Slam Dancing Sexercise II
Emily now says that Punk Rock Aerobics will also be featured on VH1 News tomorrow. That spot will run as part of the 8 a.m. newscast, as well as throughout the day, I gather. Just in case you missed it today.
Showing newest 55 of 137 posts from March 2002. Show older posts
Showing newest 55 of 137 posts from March 2002. Show older posts
Thursday, April 11, 2002
Metaphor Marketing and Marketing Metaphors
I just spent the last hour working through an interesting exercise with Tom Fishburne, a student at the Harvard Business School. He's part of a team working on a research project looking at readers' impressions of and experiences with Fast Company. One of the tools they're using is the Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET), a "patented research tool which allows people to understand their own thinking more fully and to share this thinking with researchers."
Basically, Tom asked me to pick five photographs or images from magazines and newspapers that remind me of the magazine and working here -- and relate to my thoughts and feelings about FC. We spent the hour talking about what made me pick the images I selected, what I thought the pictures communicated, and how the pictures fit into my experiences working for Fast Company -- and what we do as an organization (and in the magazine). He took the pictures and my initial notes on them with him -- at my prompting -- so I can't get into what I said or how I feel, but I thought it might be useful to share some ZMET-related resources.
Storytelling: A New Way to Get Close to Your Customer
Metaphor Marketing
La Di Da on ZMET
ZMET for Metaphor Marketing
Emerging Perspectives, Summer 2001
I've asked Tom to send me my pictures and notes when he's done with them. Perhaps I'll be able to share more upon my return.
I just spent the last hour working through an interesting exercise with Tom Fishburne, a student at the Harvard Business School. He's part of a team working on a research project looking at readers' impressions of and experiences with Fast Company. One of the tools they're using is the Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET), a "patented research tool which allows people to understand their own thinking more fully and to share this thinking with researchers."
Basically, Tom asked me to pick five photographs or images from magazines and newspapers that remind me of the magazine and working here -- and relate to my thoughts and feelings about FC. We spent the hour talking about what made me pick the images I selected, what I thought the pictures communicated, and how the pictures fit into my experiences working for Fast Company -- and what we do as an organization (and in the magazine). He took the pictures and my initial notes on them with him -- at my prompting -- so I can't get into what I said or how I feel, but I thought it might be useful to share some ZMET-related resources.
I've asked Tom to send me my pictures and notes when he's done with them. Perhaps I'll be able to share more upon my return.
'Tis the Season to Be... AWOL II
Tomorrow early, I head to Greensboro, North Carolina, for a Company of Friends event at Guilford College. Sunday, I fly back to Boston and then on to Italy, where I'll be speaking about and leading a workshop on sustainable community design at the Interaction Design Institute Ivrea.
According to my parents and the Overseas Security Advisory Council, the three major labor unions in Italy -- which claim 12 million members -- have called a general strike for April 16, the day of my panel discussion and workshop. Quoth the OSAC, "The eight-hour stoppage is expected in most Italian cities and could cause transportation delays." Good thing I arrive April 15 and depart April 18. Fingers crossed that I'll get in and out without a hitch!
Anyway, I said all that to say that chances are good I won't be online much for the next, um, week. While I hope to update Media Diet while traveling, if I don't, that doesn't mean that Media Diet is dead (long live Media Diet!). It just means that it's resting. I'll be back on the attack next Friday, April 19, for sure.
(And lest you wonder, my parents have no connection with the OSAC. They just look out for me.)
Tomorrow early, I head to Greensboro, North Carolina, for a Company of Friends event at Guilford College. Sunday, I fly back to Boston and then on to Italy, where I'll be speaking about and leading a workshop on sustainable community design at the Interaction Design Institute Ivrea.
According to my parents and the Overseas Security Advisory Council, the three major labor unions in Italy -- which claim 12 million members -- have called a general strike for April 16, the day of my panel discussion and workshop. Quoth the OSAC, "The eight-hour stoppage is expected in most Italian cities and could cause transportation delays." Good thing I arrive April 15 and depart April 18. Fingers crossed that I'll get in and out without a hitch!
Anyway, I said all that to say that chances are good I won't be online much for the next, um, week. While I hope to update Media Diet while traveling, if I don't, that doesn't mean that Media Diet is dead (long live Media Diet!). It just means that it's resting. I'll be back on the attack next Friday, April 19, for sure.
(And lest you wonder, my parents have no connection with the OSAC. They just look out for me.)
Slam Dancing Sexercise
My friend Emily informs me that Punk Rock Aerobics will be featured on VH1 News today. Several members of the Handstand Command collective will be featured as part of the clip, as well as a live supergroup of J. Mascis, Wharton Tiers, and Evan Dando. The spot is supposed to run all day, so check it out!
My friend Emily informs me that Punk Rock Aerobics will be featured on VH1 News today. Several members of the Handstand Command collective will be featured as part of the clip, as well as a live supergroup of J. Mascis, Wharton Tiers, and Evan Dando. The spot is supposed to run all day, so check it out!
Subway Soundtrack II
I listened to the following songs on the way to work today:
Digable Planets:
Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)
Cypress Hill:
Insane in the Membrane
Eminem:
The Real Slim Shady (Album Version)
Urban Dance Squad:
Deeper Shade of Soul
I listened to the following songs on the way to work today:
Digable Planets:
Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)
Cypress Hill:
Insane in the Membrane
Eminem:
The Real Slim Shady (Album Version)
Urban Dance Squad:
Deeper Shade of Soul
Wednesday, April 10, 2002
These Links Were Made for Breaking?
In a bit of disturbing news, it seems that a federal appeals court in California needs to reconsider a decision passed down in February that could set a dangerous precedent -- a decision that suggests that every single link on the Web is an infringement of copyright. A photographer sued Ditto for including images he'd put online in their search results -- as thumbnails linking to the photos he'd published on the Web. The court said that including the thumbnails was fair use -- but that Ditto could not link to the original images through the thumbnails.
Without links, what's the point of the Web? Go figure.
In a bit of disturbing news, it seems that a federal appeals court in California needs to reconsider a decision passed down in February that could set a dangerous precedent -- a decision that suggests that every single link on the Web is an infringement of copyright. A photographer sued Ditto for including images he'd put online in their search results -- as thumbnails linking to the photos he'd published on the Web. The court said that including the thumbnails was fair use -- but that Ditto could not link to the original images through the thumbnails.
Without links, what's the point of the Web? Go figure.
PR with a Purpose
Public relations executive Leigh Vogel was so impressed by the advertising savvy of the American Anti-Slavery Group in Boston that she decided to pitch in her skills to help further the global abolition cause. To date, she's enlisted Perry Farrell to travel to Sudan to play music, dance, and celebrate with 2,300 people rescued during a recent mission. She's also arranged for escaped slave Francis Bok to speak a music festival that attracted 40,000 people.
Public relations executive Leigh Vogel was so impressed by the advertising savvy of the American Anti-Slavery Group in Boston that she decided to pitch in her skills to help further the global abolition cause. To date, she's enlisted Perry Farrell to travel to Sudan to play music, dance, and celebrate with 2,300 people rescued during a recent mission. She's also arranged for escaped slave Francis Bok to speak a music festival that attracted 40,000 people.
One Man's Alternative Media Strategy III
Sander Hicks recently released a draft of his alternative media strategy. I responded. Today, the dialogue continues as Sander comments on my critique.
Well, we have the brewing of a classic anarchist-versus-socialist debate brewing here, but I'd like to address our differences as friends.
I made reference to the "fat cats" and you quoted me. That's the first question: Do you believe a class of fat cats exists? And if so, that a class of the rest of us exists under them?
I think your first major weakness is the quick summary of what the "Left" means to you. A fast cobbling together of some minor '60s figures, some of whom are now conservatives, is not what I call the "Left." For me, it's a grand red tradition that goes back to the French Revolution, or back farther to the Diggers. From there, up through Marx, the Abolitionists, the Soviet experiment, Civil Rights, the Anti-War Movement, etc. It's not a trend, a lifestyle, or the product of a bygone era. Today, it's ascendent, it's in the streets, and corporate globalization is going to get what it deserves. It's like this big poster this black lady had up at the protest against Bush's inauguration -- "Mr. President, the Movement is Back!"
I don't want to sound like I'm lecturing you or talking down to you, but you're making a classic anarchist blunder: Your privileged background helps you to ignore the centrality of class struggle. And this hurts your argument. God, that sounded anal. I mean, I come from an upper-middle-class background myself. Dad was a World Bank economist. But having been on the streets a little bit in the last 10 years, I have worked to rid myself of the outlook of my upbringing and sought to see the world with the masses. I mean, you and I know how strong capitalism is, and as two people who have, at times, bought into the Fast Company culture of progressive capitalism, we see how capitalism is powerful because it creates a worldview. I would argue that Fast Company-type mini-revolutions have been happening since the dawn of capitalism. That same energy is what started capitalism, and, thank God, gave it the gumption to beat feudalism and create something new.
But where is it going? And what does that worldview today really teach us? Well, first of all, it teaches you this cynicism, not to take the Left seriously, and to consign it to the dustbin of history, again and again, despite its presence. Even you don't seem to put much credence in the anarchist thinkers you hold up as alternatives: Zerzan, Bookchin. But what is the real lesson of capitalism? On its surface, there is a myth... and it does have some basis in reality... an interesting amount of zeal and excitement does run through a small business... the lesson I take from that is that we all should work at a job we love, a job we are inspired by, and pour our souls into. Everyone should have that, but it's not going to happen under this system. This system has proven that. Capitalism is based on exploiting people. A few are granted the privilege of believing in what they are doing; the rest can't believe this is happening to them.
Let me bring it down to concrete examples. I've been taking a break from the city and from Soft Skull out here in Long Island, writing sometimes, but working as a carpenter for money. In both companies I've worked for, the boss is always trying to dock your wages for petty reasons, keep your wages down when you start there, pay you as little as he can. Why? Because it's the easiest thing he can do to cut costs. They know I need the work, I don't really have an means to address grievances, I'm a floating non-union carpenter out here. What they don't know is that in my head, I'm putting the math together. This is what capitalism is, times a billion. It's bosses getting away with as much as possible and taking it out of labor, the real source of the value. We're the ones building the house, or spackling the interior, or outside 20 feet up in the air on a plank between two ladders, nailing cedar clapboard siding on. And they are the ones with a certain worldview that says -- this is human nature, it's everyone for himself, it's dog eat dog, let's do it to them before they do it to us.
So, your quick summary of the Left was sloppy. And I'm not sure you even really understand why class exploitation is wrong, or if you believe such a thing exists.
You are free to say that I, Heath Row, am not on the Left. But don't say it doesn't exist in history. And please don't slander a tradition I love.
Now then, here's something we agree on:
Deprofessionalize journalism
This sounds a lot like something said in this book I'm currently reading, "Something to Guard: The Stormy Life of the National Guardian 1948-1967." It's about guys who tried to start a left news weekly in NYC and keep it running through the crest of McCarthyism. They were in Europe for the Marshall Plan and saw a lot of socialists kept out of the reconstruction while the U.S. let a lot of deposed fascists come back into power. Back in the USA, the media and government were in cahoots to re-elect Truman, the bomber of mass Japanese civilians, on a platform that was Cold War defense contracting and business as usual.
One of the founding principles of the Guardian was that the profit motive didn't belong in media. It didn't serve the nature of the trade. What do you think about this? I notice you relegate the profit motive to underneath the need to "make sense of the world " and this I applaud. But what's the role of the profit motive in media?
Your solution right now seems incomplete. Micro-media projects? I'm sorry, but the world we live in is much bigger than that. We've got a class of fat cats fighting over the world resources with our blood, our labor. Who's going to stop it? Not a collective of indie rock bands or a zine. A workers revolution will. One that unites the Left, one that is dynamic, and has learned from its past.
Or, you suggest:
Smash the media state from inside
You see, we're after different goals. I want a better world than this, and I think it's possible. You, on the other hand, in effect are telling the world here, "It's OK. Work for Bertlesmann. Things aren't that bad! Everyone's doing it!"
Sorry, that sounded sarcastic, and I wanted to write this in a way that wasn't hurtful. But the sarcasm was meant to make a point. I hope the point is taken; it was not made with malice.
Offer viable parallel options
I like this, and I really like the idea of us appropriating the values (good design, editing) from them. We have more in common than I realize, perhaps.
All too often, I see indie media without values. Our values have to be better, not worse, than bourgeois capitalism. Some indie media/political kids don't get this. But you know what? They tend to be young, and they tend to be anarchist. Either the world knocks some sense into it like it did me, or they get out of indie media. Because this "anarchist" view of hermetic, sloppy media production itself doesn't serve the "market" for quality things people need.
On that note, what's up with your self-deprecating comments on the Anchormen? Don't you believe in the quality of that project? I mean, I for one put a song on a mix tape for a girl I had a hugehuge crush on. Not all songs you do are great, but there are moments of brilliance in that band. I think in this instance, your need to be clever, self-effacing, and smart got the better of you. It happened way too much in this piece. -- Sander Hicks
Sander Hicks recently released a draft of his alternative media strategy. I responded. Today, the dialogue continues as Sander comments on my critique.
Well, we have the brewing of a classic anarchist-versus-socialist debate brewing here, but I'd like to address our differences as friends.
I made reference to the "fat cats" and you quoted me. That's the first question: Do you believe a class of fat cats exists? And if so, that a class of the rest of us exists under them?
I think your first major weakness is the quick summary of what the "Left" means to you. A fast cobbling together of some minor '60s figures, some of whom are now conservatives, is not what I call the "Left." For me, it's a grand red tradition that goes back to the French Revolution, or back farther to the Diggers. From there, up through Marx, the Abolitionists, the Soviet experiment, Civil Rights, the Anti-War Movement, etc. It's not a trend, a lifestyle, or the product of a bygone era. Today, it's ascendent, it's in the streets, and corporate globalization is going to get what it deserves. It's like this big poster this black lady had up at the protest against Bush's inauguration -- "Mr. President, the Movement is Back!"
I don't want to sound like I'm lecturing you or talking down to you, but you're making a classic anarchist blunder: Your privileged background helps you to ignore the centrality of class struggle. And this hurts your argument. God, that sounded anal. I mean, I come from an upper-middle-class background myself. Dad was a World Bank economist. But having been on the streets a little bit in the last 10 years, I have worked to rid myself of the outlook of my upbringing and sought to see the world with the masses. I mean, you and I know how strong capitalism is, and as two people who have, at times, bought into the Fast Company culture of progressive capitalism, we see how capitalism is powerful because it creates a worldview. I would argue that Fast Company-type mini-revolutions have been happening since the dawn of capitalism. That same energy is what started capitalism, and, thank God, gave it the gumption to beat feudalism and create something new.
But where is it going? And what does that worldview today really teach us? Well, first of all, it teaches you this cynicism, not to take the Left seriously, and to consign it to the dustbin of history, again and again, despite its presence. Even you don't seem to put much credence in the anarchist thinkers you hold up as alternatives: Zerzan, Bookchin. But what is the real lesson of capitalism? On its surface, there is a myth... and it does have some basis in reality... an interesting amount of zeal and excitement does run through a small business... the lesson I take from that is that we all should work at a job we love, a job we are inspired by, and pour our souls into. Everyone should have that, but it's not going to happen under this system. This system has proven that. Capitalism is based on exploiting people. A few are granted the privilege of believing in what they are doing; the rest can't believe this is happening to them.
Let me bring it down to concrete examples. I've been taking a break from the city and from Soft Skull out here in Long Island, writing sometimes, but working as a carpenter for money. In both companies I've worked for, the boss is always trying to dock your wages for petty reasons, keep your wages down when you start there, pay you as little as he can. Why? Because it's the easiest thing he can do to cut costs. They know I need the work, I don't really have an means to address grievances, I'm a floating non-union carpenter out here. What they don't know is that in my head, I'm putting the math together. This is what capitalism is, times a billion. It's bosses getting away with as much as possible and taking it out of labor, the real source of the value. We're the ones building the house, or spackling the interior, or outside 20 feet up in the air on a plank between two ladders, nailing cedar clapboard siding on. And they are the ones with a certain worldview that says -- this is human nature, it's everyone for himself, it's dog eat dog, let's do it to them before they do it to us.
So, your quick summary of the Left was sloppy. And I'm not sure you even really understand why class exploitation is wrong, or if you believe such a thing exists.
You are free to say that I, Heath Row, am not on the Left. But don't say it doesn't exist in history. And please don't slander a tradition I love.
Now then, here's something we agree on:
Deprofessionalize journalism
This sounds a lot like something said in this book I'm currently reading, "Something to Guard: The Stormy Life of the National Guardian 1948-1967." It's about guys who tried to start a left news weekly in NYC and keep it running through the crest of McCarthyism. They were in Europe for the Marshall Plan and saw a lot of socialists kept out of the reconstruction while the U.S. let a lot of deposed fascists come back into power. Back in the USA, the media and government were in cahoots to re-elect Truman, the bomber of mass Japanese civilians, on a platform that was Cold War defense contracting and business as usual.
One of the founding principles of the Guardian was that the profit motive didn't belong in media. It didn't serve the nature of the trade. What do you think about this? I notice you relegate the profit motive to underneath the need to "make sense of the world " and this I applaud. But what's the role of the profit motive in media?
Your solution right now seems incomplete. Micro-media projects? I'm sorry, but the world we live in is much bigger than that. We've got a class of fat cats fighting over the world resources with our blood, our labor. Who's going to stop it? Not a collective of indie rock bands or a zine. A workers revolution will. One that unites the Left, one that is dynamic, and has learned from its past.
Or, you suggest:
Smash the media state from inside
You see, we're after different goals. I want a better world than this, and I think it's possible. You, on the other hand, in effect are telling the world here, "It's OK. Work for Bertlesmann. Things aren't that bad! Everyone's doing it!"
Sorry, that sounded sarcastic, and I wanted to write this in a way that wasn't hurtful. But the sarcasm was meant to make a point. I hope the point is taken; it was not made with malice.
Offer viable parallel options
I like this, and I really like the idea of us appropriating the values (good design, editing) from them. We have more in common than I realize, perhaps.
All too often, I see indie media without values. Our values have to be better, not worse, than bourgeois capitalism. Some indie media/political kids don't get this. But you know what? They tend to be young, and they tend to be anarchist. Either the world knocks some sense into it like it did me, or they get out of indie media. Because this "anarchist" view of hermetic, sloppy media production itself doesn't serve the "market" for quality things people need.
On that note, what's up with your self-deprecating comments on the Anchormen? Don't you believe in the quality of that project? I mean, I for one put a song on a mix tape for a girl I had a hugehuge crush on. Not all songs you do are great, but there are moments of brilliance in that band. I think in this instance, your need to be clever, self-effacing, and smart got the better of you. It happened way too much in this piece. -- Sander Hicks
Pieces, Particles II
The following media-related stories recently spotted in print publications -- and now online -- might be worth a look. Heads and decks, only. Heads and decks.
Adult Education, by Amy Sohn, New York, March 18, 2002
At a class on how to make a porn video, our writer picks up hints on camera angles and choreography. But try as she might, she still can't learn how to like it.
Bad Eggers! Bad Moody! Bad Sontag!, by Dennis Loy Johnson, AlterNet, March 18, 2002
A group of writers and 'zine publishers have formed a group hell-bent on harassing successful literary figures
But Who's Answering the Phone?, Economist, March 16, 2002
Technology gets into bed with the oldest profession
Copywrongs, by Wendy Kaminer, American Prospect, May 6, 2002
Film Business, by Todd Gitlin, American Prospect, March 25, 2002
French director Laurent Cantet revives the European art flick -- by filming men at work.
Forget the Books, by Cynthia Cotts, Village Voice, April 10, 2002
Secrets of Book Reviewing Revealed
Go Slow on Cross-Ownership, by Thomas Kunkel, American Journalism Review, March 2002
It would be bad news for news consumers.
Mechanical Prose, Economist, March 16, 2002
Journalists may become redundant. But not just yet
Novel Writing: America's Latest Extreme Sport, by Roger Gathman, Austin Chronicle, Nov. 30, 2001
The Essay Made Simple, by Dan Zevin, Rolling Stone, March 14, 2002
Geoff Cook reveals his secrets for a killer application
The World According to Lux, Economist, Dec. 22, 2001
How radio drama cheered up, and changed, America
Whatever Happened to the Sea Shanty?, by Robert Lloyd Webb, Maine Boats & Harbors, April/May 2002
The sea shanty is a sailor's work song. Without work, its value is difficult to appreciate.
When Boom Went Bust at the "Country Club", by Todd Woody, Columbia Journalism Review, January/February 2002
If you work for a magazine and would like to sign me up for a complimentary subscription, please feel free to do so. My address is in the grey bar over on the left.
The following media-related stories recently spotted in print publications -- and now online -- might be worth a look. Heads and decks, only. Heads and decks.
Adult Education, by Amy Sohn, New York, March 18, 2002
At a class on how to make a porn video, our writer picks up hints on camera angles and choreography. But try as she might, she still can't learn how to like it.
Bad Eggers! Bad Moody! Bad Sontag!, by Dennis Loy Johnson, AlterNet, March 18, 2002
A group of writers and 'zine publishers have formed a group hell-bent on harassing successful literary figures
But Who's Answering the Phone?, Economist, March 16, 2002
Technology gets into bed with the oldest profession
Copywrongs, by Wendy Kaminer, American Prospect, May 6, 2002
Film Business, by Todd Gitlin, American Prospect, March 25, 2002
French director Laurent Cantet revives the European art flick -- by filming men at work.
Forget the Books, by Cynthia Cotts, Village Voice, April 10, 2002
Secrets of Book Reviewing Revealed
Go Slow on Cross-Ownership, by Thomas Kunkel, American Journalism Review, March 2002
It would be bad news for news consumers.
Mechanical Prose, Economist, March 16, 2002
Journalists may become redundant. But not just yet
Novel Writing: America's Latest Extreme Sport, by Roger Gathman, Austin Chronicle, Nov. 30, 2001
The Essay Made Simple, by Dan Zevin, Rolling Stone, March 14, 2002
Geoff Cook reveals his secrets for a killer application
The World According to Lux, Economist, Dec. 22, 2001
How radio drama cheered up, and changed, America
Whatever Happened to the Sea Shanty?, by Robert Lloyd Webb, Maine Boats & Harbors, April/May 2002
The sea shanty is a sailor's work song. Without work, its value is difficult to appreciate.
When Boom Went Bust at the "Country Club", by Todd Woody, Columbia Journalism Review, January/February 2002
If you work for a magazine and would like to sign me up for a complimentary subscription, please feel free to do so. My address is in the grey bar over on the left.
The Days of Whiners and Posers
Here's a fine how do you do: Salon reports that employees of the Vault, a Web service established to encourage employees of other companies to vent about their employers, colleagues, and workplaces also use the Vault itself to air dirty laundry and voice opinions about the state of the organization and its team. While the Vault was built on anonymity and free speech, I'm surprised by how puerile some of the Vault employees' comments are. Constructive criticism it isn't. Say, is that the hand that feeds me? Bite!
The Salon piece goes on to detail the Vault's emergent practice of editing and deleting potentially libelous or tangentially chatty posts. Vaulties responded by establishing an alternative discussion space for team members. While the Vault wasn't as visible as Fucked Company, it's definitely a more solid business -- complete with a staff, a board of directors, hefty overhead, and the trappings of a standard startup. Maybe that was its mistake: dishing dirt about business might not make the most stable business plan.
Additional company comment sites:
Cool Avenues (Consultancies, primarily)
Disgruntled (RIP, it seems)
Epinions (Mostly products and services)
Insider Trade (Full disclosure: An FC joint)
The Motley Fool (Alphabetical stock-related discussions)
Additional coverage:
An Internet "Bounty" to Silence Premier Laser's Harshest Critic?
Companies Go After Anonymous Net Critics
Fighting Over Free Speech
Legal Tips for Your "Sucks" Site
Online Message Boards Bedevil Companies
Here's a fine how do you do: Salon reports that employees of the Vault, a Web service established to encourage employees of other companies to vent about their employers, colleagues, and workplaces also use the Vault itself to air dirty laundry and voice opinions about the state of the organization and its team. While the Vault was built on anonymity and free speech, I'm surprised by how puerile some of the Vault employees' comments are. Constructive criticism it isn't. Say, is that the hand that feeds me? Bite!
The Salon piece goes on to detail the Vault's emergent practice of editing and deleting potentially libelous or tangentially chatty posts. Vaulties responded by establishing an alternative discussion space for team members. While the Vault wasn't as visible as Fucked Company, it's definitely a more solid business -- complete with a staff, a board of directors, hefty overhead, and the trappings of a standard startup. Maybe that was its mistake: dishing dirt about business might not make the most stable business plan.
Additional company comment sites:
Additional coverage:
The Restaurant I Ate at Last Night II
As thanks for serving as my box hostel for, gosh, I don't even know how long, I took Anni and Jonathan -- and Alex -- out for dinner last night at Cuchi Cuchi on Central Square. The decor is amazingly stylish yet comfortable, the cocktails and mixed drinks (especially the Dirty Little Secret) are to die for, and the food -- while a tad on the pricy side -- is absolutely delicious and extremely well presented. Cuchi Cuchi is a relatively upscale tapas restaurant, providing a nice addition to Dali and Tapeo.
What did we eat? A lot. Yet, given the small plates, not that much! On our menu: Duck shank, garlic shrimp, red curry shrimp, mashed potatoes, asparagus, risotto, trout, and... come on memory. Something else besides the wonderful crusty bread and duck pate. Whatever. Remember: Cuchi Cuchi is a bit expensive. But not too expensive. And it's not that formal, although you can dress up as much as you want. Cuchi Cuchi is well worth checking out, even if just for a semi-special event such as, say, Buddha's birthday, which was Monday. Happy birthday, Buddha!
As thanks for serving as my box hostel for, gosh, I don't even know how long, I took Anni and Jonathan -- and Alex -- out for dinner last night at Cuchi Cuchi on Central Square. The decor is amazingly stylish yet comfortable, the cocktails and mixed drinks (especially the Dirty Little Secret) are to die for, and the food -- while a tad on the pricy side -- is absolutely delicious and extremely well presented. Cuchi Cuchi is a relatively upscale tapas restaurant, providing a nice addition to Dali and Tapeo.
What did we eat? A lot. Yet, given the small plates, not that much! On our menu: Duck shank, garlic shrimp, red curry shrimp, mashed potatoes, asparagus, risotto, trout, and... come on memory. Something else besides the wonderful crusty bread and duck pate. Whatever. Remember: Cuchi Cuchi is a bit expensive. But not too expensive. And it's not that formal, although you can dress up as much as you want. Cuchi Cuchi is well worth checking out, even if just for a semi-special event such as, say, Buddha's birthday, which was Monday. Happy birthday, Buddha!
Temp Rave
I learned about This Is Not My Desk via the Utne Web Watch, but it seems that proprietor Christopher Livingston also has a Cardhouse hook up. Small world, indeed! This next bit is for Chris' eyes only:
"Hi! I am on Cardhouse!" their wave tells me.
"Hello! I am also on Cardhouse!" I wave back.
"I see that you are on Cardhouse, and I am communicating that fact with my hand and arm!" they reply.
OK; the rest of you can start reading again.
Chris' blog is a solid personal and work-oriented resource, particularly people involved or interested in temporary employment. Chris takes a silly look at how often he thinks about sex, mourns not being able to commute to work by ferry any more, offers some Web sites people can check out for a diversion while at work, and makes fun of the cliched interview article format. He also provides guides to some of the more prevalent workplace denizens -- the receptionist, the office assistant -- reviews of work-related Web sites, movies, and books; and hosts a discussion board.
One diversion he offers, and then I'm out of here. The Carlos Work Nickname Generator calculates what co-workers call you behind your back. Typing in my first and last name, I learn that I am called "the boy." Actually, people call me Dr. Row -- ask me not why -- but I like the sound of Carlos' nickname. The boy. The boy. Yup!
I learned about This Is Not My Desk via the Utne Web Watch, but it seems that proprietor Christopher Livingston also has a Cardhouse hook up. Small world, indeed! This next bit is for Chris' eyes only:
"Hi! I am on Cardhouse!" their wave tells me.
"Hello! I am also on Cardhouse!" I wave back.
"I see that you are on Cardhouse, and I am communicating that fact with my hand and arm!" they reply.
OK; the rest of you can start reading again.
Chris' blog is a solid personal and work-oriented resource, particularly people involved or interested in temporary employment. Chris takes a silly look at how often he thinks about sex, mourns not being able to commute to work by ferry any more, offers some Web sites people can check out for a diversion while at work, and makes fun of the cliched interview article format. He also provides guides to some of the more prevalent workplace denizens -- the receptionist, the office assistant -- reviews of work-related Web sites, movies, and books; and hosts a discussion board.
One diversion he offers, and then I'm out of here. The Carlos Work Nickname Generator calculates what co-workers call you behind your back. Typing in my first and last name, I learn that I am called "the boy." Actually, people call me Dr. Row -- ask me not why -- but I like the sound of Carlos' nickname. The boy. The boy. Yup!
Subway Soundtrack
Thanks to my new iPod and Dave's generosity, I listened to the following songs on the way to work today:
Killing Joke:
Eighties, Love Like Blood
Psychedelic Furs:
Love My Way
Simple Minds:
Don't You (Forget About Me)
Thanks to my new iPod and Dave's generosity, I listened to the following songs on the way to work today:
Killing Joke:
Eighties, Love Like Blood
Psychedelic Furs:
Love My Way
Simple Minds:
Don't You (Forget About Me)
Tuesday, April 09, 2002
Comic Strips and Controversy
Running in step with the anti-Ted Rall camp, students at Purdue University, my father's alma mater, recently protested an editorial cartoon by Pat Oliphant, claiming that Oliphant's comic shows "blatant ignorance of minority groups." In InstaPundit, Glenn Reynolds shares that he's not overly sympathetic to the Oliphant backlash -- and that that might be because he's been desensitized by Rall.
While I don't think people's responses to the Oliphant comic have anything to do with whether they're been exposed to Rall, I'm torn here just as I'm torn when considering whether Heeb is an offensive name for a magazine. I'm not Jewish, and I'm not black. So I'm coming at this from a sympathetic but not totally empathetic perspective. I think it's less about whether Rall defenders flock to the sides of Oliphant in the name of free speech -- and more about just what it is that Oliphant's saying in the comic strip.
Is he saying that reparations to black people in terms of rights and opportunities have been paid in full? That black people are petty because they -- if there is a "they" here -- push for cash money as well as rights and opportunities? That white guilt leads people to sway too far while interacting with underserved and underpriveleged minorities? That Lincoln was a racist who used semantics to throw bones at the freed slaves instead of truly making up for their ill treatment for centuries? It seems to me that Oliphant is criticizing whites as well as blacks in this comic.
***
Punchline without a set up: "Pat Oliphant never forgets."
Running in step with the anti-Ted Rall camp, students at Purdue University, my father's alma mater, recently protested an editorial cartoon by Pat Oliphant, claiming that Oliphant's comic shows "blatant ignorance of minority groups." In InstaPundit, Glenn Reynolds shares that he's not overly sympathetic to the Oliphant backlash -- and that that might be because he's been desensitized by Rall.
While I don't think people's responses to the Oliphant comic have anything to do with whether they're been exposed to Rall, I'm torn here just as I'm torn when considering whether Heeb is an offensive name for a magazine. I'm not Jewish, and I'm not black. So I'm coming at this from a sympathetic but not totally empathetic perspective. I think it's less about whether Rall defenders flock to the sides of Oliphant in the name of free speech -- and more about just what it is that Oliphant's saying in the comic strip.
Is he saying that reparations to black people in terms of rights and opportunities have been paid in full? That black people are petty because they -- if there is a "they" here -- push for cash money as well as rights and opportunities? That white guilt leads people to sway too far while interacting with underserved and underpriveleged minorities? That Lincoln was a racist who used semantics to throw bones at the freed slaves instead of truly making up for their ill treatment for centuries? It seems to me that Oliphant is criticizing whites as well as blacks in this comic.
Punchline without a set up: "Pat Oliphant never forgets."
Happy Birthday to Media Dieticians II
Matt celebrated his 32nd birthday April 7.
My sister turns 32 today.
Happy birthday, Matt and Becky!
Matt celebrated his 32nd birthday April 7.
My sister turns 32 today.
Happy birthday, Matt and Becky!
Mention Me! VI
Susan Kaup name dropped Media Diet in her blog last month.
She's also helping to organize a Boston Bloggers Gathering on April 22. That should be a hoot and a half.
Susan Kaup name dropped Media Diet in her blog last month.
She's also helping to organize a Boston Bloggers Gathering on April 22. That should be a hoot and a half.
Non Compliance
Former Somerville resident and area comics creator and designer Jordan Crane is in town for several days this week to celebrate the release of the fifth edition of his awe-inspiring comics anthology Non. There was a signing last night at the Picnic featuring Jordan, Megan Kelso, Greg Cook, Paul Lyons, P. Shaw, and Tom Devlin, and then a bunch of us -- including most of the Picnic staff -- repaired to Shay's for an evening of food, folks, fun... and many fizzy beverages. We closed the place, which probably wasn't the wisest move given that it was a Monday.
Limited to a run of 2,000 copies, Non has received exceptional reviews to date, including rankings in Time Magazine's best of 2001 list and the Village Voice's 25 favorite books of 2001. And it's a doozy. Featuring a silk-screened dust jacket, Non #5 includes several books, a couple of which are housed in a cardboard recess that's part of the dust jacket. About a fourth of the print run is gone, and Jordan's order backlog -- it takes forever to collate the thing -- is so big that he's not even taking orders any more. So check your local comics retailer.
I'll be sure to review it in an upcoming Media Diet entry.
Former Somerville resident and area comics creator and designer Jordan Crane is in town for several days this week to celebrate the release of the fifth edition of his awe-inspiring comics anthology Non. There was a signing last night at the Picnic featuring Jordan, Megan Kelso, Greg Cook, Paul Lyons, P. Shaw, and Tom Devlin, and then a bunch of us -- including most of the Picnic staff -- repaired to Shay's for an evening of food, folks, fun... and many fizzy beverages. We closed the place, which probably wasn't the wisest move given that it was a Monday.
Limited to a run of 2,000 copies, Non has received exceptional reviews to date, including rankings in Time Magazine's best of 2001 list and the Village Voice's 25 favorite books of 2001. And it's a doozy. Featuring a silk-screened dust jacket, Non #5 includes several books, a couple of which are housed in a cardboard recess that's part of the dust jacket. About a fourth of the print run is gone, and Jordan's order backlog -- it takes forever to collate the thing -- is so big that he's not even taking orders any more. So check your local comics retailer.
I'll be sure to review it in an upcoming Media Diet entry.
Workaday World
A magazine writing class from Emerson College came by Fast Company today for a tour of our office and some insight on how we do what we do in terms of writing and editing stories, producing the magazine, and so forth. Their instructor, Susannah Ketchum, is the spitting image of Meg Ryan. I had a fun hour-long session with the class, and I like to think that the folks in the class did, too.
This entry is dedicated to them.
A magazine writing class from Emerson College came by Fast Company today for a tour of our office and some insight on how we do what we do in terms of writing and editing stories, producing the magazine, and so forth. Their instructor, Susannah Ketchum, is the spitting image of Meg Ryan. I had a fun hour-long session with the class, and I like to think that the folks in the class did, too.
This entry is dedicated to them.
Things to Keep in Mind
Yesterday, Evan commented on a statement by B-May, saying that "there is virtually no personal grooming activity that should be done in public." I was struck by the irony of catching up with Ev's blog moments after cleaning the wax out of my ears with two brand-new Johnson's Cotton Swabs. I ran out of 'em at home late last week, and, oh, was I thrilled to pick more up this noon at CVS. Don't worry, I looked both ways to make sure no one at work could see me cleaning my ears. I'm even a little skeeved out that I'm even telling you this. Still, to paraphrase the Descendents, "Clean ears mean a lot."
