The Movie I Watched Last Night IV
Outland
Sean Connery's accent is more noticeable than it is today. There's a tough-talking female doctor character who reminds me of my friend Brett's mom. And the Serpico-meets-Aliens plot outline makes for a good heroic and slightly family-oriented story. The special features on the DVD are crummy though. "The Making of Outland" is all text, not a documentary. Ditto for the special feature about how the crew modeled the miniature mine. Lame extras. Good movie.
What movies have you seen lately?
Tuesday, February 05, 2002
Near-Death Experience
I'm being overdramatic, but I almost got hit by a car last night. I was walking home from work, just after getting off the T at Central Square. Towing a suitcase from last week -- lazy me left it at work for a week after a quick trip to New Jersey -- and carrying two courier bags, I neared the intersection of Green and Magazine streets right by the bus station. There's a crosswalk there, and a stop sign as Green Street intersects with Magazine Street.
There was a car coming to the intersection, but it was quite a ways back, with plenty of time to stop at the intersection. I step into the intersection, start walking across the street, and the car doesn't stop! I jump-step ahead to avoid getting hit as the car crosses the crosswalk at probably 20-25 miles per hour. "Dude, stop sign!" I yell, pointing. Another pedestrian also yells, "Stop sign!" at the car, driven by an older man who is yelling at me from inside the car. He continues yelling at me as he pulls through the intersection, almost getting hit by a bus pulling into the station before he eventually crosses River and Western streets at the light to go wherever he was headed.
Lessons learned:
Just because there's a stop sign doesn't mean that drivers will respect it.
Never underestimate how fast a car is going even if they're supposed to slow and stop.
Get the license plate number if you can.
I should've reported the dude. Nevertheless, I was extra, extra careful at the next two intersections, looking both ways even when it was a one-way street. Cars are coffins.
I'm being overdramatic, but I almost got hit by a car last night. I was walking home from work, just after getting off the T at Central Square. Towing a suitcase from last week -- lazy me left it at work for a week after a quick trip to New Jersey -- and carrying two courier bags, I neared the intersection of Green and Magazine streets right by the bus station. There's a crosswalk there, and a stop sign as Green Street intersects with Magazine Street.
There was a car coming to the intersection, but it was quite a ways back, with plenty of time to stop at the intersection. I step into the intersection, start walking across the street, and the car doesn't stop! I jump-step ahead to avoid getting hit as the car crosses the crosswalk at probably 20-25 miles per hour. "Dude, stop sign!" I yell, pointing. Another pedestrian also yells, "Stop sign!" at the car, driven by an older man who is yelling at me from inside the car. He continues yelling at me as he pulls through the intersection, almost getting hit by a bus pulling into the station before he eventually crosses River and Western streets at the light to go wherever he was headed.
Lessons learned:
I should've reported the dude. Nevertheless, I was extra, extra careful at the next two intersections, looking both ways even when it was a one-way street. Cars are coffins.
Monday, February 04, 2002
Near-DIY Distribution
The Slush Factory, a wonderful independents-meet-mainstream comics journalism site I just started reading, currently features an interesting interview with Tim Stroup, one of the founders of Cold Cut Distribution. Stroup weighs in on ignoring the comics of Marvel, DC, and Image; what it's like working with 500 small-press publishers; and how they continue to compete when Diamond holds 95% of the comics distribution market. A good look inside a small-scale but big-hearted comics-related company.
The Slush Factory, a wonderful independents-meet-mainstream comics journalism site I just started reading, currently features an interesting interview with Tim Stroup, one of the founders of Cold Cut Distribution. Stroup weighs in on ignoring the comics of Marvel, DC, and Image; what it's like working with 500 small-press publishers; and how they continue to compete when Diamond holds 95% of the comics distribution market. A good look inside a small-scale but big-hearted comics-related company.
From the In Box: Your Local Use-Paper
Thanks, dude! We did get a lot of good feedback, and it seemed a shame to let it go to waste. Back in the pre-Internet days we used to have this section called Reader Feedback, AKA Reader Feed Bag, where we would have the interns record comments from callers. This is much more efficient. -- Peter Howe
Thanks, dude! We did get a lot of good feedback, and it seemed a shame to let it go to waste. Back in the pre-Internet days we used to have this section called Reader Feedback, AKA Reader Feed Bag, where we would have the interns record comments from callers. This is much more efficient. -- Peter Howe
Your Local Use-Paper
In a rare -- but exciting and intriguing -- inclusion of readers' voices and ideas in a newspaper article, the Boston Globe today ran a story headlined Readers React to Cellphone Study. Reporter Peter Howe contributed a piece rounding up commentary gleaned from the 130 calls and emails the Globe received in response to last week's look at the Boston area's wireless network coverage quality. Kudos to Howe and the Globe for drawing on the experiences and knowledge of its readers.
In a rare -- but exciting and intriguing -- inclusion of readers' voices and ideas in a newspaper article, the Boston Globe today ran a story headlined Readers React to Cellphone Study. Reporter Peter Howe contributed a piece rounding up commentary gleaned from the 130 calls and emails the Globe received in response to last week's look at the Boston area's wireless network coverage quality. Kudos to Howe and the Globe for drawing on the experiences and knowledge of its readers.
Books Worth a Look
For Christmas, my folks game me a Reader's Journal published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang. I've been keeping track of the books I read, writing mini-reviews. Here's what I've read in late-2001 and in January this year:
The African American Press: With Special Reference to Four Newspapers, 1827-1965 by Charles Simmons (1998)
This near-academic "history of news coverage during national crises" looks at how the Chicago Defended, Pittsburgh Courier, Black Dispatch, and Jackson Advocate reported on abolition, the black vote, and black sentiment during world wars I and II, as well as the civil rights movement. Balances accomodation with militance in the light of government suppression -- and serves as an indictment against Percy Greene, publisher of the Mississippi-based Advocate, which fought civil rights efforts in lieu of kissing up to the white power structure.
Days to read: 2. Rating: Good.
