I am on Twitter. For my profile page please visit https://twitter.com/drewdog2060_. I mainly use Twitter to promote my blog, however I also tweet on other issues which interest me, for example artificial intelligence. I will reciprocate follows by following you in return.
I am pleased to announce that my second collection of short stories, The First Time, can be purchased from Barnes and Noble as a Nook Book (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-first-time-kevin-morris/1113994183). The first story in this collection, “The First Time” explores why Becky, a young graduate enters the world’s oldest profession as an escort. Other stories look at what happens when machines attain true artificial intelligence. In “Hemlock” we are introduced to a beautiful robot woman capable of reciting Keats, however does she truly understand poetry? For further information about “The First Time” by Kevin Morris please visit the above link.
I’ve written previously regarding the difficulties I have encountered when attempting to open the epub file containing the proof of my book, “The First Time”, (see https://newauthoronline.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/doing-battle/). I was beginning to think that the fault lay with me (impossible because I am faultless and, of course modest to boot)! However I’ve since received several e-mails from recipients of my book, “The First Time” stating that they have found it impossible to open the epub file.
Fortunately my friend Jeff knows more about technology than I have had hot dinners and pointed me to the following Firefox add-on which enables the user to open and read epub files using the Firefox browser https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/epubreader/. Thanks to Jeff I’m now able to read my book and other epub files. I’d certainly recommend this free add-on!
The wordpress.com spam filter is, in my experience highly effective capturing approximately 99 percent of solicitations for fake viagra, cheap imitation watches etc. However, very occasionally it allows through a comment which should have been consigned to my spam folder. I was amused today to receive the following comment forwarded to my e-mail address by WordPress for my approval
“Do you have a spam issue on this website; I also am a blogger, and I was wanting to know your situation; we have created some nice
practices and we are looking to exchange solutions with other folks, be sure to shoot me an email if interested.”
I was tempted to respond as follows
“Thank you for your e-mail which WordPress somehow failed to consign to it’s rightful place in my spam folder never to see the light of day again! I do, on the whole find WordPress’s spam filters highly effective, however it does, on occasions allow through rubbish such as your comment which I have experienced great pleasure in consigning to my spam folder. May I respectfully suggest that you find something productive to do with your life rather than bombarding bloggers such as myself with your inane and time-wasting comments.
If I can be of further assistance please do hesitate to contact me.”
However I refrained from responding partly because I have better things to do with my life and, also because it would only encourage the company in question and other spammers to bombard me with further spam!
Rant over, K
On 3 December I wrote about the feeling of wellbeing which floods my being whenever I do battle with the great god of technology, (see https://newauthoronline.wordpress.com/2012/12/03/the-joys-of-technology/). In that post I waxed lyrical on the joys of playing that old favourite of a game, guess the password and of how the great god of technology won and prevented me from accessing the proof of my book, “The First Time” due to my inability to guess the password required to view the epub file. Well I have a confession to make, while doing battle with the epub file of “The First Time” my addled brain failed to register the fact that the document was in zip format and therefore required unzipping prior to me being able to view it’s contents. To be fair to myself I half registered this fact, however I vaguely supposed that opening the document with Adobe’s epub software would somehow magically lead to it’s unzipping. I know, I know K should be consigned to the back of the class to stand in the corner with a dunce’s cap on his head!
I’ve now installed 7-zip (a tool for unzipping files), however I’m still unable to unzip the darned thing! I’ve called in the assistance of my old friend Jeff who’s experience in computers far exceeds my own. It is a wise man who knows when the great god of technology has beaten him and so I retire blooded and beaten from the field of battle. I’m off now to lie down in a darkened room with a wet towel over my head.
As I sit at my desk, typing away on my laptop I give thanks to the great god of technology. I love the way in which one’s brain is stretched by the necessity of remembering countless passwords without which one can not access e-mails, bank accounts etc. Forgetting passwords is such fun and helps to enhance one’s physical atributes. For example the way in which I shake my fist menacingly at my poor defenseless laptop provides me with much needed exercise and has helped to strengthen my arm muscles no end!
This evening the joy of guessing passwords was brought home to me with a vengence. I have now received the proof of the manuscript for my collection of short stories, “The First Time” in epub format. In order to access the document I downloaded software from Adobe’s website which installed like a dream. Great I thought as I clicked on the epub file containing the proof of “The First Time”, soon I will be able to read over the proof of my manuscript. Alas woe is me, the great god of technology requested that I enter a password in order to open the file – oops my publisher has neglected to inform me of the password so no book have I read! Oh well tomorrow is, as they say another day and with a bit of luck I’ll be able to give the proof the once over then after I receive the elusive password!
