Your Online Funny Pages

Episode 45 of This Is Toronto is now available!

This latest edition features Bitstrips.com, a Toronto-based website that allows users to create their own comic strips.

www.thisistorontopodcast.blogspot.com

Next episode: Feb. 25, 2011

Border Patrol

Episode 40 of This Is Toronto is now available!

This latest edition features the Border Patrol Reading Series, a unique literary event that celebrates the longest undefended border in the world.

www.thisistorontopodcast.blogspot.com

NEXT EPISODE: Dec. 17, 2010

Coming Up in Toronto

Friday, April 17
Steam Whistle Presents: WOODHANDS + THE CARPS + FAMOUS PLAYERS + MORE!
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Brewer's Plate Toronto
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WHITNEY SPEARS
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THROBBIN HOODS@ GRAFFITTIS
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NACHO LOVERS & DIRTY DALE @ WRONGBAR
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SOUND AFFECTS FRIDAY ✖ DEE JAYS: TOM WRECKS, MEDLEY, FAWN B.C, REAL TALK ✖
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Saturday, April 18
Better Day Gala Fundraiser 2009
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Great Bloomers Wish You A Happy Record Store Day!
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SHADOWRIBBON: performance and DVD release
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WWF CN Tower Climb woo!
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DINOSAUR BONES - Toronto @ The Legion
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TWM 39: La Casa Muerte, The Love Machine, Whale Tooth & Burn Planetarium
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Brazilian Band " fourSamba" + Maninho Costa + Special Guest Musicians
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Mother Tongue DJs
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DJ MEDLEY & VIOLCA MANSION & NASTY NAV @ WRONGBAR
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Sunday, April 19
WL 459 - New Feelings + Flowers Of Hell + Snowblink
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HTC Listening Party @ Gather 'Round
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Canada Screens presents Advanced Screening of "ONLY"
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the piano salon
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Monday, April 20
Spacing spring-summer '09 release party
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CLAY & PAPER FUNDRAISER
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Tuesday, April 21
*Showcho*
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Earth Day Vibrations
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Wednesday, April 22
Toronto Greenhouse "Earth Day Edition"
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PWYC Weds w/ Dancefloor Refraction, Thresh, Higher Rites
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Ronley Teper's Lipliners
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Thursday, April 23
TWM Presents: The Sideshow Tragedy , Little Foot Long Foot, Blanc & White
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Friday, April 24
APRIL 24-25 Film and Screenplay Festival - NFB (150 John St.) 7pm !!
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TWM: Leonids, Chang-a-Lang, Half Baked, Cedar
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Sketch Does...Stand Up?!?
An assortment of Sketch Comics out of their element!
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KIM ANN FOXMAN of Hercules and Love Affair | DJ SET @ WRONGBAR
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Saturday, April 25
How to Launch Your Film Career?
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President Obama, faced with his first global security crisis: North Korea
Learn how to turn your breaking news story into a lucrative script
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Toronto Centre NDP Neighbourhood Clean-Up
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Favianna Rodriguez "Transformation/Agitation"
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TWM: Sandman Viper Command (CD Release), The Antiqs & Left of Zero!
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Sunday, April 26
WL 460 - THOMAS + Univox + The Skeletones Four
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RSVP For The "OUTSIDE THE BOX" FUNDRAISER SHOWCASE
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Tuesday, April 28
Mountains (Thrill Jockey DRONE duo) + Doc Dunn + Ayal Senior
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Green Heroes Focus Group Session
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Wednesday, April 29
Reporting in Afghanistan
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PWYC Weds w/ Honest I's, The Ministry of the Environment & Airheart
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Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bible! by Jonathan Goldstein
A 'This Is Not A Reading Series Presentation'
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Thursday, April 30
April 30 @ The Drake: Immaculate Machine album release
Immaculate Machine, Will Currie & The Country French and The Elwins!
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No Shame: GREEN GO 'Borders' CD Release Party THURS April 30th
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indiecredit 2.0 -- raising funds for Kiva.org
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Pouch Cove Foundation Art Auction & Party
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Pouch Cove Foundation Art Auction & Party
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Art Attack Toronto
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Friday, May 1
TWM 40: Black Diamond Bay (CD Release), Make Your Exit, the Dress Whites!
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Kollage/The Rhythm Section with special guest Michael Danso
CD Release Party - A Night of Great Jazz!
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Friday Night Magic - May 1st
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Saturday, May 2
No Shame: GREAT BLOOMERS 'Speak Of Trouble' CD Release Party MAY 2ND
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Karmageddon Two
LOVE!... It's in us to give
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An Evening of Conversation with Carlo Petrini
Founder of the Slow Food Movement and author of Slow Food Nation
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Sunday, May 3
Paula Poundstone in Toronto
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WL 461: Josh Reichmann Oracle Band, Cursed Arrows, Stop Time
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Tuesday, May 5
THE BALCONIES Play Bookie's New Music Night May 5th @ The Horseshoe
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Thursday, May 7
50 Artists, 50 Photos
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BOWZER ATTACKS TORONTO!!
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Friday, May 8
FAITHDOWN live @ Hard Rock Cafe- Club 279, Toronto
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Saturday, May 9
LIVE @ The Brunswick House with Faith Of A Martyr
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MUCK AND THE MIRES * THE PRIMORDIALS * THE SUPERSTITIONS
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Sunday, May 10
Commedia Dell'Arte Workshop
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TIN STAR ORPHANS & BOYS WHO SAY NO
"ALL-AGES MATINEE!"
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WL 462: METZ, Little Girls, Pacific Trash Vortex
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Wednesday, May 13
Battala Rockstars Toronto kick off show
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Saturday, May 16
BLUE ASH ... '71 POWER-POP TYME WARP!
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Sunday, May 17
WL 463: Katie Stelmanis, Emma McKenna, Braids, Diamond Rings
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Tuesday, May 19
Toronto Launch of The Peep Diaries
Hal's Multimedia Presentation on How We're Learning to Love Watching Ourselves and Our Neighbors
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Saturday, May 23
OTAKU O-TANJOBI PARTY
celebrating the 1st anniversary of the Toronto J-Film Pow-Wow blog
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Friday, May 29
VIVER BRASIL & DEBUT PERFORMANCE by BRACATUM!
A night of live dance & music at LULA
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Saturday, May 30
1001 NIGHTS BOLLYWOOD BOAT CRUISE
APPEARANCE BY MISS INDIA CANADA & PERFORMANCE BY MISS PAKISTAN EARTH 2005!!
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Swingin' at the Dominion
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Sunday, May 31
WL 465: Dwight Schenk, Bent by Elephants, The Max Woolaver Band
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Friday, June 5
Circus O Burlesque A Mania Insania 3
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Is Mass Media Coming to an End?

