Free Plugs for United Hollywood!

Over at Whedonesque, Joss encourages us all to arise and seize pencils--or at least buy them in tandem with a hella lot of other fanbases so execs get the message. The pencils in question are from a company that uses sustainable farming techniques and cost around $1 a box. Go forth and purchase ye pencils!

Meanwhile, the Daily Kos features a video clip of Jason Ross, one of the 14 Daily Show writers, who provides a Daily Show-like report on what's going on, or at least until James Oliver interrupts. Awesome as hell.

Go forth and support the WGA!

Kindle is Live Today!

The NYT reports. There is also a letter of introduction at Amazon itself.

What is Kindle?

According to Amazon, it is a "wireless, portable reading device with instant access to more than 90,000 books, blogs, magazines and newspapers. [...] Kindle weighs 10.3 ounces--less than a paperback--but can carry two hundred books." According to the NYT, it is an "iPod for books."

What does it all mean?

Well it could be the true coming revolution we've heard about since...um...the nineties maybe?? I remember hearing about electronic paper in 2003. I like the concept though the fact it's as yet only B&W may be a drawback--does that mean it only offers plain text books. If I want to download Absolute Sandman, how is it going to view?

It costs $399. You can download books for around $10 a pop. Newspapers (such as NYT) will be about $13. Blogs will average $0.99-$1.99. You get to skip the advertising. There's a monthly fee to support its accompanying wireless.

I admit to being intrigued. It does claim it can go 30 hours between charges, which sounds nice. I don't think I could read it during a flight though.

Any thoughts?

"To Read or Not to Read: A Question of National Consequence"

Research Report #47 from the National Endowment of the Arts.

The NYT reports more here.

Will report more fully myself once I'm done with the thing.