good enough for London, it's good enough for a great midwestern city like Chicago. A watched population is a polite population. Don't worry kids, identity camouflage is right around the corner. Everyone will be recording everything around themselves all the time. We will do so because it will be easy. In a world where everyone wants to be a star, everyone will be, at least in their own reality web drama. What better way to keep your kids safe than with a 'watcher' that you implant in their arm?

I've always thought that the "right" music makes a dinner taste better. Would silence make the wine taste most pure?

I think it will only get worse. I hate to say it, but the world gives me no indication of calming down. We can demand less security, and a new administration may listen, but then we're going to look pretty stupid when the next strike happens and we all start screaming bloody murder because the Feds didn't have the right kind of security. The Feds: FBI, CIA, NSA all got roasted after 911 for having non-integrated, poor security data. What's the real answer? Strong AI.

Jeff... Also, people who read and enjoy this book are much likelier to buy Cory's next book...

But we don't want to promote books. We want to promote ebooks so we don't waste paper. And since we're getting used to Free-E, I have to assume the books we'll be downloading will be Free, but we'll also have to look at ads. Paper bad. Less CO2 good. Boing Boing Green? The more populare the writer, the more expensive ad space will be. And If you want to read it again and again, you can, but you'll have to update the ads. Seriously. And there will be a market for paper. Will you pay 60-plus bucks for an average hardback?

Thanks for the typo fix. At least the word Petty is probably just an anglicizing of Petit, or some other French word that means small. I should OED it. And I guess a person can get into any kind of clothing fetish with out any regard for the clothing's historical significance. Look at all the leather fetishists out there, most of them driving Harleys.

I like this one! Of course I wouldn't be able to read the dials without my glasses that I don't like to wear. I do not envy all the travel you do, but if you're going to suffer, at least a handsome watch might help. Tell us about your adventures. Have any stalkers brought you homemade cookies or other goodies? If so, don't eat them! There was a story in the free press this morning regarding the band Panic at the Disco, in Detroit now. (Love the new cd). They were given some cookies by a fan. After they started eating them they discovered each cookie was loaded with hair. Yummo!

Number 10, would a modern women (who was not acting)wear a corset? Whale bone to be sure, or like material. If only more women would follow that trend! I long for the days of corset-bound-wasp-waisted women in petty coats and layers of silk taffeta. A fashion statement like that had more to do with men controlling women, keeping them all bound up and looking "better."

You wouldn't want to lie about something like that. If you want to scare people, just tell them the truth about many things.

Antinous said, "It's hard to wage the war from inside the concentration camp..."

You obviously haven't seen Hogan's Heros!

I would have to assume that the agents were just doing their jobs. The agents I know go where they are told and don't enjoy having to waste their time talking to people about stupid stuff like taking pictures. But, we want good intelligence so we can feel safer. Or so the rumor goes. Because you know when the next nut blows something up we're going to blame the Feds for not doing their job.

MMBB, Steampunk is cool because Cory Doctorow likes it. Cory is cool (most of the time), so if you want to be cool like him, you'll love it too! Resistance is futile! You will be assimilated by the BoingBoinganism and then you will happy. I promise. Just ask Takuan.

Like I said, I suspect the real culprits are the publishers. Cory knows that, but I'm assuming he is not in a position to be too vocal on the subject. I think the Moderator's husband is a Tor editor. Cory should ask for a guest point of few from a real insider on the publishing industry's stance on DMR. I'm currently undergoing paradigm shifts and trying to predict the future of electronic books. I currently do not see how we will be able to not use DMR. Because if it's an ebook or an audio book, the producer and artist would like it if you didn't make it available for free on the net. Because the next big shift with our "I want to be GREEN" cool culture is less paper, more gizmos. Making paper is toxic to the environment. Everyone knows it, but no one wants to say so. Paper books are going to all but go away in the very near future. Only specialty POD editions will be available for fetishists.

Lots of people reached that conclusion without being a superbrain. And very smart people have also reached a different conclusion.

I'm more than in favor of US pantent holders getting more power to sue in European courts. Good for us.

The company has an obligation to go after people who aren't paying the license fee. The share holders would demand as much.

What else does it do? I mean, is it also a small change holder or does generate a force field? Can you imagine getting this thing through airport security. I looks like a weapon, or a bomb.

Instead of trying to change the Libraries, why not try to change the publishing industry? Insist that digital books be distributed without DMR. Isn't Microsoft simply supporting the interests of the publishers? I'm sure BoingBoing could put up a contact list of publishers and their emails. Tell them you won't buy one more paper book if they continue to support DMR. And then contact every writer you love via their website and tell them you will not buy their next book (even though you love them), until they do like Cory Doctorow does when he makes his books available without DMR. I'm not saying Free, just no DMR. Then we'll see if the publishers cave. How is Tor dealing with this issue? I mean, the whole DMR-less distribution?

