The Michael Canfield Channel

Fred Rogers is the man!

From Larry Lessig's Free Culture:

[A] court in California had held that the VCR could be banned because it was a copyright-infringing technology: It enabled consumers to copy films without the permission of the copyright owner. No doubt there were uses of the technology that were legal: Fred Rogers, aka "Mr. Rogers," for example, had testified in that case that he wanted people to feel free to tape /Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood/.

"Some public stations, as well as commercial stations, program the "Neighborhood" at hours when some children cannot use it. I think that it's a real service to families to be able to record such programs and show them at appropriate times. I have always felt that with the advent of all of this new technology that allows people to tape the "Neighborhood" off-the-air, and I'm speaking for the "Neighborhood" because that's what I produce, that they then become much more active in the programming of their family's television life. Very frankly, I am opposed to people being programmed by others. My whole approach in broadcasting has always been "You are an important person just the way you are. You can make healthy decisions." Maybe I'm going on too long, but I just feel that anything that allows a person to be more active in the control of his or her life, in a healthy way, is important." [23]

23. /Sony Corporation of America/ v. /Universal City Studios, Inc.,/ 464 U.S. 417, 455 fn. 27 (1984). Rogers never changed his view about the VCR. See James Lardner, /Fast Forward: Hollywood, the Japanese, and the Onslaught of the VCR/ (New York: W. W. Norton, 1987), 270-71.

Russell Davis

is running for president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) and his platform is here. In addition to his writing resume, he seems to bring a great deal of publishing, business and non-profit experience to the table. I especially like his statements about the need to enhance SFWA's reputation in the publishing industry.
[via Scalzi via Buckell.] [Err ... I'm mean via Nebula-nominee Buckell! Congrats Toby!]

Better than average editing

Youtube has no shortage of old movie clips mashed with Queen's "We Will Rock You", but this one really works, the ape make-up makes it easy to match up the lyrics. I especially like the single shot of Dr. Zaius -- a grumpy old orangutan perturbed by all the rockin'.

Technopleasantries

For International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day I've posted two free stories. Each contains a nice illustrative photo, and some attempt at elegant presentation.

Peas and Carrots, was originally published in Realms of Fantasy, Feb 2005, and is one some nice people seemed to like. It also one of three stories I presented to SFWA to obtain my active membership status.

Think of a Pink Ship, contains adult content and has never before been published. (An editor once rejected it with the prediction that it would be published somewhere, sometime, and by someone. He is now proven right, even though it falls to me to be that someone.)

Both stories are released under a Creative Commons License.

Find links to other participants' stories here.

Technopeasants Unite!

(image by marydell)

technopeasant
sfwa

Update: I've decided to close comments now, because of all that spam this post has attracted!

Monday April 23rd is In't'l Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day

Jo Walton has come up with an excellent plan in reaction to SFWA office-holder Dr. Hendrix's self-described "rant" over what he calls webscabs -- which under his sweep includes many many professional writers. In short, Walton is inviting members of SFWA and others to participate in IPSTP Day by giving away "professional quality work" online in order to "celebrate our technopeasanthood." [via Scalzi.]

I will post a new SF story, "Think of A Pink Ship," under a Creative Commons License of some sort, right here, on Monday April, 23rd.


Technorati Tags: science fiction, technopeasant, fiction, free, creative commons,
sfwa.