Yesterday, Evan commented on a statement by B-May, saying that "there is virtually no personal grooming activity that should be done in public." I was struck by the irony of catching up with Ev's blog moments after cleaning the wax out of my ears with two brand-new Johnson's Cotton Swabs. I ran out of 'em at home late last week, and, oh, was I thrilled to pick more up this noon at CVS. Don't worry, I looked both ways to make sure no one at work could see me cleaning my ears. I'm even a little skeeved out that I'm even telling you this. Still, to paraphrase the Descendents, "Clean ears mean a lot."
Technofetishism IV
Today I had the most wonderful consumer electronics design experience I have ever had. My new iPod came in the mail today. From opening the package to plugging in the firewire, the iPod is a delicious design experience. The unit itself is beautiful, although surprisingly heavy, and I was surprised and delighted by the packaging as well. The iPod's sturdy clam-shell box comes in a slip sleeve sporting an image of Bob Marley. And once you slide the box out of the sleeve and open the clam shall, there are little flaps you have to lift out toward the edges to access the items placed in the box's indented spaces. Even the one empty space is filled with a silver cardboard tuck.
I've been a little slow to jump on the iPod, and I'm feeling even slower now. I didn't splurge the extra $100 to get 10 MB instead of 5 MB (I can't imagine I'll need more than 1,000 songs with me at any one time.), and I didn't even think to check whether my PowerBook G3 was outfitted with firewire before I placed the order (It's not, natch. And d'ohh!). But David's setting me up with a starter mix as we speak, so to speak, and I'm highly excited to put the little earbuds in my ears and start listening to some tuneage soon, soon.
Kudos, Apple, for the iPod. It's beautiful.
Today I had the most wonderful consumer electronics design experience I have ever had. My new iPod came in the mail today. From opening the package to plugging in the firewire, the iPod is a delicious design experience. The unit itself is beautiful, although surprisingly heavy, and I was surprised and delighted by the packaging as well. The iPod's sturdy clam-shell box comes in a slip sleeve sporting an image of Bob Marley. And once you slide the box out of the sleeve and open the clam shall, there are little flaps you have to lift out toward the edges to access the items placed in the box's indented spaces. Even the one empty space is filled with a silver cardboard tuck.
I've been a little slow to jump on the iPod, and I'm feeling even slower now. I didn't splurge the extra $100 to get 10 MB instead of 5 MB (I can't imagine I'll need more than 1,000 songs with me at any one time.), and I didn't even think to check whether my PowerBook G3 was outfitted with firewire before I placed the order (It's not, natch. And d'ohh!). But David's setting me up with a starter mix as we speak, so to speak, and I'm highly excited to put the little earbuds in my ears and start listening to some tuneage soon, soon.
Kudos, Apple, for the iPod. It's beautiful.
Monday, April 08, 2002
Blogging About Blogging XVIII
I'm going to slide under the deadline wire with this entry. On March 30, I was informed what blog I was to review as part of the Peer-to-Peer Review Project, and I'm just now getting to even looking at the thing. The deadline is today. From the P2P Review site: "The idea of this project is to let bloggers review other bloggers in a huge ring. The goal is to introduce more bloggers to each other's sites and hopefully end up with a nice library of reviews." Not a bad idea, but I've been a bad reviewer. First a bad nominating judge for the Webbies, and now this. Luckily, with the time change yesterday, all of the clocks at work are messed up -- phone: 4:44 p.m., laptop: 5:59 p.m. -- so I can fit this into the slipstream.
Onward.
Matt Classic: A Paperback Diary
First of all, don't be fooled by Matt Classic's primary URL. It's merely a well-designed, slightly emo-looking placeholder that serves as a gateway to the real deal. This is the page you'd bookmark if you visited Matt's blog frequently. Unfortunately, however, my first impression is mixed. While the overall design is impressive -- nice black background, well-placed photographs, and a slightly indie rock-inspired design aesthetic (including Matt's somewhat standard-issue though artistic emo-boy portrait), the currency and frequency of Matt Classic is doubtful.
Matt's blog sports all of seven entries, one from February, and six from March (both from this year, to his credit!). There's been no update since March 25, and the average length of time between entries is about five days -- worth a weekly visit if you visit at all. (By my bad-math calculations, Matt's due for another update, well, about eight days ago.) Even if Matt Classic's not strong on currency or frequency, he's on the ball in terms of brevity, and were Matt Classic updated frequently, readers would be in for bite-sized slices of life (i.e. March 8's paraphrased transcript with a kid who's listening to Piebald, on Aderol, and not too keen on the government) , indie-rock commentary (Matt seems to be in a band in the Boston area and posts links to songs by several bands, including Strike Anywhere and Brandston), shouts out to friends, concerns about his emotional and psychological health, recent attempts to exercise regularly, and school life.
While the blog itself isn't that interesting or inspiring -- I'm not sure I'd return after I finish this review -- the story behind Matt and the blog is slightly interesting. And that's the beauty of the Web -- despite what's on a Web page, there are people behind those pages, and there's always more than meets the eye. For example, my informed guess -- parsing the URL, natch -- is that Matt's band is Model Kit, a four-piece power-pop band based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Formerly Carpet Patrol, (street slang for "crack smokers searching the floor for crack," according to the government) the band's been around in various incarnations for about six years. They'll be playing May 5 at the Au Bon Pain in Harvard Square (That's the first show I have a chance of making, so I'm going to check them out.). There are several photos of Matt and the old Carpet Patrol available on the Tony and Pals site, so the band seems to be held in somewhat high esteem, ranking placement with area bands such as Drexel and Big D and the Kids' Table. The band also rates several mentions in Just Another Scene and other area punk-rock Web sites.
Matt also refers to his girlfriend Kat and how she's even less mindful in updating her blog than Matt is with his. (Representing the stereotypical zine and blog self-referential concern with how long its been between issues or entries! In the zine world, such commentary is more intrusive, but given Matt's sporadic posting, it's pretty appropriate in the context of his blog.) I'm unable to find any references to Kat's blog, so I'm not able to piece together just who and where they are, but poking around the little I have, it's clear that Matt lives in the Boston area -- an hour away, he says (or if I'm misinterpreting, he lives here and Kat lives in Providence or somewhere else that's also an hour away -- but why would he spring for a weekend at a hotel in Boston, then?) -- is active in the area punk scene -- which means he should check out my band the Anchormen -- and is still in college. But Matt's blog doesn't make for an overly personal or informative look into his life, and given its lack of frequency or depth, I'm not even sure whether he's doing the blog for himself, his friends, or fans of Model Kit. Because even if you know Matt, there's not much here.
But I'm going to give Matt the benefit of the doubt. The blog is all of two months old, and despite Matt's infrequent updates, he's involved in enough -- the Boston area, college, the punk-rock scene, a relationship -- to make for an interesting Web site. All Matt Classic needs is some focus, some direction, and -- most importantly -- some attention.
I'm going to slide under the deadline wire with this entry. On March 30, I was informed what blog I was to review as part of the Peer-to-Peer Review Project, and I'm just now getting to even looking at the thing. The deadline is today. From the P2P Review site: "The idea of this project is to let bloggers review other bloggers in a huge ring. The goal is to introduce more bloggers to each other's sites and hopefully end up with a nice library of reviews." Not a bad idea, but I've been a bad reviewer. First a bad nominating judge for the Webbies, and now this. Luckily, with the time change yesterday, all of the clocks at work are messed up -- phone: 4:44 p.m., laptop: 5:59 p.m. -- so I can fit this into the slipstream.
Onward.
Matt Classic: A Paperback Diary
First of all, don't be fooled by Matt Classic's primary URL. It's merely a well-designed, slightly emo-looking placeholder that serves as a gateway to the real deal. This is the page you'd bookmark if you visited Matt's blog frequently. Unfortunately, however, my first impression is mixed. While the overall design is impressive -- nice black background, well-placed photographs, and a slightly indie rock-inspired design aesthetic (including Matt's somewhat standard-issue though artistic emo-boy portrait), the currency and frequency of Matt Classic is doubtful.
Matt's blog sports all of seven entries, one from February, and six from March (both from this year, to his credit!). There's been no update since March 25, and the average length of time between entries is about five days -- worth a weekly visit if you visit at all. (By my bad-math calculations, Matt's due for another update, well, about eight days ago.) Even if Matt Classic's not strong on currency or frequency, he's on the ball in terms of brevity, and were Matt Classic updated frequently, readers would be in for bite-sized slices of life (i.e. March 8's paraphrased transcript with a kid who's listening to Piebald, on Aderol, and not too keen on the government) , indie-rock commentary (Matt seems to be in a band in the Boston area and posts links to songs by several bands, including Strike Anywhere and Brandston), shouts out to friends, concerns about his emotional and psychological health, recent attempts to exercise regularly, and school life.
While the blog itself isn't that interesting or inspiring -- I'm not sure I'd return after I finish this review -- the story behind Matt and the blog is slightly interesting. And that's the beauty of the Web -- despite what's on a Web page, there are people behind those pages, and there's always more than meets the eye. For example, my informed guess -- parsing the URL, natch -- is that Matt's band is Model Kit, a four-piece power-pop band based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Formerly Carpet Patrol, (street slang for "crack smokers searching the floor for crack," according to the government) the band's been around in various incarnations for about six years. They'll be playing May 5 at the Au Bon Pain in Harvard Square (That's the first show I have a chance of making, so I'm going to check them out.). There are several photos of Matt and the old Carpet Patrol available on the Tony and Pals site, so the band seems to be held in somewhat high esteem, ranking placement with area bands such as Drexel and Big D and the Kids' Table. The band also rates several mentions in Just Another Scene and other area punk-rock Web sites.
Matt also refers to his girlfriend Kat and how she's even less mindful in updating her blog than Matt is with his. (Representing the stereotypical zine and blog self-referential concern with how long its been between issues or entries! In the zine world, such commentary is more intrusive, but given Matt's sporadic posting, it's pretty appropriate in the context of his blog.) I'm unable to find any references to Kat's blog, so I'm not able to piece together just who and where they are, but poking around the little I have, it's clear that Matt lives in the Boston area -- an hour away, he says (or if I'm misinterpreting, he lives here and Kat lives in Providence or somewhere else that's also an hour away -- but why would he spring for a weekend at a hotel in Boston, then?) -- is active in the area punk scene -- which means he should check out my band the Anchormen -- and is still in college. But Matt's blog doesn't make for an overly personal or informative look into his life, and given its lack of frequency or depth, I'm not even sure whether he's doing the blog for himself, his friends, or fans of Model Kit. Because even if you know Matt, there's not much here.
But I'm going to give Matt the benefit of the doubt. The blog is all of two months old, and despite Matt's infrequent updates, he's involved in enough -- the Boston area, college, the punk-rock scene, a relationship -- to make for an interesting Web site. All Matt Classic needs is some focus, some direction, and -- most importantly -- some attention.
Among the Literati III
The Underground Literary Alliance, spearheaded by creative contrarian Karl Wenclas, recently launched a discussion forum to accompany its Web site. The ULA's self-described "fan site" features ULA-related news, protests and actions, various manifestos and essays, and other information. While not as spunky -- or as necessary to visit daily -- as MobyLives, it's still a good look at the anti-literati activities of this cabal of creative writers.
The Underground Literary Alliance, spearheaded by creative contrarian Karl Wenclas, recently launched a discussion forum to accompany its Web site. The ULA's self-described "fan site" features ULA-related news, protests and actions, various manifestos and essays, and other information. While not as spunky -- or as necessary to visit daily -- as MobyLives, it's still a good look at the anti-literati activities of this cabal of creative writers.
It's an Ad, Ad, Ad, Ad World VII
It's a two-fer! Ed Murray and John Ellis detail the evils of pop-under Webvertisements in recent days. While Ellis offers a couple of ad-blocking software tools, Murray impresses by offering a whole bunch. The gauntlet has been thrown. Who wants to run the gantlet next?
It's a two-fer! Ed Murray and John Ellis detail the evils of pop-under Webvertisements in recent days. While Ellis offers a couple of ad-blocking software tools, Murray impresses by offering a whole bunch. The gauntlet has been thrown. Who wants to run the gantlet next?
The Movie I Watched Last Night XVI
Friday: Y Su Mama Tambien
Another midlife crisis-like movie, compare this to American Beauty. Two teenage Mexican boys face the absence of their girlfriends for the first time. A beautiful Spanish woman faces the absence of her philandering husband, who's away at an academic conference. The three team up for an off-the-cuff weekend adventure to a beach called "Heaven's Mouth," a beach the boys thought they'd made up to lure the woman on a road trip. Along the way, friendships are tested, sexual identity is questioned, and all three rediscover their freedom and sensuality. The movie's not as racy as reviews have made it out to be, but for the big screen, I guess it is just outside of what isn't racy. The soundtrack is awesome, despite some awkward sound edits to accommodate the voiceover. And the humor inherent in this story of sexual awakening and rediscovery is welcome. Despite some beautiful seaside shots, the movie might not warrant a viewing in the theater. But it's definitely worth renting. Especially with a lover or partner.
Friday: Y Su Mama Tambien
Another midlife crisis-like movie, compare this to American Beauty. Two teenage Mexican boys face the absence of their girlfriends for the first time. A beautiful Spanish woman faces the absence of her philandering husband, who's away at an academic conference. The three team up for an off-the-cuff weekend adventure to a beach called "Heaven's Mouth," a beach the boys thought they'd made up to lure the woman on a road trip. Along the way, friendships are tested, sexual identity is questioned, and all three rediscover their freedom and sensuality. The movie's not as racy as reviews have made it out to be, but for the big screen, I guess it is just outside of what isn't racy. The soundtrack is awesome, despite some awkward sound edits to accommodate the voiceover. And the humor inherent in this story of sexual awakening and rediscovery is welcome. Despite some beautiful seaside shots, the movie might not warrant a viewing in the theater. But it's definitely worth renting. Especially with a lover or partner.
From the In Box: ASCIImation
File this under What's Old Is New Again:
Aw man, they watered this down so much. Hardcore people used to watch this on telnet. For the especially geeky people out there, I made this page just now in case you don't know telnet. Just check it out on a Windows PC. -- Joe Szilagyi
File this under What's Old Is New Again:
Aw man, they watered this down so much. Hardcore people used to watch this on telnet. For the especially geeky people out there, I made this page just now in case you don't know telnet. Just check it out on a Windows PC. -- Joe Szilagyi
Magazine Me IX
A recent feature on SF Gate takes a look at mainstream women's magazines such as Elle, Harper's Bazaar, and Vogue, discussing their general lack of content, recent attempts to return to the glamourous fashion-mag days of yore, and several reader participation-driven reinvention efforts. The piece also describes and rates the magazines' audience, tone, content, and fashion and celebrity focus.
There are some weird anomalies in the roundup. Why was Lucky -- which is arguably not as much of a traditional women's magazine as the others considered -- included while Glamour was excluded? How did SF Gate label these "women's magazines," when books such as Good Housekeeping, Family Circle, and the other survivors of the seven sisters have also been tagged with that descriptor?
A recent feature on SF Gate takes a look at mainstream women's magazines such as Elle, Harper's Bazaar, and Vogue, discussing their general lack of content, recent attempts to return to the glamourous fashion-mag days of yore, and several reader participation-driven reinvention efforts. The piece also describes and rates the magazines' audience, tone, content, and fashion and celebrity focus.
There are some weird anomalies in the roundup. Why was Lucky -- which is arguably not as much of a traditional women's magazine as the others considered -- included while Glamour was excluded? How did SF Gate label these "women's magazines," when books such as Good Housekeeping, Family Circle, and the other survivors of the seven sisters have also been tagged with that descriptor?
From the In Box: Clip-Art Comics
The Get Your ____ On stuff is a parody/homage to Rees. I even put in a disclaimer at the bottom of each page to make extra-sure nobody thought it was his stuff. Just out of courtesy. -- Jim Treacher
***
When you mention in your blog: "A Media Dietician recently suggested that Treacher's work is a parody of Rees' work," is what I wrote what you're referring to? All I meant was that "Get Your Gore On" is a satire of "Get Your War On." Although, as Treacher himself points out, it perhaps could be more accurately called a parody, or evidence of Nyquil abuse. Whatever you want to call them, they're both great.
Actually, I'm curious what you think--how well do you think a "Get Your War On" book would age, both in terms of style and substance? -- Tom Hopkins
I'll have to noodle on that. What do others think? Discuss.
The Get Your ____ On stuff is a parody/homage to Rees. I even put in a disclaimer at the bottom of each page to make extra-sure nobody thought it was his stuff. Just out of courtesy. -- Jim Treacher
When you mention in your blog: "A Media Dietician recently suggested that Treacher's work is a parody of Rees' work," is what I wrote what you're referring to? All I meant was that "Get Your Gore On" is a satire of "Get Your War On." Although, as Treacher himself points out, it perhaps could be more accurately called a parody, or evidence of Nyquil abuse. Whatever you want to call them, they're both great.
Actually, I'm curious what you think--how well do you think a "Get Your War On" book would age, both in terms of style and substance? -- Tom Hopkins
I'll have to noodle on that. What do others think? Discuss.
From the In Box: Anchormen, Aweigh! V
I've got some bad news from White Collar Crime: The tour is cancelled. At 4 a.m. [Friday] morning after our first gig in Baltimore, our van caught fire. It had run out of gas, and there's a complex process for getting it started again that went horribly awry. The flames spread quickly, and the entire van was burnt out. No one was hurt, but we lost some equipment, books, CDs, and almost all 2,000 copies of the new White Collar Crime newspaper.
Sorry to all the fine people who helped us put together shows for April 2002.
We'll be back, and we hope to see you then. We will return, a bit smarter, a bit older.
Thanks for being there, and sorry we won't see each other. We were really looking forward to it. After the tears, the pain, the loss, and the haunting, sour smell of smoke, there is hope. -- Sander Hicks
I've got some bad news from White Collar Crime: The tour is cancelled. At 4 a.m. [Friday] morning after our first gig in Baltimore, our van caught fire. It had run out of gas, and there's a complex process for getting it started again that went horribly awry. The flames spread quickly, and the entire van was burnt out. No one was hurt, but we lost some equipment, books, CDs, and almost all 2,000 copies of the new White Collar Crime newspaper.
Sorry to all the fine people who helped us put together shows for April 2002.
We'll be back, and we hope to see you then. We will return, a bit smarter, a bit older.
Thanks for being there, and sorry we won't see each other. We were really looking forward to it. After the tears, the pain, the loss, and the haunting, sour smell of smoke, there is hope. -- Sander Hicks
ASCIImation
Like Star Wars? Like ASCII art? You'll love this New Zealand production of Star Wars, an animated version done entirely in ASCII. Wonderful!
Like Star Wars? Like ASCII art? You'll love this New Zealand production of Star Wars, an animated version done entirely in ASCII. Wonderful!
Friday, April 05, 2002
From the In Box: Join the Comics Club
Just wanted to thank you for your thoughts on comics "clubs" and outreach efforts. Those are super relevant to some discussions I'm having in the hip-hop journalism world. Apparently, these ideas cut across indie media. Any success stories in other areas of indie media (punk, zines, etc.) that could carry over into comics, hip-hop, etc.? -- Clint Schaff
Just wanted to thank you for your thoughts on comics "clubs" and outreach efforts. Those are super relevant to some discussions I'm having in the hip-hop journalism world. Apparently, these ideas cut across indie media. Any success stories in other areas of indie media (punk, zines, etc.) that could carry over into comics, hip-hop, etc.? -- Clint Schaff
Roger, Wilco
Media Dietician Clint Schaff recently sent me the URL for an interview with Ken Waagner, Web designer and chief digital strategist for the band Wilco. The interview explores and expands on Wilco's online promotion of its forthcoming record, concerns with P2P music sharing, the dangers of the RIAA, and the future potential of using the Net to connect musicians and their fans. The conversation is a solid look at the role technology and grassroots media production can play in promoting and distributing mainstream media.
Media Dietician Clint Schaff recently sent me the URL for an interview with Ken Waagner, Web designer and chief digital strategist for the band Wilco. The interview explores and expands on Wilco's online promotion of its forthcoming record, concerns with P2P music sharing, the dangers of the RIAA, and the future potential of using the Net to connect musicians and their fans. The conversation is a solid look at the role technology and grassroots media production can play in promoting and distributing mainstream media.
From the In Box: Anchormen, Aweigh! V
Van caught fire last night in Baltimore. No injuries. Boston show cancelled. Thanks for trying.
"Burned all my notebooks.
What good are notebooks?
They don't help me survive.
My chest is aching,
burns like a furnace.
This burning keeps me alive."
-- David Byrne.
I'm pissed but this isn't the worst I've been through.
I haven't quite given up yet, either. I haven't slept save for a few hours crammed in the back of a rented Chevrolet, and I'm wavering between throwing in the towel and asking around about borrowing a minivan from someone. -- Sander Hicks
Van caught fire last night in Baltimore. No injuries. Boston show cancelled. Thanks for trying.
"Burned all my notebooks.
What good are notebooks?
They don't help me survive.
My chest is aching,
burns like a furnace.
This burning keeps me alive."
-- David Byrne.
I'm pissed but this isn't the worst I've been through.
I haven't quite given up yet, either. I haven't slept save for a few hours crammed in the back of a rented Chevrolet, and I'm wavering between throwing in the towel and asking around about borrowing a minivan from someone. -- Sander Hicks
Clip-Art Comics
If you've enjoy Jim Treacher's Clip-Art Nonsense, I've found some other Web-based clip-art cartoonists. David Rees, mastermind behind the scarily hilarious My New Fighting Technique Is Unstoppable has a bunch of his Fighting Technique, Filing Technique, and Get Your War On strips online. A Media Dietician recently suggested that Treacher's work is a parody of Rees' work. I'm not so sure. Also in a similar vein are the silly Floating Henry Rollins Head Haiku strips.
Any other examples of clip-art comics?
If you've enjoy Jim Treacher's Clip-Art Nonsense, I've found some other Web-based clip-art cartoonists. David Rees, mastermind behind the scarily hilarious My New Fighting Technique Is Unstoppable has a bunch of his Fighting Technique, Filing Technique, and Get Your War On strips online. A Media Dietician recently suggested that Treacher's work is a parody of Rees' work. I'm not so sure. Also in a similar vein are the silly Floating Henry Rollins Head Haiku strips.
Any other examples of clip-art comics?
Mapping the Net
Whenever someone visits the ThreeRing Web Mapping Project, the site determines your IP address, confirms your geographic location based on said IP, and adds a dot to a map of the world. The result is an impressionistic image of the Webbed world. Pretty neat.
Thanks to Metafilter.
Whenever someone visits the ThreeRing Web Mapping Project, the site determines your IP address, confirms your geographic location based on said IP, and adds a dot to a map of the world. The result is an impressionistic image of the Webbed world. Pretty neat.
Thanks to Metafilter.
Technofetishism III
I received an email today promoting Applied Wireless's ring tone and cell phone logo service. Going to their site to poke around and perhaps buy a new ring tone -- something friends of mine do frequently in Scandinavia but I'm not that aware of in the U.S. -- I wasn't that impressed, so I poked around for other ring tone providers.
That led me to MIDI Ring Tones. Thanks to them, when my phone rings, I now hear Green Day's "Basket Case." Woot! Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, MIDI Ring Tones has only been around since January 2002, but they have a wide range of available ring tones in various musical genres. They're currently working on polyphonic ring tones, which will include drum and bass sounds -- and eventually sound more like real music. And, "in addition to paying all licensing fees required by music industry organizations, MIDI Ring Tones also pays the ring tone artists, the artists who transfer popular songs into MIDI files which can then be downloaded into cell phones."
Pretty cool stuff. Download a new ring tone to your cell phone today! "Basket Case" only cost me $1.50.
I received an email today promoting Applied Wireless's ring tone and cell phone logo service. Going to their site to poke around and perhaps buy a new ring tone -- something friends of mine do frequently in Scandinavia but I'm not that aware of in the U.S. -- I wasn't that impressed, so I poked around for other ring tone providers.
That led me to MIDI Ring Tones. Thanks to them, when my phone rings, I now hear Green Day's "Basket Case." Woot! Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, MIDI Ring Tones has only been around since January 2002, but they have a wide range of available ring tones in various musical genres. They're currently working on polyphonic ring tones, which will include drum and bass sounds -- and eventually sound more like real music. And, "in addition to paying all licensing fees required by music industry organizations, MIDI Ring Tones also pays the ring tone artists, the artists who transfer popular songs into MIDI files which can then be downloaded into cell phones."
Pretty cool stuff. Download a new ring tone to your cell phone today! "Basket Case" only cost me $1.50.
The Movie I Watched Last Night XV
Thursday: The Mummy
Not the newer version starring the beefcake Brendan Fraser, but the 1932 atmospheric Universal horror film starring Boris Karloff as the brought-back-to-life Imhotep and Ardath Bey. Zita Johann beautifully portrays the heroine Helen Grosvenor, and the scenes in which she gains consciousness as Princess Anckesen-Amon while under Imhotep's spell -- the movie largely details Ardath Bey's attempts to reunite with the princess, his long-lost love -- are especially effective. The movie's slow pacing, dramatic lighting, and subtle humor speak to Universal's skill at establishing suspense, and while the movie isn't particularly shocking, it does maintain a mood of tension and tautness quite well.
Thursday: The Mummy
Not the newer version starring the beefcake Brendan Fraser, but the 1932 atmospheric Universal horror film starring Boris Karloff as the brought-back-to-life Imhotep and Ardath Bey. Zita Johann beautifully portrays the heroine Helen Grosvenor, and the scenes in which she gains consciousness as Princess Anckesen-Amon while under Imhotep's spell -- the movie largely details Ardath Bey's attempts to reunite with the princess, his long-lost love -- are especially effective. The movie's slow pacing, dramatic lighting, and subtle humor speak to Universal's skill at establishing suspense, and while the movie isn't particularly shocking, it does maintain a mood of tension and tautness quite well.
Books Going Bankrupt II
A followup report from Top Shelf:
What a difference a day makes. On Tuesday morning at 8 a.m., April 3, Top Shelf was effectively put out of business, and on Tuesday evening by 8 p.m., April 3, Top Shelf was remarkably back in business. There are not words suitable to express how honored and thankful we are that within 12 hours this amazing comics community took it upon itself to bring us back to life. And in this case, it might also be said that the power of the Internet was fully realized.
On Tuesday, after we made the announcement of our book trade distributor filing for Chapter 11 (and the subsequent fatal impact that this had on our own operation), we received over 200 phone orders and 850 online and email orders to boot. This staggering 1,000 orders has not only made us operational again (and put several thousand copies of our graphic novels into circulation), but has also reaffirmed to us that the comics industry is back, revitalized, and ready to take on the world. We're even estimating that over 100,000 people received the news or were personally involved in the discussion of this online event on that day.
With this overwhelming support, combined with the (now contradictory) fact that Top Shelf has always prided itself that every order would ship out the very next day, we ask for your patience in letting us get all of these graphic novels, comics, and CDs to you. We hope to have everything shipped out within the next few weeks. In the meantime, if all this activity has made you curious about our books, we would encourage you to ask for them at your local retailer, so that everyone along the chain, retailers and distributors alike, can also benefit from this spur of interest. And while this interest in diversity is at the forefront of everyone's mind, we encourage you to continue in the exploration and discussion of comics from all the publishers doing quality work these days: DC Comics, Marvel, Dark Horse, Image, CrossGen, Viz, Fantagraphics, Slave Labor, Oni Press, NBM, Drawn & Quarterly, Cartoon Books, Alternative Comics, Highwater Books, the publishers we represent (like Eddie Campbell Comics, etc.), and all the rest (that we apologize for not having the space to mention by name today).
If we've learned anything over these last seven years -- and witnessed it absolutely this week -- we're all in this together. And the growth and development of this amazing medium is in the most capable hands possible: the fans of this industry.
We'd also like to take a moment to give a special thank you to a few extraordinary people and organizations:
Warren Ellis and the Warren Ellis Forum. We've always known that the Warren Ellis Forum was a formidable entity, dedicated to the discussion and support of quality comics all over the industry, but their mobilization in this instance was unprecedented. We can't absolutely determine what percentage of all the orders were from this distinguished group, but our estimation is that it was significant. We cannot thank Warren or the supporters of his forum enough.
CrossGen Comics. Mark Alessi and the CrossGen staff collectively bought $5,000 worth of graphic novels and will donate them to the public library system. This completely novel and generous gesture not only helped to keep us going (in a big way), but also promises to expose hundreds of people and libraries to what comics can bring to the world of art and literature. This stunned us, and is a testament to CrossGen's contribution to our industry.
Rick Veitch and Matt Brady of ComicCon.com's Splash and Newsarama pages. Their amazing coverage, online discussions, and links for this event spurred on an uncountable array of support from the industry.
Neil Gaiman. Neil took it upon himself to discuss our situation within his daily online journal, which just happens to be the most visited daily journal on the Web. And since he's been known to have a fan or two (including us), we've been getting a nice bit of support from there as well.
And no less amazing than that of the above, the collective efforts of the crews at ArtBomb, Sequential Tart, Comic Book Resources, Comic Book Galaxy, ICv2, Gray Haven magazine, PopImage, Shotgun Reviews, the members of the Brian Michael Bendis message board, etc., who all rallied their subscribers, who in turn proudly stated that they had come from one of these very active sites.
And lastly, but never least, the comics retailing and distributing community. They are the front line of our industry, and behind the scenes they have always been the ones that have kept the independent publisher alive. The show of support from this community has not only been amazing on this particular day, but has always been there from the first moment we entered the business. They have been the group that has supported us the most.
Again, we want to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts -- we could not have done it without you. Top Shelf will continue to try and put out the best books possible, and we look forward to not only thanking each an every one of you personally at the cons this summer, but also being able to now make some rather cool announcements in the coming weeks that should be fun and beneficial for the entire industry as well. -- Chris Staros
A followup report from Top Shelf:
What a difference a day makes. On Tuesday morning at 8 a.m., April 3, Top Shelf was effectively put out of business, and on Tuesday evening by 8 p.m., April 3, Top Shelf was remarkably back in business. There are not words suitable to express how honored and thankful we are that within 12 hours this amazing comics community took it upon itself to bring us back to life. And in this case, it might also be said that the power of the Internet was fully realized.
On Tuesday, after we made the announcement of our book trade distributor filing for Chapter 11 (and the subsequent fatal impact that this had on our own operation), we received over 200 phone orders and 850 online and email orders to boot. This staggering 1,000 orders has not only made us operational again (and put several thousand copies of our graphic novels into circulation), but has also reaffirmed to us that the comics industry is back, revitalized, and ready to take on the world. We're even estimating that over 100,000 people received the news or were personally involved in the discussion of this online event on that day.
With this overwhelming support, combined with the (now contradictory) fact that Top Shelf has always prided itself that every order would ship out the very next day, we ask for your patience in letting us get all of these graphic novels, comics, and CDs to you. We hope to have everything shipped out within the next few weeks. In the meantime, if all this activity has made you curious about our books, we would encourage you to ask for them at your local retailer, so that everyone along the chain, retailers and distributors alike, can also benefit from this spur of interest. And while this interest in diversity is at the forefront of everyone's mind, we encourage you to continue in the exploration and discussion of comics from all the publishers doing quality work these days: DC Comics, Marvel, Dark Horse, Image, CrossGen, Viz, Fantagraphics, Slave Labor, Oni Press, NBM, Drawn & Quarterly, Cartoon Books, Alternative Comics, Highwater Books, the publishers we represent (like Eddie Campbell Comics, etc.), and all the rest (that we apologize for not having the space to mention by name today).
If we've learned anything over these last seven years -- and witnessed it absolutely this week -- we're all in this together. And the growth and development of this amazing medium is in the most capable hands possible: the fans of this industry.
We'd also like to take a moment to give a special thank you to a few extraordinary people and organizations:
Again, we want to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts -- we could not have done it without you. Top Shelf will continue to try and put out the best books possible, and we look forward to not only thanking each an every one of you personally at the cons this summer, but also being able to now make some rather cool announcements in the coming weeks that should be fun and beneficial for the entire industry as well. -- Chris Staros
Thursday, April 04, 2002
Anchormen, Aweigh! V
I'm in a bit of a pinch. And perhaps you can help.
The Anchormen had arranged a show at the Midway in Jamaica Plain this Sunday with the out-of-town bands White Collar Crime and the Ergs. Now it seems that the Midway has double-booked several other bands to play there Sunday, there are no Midway listings for Sunday night in the Phoenix, and I'm unable to get in touch with the Midway's booking agent on the phone to reconfirm that we, indeed, have a show Sunday.
If it were just the Anks, I wouldn't mind, but White Collar Crime is on tour, and if the show is a no go, they'll have nothing to in Boston other than be frustrated. So. If you know of any venues that could host a show featuring a wonderfully dramatic political pop band on super-late notice, let me know -- I'd sure like to scramble and arrange a back-up plan for this gig.
You can read a review of White Collar Crime's CD "Their Laws Are Dimwit Greed" in the Jan. 22, 2002, edition of Media Diet.
I'm in a bit of a pinch. And perhaps you can help.
The Anchormen had arranged a show at the Midway in Jamaica Plain this Sunday with the out-of-town bands White Collar Crime and the Ergs. Now it seems that the Midway has double-booked several other bands to play there Sunday, there are no Midway listings for Sunday night in the Phoenix, and I'm unable to get in touch with the Midway's booking agent on the phone to reconfirm that we, indeed, have a show Sunday.
If it were just the Anks, I wouldn't mind, but White Collar Crime is on tour, and if the show is a no go, they'll have nothing to in Boston other than be frustrated. So. If you know of any venues that could host a show featuring a wonderfully dramatic political pop band on super-late notice, let me know -- I'd sure like to scramble and arrange a back-up plan for this gig.
You can read a review of White Collar Crime's CD "Their Laws Are Dimwit Greed" in the Jan. 22, 2002, edition of Media Diet.
Sketches from Spain
My friend Tom recently returned from Spain, where he spent Holy Week with his girlfriend. He's published some sketches he made in Spain in his blog Tom Hop Dot. They are absolutely beautiful, extremely colorful, and well worth a look see.
My friend Tom recently returned from Spain, where he spent Holy Week with his girlfriend. He's published some sketches he made in Spain in his blog Tom Hop Dot. They are absolutely beautiful, extremely colorful, and well worth a look see.
From the In Box: Music to My Ears VI
I read your review and would like to discuss it with you a little. I have a sense that you relate to this music from a slant such that you do not have a large interest in how traditional western instruments (I don't mean electric guitars) are and have been used in the 20th or 21st century -- and that your main interests are literature and more electronically produced sounds. I also have a sense that your text and context for black music is possibly narrow or more mainstream. I say this because you are obviously aware of Keith Jarret and Ahmad Jahmal but possibly unaware of Paul Bley and Lowell Davidson.
This could be important because it could bring you past the veneer, the mannerism or style, and tune you into the subtleties or perhaps the source. In this case with regard to this music (not just my music) there is less of an emphasis on "symbol" and "matrix" and more of an emphasis on the subtle reactions of human timing. This is a sort of ensemble technique that is extremely human and, much like any human relationship, took my ensemble years to work out.
My main interest in this area of music is rhythm. Rhythm is still the unexplored territory in music. Very little was written for percussion until the 20th century. In black music (This is more of an umbrella term that would include jazz. I'm not referring to African music here.), the trap set is an extremely advanced instrument in that it requires independence of all four limbs and is not particularly popular among American children learning music but obviously plays a powerful and major role in popular music. Not all rhythms exist in a state of thesis or anacrusis. In the masses of complexity that embroider the rhythms of the world's music, so many of these beats or pulses occur in other places.
In literature I'm sure you must engage in some discussion of form, structure, and content. I gather you do not make these connections to music.
I am still considered young in the field of music at age 38, but Laurence Cook, I believe, is 62 years of age, and I feel you do not know very much about him. So here is some information.
About Laurence Cook: Laurence Cook studied painting at the Museum School of Fine Arts in Boston and later learned to play piano, vibraphone, and drums. He has been a major figure in the jazz avant-garde since the 1960s on 22 recordings, including "Revenge" and "Dual Unity" with Paul Bley; "Skillfullnes" with Alan Silva, "Ritti" with Joe Morris; "Fuzzagainst Junk" from the Vision 1997 Festival with Thurston Moore; "Triplet" and "Fire in the Valley" with Jemeel Moondoc; "Divine Mad Love" with Sabir Mateen; and "November 1981," "Thoughts," and "Son of Sisyphus" with Bill Dixon. He has worked with Sam Rivers, Alan Silva, the Brecker Brothers, Robin Kenyatta, Mark Whitecage, and Barre Phillips, among many others.
A paraphrase: "The older jazz is like representational painting where you paint a portrait of a person or a thing. That's playing on a song and its chords. The new music is like modern painting, action painting. You concern yourself with the surface of the canvas, the brushstrokes, the texture of the paint, the total two-dimensional surface, concern myself with the way the drum stick strikes the cymbal, the surface of the drum heads."
How you managed to say so little about Laurence Cook -- who is one of my mentors -- is beyond me and leads me to believe that you have very little connection to the text of this art form and, as a result, I sense a lack of propriety in your comments.
I feel a bit ridiculous because I am not trying to attack you and yet I feel I am by default. No one has yet been willing to review the CD, and I assume that if you didn't like it you wouldn't have reviewed it at all. So the fact that it is on your "media diet" means that you want people to listen to it. Music is really all I have so I feel I am slighting myself in my response to your review. My studio is always open. Anybody can come and listen to something from my collection or perhaps Rob Chalfen's collection as well.
Just so there's no misunderstanding, let me expand on something I wrote above. I use the term "black music" as an umbrella term. It does not refer to color as much as culture. Though my interests are the avant-garde (whatever that means) this term would cover a wide range of music: gospel, spirituals, field hollers, jazz (really a bad term), R&B, soul, rap, hip-hop, rock (what people do in the black church), etc.
One has to beg the question: What is black music? What is white music?
I live in a neighborhood with about five black churches. If you want to know what I mean, come to a service at one of them. You will find some white people in the congregation who are totally enamoured of the sublteties involved in singing from this perspective, but, of course, Cambridge is not like Boston.
It's more of a matter of cultural perspective than color. Paul Bley happens to be a white player. If it were just color, then I suppose Anita O'Day would be white music and Jesse Norman would be Black music. The whole issue of black culture in music is not very fashionable at present. It almost explains segregation in the music scene. Most of the Boston improv people seem to reject these ideas in favor of what they might call "classical sensibilites" or just free improv. Of course, because we all know what a major scale is, we are all classically trained. Aesthetically, this is viewed as more sophisticated because it is seen as some sort of cultural marriage (that never took place). I have never tried to promote myself this way.
The sad part is the political aspect of it, in which we believe that an artist is more broad, versatile, or creative because he records symphonic music -- for example, Keith Jarret, Chick Corea, and Wynton Marsalis. People like Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, etc., never recorded any music other than their own. Would we have thought that they were more creative if they had recorded the Haydn trumpet concerto (like Wynton), and if they were unable to do so would we have scoffed at them for their lack of classical sensibilities? Then, to add injury to insult, they never even talk about the fact that Wynton Marsalis is one of the few black trumpet players who was allowed to play first trumpet for the symphony orchestra. Nevertheless, Miles and Dizzy have become some of the essential people who we must deal with in this music If you read the interviews with many of the great white players in the music, they will tell you who and what subtleties they admired in the music and the musicians.
Some of these comments may seem pastiche, but I find a lack of awareness and interest in what these subtleties do in the music. I say this because rhythm is still an unexplored territory in music, and much of the sound art, noise, and free improv that I hear now is very square -- though there's a lot of imagination with regards to timbre and noise, which I wholly support.
The reason I object to the term jazz is because it limits your social stance, codifies the financial area available to you, and in academia leads people to believe that you are musically illiterate. In other words, it's a token art form, and they will not hire you except as the one person on the staff in most music schools. -- Eric Zinman
I read your review and would like to discuss it with you a little. I have a sense that you relate to this music from a slant such that you do not have a large interest in how traditional western instruments (I don't mean electric guitars) are and have been used in the 20th or 21st century -- and that your main interests are literature and more electronically produced sounds. I also have a sense that your text and context for black music is possibly narrow or more mainstream. I say this because you are obviously aware of Keith Jarret and Ahmad Jahmal but possibly unaware of Paul Bley and Lowell Davidson.
This could be important because it could bring you past the veneer, the mannerism or style, and tune you into the subtleties or perhaps the source. In this case with regard to this music (not just my music) there is less of an emphasis on "symbol" and "matrix" and more of an emphasis on the subtle reactions of human timing. This is a sort of ensemble technique that is extremely human and, much like any human relationship, took my ensemble years to work out.
My main interest in this area of music is rhythm. Rhythm is still the unexplored territory in music. Very little was written for percussion until the 20th century. In black music (This is more of an umbrella term that would include jazz. I'm not referring to African music here.), the trap set is an extremely advanced instrument in that it requires independence of all four limbs and is not particularly popular among American children learning music but obviously plays a powerful and major role in popular music. Not all rhythms exist in a state of thesis or anacrusis. In the masses of complexity that embroider the rhythms of the world's music, so many of these beats or pulses occur in other places.
In literature I'm sure you must engage in some discussion of form, structure, and content. I gather you do not make these connections to music.
I am still considered young in the field of music at age 38, but Laurence Cook, I believe, is 62 years of age, and I feel you do not know very much about him. So here is some information.
About Laurence Cook: Laurence Cook studied painting at the Museum School of Fine Arts in Boston and later learned to play piano, vibraphone, and drums. He has been a major figure in the jazz avant-garde since the 1960s on 22 recordings, including "Revenge" and "Dual Unity" with Paul Bley; "Skillfullnes" with Alan Silva, "Ritti" with Joe Morris; "Fuzzagainst Junk" from the Vision 1997 Festival with Thurston Moore; "Triplet" and "Fire in the Valley" with Jemeel Moondoc; "Divine Mad Love" with Sabir Mateen; and "November 1981," "Thoughts," and "Son of Sisyphus" with Bill Dixon. He has worked with Sam Rivers, Alan Silva, the Brecker Brothers, Robin Kenyatta, Mark Whitecage, and Barre Phillips, among many others.
A paraphrase: "The older jazz is like representational painting where you paint a portrait of a person or a thing. That's playing on a song and its chords. The new music is like modern painting, action painting. You concern yourself with the surface of the canvas, the brushstrokes, the texture of the paint, the total two-dimensional surface, concern myself with the way the drum stick strikes the cymbal, the surface of the drum heads."
How you managed to say so little about Laurence Cook -- who is one of my mentors -- is beyond me and leads me to believe that you have very little connection to the text of this art form and, as a result, I sense a lack of propriety in your comments.
I feel a bit ridiculous because I am not trying to attack you and yet I feel I am by default. No one has yet been willing to review the CD, and I assume that if you didn't like it you wouldn't have reviewed it at all. So the fact that it is on your "media diet" means that you want people to listen to it. Music is really all I have so I feel I am slighting myself in my response to your review. My studio is always open. Anybody can come and listen to something from my collection or perhaps Rob Chalfen's collection as well.
Just so there's no misunderstanding, let me expand on something I wrote above. I use the term "black music" as an umbrella term. It does not refer to color as much as culture. Though my interests are the avant-garde (whatever that means) this term would cover a wide range of music: gospel, spirituals, field hollers, jazz (really a bad term), R&B, soul, rap, hip-hop, rock (what people do in the black church), etc.
One has to beg the question: What is black music? What is white music?
I live in a neighborhood with about five black churches. If you want to know what I mean, come to a service at one of them. You will find some white people in the congregation who are totally enamoured of the sublteties involved in singing from this perspective, but, of course, Cambridge is not like Boston.
It's more of a matter of cultural perspective than color. Paul Bley happens to be a white player. If it were just color, then I suppose Anita O'Day would be white music and Jesse Norman would be Black music. The whole issue of black culture in music is not very fashionable at present. It almost explains segregation in the music scene. Most of the Boston improv people seem to reject these ideas in favor of what they might call "classical sensibilites" or just free improv. Of course, because we all know what a major scale is, we are all classically trained. Aesthetically, this is viewed as more sophisticated because it is seen as some sort of cultural marriage (that never took place). I have never tried to promote myself this way.
The sad part is the political aspect of it, in which we believe that an artist is more broad, versatile, or creative because he records symphonic music -- for example, Keith Jarret, Chick Corea, and Wynton Marsalis. People like Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, etc., never recorded any music other than their own. Would we have thought that they were more creative if they had recorded the Haydn trumpet concerto (like Wynton), and if they were unable to do so would we have scoffed at them for their lack of classical sensibilities? Then, to add injury to insult, they never even talk about the fact that Wynton Marsalis is one of the few black trumpet players who was allowed to play first trumpet for the symphony orchestra. Nevertheless, Miles and Dizzy have become some of the essential people who we must deal with in this music If you read the interviews with many of the great white players in the music, they will tell you who and what subtleties they admired in the music and the musicians.
Some of these comments may seem pastiche, but I find a lack of awareness and interest in what these subtleties do in the music. I say this because rhythm is still an unexplored territory in music, and much of the sound art, noise, and free improv that I hear now is very square -- though there's a lot of imagination with regards to timbre and noise, which I wholly support.
The reason I object to the term jazz is because it limits your social stance, codifies the financial area available to you, and in academia leads people to believe that you are musically illiterate. In other words, it's a token art form, and they will not hire you except as the one person on the staff in most music schools. -- Eric Zinman
Wednesday, April 03, 2002
Books Worth a Look III
These are the books I read in March 2002.
1,440 Reasons to Quit Smoking by Bill Dodds (2000)
A relatively useless self-help book for people wanting to kick nicotine. While the book's reasons are rather soft and smarmily presented, it's interesting how the reasons fall into implicit categories -- the ingredients in cigs, their health effects, the politics and economy of the tobacco industry, the social stigma, romantic needs, personal relationships and peer pressure, and will power. Pretty light on hardcore stats, but Bill accomplished what he set out to do -- offer a reason for every minute of the day.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Poor.
Available Light by Warren Ellis (2002)
Perhaps the best thing Astronauts in Trouble/Planet Lar has published, this is still a highly flawed project. One, Warren's digital photographs, taken with an Eyemodule connected to a Handspring Visor Platinum, do not make for a quality photography book. Two, his largely unedited writing, while better than that in Bad World, begs for some editorial input. Several pieces work well -- "Bush," "Gate," and "Phone" -- but otherwise, they're half-assed and half-written comic scripts or paltry prose pieces deserving more attention. Kudos for writing on your Visor, but gimmick doesn't always stick. This book would've been better without the glossy stock, the photos, or all the white space.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Batman: Arkham Asylum by Grant Morrison (1989)
Predating DC's Vertigo imprint, this comic book featuring art by Dave McKean indicates what can happen when a mainstream publisher offers serious comics. The story hinges on what happens when the Joker and other inmates take over Arkham Asylum. But the graphic novel is a deeper look at the history of the institution and its role in the Batman mythos, power plays in psychiatry, and redemption. Hit me harder when I was 16, but it's still good.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
The Complete Copybook Tales by J. Torres and Tim Levins (2002)
Collecting six issues of the Slave Labor Graphics series as well as the creators' original minicomics, this trade paperback tells the tale of two young me trying to break into the comics industry. While a comic about making comics risks irrelevance, this book works because it's really about childhood and the recollection and documentation of childhood, similar to Bill Schelly's "Sense of Wonder." The Slave Labor artwork's not really my bag -- the minis are more pure -- but I can see myself in this comic, and that says a lot.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Dig USA: A Book About the Many Faces of This Generation ed. by Arthur Daigon and Ronald LaConte (1970)
An interesting artifact of mainstream analysis of the countercultures and youth movements of the '60s, this book is flawed in two ways. One, it's overly influenced by Marshall McLuhan, and its hodgepodge of original writing, newspaper reprints, graphic appropriation, and other literary assemblage falls flat. Two, the book aims to be interactive but isn't cohesive enough to encourage an in-depth analysis or exploration of the text itself. Quaint, but not critical.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Fair.
ESPers by James Hudnall and David Lloyd (1995)
ESPers #1-4 was published in the mid-'80s by Eclipse, again showing why that little publishing company was so important. Hudnall's script is rather straight-forward. The goverment is monitoring psychics, who band together to free some hostages in Beirut. Much of the book is spent establishing the characters and recruiting the team, and the resulting roundup is rather diverse ethnically and personality wise. Not the most amazing comic, but not totally generic either.
Days to read:1. Rating: Good.
The Executioner #276: Leviathan by Gerald Montgomery as Don Pendleton (2001)
While many of the Mack Bolan popcult pastiches -- such as the relatively recent nod to a Bane-like killing machine -- often fail miserably, Montgomery's homage to H.P. Lovecraft works well. A doomsday cult taps into an underground race of Cthulhu-like supersquid -- including a gatekeeper called the avatar -- that plays havoc around an offshore oil rig used for drug manufacture. Mack is on the case and helps disband the cult, as well as avert a supernatural disaster. Inspired, tasteful, and a Lovecraftian anomaly.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
The Four Agreements: A Toltec Wisdom Book by Don Miguel Ruiz (1997)
Like The Greatest Salesman in the World, this near-mythic book outlines a handful of suggestions and rules to improve your life. This book is rooted in Toltec wisdom, supposedly, but its lineage doesn't matter in that the book's not overly rooted in history and myth -- and the guidelines are sound. Be impeccable with your word. Don't take anything personally. Don't make assumptions. Always do your best. Things I've heard before; and couched in a verbose yet chatty, over-explanatory manner; but well worth recommitting to.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
I Hate the Man Who Runs This Bar!: The Survival Guide for Real Musicians by Eugene Chadbourne (1997)
Chadbourne's written this one for passionate working musicians resigned to struggling for success their entire lives. His advice about shows, recording, tours, and working with labels is spot on -- clever and constructively critical. The book drags at times as Chadbourne strives to share his wide range of experiences and types of people he's encountered. Still, extremely useful and inspirational if you have anything to do with independent music.
Days to read:46. Rating: Good.
Kinky Business: The Perversion of Funky Business by Waldo Palmer (2001)
Only in Europe! This English-language edition of a Swedish graphic album is a parody of self-consciously cartoony management gurus Kjell Nordstrom and Jonas Ridderstrale's business book "Funky Business." Oh, sure, National Lampoon parodied Tom Peters' "In Search of Excellence" in comic format in the early '80s, but the US doesn't have a tendency to or tradition of taking its new economic evangelists to task. The book's a shallow, sexual poke at the two shaven saviours, but the fact that this was even published rocks.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
The Knights Templar and Their Myth by Peter Partner (1987)
The author, who doesn't come across as overly academic, looks at the lower-class knights who played an important role in the Christian Crusades, were eventually ostracized and imprisoned by political leaders who felt threatened by their power during the Middle Ages, and were later romanticized and mythologized by the Masons and other fraternal organizations looking for connections to an older, oftern pre-Christian tradition and truth. Partner debunks the myth well, deflating the many misinterpretations and appropriations of the Templar tale.
Days to read: 6. Rating: Excellent.
The Open Classroom: A Practical Guide to a New Way of Teaching by Herbert R. Kohl (1969)
Working to combat the authoritarian and hierarchical character of most schools, Kohl maps a plan to educate children through participation and the pursuit of mutual interests. The book touches on setting or suspending expectations, working through disputes, instituting positive and productive rules and routines, redesigning the classroom, creating lesson plans, discipline, and working with other educators. I don't know if the ideas presented are dated, but Kohl seems to set a sensible direction for change.
Days to read: NA. Rating: Good.
Pindeldyboz Vol. 2 ed. by Jeff Boison (2002)
One of several journals of new writing slightly inspired by and modeled after McSweeney's. The 18 pieces in this edition include some clunkers -- like Justin Bzdek's "Wide Mouth Bass People" and Slaney Chadwick Ross' story -- but the balance is quite impressive. John Verbos' "Lost Boys" is a delightful combination of "Lord of the Flies" and "A Separate Peace." Peter Bebergal's "Searching for Pancake Jackson" merges celebrity and self-discovery. And Jud Laghi's "Lattimer Round Trip" couples with Michael Russell's "Hermit's Diary" for a solid look at the "new economy" and the meaning of work. Consistently interesting.
Days to read: 2. Rating: Excellent.
