The Movie I Watched Last Night XII
Tuesday: From Hell
Johnny Depp, increasingly one of my favorite elastic actors, does an impressive job portraying a laudanum- and absinthe-addicted near-psychic inspector investigating the Jack the Ripper case in Victorian London. Based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell and directed by the Hughes brothers, the film holds up relatively well as an adaptation of the book, although the movie was underpromoted and not billed as the intense, complex tale it is. Combining elements of the Ripper mythos, a conspiracy theory involving the royal family, and the political mysticism of Freemasonry, "From Hell" doesn't have the impact of Moore and Campbell's original work but goes far to dramatize the Ripper killings in a new and innovative way. The violence is handled tastefully, and Ian Holm's casting as Sir William Gull presages the ability and intensity he brought to the role of Bilbo Baggins in The Fellowship of the Ring.
Friday, March 15, 2002
Business Boners
The April issue of Business 2.0, formerly E-Company Now!, runs down the 101 Dumbest Moments in Business. Darwin in action. And I don't mean the magazine.
The April issue of Business 2.0, formerly E-Company Now!, runs down the 101 Dumbest Moments in Business. Darwin in action. And I don't mean the magazine.
Rock Shows of Note VII
I feel kinda weird reviewing one of the Anchormen's own shows, but last night at the Upstairs Lounge was so much fun! There was a Bruins game, so traffic, parking, and pedestrian activity was crazy, but once we were loaded in, everything was A-OK.
First up, Spoilsport, who I quite enjoyed when they played at the Hi-Fi in Jamaica Plain. Last night, they were even better. They're still a little rough around the edges -- they need to tighten up and develop some more stage presence before they make a really good live band -- but the mix of the stage, the increased volume, and the crowd full of friends did them well. They covered the Go-Go's "Head Over Heels" again, played "Boys on the Beach" or whatever it's called, and revisited several of the songs they played at the Hi-Fi -- including the country-tinged number about taking the train home to a loved one. They also debuted several new songs, always a good thing.
Next up, Hip Tanaka, who -- while they certainly didn't disappoint -- were a pale shadow of the band I saw play at the Abbey. I don't know if their set was lighter on the silliness, sloppiness, and spazziness that I had so enjoyed in their garage-tinged power pop previously, or if I was listening through rose-colored ear plugs because I was a little bit beery at the Abbey, but last night was a lackluster set of standard college rock with some psychedelic elements. But they did bring a bunch of friends, and they seemed to have fun. Still, I think I might need to give them another chance before I write them off.
Then, us. Obviously, I can't review the Anchormen objectively, but we rocked! It was so much fun. Tom didn't break a string. I didn't forget a substantial amount of words. And Chris was spot on with his banter and commentary as always. One friend overheard an audience member say, "I've never had so much fun!" (I kinda feel sorry for that one.) Another woman said, "You guys were hot!" And people -- including the folks who booked the show and were working sound -- let us play several more songs after the set ended because of the enthusiastic crowd response. I've got to get one of those athletic glasses holders so my specs stay on my head, though. They were flying all over the place!
As a footnote, I also met a woman named Alex, who's playing with the idea of "opening a cafe/ media-oriented haven in Union Square." That's in Somerville, son. She's also the new Boston coordinator for Media Bistro. That in itself might be enough to drag me back to one of those media mixers to meet and mingle with other area editors and writers. The ones I've gone to previously have been pretty lame. Fingers crossed that Alex does a bang-up job.
Oh, another side note. After the show, a woman came up to the stage and asked me, "Are you in the Tribe?" I had no idea what she was talking about. "Are you tribal?" Still, no idea. "Are you guys Jewish?" Huh? Oh! We have a song about Harry Houdini and his wife that includes the line, "You are a Catholic, and I am a Jew." That, coupled with a joke Chris made about me just having my bar mitzvah (after Jef said he thought my voice was getting lower) -- and something I said about trading my yarmulka for a green plastic St. Patrick's Day bowler -- led her and her friends to think we were Jewish. Maybe we can capitalize on that somehow. We've already considered doing an album of Christian punk-rock cover songs so we can get on Tooth & Nail. You know, they've got the distro nailed down, and evangelical Christian kids active in youth groups are just starving for good music they can listen to without being criticized and ostracized. I mean, come on, they've got, what, POD and Beanbag? Please.
I feel kinda weird reviewing one of the Anchormen's own shows, but last night at the Upstairs Lounge was so much fun! There was a Bruins game, so traffic, parking, and pedestrian activity was crazy, but once we were loaded in, everything was A-OK.
First up, Spoilsport, who I quite enjoyed when they played at the Hi-Fi in Jamaica Plain. Last night, they were even better. They're still a little rough around the edges -- they need to tighten up and develop some more stage presence before they make a really good live band -- but the mix of the stage, the increased volume, and the crowd full of friends did them well. They covered the Go-Go's "Head Over Heels" again, played "Boys on the Beach" or whatever it's called, and revisited several of the songs they played at the Hi-Fi -- including the country-tinged number about taking the train home to a loved one. They also debuted several new songs, always a good thing.
