Original audio source
This week we have a web-exclusive interview with Eric Kampmann of Beaufort Books - the company that showed the heart we all wish Random House had. For background, listen to our discussion on how Random House caved into the fear of Islamic reprisal, canceling publication of The Jewel of Medina by Sherry Jones in Podcast #26: Muslims, Publishers, and Free Speech. We were all hoping someone would come to the rescue and Beaufort, led by Kampmann, did just that.
Ex asks what Eric thought upon hearing of the Random House disgrace. What we get is some real inside-baseball on the corporate politics that may have been behind their decision, as Eric has been in the business many years and knows some of principals involved. He goes on to explain how Beaufort made the decision to get involved. We talk a little bit about what the book is about and why the book may be a "seller", even though Sherry Jones is a first-time author. Find out if Beaufort has any plans in place in the event of terrorism.
Eric talks about the support he has received from retailers. We get a peek inside the publishing industry and the likelihood of self-censorship in the future. Finally, the positive changes that have taken place within the publishing industry - something every free-thinker should be heartened by. Eric gives better than an iTunes 5 Star Review to Another Goddamned Podcast and gets a prize. You can probably guess what it is. (00:00)
We come back from the interview and the Herd and discuss it a little further. Ex wonders which of us is very likely to buy the book. Is a historical fiction about a religion going to be of interest to people like us? Is it bad if there were no real Islamic threats that Random House thought it was OK to use claims of threats as their reason for not publishing? (35:49)
It's puzzle time. Do any of our listeners know how to interpret Faithfreeists and Christians? Then, see what you can do with some biblical names. Ex gives the results of our "God Bless America" poll. Evo has two quizzes this week. One is just for the Herd, but you can play along! It gets better. The one for you is sweet. But click off of the podcast immediately after the quiz or listen to Evo sing. You've been warned. (51:50)
UPDATE: The European publisher of The Jewel of Medina had his home firebombed in an apparent terrorist attack.
Opening Music [00:00]: excerpt from "Another Goddamned Draft"
Bridge Music [34:25]: excerpt from "One of Many"
Bridge Music [50:45]: excerpt from "Swing to the Left"
Bridge and Closing Music [1:04:54]: excerpt from "As Jazzy as I Get"
(All music: copyright 2008 by Rachel Murie)
This Week's Goddamned Links
Jewel of Medina at Amazon
Beaufort Books
Puzzling Listeners
Another Goddamned Puzzle:
Krystian Kyhl, Yunshui
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32 comments:
Can't wait for this one to download. Mind you when i am unemployed i will be expecting you to double your output so that I may have something to listen to.
["Can you hear me?"... "Nyer"]
Well, well, well....to quote Eric: "You have changed my life..." and "you are great motivators". You all are brilliant. You know, having Eric on this week and talking about this issue was and is really important. You all asked great questions. I feel like Ex in that I will buy a copy just to shit on Random House and Imam Spellberg. Maybe I will mail it to the president of Random House. Unfortunately I was not surprised that the fire-bombing happened. Doubt anything will happen in this country but in "Saudi Britain", as Pat Condell puts it, it is to be expected.........Keep up the great work!!
Just finished listening to it. Great work loved the inside look at the publishing industry. Sad to read that the guy had his home firebombed - damned peaceful Muslims :)
Along the same lines of Free Speech or maybe lack of it, I just received word that You Tube has banned Pat Condell's latest video. Luckily, he uses a few other sites for his videos too.......I would be interested if anyone would like to watch this video (which is really good and fucking hilarious as usual!) and explain to me what the fuck the problem was with the video?!? If you're interested: http://patcondell.libsyn.com/
I can't seem to get the video (it is a video?) to open, but given the subject matter, I suspect that YouTube received a few death threats in Arabic.
Sorry, the site I included for Pat Condell is his audio podcast. I have the best succes by using the "Direct Download" option under the title "Welcome to Saudi Britain".
Video is here: http://www.freethinker.co.uk/2008/10/02/condell%e2%80%99s-attack-on-shariah-law-in-the-uk-blocked-by-youtube/
Well the audio version is available as always through itunes. Personally, I don't see the point in video. I don't need to see him talking to me, although it's not nearly as bad as those clips on blogginheads which Evo loves so much.
Before we started, there was brief talk of video, but then we came to our senses and here we are. Despite the comical expressions we may showcase when Evo sings, I think we made the right choice. We probably also don't need to see SI shoveling down Moosetracks or Ex shoveling down Good & Plenty either. Besides, the headset ruffles my headdress
The other upside to AGP being audio is that us listeners have this picture of you all in a smokey bunker with old microphones with you being well-built and good looking while at the same time planning a strategy to overthrow religious theocracies!!!
Now that I've watched Condell's video, I'm a little concerned about our Mother Country. Look what else England is doing here.
Good old Gerald Toben in the news again? Holocaust minimizer (denier) extraordinaire. I do know he attended the Holocaust Conference in Tehran in '96. He is mentioned here: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/11/world/middleeast/11cnd-iran.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
"us listeners have this picture of you all in a smokey bunker with old microphones with you being well-built and good looking while at the same time planning a strategy to overthrow religious theocracies!!"
You're not too far off.
... us listeners have this picture of you all in a smokey bunker with old microphones with you being well-built and good looking ...
Hmm... you portrayed our recording sessions with such accuracy and detail. Now we have to figure out how you knew and what to do with you. At least you don't know the undisclosed location of our bunker.
I knew I shouldn't have worn those sunglasses for that photo. You'd be able to see my blue eyes better.