These are desperate times in media generally. Layoffs, cut backs in service, and even closing the doors altogether are regular daily occurrences. Today the Conservative government, in the first indication that anyone in Ottawa understands what is going on in media combined the Canadian Television Fund and the Canadian New Media Fund into the Canadian Media Fund. I've said more times than I can count that for all intents and purposes there is no longer any difference between television, radio and the internet and this move acknowledges that.

Make no mistake, this is an attack on the CBC. There has, until now, been a part of the Canadian Television Fund earmarked for the CBC. This earmark has been stripped away and will no doubt mean an even lower budget for the CBC.

What all of this means is currently being discussed far and wide so I'm not going to go too deeply into what the CMF may or may not do. What I'm wondering about tonight is: Is there a workable model for mass media anymore? Across North America and around the world media companies of all types are in trouble (public and private). Television, radio, newspapers, publishers, record labels, and film studios (ok not today, wait six months and film studios will be laying off too.) At the same time nearly everyone I talk to is crying out for relevant media, especially smarter media.

I've said before that CBC Radio 3 seems to be doing well. I've had a much easier time generating support for Radio 3 than for the CBC in general but it is unclear, if it were forced to fend for itself, if Radio 3 would be vialble.

It is worth considering that financially viable media is a new concept, it is largely something that occured in the 20th century. For most of human history there was no 'media' except what happened around the campfire. There were also, within the last 1000 years, traveling troupes of actors and musicians (essentially buskers) who would performs in towns, cities and for groups of travelers in exchange for a little money. This is largely where the stereotypes of 'show people' come from. Books happened eventually but had to be hand copied and were primarily the media of monasteries and royalty. Even with the invention of the printing press books were so expensive that even well off merchants, if they were literate, could only afford a few books. Newspapers emerged late in the 18th Century but it wasn't until the 20th century that there was a 'Main Stream Media' - the big newspapers, radio, television, paperbacks, magazines, film were all things that happened in the 20th century and now the model is completely broken.

The internet has changed everything. The models that generated revenue for media in the 20th century have gone away. Everything is now free, or very low cost. People are no longer interested in watching commercials if they can avoid it, and they can. Public funding is still an option (as in the PBS model in the States or CBC in Canada.) But public support for giving these institutions the funding they will need to do what they do well is thin.

The first problem is that with so much media being available for free people are reluctant to devote tax dollars to the cause. The second and much larger problem is that the audience is so fragmented that broadcasters, public and private, are left with the task of being all things to all people.

With the emergence of the internet people have found opportunities to form communities very narrowly. If you like Neil Diamond cover bands, or Chinese films translated into english you can find friends online that agree with you. If media does not cater to your tastes you can all complain together and it gives the impression that "everyone" feels the way that you do. So media companies are faced with the expectation that they will meet the demands of a mammoth variety of groups and individuals. For the most part media companies cannot do it because the financial resources required to produce media are greater than what can be produced from any individual group.

It seems to me that the only viable approach is to target a niche and cater to that niche exclusively and well. Even when targeting a niche the reality is that others will target that same niche. I think that Radio 3, so far, has been successful because it has targeted a niche (fans of Canadian independent music) and has worked hard at community building which engenders a sense of loyalty and helps Radio 3 keep ahead of it's competitors. It seems that this might be a model which media companies could follow, creating inexpensive content and building communities around a variety of interests (other types of music, literature, history, politics etc.). It is unclear though, as I've said, if this is a viable financial model. If everyone took this approach would the overcrowding kill the financial viability?

I'm really asking questions here more than anything. It is entirely possible that 'mass media' was a blip on the radar, that it's window in human history is closing and that it will be replaced with an online 'virtual' campfire. Stories, songs and (unverified) information shared in the evening among people who do other things to make a living. And of course there will be the occasional traveling troubadours.

This may be far fetched. You may be saying 'no someone will find a way' or 'once people realize how serious the problem is they'll be willing to pay'. You may be right, I really hope so, but you also have to realize that most people aren't reading this or anything like it. Most people aren't thinking about it at all, they simply act in whatever way suits them best and 'the financial viability of media' is not a topic they are interested in.

Renegade Book Promoter Interview With Book Ninja

Just a quick note to point out the excellent (and short) interview with outlaw serial book promoter Julie Wilson of Seen Reading over at Bookninja.