American Hardcore: A Tribal History by Steven Blush (2001)
Steve was active in the DC hardcore scene, booking shows and touring with No Trend. His extensive oral history of hardcore as an outgrowth of and response to the negative aspects of punk includes many reproductions of fliers and record covers of the time. He focuses on some of the most important bands -- Black Flag, the Bad Brains, the Dead Kennedys -- and analyzes the difference between the different scenes -- LA, Orange County, San Francisco, DC, Boston, New York City, etc. A must read.
Days to read: 10. Rating: Excellent.
The Anatomy of Buzz: How to Create Word of Mouth Marketing by Emanuel Rosen (2000)
An extremely lucid and useful handbook on how to further buzz within social and commercial networks. Rosen takes an action-oriented approach to developing contagious products and accelerating natural contagian by working with network hubs, seeding conversations, telling better business stories, and pursuing viral marketing efforts. A crucially useful, well-organized how to!
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
Bread -- and Roses: The Struggle of American Labor 1865-1915 by Milton Meltzer (1967)
Picked up off a shelf in the lobby of an apartment building in Mexico City, this heavily underlined book details the earliest days of the labor movement in America. Drawing on newspaper accounts primarily, Meltzer celebrates some of the unsung heroes of labor, focusing his attention mostly on notable strikes, riots, and court cases. Also heavily dependent on the activities of formal unions.
Days to read: 60. Rating: Excellent.
Cold Print by Ramsey Campbell (1987)
A collection of short stories drawing on H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos. Dedicated to Fritz Leiber and Robert Bloch, Campbell's style is more similar to August Derleth and Stephen King than Lin Carter and Brian Lumley. Some stories are barely inspired by Lovecraft, which makes for a nice blend of contemporary horror and mythos pastiche. Might be a good introduction for people not into Lovecraft already.
Days to read: 5. Rating: Good.
The Executioner #277: Dirty Mission by Mike Newton as Don Pendleton (2001)
Mack Bolan throws in with a couple of lefty humanitarians to quell the stateside assassinations of Colombian exiles speaking out against an oppressive regime. There's the requisite overly verbose hardware descriptions, the romantic interest (who isn't obtained in this book), and a sneaky attack on some thoroughbred horses. Easy reading.
Days to read: 3. Rating: Good.
Fandom Directory #19 edited by Mariane Hopkins (2000)
This 525-page directory of science fiction and comic book fanzines, fan clubs, retail shops, and Web sites is a geek's paradise. Into Star Trek and wanting to learn Klingon? Read this. Obsessing over some random actor on Babylon 5? Come here. Mostly media tie-in fandom, but some pleasant subculture, comic, and zine surprises. The geeks of the geeks.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
Forming: The Early Days of LA Punk edited by Exene Cervenka (2000)
The catalog to an exhibit of photographs, fliers, and album covers at Track 16 Gallery in Santa Monica, California, in 1999, this slim book compiles many iconic art examples from the era. The associated essays draw parallels to situationism, fluxus, and dada, including several reprints of writing by Slash's Claude Bessy and a timeline that puts the 1976-82 scene in a social, political, economic, and cultural context. Better to have seen the exhibit, I think.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Fine.
Fury: Fictions and Films by Clive Holden (1998)
Collecting a novella that interweaves three divergent narratives about three connected characters during a blackout, five short stories, and two mostly poetic representations of two of the author's experimental films, this book is short -- 170-plus pages -- but strong. Heavily Canadian in character, the writing reminds me of Jack Kerouac or J.D. Salinger, as seen with the Weakerthans' strong sense of the importance of place.
Days to read: 2. Rating: Excellent.
The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino (1968)
Cloaked as a religion and inspiration book, this slim volume is really a romanticization of sales and marketing and an apology for mercenary commercial behavior. That said, it does encourage people to donate a portion of their profits to the poor -- and it offers some solid self-help suggestions regardless of whether you're in sales. Renewal, love, persistence, mindfulness, and humor are all good traits.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (1999)
Odd. While reading this, I was enraptured. But two days later, I could hardly remember a thing about the book! D these have lasting value? The character of Gilderoy Lockheart makes for some great comic commentary n publicity, fame, and celebrity. And Dobby the house-elf portends that Harry's fame is far flung. Good ending with giant spiders, Moaning Myrtle, a basilisk, and the ghost of a young Voldemort. It all comes back to me now. A great read.
Days to read: 2. Rating: Excellent.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (1999)
Not as satisfying as the last novel, this volume has a convoluted Who Done It? ending that ropes in a new lackey who will probably have a role in the future. Not as mythic as previous books, this introduces lycanthropy as an element and ups the ante on the quidditch match descriptions. Not as funny as the last book, either, as tensions test even the best of friends and enemies.
Days to read: 3. Rating: Excellent.
How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy by Orson Scott Card (1990)
This slightly dated book published by Writer's Digest Books breezes through a sci-fi how to in 137 pages. Amidst digs on Analog, Star Trek, and hard SF, Card expands on various kinds of stories, the rules of world creation -- space travel, etc. -- the difference between science fiction and fantasy, and how exposition works differently in SF than in other genres. Card's commentary on abeyance is especially useful.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Make the Music Go Bang!: The Early LA Punk Scene edited by Don Snowden (1997)
Basically an excuse to publish some of the scene-specific photos of Gary Leonard, this book comprises almost a dozen reminiscent "essays" by long-time scene stalwarts, including X's Exene Cervenka, Los Lobos' Louis Perez, and the editor of Slash. While a solid romp through the people and places of the era, the book's a little shallow and mostly succeeds because it shows how various subgenres came together in ways other communities and scenes couldn't sustain.
Days to read: 6. Rating: Good.
