On the List: As the Globe Spins
For more commentary on the Phoenix's coverage of the recent editorial changes at the Globe -- and what they might mean for the paper -- check out Keith Berman's contribution to the Media Diet mailing list.
Friday, July 20, 2001
From the Inbox: As the Globe Spins
Have you seen the amazing Dan Kennedy piece in this week's Phoenix about the changing of the editorial guard at the Globe? Wow -- very thorough stuff, though it's too bad that new editor Marty Baron didn't give him an interview. -- Scott Kirsner, July 20
You mean Goodbye to All That? I hadn't read it yet, actually. And, man oh man are you right: It is thorough. Dan Kennedy's one of the best writers at the Phoenix, and his work documenting the media and journalism scene in the Boston area is one of the things that makes the Phoenix a true alternative paper, despite its corporate organization (the Phoenix, WFNX-FM, Stuff@night, etc.).
I'm not too surprised that so many Globe-trotters are keeping mum. This is a big deal. And I won't be too surprised if the rounds of layoffs that we've seen recently are followed by an exodus of top-level editorial talent that didn't get the head editor nod. Kennedy's right, Baron needs to build bridges with some of these folks quickly; his arrival is indeed the end of an era at the Globe. It'll also be interesting to see what the outsider's arrival means in terms of the Globe's changing focus. The paper's had a rash of plagiarism charges and bad blood internally. It's dropping sections left and right these days. Will the paper continue to lose credibility and weight? Or will it step up and renew its search for excellence? -- Heath
Have you seen the amazing Dan Kennedy piece in this week's Phoenix about the changing of the editorial guard at the Globe? Wow -- very thorough stuff, though it's too bad that new editor Marty Baron didn't give him an interview. -- Scott Kirsner, July 20
You mean Goodbye to All That? I hadn't read it yet, actually. And, man oh man are you right: It is thorough. Dan Kennedy's one of the best writers at the Phoenix, and his work documenting the media and journalism scene in the Boston area is one of the things that makes the Phoenix a true alternative paper, despite its corporate organization (the Phoenix, WFNX-FM, Stuff@night, etc.).
I'm not too surprised that so many Globe-trotters are keeping mum. This is a big deal. And I won't be too surprised if the rounds of layoffs that we've seen recently are followed by an exodus of top-level editorial talent that didn't get the head editor nod. Kennedy's right, Baron needs to build bridges with some of these folks quickly; his arrival is indeed the end of an era at the Globe. It'll also be interesting to see what the outsider's arrival means in terms of the Globe's changing focus. The paper's had a rash of plagiarism charges and bad blood internally. It's dropping sections left and right these days. Will the paper continue to lose credibility and weight? Or will it step up and renew its search for excellence? -- Heath
Thursday, July 19, 2001
Meet the Meta-Community!
Web Crossing Inc. is holding a public online think tank called Return on Investment: Can Your Community Pay the Bills? through July 27, and so far, I am hella impressed with it. The people involved -- including Cliff Figallo, Jon Lebkowsky, Nancy White and other online community notables -- the ideas already being shared and discussed, and the whole feeling of the gathering energizes and inspires me like nothing else. If you have any interest at all in online communities, check it out.
While I'm on the topic of online communities, I'd like to tip hat to Craig Newmark, founder of Craig's List, which just last night won a Webby Award in the Community category. As a nominating judge in that category, I tried not to have any vested interests in the nominees, but I've got to say that I'm proud and pleased that Craig's pet project has been recognized so. Right on to someone I consider an inspiration, a colleague, and a friend.
Web Crossing Inc. is holding a public online think tank called Return on Investment: Can Your Community Pay the Bills? through July 27, and so far, I am hella impressed with it. The people involved -- including Cliff Figallo, Jon Lebkowsky, Nancy White and other online community notables -- the ideas already being shared and discussed, and the whole feeling of the gathering energizes and inspires me like nothing else. If you have any interest at all in online communities, check it out.