""Publishing is a crazy gig. It's akin to sending a message in a bottle out to sea. We have an idea of when it's plucked from the waters, but not when, or if, it’s ever uncorked. When I post, it’s as if I’m saying that the message has been received. And if you look at reader run communities like Goodreads, Shelfari, or Library Thing there's a clear impulse on the part of those people who are investing in our industry to be seen and heard. Seen Reading attempts to speak to everyone, from the creator to the consumer. That the third part of each entry - the first being a physical description of the reader and their location, the second being a passage from the page number they were reading - is my own creative response to the reader is to suggest that as singular as each story may be, the reader’s own personal experience will reinvest in its telling. That’s where the magic happens.""

There is still, so far as I know, no response from Chapters/Indigo. Support your local, independent bookseller!

Indigo: Copyright is More Important than Literacy

Julie Wilson runs the brilliant blog Seen Reading in which she catches people reading books around Toronto, takes a good guess as to what page they are on and then reports it on her blog along with a short exceprt from the book. Because Julie cannot actually buy hundreds of books a year she does her research in book shops. She finds the book and the page and copies an excerpt (about 50 words) to go along with the blog. In this manner she plugs books daily in an age when publishers are going under and literacy rates are declining rapidly.

Fortunately the Indigo Copyright police were on hand to put a stop to such nefarious behavior.

"Seems Wilson was caught up short by the Indigo staffer’s allegation that what she was doing was “illegal.” When she explained that excerpting 50 words from a novel-length text for the purpose of review or commentary falls under the fair dealing provisions of the Copyright Act, she was informed that it was only fair use if copied from a book that she owned. It’s illegal to do so from a book on Indigo’s shelf. (Which, by extension, would mean that it would also be illegal for Wilson to copy a passage from a library book, but let’s not split hairs.)"

Thank goodness the upstanding employees of Chapters/Indigo are on their toes, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice to protect the world from independent local bookstores and the dark underworld of people who try to promote literacy in their spare time. Without their diligence the world would surely turn into a cesspool of scum, villainy and book piracy (with all of the illegal volumes copied out by hand no less)!

Sure there are a few bleeding hearts out there who think that Indigo should apologize to Wilson, promise to leave her alone in future and give her a big, fat gift card for the trouble but rewarding book crime and unlicensed literary promotion is a one way ticket to total anarchy.

Cred To Quill and Quire and CanCult.

Canadian Content Can Be Supported But Can't Be Protected Anymore

The internet age is here. That means that despite the wishes of Sirius and others that we can no longer protect Can Con on the airwaves. That does not mean that it cannot be subsidized. It can and should get subsidies. In addition to arguing for increased government subsidies I've come up with a number of ways this can be done even a way to pay for free content online. But building a national firewall and deciding whether or not people can look at something on the internet based on it's 'Canadianness'. Just won't work. Even to try we would have to give up a great deal of freedom and choice and in a great many cases people would find a way around it anyway. Billions of dollars that could be spend on arts subsidies (as well as environmental programs, anti-povery programs, etc) would be spend, largely without benefit.

For 400 years French Canada has managed to build, maintain and support it's own culture in the middle of a sea of English. Now it is time for English culture to do the same. If there is anything worth protecting in English Canadian culture then it is up to us to support it and insure that it lasts.

This means several things. I means that the CBC needs to be supported. Right now, out of 18 industrialized countries Canada ranks 15th in terms of it's financial support for it's public broadcaster. In exchange for this funding though the CBC needs to strengthen it's support for Canada. This means more Canadian programs, more local programs, and more coverage of Canadian arts and culture in the CBC's arts programming. It also means the CBC needs to give up some of it's advertising. Next we need more arts subsidies. The troglodytes who complain about taxpayer funding for the arts are working on stereotypes. They see the arts the way Harper does - a bunch of slackers sitting around coffee shops until it's time for their black tie gala in the evening. The reality is that artists work harder for their money and make less for their efforts than almost any other profession in this country. At the same time the arts contribute a tremendous amount to the economy even when the economy is bad. In this country provincial and federal governments spend a great deal of money subsidizing business. Conservatives need to learn that the arts are a business and (aside from the quite obvious other benefits) subsidizing small artists is like subsidizing other small business and it creates jobs and other economic activity.

Ultimately though it's up to you. No subsidies or special protections for Canadian artists and Canadian content will do any good if the Canadian public does not support it. If you don't listen to Canadian bands, watch Canadian TV, watch Canadian Film it won't survive. If Canada is going to be more than the 51st State, America Lite, etc., it is up to individual Canadians to protect the culture.

If You Only Read One Book This Year

Ok, if you only read one book this year you need to turn off the television seriously, WTF is wrong with you.

Personally I only make it through 2-3 dozen books (of the fictional variety) annually, so I don't have alot of room to talk, and I can't say that if you only read one book this should be the one. I honestly don't know how you'd live with just one, can't imagine it.

But I am currently finishing The Flying Troutmans by Miriam Toews and highly recommend it. I just posted it to the Boost: Canadian Literature group and thought I should mention it here as well.

The official summary reads:

"Days after being dumped by her boyfriend Marc in Paris – "he was heading off to an ashram and said we could communicate telepathically" – Hattie hears her sister Min has been checked into a psychiatric hospital, and finds herself flying back to Winnipeg to take care of Thebes and Logan, her niece and nephew. Not knowing what else to do, she loads the kids, a cooler, and a pile of CDs into their van and they set out on a road trip in search of the children’s long-lost father, Cherkis.

