Amazon Censorship

I just ran across this @ Rich's ComixBlog and thought it worth quoting here:

Due to Amazon’s apparent new censorship policy, which includes de-listing books with LBGT content as “adult” and inappropriate, we have temporarily disabled our affiliate links. We ask that you read up on the issue and think before making any purchases from Amazon, through us or otherwise, until the rankings and search capabilities are restored and an apology is tendered to the authors affected.

A company which censors non-explicit LBGT content, including academic histories and biographies (”Heather Has Two Mommies” is suddenly erotica?) while continuing to openly promote explicit heterosexual pornography (Playboy Centerfolds isn’t erotica?) is a company that we cannot morally support.

You can read more here: Open Letter To Amazon

And here: Ed Rants

And here: Mark Probst: “Amazon Follies”

Thank you.

I know I'll be thinking twice before supporting Amazon again

----------------
Now playing: The Traveling Wilburys - End of the Line
via FoxyTunes

Update: Neil Gaiman is also blogging about this and Amazon has said that it is due to a "glitch" in the system.

St Jame Infirmary Blues

I recently found this article vis a link over at Expecting Rain.com. It is an article about Robert R Harwood's new book on the history of the St James Infirmary Blues, which has long been one of my all time favorite blues songs (I've even recorded it myself!). Harwood says of the song:

There is something mythical about St. James Infirmary. It seems to have always been here, although in its present state it is perhaps a hundred years old. The late American trombonist Jack Teagarden called it "the oldest blues song I know," but it's also jazz, country, pop . . . it even migrated to modern classical music. A number of people claimed authorship in the early days, but when blues singer Mattie Hite released her interpretation in 1930, the composer credit was to "Everybody" -- and that's about as accurate as it gets.

More information about the book can be found on Harwood's website, from which I found a great blog on Pre-War Blues called 'Honey, Where You Been So Long?' Not only does the blog post mp3s of hard to find blues tunes, they've recently posted a huge anthology of virtually every version of St James ever recorded: So Young So Cold So Fair & Standing Pat



----------------
Now playing: Blind Willie McTell - Dying Crapshooter's Blues
via FoxyTunes

Match it for Pratchett

I found out about this via Neil Gaiman's blog. Author Terry Pratchett has donated Half a Million Pounds to Alzheimer's research. A fan campaign has been initiated to match Terry's very generous donation:

Uker Tabs

Al Wood of Uke Hunt has recently created Uker Tabs, a blog where people can sign up to post their own ukulele tabs and chords. Things are off to a great start with a wide variety of songs. I myself have contributed a couple of arrangements. Go check it and and get strummin'!

Free Book From Neil Gaiman

Over at Neil's blog he has announced that he is giving away FREE downloadable copies of his book American Gods for the next month. You can get your copy here.

For some odd reason people seem to think this is wrong.

"Unnecesarry" Quotations

I just wanted to recommend this blog to anyone who gets irritated with signs made by people who don't understand the actual purpose of quotation marks:

The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotations