Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in Jeremy lassen's LiveJournal:

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Thursday, July 2nd, 2009
9:39 am	Washington Post offically becomes a lobbying organization... I've been on vacation, and have been pretty mellow. But this managed to raise my eybrows, and blood pressure. For $25,000 to $250,000, The Washington Post is offering lobbyists and association executives off-the-record, nonconfrontational access to "those powerful few" — Obama administration officials, members of Congress, and the paper’s own reporters and editors. The astonishing offer is detailed in a flier circulated Wednesday to a health care lobbyist, who provided it to a reporter because the lobbyist said he feels it’s a conflict for the paper to charge for access to, as the flier says, its “health care reporting and editorial staff." The offer — which essentially turns a news organization into a facilitator for private lobbyist-official encounters — is a new sign of the lengths to which news organizations will go to find revenue at a time when most newspapers are struggling for survival. So... The Washington post is losing money hand over fist because its product is no longer valued by the marketplace. Instead of making their product somehow more appealing to the marketplace, they are now sticking their hands into the medical industry lobbying pot, trying to get some... because... well... they've been good Washington DC villagers for years, so why shouldn't they get money for all the ass kissing, and propaganda they've spouted. Its just their turn to feed at the trough. I don't know who thought this was a good idea... but the mere IDEA that they are circulating handouts to the medical insurance lobby, asking for money is such a blow to any credibility that organization might have had in this debate about public policy, or any other, for that matter. The sooner the Washington Post gives up pretending to be an impartial news organization, the better. They should register as a lobbying firm, and stop pretending. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Sunday, June 28th, 2009
11:00 am	09:42 Now in breaking news: Michael Jackson is STILL DEAD!!! # (3 Comments |Comment on this)
10:53 am	GI Joe Resolute Apparently, all evidence of GI Joe Resolute (10 episode animated web series, written by Warren Ellis, as sort of a Reboot of the series) has been eliminated from the web. I just learned about this (I know, I know... old news... ) but every link I fine takes me to a deleted youtube site, or a completely different, non gijoe thing on Adult Swim. Even Hasbro's GI Joe Resolute site seems to have been scrubbed. Is this due to a corporate change of heart that doesn't want to have evidence of warren ellis gleefully fucking peoples childhoods, or is it due to the inevitable home video repackaging? I just want to check out the first episode... but that doesn't seem to be anywhere. Oh well. (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, June 20th, 2009
12:07 am	why the "Public Option" is the only health care reform that matters. Insurance companies routinely kick people off their policy if they get sick... many times for innoncent errors like mispelling their names on their application.  The insurance company happily takes their money for years or decades, until they get sick, and then they "save costs" by dumping this customer to the curb. Watch this video, where 3 CEO's testify before congress  this week that they will not stop this practice, because it is not against the law. If insurance companies didn't have an effective monopoly where they can treat their customers like shit, they wouldn't be get away with this.  CALL your representatives in the housew and senators in the senate, and insist that any health care reform legislation must come with a "Public Option." (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, June 16th, 2009
11:56 am	Daddy Needs a new laptop! Actually the theft of my laptop has nothing to do with this... but. You asked, and we listened! Due to overwhelming customer request, we’re extending the annual Night Shade 50% Off Sale four more days! From right now, until midnight on Sunday, June 21, if you add four or more books to your Night Shade shopping cart, then enter coupon code 50NSB2009 at checkout, we’ll knock your final price in half! And just in case you missed the sale announcement entirely, here’s a link: Night Shade Books is having a sale! Buy some books. I've lost track of how many new titles We've had in over the last two weeks. Smith Volume 4 is in early. Both Precious Dragon mass market and Shadow Pavilion by Liz Williams are in stock. And a bunch of other stuff, including The Mall of Cthulhu, and Bar None by Tim Lebbon! Spread the word. 50% off at Night Shade Books. 4 Book Minimum. Coupon Code 50NSB2009. Good till the Sunday the 21st. (Comment on this)