Next up, Hip Tanaka, who -- while they certainly didn't disappoint -- were a pale shadow of the band I saw play at the Abbey. I don't know if their set was lighter on the silliness, sloppiness, and spazziness that I had so enjoyed in their garage-tinged power pop previously, or if I was listening through rose-colored ear plugs because I was a little bit beery at the Abbey, but last night was a lackluster set of standard college rock with some psychedelic elements. But they did bring a bunch of friends, and they seemed to have fun. Still, I think I might need to give them another chance before I write them off.
Then, us. Obviously, I can't review the Anchormen objectively, but we rocked! It was so much fun. Tom didn't break a string. I didn't forget a substantial amount of words. And Chris was spot on with his banter and commentary as always. One friend overheard an audience member say, "I've never had so much fun!" (I kinda feel sorry for that one.) Another woman said, "You guys were hot!" And people -- including the folks who booked the show and were working sound -- let us play several more songs after the set ended because of the enthusiastic crowd response. I've got to get one of those athletic glasses holders so my specs stay on my head, though. They were flying all over the place!
As a footnote, I also met a woman named Alex, who's playing with the idea of "opening a cafe/ media-oriented haven in Union Square." That's in Somerville, son. She's also the new Boston coordinator for Media Bistro. That in itself might be enough to drag me back to one of those media mixers to meet and mingle with other area editors and writers. The ones I've gone to previously have been pretty lame. Fingers crossed that Alex does a bang-up job.
Oh, another side note. After the show, a woman came up to the stage and asked me, "Are you in the Tribe?" I had no idea what she was talking about. "Are you tribal?" Still, no idea. "Are you guys Jewish?" Huh? Oh! We have a song about Harry Houdini and his wife that includes the line, "You are a Catholic, and I am a Jew." That, coupled with a joke Chris made about me just having my bar mitzvah (after Jef said he thought my voice was getting lower) -- and something I said about trading my yarmulka for a green plastic St. Patrick's Day bowler -- led her and her friends to think we were Jewish. Maybe we can capitalize on that somehow. We've already considered doing an album of Christian punk-rock cover songs so we can get on Tooth & Nail. You know, they've got the distro nailed down, and evangelical Christian kids active in youth groups are just starving for good music they can listen to without being criticized and ostracized. I mean, come on, they've got, what, POD and Beanbag? Please.
Pulling the Plug
Does anyone have any news on the recent closing of the Other Music on Harvard Square? Word is that the store is closed, gutted, and decorated with a sign on the door that -- paraphrased -- says they decided to go back where they came from and that all record sales are on the Web anyway. At least we still have Twisted Village just around the corner. Thanks, Wayne and Kate, for your stick-to-it-tiveness.
Other Music's closing is distressing, however. They'd just started spinning records at River Gods off Central Square, and it's slightly disconcerting that the Boston area couldn't support a shop like Other Music. Maybe it was the rent. Oh, well, I'll miss it, that's for sure.
Does anyone have any news on the recent closing of the Other Music on Harvard Square? Word is that the store is closed, gutted, and decorated with a sign on the door that -- paraphrased -- says they decided to go back where they came from and that all record sales are on the Web anyway. At least we still have Twisted Village just around the corner. Thanks, Wayne and Kate, for your stick-to-it-tiveness.
Other Music's closing is distressing, however. They'd just started spinning records at River Gods off Central Square, and it's slightly disconcerting that the Boston area couldn't support a shop like Other Music. Maybe it was the rent. Oh, well, I'll miss it, that's for sure.
Comics, Commerce, and Colleagues
Griping about people who take smoking breaks at work, Patrick Keller challenges comics readers to bring comics and graphic novels to work -- and to take reading breaks, perhaps leaving finished graphic novels and other items behind for coworkers to discover. It's an interesting idea, but Keller's column spends too much time discussing how he finally became able to conquer his reading pile by reading on the throne -- the porcelain throne, that is.
Griping about people who take smoking breaks at work, Patrick Keller challenges comics readers to bring comics and graphic novels to work -- and to take reading breaks, perhaps leaving finished graphic novels and other items behind for coworkers to discover. It's an interesting idea, but Keller's column spends too much time discussing how he finally became able to conquer his reading pile by reading on the throne -- the porcelain throne, that is.
Garbage Collection
TomPaine.com features a look at high-tech trash and electronics waste, describing several state initiatives calling for electronics and computer manufacturers to take responsibility for the reuse and recycling of old computers and components. Last fall, I visited a Hewlett-Packard recycling center in Roseville, California.
TomPaine.com features a look at high-tech trash and electronics waste, describing several state initiatives calling for electronics and computer manufacturers to take responsibility for the reuse and recycling of old computers and components. Last fall, I visited a Hewlett-Packard recycling center in Roseville, California.
Wednesday, March 13, 2002
Nervy, Pervy III
Marc Punknet interviews the folks who run Suicide Girls on the newly developed site, which features frequent articles, reviews, and interviews. The interview addresses the site's economics, what kinds of emails the Girls receive, and the online -- and offline -- community that's sprung up around the site.
Marc Punknet interviews the folks who run Suicide Girls on the newly developed site, which features frequent articles, reviews, and interviews. The interview addresses the site's economics, what kinds of emails the Girls receive, and the online -- and offline -- community that's sprung up around the site.
