Is It Ok To Have Ramen When Having Stomach Flu

broken

The origin of this post is inspired by an event a few days ago. A day like any other, while they are busy shopping at the mall (although the designers have material needs), and finish as usual in the toy department, one near the crates to see if came something captivating . And here I see a thing.

This simple action is developed in the following days, with an incredible domino effect, a reflection that gradually evolves into something inconceivable at first. Mysteri creative ... But what was the gizmo that scatanato this Chernobyl neural tell at the end of the post.

will be good to start then with a little 'back-story, as in a mathematical equation from the data in some, and if I start talking without explaining the concept is lost.

Here is some of our data:

There were once Bratz . Dolls that changed the world of games for girls forever.

Even if you were not a girl, you did not age and you never looked at the doll before then, you could not hear them. They were not girls soap and water, as always were the dolls. Girls were sophisticated ipertruccate , iperglamour , with accessories very trendy girls very "in", with very short skirts, dresses very low cut and high-heeled shoes very high. "Showy " was a good definition. And got a hit ... Soon, you would not believe. During the period of their boom (early 2000), managed to crack the domain of the Barbie doll, forcing the production company of the latter, the Mattel, to run for cover. It was evident when, after decades of Barbie in each variant, suddenly in the windows of toy stores and on the shelves of supermarkets saw on display a new variety of dolls marked Mattel. She had reached the new line of dolls as " My Scene".

was obvious that it was a ploy by giant dolls to try to stem the popularity of the dolls opponents. The My Scene Barbie were a version of the most glamorous, the most fashion, more chic, more ... more Bratz short. To the extent that the MGA ( owner of the mark Bratz ) came to mention the Mattel for plagiarism. But it was only the beginning of hostilities.

Why that was the beginning of "Dolls Wars." Why? Why, why?

The only way to know who invented the Bratz . He had designed and fabricated this Carter Bryant , then an obscure employee Mattel, which left the ' azienza proposed the idea MGA Entertainment to . When he invented? Good question. While working at Mattel or when it was already out? And working for them, or sketching designs on paper at lunch, so how could he write down the cost of the day? And above all , what chance could have a big head doll with a multinational who had Barbie as the main product, which had put KO more powerful opponents (who remembers Big Jim Happy Family and stand up)?

The only way, of course, was in a house competitor. But at this point in our legal battle was the Mattel to sue the MGA, claiming that those dolls were invented by an employee, when he still worked with them, relying on "intellectual property . After years of legal battles and several rulings, it was possible to demonstrate that the first drawing was done on paper that was given to Mattel , who was in their offices, and so were their property.

What happened next? The Bratz disappeared overnight from the banks of the shops. Were briefly re-proposed with the new mark after, but did not last long. The

MGA accepted defeat, and put in the pipeline of new dolls, not "bad boy" of the Bratz the Moxie.

End of the sad history of dolls dumplings. Now we have our reliable data. Our example of intellectual property.

"Jack, but that f *** ing stupid to the point of telling this story?" I certainly question the casual reader, unaware that usually always start from a distance to get there (boldly) where no man has gone before. But from a designer who has James T. Kirk hero I would say this is the minimum.

Why you see, Mr. Bratz was an employee Mattel. And imagine for a moment that the whole world works like at home (I know not, but this is just one example, Okke ? Suspend your disbelief for a moment and follow the keynote address, please ), we can deduce how our man had a salary, bonus, paid vacation, social security, and if everything went smoothly, would one day reach retirement age and would be moved to Florida.

But for all this there was only one condition that should adhere: as an employee, whatever you did in that period would remain the property of his employer. Including any ideas he had. Why was paid by them for ideas. But where does the ownership of ideas? Was written somewhere that anything invented or thought it was owned by his employer. Certainly not ... but had used card company.

Another example. Work as a laborer in an automobile factory? You are paid for action and not for the work of the intellect. Screw the rearview mirror, only you. You shall have no right to brag that they are properly set, when Quattroruote will report it in their road test, but you will not even be complaints if they fall. The blame will be the company. No faults nor merits you had just screwed mirrors.

And here we come to the drawings, the protagonists of this post. Why is precisely to avoid this problem we designers are free professionals.

"Yes, I know," said the young rookie.

No, maybe you are not really clear what it means. Follow me, my young Padawan ...

Case number 1:

We are happy in the 60s, but could also be our first years of the 21 th century. Publishing industry will take. Become his employee. You pay a monthly salary, pays you leave, you pay the contributions, it gives you 'the thirteenth, and in return you just have to work for him, asking you to draw what you draw, and so on. Whether you do 20 drawings that day, or made only 1, you will be paid the same amount, same every day, guaranteed. What more do you want?

Well, but we imagine that what you draw is a huge success. To be reprinted. Who publish in America. What Spielberg and Tarantino azzuffino to make a film, after which realizes (perhaps ass) Ridley Scott , and the movie earns billions and makes a lot of money to copyright holders, so (in the order ), a Scott, Spielberg , Tarantino, the studio, the American publisher who reprinted, and the Italian publisher who has published.

And the author?

Oh no. He did not. He was a mere employee. It has no copyright. But he has a pension. His employer begins to collect Lamborghini and pass weekend in Bali, but our employees can easily take Sunny in Marina Julia . And if a dark of Yale University complaint claiming that all that he had invented the story, you do not need to fill veins, it's not your problem. or maybe, if your boss wants shift the blame to someone ...

Case No. 2:

Our designer is a free professional . The employer shall provide the commission an opera , not paying for ownership of what he does, but the only use.

A story comes out. It 'a success, and reprint: to earn money. as published abroad is: you get money. We make a movie? Money. We sued for plagiarism? Your cabbage. But you are the author, you are recognized , and you can levarti the satisfaction.

Okay, all well and good, but ... but if history is not a success and will NOT be reprinted, And we do not make a movie, or even a miniseries web? If it's just one of many projects monthly Italian folk? Steps to the next project monthly popular Italian ...

Dear colleagues, this is why we are free professional, fully mobile, we might almost say that we are the forerunners of labor mobility (which Kulo, eh?). Years ago, when I entered the bracket as a designer Bonelli, I showed the local labor office, ask for it to be recorded that a regular job now and continuous I had. s useless, the polite and courteous employee in charge is changed in a few moments by a mastiff wrestling. And a few seconds later I found myself with a like Hulk Hogan that she scolded because that agreement was not mentioned in the report continuous (so was not a job!), Ignoring my "Triple S "printed on the face (smile, spontaneous, honest), suggesting as I was just a" Triple I "(Naive, deluded, ignorant) and I were leaving understood as well as a" Triple M "(Wretched Wetsuit and merdaccia).

I do not remember how it ended that visit, it 'if that night I ended up with blood on their hands (and in any case I do not want to know, and if you know something, I do not know you)

What then realized, now so long ago was that as I continued to do this job, I'd always been a precarious free professional. In addition to wish to never see the true Hulk Hogan , of \u200b\u200bcourse ... Since then

occasionally, in moments when you're down, the moments where you think the work you do, your insecurity and so on ... Think of those moments in your myths. Think Milton Caniff , who drew Steve Canyon to the end. A Wally Wood , dead on a drawing board. A Sparky, who died the same day that the last Peanuts strip appeared in newspapers . And Magnus committed to Castel del Rio to draw the last story of Unknow ...

And you? Do you really want to find themselves 100 years from now you passed on your work table, with the ink container overturned, struck down in the prime of life while you were busy inking another product of the popular Italian comic strip? You who were so devoted to the drawings hard not to realize that you were born around families, the children grew, the friends went on vacation, I-phone they changed the condition of existence and walkman lost their battle against entropy? Be ... maybe not, if I possibly could.

Several years ago, an edition of Trevisocomics (forse1993) saw Magnus to a meeting with the public. With him on stage were Moebius / Jean Giraud and a timid Franco Matticchio (the "3M" comic strip, had called the meeting's organizers ). At the time of applications stood up and asked a friend to Magnus curious if she had received something from countless reissues of his material. Minutes of that little man, with mustache and a quiet voice, said in a tone as quiet (or so) "Revenues should be rights-holders." It was a first sign that perhaps the golden world of comics was not so golden. But then I did not think too much, too because I was just a player. And also because I was walking to a meter above the ground for having un'autografo with a dedication by the Master a few hours before meeting him by chance while I gave a quick glance at the trade show, before heading to the Ca 'dei Carrara where he was to take place the 'meeting with the public. And where my friends had gone away. And where risked to make me hate them for quell'autografo unexpectedly.

And so, years later, who loved me told me to take my precautions. "You want to draw forever? What will you do when you are no longer able to keep the money?" You have to make do, think about your personal, very private pension insurance . Be realistic. dramatically realistic. Plus you'll also receive reimbursement from the state the equivalent of your withholding. So arranged, finding the opportunity for you, and subscribe. All by myself. And until you are on time.

So these days I find myself thinking - with this premise - in all the events heard and perceived in these recent months, leaving from my work environment. Of crisis, plaintive voices of problems that await you around every corner. I think my colleagues who supply the labor and property of the table, because "No one said do not do this", or colleagues who are wondering when it will be possible for them to start a family, have children and a possible retirement pension (though not strictly in that order). And the publishers who publish material knowing that they will never reprint it, because although only come with the sale to balance the costs will be happy and satisfied with the finish line, because that for them will already be a great victory, and do not aspire to large systems, the publication abroad, film, 3D.

Finish. And all this came to my mind when I saw on display at the mall the Moxie , and at that moment I realized that the Bratz were nicer. And I miss it ...

Already, the mechanisms of our thoughts travel uncharted paths. But sooner or later they spout ...

And yes, the post title there guesses a lot, but try to replace "pens" to the word "glasses" of the song below, and good listening.

Painting Burlapped Decoys

The matter of which dreams are made

Being a fan of science fiction is not an easy thing.

That is, it's fun when you start, when you have a whole world to explore in front of you.

When I was little, on TV there were only UFO and the Orion spacecraft , and a series of puppets Gerry Anderson , and little else. Films were yet to arrive, and then books, and favorite writers, and the frantic Ricerce flea markets in the books wanted. This happened much later.

The Fremen of Dune, Hari Sheldon Foundation Galactic Kickaha and manufacturers of Universes, all of them became part of my collective imagination line up in my memories according to precise scales and personal preference.

The trick is to have fun when you start reading all without dwelling too much on a single author. I've known too many fans who remained faithful to a single author, having never even read others. If you liked Sturgeon, then you could have fun with Farmer and Leinster (and why ever?), Would like throughout the complete works of Simak while ignoring what was the League of P olesotecnica Anderson (Poul , and no, not the director).

Today the world is full of people who worship Dick but never read his colleagues contemporaries, people who do not know Spinrad and Zelazny and Ursula LeGuin , and this is a sin ( damn ).

But back to the initial speech, it is not easy being a fan of FS today. The genre is no longer such, the boundaries were slaughtered, found fiction are included in the traditional literature , all find themselves able to write a Fantasy , and perhaps without having ever read Tolkien , Howard and Lord Dunsany . Oh well, patience, everything changes, and this is part of the game. But for an old

passionate, have fun with a book today is difficult. Much of the ideas have already been invented, books that come out are 1) long and dilated 2) divided into three cycles) published in hardcover with rhythms election of the pope. The little stuff that I enjoyed in recent years. And I mean really enjoyed it. The cycle of Ilium Simmons of something scattered Alan Dean Foster , a bit 'of Haldeman, and so on, still unopened in the sea of \u200b\u200bbooks that look at me and demand attention; books that probably will not be able never read them all.

So I am the insane thought of inaugurating a new column, taking advantage of my historical memory and I decide that I will begin to point out a few books that deserves to be read from any willing enthusiasts looking for a challenge.

What you were doing in 1992? It was the period of Gladio, the first edition of TG5, and Hair of Alesi's Ferrari and the Treaty Maastricht. Soon Tangentopoli will change many things in the country and the world Sienad O'Connor tore up a picture of the Pope, thinking they were the original comics and I read them only.