While I'm on the topic of online communities, I'd like to tip hat to Craig Newmark, founder of Craig's List, which just last night won a Webby Award in the Community category. As a nominating judge in that category, I tried not to have any vested interests in the nominees, but I've got to say that I'm proud and pleased that Craig's pet project has been recognized so. Right on to someone I consider an inspiration, a colleague, and a friend.
Tuesday, July 17, 2001
Shows of Note
In the spirit of Bill Graham, I'm now a show promoter. Friday night, Friday the 13th, natch, I organized a concert featuring three bands: The Tardy, Clare Burson, and Gloria Deluxe. And it was a blast. After a series of near disasters -- previously scheduled bands losing band members and promised venues falling through -- Handstand Command connected with the friendly and funky folks at the MIT Electronic Research Society. Every month, MITERS holds what they call SHOW+TELL potluck performance art parties. We collaborated to punctuate the usual technology demonstrations, mime performances, poetry readings, and other high art shenanigans with live music. Folks seemed to have fun. Now Kastle, my partner in crime for this, and I are thinking of organizing another show in a month or so. Woohoo!
In the spirit of Bill Graham, I'm now a show promoter. Friday night, Friday the 13th, natch, I organized a concert featuring three bands: The Tardy, Clare Burson, and Gloria Deluxe. And it was a blast. After a series of near disasters -- previously scheduled bands losing band members and promised venues falling through -- Handstand Command connected with the friendly and funky folks at the MIT Electronic Research Society. Every month, MITERS holds what they call SHOW+TELL potluck performance art parties. We collaborated to punctuate the usual technology demonstrations, mime performances, poetry readings, and other high art shenanigans with live music. Folks seemed to have fun. Now Kastle, my partner in crime for this, and I are thinking of organizing another show in a month or so. Woohoo!
Friday, July 13, 2001
Hanging out with Hicks
A friend of mine, Sander Hicks, publisher of Soft Skull Press was recently interviewed in Terra Spatial. Quoth Sander about the interview, "This might be one of the best interviews I've done, because it was in Ohio, and my mind had been feeling very isolated that morning, among the ultrarelativistic, postmodern anarchist youth of the Underground Publishing Conference, 3 weeks hence."
I think I know what Sander's talking about. Way back in 1994, I was a panelist at the first Underground Press Conference at DePaul University in Chicago. Events like the old UPC-ICE and the newer UPC tend to bring out the best and the worst of zinemaking -- and zinemakers. One relatively positive zine-related event I recently participated in was the Well's Inkwell discussion about zinemaking and blogs. In fact, the similarities between the two are what inspired me to start Media Diet as a blog.
A friend of mine, Sander Hicks, publisher of Soft Skull Press was recently interviewed in Terra Spatial. Quoth Sander about the interview, "This might be one of the best interviews I've done, because it was in Ohio, and my mind had been feeling very isolated that morning, among the ultrarelativistic, postmodern anarchist youth of the Underground Publishing Conference, 3 weeks hence."
I think I know what Sander's talking about. Way back in 1994, I was a panelist at the first Underground Press Conference at DePaul University in Chicago. Events like the old UPC-ICE and the newer UPC tend to bring out the best and the worst of zinemaking -- and zinemakers. One relatively positive zine-related event I recently participated in was the Well's Inkwell discussion about zinemaking and blogs. In fact, the similarities between the two are what inspired me to start Media Diet as a blog.
Thursday, July 12, 2001
Get on the List
There's now a new Media Diet mailing list for people who are interested in discussing items published here, as well as other sundry topics. If you'd like to join the conversation, sign up today.
There's now a new Media Diet mailing list for people who are interested in discussing items published here, as well as other sundry topics. If you'd like to join the conversation, sign up today.
From the Inbox
I stumbled across your blog when updating my own -- yours came up on the "recently updated" section and I recognized the name, but wasn't sure. Are you the same Heath Row who writes for Fast Company? -- Keith Berman, July 10
I am. Do we know each other? -- Heath
Unfortunately, no. I'm a former PR guy (don't worry, this isn't a pitch, this is strictly non-business) so I've seen your name around a lot as well as read your stuff in Fast Company, which I liked, and I've always found it interesting to see what writers are like off the clock, so it was great to see that you have a blog. Meeting and chatting with Scott Kirsner (I seriously doubt he remembers me with all the people he's met though) actually made me appreciate his columns and articles more.
How'd you hook up with your band? I'm looking for a band to sing with as well, though my style leans more towards alternative than punk, so if you have any suggestions of places to look (besides the Phoenix), I'd welcome suggestions. Thanks!
Huh. I've never started a band with anyone other than friends, so I don't know what advice I can offer. You might check out a couple of local mailing lists -- Newconcerts offers notices of local events, as well as other indie-pop news; and Blisscent is a new-ish list that concentrates on "dreampop and shoegazer projects." You might also flier in places that you think might be frequented by the kinds of folks you'd like to play with. Does anyone else have other advice? Share.
I stumbled across your blog when updating my own -- yours came up on the "recently updated" section and I recognized the name, but wasn't sure. Are you the same Heath Row who writes for Fast Company? -- Keith Berman, July 10
I am. Do we know each other? -- Heath
Unfortunately, no. I'm a former PR guy (don't worry, this isn't a pitch, this is strictly non-business) so I've seen your name around a lot as well as read your stuff in Fast Company, which I liked, and I've always found it interesting to see what writers are like off the clock, so it was great to see that you have a blog. Meeting and chatting with Scott Kirsner (I seriously doubt he remembers me with all the people he's met though) actually made me appreciate his columns and articles more.
How'd you hook up with your band? I'm looking for a band to sing with as well, though my style leans more towards alternative than punk, so if you have any suggestions of places to look (besides the Phoenix), I'd welcome suggestions. Thanks!
Huh. I've never started a band with anyone other than friends, so I don't know what advice I can offer. You might check out a couple of local mailing lists -- Newconcerts offers notices of local events, as well as other indie-pop news; and Blisscent is a new-ish list that concentrates on "dreampop and shoegazer projects." You might also flier in places that you think might be frequented by the kinds of folks you'd like to play with. Does anyone else have other advice? Share.
Spinning Discs on the Web
As I was researching record labels based in cities I'll be visiting on the Company of Friends Roadshow this fall, I stumbled across one of the most amazing Web resources I've seen for quite some time. Record Labels on the Web is a searchable database of record label Web sites. The labels are organized geographically as well as by genre, and it's quite the useful tool -- regardless of whether you're a music geek or some sort of strange traveler who likes stopping by record label offices while you're on the road. I'd be, well, both. Thanks to the developers, Rancid Amoeba. You guys rock.
As I was researching record labels based in cities I'll be visiting on the Company of Friends Roadshow this fall, I stumbled across one of the most amazing Web resources I've seen for quite some time. Record Labels on the Web is a searchable database of record label Web sites. The labels are organized geographically as well as by genre, and it's quite the useful tool -- regardless of whether you're a music geek or some sort of strange traveler who likes stopping by record label offices while you're on the road. I'd be, well, both. Thanks to the developers, Rancid Amoeba. You guys rock.
Wednesday, July 11, 2001
The Dirty Half Dozen
Last night's rain also gave me a rare chance to hole up at home and catch up on my reading pile. Here's a handful of reviews of some of the self-published comics that pile on my floor.
Love Letters for the President: Handwritten by area cartoonist Ben Jones in two narrative voices, this 16-page pamphlet contains 11 fictional letters exchanged by John Truman and his love Bess Oldheart. Dated in the late '20s, the letters share mundane details about the romantic wonders of correspondence, new stationery, farm life, tennis, marriage, and war. They also tell of the frustrations brought on by distance, familial meddling, and how little love letters can convey. Ben graces the bittersweet correspondence with computer graphics and hand drawings, which stretch his usual drawing style. Available through Million Year Picnic, 99 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA.
Spaceship on Earth 17: Drawn in a dense, almost claustrophobic style incorporating a surprisingly clean, spacious line, J.D. Durst's 16-page photocopied comic carries the "story of the day spaceships came to earth and of the effect they had on the rest of the planet." Dated 1999, the comic features a bald, bespectacled narrator who tells readers about changes in architecture, religion, art, and business. Pages 7 and 8's spread of Space Camp, a sprawling metropolis, is quite impressive, but the comic's concentration on commerce goes nowhere; the utopian hopes of the future are given short shrift. The comic ends with a two-page spread dominated by Marvel Comics-influenced killer robots and the title "Welcome to the Big Brick Shithouse." An odd mix of intention and inanity. Unfortunately, the email address in the comic no longer works; I have no contact information to offer.
Shelf Life: An impressive 24-page, half-legal, photocopied effort by Max Nordlie, this mini is a clever mix of roughly drawn comics, writing, and sketchbook pages. There are three main sections. The first, a five-page, 10-panel comic, features two men sitting on a brick wall and talking about love. The pacing and dialogue is excellent, and the punchline funny. Next there is a sloppy comic titled "Adventures in Weight Training" that concentrates on the embarassing horrors of gym class and lacrosse injuries. Lastly, "The Last Man on Earth." A lone man enters a burning city, procures a hand gun, and then wakes from a nap to a new, less satisfying reality. Impressive. Write to Max Nordlie at 1418 3rd St., Coronado, CA 92118 USA to see whether he's still up to his old tricks.
Cyril, the Little Dead Boy: If you grew up on Casper, the Friendly Ghost, and you're sick and tired of Jhonen Vasquez, Neumie's eight-page pocket comic will make you smile. The short story? A sad boy gets crushed by a falling bookshelf. The up side? Neumie's heavy pen and children's book exposition. Reminds me of Aaron Pikcilingis's contributions to the zine Karma Lapel. Email Neumie for more information about the ghost with the most.
Gator: Ben Jones is brilliant. Just when you think he's gone and drawn a comic with a Sharpie and then proceeded to phtocopy it double-sided accidentally so you can see the bleed, he throws in a one-panel Warp Zone that indicates he know exactly what he's doing. Gator is a new character, of the Alfie school. He's dressed like a motorcyclist, is an avid coffee drinker, writes and performs poetry, and is about to go on a very Hip Trip. This 22-page multicolored comic blends Ben's comics with his recent experiments in poetry and delivers quite a punch of attitude, humor, and neo-psychedelia. If there's a new underground underway, Ben holds a shovel. Available through Million Year Picnic, 99 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA.
Runoff: Tom Manning's well-printed 2000 comic is difficult to read. Actually, it's a relatively quick read, but it's a challenge to decipher. What I got out of Tom's darkly inked, shadowily drawn story is this: Near a rural, mountainout community anchored by highways, there are ghosts: cartoony, floating eraser-shaped apparitions; wispy, smoke-edged little girls; and vicious lycanthropes. The art is solidly impressive in its weight, and Tom's sense of humor lightens the dark mood several times. His Doonesbury-esque strip on pages 14-17 and the couch-bound exchange between Mort and his trucker friend are especially clever. I came across Tom's work late. I hope to encounter it again. Email Tom or visit his Web site for more information.
Last night's rain also gave me a rare chance to hole up at home and catch up on my reading pile. Here's a handful of reviews of some of the self-published comics that pile on my floor.
Love Letters for the President: Handwritten by area cartoonist Ben Jones in two narrative voices, this 16-page pamphlet contains 11 fictional letters exchanged by John Truman and his love Bess Oldheart. Dated in the late '20s, the letters share mundane details about the romantic wonders of correspondence, new stationery, farm life, tennis, marriage, and war. They also tell of the frustrations brought on by distance, familial meddling, and how little love letters can convey. Ben graces the bittersweet correspondence with computer graphics and hand drawings, which stretch his usual drawing style. Available through Million Year Picnic, 99 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA.
Spaceship on Earth 17: Drawn in a dense, almost claustrophobic style incorporating a surprisingly clean, spacious line, J.D. Durst's 16-page photocopied comic carries the "story of the day spaceships came to earth and of the effect they had on the rest of the planet." Dated 1999, the comic features a bald, bespectacled narrator who tells readers about changes in architecture, religion, art, and business. Pages 7 and 8's spread of Space Camp, a sprawling metropolis, is quite impressive, but the comic's concentration on commerce goes nowhere; the utopian hopes of the future are given short shrift. The comic ends with a two-page spread dominated by Marvel Comics-influenced killer robots and the title "Welcome to the Big Brick Shithouse." An odd mix of intention and inanity. Unfortunately, the email address in the comic no longer works; I have no contact information to offer.
Shelf Life: An impressive 24-page, half-legal, photocopied effort by Max Nordlie, this mini is a clever mix of roughly drawn comics, writing, and sketchbook pages. There are three main sections. The first, a five-page, 10-panel comic, features two men sitting on a brick wall and talking about love. The pacing and dialogue is excellent, and the punchline funny. Next there is a sloppy comic titled "Adventures in Weight Training" that concentrates on the embarassing horrors of gym class and lacrosse injuries. Lastly, "The Last Man on Earth." A lone man enters a burning city, procures a hand gun, and then wakes from a nap to a new, less satisfying reality. Impressive. Write to Max Nordlie at 1418 3rd St., Coronado, CA 92118 USA to see whether he's still up to his old tricks.
Cyril, the Little Dead Boy: If you grew up on Casper, the Friendly Ghost, and you're sick and tired of Jhonen Vasquez, Neumie's eight-page pocket comic will make you smile. The short story? A sad boy gets crushed by a falling bookshelf. The up side? Neumie's heavy pen and children's book exposition. Reminds me of Aaron Pikcilingis's contributions to the zine Karma Lapel. Email Neumie for more information about the ghost with the most.
Gator: Ben Jones is brilliant. Just when you think he's gone and drawn a comic with a Sharpie and then proceeded to phtocopy it double-sided accidentally so you can see the bleed, he throws in a one-panel Warp Zone that indicates he know exactly what he's doing. Gator is a new character, of the Alfie school. He's dressed like a motorcyclist, is an avid coffee drinker, writes and performs poetry, and is about to go on a very Hip Trip. This 22-page multicolored comic blends Ben's comics with his recent experiments in poetry and delivers quite a punch of attitude, humor, and neo-psychedelia. If there's a new underground underway, Ben holds a shovel. Available through Million Year Picnic, 99 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA.
Runoff: Tom Manning's well-printed 2000 comic is difficult to read. Actually, it's a relatively quick read, but it's a challenge to decipher. What I got out of Tom's darkly inked, shadowily drawn story is this: Near a rural, mountainout community anchored by highways, there are ghosts: cartoony, floating eraser-shaped apparitions; wispy, smoke-edged little girls; and vicious lycanthropes. The art is solidly impressive in its weight, and Tom's sense of humor lightens the dark mood several times. His Doonesbury-esque strip on pages 14-17 and the couch-bound exchange between Mort and his trucker friend are especially clever. I came across Tom's work late. I hope to encounter it again. Email Tom or visit his Web site for more information.
Mixed Drinks and Mingling II
Torrential rain kept me from making it to Boston Business Forward's launch party at Vox Populi. So I didn't get to meet any of the staff or rub elbows with the folks BBF listed in their "Next Network," 40 rising stars in the Boston business community. The publisher's letter in the first issue nods to the current economic challenges but contends that Boston "deserves a magazine of its own." We'll see how things develop!
Torrential rain kept me from making it to Boston Business Forward's launch party at Vox Populi. So I didn't get to meet any of the staff or rub elbows with the folks BBF listed in their "Next Network," 40 rising stars in the Boston business community. The publisher's letter in the first issue nods to the current economic challenges but contends that Boston "deserves a magazine of its own." We'll see how things develop!
Tuesday, July 10, 2001
Book, Line, and Sinker
This space has been blank for the past week because I was on vacation in northern Wisconsin. While visiting my parents, I picked up an issue of Musky Hunter magazine. It's based in St. Germaine, Wis., is published out of a building that contains a collection of muskellunge replicas, and is one of the neatest examples of enthusiast journalism I've seen for awhile. You see, the editors are fishing guides. They write instructional books and make instructional video tapes. Articles feature photos of the authors, editors, and their friends -- complete with fish. There's even a Readers' Photos section that compiles pictures of MH readers -- complete with fish they've caught. (But there's a disclaimer: "Please be patient -- due to the popularity of this section, it may take up to a year for your photos to appear." Isn't fishing all about patience?)
This space has been blank for the past week because I was on vacation in northern Wisconsin. While visiting my parents, I picked up an issue of Musky Hunter magazine. It's based in St. Germaine, Wis., is published out of a building that contains a collection of muskellunge replicas, and is one of the neatest examples of enthusiast journalism I've seen for awhile. You see, the editors are fishing guides. They write instructional books and make instructional video tapes. Articles feature photos of the authors, editors, and their friends -- complete with fish. There's even a Readers' Photos section that compiles pictures of MH readers -- complete with fish they've caught. (But there's a disclaimer: "Please be patient -- due to the popularity of this section, it may take up to a year for your photos to appear." Isn't fishing all about patience?)
Friday, June 29, 2001
Magazine Me
Yesterday was good day at the newsstand. Quite the quality haul. If you haven't already checked out these magazines, you might want to do so. And if you regularly read these, right on! These are a few of my favorite magazines.
Bark: With a tagline of "Dog is my co-pilot," you can't go wrong with this magazine "about life with dogs." Published in Berkeley, this is one of the best new magazines I've seen for awhile.
Eat: A bilingual magazine from Tokyo, Eat is a well-designed food magazine that's not just about food. The fourth issue -- "Body" -- focuses on "what food does to you." A wonderful discovery!
Tokion: Another favorite from Japan. Tokion's take on "unisex/uniage/universal widescreen culture" is always personal, humorous, and edgy. This issue concentrates on houses -- where people live and why.
Colors: Benetton's consistently fascinating multilingual mag blends Johnny-on-the-spot reportage with brilliant photography to capture the essence and experience of Choi Hung, a 43,000-resident estate in Hong Kong that's slated for demolition. Like Kowloon, this lost city should be remembered.
Yesterday was good day at the newsstand. Quite the quality haul. If you haven't already checked out these magazines, you might want to do so. And if you regularly read these, right on! These are a few of my favorite magazines.
Bark: With a tagline of "Dog is my co-pilot," you can't go wrong with this magazine "about life with dogs." Published in Berkeley, this is one of the best new magazines I've seen for awhile.
Eat: A bilingual magazine from Tokyo, Eat is a well-designed food magazine that's not just about food. The fourth issue -- "Body" -- focuses on "what food does to you." A wonderful discovery!
Tokion: Another favorite from Japan. Tokion's take on "unisex/uniage/universal widescreen culture" is always personal, humorous, and edgy. This issue concentrates on houses -- where people live and why.
Colors: Benetton's consistently fascinating multilingual mag blends Johnny-on-the-spot reportage with brilliant photography to capture the essence and experience of Choi Hung, a 43,000-resident estate in Hong Kong that's slated for demolition. Like Kowloon, this lost city should be remembered.