In part because no one has any good idea where Cherkis is, the traveling maters more than the destination. On their wayward, eventful journey down to North Dakota and beyond, the Troutmans stay at scary motels, meet helpful hippies, and try to ignore the threatening noises coming from under the hood of their van. Eleven-year-old Thebes spends her time making huge novelty cheques with arts and crafts supplies in the back, and won’t wash, no matter how wild and matted her purple hair gets; she forgot to pack any clothes. Four years older, Logan carves phrases like "Fear Yourself" into the dashboard, and repeatedly disappears in the middle of the night to play basketball; he’s in love, he says, with New York Times columnist Deborah Solomon. Meanwhile, Min can’t be reached at the hospital, and, more than once, Hattie calls Marc in tears.

But though it might seem like an escape from crisis into chaos, this journey is also desperately necessary, a chance for an accidental family to accept, understand or at least find their way through overwhelming times. From interwoven memories and scenes from the past, we learn much more about them: how Min got so sick, why Cherkis left home, why Hattie went to Paris, and what made Thebes and Logan who they are today."

It is more an exploration of the characters and their lives than a (geographical) travelogue and the characters are deep, rich and complex. Their lives, thoughts and reactions ring true and show an understanding of modern life that I find is missing in many novels. (I suspect with some that the author comes from a prior generation and isn't really aware of all the seismic shifts that society has undergone in the last few decades.

A brief excerpt from the book is here. If you only read one book this year, I can't help you but if you're looking for a good read that won't tax your brain too much but that will introduce you to wonderful, memorable characters you should grab this one.

Tell Scholastic to Stop Shilling to Children

The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood is running a cross-border campaign to try and convince the Scholastic Corp. to put books back in their book advertisements to children.

In case you don't remember, Scholastic is the company that makes the flyers that your teachers used to give you in elementary school. You could pick out books and, if you could convince your parents to buy them, your school would get some free books out of the deal.

If it helps jog your memory the flyers look sorta like this



The problem is that while scholastic's tag line is still "Helping Children Around the World to Read and Learn" the flyer is increasingly filled with stuff - marker sets, glitter things, pens and stuffed animals and various toys, plus an assortment of 'books' based on TV series, books based on consumer products (barbie) and (as you will see) the M&M's Kart Racing Wii where you can "Choose your favorite M&M's character and race one of 7 vehicles on 10 different tracks - ages 5 and up" and it is reduced from 39.95 to only 29.95 (order now kids).

So whichever side of the border you live on you can now Contact Scholastic and tell them to F*** off or ... well... at least ask them to knock it off. If they are going to be given the opportunity to sell things to elementary school students while they are in school they should be books, or at the very least educational.

Coming Up in Toronto

Thursday, February 12, 2009
WAVELENGTH 450 / Ninth Anniversary Festival / Feb. 12-15, 2009
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Twestival Toronto
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DINOSAUR BONES & HOLLERADO
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Do It With Me Tonight (Fuse Magazine)
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Pre-Valentine's Day Chocolate Bash
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Black Diamond Bay
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TWM: Revolvers, the Easy Targets, A Northern Drawl & Vive Quebec Libres
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Friday, February 13
Modernboys Moderngirls, Inward Eye and Bury the Bully Live at El Mocambo
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TROUBLE THE WATER
Oscar nominated must-see Doc! - One week!
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St. Valentine Villainy with Corpusse
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Friends, Drinks, Great Tunes & Jason Voorhees??
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Back to the Rivoli!
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Hi-Hat Comp 3 Launch w/These Electric Lives, Parlovr, The Rest, Pants & Tie
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Sunnyside Tattoos Opening Celebration
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Valentine Bollywood Dinner and Dance with Saima Khan / Naqi Bilgrami
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Jason Bajada in Toronto
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DO YOU REMEMBER DISCO? (DYRD?)
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Saturday, February 14
Ninja Cowboy Bear Book Signing Part III
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Matthew Barber Live Valentines Day In Toronto
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Valentine's Retro Bash 09!!!
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DJ HUGGS | KISSES PARTY @ WRONGBAR NASTYMIX SATURDAYS
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Sunday, February 15
CITY LIMITS
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BOLLYWOOD SOIREE – VALENTINE'S LOCK & KEY PARTY
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Ben's Birthday Salon
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Tuesday, February 17
*Showcho*
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Wednesday, February 18
PWYC w/ Rep by Pop, Beth in Battle Mode, The Bad Guys,Sandman Viper Command
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Team Awesome Presents the Fight or F*&K! Film Festival!!
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Wednesday night Madness
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Thursday, February 19
TWM: Atlantis Blueprint, Guitar, The Whole Entire Universe, Record Breaker
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Friday, February 20
Seconde Nature: Marilyn Lerner & Diane Labrosse in Concert
Free Improvisation for Piano & Electronics — Cross-Provincial Border Collaboration
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NACHO LOVERS & DIRTY DALE & COLIN BERGH @ WRONGBAR
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TWM: Pbrain + Atherton: The Leathers, Wordburglar, Homebased, Serb Superb
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Saturday, February 21
Jill Barber Live In Toronto
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Imponderables 101
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Subway Dance Party
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Alela Diane In-store Performance.
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Motion Ensemble: New Music on Tour from New Brunswick
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TWM Presents: The Eatons, OKgiraffe & Ex~Po
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Sunday, February 22
Wavelength 451 - The Rural Alberta Advantage, Poppyseed and the Love Explos
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Tuesday, February 24
Gentleman Reg In-Store Performance
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Toronto Greenhouse Launch Event
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Thursday Feb. 26
Reel Artists Film Festival
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Friday, Feb. 27
JUSTIN MARTIN | DIRTYBIRD RECORDS @ WRONGBAR
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Saturday, February 28
The Coast, The Diableros, Oh No Forest Fires! & Ryan Masters at The Shoe
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Golden Ghetto @ Cest What 9PM
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Tuesday, March 3
Letters to my Grandma
Two-time Dora Award Winner, Anusree Roy, is back with a new work: Letters to my Grandma
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Thursday, March 5
CONFIDENTIAL RECORDS SHOWCASE
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One Hit Wonders Night w/ 10 mazing acts covering awesome/hilarious songs!
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Friday, March 6
The Dirty-Penny-Spookey-Ruben Video(s) Release Party!
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Rock for Sick Kids by Facebook Pals
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Wednesday, March 11
Indie Night In Canada
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The Happiness Project by Charles Spearin: Live at the Music Gallery
Do Make Say Think & Broken Social Scene member makes music out of his neighbourhood .... with guests Laura Barrett (Night One) & Muskox (Night Two)
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OLAROKS THE HORSESHOE TAVERN
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Tuesday, March 17
IN 09
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Colours of Comedy
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Saturday, March 21
Pillow Fight Toronto 2009
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Junkhead Blows The Roof Off Of The Smiling Buddha
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Saturday, March 28
Earth Hour 2009
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Friday, April 3
Throbbin Hoods at Duffys
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Saturday, April 18
Better Day Gala Fundraiser 2009
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Sunday, May 3
Paula Poundstone in Toronto
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First BookCamp Toronto Announced