Sorry for the Silence
I was in New York City for some business development meetings and a Company of Friends party sponsored by Jameson. A quick 24-hour trip, and it's good to be back in Boston. I didn't have Web access for most of the day, hence no Media Diet entries. But I have some stuff to say today and will soon do so.
I was in New York City for some business development meetings and a Company of Friends party sponsored by Jameson. A quick 24-hour trip, and it's good to be back in Boston. I didn't have Web access for most of the day, hence no Media Diet entries. But I have some stuff to say today and will soon do so.
Monday, March 11, 2002
The Nine Lives of Copy Cats
Andy Oram penned a delightful call for people to sidestep the recent DMCA and SSSCA legal sideshows by stopping the copying. "If the Internet developed its own media," Oram contends, "there might be less to fight over."
It's a worthy challenge. Why repurpose existing media -- or copy existing media forms -- online? Oram also discusses four qualities that online media have -- and which could give the Web the upper hand. Online media is changeable, convivial, open, and topical.
"Convivial," huh? Now that's interesting.
Andy Oram penned a delightful call for people to sidestep the recent DMCA and SSSCA legal sideshows by stopping the copying. "If the Internet developed its own media," Oram contends, "there might be less to fight over."
It's a worthy challenge. Why repurpose existing media -- or copy existing media forms -- online? Oram also discusses four qualities that online media have -- and which could give the Web the upper hand. Online media is changeable, convivial, open, and topical.
"Convivial," huh? Now that's interesting.
Corollary: Rules for Fools II
Friday night, while M@, Miss Mary, and I were waiting in line at the B-Side Lounge, M@ jokingly yelled, "Cheese it; it's the cops!"
A la Macros, it's probably always funny to actually say, "Cheez-Its; it's the cops!"
P.S. M@ and Mary's friend David really, really looked like David Cross. Looked like him, sounded like him, had a wicked sense of humor and taste for music. But three things set him apart from Mr. Cross: he has a full head of hair, his last name isn't Cross, and his DVD hasn't been delayed until June.
Friday night, while M@, Miss Mary, and I were waiting in line at the B-Side Lounge, M@ jokingly yelled, "Cheese it; it's the cops!"
A la Macros, it's probably always funny to actually say, "Cheez-Its; it's the cops!"
P.S. M@ and Mary's friend David really, really looked like David Cross. Looked like him, sounded like him, had a wicked sense of humor and taste for music. But three things set him apart from Mr. Cross: he has a full head of hair, his last name isn't Cross, and his DVD hasn't been delayed until June.
North End Moment VI
Moments ago, I found two more Web page porn printouts trapped against the chainlink fence in the back alley. Both blondes. Then, after a quick trip to Bob's for a soda, I came back to find two maintenance men from the old folks' home behind the Scotch & Sirloin building picking up the trash along the edge of their parking lot -- and the alley. The printouts were all gone.
Made me remember my first porn moment -- and lest I continue this recent rash of porn-related entries -- I'm going to recount the story to get it out of my system. I was in grade school. My friend Nathan and I were playing in the fields and sand dunes by his house out on the edge of town. And in the tall grass, we found a Hefty garbage bag full of old Playboy and other magazines, some coverless. We dragged the bag back to his treehouse and hid the magazines under the comic books we kept in a little cardboard treasure chest like the kind you find in dentists' offices. Some of the old Playboys featured Harvey Kurtzman's "Little Annie Fanny" strip -- my first exposure (no pun intended) to Kurtzman and Will Elder's work. This was also the first time I'd ever seen naked people, really, and I was curious: Does everyone have black spots -- circles and bars -- obscuring their private parts?
Lest you still be curious: No. The black spots were used so some magazines could work around postal code classifications. People don't have them.
Moments ago, I found two more Web page porn printouts trapped against the chainlink fence in the back alley. Both blondes. Then, after a quick trip to Bob's for a soda, I came back to find two maintenance men from the old folks' home behind the Scotch & Sirloin building picking up the trash along the edge of their parking lot -- and the alley. The printouts were all gone.
Made me remember my first porn moment -- and lest I continue this recent rash of porn-related entries -- I'm going to recount the story to get it out of my system. I was in grade school. My friend Nathan and I were playing in the fields and sand dunes by his house out on the edge of town. And in the tall grass, we found a Hefty garbage bag full of old Playboy and other magazines, some coverless. We dragged the bag back to his treehouse and hid the magazines under the comic books we kept in a little cardboard treasure chest like the kind you find in dentists' offices. Some of the old Playboys featured Harvey Kurtzman's "Little Annie Fanny" strip -- my first exposure (no pun intended) to Kurtzman and Will Elder's work. This was also the first time I'd ever seen naked people, really, and I was curious: Does everyone have black spots -- circles and bars -- obscuring their private parts?
Lest you still be curious: No. The black spots were used so some magazines could work around postal code classifications. People don't have them.
Rules for Fools II
Rule No. 4: If you don't want crumbs in your bed, don't eat crackers in bed.