Sunday, June 14th, 2009
1:20 pm	The Stolen Computer Part 2: Email Update Network time outs preventing me from seeing how much Email I may have lost. I think it is all inbound. Not sure yet. Stuff was not supposed to have been deleted from pop server, so I should have the last 2 months, since my last backup stored there. Lost all of my sent mail from that period for sure. Question: Does anybody have any suggestions for a computer bag? I've been eyeying the "travel friendly" fold out bags that you don't have to unpack at the security checkpoints. Any reviews or suggestions along these lines? (2 Comments |Comment on this)
11:00 am	10:31 I found my phone, but my laptop was stolen. In the "lemonade" department, my new laptop is now running WinXP inst. of vista. Only took 2 hrs # (Comment on this)
9:54 am	Rude pundit?!?! So... I've been reading Rude Pundit's blog for about 5 years or so. I really like how eloquently(?) he expresses his rage. But... I think something terrible has happened to him. He's either gone insane.... gone to some kind of music festival, or come under siege by zombies. Or all three. Reading this "Rude at Bonnaroo" blog is like reading a weird literary mashup. I recognize the style, but where are all the references to neocon ass-tards and the like. Instead he talks about stoned hippie zombies. Weird. (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, June 13th, 2009
7:42 pm	Balance in the Universe So... I found my phone. But someone stole my laptop. If you've emailed me in the last 24 hours or so, bear with me. I hope to be back up and running with a new laptop on Monday. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
10:05 am	Rick I and talk about Night Shade... In addition to talking about a bunch of Night Shade new releases, we talk about the secret history of Night Shade, the aesthetics of cover design and art direction, and other sundry publishing stuff... (Note, the above is a direct link to the audio file. Here's a link to the Agony Column home page.) (Comment on this)
Friday, June 12th, 2009
12:07 pm	Daily show eviscerates NY times This was as painful as watching an episode of The Office... Note... using hulu because comedy central servers suck ass and buffer forever. Sorry international readers. Your stuck with crappy buffering streams. (Comment on this)
11:50 am	Ouch!! I think I broke my toe. (3 Comments |Comment on this)
11:01 am	20:23 Somewhere during the last 7 hours, during the shifting of 14 pallets of book from one side of the city to the other, I lost my phone. :( # (Comment on this)
Thursday, June 11th, 2009
11:59 pm	Fuck the AMA! The American Medical Association (AMA), the lobbying group for doctors, is opposed to the public option in health care reform: While committed to the goal of affordable health insurance for all, the association had said in a general statement of principles that health services should be “provided through private markets, as they are currently.” I've always tried to be sympathetic to doctors who are forced to work in a system run by the Insurance companies. But when the AMA comes out against a public option in health care reform, they have jumped the fucking shark. If you doctors let pro-insurance industry bitches and Randian theologians run the primary organization through which you represent your profession to the public and the government... well then fuck you... I'm going to paint you with a broad brush. Doctors are now officially part of the problem with health care in this country. It's sort of like when Christians let Pat Robertson, and operation rescue define what "Christian" means in the national dialog. Fuck you too. Unless you were out protesting bush, and the war back in 2003... unless your ass has been advocating against torture for the last 6 years... fuck you. You aren't following the teachings of Christ, and you are not speaking out against the subversion of Christ's teachings for ugly propaganda purposes. You are part of the problem. (Comment on this)
8:25 pm	Lost my phone again... So... I'm not sure I should be allowed to have these things. I hoping its back at the office. (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, June 10th, 2009