Mixed Drinks and Mingling
Spent much of last night bopping between two networking events -- the third Media Bistro party in Boston (held at Pravda 116 on the edge of the Common), and a free cocktail event held in honor of Martini & Rossi's 100th anniversary. The Media Bistro event attracted quite a crowd, swelling from 25 when it started to about 75, I'd guess. Met several folks recently laid off from Access Magazine and Aquent's old free agency magazine, 1099. Spotted some folks from Inc. and The Atlantic in the crowd, as well. The Martini & Rossi event was depressing. Free Manhattans, sure, but little else. So I headed back to the Bistro.
Thursday, June 28, 2001
Old Zines and Fanfriction
I've been involved in fanzines, minicomics, and independent music and other media since 1988. But I've never been able to comprehend the allure of media tie-in fandom. I can somewhat understand Trekkies because there's such a body of work and lore behind the multiple television series. But I recently acquired an item on Ebay that is on the outside of what I understand and appreciate in terms of DIY media, fandom, and other interests. What is it? It's a "Simon & Simon" fanfiction fanzine -- a fanzine that contains stories written by fans of -- and drawing on the plotlines of -- "Simon & Simon."
Double Play was published in the mid-'90s by Australia-based Clarke & Keating Ink, which also produced fanfiction zines about "Star Trek," "Blake's 7," and "Battlestar Galactica." I've tracked down one of the writers who contributed to the zine, and I hope to offer more information on this intriguing media artifact soon. If you have any leads, smuggle me the essentials.
Double Play was published in the mid-'90s by Australia-based Clarke & Keating Ink, which also produced fanfiction zines about "Star Trek," "Blake's 7," and "Battlestar Galactica." I've tracked down one of the writers who contributed to the zine, and I hope to offer more information on this intriguing media artifact soon. If you have any leads, smuggle me the essentials.
Beantown Bombshell
Ever wonder what you're neighborhood or city would look like if it got knocked by a 1-megaton fission bomb? Now you can find out. Thanks to the brainiacs at PBS, Joe and Jane Average can gauge the local impact of pressure damage and fallout using the Blast Mapper. Having just seen Damnation Alley this weekend, I was keen on seeing what would happen to the neighborhood I grew up in, my current apartment, and my office building. It wasn't pretty.
Somerville Superstars
Since 1999, I've sung in a punk-rock band called the Anchormen. The band is part of an arts collective called Handstand Command. And we're featured in this week's edition of the Somerville Journal! The Somerville Journal is published by the Community Newspaper Co., which is now owned by Herald Media Inc., publisher of the Boston Herald. CNC used to be owned by FMR Corp., parent of Fidelity Investments. I think this is as close as the Anchormen will ever get to corporate sponsorship.
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
From Pylon to the Prospect
Ate lunch at Artu today with Robin Hutson, the new publisher of the American Prospect. She moved to Boston from New York City after working at Lingua Franca, and even though she's only been here three months, she already has a lot of ideas on how to refresh the Prospect's look and feel, how to better engage new readers, and how the Prospect might be able to connect a community of like-minded political thinkers and activists around the country. Better yet, Robin's got a zine background. Growing up in Tennessee, she edited a straight-edge punk and hardcore fanzine called Pylon. Unfortunately, even Robin has no back issues available. For shame!
Kid-Lit Addiction
I'm addicted. Not to cigarettes. Not to love. But to the books of Lemony Snicket. For the last week, Snicket's fiction series "A Series of Unfortunate Events" is all I've been reading. On the train. Eating dinner at Charlie's Kitchen. At home. Late at night as the rain hits the windowpane. Last night I read two books in the series. This morning I started the sixth of seven. And you know what? I think this addiction is most fortunate. Most fortunate, indeed. I haven't devoured children's books like this since I was a kid, and I think the Baudelaire siblings kick the pants off Harry Potter. Snicket's sense of humor, respect for kids' smarts, Gorey-esque darkness, and pacing is impressive and inspiring.
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