Anyway, back on track. At that time I was a loyal reader of Urania. I could at the time to read all the numbers came out (I did from 1000 to 1200 or so, and not bad), and one day I came in my hands this:

Of Gerrold I read something in previous years, and I knew he was an author who always managed to entertain, he also worked on Startrek, and it was not as prolific others, but the cover of Oscar Chiconi promised adventure.

He had to wait a few months since I read all the numbers in the order of exit, but when his turn came, "The journey of StarWolf " proved to be a truly unique book. Funny, a classic space opera with some good characters, good pace, and a compelling story told well. Of those stories that you hard time seeing a movie, but from where - thankfully - the film is taken away, preferring to do stories like Armageddon and Supernova. Then, there is always committed to the reading time, and for once Simmons, Le Guin Silverberg and can wait.

not I beat my personal record of reading a book (that record is held by Ubik, read in an afternoon, not realizing that it became dark and I had dinner), but I went by. And when I finished I wanted more. In fact it will be a cycle, but the next is too long in that stack of books that need attention.

true, folks. There is a whole world out there. Enjoy.

A thanks to MondoUrania , from which I took the picture.

Gliptone Leather Cleaner

Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star

First post of the new year. But just to wish a great 2011 to all passers-by.

And it's really true that every day you learn something more about the programs you have installed on PCs for years.

Thanks to Miriam, Sylvia, Jennifer and Alexander for their cooperation, and my cigarette lighter (which I carry with me even if I do not smoke) for the ignition.

Briggs & Stratton 9000 Governor Spring

'm Mister Wolf, I solve problems

Computer programs have it to defaul: you write, and then he corrects you all according to his discretion. Mette is why instead of why is corrects misspelled words, and replaces those who do not know. Here, it can happen that if you write "James Kirk" in a text, you find yourself writing a "James Cyrus" ...

But here we are talking about publishing the cartoon, so the figure editor (our protagonist) has a different role. More or less. Or rather, should have a different role, but I have some reasonable doubt that there really succeed. But first it's appropriate to make the point, so it is unclear who they are and what makes an editor.

Editor (called also the curator ) is an important figure, much more than you think outside dell'ambiante (And also inside, actually ...): is directing a comic book series, the one that 'assignments to the editor, make decisions, and do not answer the phone, ready to face any possible problem. If we were in a film editor is identical to our mr. Wolf Pulp Fiction "I'm mr. Wolf, I solve problems."

Our mr. Wolf does just that, to solve problems. Faces, find the solution, solve them. To take incazzature to fight when necessary, or delegate the roles where needed, to take credit when all things go well, and the blame when they go wrong (or the blame on others) . It 'paid to come up ulcer, beating his head against the wall, to speak out when necessary, paid to address the problems.

In a perfect world, the editor follows the series as if it were a daughter, sees them grow, and supervise their friendships as a stern father, by keeping cascamorto and ticks. It 's the real guardian of a series.

A good editor has written on the door of his office, laid on human blood (a designer), an old seafaring history of outstanding performance. This story explains what procedures must follow a sea captain who is on a moonless night, on a cargo with the load hook and the motor broke down during a storm, which pushes the boat against the rocky coast, with the lighthouse on the coast off the radio and in need of repair and the crew in a panic. What to do?

The answer is to avoid getting into a similar situation . Those who are able to follow the rules so simple?

One will say, but such problems can never occur during the processing of a comic book series. Oh, plenty, are always lurking, ready to ruin your day. Occasionally you may find that there is a gap of one month in a programming mistake to count the days (it happens, it happens), or designer does not respect the scenaggiatura (the "Interpretation") and you do not understand the sequence of events. Facing aspiring writers who say that this story is stolen from their subject, or see if that designer has copied some stickers from scratch, possibly before noticing the public. Or whether a designer has to be part of his work unknown and anonymous helper (never lie to your editor, if you have a helper you have to say without problems).
Then maybe a possibility that a designer cabin and soft puppet Pinocchio and Candlewick and to follow the scene of eater, and no longer gives signs of when, or who ill, or has to give birth prematurely (if it is a designer, it can happen) and for two months does not send tables, so his story should be postponed, and the continuity affanzùm that the writer had studied at the table. Or disappear from the face of the earth without giving signals, and without concluding his story serial (and continuity, etc.). Another (also an artist, have them / us to have problems ...) works hyper-fast, produces industrial quantities and prompt you to new pages of script in spite of having just handed over 300 pages that will be soon published between 5 months, because it know, has the mortgage on the villa in Monaco by pay, and someone has to tell him that maybe it can slow down (not ever, the designer will complain vigorously). Or you discover that a story in the General Custer has a wristwatch, or the Indians use a rotating barrel Gatling off-season, or the designer has designed a bullet that flies attached to the cartridge case, or a western saloon has shelves behind counter as an English pub of the '20s, the artist has hidden or encrypted messages on the posters, and all this must be discovered and corrected prior to publication, otherwise you feel like the figure of m *** that we do?
All this and much more, the impossible can happen and the imponderable at any time.