Mutts: Sunday Mornings by Patrick McDonnell (2001)
Beautiful color edition of McDonnell's amazing comic strip, all from the Sunday funnies. The color is vibrant, and the full-page detail art adds a nice design element. While his commentary on animal shelters can be cloying, McDonnell's portrayal of how pets interact with their owners, as well as with each other, is poignant, powerful, and damn funny.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
Overcoming Addictions: The Spiritual Solution by Deepak Chopra (1997)
By highlighting how addictive substances and activities such as alcohol, tobacco, drugs, sex, and work affect our mind body balance -- drawing on Ayurveda -- Chopra hones in on the root causes of addictive behavior and offers some solutions. These solutions are rooted in concentrating on positive alternative experiences, mindfulness, and conscious choice. This book has already helped me.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Small Pieces Loosely Joined: A Unified Theory of the Web by David Weinberger (2002)
The co-author of "The Cluetrain Manifesto" goes off on his own and crafts a well-reasoned and forward-thinking look at why the Web really matters. Considering how the Web changes our philosophical consideration of space, time, perfection, togetherness, knowledge, and matter, Weinberger contends that the Web can amplify humanity's social nature, offering a good measure of hope for the future of technology and business development.
Days to read: 7. Rating: Good.
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein (1961)
"The most famous science fiction novel ever written" starts out as a martian comes to Earth tale and quickly evolves into an Ayn Rand-like commentary on politics, organized religion, property, and polyamory -- complete with Jubal Harshaw, a Howard Roark-like character who turnd out to be the real hero. A bit preachy at times, but impressive in its ideas and narrative.
Days to read: 4. Rating: Excellent.
Strange Sisters: The Art of Lesbian Pulp Fiction 1949-1969 by Jaye Zimet (1999)
Awesome book highlighting the cover art and text from lesbian-themed pulp novels. The author's collection is impressive, and her comments are insightful and humorous. Sections analyze the use of the female gaze, how the books were marketed to men, the sleaze element, and other themes -- use of butches, body image, and so on. Good resource listing.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements by Eric Hoffer (1951)
Hoffer's near-academic sociological and psychological study looks at the appeal of mass movements, qualities and characteristics of potential converts, the relationship between united action and self-sacrifice, and the important actors in various stages of a movement. Hoffer concentrates on fanaticism and draws parallels between Nazism and Christianity. A useful handbook for organizers, but not overly hopeful for positive success.
Days to read: NA. Rating: Excellent.
Victory Chimp by Neil Hagerty (1997)
Imagine Lancelot Link as written by William S. Burroughs, and you've got a good idea about this book. Interstellar espionage story about an intelligent chimpanzee, written in a beat-meets-dada wordplay style. Some of it works well, and some does not. A vanity book. There's a change to first-person narrative at one point, but the ending -- the wrestling lectures -- were excellent.
Days to read: 2. Rating: Fair.
We Got the Neutron Bomb: The Untold Story of LA Punk by Marc Spitz and Brendan Mullen (2001)
More than 160 people contribute their stories to this oral history of the LA punk scene. More balanced and in depth than "Make the Music Go Bang!" (reviewed above), this book considers the scene's precursors, genre-specific splits, and eventual evolution -- largely influenced by the hardcord insurgence from Orange County. The book also takes on the scene's entertainment industry ties and negative aspects, something "Make the Music Go Bang!" glosses over in the name of positive recollection and nostalgia.
Days to read: 2. Rating: Excellent.
Work 2.0: Rewriting the Contract by Bill Jensen (2001)
The author of "Simplicity" weighs in with his analysis of the new work relationships possible in the post-New Economy, -recession, and -911 world. Written mainly for managers, "Work 2.0" concentrates on new work assets; personalized work tools, resources, and processes; peer-to-peer value and social networks; and extreme leadership. Equal parts call for grassroots leadership development and a customer service approach to management.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
What are you reading?
For Christmas, my folks game me a Reader's Journal published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang. I've been keeping track of the books I read, writing mini-reviews. Here's what I've read in late-2001 and in January this year:
The African American Press: With Special Reference to Four Newspapers, 1827-1965 by Charles Simmons (1998)
This near-academic "history of news coverage during national crises" looks at how the Chicago Defended, Pittsburgh Courier, Black Dispatch, and Jackson Advocate reported on abolition, the black vote, and black sentiment during world wars I and II, as well as the civil rights movement. Balances accomodation with militance in the light of government suppression -- and serves as an indictment against Percy Greene, publisher of the Mississippi-based Advocate, which fought civil rights efforts in lieu of kissing up to the white power structure.
Days to read: 2. Rating: Good.
American Hardcore: A Tribal History by Steven Blush (2001)
Steve was active in the DC hardcore scene, booking shows and touring with No Trend. His extensive oral history of hardcore as an outgrowth of and response to the negative aspects of punk includes many reproductions of fliers and record covers of the time. He focuses on some of the most important bands -- Black Flag, the Bad Brains, the Dead Kennedys -- and analyzes the difference between the different scenes -- LA, Orange County, San Francisco, DC, Boston, New York City, etc. A must read.
Days to read: 10. Rating: Excellent.
The Anatomy of Buzz: How to Create Word of Mouth Marketing by Emanuel Rosen (2000)
An extremely lucid and useful handbook on how to further buzz within social and commercial networks. Rosen takes an action-oriented approach to developing contagious products and accelerating natural contagian by working with network hubs, seeding conversations, telling better business stories, and pursuing viral marketing efforts. A crucially useful, well-organized how to!
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
Bread -- and Roses: The Struggle of American Labor 1865-1915 by Milton Meltzer (1967)
Picked up off a shelf in the lobby of an apartment building in Mexico City, this heavily underlined book details the earliest days of the labor movement in America. Drawing on newspaper accounts primarily, Meltzer celebrates some of the unsung heroes of labor, focusing his attention mostly on notable strikes, riots, and court cases. Also heavily dependent on the activities of formal unions.
Days to read: 60. Rating: Excellent.
Cold Print by Ramsey Campbell (1987)
A collection of short stories drawing on H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos. Dedicated to Fritz Leiber and Robert Bloch, Campbell's style is more similar to August Derleth and Stephen King than Lin Carter and Brian Lumley. Some stories are barely inspired by Lovecraft, which makes for a nice blend of contemporary horror and mythos pastiche. Might be a good introduction for people not into Lovecraft already.
Days to read: 5. Rating: Good.
The Executioner #277: Dirty Mission by Mike Newton as Don Pendleton (2001)
Mack Bolan throws in with a couple of lefty humanitarians to quell the stateside assassinations of Colombian exiles speaking out against an oppressive regime. There's the requisite overly verbose hardware descriptions, the romantic interest (who isn't obtained in this book), and a sneaky attack on some thoroughbred horses. Easy reading.