If the guards get spooked by unusual activity with unusual technology, they might decide to err on the side of caution. Perhaps it would have been best to notify the station management that this sort of camera was going to be tested. It's a paranoid world. The NPR guy should simply have said they were reporters and had a right to be there and take pictures.

If it's true that we are only ever have six degrees of separation from anyone else on the planet, this mapping system would be over taxed in no time.

We had a rotary phone at the cottage until last year. We now use our cells instead.

I'm looking forward to seeing the Steampunk iphone interface with Roman numerals.

Why do you think the US wants Euruope to modify its law to be more like the US? If weaker patent law is bad, why?

Twoshort, I figured as much with regard to the library, so it wasn't an issue. Unless you buy the book, read it, then give it to a library, then you would be taking away a sale that might have happened all on its own. Libraries as we know them are doomed. Everything is going to be digital. I know this because very smart sf writers have told me so :)

Torrance, I always watch the first half hour of Empire, then ditch it until the end, just so I laugh at Luke. Ha ha ha, you have a worse father than me!

Torrance, why didn't you tell your friends about the book? You're supposed to spread the good word! You are a meme vector, damnit! And don't forget it.

I guess you're limited to highballs, either that or brake poor Han in half. Torrance, it was Luke that had his boots frozen to an ice cave ceiling on Hoth.

It cost that much because it can. And the telecoms can just keep raising rates, because we are electronic addicts and won't give up our drug. Just like we're addicted to gas and won't give up our cars. Oh well, such is a world run by greedy SOBs.

Antinous, do you have a poet's shirt. Please say no.

I think it would interesting to use an old person's picture instead of the young dad.

Cory, my sage, would those libraries have purchased the book if it were not made available for free? If they would have, then the money is being taken away from the publishers. If not, then it isn't an issue.

What in the heck is going to happen when we all start using electronic books? You know, the good ones that satisfy all our tactile needs, even warming up for cold hands? What's going to happen with the Free marketing strategy then? Seriously, this Free e-books is going to turn around and bite us in the ass. "Oh, I would never give up my paper books," said Joe. "I love them too much." Maybe so for Joe, but on a planet with dwindling resources and rapidly improving technology, it's not going to be long before we each have our favorite e-books that contain entire libraries of many thousands or even millions of books. So when you give away that free copy for downloading, knowing the paper sales will only improve because of it, what's going to happen when the paper isn't there? Back to pirating issues and DMRs? What happens when all the poor Chinese and Indians improve their standard of living and want to own books? Are there enough trees in the world to supply the pulp required to make billions and billions and billions of books? No, there aren't. And think of all the carbon and other chemicals that get put into the atmosphere and water to make the paper to make the books and then to truck them in and put them on the shelf. Right now, a reasonable carbon tax on the average 350 page hardback book would make it cost about $60.00. And it's only going to go up from there because anything that requires fossil fuels is going up in price.

Natural alternatives, um...

Hops and Cannabis are in the same family of resin-producing aromatic plants. I've had beer made with bud, and it was very much like Heineken--retched skunk brew, but it gave a very nice buzz.

He is a member of the ----- and it's his job spread the good word that magic and super-natural powers are crap. Good work!

This is beautifully simplistic, and might be more sturdy if steel was bolted or welded to the support column. Just use a force field for the side.

People tell me I look smarter with glasses. My only conclusion from a statement like that is that I look rather stupid without them. Oh well.

“The Victorian home was a haven away from all the industrial changes..."

The Victorian home was only possible because of these changes. The Victorian era gave rise to an industrialized, mass produced, factorization of the British culture. The goods that the emerging working middle class could now afford to buy were artifacts that came out of the factory. "Faux" ruling class was a popular decorating trend at this time and has more to do with celebrating affordable goods and the success of cheap labor than quality. Now, by my way of thinking, Steampunk has more to do with the Arts and Crafts period (started in G.B. by William Morris and McIntosh) at least as far as the construction ethic goes. The Arts and Crafts period was a celebration of handmade goods and a return to kind of quality that the guilds produced, and a direct rejection of the Victorians need for cheap. Reminds me of America's need for cheap.

As long as we support paper book sales, we might want to support cd sales too. I know, think of all the plastic trees that will die just so we can own our music in the form of a real disk. It brings tears to my eyes.

Give some one a treee as a gift that will be planted in a national park. More trees please. Native trees.

"...but I am always horrified when civil enforcement morphs into criminal enforcement.

