I don't mean to nitpick, Tom, but is this really your plan?

What do China’s internet censors actually censor? Collective action and porn. Criticize the government, except for censorship, all you like—but don’t organize for any purpose. Really interesting, and provides some perspective on Clay Shirky’s Cognitive Surplus and my thoughts on it.

Top ten differences between white terrorists and others: 5. White terrorists are part of a “fringe.” Other terrorists are apparently mainstream.

A surprising and frightening chart about high frequency trading.

Gotye remixes YouTube covers of Somebody That I Used to Know. Or, for humor, Batman Maybe!

Podfic of my SPN gen story Ugly Duckling by applegeuse. I love this concept so much and want every author to write a version.

( Marta Randall, George R.R. Martin )

( Alan Moore & Melinda Gebbie, Lost Girls ) I don’t want to pay for shipping on PaperbackSwap to get rid of these large and heavy volumes, but if you’re in the DC area and think you might have a different opinion of the books, I’ll happily give them to you.

Sweded movies and the end of Hollywood as we know it: You have to spot author Ben Walters the omission of other fan cultures and the apocalyptic rhetoric; there’s still some interesting stuff here.

Really good essay on The Dark Knight: “Also, let’s not forget that calling Batman ‘fascist’ is a little like accusing the Pope of being catholic, or hinting darkly that a particular bear may have, at some point in its life, shit in the woods.”

I … don’t actually trust an email from Joe Biden that says “trust me—you’ll have fun.”

( Andrews, Harper, Martin, Larbalestier & Brennan, Spencer )

1. Further on the meat thermometer injury: when told about it the next morning, my 5-year-old son asked, “were you hot?” thus making the same joke his father had right after I stabbed myself. Nice to know the bloodline is running true, I guess.

2. Who else is watching Tower Prep? After last night’s episode, enjoyment has graduated into love. Former XF staff = cool visuals (though evident risk of incoherence in mythology already pending); I was genuinely creeped out. Also, gotta respect a show that’s willing to base an episode on the Odyssey.

3. I am, right now, incredibly infatuated with M.I.A.’s XXXO. It’s something about the surprise of going from “you want me” to the turnaround of “you want me [to] be somebody who I’m really not,” delivered in a way more aggressive than sad about that. I even like the director reference—“I could be the actress, you’d be Tarantino”—because even though the “actress” is generic, it’s pretty much the opposite of, say, a Hitchcock reference, given what Tarantino’s leading ladies are like.

4. The “Snake Fight” Portion of Your Thesis Defense: I loved it!

5. Make a vid, if you want, for Akon’s No Labels theme song: I am not a supporter of the organization, but I can’t help wanting to see what a vidder would do anyway.

( Appropriation art, getting copyright permission, and a bad GRRM book )

1. My own website won’t recognize my login! This makes me worry. The CMS is nice in many ways, but I am starting to realize how vulnerable I am now that I rely on something beyond the hand-coded html I can make myself.

2. I’ve been using this free file-hosting service Dropbox, and I think it’s great for document management—I keep all my works in progress, as well as other stuff including teaching materials, in my Dropbox folder. That means I can access them on all my computers and on my iPhone and have changes automatically updated across all my devices. It’s good for joint writing projects for the same reason. You get 2 gigs free, [ETA: I've maxed out on free space, so I'm not asking anyone else to sign up via me any more.  I still recommend the service though]. I’ve been using the service for nearly a year, I’m highly satisfied, and I only get email from them when I’m near to filling my space. So anyone interested in trying the service/helping a girl out, I encourage you to check it out.

3. I’m also on Google Wave now, though I still don’t know what it’s for. I’m rivkat and if you want an invite or if you want to connect there, let me know!

4 etc. Realms of Fantasy has made its Feb. 2010 issue available as a free download on its website. Aside from the skeevy naked-girl art from Frank Wu, I found the stories largely entertaining; Harlan Ellison, Leah Bobet, Euan Harvey, Aliette de Bodard, and Ann Leckie are the authors represented.

( Middleman, Wild Cards, original slash, urban fantasy )