Via Hugh McGuire comes word that BookCamp Toronto has been scheduled for June 6. BookCampToronto is a free UnConference according to the BookCampToronto Wiki at this point, while the conference is free, you will need to bring your own lunch. While sessions are far from finalized (keep an eye on the wiki) suggested sessions listed so far include:

1. What is a book?
2. Book as social object
3. How is anyone going to make money?
4. Mobile vs the Web
5. Gaming: the New Literary Frontier?
6. Building community to build your book sales
7. The new face of publishing
8. Kindle, Sony Book Reader and the future of paper
9. The economics of free
10. Turning traditional print professionals into digital rock stars
11. Lesson learned from the music industry (or how to avoid the same pitfalls)
12. Twitter 101 - how to build loyalty in 140 characters or less
13. Digital Trends - what's happening now, where is this going, and how does it all affect publishing
14. Digital Nomads - how books connect in a world where everyone is everywhere
15. Social Media and the power of extending your book and author's brand into many media channels
16. The future of audio books - a look at Creative Commons, DRM and what's next?
17. Video Books - Harper Collins launched Jeff Jarvis' book, What Would Google Do?, in video format. What is this? Does it help sell books?
18. Publicity in a day and age when book sections in newspapers are either being cancelled or shortened
19. The Future of the Independent Bookseller
20. The changing definition of literacy
21. Creating future readers
22. Interactive storytelling
23. Book design in the digital age
24. What publishing can learn from online communities of book lovers (e.g. LibriVox, Bookmooch, GoodReads, Shelfari, add more here)
25. Publishing newbie? Skills you need & lessons to learn in the 2.0 age
26. The changing way the public reads - books are different from the computer which is dramatically different from mobile - how will publishing be affected as the way we read evolves?
27. It's not just books - an open discussion about magazines, newspapers, text books and the evolution of the printed word in multiple media channels
28. Digital platforms for authors - does a website, Blog and Twitter account really sell a book? (looking for case studies here)
29. Schools, Libraries and Educational Facilities - how does the Digital Age change the way we learn from books? 
30. Big words, small screens - books on your iPhone, iPod Touch and Nintendo DS
31. Podcasting Your Fiction
32. Reshaping the editorial process for new styles of publishing
33. Myths and misconceptions about print/web relationship
34. Territory copyright - who gets the revenue for digital books in a borderless world
35. Digital Rights Management - godly or the devil's tool?
36. The future of self-publishing
37. For musicians the website is the new album. How should authors transition their websites from marketing platform to content hub?
38. Monetizing the reading experience. When content is free, what (or what SHOULD) authors/publishers/booksellers really be selling?
39. The New Curators: Trust Agents for the New Age of Book Publishing. When old-style book vetting disappears, how does a reader find that perfect book? Will book bloggers be the answer? Will indie booksellers with their highly skilled sales staffs prevail? Can online mega-retailers (ie: Amazon) perfect their automated recommendations enough to be all the reader really needs?
40. Self-publishing and Built-in Marketability. How can self-published authors thrive without the structure afforded by a traditional publisher? Without developmental editing, a marketing staff, access to retailers and industry reviewers, how can indie authors see substantial success with their books?
41. Dynamic Pricing for Digital Content based on Demand -- Feasibility and how it can help spread the word (example: Music on Amie Street)
42. The Stupid Things Publishers Do - a discussion from readers, authors, book buyers (everyone except publishers, they can just listen!) about what drives people crazy about the publishing business. See: HarperStudio blog post (and ask Debbie & gang to come to BookCamp!)
43. The Smart Things Publishers Do - a discussion about the most exciting, innovative, creative things that publishers are doing, from the perspective of readers, authors, and book buyers.

On Boost This Week

This week's stuff on Boost (see the bottom of that page if you don't know what that is).




Boost Music:

This week's band is the Calgary 8 piece? Sometimes 10 piece I guess...Woodpigeon. They have a new album out this week "Treasury Library Canada." The video I'm posting is from an older album called Songbook the video is for "Home as a Romanticized Concept Where Everyone Loves You Always and Forever"

Woodpigeon Facebook Fan Page

Woodpigeon on CBC Radio 3 Sessions

Woodpigeon - Home as a Romanticized Concept Where Everyone Loves You Always and Forever



Boost Film and Television:

This week's film nurse.fighter.boy is "an urban love story about the soul of a mother, the heart of a fighter and the faith of a child.

Jude is a single mother who descends from a long line of Jamaican caregivers. SILENCE is a past his prime boxer who fights illegally to survive. CIEL is a boy who delves into music, conjuring dreams for his mother. During the last week of summer, a late-night brawl finds the fighter in the nurse`s care, causing their three fates to be forever entwined."

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Toronto Premeire with Cast and Crew Afterparty - Friday February 6

Nurse.Fighter.Boy



Still in their early days, this week on Boost Literature I sent up Librivox - the Montreal based organization that has volunteers from around the world read books in the public domain and then compiles them into free audio books on Boost: Canadian Art I gave a shout out to artincanada.com with it's links and galleries galore.

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Boost is a collection of Facebook Groups designed to promote Canadian arts and media. Once a week a message goes out to each group promoting a particular artist, group or resource. The groups include Boost: Canadian Art, Boost: Canadian Film and Television, Boost: Canadian Literature, Boost: Canadian Music, Boost: Canadian New Media.

Coming Up in Toronto

Thursday, February 5
TWM Presents: The Robot Ate Me, Braxton Clover, Emperor X & Your Volunteer
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DanceLikeYouFuck @ STRANGELOVE
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Friday, February 6
Misunderstandings Magazine launch party
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TWM 34: Ryan Masters Band, Five Blank Pages, Tin Star Orphans
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BIG PRIMPIN! @ WRONGBAR
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Saturday, February 7
Themis - Wicca Love Songs
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TWM Presents: Whale Tooth (EP Release) w/ Green Go & The Balconies !
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No Name Dance w/ Aimee Dawn Robinson & Friends
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Rencontres en chanson
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SHIT LA MERDE & NASTY NAV @ WRONGBAR
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Sunday, February 8
Stranger (last show)
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Gather Round at The Boat w/ Amelia Goodlet, Cigarettes, Diamond Rings, HTC
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Grand Opening Of Prive Sundays at Atelier Noir Featuring MEDLEY
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Wavelength 449 - Machetes, Sadie May Crash, Key Witness
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TWM: Roy Lieberman, Hi Red Center, The Paint Movement, The Ostrich Tuning
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Monday, February 9
The Last Comedy Show
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Trampoline Hall
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Tuesday, February 10
New Music Night @ The Shoe (w/ "Follow The Accident")
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Hylozoists In-Store Performance
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LIFT's Winter-Spring 2009 Workshop season
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Wednesday, February 11
PWYC Weds: Sacred Balance, Planet Creature, Heart of a Shark,the Good Times
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Thursday, February 12, 2009
WAVELENGTH 450 / Ninth Anniversary Festival / Feb. 12-15, 2009
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DINOSAUR BONES & HOLLERADO
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Do It With Me Tonight (Fuse Magazine)
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Pre-Valentine's Day Chocolate Bash
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Black Diamond Bay
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TWM: Revolvers, the Easy Targets, A Northern Drawl & Vive Quebec Libres
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Friday, February 13
St. Valentine Villainy with Corpusse
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Back to the Rivoli!
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Hi-Hat Comp 3 Launch w/These Electric Lives, Parlovr, The Rest, Pants & Tie
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Sunnyside Tattoos Opening Celebration
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Jason Bajada in Toronto
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Saturday, February 14
Ninja Cowboy Bear Book Signing Part III
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Matthew Barber Live Valentines Day In Toronto
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Valentine's Retro Bash 09!!!
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Sunday, February 15
CITY LIMITS
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BOLLYWOOD SOIREE – VALENTINE'S LOCK & KEY PARTY
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Wednesday, February 18
PWYC w/ Rep by Pop, Beth in Battle Mode, The Bad Guys,Sandman Viper Command
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Friday, February 20
Seconde Nature: Marilyn Lerner & Diane Labrosse in Concert
Free Improvisation for Piano & Electronics — Cross-Provincial Border Collaboration
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NACHO LOVERS & DIRTY DALE & COLIN BERGH @ WRONGBAR
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Saturday, February 21
Jill Barber Live In Toronto
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Imponderables 101
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Subway Dance Party
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Sunday, February 22
Wavelength 451 - The Rural Alberta Advantage, Poppyseed and the Love Explos
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Thursday Feb. 26
Reel Artists Film Festival
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Saturday, February 28
The Coast, The Diableros, Oh No Forest Fires! & Ryan Masters at The Shoe
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Friday, March 6
The Dirty-Penny-Spookey-Ruben Video(s) Release Party!
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Saturday, March 7
Rock for Sick Kids by Facebook Pals
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Wednesday, March 11
Indie Night In Canada
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The Happiness Project by Charles Spearin: Live at the Music Gallery
Do Make Say Think & Broken Social Scene member makes music out of his neighbourhood .... with guests Laura Barrett (Night One) & Muskox (Night Two)
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OLAROKS THE HORSESHOE TAVERN
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Tuesday, March 17
IN 09
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Colours of Comedy
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Saturday, March 21
Pillow Fight Toronto 2009
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Junkhead Blows The Roof Off Of The Smiling Buddha
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Saturday, March 28
Earth Hour 2009
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Saturday, April 18
Better Day Gala Fundraiser 2009
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Sunday, May 3
Paula Poundstone in Toronto
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Boost This Week

If you don't know what Boost is already check the bottom of this page for details. So, this week:










Boost Music:
the Pack A.D. - Making Gestures



Boost: TV and Film:
Bruce McDonald's Pontypool



Boost: Literature and Boost: Art are still growing fast but given that each has only a few hundred members right now I just sent out links to good resources: View on Canadian Art and the Quill and Quire blog.

