Yearly Archives: 2021

Fighting dairy censorship

This entry was posted in Censorship Commentary and tagged censorship on by

It’s a curious and little-known fact that the dairy industry is a leading advocate of censorship. It demands the suppression of words such as “milk” and “butter” for non-dairy products, even where their meaning is clear and their use is well established. If the dairy lobby had its way, you wouldn’t find “peanut butter” or “soy milk” in stores. Its puppets include several members of Congress, and it’s especially powerful in Wisconsin, where it was long illegal to serve yellow margarine.

More surprisingly, the dairy lobby appears to have bought the California Department of Food and Agriculture. The CDFA sent a demand to Miyoko’s Creamery demanding that it stop using terms such as “cultured vegan butter.” Indeed, the government’s demands went far beyond that, saying that Miyoko’s couldn’t call its products “cruelty-free” or show a picture of a woman hugging a cow. The letter’s thinly disguised purpose was to hamper competition with the dairy industry.
(more…)

A note on Verblio

This entry was posted in Writing and tagged Verblio writing on by

In my last post, I noted that I’ve stopped writing for Verblio but didn’t want to discuss it further. In the light of a recent email from Madison Basch, though, I need to say a little. I had confirmed that I would not write any more for Verblio, because it had accepted a customer request which I regarded as deeply wrong, and because Basch had compounded the act with an evasive and incoherent attempt at justification. There are some lines I regard as unacceptable to cross, and Verblio crossed one of them. Giving full details would violate my confidentiality agreement. Update: After long consideration, I’ve decided I can and should add one important point: the issue was an overtly racially discriminatory request by a client which Verblio refused to remove.

Basch wrote to me after this that “Verblio is no longer in your opinion or your services as a writer.” It’s a game of “You can’t quit, you’re fired.” While it’s childish and basically harmless, Basch might present that spin to others, so I want it on record that I have not submitted any articles to Verblio for weeks and had clearly stated that I do not intend to resume.

Verblio was once a great company to write for.

Avoiding statistical fallacies in writing 2

This entry was posted in Techniques Writing and tagged statistics writing on by

Sorry it’s been so long since my last post. I’ve moved, and my cat Carl died.

I’ve noticed a lot of bad treatment of statistics on the Web, especially in connection with the COVID epidemic and vaccines. Sometimes writers make big errors even when trying to correct other people’s mistakes. It’s a huge and difficult subject, so I’ll approach it by linking to some good articles and commenting briefly on each one. It takes time to digest all the information, so you might want to bookmark some of the pieces you find interesting and come back to them later.
(more…)

Judges assault First Amendment

This entry was posted in Commentary Writing Writing as business and tagged First Amendment law liberty on by

A recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th circuit should seriously worry writers. It says that the government can ignore the First Amendment when it feels like it. In the case in question, the court acknowledged that website design work is “pure speech,” which means it’s protected by the First Amendment. “Appellants are forced to create websites — and thus, speech—that they would otherwise refuse.” But then it argued that the State of Colorado has a “compelling interest” in forcing a website designer to work for the plaintiff. It ruled that, in spite of the plain First Amendment violation, the designer can be forced to create speech.
(more…)

The present subjunctive

This entry was posted in Techniques Writing and tagged grammar writing on by

It’s important that you use the present subjunctive properly.

The previous sentence is an example. It’s not an obvious one, since it’s hard to use it wrong in that case. The word “use” is in the present subjunctive, but it’s the same as the present indicative in this case. let’s get a little fancier:

It’s important that a writer use the present subjunctive properly.
(more…)

A quick guide to creating a convention website 1

This entry was posted in Techniques Writing and tagged Internet websites on by

No convention is complete without a website. It lets people know about the event and keeps its members and supporters up to date. There’s room for variety in how it looks, but some items are essential. We’ve gone so long without in-person conventions that a reminder of how to create a website for one is useful right now.

I’ve had a lot of experience in the running of science fiction and filk music conventions, and I’ve set up or provided technical support for a number of sites. Here’s a quick guide to the points that a convention website needs to cover.

General points

Use a secure HTTPS site. It gives visitors more confidence, improves your visibility in search engine results, and protects the personal information that participants give you. Upgrading to HTTPS costs little or nothing.

Graphics can include the convention logo and pictures of the guests and the hosting facility. They aren’t required, but they make the page more attractive. Don’t overdo them.

The homepage

Visitors come to the homepage first. Some of the convention pages I’ve seen are awful, leaving out essential information. Make sure to include everything visitors need to find out when they learn about your event.
(more…)

How writers can fight unreason

This entry was posted in Commentary Writing and tagged ethics honesty reason on by

American society is being torn apart by widespread efforts to deceive and distort. Two broadly defined groups dominate these efforts. One is associated with the Republican Party and Donald Trump and has the support of many elected officials. It has significant representation among media outlets but a limited presence in the academic world. The other is associated with the Democrats but tends to be on its fringes. It doesn’t have a lot of outright support in the mainstream media, but many outlets are reluctant to challenge its outrages. It’s very strong in academia.

The two factions always at each other’s throats, but they’re similar in many important ways. Their goal is power. Keeping their own group in line is as important as attacking those who disagree with them. The important thing is to control their followers and promote hatred of non-followers. They use similar techniques to deceive and control. They want fear and hatred to replace reason.

Writers of nonfiction (and even writers of fiction, in a less direct way) should be on the front lines to challenge all promoters of unreason, taking on their false statements and identifying their methods. It’s a tricky challenge. We’re all subject to manipulation when we let our guard down. We can’t always tell facts from fabrications. We’re each well-informed in some areas and ignorant in others.

Each of us will make mistakes, but we can all contribute to rebuilding a culture of reason. Always double-check the facts and look for logical fallacies. Be ready to call out any of these stunts:
(more…)