Yes, last night I got a little peckish around 12 and thought, "Huh! I'll eat some Cheez-Its!" That was a bad idea for two reasons. One, I had to be hella careful not to get crumbs and cheese powder in my sheets and blankets. Two, if you do eat Cheez-Its before bed, be sure to brush your teeth before you fall asleep. Because, well, let's just say that I didn't taste so good come morning. Blech.
This dovetails into my most recent self-improvement plan: Cooking and eating at home, and packing a lunch for work. Today, Day Two, things have gone pretty well. I had a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios and a banana before leaving the house this morning. And I packed a colby and bologna sandwich, some sea salt and vinegar potato chips, baby carrots, and an apple for lunch today. Woohoo! So far I've eaten all but the apple for lunch, and I'm saving that for an afternoon snack. Yesterday went well, too. Sandwich for lunch. Mac and cheese for dinner. I even did the dishes promptly.
My parents will be so proud!
Rule No. 4: If you don't want crumbs in your bed, don't eat crackers in bed.
Yes, last night I got a little peckish around 12 and thought, "Huh! I'll eat some Cheez-Its!" That was a bad idea for two reasons. One, I had to be hella careful not to get crumbs and cheese powder in my sheets and blankets. Two, if you do eat Cheez-Its before bed, be sure to brush your teeth before you fall asleep. Because, well, let's just say that I didn't taste so good come morning. Blech.
This dovetails into my most recent self-improvement plan: Cooking and eating at home, and packing a lunch for work. Today, Day Two, things have gone pretty well. I had a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios and a banana before leaving the house this morning. And I packed a colby and bologna sandwich, some sea salt and vinegar potato chips, baby carrots, and an apple for lunch today. Woohoo! So far I've eaten all but the apple for lunch, and I'm saving that for an afternoon snack. Yesterday went well, too. Sandwich for lunch. Mac and cheese for dinner. I even did the dishes promptly.
My parents will be so proud!
Junk Food Tech Tools
Thanks to Pure Content, I came across a story from BBC News about some UK-based hackers who have fashioned a directional antenna out of a Pringles can to track down wireless computer networks in London's financial district.
Gives a whole new meaning to computer "chips."
Thanks to Pure Content, I came across a story from BBC News about some UK-based hackers who have fashioned a directional antenna out of a Pringles can to track down wireless computer networks in London's financial district.
Gives a whole new meaning to computer "chips."
Joystick Cinematography
They don't actually use joysticks, but the folks behind the Ill Clan, make movies using networked video games such as Quake. Paul "Ill Robinson" Marino, Machinima director and producer, says that even Steven Spielberg (no less!) has used an "ILM-modified version of Unreal Tournament to create shots for AI." Cool beans.
They don't actually use joysticks, but the folks behind the Ill Clan, make movies using networked video games such as Quake. Paul "Ill Robinson" Marino, Machinima director and producer, says that even Steven Spielberg (no less!) has used an "ILM-modified version of Unreal Tournament to create shots for AI." Cool beans.
On the Move
Jon Lebkowsky, formerly of Whole Foods and Whole People, has relocated back to Austin, Texas, from Colorado. He, Jeff Kramer, and Matt Sanders have recently launched a new enterprise, Polycot Consulting, which focuses on knowledge management, online community development, and other practices. Currently working with UT-Austin and Whole Foods, it looks like they've got a good thing going. Be sure to check out John's white paper on e-commerce and community.
Jon Lebkowsky, formerly of Whole Foods and Whole People, has relocated back to Austin, Texas, from Colorado. He, Jeff Kramer, and Matt Sanders have recently launched a new enterprise, Polycot Consulting, which focuses on knowledge management, online community development, and other practices. Currently working with UT-Austin and Whole Foods, it looks like they've got a good thing going. Be sure to check out John's white paper on e-commerce and community.
Mailing List List
A friend recently forwarded me an invitation from Ian Jindal soliciting members for a new mailing list concentrating on electronic publishing. Media Dieticians might be interested in checking it out.
I thought you might be interested in a new mailing list dedicated to the business of electronic publishing. The purpose of the list is to act as a meeting place for the many professions and skills involved in electronic publishing in its broader sense: from content to technology, from marketing to project managers, across all platforms -- Web to SMS to iTV.
From my own experience I know that often the brightest sparks fly when professions meet (!) -- exchanging ideas and views, of course! We hope to replicate some of that enjoyment by inviting experienced people to post opinion pieces on a regular basis. Should you be one of those opinion-holders, please do not be shy in letting me know! This list will not, of course, compete with the many excellent specialized community lists. Rather, we are inviting leading contributors from those lists to share their ideas and views with us.
I haven't received any messages yet, so the jury is still out, but this might be a conversation worth joining.
A friend recently forwarded me an invitation from Ian Jindal soliciting members for a new mailing list concentrating on electronic publishing. Media Dieticians might be interested in checking it out.
I thought you might be interested in a new mailing list dedicated to the business of electronic publishing. The purpose of the list is to act as a meeting place for the many professions and skills involved in electronic publishing in its broader sense: from content to technology, from marketing to project managers, across all platforms -- Web to SMS to iTV.