Civil enforcement? Does that mean if Jeff is guilty of violating Joe's copyright, Joe has to take Jeff to civil court? Why yes it does. If I've broken the law, then it sould be a criminal matter for the government to prosecute. Criminal cases require a greater standard of evidence than do civil cases. If someone is going to enforce the "law" then that should be the governement, not private business. It costs a lot of money to sue someone. Civil law allows punitive damages, a very American way of punishing people, that may not have been otherwise found guilty had their trial been heard in criminal court. O.J. Simpson for instance. Civil law is a pain in the ass in America. It's a way for the government to do less law enforement by shifting the burden of law enforement on the private citizen. Having to enforce the law this way is a way of telling people that they can have justice if they are willing to risk going broke to do so. Justice should be tax supported, not wallet supported.

Antinous, congrats. Can I spit-shine your boots, please?

:)

I use a TV in our home in a similar way. I use a computer to run a graphics program called Soft Skys--clouds and sky. It's a nice big "window" and can give the room a nice feel.

I sleep better knowing the phone won't ring. And that's why I turn it off.

Noen, one of the nice things about our American culture is that it allows for poop art and everything else too. What we allow ourselves to see and question (is it art?) is just as important, if not more so, than what our government allows will us to see and question.

Does it come in hot pink?

One of the modern, established conventions of art is the ethic that art can and should be used to challenge the conventions of the time. We may not like poop-pop-art, but perhaps that's the point. If you can become interested enough in a piece of art to comment about it, then it might very well be "good" art.

It's cute enough. More like a gag in one of the History of the World movies. "Hold on, I'm getting a text..." The young page handed Cory a mini-scroll whereupon it was loaded into the older man's wrist reader. "Almost loaded," he said five minutes later while using one of his micro-Craftsman jewler's pliers to adust the scroll. He then turned the device's knobs to reveal the message: "Herbal Viagra for long lasting...What? I've been spammed!" The young page was then beaten for failing to act as a good filter.

Another good example of why we should consider ourselves lucky to have the ACLU and EFF. Gag orders! And the fun thing about some gag orders is that even telling someone you have one can be a violation of he order. Not very American of us. There are a lot of former agents out there that would love to tell their stories.

Here's my question: Do you care at all if people beleive in you or not?

Reminds me of the song The Animals Were Cut In Two by Half-handed Cloud. Strange but catchy.

http://www.asthmatickitty.com/musicians.php?artistID=3

Having just left the gym industry, I can tell you I do not miss juice-head body builders, at all! What a strange sub-culture.

Pipenta, I was wondering about the design influences of the Golden Compass also; you can clearly see the old mixed with the new. The Compass itself had all the wonderful gears and elaborate movement, but its function was not based on steam, but Dust, and I'm not sure what dust is, other than magic

Tropical Kitten, Thanks! Maybe it just didn't hit the right spot back then. I was one my bike this morning and had to avoid a big dead raccoon, and the dead baby raccoons that had been following their mother and had probably been hit, one by one as they went out into the road, to mommy. Road kill can be very sad. Horribly, horribly sad.

Very pretty little spheres of ice
But not for whisky, single or blend
It's the oak and age you will offend
The smoky taste of peat, amend?
With water, no, it's not our friend
Whisky, neat, it is so nice

Ignatz, I'm just thinking in terms of the future, which will be here faster than we expect...me thinks. I'm talking out of both sides of my mouth; I want the world to be greener, but I'm not going to be the one to give up my paper book. Besides, publishers validate the product.

No, that's what --I-- was going to say! Loved that cover.

A compromise: ask the teens if they want to go to a school where they would learn these skills. There are always going to be kids that want to be firemen and soldiers. Oh, and please make sure they get to read a book too. And if they want to go see a movie or a play or anything else that has the endorsement of our cultural elite, please let them. God knows, we don't want our SWAT personnel being culturally deficient. Anyone who doesn't think in terms of "perceived" weakness or strength, knows very little about world politics, local politics, family politics, basic human psychology, primate psychology or animal behavior and is too naïve to take seriously.

There is something common-sensical about eating plants (organic). If we try to eat with few general guide lines, most of us will get by. The science of nutrition is quite dynamic, and we're learning more and more. I'm sure that Pollan's opinions are in part based on science, the kind that has shown us that eating a lot of crap is bad.

There is a Memex-like trend for people to record more and more of their daily life, enabling them to have a personal history of extreme detail (but that history will contain others, strangers in public…). If the general population adopted this technology then it would be ancillary to what the government has. Both systems could compliment each other. The future is about more information, more facts, more details. Perhaps what we need to do is mandate privacy laws that make it extremely difficult for law enforcement to view city records unless they think it will help solve a documented crime. We might also start adapting our notion of what privacy is. I think most of our notions of privacy are illusions. Just think how a historian could use CCTV records! Don't you wish we had records like that from just 20 or 30 years ago? How about WWII? I love history, so I'm all for it.

My publisher is extremely valuable to me, providing editorial and marketing and distribution services that I couldn't possibly provide on my own without spending a lot more of the cover-price of the book than currently goes to my publisher.

