Culture

Speaking of Quicksilver, Neal Stephenson has caused a Quicksilver wiki (original) to be generated. Clever man.

This is very sad. The Online Computer Library Center, who owns the Dewey Decimal System, is suing the Library Hotel. Apparently one’s not permitted to use the DDC without purchasing a license. Since Melvil Dewey first published the DDC in 1876, one would think that at least the early editions would have passed out of copyright, but perhaps there’s a wrinkle I don’t understand. It’s still a malicious, nasty lawsuit. “A person who came to their Web site and looked at the way (the hotel) is promoted and marketed would think they were passing themselves off as connected with the owner of the Dewey Decimal Classification system.” ...

Haven’t seen Underworld yet, but it’s in the theaters. Here’s one take on the similarities between White Wolf’s mythos and the movie. Here’s someone disagreeing (original). Maybe I’ll get out to see it this afternoon and chime in with my own thoughts. I’m getting PACER access so I can read the court documents, but once you request access they send you the password via regular mail so it may be a couple of days yet before I can go hunting for minutae.

I have no idea how Into The Night managed to show up on DVD without me noticing, but it’s about time. Best damned yuppie goes through hell movie ever.

Hey, kids, Warren Ellis is taking the pulse of the Internet again (original). He wants your picture. I sent him mine.

Well, this is a dangerous site. Book Sale Finder is a lengthy list of upcoming book sales across the United States. Probably better avoided if you’re prone to book-buying, but it’s too late for me.

Yeah, I thought the first rush of news in the White Wolf v. Sony case was done too — but I was wrong (original). Sadly, I’ve missed the first court session. White Wolf wanted a restraining order to prevent Sony from releasing Underworld, but they got an expedited discovery period and a preliminary injunction hearing in a month. My favorite bit of the press release is the bit where the judge denies White Wolf the restraining order because they can’t post a big enough bond to protect Sony from potential damages.

I read lengthy messageboard threads so you don’t have to. The only useful post on the White Wolf vs. Sony RPG.net thread is a summary of the Nancy Collins story. Probably not a substitute for reading the damned story yourself, but for those us who don’t want to go digging through used bookstores for some old White Wolf anthologies, this is the next best thing.

Today’s item of interest: the Comic Book Idol (original) competition. I wish I’d stumbled on this earlier, but it’s still fun at this late stage. A bunch of would-be comic book pros are lined up a la American Idol to produce their best work for a panel of celebrity judges, and we get to vote on who gets kicked off the island. Martin Redmond and Jonathan Hickman are doing tres nifty work, in my book. I have no idea who keeps voting for Flores, though.

I’ve gotten my hands on the complaint in the White Wolf vs. Sony case. (Link to complaint back, since they redirected it to another server.) Be warned that there are big fat spoilers for Underworld in the complaint. Some notes, thusly. The key White Wolf titles are Vampire: the Masquerade, Werewolf: the Apocalypse, Guide to the Camarilla, Guide to the Sabbat, The Book of Nod, Caine’s Chosen: The Black Hand, Under A Blood Red Moon, Children of the Night, Time of Thin Blood, and Transylvania Chronicles One: Dark Tides Rising. And, of course, Nancy Collins’ The Love of Monsters, which is apparently set in the World of Darkness. ...