From my own experience I know that often the brightest sparks fly when professions meet (!) -- exchanging ideas and views, of course! We hope to replicate some of that enjoyment by inviting experienced people to post opinion pieces on a regular basis. Should you be one of those opinion-holders, please do not be shy in letting me know! This list will not, of course, compete with the many excellent specialized community lists. Rather, we are inviting leading contributors from those lists to share their ideas and views with us.
I haven't received any messages yet, so the jury is still out, but this might be a conversation worth joining.
The Movie I Watched Last Night XI
Sunday: Slaughterhouse-Five
Based on the Kurt Vonnegut novel, this slow-paced film tells the story of a man who's become "unstuck in time." The resulting narrative is a pastiche portrayal of Billy Pilgrim's life, centering heavily on his time in Dresden, Germany, during World War II. While the political content -- the scene in which Billy encounters a Harvard historian who's writing a book about Dresden is particularly telling -- and the time-travel philosophizing -- time is just a collection of random moments strung together, with no moment more important than the others, but every moment more important than the whole -- is interesting, as an entire story, the movie falls flat. There are some parallels to Breakfast of Champions, in which the lead also encounters an alien/god-like being who controls his fate. But while that ultimate authorship question drives much of "Breakfast" (and provides a most surprising ending, at least in the novel), here it's almost an afterthought -- the Trafalmadore sequences are among the most belabored -- and we're left to revel in the more mundane moments -- Billy's reunion with his bride to be, the optometrists' convention flight, etc. There are some excellent cinematic moments here, but they, like Billy, have become unstuck.
Sunday: Slaughterhouse-Five
Based on the Kurt Vonnegut novel, this slow-paced film tells the story of a man who's become "unstuck in time." The resulting narrative is a pastiche portrayal of Billy Pilgrim's life, centering heavily on his time in Dresden, Germany, during World War II. While the political content -- the scene in which Billy encounters a Harvard historian who's writing a book about Dresden is particularly telling -- and the time-travel philosophizing -- time is just a collection of random moments strung together, with no moment more important than the others, but every moment more important than the whole -- is interesting, as an entire story, the movie falls flat. There are some parallels to Breakfast of Champions, in which the lead also encounters an alien/god-like being who controls his fate. But while that ultimate authorship question drives much of "Breakfast" (and provides a most surprising ending, at least in the novel), here it's almost an afterthought -- the Trafalmadore sequences are among the most belabored -- and we're left to revel in the more mundane moments -- Billy's reunion with his bride to be, the optometrists' convention flight, etc. There are some excellent cinematic moments here, but they, like Billy, have become unstuck.
North End Moment V
In the back alley this morning, fluttering in the wind on the ground up against the chainlink fence: two Web printouts of pictures of naked women. Both brunettes.
Looks someone's taking their work home with them.
In the back alley this morning, fluttering in the wind on the ground up against the chainlink fence: two Web printouts of pictures of naked women. Both brunettes.
Looks someone's taking their work home with them.
Friday, March 08, 2002
Nervy, Pervy II
Turns out that the Suicide Girls have a predecessor -- Supercult. It doesn't seem to be as playful as Suicide Girls -- which has such a strong sense of humor -- and it's not as fully fledged. The photography's not as good. The girls aren't as cute. And there's no indication that there's a wider community -- no discussion forums, no way to connect with other members. Still, there's some super-cute indie-rock, punk, and goth girls here.
One interesting tidbit is that Supercult helped Big Wheel Records find some delicious indie chicks to model for the cover of the Totally Travis CD. Some outtakes from the photo shoot are featured on the site.
Turns out that the Suicide Girls have a predecessor -- Supercult. It doesn't seem to be as playful as Suicide Girls -- which has such a strong sense of humor -- and it's not as fully fledged. The photography's not as good. The girls aren't as cute. And there's no indication that there's a wider community -- no discussion forums, no way to connect with other members. Still, there's some super-cute indie-rock, punk, and goth girls here.
One interesting tidbit is that Supercult helped Big Wheel Records find some delicious indie chicks to model for the cover of the Totally Travis CD. Some outtakes from the photo shoot are featured on the site.
Nervy, Pervy
I think I'm in love. While I first discovered the amazing roundup of cute, creative, indie-rock kids at the Makeout Club awhile ago, just this afternoon I came across the seductively sultry indie-rock, punk, and goth girls of the Suicide Girls. Sigh. And oh my!
It borders on porn -- I'd call it erotica -- but it's my kind of whatever it is. These girls have attitude, and it strikes me that these are the kind of women you see at shows, on the T, in the record shop -- and crush on instantly. Indie-rock girls are super cute. So are the Suicide Girls.
I think I'm in love. While I first discovered the amazing roundup of cute, creative, indie-rock kids at the Makeout Club awhile ago, just this afternoon I came across the seductively sultry indie-rock, punk, and goth girls of the Suicide Girls. Sigh. And oh my!
It borders on porn -- I'd call it erotica -- but it's my kind of whatever it is. These girls have attitude, and it strikes me that these are the kind of women you see at shows, on the T, in the record shop -- and crush on instantly. Indie-rock girls are super cute. So are the Suicide Girls.