Marketing is free on BoingBoing. I think that there's more to a publisher than just that. Having a relationship with a great editor who works for a great publisher has to be a great thing.

You should do an experiment where you offer a digital story or novella on line and let people pay what they want. I think five dollars is fair. There has to be a point where an author's popularity enables them to cut out the publisher. Not paper, just digital. And it would be a very green thing to promote. This would not be good for the publishing industry. I wonder if you could just have an Editing Industry for E-books? You have to figure paper books are going to be thing of the past before long.

"I am making the future!" sounds like a chaos mage mantra.

Antinous, we do not live in a kind world. I find there are more troubling things than the prospects of sending youth off to school to learn how to fight fires or whatever. We will not survive as a culture if we are weak. But I guess if a kid wants out all they have to do is say "I'm queer! I'm a big horney homo and I want out!" That should work.

Antinous, the problem with going to their place, is that they want something in return. There's no such thing as a free cocktail party where fairies are concerned. Last time it happened I woke up with rope burns and...ah, never mind. What happens in the Underworld stays in the Underworld.

Antinous, there are so many kids in trouble, that getting them into a program that helps teach them some kind of discipline has to be better. You can straighten a kid out if you get them in time. It's not a perfect answer, but it's not a perfect world either.

Antinous, Heinlein's Number of the Beast borrows stuff from Oz. If you don't know this Heinlein story, it puts forth the idea that fictions that become so popular and beloved actually become real places. So, although an author creates a univese, it's there for all to visit if they dare to. Maybe there is a copyright issue there somewhere. I know Charles Stross is doing something wih some of Heinlein's characters (Saturn's Children), very respectfully I'm sure.

I'm sorry, I don't eat anything with a face-- that's happy. I like my meat-faces to be frozen in an expressin of pure horror. Kids must love clown faces sandwiches.

There are toe/foot prints, of course. Don't babies get those taken anymore? I did when I was born, but then I was a military kid. Maybe we were treated differently than civi-babes.

Aaron, I can understand fan-fic, and I do enjoy writing, although not fan-fic, but still what I spend my time on has no monitary value for me. I just find it odd that the anyone would take the story itself and remix it. I can see using settings or characters, so if that is coverd by re-mixing, then I understand. For an artist to say, "do what you want with my original material and see what you come up with," is an interesting idea.

What about all those Israeli youth that have to serve in the defense corps? Do you think they called themselves Hitler Youth? Granted, they are 18 year-olds, not children. But service is manditory.

Sounds like it good be a good trade school for a lot of youth. We have to do something with all these humans, better they have useful skills than not.

Antinous, as I sit and try to write my little stories, I love being able to pop in here or other places and see what's up. I research things, this place being one of them. I'm going to write a book about the subject. Cory is a great study; I've romanticized him into some sort of young Plato or similar philosopher/teacher/rabble-rouser, and would love to sit under some olive trees and just listen to him talk.

Antinous, we've also breed some really great plants and animals. We are part of nature and are part of other creatures natural selection, as well as our own. We are not outside the system, but part of it.

Aaron,
I wasn't counting plays or screen treatments, or screenplays. I guess you could do one, but if it has no commercial application I don't know why you would bother.

I've used these things. I thought they were nice. But then agian, I think my implant is nice too.

I have to image that it would very well in cartoon land. I think for anyone to clap or boo at a post is half the fun of reading posts. I'm not going to bother with a culture that is composed of nothing more than cultish yes-men/women. Intellectual stimulation requires expossing one's self to new and perhaps controversial issues. How boring would it be if you just loved everything all the time and only said as much?

I've made little fairy houses, and little fairy trans-dimensional portals, and it's never amounted to much more than trouble. Do you know that a rowdy bunch of Tuatha de Danna can party all night long and leave a huge mess to clean up in the morning? My advice, do not invite them in unless you know how to deal with them. Don't even get me started on what they do to the wild life for fun!

I would like to know what Re-mixes are about. I can see mixing music, but why would anyone do that to a book? I would see that as being rude. I mean, can you imagine meeting the author and telling them that you changed their story and expecting anything but a cold stare in return? I could see writing a story set in some other author's universe/s, or using another's characters, but that's just fan-fic, right?

for me the big bonus with flip phones is the increased thickness, as I keep it in my underwear. Or a front pocket.

Noen, dude, really, this is just an example that reality is often weirder than fiction. Who in their right mind would ever drop their baby like this? Probably me if my culture said it was okay. You have to admit it prompted a lot of funny stuff. My ivory tower has a basement too.

Find a link for those who like dead people porn. That's the ticket. How relevant could porn ever be to this? LOL.