Days to read: 3. Rating: Good.
Fandom Directory #19 edited by Mariane Hopkins (2000)
This 525-page directory of science fiction and comic book fanzines, fan clubs, retail shops, and Web sites is a geek's paradise. Into Star Trek and wanting to learn Klingon? Read this. Obsessing over some random actor on Babylon 5? Come here. Mostly media tie-in fandom, but some pleasant subculture, comic, and zine surprises. The geeks of the geeks.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
Forming: The Early Days of LA Punk edited by Exene Cervenka (2000)
The catalog to an exhibit of photographs, fliers, and album covers at Track 16 Gallery in Santa Monica, California, in 1999, this slim book compiles many iconic art examples from the era. The associated essays draw parallels to situationism, fluxus, and dada, including several reprints of writing by Slash's Claude Bessy and a timeline that puts the 1976-82 scene in a social, political, economic, and cultural context. Better to have seen the exhibit, I think.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Fine.
Fury: Fictions and Films by Clive Holden (1998)
Collecting a novella that interweaves three divergent narratives about three connected characters during a blackout, five short stories, and two mostly poetic representations of two of the author's experimental films, this book is short -- 170-plus pages -- but strong. Heavily Canadian in character, the writing reminds me of Jack Kerouac or J.D. Salinger, as seen with the Weakerthans' strong sense of the importance of place.
Days to read: 2. Rating: Excellent.
The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino (1968)
Cloaked as a religion and inspiration book, this slim volume is really a romanticization of sales and marketing and an apology for mercenary commercial behavior. That said, it does encourage people to donate a portion of their profits to the poor -- and it offers some solid self-help suggestions regardless of whether you're in sales. Renewal, love, persistence, mindfulness, and humor are all good traits.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (1999)
Odd. While reading this, I was enraptured. But two days later, I could hardly remember a thing about the book! D these have lasting value? The character of Gilderoy Lockheart makes for some great comic commentary n publicity, fame, and celebrity. And Dobby the house-elf portends that Harry's fame is far flung. Good ending with giant spiders, Moaning Myrtle, a basilisk, and the ghost of a young Voldemort. It all comes back to me now. A great read.
Days to read: 2. Rating: Excellent.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (1999)
Not as satisfying as the last novel, this volume has a convoluted Who Done It? ending that ropes in a new lackey who will probably have a role in the future. Not as mythic as previous books, this introduces lycanthropy as an element and ups the ante on the quidditch match descriptions. Not as funny as the last book, either, as tensions test even the best of friends and enemies.
Days to read: 3. Rating: Excellent.
How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy by Orson Scott Card (1990)
This slightly dated book published by Writer's Digest Books breezes through a sci-fi how to in 137 pages. Amidst digs on Analog, Star Trek, and hard SF, Card expands on various kinds of stories, the rules of world creation -- space travel, etc. -- the difference between science fiction and fantasy, and how exposition works differently in SF than in other genres. Card's commentary on abeyance is especially useful.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Make the Music Go Bang!: The Early LA Punk Scene edited by Don Snowden (1997)
Basically an excuse to publish some of the scene-specific photos of Gary Leonard, this book comprises almost a dozen reminiscent "essays" by long-time scene stalwarts, including X's Exene Cervenka, Los Lobos' Louis Perez, and the editor of Slash. While a solid romp through the people and places of the era, the book's a little shallow and mostly succeeds because it shows how various subgenres came together in ways other communities and scenes couldn't sustain.
Days to read: 6. Rating: Good.
Mutts: Sunday Mornings by Patrick McDonnell (2001)
Beautiful color edition of McDonnell's amazing comic strip, all from the Sunday funnies. The color is vibrant, and the full-page detail art adds a nice design element. While his commentary on animal shelters can be cloying, McDonnell's portrayal of how pets interact with their owners, as well as with each other, is poignant, powerful, and damn funny.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
Overcoming Addictions: The Spiritual Solution by Deepak Chopra (1997)
By highlighting how addictive substances and activities such as alcohol, tobacco, drugs, sex, and work affect our mind body balance -- drawing on Ayurveda -- Chopra hones in on the root causes of addictive behavior and offers some solutions. These solutions are rooted in concentrating on positive alternative experiences, mindfulness, and conscious choice. This book has already helped me.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Small Pieces Loosely Joined: A Unified Theory of the Web by David Weinberger (2002)
The co-author of "The Cluetrain Manifesto" goes off on his own and crafts a well-reasoned and forward-thinking look at why the Web really matters. Considering how the Web changes our philosophical consideration of space, time, perfection, togetherness, knowledge, and matter, Weinberger contends that the Web can amplify humanity's social nature, offering a good measure of hope for the future of technology and business development.
Days to read: 7. Rating: Good.
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein (1961)
"The most famous science fiction novel ever written" starts out as a martian comes to Earth tale and quickly evolves into an Ayn Rand-like commentary on politics, organized religion, property, and polyamory -- complete with Jubal Harshaw, a Howard Roark-like character who turnd out to be the real hero. A bit preachy at times, but impressive in its ideas and narrative.
Days to read: 4. Rating: Excellent.
Strange Sisters: The Art of Lesbian Pulp Fiction 1949-1969 by Jaye Zimet (1999)
Awesome book highlighting the cover art and text from lesbian-themed pulp novels. The author's collection is impressive, and her comments are insightful and humorous. Sections analyze the use of the female gaze, how the books were marketed to men, the sleaze element, and other themes -- use of butches, body image, and so on. Good resource listing.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements by Eric Hoffer (1951)
Hoffer's near-academic sociological and psychological study looks at the appeal of mass movements, qualities and characteristics of potential converts, the relationship between united action and self-sacrifice, and the important actors in various stages of a movement. Hoffer concentrates on fanaticism and draws parallels between Nazism and Christianity. A useful handbook for organizers, but not overly hopeful for positive success.
Days to read: NA. Rating: Excellent.