Boost: New Media - is just barely getting started - nothing there yet.

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Boost is a collection of Facebook Groups designed to promote Canadian arts and media. Once a week a message goes out to each group promoting a particular artist, group or resource. The groups include Boost: Canadian Art, Boost: Canadian Film and Television, Boost: Canadian Literature, Boost: Canadian Music, Boost: Canadian New Media.

First Boost Group Crosses 1000 Member Mark

The Boost groups that I've introduced over the last few months were designed to offer publicity to arts and culture in Canada (to date - music, film and television, art and literature). The idea is as simple as I could make it. People opt in to the groups and are, once a week, sent things they should take a look at (trailers, music video etc). What I hope to do is provide publicity where there is little or no budget for publicity, sadly this is usually the case in Canada.

Today I'm happy to announce that the first of these groups Boost: Canadian Music has crossed the 1,000 member mark at 1,032 members as of this moment. That means that when the mailing goes out this week it will be seen by people in virtually every part of Canada and several other countries.

Beyond the music group Boost: Film and Television has 832 members and is still growing steadily, and Boost: Canadian Literature and Boost: Canadian Art which launched on January 8 are approaching 250 members and are growing by the day. It will take some time to get each of these to the 5,000 member target but as free publicity goes I think it's all off to an excellent start.

Boost ads Literature and Visual Art groups

Boost started out with two groups Canadian Music and Canadian Film and Telvision. Each group sent out a video a week and asked people to rate, comment and share. I said when I started them that if I could expand to other arts I would and even though I haven't worked out all the details I've now done that.

They won't work quite the same, not much on YouTube and people can't really rate the stuff, but I finally decided that having them run a little differently was better than not having them at all. So, as of today Boost: Canadian Art and Boost: Canadian Literature are both up and running.

The Art group will send out a weekly link to an online portfolio or gallery, or other art resources. The Lit group will send links to sample chapters, e-books or other literature resources. Even if these things only help a little it's better than none at all.

So, this week's vids to the Music and TV & Film groups are

Andrew Vincent - Ambassador Bridge (live)



and for film I dug into 'the Vault' a bit for the DVD of Everything's Gone Green

Coming Up in Toronto

Daily until Dec. 24
"Toronto Stories" Theatrical Engagement at The Royal
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Thursday, December 18
Hioliday Toy Fundraiser @ the Comedy Bar
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Board Game Mingling Night
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Ugly Bug Band at the Local Dec. 18
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RAISED EMOTIONALLY DEAD @ ROK BOUTIQUE Thurs. Dec. 18
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Friday, December 19
The Diableros, Great Bloomers & Serb Superb at The Boat!
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COVERS FOR CANS
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LIES v4 w/ CRYSTAL CASTLES / MIKEY APPLES / NASTY NAV
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An Evening of Holiday Magic
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Saturday, December 20
WORTHY & CHRISTIAN MARTIN | DIRTY BIRD @ WRONGBAR
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"Man Down" at WildSound Film Festival
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"I Remember Halloween": The Art of Ghoulish Gary Pullin
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TWM 31: Golden Hands Before God, the Speaking Tongues, Terror Lake
All together now!
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Friction - December Edition
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The Paranormal Show Extended Run at Campbell House!!!
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Sunday, December 21
Themis Wiccan X-Mas Party December 21st at The GoodTime Cafe
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CINEPLEX ODEON'S DIRECTORS CHAIR CONTEST
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Wavelength Xmas Party -- GAMES NIGHT!
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Tuesday, December 23
CousinDog plays Horseshoe Tues.Dec.23rd @ 9pm
An Early Christmas Gift
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THE OFFICIAL AUGUSTA HOUSE BOOGIE DOWN XMAS PARTY!
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Saturday, December 27
TWM: La Casa Muerte, Dancehall Free For All, Kaleidoscope City, Rival Boys+
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Wednesday, December 31
Black & White Bash!
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NEW YEAR'S EVE 2009 @ WRONGBAR
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BESHARAM NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY
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NYE 09 TOP OF THE BURROUGHES
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Thursday, January 1
WINKY AWARDS
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Monday, January 7
Take It Back @ Next Stage Festival Jan 5-18
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The Next Stage Theatre Festival 2009 (January 5 - 18)
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Friday, January 9
ZONA PELLUCIDA & THE NEEDLE EXCHANGE (Jan. 9 - 24)
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Friday, January 23
Circus O Burlesque A Mania 2
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GLASS CANDY / NITE JEWEL @ WRONGBAR
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Ottawa Libraries Make E-books Available

According to the CBC the Ottawa library is about to start e-books to borrowers.

The books include fiction and non-fiction for all ages and take the form electronic documents, (mostly .pdfs) that can be downloaded to your computer from the library's website. After three weeks, the file is automatically deleted, so there is no need to return it.
Wong said that after the library began offering digital audio books, which take the form of a sound file, patrons started sending e-mails to the library asking when it would start offering e-books, like libraries in Toronto, Hamilton, Oakville and Edmonton.

Online and downloadable books are no doubt good for literacy on a number of levels - in addition to saving trees and trips in the car it makes more books available to more people regardless of where they are.
There has been some argument that this is not good for libraries. The logic goes that if people stop visiting the library as a physical location that the need for them will decline. There is probably some truth in this - some smaller branches may close. It is worth noting though that the other roles of libraries as gathering/meeting spots and as collectors of historical documents will continue and libraries should increasingly focus on these and on internet access points for travelers and low-income people.