I agree with Antinous, that the people who hit bikers are not going to notice a ghost bike. They are too busy talking on their cell, putting on makeup, reading, texting, eating, whatever. Maybe the cops could start pulling more idiot drivers over and telling them that a car is not an office or a kitchen or a bathroom. Also, I've seen a lot of bikers do stupid things on the road. I'm a biker.

What a horrible idea. Who needs a sheet when you can use a catcher's mit?

I just bought a steam-punkish light fixture, it's bronze pipes and stuff. I'm sure I only did so because I've been introduced to more of the style elements shown on Boingboing. I don't think I want read about it, but it can look good. I think Jeff and Ann are doing stuff with io9 now.

For most people it won't matter. And for those who have issue with it, don't carry sensitive data around with you. Use your device to access it on line. That may not alway be possible (can't connect to the net), but then that's the price to be paid for keeping all your secrects safe and sound. Unless the Feds really want what you've got, in which case you better make sure your data is kept in an off-shore, Fed-proof facility that you can trust. And if the data suddenly goes missing, the facility where it was held might just get infected with a very nasty bug.

What is an example of some picture that would warrant this kind of security measure?

The irony is rich. As long as we can talk about this stuff a laugh once in a while we probably aren't doomed.

I don't recall a young adult section when I was young, way long ago. I guess I just discovered them on my own, or my reading tutor would get them in my hands. Why am I under the impression that kids read less now than they used to? I hope they read more. I should go look up some stats, I know.

I would think the Chinese athorities would punish the owner of the factory. Ignorance of a flag's meaning is no excuse.

Antiglobalism, parts of it suck, but there is much to be very excited about. Think of all the laws you can break just for kicks?

There is no copyright issue here. This is a freedom of information issue and is clearly tied to something other than serving the public's best interest. laws get changed and there is a defense that can be made for "ignorance of a changed law." I've sceen that defense used in court and with winning results.

Themagus, what I got out of it was that this application will allow you to communicate with your state and federal reps to effect some outcome that I think is specific to the individual using this "petitioning ware." But I might be totally off base.

I'm looking forward to seeing you. I'll be the one that looks like a giant rabbit.

Matt, I don't know if law enforcers are changing. But there's obviously a problem with anyone wasting tax payer dollars on this kind of crap. Okay, so the kid was buzzed. Where's the tragedy here?

Takuan, thank you. LOL. The stool stool...ha ha ha

No thank you. I for one do not want to see more clutter messing up the landscape. It's too bad someone died, but do we need to turn the whole world into a giant junky memorial? How about one nice one in a park. It could be an angle riding a bike, or whatever.

I loved my first chemistry set! My B.Day gift for my 9th. But I caused a little fire that sorta burned up part of the kitchen. Jeff's chemistry set was history after that :(

Antinous, agreed.

They look interesting--I want to pet them. But you know that they are going to become one big matted mess that will require brushing. Gawd, I don't have the time to brush my stools. Anyone who has had a sheep skin rug knows what a mess they can become.

I listened to it and took a few notes. I don't pretend to know anything about Canadian copyright law, or how it's transforming. But I listened to Geist speak and I heard issues addressed, but I did not hear any specific answers given. He said that real counterfeiters have to be punished, but what does that mean? Is Canada going to go after China?

Agent 86, I think the "offer what you want" is a great idea. Let's face it, if enough people just gave a dollar (pound, whatever), that money could go to a lot of other things rather than personal income, such as charity. So a lot of people would still just take for free what is offered for free. Still, the potential is there to make a lot of money just by giving the people the -choice-. All that money could go to the EFF or any organizations that Cory wants to give to.

NPR reported his death this morning. It must be true.

Halloween Jack, there are so many worthy causes to give one's hard-earned money to. If I'm going to give money, it's because I can judge some aspect of the organization I'm giving too. At least with NPR you know what you'll be supporting. I would never ask for money for a movie project unless I had a treatment that people could read. A few concept storyboards, some basic sketches! You just can't tell people you've got a great idea. Many of us have "great" ideas all the time. So what?

A little off topic, but: I learned to code in notepad. If I was going to use software like frontpage or dreamweaver or some other, are there any recommendations?

I dunno. I've worked on an indi project and it was all about money. Sold the movie at Sundance to HBO. Never again. Ever. More power to this creative gang, but it's all about the end product. So tell us about the product.

Moderator, I know my British history. All the way back to pre-Rome. Do you? That said, I'm the one in favor of CCTVs, and I am not in favor of allowing what Lodoners are seemingly okay with. So, is your point that I don't know how bad London has suffered in the past, and that New York hasn't suffered enough, and that New York police are over zealous? Okay, that makes good sense. I'm sorry, but I don't think messing up traffic in New York is nice or effective at doing anything but pissing people off. If the people in London are cool with it, great. More power to them. Strike a Pose.