3:20 pm	Margaret and Helen I don't know if this blog is "real" or not... but the "Margaret and Helen: Best Friends for Sixty Years and Counting…" is sort of like "The Rude Pundit, meets The Golden Girls." Absolutely brilliant, funny, Good shit. Here's a sample of the wit and wisdom the writers of this blog toss out: Now that I think about it, there is one thing that never changes and that’s shit. Shit always happens. And shit always stinks. Other than that, change is inevitable. Children grow up. Grandparents die. Life goes on. I’m 83. For most of my life, I drove a big car and watered my lawn in the middle of the day. Now I think twice about how I live because I realize life goes on and my grandchildren will be here long after I am gone. For most of my life I never gave much thought about gay people. Now I watch Ellen and really hope she and Portia are happy together. What do I care if gay people want to get married. For most of my life I really didn’t care too much who ended up in the White House. Then one day a lunatic took up residence and started an unnecessary war, condoned torture and made me ashamed of my country. So now I pay attention… because shit happens. Really. I mean it. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, June 8th, 2009
5:32 pm	Tiller's assassin tied to Operation Rescue So.. Where is dick cheney when you need him? According to Dick's logic, if we start waterbaording these xstian terrorists, we would be safer. There's that convicted terrorist who is a "seinor policy advisor" of Operation Rescue who gave the assassin the address of Tiller's church... Lets start with her. Also, perhaps the federal goverment should freeze the assets of this terrorist organization -- operation Rescue -- and start illegally wiretapping everyone associated with this terrorist group. ter⋅ror⋅ism   –noun 1.the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. ter·ror·ism n. The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons. Anybody who supported Bush's extra-legal execesses, but wants legal protections for Operation Rescue is a hypocrit, or a racist, or an idiot. Or possibly, all three. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
4:53 pm	ACLU fights to bring torturers to justice ACLU is pressuring the attorney general to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate torture, and bring the perpetrators to justice. In case you weren't paying attention, the "torture memos" were released because of an ACLU lawsuit. As they say, this shit doesn't come cheap. I just ponied up $50 to help the ACLU continue this fight. If you are able, please help financially. If you are not able to help financially, remind people that The ACLU is at the forefront of this fight, and needs financial support. And sign the pettition linked to above. (Comment on this)
Sunday, June 7th, 2009
8:06 pm	Night Shade Update: We've got a lot of books coming, and have gotten a lot of books in over the last couple of weeks. Here's the current updated list of what we have and whats coming when: Books that have recently arrived: Hodgson Vol. 5 Hodgson Vol. 2 reprint An Empire Unaquinted With Defeat The King's Daughters by Nathalie Mallet Lees of Laughter's End by Steven Erikson Light Breaker by Mark Teppo Moon Flights (mmpb) by Elizabeth Moon Prador Moon (mmpb) by Neal Asher Precious Dragon (mmpb) by Liz Williams The Shadow Pavilion by Liz Williams Books at printer, and scheduled to arrive by 6/15: After the Downfall (mmpb) by Harry Turtledove Balefires (mmpb) by David Drake Bar None by Tim Lebbon Ice, Iron and Gold (mmpb) by S.M. Stirling Implied Spaces (mmpb) by Walter Jon Williams Mall of Cthulhu by Seamus Cooper Passage at Arms (mmpb) by Glen Cook Books at Printer, and scheduled to arrive by 6/19 CAS Vol. 4 Books that just went to the printer, schedule to arrive by 6/26: Best F&SF of the Year Vol. 3 edited by Jonathan Strahan Incandescence (tpb) by Greg Egan Swordbearer by Glen Cook Books going to printer in next two weeks, scheduled for July 15th (Possibly sooner): By Blood We Live, edited by John Joseph Adams Dragon Never Sleeps (mmpb) by Glen Cook House of Windows by John Langan How to Make Friends with Demons by Graham Joyce Shadow of the Scorpion (mmpb) by Neal Asher Books that have been rescheduled for October 2009: Hespira by Matt Hughes H-Bomb Girl by Stephen Baxter Madness of Flowers by Jay Lake Books that have been rescheduled for 2010: Heartland by Mark Teppo (Jan. 2010) The Iron Khan by Liz Williams (Feb. 2010) (Comment on this)
Friday, June 5th, 2009
11:01 am	10:06 Night Shade is having a 50% off sale on all current & forthcoming books(4 book min) thru June 17. Coupon code 50NSB2009. Spread the word! # 10:32 What does a person's email inbox, filters, and mailbox structure say about a person? This could b an anthro dissertation waiting to happen. # 10:34 Note to self: I should work from the Grand Lobby of the Ahwahnee hotel in Yostemite Valley all the time. Guys at The Shade probably agree. # (1 Comment |Comment on this)