Monthly Archives: November 2012
Enjoying Them While They Last
Posted on November 17, 2012 71 Comments
As I noted on Twitter, I don’t actually expect that Twinkies will disappear if Hostess’ parent company actually goes through with its threat to liquidate — Twinkies and other assorted Hostess products have too valuable a brand name for that — but on the other hand, why not buy a couple of the sponge cakes […]
A Girl and Her Dog
Posted on November 16, 2012 40 Comments
Daisy, figuring that Krissy could use some puppy time today. Krissy agrees.
Girl With Surgical Boot
Posted on November 16, 2012 69 Comments
Please to enjoy Krissy’s latest fashion accessory: A surgical boot. She’s not merely wearing it as an affectation, however; she did in fact have foot surgery this morning. She’s fine (as you may note from her bemused expression), we’re fine, everything’s fine, and for the next few of days at least I will be waiting […]
Today is Redshirts Publication Day in the UK
Posted on November 15, 2012 32 Comments
For all my British friends who were wondering when it was they might be able to get their hands on the actual, verified, made-in-the-UK version of Redshirts: Today is that day! Rush this very instant to your favorite bookstore and demand it. Politely, please. Don’t, like, upend a front table as soon as you arrive […]
Two Strangely Relevant Links
Posted on November 14, 2012
One: This very interesting piece in Ada: A Journal of Gender, New Media, and Technology, called “Queer Female of Color: The Highest Difficulty Setting There Is? Gaming Rhetoric as Gender Capital,” which discusses in some detail my “Straight White Male” piece from earlier in the year, and the fact that it got some traction — and why […]
Today is a Good Day to Subscribe to Clarkesworld Magazine
Posted on November 14, 2012 65 Comments
Many Whatever readers are fans of science fiction and fantasy, which means they have probably heard of Clarkesworld Magazine, the Hugo-winning science fiction magazine, which has published some genuinely excellent fiction in its run. Clarkesworld is owned and operated by Neil Clarke, who I can vouch for from personal knowledge as being one of the […]
When Gut-Boys Attack
Posted on November 14, 2012 692 Comments
It turns out that the author of the above screed, comic book artist Tony Harris, was born the same year I was. I can’t actually conceive of a forty three year old man, particularly one who has presumably functioned reasonably well in the real world, with other actual human beings, writing a paragraph like that one […]
Books Are Back
Posted on November 13, 2012 186 Comments
After a pause of a couple of weeks, most likely because of Hurricane Sandy, new and upcoming books have once again begun appearing at the Scalzi Compound. Here’s what’s come in during the last few days. Want a closer look? Here’s a bigger picture. Tell me which of these books inspires a case of the […]
A Couple of Quick and Final Post-Election Notes to Liberals and/or Obama Supporters
Posted on November 13, 2012 237 Comments
As I did offer some notes yesterday to the some (but not all!) white males freaking out about Obama winning a second term, I figure it might be worth it to give a couple of notes to those who are thrilled about his re-election. Seems fair, etc. So: 1. It’s been a week. You can […]
How to Get Signed and Personalized Scalzi Books for the Holidays, 2012
Posted on November 12, 2012 22 Comments
The holidays are coming up — as they seem to do every year — and once again I am teaming up with Jay & Mary’s Book Center, my local bookseller, to sign and personalize any books of mine that you want for your favorite gift-giving holiday of the season. It’s my way of helping you […]
Some Quick and Final Post-Election Notes to Some But Not All White Men
Posted on November 12, 2012 423 Comments
Specifically, to the white men who have spent the last week freaking out about the fact that Obama won a second term without the majority of white men voting for him. 1. First off, relax. A rainbow coalition of gays, women and minorities is not coming to your door to take your guns or your […]
Redshirts in German: Out Today!
Posted on November 12, 2012 29 Comments
The German version of Redshirts, called Redshirts, is out today. If you’re in Germany and reading this (and several of you are, Germany is this blog’s biggest readership outside of native English-speaking countries), you can buy it off Amazon.de or, presumably any bookstore that has a reasonable science fiction section. If you would like to […]
Boycotts and Franchises
Posted on November 11, 2012 133 Comments
People have asked me if I plan to boycott Papa John’s Pizza and/or Applebees, because John Schnatter and Zane Tankel, CEOs of Papa John’s Pizza and the New York franchisee of Applebee’s, respectively, have rumbled about cutting hours and wages of employees in order get around coming health care requirements. Well, as it happens, it’s been […]
Veteran’s Day Once More
Posted on November 11, 2012 40 Comments
While Athena and Krissy were at the Korean War memorial last week, an older gentleman in a wheelchair came up to a particular spot on the memorial and looked up at a soldier who was portrayed there. It was him, sixty years ago now. The sitting fellow is that gentleman, surrounded by a group of […]
Look Who’s Back
Posted on November 10, 2012 20 Comments
Wife & daughter, after a week of them being off to DC for a field trip: Athena to learn, Krissy to be a chaperone for Athena’s class. What’s that, you say? You didn’t even know they were gone? Well, we did have that election last week, which kept me busy. And also, you know. I […]
Just Arrived: My First “Hey, Are You Dead?” E-Mail of the Day.
Posted on November 9, 2012 52 Comments
To respond: No, I’m not dead. I’ve just had a very busy day so far. Doing things that aren’t on the site! I’m allowed! From time to time. So, uh, hi. I’m alive. How are you?
Meanwhile, in Darke County
Posted on November 8, 2012 228 Comments
In October I wrote about what it was like to live in Ohio in the midst of swing state madness, and I made the notation that Darke County, where I live, went 68% for McCain in 2008 and that I would be surprised if Romney did not do at least as well this year. Well, […]
The Big Idea: John Schwartz
Posted on November 8, 2012 19 Comments
New York Times reporter John Schwartz covers the nation for his beat at the newspaper. But his latest book Oddly Normal finds him reporting from home, writing about the challenges of raising a child who chooses to come out as gay at an early age. Schwartz and his wife found themselves without a map of […]
Post-Election Notes For the GOP (Not That They’ve Asked For Them)
Posted on November 7, 2012 392 Comments
Having just voted against both its presidential and Ohio senatorial candidate, I am reasonably sure the GOP doesn’t want any notes from me about its failures last night. On the other hand, I am a white, male, well-off, heterosexually-married, college educated fellow, which means according to these exit polls at least, I am the GOP […]
The Schadenfreude Pie I Make This Week Will Be Dedicated to Right-Wing Pundits
Posted on November 7, 2012 84 Comments
Particularly the ones who shat all sorts of bricks in the direction of FiveThirtyEight’s Nate Silver. Nate Silver, who applied statistical modeling to the polls to see how likely it was that either Obama or Romney would win the White House, consistently had Obama as the most likely to win — in fact, he never […]
In the US, 2020 is likely to be the most significant election in a generation. If you're an adult US citizen it's important that you (yes, you) register to vote and then vote by November 3, 2020. Several states are purging voters from their rolls, and efforts are being made to make voting by mail unreliable. It's important also to check your registration, and to have a plan to vote early. Don't let anyone take your right to vote!
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