That's me on the left, next to OG with the gaming helmet.
I suppose I should learn by now to not read the posts until after I get home from work. Yes, it happened again, I had a big shit-eating grin while admiring the "bunker shot" and a co-worker came in my office. She smirked but didn't ask what was funny. She didn't see the monitor either, thank god. (Fuck, I used that expression again. Fuck!!) Perhaps everyone thinks I have a secret? Perhaps "he is bit off"? Now I have to get the afternoon coffee with the chatter going around and the looks that say "he is laughing by himself in his office again. Is he sneaking bong hits at lunch behind the dumpster or is he gay?"
Why do your coworkers think gay people giggle to themselves when they're alone?
I used to work with a guy who hated his job so much he'd take regular trips to the bathroom to get high. He'd carry a can of Glade with him. When asked by the bosses about the can, he just said he gets wicked shits and wanted to be courteous. Amazingly, that worked.
They are Christian..............
Fucking hilarious!!! Good one PhillyChief!!
He had to stop though. He was spending more on Glade than pot
I didn't listen to the podcast, but kudos to you guys for landing an interview like this. Pretty impressive.
@venjanz,
BLASPHEEMER!!
Well kids, some good news and some BAD news!! First the BAD news. Apparently the British publisher of The Jewel of Medina" is "postponing" publication of the book due to the firebombing. Reminder: The attack happened and the fucking book wasn't even published. These Muslim freaks don't even know what the goddamned book is about. Anyway, I am pissed off and hope you all are too!! The good news. Beaufort Books has pushed the publication date foward to this Monday!! Here is a paragraph from the Telegraph with Eric's quote: ""By bringing forward the publication and giving people the chance actually to read the book, we believe we will reduce the risks," said Eric Kampmann, Beaufort's president. The Telegraph story is a must read. Here is the link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3135933/Author-Sherry-Jones-defiant-over-controversial-book-about-Prophet-Mohammeds-child-bride.html
This isn’t meant as criticism of any one heathen here, but just as general commentary. I think I can shed some light on why many of my right-wing brethren (even the non-religious ones) distrust atheists.
Ever listen to the “Badger, Badger, Badger” song? Here, check it out:
http://www.badgerbadgerbadger.com/
All too often, this is what we hear from atheists:
Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian
Mus-lim, Mus-lim!
Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian
Mus-lim, Mus-lim!
Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian
Oh! A Jeew, a Jeew, Ohhh a Jew, a Jew!
Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian Christian…
The point is that… well the hell with that, if you don’t understand what I’m trying to say, you’re a moron.
-Tommy
Actually, I think Mango gets to the heart of this better, of course if you fail to see that then you must have shit for brains.
Venjanz:
You haven't been listening to the podcast carefully. Not only do we attack the theocrats of all religions, but we also go after right-wing fascists of all kinds:
Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz
Coulter, Coulter
Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz
Coulter, Coulter
Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz, Venjanz
Oh! A Rush, a Rush, Ewww! a Rush, a Rush!
Behead those who insult religion.............
Has any of The Herd ever discussed or read Austin Dacey's book, The Secular Conscience?
I'm in the middle of reading his book and it's awesome.
In a nutshell, he argues that discussion of religion and religious beliefs is not just a personal thing, but SHOULD be discussed in public.
The reason is that so it can be debated and dissected - it should be open to debate. Atheists liberals should not be trying to squash a politician or anyone from mentioning their religious beliefs in public. They should let it happen and when it does, then engage them.
It sounds good to me. Anytime a candidate, politician, or whoever, says, god this, or jesus that, they shouldn't be criticized for saying it in public.
It should be addressed, discussed, debated, in public.
Thoughts, opinions, comments?
Oh yeah, I forgot to say that you guys keep on putting out some awesome podcasts.
It's much appreciated. Keep up the good work.
Your podcast along with a handful of others I listen to help get me through my work week.
Thank you!
RedEx
I think I'm the only one who has read it, which is saying something since I'm probably the one who reads the least # of books in the Herd.
Opinion in a nutshell - agree with most of it, disagree with the idea of morality being objective, but I feel his definition of objective morality is different than mine.
I guess the warning about possible violence should have been taken a little more seriously.
Let's not forget to focus a little more anger against the perpetrators as opposed to the people who are being firebombed and threatened.
I completely understand why a person would think it's cowardly to back down when threatened, but when it's your life on the line it's a little more difficult to stand up to such threats.
Especially when you are dealing with the very real possibility of violence coming from the Islamic nutcases. They have proven themselves time and time again that they will threaten and act on the threats.
Sure the Catholics/Christians might threaten, but how often do they carry ouut their threats?
Not that often that I can tell.
The Christians have fatwah evny --I'm sure of it.
Philly, I haven't finished the book yet. But I agree that morality isn't objective. There might be some similarities across time and cultures, but there's no way that objectively speaking everyone thinks and thought that slavery, torture, etc. is moral or immoral.
The confusion and arguments come into play when you leave out things.
For example: At the time when slavery was practiced in this country, there are some people that thought it was moral. To them it was moral. To me it's not.
Just because I recognize that the people who approved of slavery at the time recognized it as moral doesn't mean that I think it was OK for them to do so.
It's moral relativism of a sort,yes.
But it's not an agreement with action. Recognizing that a particular person or culture or whatever thought it was moral at the time that action was done does not mean that you have to agree that it is moral to you.
That should be stated in debates and conversation more often.
Touché, Ex, that made me smile :)
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