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Journal: Merry Christmas! 1

Journal by mcgrew

For the first time in nine years I got to see my youngest daughter on Christmas; this is the first Christmas in nine years she didn't have to work. Great Christmas present!

And the second to last pre-publication copies came Christmas eve eve. I finished going through it this morning, and the book itself is ready. What wasn't was the cover; I fixed it and ordered another copy, so Mars, Ho! should be online in a couple of weeks.

Comment: Re:The Drive used to have "Deep Tracks" (Score 1) 7

by mcgrew (#48666529) Attached to: A mild rant

FM is now an analog/digital mix. They broadcast the analog channel with two digital channels piggybacked on the signal. They don't call it digital, they call it "High Def".

And if they're too broke to pay the fees, they must have trouble selling ads. KSHE has no problem, but they're probably the most popular station in St Louis.

Comment: Re:Other art forms that contain music (Score 1) 622

by mcgrew (#48666499) Attached to: What Happens To Society When Robots Replace Workers?

I certainly agree that copyright lengths are way too long, and that the extreme lengths hinder creative expression. I ran across it with Random Scribblings; I had to change Dork Side of the Moon, reducing the lyrics of the two songs to "fair use" snippets, since I can find no way to contact Roger Waters for usage permission. That album is four decades old and should not be under copyright.

You are right, copyright is supposed to encourage creators so their work will belong to everyone after the copyright lapses. How is anyone supposed to get Hendrix or Cocker to perform again?

It does add challenges to creativity.


by mcgrew (#48659623) Attached to: A mild rant

Interesting article, but a bit suspect. I think probably the difference between "Deep Tracks and KSHE is that "deep tracks" is a secondary stream similar to KSHE2; you need a digital radio to pick it up, and KSHE (which is listened to world-wide) is the main feed, and KSHE2 isn't streamed. Your link says "A great deal of care went into the "Deep Tracks' station, making it one of highest quality rock stations in America. the music was locally programmed and carefully selected. DJs were used to give greater insight into songs and deliver a better listening experience. Most recently, the DJs used were local rock radio veterans Seaver and Byrd"; no different than tonight's show on KSHE.

Tonight you can hear Journey - Departure, Joe Walsh - So What, Steve Miller Band - Book of Dreams, Def Leppard - Hysteria, Blind Faith's only album, and Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here. They play the whole album uncut and uninterrupted without a disk jockey talking over the music.

Oops; that was last night, being retired I lose track of what day it is. They haven't announced next week's yet.

So I suspect "deep tracks" is in trouble not for the format, but for streaming their second channel. Also, the RIAA and ASCAP collect higher fees from streaming than broadcasting, making that article look even more suspicious.

Comment: Re:Copyright trolls (Score 1) 622

by mcgrew (#48647959) Attached to: What Happens To Society When Robots Replace Workers?

If you're writing music that is indeed a concern; I'm sure Seether will be sued for same damned life; its rhythm guitar is note for note identical to the melody to I Will Follow Him (a bad pop song from the early sixties). There's a suit against Led Zeppelin for a guitar riff that sounds vaguely like Stairway to Heaven; I think Zep will win, but it turns out that the guy suing would have had no standing if Zeppelin had never heard the song.

Other art forms don't have that problem.

Comment: Re:Intrinsic motivation vs. Extrinsic motivation (Score 1) 622

by mcgrew (#48647773) Attached to: What Happens To Society When Robots Replace Workers?

Well, you have to respect your audience. Since I'm retired, I have no need to monetize my books; I'm just happy people read them, which is the whole point of writing them.

I seem to have written Nobots at too high a reading level for some folks; I got comments such as "can I find those words in a dictionary?" So I wrote Mars, Ho! (may be ready for publication this week) mostly from the perspective of a high school graduate with bad grammar, which was oddly more of a challenge.

I did get some folks saddened when I stopped writing diary-like stuff, but they seem to like the sci-fi even more.

Comment: Re:Good news, bad news (Score 1) 622

by mcgrew (#48647711) Attached to: What Happens To Society When Robots Replace Workers?

Buying? We're talking about a post-scarcity society here. If no one is enjoying your art, it may not be any good. If nobody is using your code, it's probably poorly designed. Find something else to hold your interest, it isn't hard.

I'm lucky, in that people read my books every day, according to site stats, and folks buy hardcover copies and send me fan mail, which is far better than money; I have enough money to live pretty well.

Sales is the worst possible metric for any creative endeavor. Van Gogh only sold one painting in his life, to his brother to repay a debt. Meanwhile, what was selling in the galleries for big bucks is worthless today.

Comment: Re:Copyright trolls (Score 1) 622

by mcgrew (#48647563) Attached to: What Happens To Society When Robots Replace Workers?

I have no fear of copyright trolls; I register my books with the US Copyright office. If one fucks with me, I'll wind up with HIS money.

And since I'm my own publisher, I'm my own gatekeeper. You can find my books in bookstores world-wide, and I've posted them on the internet. Site stats say folks are reading them every day.

What I'm doing was impossible twenty years ago. Now that I'm retired I have the time to do it. When the subject of conversation actually comes to pass, everybody will be retired.
