Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Doing something

Starting a blog, thankfully, differs from beginning some fish-hooks and then switching to making a hat with some leaves from a tree and stopping to look for a spring and then a chicken, but no, better a goat. Each post means progress on the blog. People can learn about Coaccession here, post by post. Still, when you start a blog, you usually have no idea how far you'll go before you wrap it up. So, like the Old Sailor, I'm starting something that I'm not going to finish before rescue arrives.

Nonetheless, I trust the blog will shield me from the charge of doing nothing but bask on a shingle wrapped in a shawl until I'm saved. Perhaps it will even help me organize the system in spite of my inclinations.

We shall see. Here.

Now, with most profound apologies to A.A. Milne... and the reader:


The Old Inventor

There was an old inventor my patent lawyer knew
Who had so many things which he wanted to do
That, whenever he thought it was time to begin,
He couldn't because of the state he was in.

Inspired, he developed his method for weeks,
And he wanted a patent, and he wanted no leaks;
And he wanted some lawyers, without any hooks,
to counsel pro bono like you read of in books.

And, thinking of this, he remembered a thing
Which he wanted (for money) which is licensing;
And he thought that to talk to he'd look for, and keep
(If he found one) an employee whose thinking was deep.

Then, because of the looting, he wanted to start
A non-profit agency that would do its part
To help museums fund scientific expeditions,
Rescuing much knowledge from risky conditions.

He began on the patent, and when he'd begun
He quickly switched gears because he must run
A retail store raising funds from fossils and art,
With catalogs, photos -- one-click shopping carts.

He was making the cart with some software that's free,
When he thought, "I'm as scared as a body can be,
And I've nothing to cover my terrible risk;
So I'll look for insurance that won't stretch my fisc."

Then he thought as he started, "Oh, dear and oh, dear!
I'll be lonely tomorrow with nobody here!"
So he made in his note-book a couple of notes:
"I must first find some clerks" -- "Who aren't total dolts."

He had just found a lawyer (through Lawyers for Arts)
When he thought, "But I must have domains for the carts.
But websites need hosts, and developers too;
So I'd best sit right down and figure out who."

He began on a website, but thought as he worked,
That, without supervision his workers could shirk,
With experienced managers he'd have nothing to fear,
Whereas now clerks might spend all day drinking beer!

So he thought of his agency ... and he thought of his clerks,
And his website and cart... Oh, might managers shirk?
And the license (for his money) and the coverage (for his risk) ...
But he never could think which would most help his fisc.

And so in the end he did nothing at all,
But research the issues that might cause a fall.
And I think it was dreadful the way he did dither -
Paralyzed, he let opportunity wither!

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