three things don't quite make a post but give me two on credit...

[lagilman]

Agent Nathan Bransford with a quick hit on paperback vs hardcover debuts, for those who've ever wondered. It doesn't cover all the bases, but makes a damn good start.

Revisions continue apace here, although at a slower pace than I wanted. Life decided to start tap-dancing on me this week. Life, you have crap timing. And my cell phone is reaching its last legs (it no longer tells me when I have a message) and my contract is expiring this month, so I need to do some serious thinking about cell phones and carriers. I've been happy with T-Mobile, but their available phones aren't thrilling me. A crackberry (or an iPhone, if I change services) is very appealing, but is now the time to start adding costs to my monthly budget? (it would end up being $25-30/month more expensive, probably). On the other hand, my PDA has died, so having a phone that could mimic some of those functions would be very useful...
Opinions, O great Internet?


Meanwhile, polls report that McPalin's unfavorable ratings are tanking the more they get into negative campaigning and mob-incitement. So if anyone's looking to history, we may not have learned anything about how to keep our financals from being kneecapped, but we're not resorting to brownshirts... yet, anyway.
Some discussion last night over fears that people will say "no" to McCain now, but vote "no" to Obama, whether for bigotry or a simpler fear-of-change at the last minute. I hope those concerns are unfounded. I hope that, if you're uncomfortable with the nasty side of John McCain and the full frontal viciousness of Sarah Palin, that you will remember those things when you go to vote. That sort of behavior, IMO, should not be rewarded.

And now there is coffee and work, and more tap-dancing to be done.

Comments

[fakefrenchie.livejournal.com]

The most important thing for me is that MMPB are cheaper than trade or hardcover, and thus I can buy more of them. At $8 a pop, books are expensive. I won't spend $20+ on a hardcover or $14 on a trade, whihc means I buy less books at the new book store where author royalties come from and more books at used book stores whose sales don't contribute to royalties. Don't even get me started about e-books costing the same price as trades.

[ex-fashioni.livejournal.com]

iPhone is incredibly intuitive and easy to use. I've had several multiple function phones where I never learned how to use half of the functions just because it was too time consuming or awkward. With the iPhone, a lot of that learning curve is simply eliminated. And it's not just shiny! happy! things, either, but the calender and the contacts and the Maps function in particular are fantastic.

[neutronjockey.livejournal.com]

Some discussion last night over fears that people will say "no" to McCain now, but vote "no" to Obama, whether for bigotry or a simpler fear-of-change at the last minute.

*Sigh*

I would like to tell you that people's votes will not be swayed by racial prejudices...
...I'd be lying.
I'm sure you haven't snooped around the antisemite or Klan message boards... dumb question, most people don't go nosing into pools of hatred... it's ugly. I'll just say that: it's ugly.

[lagilman]

I'm actually less concerned about the out-and-out bigots: they're not in contention and usually 'out' themselves after a few minutes conversation ("Hi, I'm a Jew! Whose family history t'ain't pearly white all the way back! Can I date your son?"). It's the people who don't think of themselves as bigoted, but are "uncomfortable" or "hesitant" that are the worry. In public they're all about change and progressive behavior, but in the solitude of the voting booth, when there's nobody but themselves to judge...


There was a quote somewhere about someone saying they liked Obama but worried that, as President, he would "take care of his own people first." I'm not sure who "his own people" are -- biracial children of single mothers? Excellent! I think that they should have someone putting them first. I'm okay with waiting.

(anyone ever notice that biracial children are typically culture-bendingly gorgeous? d'y'think the Universe is trying to tell us something?)

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

(anyone ever notice that biracial children are typically culture-bendingly gorgeous? d'y'think the Universe is trying to tell us something?)

I've noticed that a number of times, on a scale ranging from celebrities to friends to random people on the street. I'm personally all for a world full of extremely attractive light brown people. :)

[smoemeth.livejournal.com]

That's exactly what I'm afraid of -- that a significant percentage of the people who have been polling for Obama because of *course* they're progressive-minded color-blind people will suddenly find themselves in the voting booth having a "OMG I'm about to vote for *gasp* A BLACK MAN" moment of panic and bail at the last second. The thought keeps me up at night, in fact...

[neadods.livejournal.com]

There was a quote somewhere about someone saying they liked Obama but worried that, as President, he would "take care of his own people first." I'm not sure who "his own people" are -- biracial children of single mothers?

