Ten rules for writing fiction

Ten rules for writing fiction | Books | guardian.co.uk.

This one resonated with me the most:

5 Write whatever way you like. Fiction is made of words on a page; reality is made of something else. It doesn’t matter how “real” your story is, or how “made up”: what matters is its necessity.

via [kottke]

David Byrne’s TED Talk – Creation in Reverse

David Byrne has transcribed his recent TED talk on creativity (I’m sure the video will be posted at TED soon).

His thesis is pretty interesting:

That doesn’t sound like such a big insight, but it’s actually backwards from what I perceive to be conventional wisdom — which is that creation emerges out of some interior emotion or from an upwelling of passion that inevitably and must find an outlet. This is the romantic notion of how creative work comes to be. Here are the lyrics to a new song by the group One Republic: “I need another story/Something to get off my chest…When a situation rises/Just write it into an album.”

It doesn’t even rhyme, but more than that I think it’s based on a mistaken assumption.

He’s very convincing. While it’s a long read, I highly recommend it (I know that carries a TON of weight).

Creation in Reverse – David Byrne’s Journal .

Domino Effect

It’s really interesting to see how far-reaching the effects of the recession can be. Not only are prospective jurors challenging serving based on the financial hardships, they are also finding it difficult to sacrifice for plaintiffs whose cases seem less severe than their own problems.

Spurned in his effort to get out of jury duty, salesman Tony Prados turned his attention to the case that could cost him three weeks’ pay: A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy was suing his former sergeant, alleging severe emotional distress inflicted by lewd and false innuendo that he was gay.

Prados, an ex-Marine, leaned forward in the jury box and asked in a let-me-get-this-straight tone of voice: “He’s brave enough to go out and get shot at by anyone but he couldn’t handle this?” he said of the locker-room taunting.

Weighed down by recession woes, jurors are becoming disgruntled

A Brave Review from the LA Times

Finally, a review out of the LA Times that does not mince words.

LA needs more writing of the caliber exemplified by Leah Ollman’s review.

Original Sin

Excellent article on Eve, sin and Jimmy Carter.

To automatically hate and fear anything or anyone different from ourselves and to want to feel smarter and worthier than an entire race or gender are two of the least admirable and most regrettable aspects of human nature.

[via MN]

David Byrne also has a great and somewhat related post, The Limits of Multiculturalism.

My Full Name Dot Com

I’ve started a new site to host my web development stuff. If you into that kinda thing you can check it out.

But what about the Vegetarian Rice & Beans?

I really wish they’d start selling the vegetarian rice & beans online. It just isn’t fair.

ON TOP OF SPAGHETTI | The New Yorker

Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad

I remember learning about Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad (1886) case while in school and how it essentially gave corporations the same rights as citizens. What I didn’t know was that the courts actual opinion had nothing to to with the 14th amendment. It was the court reporter’s summary of the case that connected the amendment:

The court reporter, J.C. Bancroft Davis, wrote the following as part of the headnote for the case:

“The court does not wish to hear argument on the question whether the provision in the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which forbids a State to deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws, applies to these corporations. We are all of the opinion that it does.”

Thank [insert chosen deity here]!

Me and my mom argue about the subject of 2012 on occasion. Information Is Beautiful has put together an excellent piece on the subject. Take that mom!

2012: THE END OF THE WORLD?