This article on self publishing is a pretty accurate, and pretty snark free, look at the topic. (found via bookslut -- their link is down and to the left and i'm feeling too lazy to html it again in this entry). Altho there will always be some people lining up to drink the haterade, I think that as the internets, POD, and other alternative methods have become easier to access, some of the "stigma" of self publishing has started to fade. But I also think that there are some people who wanna write and there are some people who wanna be authors. And those are not the same things at all.

Meanwhile, out on the fringes of participatory fan democracy, Eventful seems to be a social networking site that, among other things, serves to link up performers w/ audiences (you can also demand the impeachment of GW Bush). Not too much is in demand locally yet, but you can join me and add to the demand for Wil Wheaton.