Noen, I over-react at times. My teacher used to say, "don't react, --respond--." Reaction is more often than not about emotions, response is about thinking. (note to self: I should remember this!)

#37, LOL. How Southpark of you!

Antinous, I agree with your use of the word Ego. I think it's interesting how celebrities, artists, politicians, average Joes, require a healthy ego, but when the line is crossed it can create drama, which itself can help feed the ego. We are nothing without ego, but we can also loose everything because of it. Cory Doctorow's ego seems fine. He -is- charismatic, a "great attractor."

Is hand coding really faster? I have nothing against line work in HTML, but there has to be a better way of doing the work. Maybe it's not Dreamweaver, but something. Technology is going to have to get faster by orders of magnitude and we need that speed yesterday.

That was very nice. I would like to see a whole interview series on BoingBoing TV where Cory takes questions from someone or something. You admitted to being an internet "rabble rouser."

Antinous: I'm an omnivore. Bear's good. ;)

I found another typo, and this time it's not mine but Mark's. But just to add, my father's bear did enjoy it.

It has become too obvious that the EFF is a very worthy foundation to give to. If MS thinks they can just screw people like this, they must be living in a very un-American America. Screw them in court until it hurts.

I see a typo. Do I win anything? How about a bottle of beer?

What is wrong with people? I used to sip my dad's bear as a kid every chance I could get. So what? God, is it cocktail hour yet!? This is Detroit for you!

Noen, I wouldn't have guessed you would respond like you seemingly have. You normally strike me as pretty liberal. It's just one of those posts that you pass on by if you don't think you'll like it. The Boingboinganism has tastes that span the galaxey and can only be defined as eclectic, exotic, excentric and erotic. Just find the best (for you) and leave the rest (for others).

Cory, thanks for pointing in the right direction. It's starting to sink in now. So now I would assume that every publisher of genre fiction (at least) would want to market their writers the same way? That would make sense given what you said in the Forbes piece. But giving it away on audio too? It may be good marketing, but I think it has more to with your nature.

Tim Leary didn't live too long, and he must have used enough of the stuff.

Oragami for Orgone...very good. I'm just happy to see someone use micrometer instead of micron.

If something is True for you, subjectively, then that's all that counts. If the Bible is true, it's should be used as a private, quiet truth that doesn't require band-standing, IMHO.

Cory Doctorow, this "give it away" philososphy of yours is interesting. In theory it shows you aren't just in it for the money and that you want to get your stuff into the hands of those who can't afford it (maybe they'll buy the next book), but I'm not sure I understand why a publisher would give away new material. How does this help a publisher? How do you argue against other writers that say they can't do this because it takes a too big a bite out of the sales that they depend on to make a living? I'm not sure why (I'm trying to learn), but I feel that what you're doing must be a good thing. Do you see a point where every novel/book will be given away and sold at the same time?

Willismonroe said: "However unlike New York we have complete police support."

Well bully for London. Have any skyscrappers blown up of late have you? And although constabulary might support your protestors, I recall reading on BoingBoing that you have a few issues with people taking pictures. There also seems to be an issue with all the CCTVs that are there to help watch the "supportive" police. All is not so merry in Old England.

Mobs tend to display mob psychology, which is not normally considered a state of higher brain function. This is not to say that a well-organized march can not be effective.

What usless webs we weave, when we practice to deceive a spider.

The web material used by this artist is not what the spider requires.

In Detroit we're just going to turn the homeless into biofuel. We're very green in this part of the country.

I was really looking forward to this event, but life got in the way. Oh well, there's always next year.

I'm curious if there is any worth left in this first album? Why would they give the entire thing away when they could just give a few tracks away? Why not continue to sell the out-of-print CD on their own label? I think it's nice to give away a whole album; but does it increase the odds that their next CD will sell better? I think I would just continue to sell the old stuff and contribute the proceeds to charity. Why give it away when you could help out the needy? Fans would still pay a buck for an entire CD, right?

I wonder if there would be a reason to call the emergency number (in whatever country), if some guy was painting a picture of a play area with children. I see people at the shore all the time painting pictures of the beach and city-scenes with people--albeit blurry images of people. I'm sure most people would agree that photography can be an art form.

Cory Doctorow is better off writing bits about politics than getting involved with it himself. Talk about mucking up your Kharma. Besides, if he wants to make a difference (which he seems to), he can continue doing so from within the industry. I currently think that the publishing biz supports copyright law as it stands in the US, for the most part. Publishers do make money from selling their product.

Name-calling is fun. Group dynamics rule number 7: Norming behaviors revert to intimidation tactics when logic and reason seem to be of little use.