Rabble Rall-ser
Ted Rall's in the public eye again -- contributing to attract controversies a la the Spiegelman/Hellman brouhaha -- this time because the New York Times pulled a 911-related cartoon from its Web site earlier this week. Editor & Publisher says that Rall refuses to apologize to the 911 widows -- and calls their publicity seeking "cynical, crass, and gauche."
Ted Rall's in the public eye again -- contributing to attract controversies a la the Spiegelman/Hellman brouhaha -- this time because the New York Times pulled a 911-related cartoon from its Web site earlier this week. Editor & Publisher says that Rall refuses to apologize to the 911 widows -- and calls their publicity seeking "cynical, crass, and gauche."
Blogging About Blogging XIII
Blogger upgraded its architecture last night, and there was some downtime. So I've not been able to tend to Media Diet at all so far today. Gosh, I've missed it. My productivity was probably slightly higher than normal, but three cheers for Evan making the changes!
Blogger upgraded its architecture last night, and there was some downtime. So I've not been able to tend to Media Diet at all so far today. Gosh, I've missed it. My productivity was probably slightly higher than normal, but three cheers for Evan making the changes!
Thursday, March 07, 2002
Cover Story
The back page of the current issue of Smithsonian Magazine features an awesome assortment of magazine covers that were designed as part of a 1942 campaign. I love the fact that even the Shadow pulp and Wow Comics participated -- and that there was a magazine called Think.
The back page of the current issue of Smithsonian Magazine features an awesome assortment of magazine covers that were designed as part of a 1942 campaign. I love the fact that even the Shadow pulp and Wow Comics participated -- and that there was a magazine called Think.
We're Not Gonna Say It!
According to the current edition of Rolling Stone magazine, former Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider has signed on with MSNBC to do voiceovers. Word is they give him scripts and say, "Dee it up for us."
According to the current edition of Rolling Stone magazine, former Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider has signed on with MSNBC to do voiceovers. Word is they give him scripts and say, "Dee it up for us."
How I've Been Spending My Time
There are too goofy little video games that I've been geeking to lately. One, Snood, a Puzzle Bobble and Bust-A-Move knockoff for the Mac. Two, a game my friend Dan just sent me today. (Thank you, Dan!)
"Viva Los Straitjackets" is a Tetris-like game for PC or Mac. Ever heard of the band, Los Straitjackets? They star in the game. They're like the Justice League of America, except they wear Mexican wrestling masks and speak in Spanish.
Here is the premise of the game: Hidden within an ancient mountain temple, the king's jewels have mysteriously come to life! Armed with their mystical masks and killer guitar licks to protect them, Los Straitjackets must save the day by stopping the possessed jewels from multiplying like mad! Hurry! The jewels sense your fear if you're not careful.
My productivity plummets yet again.
There are too goofy little video games that I've been geeking to lately. One, Snood, a Puzzle Bobble and Bust-A-Move knockoff for the Mac. Two, a game my friend Dan just sent me today. (Thank you, Dan!)
"Viva Los Straitjackets" is a Tetris-like game for PC or Mac. Ever heard of the band, Los Straitjackets? They star in the game. They're like the Justice League of America, except they wear Mexican wrestling masks and speak in Spanish.
Here is the premise of the game: Hidden within an ancient mountain temple, the king's jewels have mysteriously come to life! Armed with their mystical masks and killer guitar licks to protect them, Los Straitjackets must save the day by stopping the possessed jewels from multiplying like mad! Hurry! The jewels sense your fear if you're not careful.
My productivity plummets yet again.
North End Moment IV
While waiting in line for my lunch order at Mangia! Mangia!:
Customer: I haven't read the newspaper for four days. I buy it every day, but I never have time to read it!
Cook: Fess up. You're illiterate.
Customer: It was our little secret, but now the cat's out of the bag. I look great though, holding it upside down.
Cook: Yeah. And looking at the pictures. They don't put in as many pictures as they used to.
Customer: Yeah. Too many words!
While waiting in line for my lunch order at Mangia! Mangia!:
Customer: I haven't read the newspaper for four days. I buy it every day, but I never have time to read it!
Cook: Fess up. You're illiterate.
Customer: It was our little secret, but now the cat's out of the bag. I look great though, holding it upside down.
Cook: Yeah. And looking at the pictures. They don't put in as many pictures as they used to.
Customer: Yeah. Too many words!
Weather Report II
From Dummies Daily:
My-Cast gives you extremely specific weather forecasts, updated eight times a day and covering a four-mile radius around any point you choose. The service has recently added satellite imagery to put even more weather information at your fingertips. After you register and pinpoint the areas you want to monitor, you can check back anytime for updates or take advantage of their email service.
I just signed up for email notifications about weather at home and at work. Pretty neat stuff. The service will even tell you if the weather will affect errands, going for a walk, playing volleyball, and participating in other activities. You can also sign up for watches, warnings, alarms, and other more crucial reports about pending inclement weather.
From Dummies Daily:
My-Cast gives you extremely specific weather forecasts, updated eight times a day and covering a four-mile radius around any point you choose. The service has recently added satellite imagery to put even more weather information at your fingertips. After you register and pinpoint the areas you want to monitor, you can check back anytime for updates or take advantage of their email service.