Preacher Book 1: Gone to Texas by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon (1995)
A faith-challenged priest is imbued with Genesis, the spirit of God, and sets out to find God -- and to learn why he abandoned humanity. I read this at the behest of Charlie, and I'm glad I did. Equal parts religion studies, mythology a la Neil Gaiman, and detective story, Ennis' writing indicates why it's worth confusing him with Warren Ellis. There's adventure, horror, love, mystery, and religion. I'll read more. This only collects the first seven issues.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Preacher Book 2: Until the End of the World by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon (1997)
Not as rife with religious references as the first volume, this collection of issues 8-17 reveals more of Jesse's past and family history, as well as why he left Tulip. The collection also deepens his friendship with Cassidy and introduces the Grail, which deepens the religious conspiracy. The sexual subplot featuring Jesus de Sade is an unwelcome and unnecessary distraction, shocking solely for shock's sake.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Preacher Book 3: Proud Americans by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon (1997)
Compiling issues 18-26, this volume reintroduces the religious conspiracy in fine form, as Allfather D'Aronique arrives on the scene, the Saint of Killers makes a deal with Jesse, the conception of Genesis is described, and we learn how Cassidy became a vampire. There's a nice ode to NYC and the twin towers at the end of this, but I feel like the series is losing steam. I'll give it one more volume.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Preacher Book 4: Ancient History by Garth Ennis (1998)
Collecting several Preacher one-shots and a miniseries focusing on the Saint of Killers, Ennis saves his reading-pile bacon with this collection of context-setting back stories. Out of the periodical pamphlet's monthly continuity, we learn how the Saint of Killers came to be, how Sheriff Root's son (shades of American Beauty) became disfigured, and how Jody and TC went up against a hilarious pairing of a cop on the edge and a supermodel-turned-lawyer with a dangerous secret. I despise Jody and TC, but that issue was a giggle reminiscent of American Century.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
Preacher Book 5: Dixie Fried by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon (1998)
Volume four won Preacher a respite and guaranteed Ennis' work a place on my reading pile for awhile longer. This volume, which collects #27-33, falls back into the series' continuity and details Cassidy's encounter with a seemingly naive fellow vamire, Jesse's return to Tulip, Areseface's hunt for Jesse, and the latter's search for the truth inside him using voodoo. Ennis' use of recurring characters is improving, but the series has lost its religious, mythic overtone.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Preacher Book 6: War in the Sun by Garth Ennis (1999)
Seven more issues that reveal Starr's introduction to and embrace of the Grail, as well as his scarification as a boy; Cassidy's struggles with alcoholicism and his love for Tulip; Jesse's confrontation of the Saint of Killers and his ongoing search for enlightenment and direction; his death; and Cassidy's betrayal. The final story about Arseface features some interesting Peter Milligan-like writing, but -- as I've said before -- the series is becoming tiresome. I'll give it one more volume, but it's wrapping up soon, so I'll probably finish the run. Sigh.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Fair.
Rose by Jeff Smith and Charles Vess (2002)
Jeff Smith's comic Bone is one of the best comics to come out of the indie-comics world in recent decades. This prelude to the cartoony adventure series might even be better in terms of its literary and artistic style. In this collection of the limited series, we are exposed to Rose's complicity in the empowerment of the Locus Master, Rose's sister Briar's jealous betrayal of all things good, and Lucius' history of protection. Vess' artwork is beautifully lavish, and despite the irritating near-transparent computer-generated word balloons, the book is welcome full-color eye candy.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
The Spirit of Masonry by Foster Bailey (1957)
Alice Bailey's husband (?) contributes this study of Masonry, suggesting that instead of a mere men's club, it is in fact a model and process for the spiritual development of humanity. After retelling Masonry's origin and looking at its symbols and landmarks, Bailey outlines its ritual parallels to spiritual development and challenges members to eschew solely social clubs for more concerted self-improvement. Then he goes off the deep end and suggests that there are Masons on the star Sirius. A good introduction to Masonry's potential, albeit esoteric.
Days to read: 4. Rating: Fair.
Video Girl Ai Vol. 1: Preproduction by Masakazu Katsura (1999)
Past versions of this manga have helped me through other relationship breakups -- the original Japanese manga, the OAV with English subtitles -- and now this one. It does what it's designed to do. Yota's crushing on a girl. He thinks it's unrequited. At Gokuraku he rents a video girl who leaps out of the TV screen to console him. She begins to fall for him while his crush does the same, both realizing his positive qualities.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
Video Girl Ai Vol. 2: Mix Down by Masakazu Katsura (2000)
Yota is torn between Moemi and Ai, who's been recalled as a defective video girl. Gokuraku's manager conspires to keep her in circulation. Yota meets Sorayama, his rival for Ai's affections, who tries to go all the way with her, with little discouragement. Yota socks him one (an act that'll cost him later), and starts to feel for Ai -- for real.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
Video Girl Ai Vol. 3: Recall by Masakazu Katsura (2001)
Entering the video world, Yota strives to save Ai, his one, true love. The glass staircase and convoluted network system act as apt metaphors for the complexity of their still-young love. Moemi and Takashi distract, but Yota is resolute. Amnesiac Ai falls under the wing of Gokuraku's manager, and Yota falls under the spell of nubile newcomer Nobuku, who loves Yota like he loves Moemi and Ai. She is resolute while Ai regains her composure. And a book that could've taken many shots at media generalizations takes its first.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
Video Girl Ai Vol. 4: Off-Line by Masakazu Katsura (2002)
This the meatiest edition to date. Oh, how I wish the manga were now completed in English. Ai begins to rediscover her past as Yota continues to woo Nobuko -- or vice versa. Nobuko confronts Yota. Ai confronts Yota. Naoto confronts Ai. And men are left wondering how women can handle all of this confrontation -- written by a man as Video Girl Ai is -- so well. Meanwhile, Yota encounters Moemi again, and Naoto is introduced to the wonders of Gokuraku himself.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
William Sylvis: Pioneer of American Labor by Jonathan Grossman (1945)
This excellent biography of Sylvis mostly follows his involvement in and leadership of the Iron Molders Union and the Iron Molders' International Union. Concentrating on Sylvis' circuit-riding approach to recruitment and union organization, the book also details his union administration strategies and organizing platform, as well as his later, uninformed embrace of the cooperative movement. A good look at Sylvis' too-short life, as well as a useful organizing manual.
Days to read: 20. Rating: Excellent.
These are the books I read in March 2002.
1,440 Reasons to Quit Smoking by Bill Dodds (2000)
A relatively useless self-help book for people wanting to kick nicotine. While the book's reasons are rather soft and smarmily presented, it's interesting how the reasons fall into implicit categories -- the ingredients in cigs, their health effects, the politics and economy of the tobacco industry, the social stigma, romantic needs, personal relationships and peer pressure, and will power. Pretty light on hardcore stats, but Bill accomplished what he set out to do -- offer a reason for every minute of the day.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Poor.
Available Light by Warren Ellis (2002)
Perhaps the best thing Astronauts in Trouble/Planet Lar has published, this is still a highly flawed project. One, Warren's digital photographs, taken with an Eyemodule connected to a Handspring Visor Platinum, do not make for a quality photography book. Two, his largely unedited writing, while better than that in Bad World, begs for some editorial input. Several pieces work well -- "Bush," "Gate," and "Phone" -- but otherwise, they're half-assed and half-written comic scripts or paltry prose pieces deserving more attention. Kudos for writing on your Visor, but gimmick doesn't always stick. This book would've been better without the glossy stock, the photos, or all the white space.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Batman: Arkham Asylum by Grant Morrison (1989)
Predating DC's Vertigo imprint, this comic book featuring art by Dave McKean indicates what can happen when a mainstream publisher offers serious comics. The story hinges on what happens when the Joker and other inmates take over Arkham Asylum. But the graphic novel is a deeper look at the history of the institution and its role in the Batman mythos, power plays in psychiatry, and redemption. Hit me harder when I was 16, but it's still good.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
The Complete Copybook Tales by J. Torres and Tim Levins (2002)
Collecting six issues of the Slave Labor Graphics series as well as the creators' original minicomics, this trade paperback tells the tale of two young me trying to break into the comics industry. While a comic about making comics risks irrelevance, this book works because it's really about childhood and the recollection and documentation of childhood, similar to Bill Schelly's "Sense of Wonder." The Slave Labor artwork's not really my bag -- the minis are more pure -- but I can see myself in this comic, and that says a lot.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Dig USA: A Book About the Many Faces of This Generation ed. by Arthur Daigon and Ronald LaConte (1970)
An interesting artifact of mainstream analysis of the countercultures and youth movements of the '60s, this book is flawed in two ways. One, it's overly influenced by Marshall McLuhan, and its hodgepodge of original writing, newspaper reprints, graphic appropriation, and other literary assemblage falls flat. Two, the book aims to be interactive but isn't cohesive enough to encourage an in-depth analysis or exploration of the text itself. Quaint, but not critical.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Fair.
ESPers by James Hudnall and David Lloyd (1995)
ESPers #1-4 was published in the mid-'80s by Eclipse, again showing why that little publishing company was so important. Hudnall's script is rather straight-forward. The goverment is monitoring psychics, who band together to free some hostages in Beirut. Much of the book is spent establishing the characters and recruiting the team, and the resulting roundup is rather diverse ethnically and personality wise. Not the most amazing comic, but not totally generic either.
Days to read:1. Rating: Good.
The Executioner #276: Leviathan by Gerald Montgomery as Don Pendleton (2001)
While many of the Mack Bolan popcult pastiches -- such as the relatively recent nod to a Bane-like killing machine -- often fail miserably, Montgomery's homage to H.P. Lovecraft works well. A doomsday cult taps into an underground race of Cthulhu-like supersquid -- including a gatekeeper called the avatar -- that plays havoc around an offshore oil rig used for drug manufacture. Mack is on the case and helps disband the cult, as well as avert a supernatural disaster. Inspired, tasteful, and a Lovecraftian anomaly.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
The Four Agreements: A Toltec Wisdom Book by Don Miguel Ruiz (1997)
Like The Greatest Salesman in the World, this near-mythic book outlines a handful of suggestions and rules to improve your life. This book is rooted in Toltec wisdom, supposedly, but its lineage doesn't matter in that the book's not overly rooted in history and myth -- and the guidelines are sound. Be impeccable with your word. Don't take anything personally. Don't make assumptions. Always do your best. Things I've heard before; and couched in a verbose yet chatty, over-explanatory manner; but well worth recommitting to.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
I Hate the Man Who Runs This Bar!: The Survival Guide for Real Musicians by Eugene Chadbourne (1997)
Chadbourne's written this one for passionate working musicians resigned to struggling for success their entire lives. His advice about shows, recording, tours, and working with labels is spot on -- clever and constructively critical. The book drags at times as Chadbourne strives to share his wide range of experiences and types of people he's encountered. Still, extremely useful and inspirational if you have anything to do with independent music.
Days to read:46. Rating: Good.
Kinky Business: The Perversion of Funky Business by Waldo Palmer (2001)
Only in Europe! This English-language edition of a Swedish graphic album is a parody of self-consciously cartoony management gurus Kjell Nordstrom and Jonas Ridderstrale's business book "Funky Business." Oh, sure, National Lampoon parodied Tom Peters' "In Search of Excellence" in comic format in the early '80s, but the US doesn't have a tendency to or tradition of taking its new economic evangelists to task. The book's a shallow, sexual poke at the two shaven saviours, but the fact that this was even published rocks.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
The Knights Templar and Their Myth by Peter Partner (1987)
The author, who doesn't come across as overly academic, looks at the lower-class knights who played an important role in the Christian Crusades, were eventually ostracized and imprisoned by political leaders who felt threatened by their power during the Middle Ages, and were later romanticized and mythologized by the Masons and other fraternal organizations looking for connections to an older, oftern pre-Christian tradition and truth. Partner debunks the myth well, deflating the many misinterpretations and appropriations of the Templar tale.
Days to read: 6. Rating: Excellent.
The Open Classroom: A Practical Guide to a New Way of Teaching by Herbert R. Kohl (1969)
Working to combat the authoritarian and hierarchical character of most schools, Kohl maps a plan to educate children through participation and the pursuit of mutual interests. The book touches on setting or suspending expectations, working through disputes, instituting positive and productive rules and routines, redesigning the classroom, creating lesson plans, discipline, and working with other educators. I don't know if the ideas presented are dated, but Kohl seems to set a sensible direction for change.
Days to read: NA. Rating: Good.
Pindeldyboz Vol. 2 ed. by Jeff Boison (2002)
One of several journals of new writing slightly inspired by and modeled after McSweeney's. The 18 pieces in this edition include some clunkers -- like Justin Bzdek's "Wide Mouth Bass People" and Slaney Chadwick Ross' story -- but the balance is quite impressive. John Verbos' "Lost Boys" is a delightful combination of "Lord of the Flies" and "A Separate Peace." Peter Bebergal's "Searching for Pancake Jackson" merges celebrity and self-discovery. And Jud Laghi's "Lattimer Round Trip" couples with Michael Russell's "Hermit's Diary" for a solid look at the "new economy" and the meaning of work. Consistently interesting.
Days to read: 2. Rating: Excellent.
Preacher Book 1: Gone to Texas by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon (1995)
A faith-challenged priest is imbued with Genesis, the spirit of God, and sets out to find God -- and to learn why he abandoned humanity. I read this at the behest of Charlie, and I'm glad I did. Equal parts religion studies, mythology a la Neil Gaiman, and detective story, Ennis' writing indicates why it's worth confusing him with Warren Ellis. There's adventure, horror, love, mystery, and religion. I'll read more. This only collects the first seven issues.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Preacher Book 2: Until the End of the World by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon (1997)
Not as rife with religious references as the first volume, this collection of issues 8-17 reveals more of Jesse's past and family history, as well as why he left Tulip. The collection also deepens his friendship with Cassidy and introduces the Grail, which deepens the religious conspiracy. The sexual subplot featuring Jesus de Sade is an unwelcome and unnecessary distraction, shocking solely for shock's sake.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Preacher Book 3: Proud Americans by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon (1997)
Compiling issues 18-26, this volume reintroduces the religious conspiracy in fine form, as Allfather D'Aronique arrives on the scene, the Saint of Killers makes a deal with Jesse, the conception of Genesis is described, and we learn how Cassidy became a vampire. There's a nice ode to NYC and the twin towers at the end of this, but I feel like the series is losing steam. I'll give it one more volume.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Preacher Book 4: Ancient History by Garth Ennis (1998)
Collecting several Preacher one-shots and a miniseries focusing on the Saint of Killers, Ennis saves his reading-pile bacon with this collection of context-setting back stories. Out of the periodical pamphlet's monthly continuity, we learn how the Saint of Killers came to be, how Sheriff Root's son (shades of American Beauty) became disfigured, and how Jody and TC went up against a hilarious pairing of a cop on the edge and a supermodel-turned-lawyer with a dangerous secret. I despise Jody and TC, but that issue was a giggle reminiscent of American Century.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
Preacher Book 5: Dixie Fried by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon (1998)
Volume four won Preacher a respite and guaranteed Ennis' work a place on my reading pile for awhile longer. This volume, which collects #27-33, falls back into the series' continuity and details Cassidy's encounter with a seemingly naive fellow vamire, Jesse's return to Tulip, Areseface's hunt for Jesse, and the latter's search for the truth inside him using voodoo. Ennis' use of recurring characters is improving, but the series has lost its religious, mythic overtone.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Preacher Book 6: War in the Sun by Garth Ennis (1999)
Seven more issues that reveal Starr's introduction to and embrace of the Grail, as well as his scarification as a boy; Cassidy's struggles with alcoholicism and his love for Tulip; Jesse's confrontation of the Saint of Killers and his ongoing search for enlightenment and direction; his death; and Cassidy's betrayal. The final story about Arseface features some interesting Peter Milligan-like writing, but -- as I've said before -- the series is becoming tiresome. I'll give it one more volume, but it's wrapping up soon, so I'll probably finish the run. Sigh.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Fair.
Rose by Jeff Smith and Charles Vess (2002)
Jeff Smith's comic Bone is one of the best comics to come out of the indie-comics world in recent decades. This prelude to the cartoony adventure series might even be better in terms of its literary and artistic style. In this collection of the limited series, we are exposed to Rose's complicity in the empowerment of the Locus Master, Rose's sister Briar's jealous betrayal of all things good, and Lucius' history of protection. Vess' artwork is beautifully lavish, and despite the irritating near-transparent computer-generated word balloons, the book is welcome full-color eye candy.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
The Spirit of Masonry by Foster Bailey (1957)
Alice Bailey's husband (?) contributes this study of Masonry, suggesting that instead of a mere men's club, it is in fact a model and process for the spiritual development of humanity. After retelling Masonry's origin and looking at its symbols and landmarks, Bailey outlines its ritual parallels to spiritual development and challenges members to eschew solely social clubs for more concerted self-improvement. Then he goes off the deep end and suggests that there are Masons on the star Sirius. A good introduction to Masonry's potential, albeit esoteric.
Days to read: 4. Rating: Fair.
Video Girl Ai Vol. 1: Preproduction by Masakazu Katsura (1999)
Past versions of this manga have helped me through other relationship breakups -- the original Japanese manga, the OAV with English subtitles -- and now this one. It does what it's designed to do. Yota's crushing on a girl. He thinks it's unrequited. At Gokuraku he rents a video girl who leaps out of the TV screen to console him. She begins to fall for him while his crush does the same, both realizing his positive qualities.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
Video Girl Ai Vol. 2: Mix Down by Masakazu Katsura (2000)
Yota is torn between Moemi and Ai, who's been recalled as a defective video girl. Gokuraku's manager conspires to keep her in circulation. Yota meets Sorayama, his rival for Ai's affections, who tries to go all the way with her, with little discouragement. Yota socks him one (an act that'll cost him later), and starts to feel for Ai -- for real.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
Video Girl Ai Vol. 3: Recall by Masakazu Katsura (2001)
Entering the video world, Yota strives to save Ai, his one, true love. The glass staircase and convoluted network system act as apt metaphors for the complexity of their still-young love. Moemi and Takashi distract, but Yota is resolute. Amnesiac Ai falls under the wing of Gokuraku's manager, and Yota falls under the spell of nubile newcomer Nobuku, who loves Yota like he loves Moemi and Ai. She is resolute while Ai regains her composure. And a book that could've taken many shots at media generalizations takes its first.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
Video Girl Ai Vol. 4: Off-Line by Masakazu Katsura (2002)
This the meatiest edition to date. Oh, how I wish the manga were now completed in English. Ai begins to rediscover her past as Yota continues to woo Nobuko -- or vice versa. Nobuko confronts Yota. Ai confronts Yota. Naoto confronts Ai. And men are left wondering how women can handle all of this confrontation -- written by a man as Video Girl Ai is -- so well. Meanwhile, Yota encounters Moemi again, and Naoto is introduced to the wonders of Gokuraku himself.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
William Sylvis: Pioneer of American Labor by Jonathan Grossman (1945)
This excellent biography of Sylvis mostly follows his involvement in and leadership of the Iron Molders Union and the Iron Molders' International Union. Concentrating on Sylvis' circuit-riding approach to recruitment and union organization, the book also details his union administration strategies and organizing platform, as well as his later, uninformed embrace of the cooperative movement. A good look at Sylvis' too-short life, as well as a useful organizing manual.