Victory Chimp by Neil Hagerty (1997)
Imagine Lancelot Link as written by William S. Burroughs, and you've got a good idea about this book. Interstellar espionage story about an intelligent chimpanzee, written in a beat-meets-dada wordplay style. Some of it works well, and some does not. A vanity book. There's a change to first-person narrative at one point, but the ending -- the wrestling lectures -- were excellent.
Days to read: 2. Rating: Fair.
We Got the Neutron Bomb: The Untold Story of LA Punk by Marc Spitz and Brendan Mullen (2001)
More than 160 people contribute their stories to this oral history of the LA punk scene. More balanced and in depth than "Make the Music Go Bang!" (reviewed above), this book considers the scene's precursors, genre-specific splits, and eventual evolution -- largely influenced by the hardcord insurgence from Orange County. The book also takes on the scene's entertainment industry ties and negative aspects, something "Make the Music Go Bang!" glosses over in the name of positive recollection and nostalgia.
Days to read: 2. Rating: Excellent.
Work 2.0: Rewriting the Contract by Bill Jensen (2001)
The author of "Simplicity" weighs in with his analysis of the new work relationships possible in the post-New Economy, -recession, and -911 world. Written mainly for managers, "Work 2.0" concentrates on new work assets; personalized work tools, resources, and processes; peer-to-peer value and social networks; and extreme leadership. Equal parts call for grassroots leadership development and a customer service approach to management.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
What are you reading?
Friday, February 01, 2002
From the Reading Pile VI
The American Girl #3
It's been a year since #2, and this 108-page issue is a choose your own adventure based on Sara's 1999 vacation in Asia. Accompanies by illustrations courtesy of Jaki Wood, Sara's writing is detailed and matter of fact. But my first storyline ended too soon! So I had to pick a new path. My second adventure covered some of the same ground as the first, which surprised me, but it quickly becomes clear that this is a witty mix of fact and fiction -- a la the death by motorcycle! Sara and the Pope's time in Ho Chi Minh City is particularly poignant, and I especially appreciate the inclusion of maps as well as Jaki's humorous illos. I have no idea how long I read and reread this. The idea is so cool, the story so engaging, and the number of options so enjoyable that I'm surprise more travel-oriented perzines -- ahem, Urban Hermit -- haven't tried this. I eventually stopped and read it front to back so I didn't miss anything. Awesome. You'll learn about the local culture and people. You'll learn about cool places to go and things to do. And you'll have hella fun reading this. A keeper if you ever plan to go to Asia. $2 to Sara, P.O. Box 190054, San Francisco, CA 94119.
Modern Fascist Quarterly #1 (Fall 2001)
Don't be fooled by the editor's letter from Trevor Alixopolus, creator of such comics as Quagga, Stalin Funnies, and Nil. While it's clear that this isn't a "dour political tract," this 36-page zine is also much, much more than the satirical periodical Trevor makes it out to be. While there are Low-Brow Reader-style swipes at Bryan Adams and a cache-full of Web sites, this zine is too politically aware to be solely parody. Trevor's "Globalization for Dummies" comic is a better primer to the IMF, WTO, WEF, and FTAA than those offered by Tom Tomorrow or Ted Rall to date. Starhawk's "Fascism in Genoa" is a scathing essay abut the police and politicians' mishandling of the free trade protests in July 2001. Trevor's article on the redevelopment of Carillo Adobe in Santa Rosa is a personal, well-researched look at a lost piece of history and nature. And "Taqueria!", a "burrito-eating man's guide to Santa Rosa," is a useful roundup of taquerias near where Trevor lives. More mindful political perzine than funny book, Modern Fascist could very well be the wolf in sheep's clothing activists need to reach a new audience for the anti-globalization message. $3 to Trevor Alixopolus, P.O. Box 524, Fulton, CA 95439.
Muppet Babies
Ben Jones' take on the Muppet Babies is right up there with his Alfe and Gator character-oriented comics. A sexed-up Miss Piggy wakes everyone up with a false fire alarm, and hilarity ensues as everyone discovers that it's Gonzo's peanut butter mayo salsa applesauce casserole burning in the Easy Bake oven. Scooter and Fozzie take the gang to Rap Land, where Kermit, Gonzo, and Beaker freestyle until Miss Piggy emerges as P-Lo. Then they go to a rave. A friendly and funny appropriation of pop culture icons that -- at the very end -- takes a stab at Canada: "Make sure Canada feels it." What's up with that? Paper Radio is on the Web.
Poems for Cartoonists
Hot on the heels of the recent series of comics-meet-poetry chapbook collaborations, David Lasky's 32-page mini could very well be a response to that effort, if not a serious dare to "write poems without words" and "draw comics without pictures." I'm usually quite skeptical about self-referential insider ephemera like this, and this was no exception. Even though the messages in this chapbook are laudable -- the role of words, panels as pages, the creative process, and cartoonists' influences -- the poems don't all stand up as good poetry, and I fear that this will find an extremely small appreciative audience -- a subset of an already small subset. Still, three poems struck me and are strong enough to check this out solely on their merit: "Braille Comic Strip," "Skeezik," and "Peanuts Finale." "Endless Comic Strip" is also worthwhile. David, kudos for this; may others take up your challenge! $3 to Boom Boom Comics, 4505 University Way NE, PMB 181, Seattle, WA 98105.
Shut Up! #1
You might have seen this comic artist's fliers and stickers around Somerville and Cambridge. While the obliquely frog-faced "Hi" guy isn't as omnipresent as Shepard Fairey's Andre the Giant urban installations, I was thrilled silly to find this 12-page comic on the mini racks at the Picnic. This first issue is quite skinny and features roughly 10 comic strips. The art is raw, the panels and pages of various sizes, and the point questionable, but Shut Up! is still a fun read. The creator pokes fun at TV, farts, softshoe, Life Is Hell (perhaps, the comic on p. 5 made me think of Matt Groening), the Hopi Chicken, poop, and superheroes. Definitely low in calorie count, Shut Up! is a throwaway read that's still sure to bring a smile. $1 to P.O. Box 442154, Somerville, MA 02144.
