More RSS converts

RSS bigots of the world unite! This is another of those 'you need to experience it to understand it' kinds of phenomena.

rss, where are thou?

“Syndication
is key. I have become such a snob that I won't read a blog if I can't
dump it into my BlogLines account. Okay, snob is a bit harsh. It is
more about convenience. I don't have time to search out every nifty
blog I come across every day to see if there is a new post. I want it
delivered to me. When I find a new blog I enjoy, the first thing I do
is scour the sidebars for a link to syndication. No syndication, no
subscription. The blogger loses out on higher readership & I lose
out on reading some awesome posts. And so I'll end with a simple plea
to all bloggers – check your sidebar. Do you link to your feed? Is it
easy to find? If not, why?” [so this is mass communication?, via Scripting News]

Kaye, you're not alone! In fact, I think we need a badge….

Update: heh… Paul Beard answered the call. Here’s an “RSS Bigot” badge! I’ve added it to my pages at the bottom of the right-hand column. Thanks, Paul!

RSS Bigot

The purity of the English language

And thank you Suw!

The purity of the English language.
“The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that
English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow
words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways
to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.”

– James D. Nicoll

“English is the result of Norman men-at-arms attempting to pick up
Saxon barmaids and is no more legitimate than any of the other results.”

– H. Beam Piper

(Thanks Kate!)
[Chocolate and Vodka]

New Year's Wishes

The last week has been one for quiet time with family. We’d be counting blessings in any case but the events on the other side of the world bring that home all the more forcefully. Obviously, we’ll be adding to our list of charitable donations through one of the many organizations
organizing and providing relief efforts.

For all of you, I hope 2005 brings you closer to your own goals whatever they might be. Back to more vigorous blogging soon.

Seasons Greetings

McGee Christmas 2004

I’m off to a few days R&R. The picture is from our trip to Alaska this last summer. Couldn’t pass on the chance to stand on a glacier.

A good holiday season to all of you in whatever flavor suits you.

Free classical music

I’ve been meaning to add to the classical side of my collection. Looks like these recordings are in ogg Vorbis format, so I’ll have to add that capability to my systems. Worth checking out.

Free classical music. Behold, a Creative Commons classical music-fest. Here’s Handel’s Messiah. Use a playthispage bookmarklet to get a directory streamed to you. [via Chris Corrigan]

This post also appears on the channel Free music

[Seb’s Open Research]

Found time

The confluence of Tivo, the blogosphere, and my otherwise busy schedule have now netted me 4 hours of found time since I can now delete the episodes that I recorded safe in the knowledge that they have so little connection to the the story or the author I enjoyed years ago. Make it three and a half hours, after accounting for the time I did enjoy reading LeGuin’s comments.

Ursula K. Le Guin
on the television version of her Earthsea books: “When I looked over the script, I realized the producers had no understanding of what the books are about and no interest in finding out. All they intended was to use the name Earthsea, and some of the scenes from the books, in a generic McMagic movie with a meaningless plot based on sex and violence

[EdCone.com]