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I Snorted When I Read This

John Allison has neatly, in just two panels from today’s Bobbins redux, why half of EMTs regard the two most important words on a childbirth call to be Don’t push¹. Naturally, Shelly is enthusiastic about all things, and here’s hoping that Amy doesn’t murder her in retribution.

  • I wasn’t going to say anything about the big, fat nothingburger petition that’s decrying rampant, oppressive, Big Brotheresque censorship re: the Science Fiction Writers of America. For one, it gravely misunderstands what the concepts censorship and freedom of speech and fascistic; for another, it’s extremely illogical and poorly written. John Scalzi neatly addressed those points and I could gladly go back to not caring.

    But.

    Ursula Vernon — and I believe the record will show that I am on the record as loving me some Digger — decided that she is not just a writer but an arter also and attempted to bring some perspective. Some people aggressively didn’t get it, others aggressively nitpicked wording, and in the end, there was only one thing to do: add more honey badgers. Morally ambiguous honey badgers, honey badgers looking for love, honey badgers decrying things aren’t like they used to be, honey badgers coming face to face with change, honey badgers seeking an equal voice. If a grumbly hissy fit about how Things Should Be Like They Used To Be is what gets Vernon drawing honey badgers, I am more than willing to poke the cage of a codger.

  • Times come when creators feel the need to apologize about not making updates on time, and I think that in very nearly every case that’s unnecessary. As well established by precedent, your favorite creator who entertains you² owes you nothing other than to create. But there are times when it is especially unnecessary to apologize regarding missed updates, hiatuses, or other irregularities, and that is when meeting a particular schedule will take away from the time the creator needs to care for either their own or their family’s well-being.

    Cases in point: a printer that delivered weeks ahead of schedule and has disrupted Minna Sundberg’s production of new episodes of Stand Still, Stay Silent (a comic that updates with a gorgeous full-page in color four days a week!). But you know what? Fulfilling the orders of people that have already given you money for the last series trumps production of new pages for people like me that haven’t given you anything. Creators: in all cases, your well-being comes first.

    Actually, in some cases it comes second. Parents³ know what I’m talking about, and in no reasonable universe should Paul Taylor feel the need to apologize for taking a few days off when his young son is facing a hospitalization. Best of luck to your little guy, and to your entire family, Paul. We’ll be here when he’s back on his feet; in the meantime, do what you have to do.

  • Advance notice: two of my favorite people are about to have a conversation that some of you have already had the chance to hear. Brad Guigar continues his series of Kickstarter-funded podcasts, which release first to backers, then to subscribers of Webcomics Dot Com, and then the world in general. The lastest ‘cast (which will be generally available on Friday) features the very sexy Rich Stevens, and I am hard pressed to think of two people who are so different (particularly in terms of improvisation vs planning) and yet so similar (both are whip-smart) at the same time. An hour and forty five minutes never went by so fast.

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¹ Alternately, I’ll drive.

² In exchange for money or other considerations for a section of their work, and especially if they distribute their work for free.

³ And others with younglings in their care, which is a situation I find myself in from time to time with EMS cadets.

[…] spoke to you of Ursula Vernon and the SWFA contretemps last week; there’s an aftermath that caught my eye yesterday. Namely, more Ursula Vernon arty […]

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