Shut Up Comics & Stories #2
This is more like it! Compared to the thin #1, this 46-page issue is a bargain -- and perhaps a better introduction to the "Hi" guy's creator's (I don't know his name!) work. As much zine as comic, this edition's contents are more varied. There's found art combines with comics, birds with hats, detourned sports clip art, yoga fart jokes, some short fiction, sketchbook reprints, historic fumetti featuring a French man, and Voivoid-esque lettering. The pages are much more dense this time around, and the artwork is much more mature -- in form, if not in content. Rather overwhelming to soak this all up, but hella impressive just for its sheer size and spunkiness. 10 cents to P.O. Box 442154, Somerville, MA 02144.
Simply Questions
This 32-page environmental zine by Solar Ray -- a collaboration between George Mokray and Mel Burns -- draws heavily on the environmental design principles of William McDonough. Questions address the role of the wind, birds, water, garbage collection, electricity, land use, and our environmental footprint. No answers are offered because "they are local and individual," but this mini will get your wheels turning. And they tell you where you can go to learn more. Thought-provoking. Look for it at the Picnic. I'll try to dig up George's email address.
Smudges
Part of Brett Warnock and Chris Staros' small batch series for Top Shelf, this 48-page watercolor comic pamphlet by Pshaw! shows work more mature than his past comics. Maybe it's called Smudges because of the watercolors and grey tones. Mostly sketches and character studies of the denizens of Pshaw!'s world -- Oddclops, Boxbug, Moodruin, Zoomcloud, and others -- this is a good introduction to Pshaw!'s sensibility. Smudges also tips hat to E.C. Segar, disses Marvel, and offers odes to mud, dust, and ice. But is it worth $10? I'd start with Pshaw!'s other work and get this if you're a completist. $10 to Top Shelf, P.O. Box 1282, Marietta, GA 30061-1282.
The Tenth Frame #3
An intriguing comic focusing on people -- mostly jazz musicians and improvisers -- who Austin considers his heroes, heroes of the be-bop era. The opening four pager of this 28-page edition details the stages of the "descent of Charlie Parker": calm beginnings, rise to fame, disillusionment, and the last days. Also included is the third chapter of Austin's comics chronicle of the life of Thelonius Monk. The installment centers on the seminars Monk held at his house with musicians such as Sonny Rollins and Miles Davis, as well as his short-lived stint with Dizzy Gillespie's big band. To close out the issue, there's a six-page synopsis of the lasting effects Lenny Bruce -- a different breed of improviser -- has had on comedy. As fascinated as I am by this comic, a true labor of love, I'm also frustrated. Austin's heavily researched, footnoted, and photo-referenced effort is an unprecedented experiment in celebrating jazz in comics form, as far as I can tell. But his still-developing art style -- the drawing is quite sloppy, less than stylistic -- and low production value -- cut-and-paste photocopying and typewritten text -- serve as impediments... as well as indicators of the work's foundation in jazz and improvisation. Well worth checking out, and I know that Austin will continue to improve. The Tenth Frame will only get better. $1 to Austin English, P.O. Box 460584, San Francisco, CA 94146-0584.
The Urban Hermit #9
Hidden in the cover artwork is a handwritten line that reads, "I am not Cometbus." Um, OK. But the parallels are there -- and perhaps the inspiration. Because the Urban Hermit is a Doris-via-Iron Feather Journal perzine that draws on beat poetry, hip hop, and hemp-hippy rave kid culture -- and one that details the travels of Sarah from Seattle to Hawaii after quitting her job as a crystal methamphetamine addiction recovery counselor. While Sarah's adventures among the American hippy kids who squat on fruit orchards in Hawaii are interesting, there's an undercurrent of self-centeredness and pretentiousness in her writing. Maybe it's Sarah's confidence -- for all of her posturing as a "22-year-old confused wandering person" throughout the zine's 60 pages, Sarah is surprisingly cocksure and dismissive of the people who help her -- especially given all her talk about impermanence, tofu, poetry, and such. Still, the writing is lively, flowing with a freestyle cadence, and Sarah's life is interesting enough to hold readers' attention. A fun read, full of snappy ghetto kid slang and lesbian obsession. I'd read another issue of this despite Karl Wenclas' endorsement in Zine Beat. $2 to Sarah O'Donnell, 1122 E. Pike #910, Seattle, WA 98122.
What are you reading?
The American Girl #3
It's been a year since #2, and this 108-page issue is a choose your own adventure based on Sara's 1999 vacation in Asia. Accompanies by illustrations courtesy of Jaki Wood, Sara's writing is detailed and matter of fact. But my first storyline ended too soon! So I had to pick a new path. My second adventure covered some of the same ground as the first, which surprised me, but it quickly becomes clear that this is a witty mix of fact and fiction -- a la the death by motorcycle! Sara and the Pope's time in Ho Chi Minh City is particularly poignant, and I especially appreciate the inclusion of maps as well as Jaki's humorous illos. I have no idea how long I read and reread this. The idea is so cool, the story so engaging, and the number of options so enjoyable that I'm surprise more travel-oriented perzines -- ahem, Urban Hermit -- haven't tried this. I eventually stopped and read it front to back so I didn't miss anything. Awesome. You'll learn about the local culture and people. You'll learn about cool places to go and things to do. And you'll have hella fun reading this. A keeper if you ever plan to go to Asia. $2 to Sara, P.O. Box 190054, San Francisco, CA 94119.
Modern Fascist Quarterly #1 (Fall 2001)
Don't be fooled by the editor's letter from Trevor Alixopolus, creator of such comics as Quagga, Stalin Funnies, and Nil. While it's clear that this isn't a "dour political tract," this 36-page zine is also much, much more than the satirical periodical Trevor makes it out to be. While there are Low-Brow Reader-style swipes at Bryan Adams and a cache-full of Web sites, this zine is too politically aware to be solely parody. Trevor's "Globalization for Dummies" comic is a better primer to the IMF, WTO, WEF, and FTAA than those offered by Tom Tomorrow or Ted Rall to date. Starhawk's "Fascism in Genoa" is a scathing essay abut the police and politicians' mishandling of the free trade protests in July 2001. Trevor's article on the redevelopment of Carillo Adobe in Santa Rosa is a personal, well-researched look at a lost piece of history and nature. And "Taqueria!", a "burrito-eating man's guide to Santa Rosa," is a useful roundup of taquerias near where Trevor lives. More mindful political perzine than funny book, Modern Fascist could very well be the wolf in sheep's clothing activists need to reach a new audience for the anti-globalization message. $3 to Trevor Alixopolus, P.O. Box 524, Fulton, CA 95439.