If Rowling want to write her own Potter encyclopedia, nothing will stop her. So the fans will yet another book to buy. She's so much money now, that were were to cry about her lost future income is pure bs. She can start giving every penny from royalties to charity now, if she's so concerned. She's invented something the world has embraced and now she doesn't know what to do because she can't control all of it. My advice is that she count her blessings. Greed.

Congrats. I have good taste, don't I? Keep up the great work.

Cefeida, there is a culture here. Boing Boing --is-- a culture. I happen to find it very interesting and have found myself adopting some of the group's norms. Part of becoming part of a group is the tendancy to want to defend the group. This is a common enough dynamic and is fairly text-book. Defending a group is something I've been programmed to do. Takuan too, it seems and others.

Jake0748, I don't think the moderator would argue your point. It's interesting (from a group dynamics perspective), how a certain kind of person rise to the defense of the group's values.

But then again, this isn't just show-and-tell for fans, but for is also for the person who may want to comment negitively on the group esthetic. Reading the comments that steam punk anit-fans leave can be interesting too. They may be making valid points, the same kind of points one can hear at any high-end art-crowd cocktail party/gallery show. The highly educated, heavily invested art-crowd can be very to-the-point about art they don't like. There is an entire lexicon that people use for art they do not think is worthy. If it's validation that we require, then judging art by what Art critics have to say might be a good place to start. All my choices need to be validated. Cory Doctorow has validated my current interest in steam punk. I'm going to build a coal-burning steam-powered lawn mower. It will increase my carbon footprint ten fold, but it'll be worth it.

Airpillo, that was nicely written. But like Horncologne said, you just come here to read. The editing is done by the editors, so what you see might be intentionally provocative to stimulate conversation.

I think this was an obvious failure of security. The Emperor wears no clothes! So this guy gets hung out to dry because he pointed out a failure.

I've been called a sychophant by some who hang her in Boingboing land. I'm happy that Cory Doctorow has a new book out and that he's doing well. Talking down on a self- promotion is just sour grapes as far as I'm concerned. Yeah, I'd love to be the one promoting his new book, but I'm not, so at least let me get geeked for someone who is. Doctorow, I'm happy for you! All your real fans are. If that's being sychophantic then too frakking bad.

I can see it now: guy on park bench with boner under his kebboard, typing away like a mad man. What a great idea.

Custom inscriptions, eh? I'll be buying one for my Nephew. I think he'll eat it up.

Cory Doctorow used the word Toxic because he is a provocateur. I don't eat anything called Pink Berry, and I don't give a shit if they have an American Express Plum card either! Just what American needs, another kind of "food" to get fatter with.

Right now fiddle head ferns are coming up. They taste great sauteed with butter. I love my local farmers market and wish the locals would use it more. It always surprises me when people don't know there is a farmers market ten minutes from their homes.

My personal experience is that my back does better when I wear a good walking/hiking shoe.

This was the perfect post for me to read. Thank you. What does Cory Doctorow think about this case (publisher is from Michigan), where the lexicon of Potter-verse is used? It seems fair to me, in as much as Potter has become iconic and is fodder for others to use.

You can be asked to open up your briefcase, so I guess opening a computer is about the same thing. I guess you could use online sources for software apps and storage, using your laptop as little more than a keyboard. If they want the access for your net-based data they would have to get a court order and present that to the site holding your stuff.

I'm a fan of many, but a true fan of few. I have found I'm often a big fan of dead artists.

I think it's an interesting place, but I'm not cool with the font. It looks grainy. And a white background is best for reading I think IMHO.

So what happens when we just wear our cameras like sun glasses? The technology is almost there, using blinks and other triggers to interface with the camera's computer. So are we going to have to give up looking at things? Pictures are just ancillary devices that our brains use to remember. Is it memory that London or Disney is fighting? And we all get to vote with our money.

Jupiter12, here in the north-western edge of the East (Detroit), taking pictures isn't something anyone would care about. This city's all about text mesgs, not pictures.

Pretty cool. Loved the New Order playing.

Glad to hear New Jersey is leading the way! Come on New York, stop dragging your ass.

Manny, London is special all right. It must be like Mecca for so many. But then, the grass is always greener when it rains more. The Cherry Blossoms must be quite pretty. Are they open yet?

Retro-contempo-techno design is so 2020s.

Are they afraid people could use the pictures to find their car? I do that at the airport all the time.

Does this sort of thing happen in Washington D.C.? I don't think so, but maybe I'm not aware of how Big Brother-ish the D.C. area has become since 911.

At what point is London's anti-photo BS going to piss off the natives? Don't they have something like the ACLU in GB? Truly, this is not a culture that I should support with my money. I'll send a note the Tourism Department and tell them I will not be coming this year. I won't be spending my good money in a police state.