Days to read: 20. Rating: Excellent.
North End Moment VIII
While waiting in line for my lunch order at Mangia! Mangia!:
Customer: When you threatened to throw [the telephone] into the garbage, it stopped ringing!
Cook: I thought it was funny; it started ringing when you got your food. It was idle for awhile.
Customer: I think it can smell [food].
While waiting in line for my lunch order at Mangia! Mangia!:
Customer: When you threatened to throw [the telephone] into the garbage, it stopped ringing!
Cook: I thought it was funny; it started ringing when you got your food. It was idle for awhile.
Customer: I think it can smell [food].
Read But Dead VI
Just learned that Darwin magazine, sister pub to my previous employer, CIO, has gone the way of the shade. Lexis-Nexis reports that "Darwin suspended publication due to declining advertising revenue and other financial difficulties." The April 2002 issue will be the final print issue, but the Darwin Web will remain until further notice.
And, while Lexis-Nexis says, "No layoffs have been announced," two friends were recently let go from CIO, which leads me to believe that folks are being laid off because of Darwin's passing -- and the general situation at CIO.
I won't really miss Darwin because I never really got its concept -- seemed to be a return to work we did on Enterprise, an IT magazine aimed at non-tech CXO's, but with an odd technorealist, skeptical bent. The magazine never made good on its dark promise, and I'm not convinced a tech trade mag for non-technologists is a valid proposition. (A consumer mag, maybe.) But I'll mourn its passing because I know that it was Lew's baby.
Just learned that Darwin magazine, sister pub to my previous employer, CIO, has gone the way of the shade. Lexis-Nexis reports that "Darwin suspended publication due to declining advertising revenue and other financial difficulties." The April 2002 issue will be the final print issue, but the Darwin Web will remain until further notice.
And, while Lexis-Nexis says, "No layoffs have been announced," two friends were recently let go from CIO, which leads me to believe that folks are being laid off because of Darwin's passing -- and the general situation at CIO.
I won't really miss Darwin because I never really got its concept -- seemed to be a return to work we did on Enterprise, an IT magazine aimed at non-tech CXO's, but with an odd technorealist, skeptical bent. The magazine never made good on its dark promise, and I'm not convinced a tech trade mag for non-technologists is a valid proposition. (A consumer mag, maybe.) But I'll mourn its passing because I know that it was Lew's baby.
Books Going Bankrupt
This disturbing missive from Top Shelf crossed my in box this morning:
We have just been informed this week that our book trade distributor has filed for bankrupcy (Chapter 11). They will continue to operate and hopefully recover -- and we will support this all we can (as our industry needs them, and they are good people) -- but unfortunately, this has happened at a time when they owed us an enormous sum of money (more than $80,000 minus returns). And to make matters worse, the most recent check they cut us, for almost $20,000, bounced this week, in turn causing the last 30 checks we wrote to printers, conventions, cartoonists -- practically every aspect of the business -- to bounce (or be held) in turn.
To put it bluntly, even with all the hard work we've put in over the years, if we don't raise $20,000 this month, it could realistically force us to suspend publishing operations for the foreseeable future. It's hard to believe, but a big domino has fallen right on top of us at the worst time possible. So, that leaves us no choice but to be honest and ask for your help.
If 400-500 of you can find it in your hearts to each spend around fifty bucks on our core list of books, this would literally pull us through -- we mean that. We've got such a strong future schedule, and so many cool things to announce soon (including two more Alan Moore projects and two film and TV projects), that I'd hate to think that we'd have to pull the plug right before we just were about to arrive.
In any event, if you can find it in your hearts to help us out, we will be eternally grateful. We'll be manning the phones personally on this "drive," and we'll also be sure to keep you informed -- hopefully letting all of you know in three to four weeks that everything's okay (with your help, that is). -- Chris Staros
I just placed an order with Top Shelf, and I encourage you to consider doing the same. Losing Top Shelf, one of the better independent comic book publishers -- right up there with Highwater Books and Alternative Comics -- would be a blow I'd rather not feel.
This disturbing missive from Top Shelf crossed my in box this morning:
We have just been informed this week that our book trade distributor has filed for bankrupcy (Chapter 11). They will continue to operate and hopefully recover -- and we will support this all we can (as our industry needs them, and they are good people) -- but unfortunately, this has happened at a time when they owed us an enormous sum of money (more than $80,000 minus returns). And to make matters worse, the most recent check they cut us, for almost $20,000, bounced this week, in turn causing the last 30 checks we wrote to printers, conventions, cartoonists -- practically every aspect of the business -- to bounce (or be held) in turn.
To put it bluntly, even with all the hard work we've put in over the years, if we don't raise $20,000 this month, it could realistically force us to suspend publishing operations for the foreseeable future. It's hard to believe, but a big domino has fallen right on top of us at the worst time possible. So, that leaves us no choice but to be honest and ask for your help.
If 400-500 of you can find it in your hearts to each spend around fifty bucks on our core list of books, this would literally pull us through -- we mean that. We've got such a strong future schedule, and so many cool things to announce soon (including two more Alan Moore projects and two film and TV projects), that I'd hate to think that we'd have to pull the plug right before we just were about to arrive.
In any event, if you can find it in your hearts to help us out, we will be eternally grateful. We'll be manning the phones personally on this "drive," and we'll also be sure to keep you informed -- hopefully letting all of you know in three to four weeks that everything's okay (with your help, that is). -- Chris Staros
I just placed an order with Top Shelf, and I encourage you to consider doing the same. Losing Top Shelf, one of the better independent comic book publishers -- right up there with Highwater Books and Alternative Comics -- would be a blow I'd rather not feel.
Among the Literati II
Alex and I took in a reading at the Brookline Booksmith last night, exposing me to two authors I hadn't even heard of, much less read. And based on last night's introduction, I need to read them. Oh, yes.
Backing up from last to first, we had Ben Marcus, whose Notable American Women I saw on display at Longellow's in Portland this past weekend. Ben teaches at Columbia in New York and is fiction editor for the biannual journal Fence. He's also had work published in McSweeney's, natch. So his fiction -- and reading dramatics in the introduction to his portion of the evening -- was edgy, emotive, and slightly evasive. Notable is a supposed biography of Ben, written from the perspective of his parents. It's reported by a friend to be quite complex, with some passages often requiring rereading. The "pamphlet" Ben read last night told the tale of a boy set out to sire by a matriarchal clan of Silentists. Ben's use of language -- and reappropriation of some terms -- was cleverly literate but also slightly mythic in the way that the Causey Way is mythic. Wonderful, off-center stuff!
Preceding him was Steve Almond, a professor at Emerson and author of My Life in Heavy Metal, which, if the piece he read is any indication, has more to do with sex than heavy metal. A contributor to online fiction sites such as Tatlin's Tower and Nerve, Steve's writing style is oddly poetic, given his lack of sentimentality toward but self-conscious consideration of the physicality of his subject matter. His reading demeanor was awesome, blending an able reading of his work with in-the-moment appreciation of and commentary on the situation he was in. His meta-reading commentary added a lot to the reading.
I should start going to readings again. And I should make the green-line hike to Booksmith more often. It's a nice little shop!
Alex and I took in a reading at the Brookline Booksmith last night, exposing me to two authors I hadn't even heard of, much less read. And based on last night's introduction, I need to read them. Oh, yes.
Backing up from last to first, we had Ben Marcus, whose Notable American Women I saw on display at Longellow's in Portland this past weekend. Ben teaches at Columbia in New York and is fiction editor for the biannual journal Fence. He's also had work published in McSweeney's, natch. So his fiction -- and reading dramatics in the introduction to his portion of the evening -- was edgy, emotive, and slightly evasive. Notable is a supposed biography of Ben, written from the perspective of his parents. It's reported by a friend to be quite complex, with some passages often requiring rereading. The "pamphlet" Ben read last night told the tale of a boy set out to sire by a matriarchal clan of Silentists. Ben's use of language -- and reappropriation of some terms -- was cleverly literate but also slightly mythic in the way that the Causey Way is mythic. Wonderful, off-center stuff!
Preceding him was Steve Almond, a professor at Emerson and author of My Life in Heavy Metal, which, if the piece he read is any indication, has more to do with sex than heavy metal. A contributor to online fiction sites such as Tatlin's Tower and Nerve, Steve's writing style is oddly poetic, given his lack of sentimentality toward but self-conscious consideration of the physicality of his subject matter. His reading demeanor was awesome, blending an able reading of his work with in-the-moment appreciation of and commentary on the situation he was in. His meta-reading commentary added a lot to the reading.
I should start going to readings again. And I should make the green-line hike to Booksmith more often. It's a nice little shop!
Tuesday, April 02, 2002
North End Moment VII
Outside in front of the Scotch & Sirloin building about 30 minutes ago, I'm enjoying the early evening changing of the light, and as I'm about to walk back inside, I look up at the sky one last time.
I see a bird flying. And over to the side a little, I see a plane flying -- both in the same eyeshot.
Beautiful. The only thing missing was Superman.
Outside in front of the Scotch & Sirloin building about 30 minutes ago, I'm enjoying the early evening changing of the light, and as I'm about to walk back inside, I look up at the sky one last time.
I see a bird flying. And over to the side a little, I see a plane flying -- both in the same eyeshot.
Beautiful. The only thing missing was Superman.
The Movie I Watched Last Night XIV
Monday: Buena Vista Social Club
Wim Wenders' heartful documentary about Ry Cooder's support of Cuban music and musicians works well on several levels. First of all, it's a loving history of and tribute to many elderly legendary musicians, including Ibrahim Ferrer, Compay Segundo, and Luis Barzaga. Second, it's a sentimental snapshot of Havana, blending oral history of the Buena Vista Social Club, which was active in the mid-'40s, and cinematic documentation of a city steeped in beauty, color, and tradition. Third, and perhaps most important, it's a romanticized introduction to the United States, especially New York City; Cooder's recording the music of Cuba and bringing the musicians to the U.S. to perform is a gift -- to the musicians, as well as viewers of this movie.
Monday: Buena Vista Social Club
Wim Wenders' heartful documentary about Ry Cooder's support of Cuban music and musicians works well on several levels. First of all, it's a loving history of and tribute to many elderly legendary musicians, including Ibrahim Ferrer, Compay Segundo, and Luis Barzaga. Second, it's a sentimental snapshot of Havana, blending oral history of the Buena Vista Social Club, which was active in the mid-'40s, and cinematic documentation of a city steeped in beauty, color, and tradition. Third, and perhaps most important, it's a romanticized introduction to the United States, especially New York City; Cooder's recording the music of Cuba and bringing the musicians to the U.S. to perform is a gift -- to the musicians, as well as viewers of this movie.
Monday, April 01, 2002
Micro-Mobile-Movies
Combine the power of microbroadcasting with the community-based comfort of neighborhood outdoor film screenings, and you get something similar to the first guerrilla drive-in in Los Angeles. According to a news release penned by independent filmmaker Lawrence Bridges, he decided to bypass the movie industry's usual distribution, promotion, and screening mechanisms to debut his film 12 at a series of impromptu drive-in's.
Bridges promotes upcoming screenings on the Web -- "like a rave, you know," says one fan -- and uses a video projector and pirate radio transmitter to allow viewers to tune their car radios into a localized broadcast of the film's soundtrack. At the screening detailed in LA Weekly, the film was projected on the side of a food bank not far from a Staples big-box retailer.
Folks involved in the Zeitgeist Gallery in Cambridge used to hold screenings on the side of a nearby Carberry's near Central Square. At least until the city shut them down for holding frequent screenings without a license. Maybe the Zeitgeist should team up with Allston-Brighton Free Radio to explore how we could bring guerrilla drive-ins to the Boston area. The idea is illuminating.
(Um, that's a film projector pun, son.)
Combine the power of microbroadcasting with the community-based comfort of neighborhood outdoor film screenings, and you get something similar to the first guerrilla drive-in in Los Angeles. According to a news release penned by independent filmmaker Lawrence Bridges, he decided to bypass the movie industry's usual distribution, promotion, and screening mechanisms to debut his film 12 at a series of impromptu drive-in's.
Bridges promotes upcoming screenings on the Web -- "like a rave, you know," says one fan -- and uses a video projector and pirate radio transmitter to allow viewers to tune their car radios into a localized broadcast of the film's soundtrack. At the screening detailed in LA Weekly, the film was projected on the side of a food bank not far from a Staples big-box retailer.
Folks involved in the Zeitgeist Gallery in Cambridge used to hold screenings on the side of a nearby Carberry's near Central Square. At least until the city shut them down for holding frequent screenings without a license. Maybe the Zeitgeist should team up with Allston-Brighton Free Radio to explore how we could bring guerrilla drive-ins to the Boston area. The idea is illuminating.
(Um, that's a film projector pun, son.)
Cover Me
CIA agents often say they're journalists in order to maintain a cover overseas. Journalists are starting to organize to discourage the U.S. government and its overseas operatives from doing so -- and attracting dangerous attention to news gatherers overseas.
CIA agents often say they're journalists in order to maintain a cover overseas. Journalists are starting to organize to discourage the U.S. government and its overseas operatives from doing so -- and attracting dangerous attention to news gatherers overseas.
Off-Site Insight II
So I went to Maine this past weekend. Rose relatively early Saturday morning and headed to North Station to catch the Downeaster, a new train straight to Portland. The commuter rail station at North Station isn't as interesting or as comfortable as the one at South Station, and there's not a whole lot to do while waiting for your train except grab some food at a Dunkin' Donuts or McDonalds, sit on a bench missing a couple of slats on the seat, and avoid scary, whiskey-drunk homeless people. I don't mind homeless people, but it concerns me if they're intoxicated, aggressively talking to themselves, or confronting others in their vicinity. Saturday morning, I was a snail in my shell.
The train ride was wonderful. As we headed north, Boston's overcast skies gave way to a semblance of clear skies and sun, and the scenery was excellent -- water, woods, and the in-between, behind, and beside spaces you often miss while you're walking around a city proper. The graffiti along the tracks wasn't that good or interesting, but I did see one good depiction of an angel Krylon'ed on concrete. Nice.
Once in Maine two and a half hours later, I was surprised that the train station was on the edge of town and because of the highways, not really within walking distance of anything even close to downtown. Similarly, I should have better researched my lodging, as the comparatively inexpensive Howard Johnson's I'd booked a room in was also on the edge of town (away from the train station, to boot), at least a $12 cab ride from anywhere interesting, sharing space with a Friendly's of all restaurants, and across the street from a strip club.
So I grabbed a burger at the Friendly's -- which was staffed some of the least friendly and energetic waitresses I've ever encountered -- and then holed up in my room to nap, watch the sun set in ribbons of pink and gold, and do what I went to Portland to do: seek solitude and time away from my life in order to think through what I'm doing, how I'm doing it, and why.
I'm not going to go into the whole process I followed to think things through, but I did do three things that might be of interest or use by other Media Dieticians.
I mapped out the spheres of activity and involvement in my life, drawing a Venn diagram of my "life loops" -- to show what I do and how those activities and personal and professional investments relate to each other. Without actually sharing the diagram, which ended up looking like a pregnant snow man, I depicted how my involvement with family, friends, work, the Anchormen, zines, and Media Diet correlate. Family was the only thing that didn't really touch my other activities. And there was a pretty drastic gap in the Venn diagram -- a romantic relationship or lover.
I made a list showing the current prioritization I was giving these spheres -- and the preferred prioritization that I'd like to achieve. This turned out to be a rather radical upending of priorities, so I took some to think through what I might do to achieve that re-prioritization... and what elements might add up to a new potential profession or career if my current work isn't what I want to do.
Lastly, I considered how I spend my time every day, using my daily activities, habits, patterns, and rituals to develop ideas about some things I could and should change. These elements addressed some pretty mundane things: sleep, my diet, personal habits, laundry, dishes, taking out the garbage, shopping for groceries, going out and hanging out with friends, cleaning my apartment, spending money, and other life practices. The changes I outlined included things I could and should start doing -- as well as stop doing. And I took into account how the changes fit together so I could determine whether a change should be immediate or enacted over time.
How I put this plan into practice won't be perfect, I'm sure, but I'll do my best. And so far, it's going pretty well (easy to say after a day away).
Sunday, then, was my walking around day. I grabbed breakfast at the Friendly's -- meeting the nicest, cutest waitress I'd seen there (and wearing bunny ears for Easter to boot!) -- and then called a cab to drop me off at Monument Square downtown. The city was sleepy and silent, given that it was off season, a Sunday, and Easter, but I poked around uptown for a brief spell before heading into the Old Port, which is the part of Portland with the most charm. I first headed to the water and braved a No Trespassing sign to make my way to the end of one of the wharfs to look out at the water, lobster boats, and far shore across the bay. Then I did my usual city stroll -- trying to take in as many centers of the city as I could: city hall, the post office, the library, the exchange building or financial district, urban parks, a high school or two, and several book stores, record stores, and comic shops. I find that even if you only hit the town hall, bus station, post office, main library, and a school, you'll see most of a city's major sections.
The only shops that were open, though -- it was Easter, remember -- was Books, Etc., a tidy little shop complete with a friendly dog, and Longfellow Books, which sported an enormous McSweeney's display and had a nice selection of design magazines. By this time, I had to go to the restroom, so I poked around the basement to see whether the shopping center had public bathrooms -- a no go, literally -- and then when I left out the back door of the building's basement, I saw the opportunity to have a little adventure.