I just signed up for email notifications about weather at home and at work. Pretty neat stuff. The service will even tell you if the weather will affect errands, going for a walk, playing volleyball, and participating in other activities. You can also sign up for watches, warnings, alarms, and other more crucial reports about pending inclement weather.
The People Behind the Pages
A Fast Company reader whose title is supposedly Father Czar of the Church of Anarchy recently exchanged a series of amusing emails with one of the people we profiled several years ago. Reads like a bit of Subgenius fun.
A Fast Company reader whose title is supposedly Father Czar of the Church of Anarchy recently exchanged a series of amusing emails with one of the people we profiled several years ago. Reads like a bit of Subgenius fun.
Wednesday, March 06, 2002
Killed by Death
An article that Ken Gordon wrote about, well, me, my work at Fast Company, and my other media-driven community organizing work, was recently killed by the Improper Bostonian. If you'd like Ken to query you and your publication, let the bidding war begin!
An article that Ken Gordon wrote about, well, me, my work at Fast Company, and my other media-driven community organizing work, was recently killed by the Improper Bostonian. If you'd like Ken to query you and your publication, let the bidding war begin!
In Bed with Head Executives II
In today's Globe, Eileen McNamara contends that the Harvard Business Review has bigger ethical problems than editors wooing their sources. McNamara charges that HBR lets sources read and edit stories about themselves before publication, and that the elite business journal fawns over executive subjects while insisting that they don't do "celebrity CEO profiles."
To quote David Lee Roth, she's got a point there. Actually, she's got two points there. McNamara also suggests that this brouhaha is the result of uneven gender politics. "A single woman has a relationship with a powerful, older, married man," she writes. "He gets a round of high-fives from the boys at the country club; she gets a pink slip." Would this be such a big deal if the editor were a man -- and the subject a woman? I wonder whether it'd be an even bigger deal.
In today's Globe, Eileen McNamara contends that the Harvard Business Review has bigger ethical problems than editors wooing their sources. McNamara charges that HBR lets sources read and edit stories about themselves before publication, and that the elite business journal fawns over executive subjects while insisting that they don't do "celebrity CEO profiles."
To quote David Lee Roth, she's got a point there. Actually, she's got two points there. McNamara also suggests that this brouhaha is the result of uneven gender politics. "A single woman has a relationship with a powerful, older, married man," she writes. "He gets a round of high-fives from the boys at the country club; she gets a pink slip." Would this be such a big deal if the editor were a man -- and the subject a woman? I wonder whether it'd be an even bigger deal.
From the In Box: Books Worth a Look II
In response to my review of Guillaume Apollinaire's "The Amorous Exploits of a Young Rakehill":
Glad I could point you toward life's finer things. -- Neal Pollack
In response to my review of Guillaume Apollinaire's "The Amorous Exploits of a Young Rakehill":
Glad I could point you toward life's finer things. -- Neal Pollack
The Movie I Watched Last Night X
Tuesday: The Twilight Zone #1
Three episodes of the long-running, five-season TV show created and narrated by Rod Serling. It would've been nice if the DVD's provided the shows in episodic order, but these three episodes over the course of three years watch quite well together. In the first episode, "The Night of the Meek" (air date Dec. 23, 1960), the Honeymooners' own Art Carney plays a Christopher Lloyd-like rummy rent-a-Santa who makes a wish on Christmas Eve -- and gets it. Carney plays opposite a sinisterly smarmy store manager played by John Fiedler. In the second ep, an until-the-end wordless "The Invaders" (air date Jan. 27, 1961), Agnes Moorehead, who'd previously acted in a play using only words, offers an exhaustingly overwrought portrayal of a simple rural woman -- or so you think. The invaders turn out to be something quite other than what viewers expect. Lastly, a young Robert Redford plays a wounded police officer in "Nothing in the Dark" (air date Jan. 5, 1962) whose appearance catalyzes an elderly tenement resident's coming to grips with death. The DVD extras are all text-driven, which is a disappointment, and the clunky eyeball navigation tool is tiresome, but the information included -- such as the Reviews and Credit section -- prove quite enlightening. For example, I didn't know that there was a Twilight Zone coffeehouse at one point. Talk about a theme restaurant! "Waiter, the Fly is in my soup." Also, Serling started the Twilight Zone to escape sponsor censorship after writing an episode of Kraft Television Theater that dealt with the "cutthroat world of corporate business." And "The Night of the Meek," the show's only Christmas episode, was also the only ep shot on video tape instead of film. The visual difference is quite remarkable, but the process was so laborious the show was never shot on video again. While they could certainly fit more episodes on a single DVD, the Twilight Zone holds up quite well.
What are you watching?