The sound of birds tweting happily away is one of the most beautiful this world has to offer. The singing of birds is especially beautiful during the Dawn Chorus and late in the evening just as our feathered friends are preparing to roost for the night. There is, however another kind of tweting which sets my teeth on edge, that of twitter.com.
My objections to Twitter are twofold, first it promotes (not always but often) inanity of the worst kind and, second twitter.com leads people to behave irresponsibly and, on occasions with a blatant disregard to the law.
As regards pointless tweting I really don’t care that Jo Bloggs is having coffee in Mcdonalds or some other restaurant and I smile with disbelief at those who religiously follow Jo Blogg’s tweats. Apart from my concerns regarding those who note all Jo’s tweats I also can’t help thinking that Mr Blogs might enjoy his coffee even more if he didn’t feel the necessity of tweting to all and sundry about his drinking habits.
Of course who people choose to follow is their own concern, It is no business of mine grimace though I may. However of real concern is the irresponsible attitude adopted by some users of Twitter. This was most recently exemplified by approximately 10,000 users of Twitter who either accused a senior member of the British Tory (Conservative) Party of being a paedophile or retweted these wholly false allegations. Given the falsity of the tweats the gentleman in question has, not surprisingly instructed lawyers to sue the tweters in question. As it stands a number of prominent people stand to lose significant sums of money if they are proved to have made the false allegations in question.
Paedophilia is a horrendous crime, however to make baseless allegations concerning innocent individuals is wholly inexcusable. Of course tongues will wag in pubs and other public places and one can not prevent this. However in the case of Twitter baseless accusations can be tweted around the globe to hundreds of thousands of people in a matter of seconds and the names of wholly innocent people become blackened. People who have never in their lives harmed a child have been attacked and, on occasions killed due to wholly baseless rumours regarding them. People need to think rather than jumping on the band wagon and using Twitter to fuel the rumour mill.
When I think of Twitter that phrase of Shakespeare’s springs unbidden into my mind “It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing”.
Having said all that I do use Twitter to promote my blog so I am speaking with something of a fawked tongue. However I am seriously considering closing my Twitter account as I don’t like the ethos which all to often it seems to spawn. Of course there are countless numbers of decent Twitter users but I still don’t like the shallowness which it all to often appears to represent.
I am in the process of having my second collection of short stories “The First Time” published by authorsonline.co.uk. The synopsis for this second collection reads
“The First Time
In this collection of short stories the author explores why young women enter the world of prostitution while other stories look at what happens when the worlds of sex and technology collide.
In “The First Time”, the first story in this collection, we meet Becky a young graduate who enters the world of prostitution in order to clear her debts. The story looks at the effects of prostitution on Becky and her fellow escort and friend Julie. In “The Pain Behind the Smile” Issie presents her friend, Peter with a birthday cake, however things are not what they seem.
In “Lucy” the acquaintences of a crusty old batchellor speculate how he could attract and retain the affections of a beautiful young woman. As with “The Pain Behind the Smile” things are far from what they seem.
“Hemlock” explores what happens when machines attain the capacity to appreciate high culture. The story is both humorous and deeply serious.”
“The First Time” should be availible for purchase in late December.
For my first collection of erotic short stories, “The Girl At The Bus Stop And Other Erotic Short Stories”, by K Morris please visit either amazon.com or amazon.co.uk where it is availible as an e-book in the Kindle Store.
I am, on the whole a huge fan of ebooks. The technology allows the user to carry around a veritable library of world literature in their hands. No longer need one trip over piles of books littering the floor in the spare room or spend ages dusting ancient tomes with a yellow duster. Electronic books unlike their traditional counterparts are instantaneous. With the click of a mouse one can order and have delivered in seconds War and Peace to the electronic device of your choice whether it be Kindle or I-Pad.
On the flip side I love the smell and feel of traditional books. One of my happiest memories as a child is of visiting W H Smiths and browsing shelves of children’s classics ranging from The Famous Five to The Secret Seven. It was (and still is) that wonderful scent of books which hits me whenever I enter Smiths or any other book shop. Ebooks have many advantages but scent is not among them!
I also like the permanence of physical books. Its wonderful to sit in a room surrounded by books. To take down a book at random and flick through it’s pages is surely one of life’s great pleasures. Physical books can (and do) last for centuries. There is something essentially civilised about entering a room full of books which I for one value. Where I to lose my Kindle I would be anoyed given the large quantity of ebooks I own. However I would be devestated where I to lose my traditional library. I simply can’t imagine living in a house without physical books.
For my ebook “The Girl At the Bus Stop And Other Erotic Short Stories” by K Morris please visit http://www.amazon.co.uk/other-erotic-short-stories-ebook/dp/B00A6H75Y6/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1352954780&sr=1-2
K Morris - Poet 