Muppet Babies
Ben Jones' take on the Muppet Babies is right up there with his Alfe and Gator character-oriented comics. A sexed-up Miss Piggy wakes everyone up with a false fire alarm, and hilarity ensues as everyone discovers that it's Gonzo's peanut butter mayo salsa applesauce casserole burning in the Easy Bake oven. Scooter and Fozzie take the gang to Rap Land, where Kermit, Gonzo, and Beaker freestyle until Miss Piggy emerges as P-Lo. Then they go to a rave. A friendly and funny appropriation of pop culture icons that -- at the very end -- takes a stab at Canada: "Make sure Canada feels it." What's up with that? Paper Radio is on the Web.
Poems for Cartoonists
Hot on the heels of the recent series of comics-meet-poetry chapbook collaborations, David Lasky's 32-page mini could very well be a response to that effort, if not a serious dare to "write poems without words" and "draw comics without pictures." I'm usually quite skeptical about self-referential insider ephemera like this, and this was no exception. Even though the messages in this chapbook are laudable -- the role of words, panels as pages, the creative process, and cartoonists' influences -- the poems don't all stand up as good poetry, and I fear that this will find an extremely small appreciative audience -- a subset of an already small subset. Still, three poems struck me and are strong enough to check this out solely on their merit: "Braille Comic Strip," "Skeezik," and "Peanuts Finale." "Endless Comic Strip" is also worthwhile. David, kudos for this; may others take up your challenge! $3 to Boom Boom Comics, 4505 University Way NE, PMB 181, Seattle, WA 98105.
Shut Up! #1
You might have seen this comic artist's fliers and stickers around Somerville and Cambridge. While the obliquely frog-faced "Hi" guy isn't as omnipresent as Shepard Fairey's Andre the Giant urban installations, I was thrilled silly to find this 12-page comic on the mini racks at the Picnic. This first issue is quite skinny and features roughly 10 comic strips. The art is raw, the panels and pages of various sizes, and the point questionable, but Shut Up! is still a fun read. The creator pokes fun at TV, farts, softshoe, Life Is Hell (perhaps, the comic on p. 5 made me think of Matt Groening), the Hopi Chicken, poop, and superheroes. Definitely low in calorie count, Shut Up! is a throwaway read that's still sure to bring a smile. $1 to P.O. Box 442154, Somerville, MA 02144.
Shut Up Comics & Stories #2
This is more like it! Compared to the thin #1, this 46-page issue is a bargain -- and perhaps a better introduction to the "Hi" guy's creator's (I don't know his name!) work. As much zine as comic, this edition's contents are more varied. There's found art combines with comics, birds with hats, detourned sports clip art, yoga fart jokes, some short fiction, sketchbook reprints, historic fumetti featuring a French man, and Voivoid-esque lettering. The pages are much more dense this time around, and the artwork is much more mature -- in form, if not in content. Rather overwhelming to soak this all up, but hella impressive just for its sheer size and spunkiness. 10 cents to P.O. Box 442154, Somerville, MA 02144.
Simply Questions
This 32-page environmental zine by Solar Ray -- a collaboration between George Mokray and Mel Burns -- draws heavily on the environmental design principles of William McDonough. Questions address the role of the wind, birds, water, garbage collection, electricity, land use, and our environmental footprint. No answers are offered because "they are local and individual," but this mini will get your wheels turning. And they tell you where you can go to learn more. Thought-provoking. Look for it at the Picnic. I'll try to dig up George's email address.
Smudges
Part of Brett Warnock and Chris Staros' small batch series for Top Shelf, this 48-page watercolor comic pamphlet by Pshaw! shows work more mature than his past comics. Maybe it's called Smudges because of the watercolors and grey tones. Mostly sketches and character studies of the denizens of Pshaw!'s world -- Oddclops, Boxbug, Moodruin, Zoomcloud, and others -- this is a good introduction to Pshaw!'s sensibility. Smudges also tips hat to E.C. Segar, disses Marvel, and offers odes to mud, dust, and ice. But is it worth $10? I'd start with Pshaw!'s other work and get this if you're a completist. $10 to Top Shelf, P.O. Box 1282, Marietta, GA 30061-1282.
The Tenth Frame #3
An intriguing comic focusing on people -- mostly jazz musicians and improvisers -- who Austin considers his heroes, heroes of the be-bop era. The opening four pager of this 28-page edition details the stages of the "descent of Charlie Parker": calm beginnings, rise to fame, disillusionment, and the last days. Also included is the third chapter of Austin's comics chronicle of the life of Thelonius Monk. The installment centers on the seminars Monk held at his house with musicians such as Sonny Rollins and Miles Davis, as well as his short-lived stint with Dizzy Gillespie's big band. To close out the issue, there's a six-page synopsis of the lasting effects Lenny Bruce -- a different breed of improviser -- has had on comedy. As fascinated as I am by this comic, a true labor of love, I'm also frustrated. Austin's heavily researched, footnoted, and photo-referenced effort is an unprecedented experiment in celebrating jazz in comics form, as far as I can tell. But his still-developing art style -- the drawing is quite sloppy, less than stylistic -- and low production value -- cut-and-paste photocopying and typewritten text -- serve as impediments... as well as indicators of the work's foundation in jazz and improvisation. Well worth checking out, and I know that Austin will continue to improve. The Tenth Frame will only get better. $1 to Austin English, P.O. Box 460584, San Francisco, CA 94146-0584.