I live in a very well armed part of the United States--Michigan. I've had a hunting rifle since I was 12. I don't think it makes me feel any better; it's just a tool that I have to keep clean and haven't used in several years. But, if some dystopian future emerges (I don't think it will) and the "Nazis" come to my door to take me off to summer camp, I'm going to leave this world taking a few of them with me.

#14, great post. I think you pointed out that liberals (which I count myself as) need to hear from the far left, if only to be reminded of Ideals. The ideals of the mythic pastoral past and the post scarcity future are all about better times. She seems to want us to live better, but does not know how to get us there. She does denounce the system that allows her to sell her goods, and on that point she seems a wee bit hypocritical.

Did you enter real codes? Interesting way to give out info. Love the hair...very handsome ;)

Does a person living in GB with some sort of workers visa have to watch what they say, especially when it concerns government security policies? I assume that there are plenty of Brits that talk about Big Brother in negitive terms. Since Doctorow is a journalist I don't think he has to worry. But I used to think that about the United States, but now I realise that people end up on lists if they aren't careful. Is GB as bad as the US? They sound worse to me in some regards.
But then, I've said public CCTVs are a good idea, but that very strict oversight needs to be in place.

We watch each other for sport; the government should allow access to public feeds but charge for it! It would make stalking so much eaiser! Alas, I do not live in London and expect the Detroit suburbs to be CCTV-free for the next hundred years, or so.

Very interesting. I've never thought of using a font style alphabetical set as an artistic building material. What's it called, Alpharobotica? Cyberalphebetica? Fontaexpressionism?

I wonder what his legal fees were like? I hope there was a defense fund or something. I estimate that he's well into the quarter million point after four years. The government gets to drag your ass into court, bankrupt you, and then fail to make their case. And the citizen gets screwed all the way down unless the ACLU or some other group picks up the case. It makes me sick that justice is often about who can afford the better lawyer.

I'm very conflicted about the police. I've been harassed by local cops and haven't enjoyed it at all. But I know there are good ones out there too. It's easy to become bigoted based on limited personal experience.

This news is so horrible. I need to get away from this fucking machine. It delivers too much sorrow today.

Takuan: "...lobes of meat." Truly gross image. Thanks. All I can see are great big scabs.

I think the Great God Greenspan has shown us the fallibility of "expert." An economist can explain the economy like a meteorologist can explain the weather. And we all know how easy the weather is to control or predict. I don't think Klien is wrong, I just think she's arguing against human nature. Which is okay.

Corporatism, or Supra-capitalism, whatever you want to call it, can be reduced to family dynamics. Buying favors is behavior learned by children and applied by adults, which is nothing new. How do we disallow this "buying of power" when so many of us do it (albeit on a smaller scale) on a daily basis? The very core of capitalism is dependant on someone having less and someone having more. More is often considered Best: I have more than you, therefore I win! Isn't that how people play the game? For the most part?

Takuan, I think we could call our business "Re-boned." And the slogan could be something like, The Bone Makes All The Difference! Bonetastic!

Deposits will be based on weight. What a gross idea! That's why it makes me laugh.

"You see, I have this problem with my sweaty balls, and I was trying to spray them from behind and some how the can slipped right in. Dry. Wow!"

After working in an ER, I can tell you that more interesting things than this have been removed from many an ass.

Santa's Knee, because you want to? Me too!

Are any of those books more interesting than the one you would have listed? Books on mathematics aside, it looks like a fairly average list.

And me just having had lamb for lunch. I don't want synthetic meat unless it has the bones and a little fat. I have enough people to care about, livestock is at the bottom of my list.

Oh no, my Jessica Rabbit post hit a time warp! Anyway, I still think she's hot. Which is kinda weird, but understandable. Right?

Jessica Rabbit is hot. Woof! But generally I like my animations less un-tooned. Takuan, I think my gut-response is that I shouldn't be attracted to fantasy art. I tell myself that only real humans should make me look and wonder about sex.

No more books made out of dead trees! We need mediatronic books. One book to hold them all. Isn't that really the green way? As it is I'm developing a fear of books. Not the information in them, just the actual thing. Too many things to care about. Of course I say this while thinking about my signed copy of Little Brother that I need to get.

It's not all that uncommon for people to adopt the mindsets of those in power. For instance, if you want to speak for the administration you need to agree with the president. the Gray Area is not always an easy place to live in, but if you're intelligent, that's probably where you're at.

Antinous : "Oy, I have such a craving for a burrito now. And there are no good taquerias in Palm Springs. ¡Qué lastima!"

What about that place right on main street, with the outside patio/court yard?

Jeff @18, it's nobody's fault; more a matter of outgrowing the previous set of arrangements.

That's not quite code-speak. I knows there's a bug in the {return from post} line. Because I usually don't get returned to the blog, but sit in the out-going post line.

And I didn't mean it to sound as if I was blaming anyone, just that it's a problem and I was courious what it was.