There, to my left, was a chained-off staircase going down into the dark. I wondered what was down there, so I ducked the chain and proceeded down the stairs, ignoring a sign telling me not to do just that. Rounding the landing and spotting the darkened window of whatever shop or restaurant used to be there -- with a table and some stools stacked against the glass -- I set off a motion detector or something. Woot! Woot! Woot! Shocked out of my wits, I zipped back up the stairs, ducked back under the chain, and proceeded to walk nonchalantly away from the siren and alarm as though nothing had happened. I turned a corner. I turned another corner. And -- after deciding that it was more harm than help to go back to the shop and fess up to my innocent trespass... and less than wise to stick to main streets near the scene of the "crime" -- I made my way back to an Irish pub I'd passed earlier in the morning: Brian Boru's.
There, I sat out my feeling of guilt and slight thrill about being on the lam, indulged in an Easter pint of Guinness, and filled the rest of the early afternoon before calling Debbie the cab driver to go back to the hotel to pick up my bag and head to the train station for the Downeaster home.
Then I hung out with Alex. All in all, a fun and productive weekend. If anyone from Longfellow comes across this, I apologize for setting off the alarm and not fessing up to it. And if you ever feel frustrated about what your life's like, a personal off-site might be just what you need. We'll see what kind of effect mine has.
So I went to Maine this past weekend. Rose relatively early Saturday morning and headed to North Station to catch the Downeaster, a new train straight to Portland. The commuter rail station at North Station isn't as interesting or as comfortable as the one at South Station, and there's not a whole lot to do while waiting for your train except grab some food at a Dunkin' Donuts or McDonalds, sit on a bench missing a couple of slats on the seat, and avoid scary, whiskey-drunk homeless people. I don't mind homeless people, but it concerns me if they're intoxicated, aggressively talking to themselves, or confronting others in their vicinity. Saturday morning, I was a snail in my shell.
The train ride was wonderful. As we headed north, Boston's overcast skies gave way to a semblance of clear skies and sun, and the scenery was excellent -- water, woods, and the in-between, behind, and beside spaces you often miss while you're walking around a city proper. The graffiti along the tracks wasn't that good or interesting, but I did see one good depiction of an angel Krylon'ed on concrete. Nice.
Once in Maine two and a half hours later, I was surprised that the train station was on the edge of town and because of the highways, not really within walking distance of anything even close to downtown. Similarly, I should have better researched my lodging, as the comparatively inexpensive Howard Johnson's I'd booked a room in was also on the edge of town (away from the train station, to boot), at least a $12 cab ride from anywhere interesting, sharing space with a Friendly's of all restaurants, and across the street from a strip club.
So I grabbed a burger at the Friendly's -- which was staffed some of the least friendly and energetic waitresses I've ever encountered -- and then holed up in my room to nap, watch the sun set in ribbons of pink and gold, and do what I went to Portland to do: seek solitude and time away from my life in order to think through what I'm doing, how I'm doing it, and why.
I'm not going to go into the whole process I followed to think things through, but I did do three things that might be of interest or use by other Media Dieticians.
How I put this plan into practice won't be perfect, I'm sure, but I'll do my best. And so far, it's going pretty well (easy to say after a day away).
Sunday, then, was my walking around day. I grabbed breakfast at the Friendly's -- meeting the nicest, cutest waitress I'd seen there (and wearing bunny ears for Easter to boot!) -- and then called a cab to drop me off at Monument Square downtown. The city was sleepy and silent, given that it was off season, a Sunday, and Easter, but I poked around uptown for a brief spell before heading into the Old Port, which is the part of Portland with the most charm. I first headed to the water and braved a No Trespassing sign to make my way to the end of one of the wharfs to look out at the water, lobster boats, and far shore across the bay. Then I did my usual city stroll -- trying to take in as many centers of the city as I could: city hall, the post office, the library, the exchange building or financial district, urban parks, a high school or two, and several book stores, record stores, and comic shops. I find that even if you only hit the town hall, bus station, post office, main library, and a school, you'll see most of a city's major sections.
The only shops that were open, though -- it was Easter, remember -- was Books, Etc., a tidy little shop complete with a friendly dog, and Longfellow Books, which sported an enormous McSweeney's display and had a nice selection of design magazines. By this time, I had to go to the restroom, so I poked around the basement to see whether the shopping center had public bathrooms -- a no go, literally -- and then when I left out the back door of the building's basement, I saw the opportunity to have a little adventure.
There, to my left, was a chained-off staircase going down into the dark. I wondered what was down there, so I ducked the chain and proceeded down the stairs, ignoring a sign telling me not to do just that. Rounding the landing and spotting the darkened window of whatever shop or restaurant used to be there -- with a table and some stools stacked against the glass -- I set off a motion detector or something. Woot! Woot! Woot! Shocked out of my wits, I zipped back up the stairs, ducked back under the chain, and proceeded to walk nonchalantly away from the siren and alarm as though nothing had happened. I turned a corner. I turned another corner. And -- after deciding that it was more harm than help to go back to the shop and fess up to my innocent trespass... and less than wise to stick to main streets near the scene of the "crime" -- I made my way back to an Irish pub I'd passed earlier in the morning: Brian Boru's.
There, I sat out my feeling of guilt and slight thrill about being on the lam, indulged in an Easter pint of Guinness, and filled the rest of the early afternoon before calling Debbie the cab driver to go back to the hotel to pick up my bag and head to the train station for the Downeaster home.
Then I hung out with Alex. All in all, a fun and productive weekend. If anyone from Longfellow comes across this, I apologize for setting off the alarm and not fessing up to it. And if you ever feel frustrated about what your life's like, a personal off-site might be just what you need. We'll see what kind of effect mine has.
The Restaurant I Ate at Last Night
After I got back from Maine last night -- and after Alex got back from southern Massachusetts -- we went to grab a bite at Diva, an Indian bistro on Davis Square in Somerville. It wasn't all that. While the interior is extremely well designed -- one of the cooks (wearing some bling-bling last night) even prepares food in a glass-enclased space reminiscent of a DJ booth -- the food is extremely expensive for what you get. Add to that extremely slow and inattentive service, and it's not worth your money... as good as the atmosphere may be.
Alex and I sampled a complimentary appetizer courtesy of the restaurant, chicken pakoras (basically glorified chicken fingers), garlic naan (which arrived after our entree was served), and aloo palak, which while well-spiced, wasn't good enough to take home as leftovers. Oh, we had mango lassis, too. Diva may be the only Indian food on Davis Square, but Ocean Reef also used to be the only seafood restaurant in the entire city. Now Ocean Reef is closed. Diva needs to do more if it's going to earn repeat business.
After I got back from Maine last night -- and after Alex got back from southern Massachusetts -- we went to grab a bite at Diva, an Indian bistro on Davis Square in Somerville. It wasn't all that. While the interior is extremely well designed -- one of the cooks (wearing some bling-bling last night) even prepares food in a glass-enclased space reminiscent of a DJ booth -- the food is extremely expensive for what you get. Add to that extremely slow and inattentive service, and it's not worth your money... as good as the atmosphere may be.
Alex and I sampled a complimentary appetizer courtesy of the restaurant, chicken pakoras (basically glorified chicken fingers), garlic naan (which arrived after our entree was served), and aloo palak, which while well-spiced, wasn't good enough to take home as leftovers. Oh, we had mango lassis, too. Diva may be the only Indian food on Davis Square, but Ocean Reef also used to be the only seafood restaurant in the entire city. Now Ocean Reef is closed. Diva needs to do more if it's going to earn repeat business.
Friday, March 29, 2002
Guestimonial II
Yesterday I watched Noam Chomsky in "Manufacturing Consent" three times as I was programming. The programming came to nothing much; I'm trying to figure out MIDI functions using Java.
Anyway, I'm thinking of becoming an activist. What an inspirational story. Of course, the whole time I was thinking of Media Diet and how great it is that I can use the Internet now (it wasn't nearly as possible in 1992, and I wonder what Noam has to say of the possibilities). But it is only useful if people communicate: what happened to me today, what happened to you.
Well, thanks Heath for this forum. I now listen to WUMB-FM's folk shows on Live365. I bet you can hear my local station KBOO-FM online too.
I had a resolution of sailing at least once a week. I think I'll amend writing to Heath and Media Diet, if he takes it. -- Rob Upson
Yesterday I watched Noam Chomsky in "Manufacturing Consent" three times as I was programming. The programming came to nothing much; I'm trying to figure out MIDI functions using Java.
Anyway, I'm thinking of becoming an activist. What an inspirational story. Of course, the whole time I was thinking of Media Diet and how great it is that I can use the Internet now (it wasn't nearly as possible in 1992, and I wonder what Noam has to say of the possibilities). But it is only useful if people communicate: what happened to me today, what happened to you.
Well, thanks Heath for this forum. I now listen to WUMB-FM's folk shows on Live365. I bet you can hear my local station KBOO-FM online too.
I had a resolution of sailing at least once a week. I think I'll amend writing to Heath and Media Diet, if he takes it. -- Rob Upson
Humor Me IV
Pow! Magazine #2, November 1966, Humor-Vision Inc., NYC, NY (bimonthly, 30 cents)
Publisher: Robert C. Sproul
Editor: Milton Duggan
Production: Ray Brunshaw
Artists and Writers: Andy Dutton, Ward Williams, Thomas Lorton, Vic Twinner, Shirley Saunders, Ben K. Lorton, Frank Frumkin, Arlene Peyton, Charlie Place, Mel Craft, Arnie Brickmush, and Iggy Noonan
Water Cooler: supplied by the Gunga Den Wet Water West Company Inc.
Cover: John Severin image of Powman! running toward an out-of-order telephone booth as a giant lizard monster tramples through town. Cover lines: Humor-Vision Presents; A Monstrous Barrage of Mighty Mirth!; The Magazine That Contains Instant Laughs; Fab Bonus -- A Crazy Champ "Camp" Certificate
Inside front cover... Photo funnies including a scene from Dr. Terror's House of Horrors. Best joke: "Which hand has the M&M's?"
p. 4 Pow! Mail Call Reader letters about features in #1
p. 5 Super Heros in Advertising d/McCartney... Products are pitched by a Captain Marvel-like superhero, Buttman and Nick O'Teen, and Wonder Peddler
p. 9 Like It's Happening Now! Photo funnies aiming at iced tea, tennis, and baseball cards include scenes from Hercules and the Princess of Troy and Dr. Terror's House of Horrors
p. 10 Camping Out d/Richard Doxsee... The outdoors life is funny. And scary
p. 12 Ultra Realistic Dolls d/McCartney... Action figures and their accessories based on racketeers, beatniks, communists, Wall Street brokers, Bridget Bardot, college basketball players, and vampires
p. 16 I Wake Up Screening! d/Golden... TV makes it necessary to edit movies' original widescreen. Now that's funny!
p. 20 Pow's Pix Strike Again! Photo funnies jab at Kentucky, hair dye, and the Chinese mafia
p. 21 The Man on the Ledge d/McCartney... The South will rise again!
p. 22 Handshakes d/Will Elder(?)... Hip grips for doctors, prizefighters, panhandlers, bowlers, hitchhikers, modern artists, farmers, bartenders, and drama critics
p. 24 Build This Beautful Color TV Set How not to make a TV
p. 26 Robbin Hood and His Band of Merrie Men d/Will Elder(?)... What if Robin Hood weren't so pure?
p. 29 Phone Services for Tots and Teens d/John Severin... Sexy, sexy toe dialing; pocketbook phones; monster fan phones; health faddist phones; and other telecommunications innovations. Additionally, Telephone roulette and classroom services
p. 34 G.I. Remember Those Days! Photo funnies drawing on U.S. Army stock photography. Best joke: "Play 'Melancholy Baby'!! (Hic!!)"
p. 36 Dinosaurs Are Sweeping the Country d/John Forte
p. 38 More Nuts A-Go-Go! Five gag panels by Don Orehek, O'Brien, and others
p. 39 Fresh, Fast & Funny! Photo funnies featuring scenes from Dr. Terror's House of Horrors and Crack in the World. Best joke: "Of course I don't know how to do the frug. This is 1809, remember?"
p. 40 The Testimonial Dinner d/Burgos... It turns into a roast once the chef's son perfects the truth serum
p. 42 Stories of the Month d/Kirschen... Three strips about a panhandler. Rather Snappy Answers for Stupid Questions in quality
Inside back cover... Two photo funnies from Cat Ballou and Dr. Terror's House of Horrors
Extras: Pow's Fun Premium, a camp certificate that recognizes the bearer for collecting kitsch such as a banjo pick used by Eddie Peabody
Marginalia: "I bet I've been in 20,000 phone booths during my lifetime. Would you believe 5,000?" -- Superman; Q: "Why does Batman wear a yellow belt?" A: "To hold up his blue shorts!"; Q: "Where does King Kong sleep?" A: "Anywhere he wants to, buddy!"; Q: "For which newspaper does Brenda Starr work?" A: "Whichever paper buys the strip!"; Q: "How tall is Dagwood?" A: "About 25 sandwiches high!"; Q: "How old is Little Orphan Annie?" A: "12... going on 37!"; Q: "How old is Prince Valiant?" A: "XXI!"; Q: "What's Mandrake the Magician's greatest trick?" A: "Making all those other magician comic strips disappear!"; Q: "Why does Dick Tracy wear a yellow hat?" A: "To hold up his black hair;" Q: "Why does Tarzan always yell, 'Aaawwhoo?'" A: "Because the lion skin he wears itches!"; Q: "Does Terry always battle the pirates?" A: "No. Sometimes he plays against the Dodgers and the Mets!"; Q: "How tough is Steve Canyon?" A: "Tough enough to get into 1,000 newspapers!"
Pow! Magazine #2, November 1966, Humor-Vision Inc., NYC, NY (bimonthly, 30 cents)
Publisher: Robert C. Sproul
Editor: Milton Duggan
Production: Ray Brunshaw
Artists and Writers: Andy Dutton, Ward Williams, Thomas Lorton, Vic Twinner, Shirley Saunders, Ben K. Lorton, Frank Frumkin, Arlene Peyton, Charlie Place, Mel Craft, Arnie Brickmush, and Iggy Noonan
Water Cooler: supplied by the Gunga Den Wet Water West Company Inc.
Cover: John Severin image of Powman! running toward an out-of-order telephone booth as a giant lizard monster tramples through town. Cover lines: Humor-Vision Presents; A Monstrous Barrage of Mighty Mirth!; The Magazine That Contains Instant Laughs; Fab Bonus -- A Crazy Champ "Camp" Certificate
Inside front cover... Photo funnies including a scene from Dr. Terror's House of Horrors. Best joke: "Which hand has the M&M's?"
p. 4 Pow! Mail Call Reader letters about features in #1
p. 5 Super Heros in Advertising d/McCartney... Products are pitched by a Captain Marvel-like superhero, Buttman and Nick O'Teen, and Wonder Peddler
p. 9 Like It's Happening Now! Photo funnies aiming at iced tea, tennis, and baseball cards include scenes from Hercules and the Princess of Troy and Dr. Terror's House of Horrors
p. 10 Camping Out d/Richard Doxsee... The outdoors life is funny. And scary
p. 12 Ultra Realistic Dolls d/McCartney... Action figures and their accessories based on racketeers, beatniks, communists, Wall Street brokers, Bridget Bardot, college basketball players, and vampires
p. 16 I Wake Up Screening! d/Golden... TV makes it necessary to edit movies' original widescreen. Now that's funny!
p. 20 Pow's Pix Strike Again! Photo funnies jab at Kentucky, hair dye, and the Chinese mafia
p. 21 The Man on the Ledge d/McCartney... The South will rise again!
p. 22 Handshakes d/Will Elder(?)... Hip grips for doctors, prizefighters, panhandlers, bowlers, hitchhikers, modern artists, farmers, bartenders, and drama critics
p. 24 Build This Beautful Color TV Set How not to make a TV
p. 26 Robbin Hood and His Band of Merrie Men d/Will Elder(?)... What if Robin Hood weren't so pure?
p. 29 Phone Services for Tots and Teens d/John Severin... Sexy, sexy toe dialing; pocketbook phones; monster fan phones; health faddist phones; and other telecommunications innovations. Additionally, Telephone roulette and classroom services
p. 34 G.I. Remember Those Days! Photo funnies drawing on U.S. Army stock photography. Best joke: "Play 'Melancholy Baby'!! (Hic!!)"
p. 36 Dinosaurs Are Sweeping the Country d/John Forte
p. 38 More Nuts A-Go-Go! Five gag panels by Don Orehek, O'Brien, and others
p. 39 Fresh, Fast & Funny! Photo funnies featuring scenes from Dr. Terror's House of Horrors and Crack in the World. Best joke: "Of course I don't know how to do the frug. This is 1809, remember?"
p. 40 The Testimonial Dinner d/Burgos... It turns into a roast once the chef's son perfects the truth serum
p. 42 Stories of the Month d/Kirschen... Three strips about a panhandler. Rather Snappy Answers for Stupid Questions in quality
Inside back cover... Two photo funnies from Cat Ballou and Dr. Terror's House of Horrors
Extras: Pow's Fun Premium, a camp certificate that recognizes the bearer for collecting kitsch such as a banjo pick used by Eddie Peabody
Marginalia: "I bet I've been in 20,000 phone booths during my lifetime. Would you believe 5,000?" -- Superman; Q: "Why does Batman wear a yellow belt?" A: "To hold up his blue shorts!"; Q: "Where does King Kong sleep?" A: "Anywhere he wants to, buddy!"; Q: "For which newspaper does Brenda Starr work?" A: "Whichever paper buys the strip!"; Q: "How tall is Dagwood?" A: "About 25 sandwiches high!"; Q: "How old is Little Orphan Annie?" A: "12... going on 37!"; Q: "How old is Prince Valiant?" A: "XXI!"; Q: "What's Mandrake the Magician's greatest trick?" A: "Making all those other magician comic strips disappear!"; Q: "Why does Dick Tracy wear a yellow hat?" A: "To hold up his black hair;" Q: "Why does Tarzan always yell, 'Aaawwhoo?'" A: "Because the lion skin he wears itches!"; Q: "Does Terry always battle the pirates?" A: "No. Sometimes he plays against the Dodgers and the Mets!"; Q: "How tough is Steve Canyon?" A: "Tough enough to get into 1,000 newspapers!"
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