The Urban Hermit #9
Hidden in the cover artwork is a handwritten line that reads, "I am not Cometbus." Um, OK. But the parallels are there -- and perhaps the inspiration. Because the Urban Hermit is a Doris-via-Iron Feather Journal perzine that draws on beat poetry, hip hop, and hemp-hippy rave kid culture -- and one that details the travels of Sarah from Seattle to Hawaii after quitting her job as a crystal methamphetamine addiction recovery counselor. While Sarah's adventures among the American hippy kids who squat on fruit orchards in Hawaii are interesting, there's an undercurrent of self-centeredness and pretentiousness in her writing. Maybe it's Sarah's confidence -- for all of her posturing as a "22-year-old confused wandering person" throughout the zine's 60 pages, Sarah is surprisingly cocksure and dismissive of the people who help her -- especially given all her talk about impermanence, tofu, poetry, and such. Still, the writing is lively, flowing with a freestyle cadence, and Sarah's life is interesting enough to hold readers' attention. A fun read, full of snappy ghetto kid slang and lesbian obsession. I'd read another issue of this despite Karl Wenclas' endorsement in Zine Beat. $2 to Sarah O'Donnell, 1122 E. Pike #910, Seattle, WA 98122.
What are you reading?
Web Remnants II
Glenn Gaslin, co-author of The Complete Cross-Referenced Guide to the Baby Buster Generation's Collective Unconscious, runs a nice little Web site called Scrawlings. The site features scads of his newspaper and pop-culture reporting, fiction, and other stuff. Well worth checking out. I went to college with the boy. He married a girl I also went to college with. They're both awesome, awesome people.
Oh. Someone hire Glenn. He's, oh, so highly employable.
Glenn Gaslin, co-author of The Complete Cross-Referenced Guide to the Baby Buster Generation's Collective Unconscious, runs a nice little Web site called Scrawlings. The site features scads of his newspaper and pop-culture reporting, fiction, and other stuff. Well worth checking out. I went to college with the boy. He married a girl I also went to college with. They're both awesome, awesome people.
Oh. Someone hire Glenn. He's, oh, so highly employable.
Make Your Own Movies
They Fight Crime! is a wonderfully funny Web site that randomly generates buddy movie synopses. Here's a sample: "He's an all-American flyboy stage actor with nothing left to lose. She's a strong-willed French-Canadian socialite who inherited a spooky stately manor from her late maiden aunt. They fight crime!"
And here's what might very well be my favorite: "He's a genetically engineered Catholic Green Beret who knows the secret of the alien invasion. She's a cynical punk stripper married to the Mob. They fight crime!"
They Fight Crime! is a wonderfully funny Web site that randomly generates buddy movie synopses. Here's a sample: "He's an all-American flyboy stage actor with nothing left to lose. She's a strong-willed French-Canadian socialite who inherited a spooky stately manor from her late maiden aunt. They fight crime!"
And here's what might very well be my favorite: "He's a genetically engineered Catholic Green Beret who knows the secret of the alien invasion. She's a cynical punk stripper married to the Mob. They fight crime!"
Seedy CD's
Last night at the listening party organized to comb through the basic tracks just recorded by the Anchormen, Dave coined a new phrase to describe the watered-down white-boy funk coming out of the Berklee School of Music: B-Funk. B-Funk is short for Berklee-Funk but also indicates that it's of a lesser grade. Berklee has long been the home of an entire crew of people studying, practicing, performing, and promoting stilted, watered-down music. We can thank Berklee in part for fusion and smooth jazz. As well as, perhaps, Scientology's hold on many musicians active in those subgenres.
Now it seems that the school's reach into the music industry is getting even longer. A senior practicum called Heavy Rotation is one of only three college-level courses in the US that exposes students to every aspect of record company operations and breeds a bunch of A&R types and publicists. Just what the music industry needs more of.
Now the class's homegrown label has partnered with Epic Records to release a joint CD next week -- the first CD released by a major label and a college label, supposedly. "The album is a genuinely eclectic collection," says Joan Anderman in the Globe, including folk-rock, dance-pop, heavy metal, and trip-hop.
And, I'm sure, B-Funk.
Last night at the listening party organized to comb through the basic tracks just recorded by the Anchormen, Dave coined a new phrase to describe the watered-down white-boy funk coming out of the Berklee School of Music: B-Funk. B-Funk is short for Berklee-Funk but also indicates that it's of a lesser grade. Berklee has long been the home of an entire crew of people studying, practicing, performing, and promoting stilted, watered-down music. We can thank Berklee in part for fusion and smooth jazz. As well as, perhaps, Scientology's hold on many musicians active in those subgenres.
Now it seems that the school's reach into the music industry is getting even longer. A senior practicum called Heavy Rotation is one of only three college-level courses in the US that exposes students to every aspect of record company operations and breeds a bunch of A&R types and publicists. Just what the music industry needs more of.
Now the class's homegrown label has partnered with Epic Records to release a joint CD next week -- the first CD released by a major label and a college label, supposedly. "The album is a genuinely eclectic collection," says Joan Anderman in the Globe, including folk-rock, dance-pop, heavy metal, and trip-hop.
And, I'm sure, B-Funk.
Happy National Comics Day!
I'm two days late, but Jan. 30 was National Comics Day in Brazil. Why doesn't the US have such a holiday? I first learned about the holiday in the Warren Ellis forum:
"It's recognized because in the 30th of January of 1869 (before The Yellow Kid) the first chapter of As Aventuras de Nho Quim (The Adventures of No Quim), by Ângelo Agostini, was published in the brazilian newspaper 'Vida Fluminense'. The stories had no balloons or captions, much like the Prince Valiant strips."
You can learn more online, although it's in Portuguese.
I'm two days late, but Jan. 30 was National Comics Day in Brazil. Why doesn't the US have such a holiday? I first learned about the holiday in the Warren Ellis forum:
"It's recognized because in the 30th of January of 1869 (before The Yellow Kid) the first chapter of As Aventuras de Nho Quim (The Adventures of No Quim), by Ângelo Agostini, was published in the brazilian newspaper 'Vida Fluminense'. The stories had no balloons or captions, much like the Prince Valiant strips."
You can learn more online, although it's in Portuguese.
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