If Libraries can have more material, available to more people at a lower cost and cities gain extra public gathering spots it is good news for everyone.

Parkdale Street Writers Launches Tuesday

Emily Pohl Weary's annual workshop for young writers kicks off again this Tuesday:

Free workshops for young writers led by kick-ass local authors, comics artists, filmmakers, hip hop poets, and street artists. NEW PROGRAM STARTING DEC 2, 2008!

What will we do?
* Write about real life
* Produce song lyrics and poems
* Create our own comics
* Interview people
* Find and make art
* Publish our work
* Choose other kinds of writing

Work directly with fabulous authors and artists!

DATES/TIMES
Every Tuesday, from 4 pm to 6 pm.
December 2, 2008 to June 23, 2009.

COST
Zero. Nothing. Absolutely free!

REGISTER
info@parkdalewriters.ca or 416-537-2455 x349.

FINE PRINT
You must register.
Snacks and supplies will be provided.
TTC tickets are available for youth coming from outside the neighborhood.
We will collaborate with the Parkdale Book Artists program to do public readings and publish our favorite work!
Coordinated by award-winning Toronto author Emily Pohl-Weary’s (Strange Times at Western High, Girls Who Bite Back: Witches Mutants, Slayers and Freaks).

For further details see parkdalewriters.ca there is also a Facebook Group.

Coming Up in Toronto

Thursday, November 20
MOVIE-OKE
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Mind Officially Blown
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TWM: Revolution Love, Dead Sexy Sheila, the Vestaloynes, Common Dears
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The Paranormal Show at The Campbell House (Nov. 20 - 29)
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Friday, November 21
NOIR- GANGBANGAZ EDITION
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Footprints Reading Series!
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Big Blues little room
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TWM Presents: Dance Electric, Pants & Tie, The Vanishers
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Friday Night Magic @ Zemra Bar & Lounge
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The End of an Error
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Saturday, November 22
DPN @ Toronto Sketch Festival COMEDY BAR
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Good Jobs for All for a Greater Toronto
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It's TWM 100th show AND the Lovely Killbots CD release Party!
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Sunday, November 23
Wavelength 440 —Sports: The Band + Element Choir + Fall Horsie
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DPN @ Toronto Sketchfest DIESEL SHOW
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Super Jam Contest @ McGradies
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Tuesday, November 25
Colours of Comedy #5
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CANADA READS
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Wednesday, November 26
Sworn Enemy, For Today, Better Left Unsaid, W.I.T.W in Toronto
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Mary Bronstein's YEAST (Canadian Premiere)
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Thursday, November 27
Santa in the City Fundraiser 2008
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Spookey Ruben, Schomberg Fair, Black Hat Brigade, Whale Tooth at the Shoe!
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RIG: DESIGNS FROM THE FUEL TRANSITION
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TorQ Percussion Quartet
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Friday, November 28
FUEL TESTS SYMPOSIUM + BOOK LAUNCH
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TWM 29: Pavlov's Dogs Orchestra, Young Contrarians & The Rest
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Two Hours Traffic w. Boys Who Say No & The Danks
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WOAH! GORDO -- KID METROPOLIS CD RELEASE PARTY
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Tidings in Toronto: Allison Crowe w. Special Guest Stacy Burke
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The Human Statues Return to the Rivoli
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Saturday, November 29
TWM Presents: Debbie Suede, Ginger & Irene + This is Picture
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Buy Nothing Day 2008
A 24 hour moratorium on consumer spending
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Crafternoon Tea
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The World Provider ‘Hard Feelings’ CD Release
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ANNE MADE ME GAY
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Slowdance Night - TORONTO Winter Formal!
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Don't touch me,I am dancing.
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Sunday, November 30
Broken Pencil's Second Annual Indie Writers Deathmatch!!
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Wavelength 441: Maynards + Pink Noise + School Jerks + First Person Shooter
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December 1
Brainsgiving @ the Gladstone
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Sunday, December 2
Folk Yeah! Featuring Wendy Leung, Melissa Dalton & Lara Martin
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"NORM" The Broadcast Premiere!!!
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Monday, December 3
MBMG in Toronto w/ People in Planes!
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Friday, December 5
Royal Wood at the Mod Club
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Audio Blood & TWM's JINGLE BELL HOP! with Oh No Forest Fires, Bass Lions..
and Brett Caswell & the Marquee Rose and DJ Earl Grey!
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Tiny Miracles
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Saturday, December 6
YONDER w/Mandibles
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REMOVABLE PARTS — A Series of Love Songs About Voluntary Amputation
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Events for Life presents "Kickin It for Kenya!" Benefit Concert
Help send Alex on a Free the Children volunteer trip to Kenya!
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Sunday, December 7
Rock-a-Thon 2008
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Thursday, December 11
Wallace Halladay & Ryan Scott: LOUD Music for Saxophone & Percussion
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Friday, December 12
Alan Licht, Aki Onda & Michael Snow —3 Free Noise Music Masters
Canadian Exclusive Engagement! Duo + Trio Sets of Not-Totally-Indeterminate Improvisation
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My Big Fat Donated Kidney by Nikki Payne
A one person show by Nikki Payne
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Rock 'Em Sock 'Em w. The D'Urbervilles / Katie Stelmanis / Bocce / more!!
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Thursday, December 18
Hioliday Toy Fundraiser @ the Comedy Bar
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Sunday, December 21
Themis Wiccan X-Mas Party December 21st at The GoodTime Cafe
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Thursday, January 1
WINKY AWARDS
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