There's one gigantic shovel that helped moved this mountain that no one has mentioned yet: her husband, Neil Gaiman (arguably the most successful author on the planet) and their very public relationship, shared with fans via Twitter, etc. All the little personal touches are fine and dandy, but Neil is her biggest supporter and his fans go where he goes and I've no doubt her Kickstarter wouldn't have reached that huge huge number if it weren't for his (and their combined fans') involvement. This is not said to diminish Amanda's talent or determination one iota, Neil's aid is incidental, but it is a happy incidental.
I'm curious, though, what happens once the product is delivered: it won't be embraced by the larger label-led community (radio stations, iTunes and similar download sites), since what Palmer does and how she does it is a threat to them, and while you may hear her on Sirius now and then, she's not a staple artist - she's still considered 'fringe' by the mainstream (which still exists, like it or not) and, unless she gets a shot at performing on SNL as a musical act (with Neil hosting? Gosh), she's not likely to hit the 'mainstream' any other way.
Yes, this is the new age of the online/social artist, and I love Amanda's take on how it can be done (goodbye, talent agent) and I hope it is the beginning of the end of the mainstream, but that involves taking down Hollywood, TV, etc. etc. So long as audiences still pour hundreds of millions into attending The Avengers, spend their evenings voting on America's Big Talent Show, ignore traffic while texting and pout on Facebook, the greater change that needs to happen is held in check. The dam is cracking, but holding. What will send the flood through?
Just off a bit, this economic downturn has had its place in the story as well and the nightmare of it (ignored in the mainstream, but heavily reported on independent sites and Twitter), the rise of Occupy, while the 'mainstream' of politics continues to stand for the 1%, the financial industry, while squeezing the life out of the average citizen (in the UK, the dismantling of the NHS is going to HURT LIKE HELL), the Arab Spring, all these things are adding up, piling up and there's only one (historical) end for it: revolution. One can only hope it's the Amanda Palmers of this world that lead the gentle armies to a better future.
There is a certain behavior among men who consider themselves 'equal' - watch for it with the guys who chat one another up in the auto supply store or the garage or, in this case, on a highway stopover.
I don't know that there is anything to applaud based on one filmed incident. He knew he was on camera. He knew the other guy had a gun. He was cautious and kept himself safe. I think Officer Lyon was looking out for his own best interests and incorporating the unwritten buddy system white males are so good at.
I don't see a hero, I see a smart guy. Who knows how he would behave if there weren't a camera and the other guy wasn't white or even male? We'll likely never know.
But yay for white guys with guns! And yay for posts that celebrate white guys with guns. Whoo!
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Revolutions
There's one gigantic shovel that helped moved this mountain that no one has mentioned yet: her husband, Neil Gaiman (arguably the most successful author on the planet) and their very public relationship, shared with fans via Twitter, etc. All the little personal touches are fine and dandy, but Neil is her biggest supporter and his fans go where he goes and I've no doubt her Kickstarter wouldn't have reached that huge huge number if it weren't for his (and their combined fans') involvement. This is not said to diminish Amanda's talent or determination one iota, Neil's aid is incidental, but it is a happy incidental.
I'm curious, though, what happens once the product is delivered: it won't be embraced by the larger label-led community (radio stations, iTunes and similar download sites), since what Palmer does and how she does it is a threat to them, and while you may hear her on Sirius now and then, she's not a staple artist - she's still considered 'fringe' by the mainstream (which still exists, like it or not) and, unless she gets a shot at performing on SNL as a musical act (with Neil hosting? Gosh), she's not likely to hit the 'mainstream' any other way.
Yes, this is the new age of the online/social artist, and I love Amanda's take on how it can be done (goodbye, talent agent) and I hope it is the beginning of the end of the mainstream, but that involves taking down Hollywood, TV, etc. etc. So long as audiences still pour hundreds of millions into attending The Avengers, spend their evenings voting on America's Big Talent Show, ignore traffic while texting and pout on Facebook, the greater change that needs to happen is held in check. The dam is cracking, but holding. What will send the flood through?
Just off a bit, this economic downturn has had its place in the story as well and the nightmare of it (ignored in the mainstream, but heavily reported on independent sites and Twitter), the rise of Occupy, while the 'mainstream' of politics continues to stand for the 1%, the financial industry, while squeezing the life out of the average citizen (in the UK, the dismantling of the NHS is going to HURT LIKE HELL), the Arab Spring, all these things are adding up, piling up and there's only one (historical) end for it: revolution. One can only hope it's the Amanda Palmers of this world that lead the gentle armies to a better future.
boys and their toys
There is a certain behavior among men who consider themselves 'equal' - watch for it with the guys who chat one another up in the auto supply store or the garage or, in this case, on a highway stopover.
I don't know that there is anything to applaud based on one filmed incident. He knew he was on camera. He knew the other guy had a gun. He was cautious and kept himself safe. I think Officer Lyon was looking out for his own best interests and incorporating the unwritten buddy system white males are so good at.
I don't see a hero, I see a smart guy. Who knows how he would behave if there weren't a camera and the other guy wasn't white or even male? We'll likely never know.
But yay for white guys with guns! And yay for posts that celebrate white guys with guns. Whoo!