The cause of this has little importance. But if you experience some of the cases above, Mr. Wolf will find some solution, but it can work wonders (as if anyone can do it is because he has already ...): wrong ... has allowed such a thing happen. It was not alert. Has not budgeted. His ship had broken down, the wind pushing against the shore and was about to begin the night with no moon ... cul de sac, the French would say. impasse we say. And then it takes skill to put the pieces in the right places. Now let's

clear how many editors who have known in the world of comics are like mr. Wolf?

Try going to Lucca, when publishers bring their foreign editor, viewing patience with long lines of designers who offer their projects. Typically, these editors are all kind and polite, watch your designs, viewing the page and make you their compliments, but then you patiently explain why or wherefore serve him for what your product does not go very well. Provoking the ire of artists who are not used to feel criticize the short arms or big hands or eyes or all the same backgrounds and the lack of depth of field. Or just not used to having to do with a serious editor, that if you mess up drawing tells you clearly that "the first good" or "I like it" is not an acceptable justification. Editors who are able to understand even if you write, or see that you are incapable of writing a subject (or do not know what, happens, it happens), so do not start reading your "revolutionary screenplay written as those of Moore and Gaiman, the war between demons Japanese ska-punk and hip-hop underground "

Almost every evening, dinner in Lucca with colleagues, you happen to find yourself angry with colleagues, committed to complain that the editor Scotsman who has been viewing their pages, and how he done a thousand notes. And down to complain that this is not serious, as is offensive to them, for their professionalism, they have produced several hundred pages of popular comic ..

"Then," asks the reader curious about "who does not work so it is a bad editor?"
Maybe, but maybe not. Who says that James has the truth in hand? Maybe he too was wrong.

And if the subject of our places, our editor was now a figure of archaic, antediluvian and no longer needed? Retired or retired to private life. Something to today we can all easily do without? Why, for example, can handle everything perfectly and the writer, while writing his usual 11 to 11 stories designers furious.

There is a whole new school of thought that says that in today's publishing world has evolved to shape the editor, which now has different roles. In this new publishing his role is to sift through new talent, see their projects, choosing what to publish and what not to delegate to perpetrators and all the rest. A grant interviews to the press (in press comics? Okay, you can laugh) to remember their vital role in that project. To maintain friendships with celebrities, fans, the Nerd, the Mood and Rap. To be more skilled in dialectics.

Forgive me, I understand that the world evolves, but I still think and believe that we will still need to have mr. Wolf. Although it is true that even in the classical figure of the editor you have the figures emerging delegate everything to everyone (including faults) and pretend to be indispensable, this has created a whole new school of "editor" (quotation marks are obligatory) I believe that this major. Or take their role lightly, if there is a problem you can always order a designer to do 100 pages in 30 days, give or take.

The new editor mushrooming, following this new path unexplored: that of the editor that delegation. Not s'incazza. Living peacefully, that does not solve the problems facing them because he (was not my fault, un'uragano, floods, locusts! ") But there is the same with very many, too many thing to do : counting fingers, go to fairs, dinners introfularsi Bonelli, delegate all the work of editing a study of Hong Kong, writing introductions, press conferences on comics, or write on the forums to deny the obvious when someone dares to point out a Error in this volume, published in translation without checking. A reply spades or hearts when you talk about when you look at the finger pointing at the moon.

O to correct James Kirk James Cyrus.