I know someone who is completely convinced that he will take care of only black people. Period. Only hire them, only help them. She's voting for Palin - despite not agreeing on several key policy issues - because she wants "someone like me" in the White House.

I am voting for someone like me to be in the White House. Someone who thinks like I do, has the same priorities I do, has solutions I agree with. The shape of the package and the color of the wrapping are irrelevant.

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

(anyone ever notice that biracial children are typically culture-bendingly gorgeous? d'y'think the Universe is trying to tell us something?)

Yes, even my prejudiced mother who had a conniption fit at the very idea that I happened to find a black classmate handsome mentions it occasionally.

Personally? I think it's the whole "the less inbred you are the better off you are" thing.

[autojim.livejournal.com]

We went phone shopping last night. We're with Sprint, and have been since ~1999 or 2000. As it turns out, we have to wait until July (22 months since our last change) to change or we end up paying full-boat ($570!!!!) for the Crackberry Curve that K wants. I don't want one of those, but she feels the need due to some of her new work. We're still probably going to upgrade to the Spring Everything plan @$99/month (with 2nd line for another $5).

I have no opinion on the combo-devices -- I've mucked with iPhones, but not enough to have a verdict. The Crackberry seems to be reasonably robust (Miss E hasn't broken hers yet, at any rate, and what an 18-year-old needs with a Crackberry is still an open question). I use a Palm T|X PDA (purchased earlier this year) and a Sanyo Katana II phone, but not at the same time.

[girasole.livejournal.com]

We gave kradical an early Solstice gift because his Treo was near-dead. He lurrrves that iPhone. It does everything, does it well and easily. Go for it.

[lagilman]

I've requested a demo of same, yes. However, it would mean switching services and, as I said, I've been very happy with T-mobile.

(also, am not yet convinced that the initial expense of the phone plus increasing my monthly phone bill is the smart thing for me, right now.)

[arouraleona.livejournal.com]

I use ATT and have their little Palm Centro. It's a good basic smart phone and comes equipped with Documents to Go, which is so far my fave mobile Office clone. I have little hands so the smallness of it doesn't bother me and the buttons are very smooshy and user friendly.

I love trade paperbacks. They seem to hold up a little better than mmpb and be a little easier to read (usually a slightly larger font I believe) and I think they look great on the shelf. However, since repair of all paperbacks is a pain in the toosh, I like hardbacks for their longevity. MMPB's are good if I'm grabbing something I've no reference to (or if that's all the publishers are releasing it in).

[smoemeth.livejournal.com]

Oh, and re phones: I would marry my Palm Treo if I could. I have no problems with my Verizon service (and as a traveler, I've found that Verizon has by far the best coverage) but for your needs Sprint is probably better, they have the best and cheapest data plans.

I can't wait for my contract to renew in the spring, then I can get a shiny new bright-red Palm Centro for free. :)

[lagilman]

Actually, I just compared plans, and I've been with T-Mobile for so long (I have a plan they don't offer any more but I get to keep it) that changing services would probably give me less for same $$ or cost me more, so...

I've heard mixed things about the Treo re: reliability. I loved my Palm and miss it terrible...

[smoemeth.livejournal.com]

My Treo has been quite reliable. It does need a reboot occasionally, but I expect a gadget to require a kick in the pants every once in a while.

If you're going to stick with T-Mobile, stay far, far away from the Sidekick models. I have several friends who have between them gone through dozens of those things. They last 3 months if you're lucky, and don't work particularly well before they die.

[house-draven.livejournal.com]

I don't do anything on my phone but talk and take the occasional pix and email it to myself, so my phone isn't all that whoo-whoo, but we've been with ATT for years. We have wonderful coverage all over the country -- even the canyons here and in western and eastern Texas, which is saying something. We also get free mobile to mobile within network, rollover, as well as free nights and weekends.

[lagilman]

oh, I'm perfectly happy with my current service -- as I said, T-mobile's been very good, both here and when I'm abroad, and I actually have a better rate with them than I could going elsewhere (I'm on a plan they don't offer any more, but still maintain). The only reason I'd switch would be for the tech.

[dianora2.livejournal.com]

I was recently debating a Blackberry myself but ultimately decided I didn't want to spend the extra money every month. :( Maybe if the rates come down...