Tuesday: The Twilight Zone #1
Three episodes of the long-running, five-season TV show created and narrated by Rod Serling. It would've been nice if the DVD's provided the shows in episodic order, but these three episodes over the course of three years watch quite well together. In the first episode, "The Night of the Meek" (air date Dec. 23, 1960), the Honeymooners' own Art Carney plays a Christopher Lloyd-like rummy rent-a-Santa who makes a wish on Christmas Eve -- and gets it. Carney plays opposite a sinisterly smarmy store manager played by John Fiedler. In the second ep, an until-the-end wordless "The Invaders" (air date Jan. 27, 1961), Agnes Moorehead, who'd previously acted in a play using only words, offers an exhaustingly overwrought portrayal of a simple rural woman -- or so you think. The invaders turn out to be something quite other than what viewers expect. Lastly, a young Robert Redford plays a wounded police officer in "Nothing in the Dark" (air date Jan. 5, 1962) whose appearance catalyzes an elderly tenement resident's coming to grips with death. The DVD extras are all text-driven, which is a disappointment, and the clunky eyeball navigation tool is tiresome, but the information included -- such as the Reviews and Credit section -- prove quite enlightening. For example, I didn't know that there was a Twilight Zone coffeehouse at one point. Talk about a theme restaurant! "Waiter, the Fly is in my soup." Also, Serling started the Twilight Zone to escape sponsor censorship after writing an episode of Kraft Television Theater that dealt with the "cutthroat world of corporate business." And "The Night of the Meek," the show's only Christmas episode, was also the only ep shot on video tape instead of film. The visual difference is quite remarkable, but the process was so laborious the show was never shot on video again. While they could certainly fit more episodes on a single DVD, the Twilight Zone holds up quite well.
What are you watching?
Music for the Movies
Tonight at the Coolidge Corner in Brookline, "The Strangler's Wife," a new feature-length 35mm movie by Cityscape Films with executive producer Roger Corman screens. Local band Cul de Sac scored all of the music for this film -- except a cool "live" appearance in the film by Rock City Crime Wave.
Outside of the music, "The Strangler's Wife" is eminently local. The film was shot mainly in Jamaica Plain, and it's loosely based on the story of the Boston Strangler. A soundtrack recording will be released at some point in the near future. Here are the screening details:
"The Strangler's Wife" (35mm, 2002)
By Cityscape Films and Roger Corman's New Concorde
Soundtrack by Cul de Sac
7:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 6
Coolidge Corner Theatre
290 Harvard Street, Brookline, Mass.
Flip a coin if you're torn between this and the Neal Pollack signing at the Picnic.
Tonight at the Coolidge Corner in Brookline, "The Strangler's Wife," a new feature-length 35mm movie by Cityscape Films with executive producer Roger Corman screens. Local band Cul de Sac scored all of the music for this film -- except a cool "live" appearance in the film by Rock City Crime Wave.
Outside of the music, "The Strangler's Wife" is eminently local. The film was shot mainly in Jamaica Plain, and it's loosely based on the story of the Boston Strangler. A soundtrack recording will be released at some point in the near future. Here are the screening details:
"The Strangler's Wife" (35mm, 2002)
By Cityscape Films and Roger Corman's New Concorde
Soundtrack by Cul de Sac
7:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 6
Coolidge Corner Theatre
290 Harvard Street, Brookline, Mass.
Flip a coin if you're torn between this and the Neal Pollack signing at the Picnic.
Free to Be on TV
Ever wonder how to become a TV actor? 18-year-old Hassan Nicholas tells all as he details his acting history -- from doing a voiceover on a Superman cartoon to playing an alien reptile on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He describes the tools, resources, and help you need and walks readers through the Audition from Hell.
Thanks to Utne Web Watch.
Ever wonder how to become a TV actor? 18-year-old Hassan Nicholas tells all as he details his acting history -- from doing a voiceover on a Superman cartoon to playing an alien reptile on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He describes the tools, resources, and help you need and walks readers through the Audition from Hell.
Thanks to Utne Web Watch.
Tuesday, March 05, 2002
Email I Would've Sent My Ex-Girlfriend IV
This is slightly tongue-in-cheek, but I felt like writing a top-10 list late last night. I'd certainly never actually email my ex this. But, d'ohh! I'm putting it in Media Diet? Go figure.
The Top 10 Lies I Tell Myself About Why We Broke Up and What's Going on Now (Nothing)
I didn't ask you out for the first time because C. told me he thought you had a crush on me.
Lately, you always call me from your folks' house -- or from outside my *69 call return or caller ID zone so I can't tell if it's you.
I didn't cheat on you, thinking that you'd cheated on me.
You don't reach out to me now because you think I don't want to see you.
You weren't clear about how you felt. I wasn't clear about how I felt.
You don't love P.
You love P.
We aren't compatible.
We are compatible.
This matters.
This is slightly tongue-in-cheek, but I felt like writing a top-10 list late last night. I'd certainly never actually email my ex this. But, d'ohh! I'm putting it in Media Diet? Go figure.
The Top 10 Lies I Tell Myself About Why We Broke Up and What's Going on Now (Nothing)
The Movie I Watched Last Night IX
Sunday: Lurker in the Lobby: The Best of the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival Vol. 1
These 10 short independent films ad music videos are all based on or inspired by the short stories of H.P. Lovecraft. While most of them draw on the same BBC-styled production values and the more generic, plodding elements of most Lovecraft-inspired work, there are some bright spots. John Strysik's "The Music of Erich Zann" is perhaps the best work on the tape, aptly casting Zann and featuring an adequately fidgety soundtrack. Aaron Vanek and Andrew Hooks' two attempts to adapt "The Outsider" are cliched and cartoony, as id Ted Purvis' still impressively panoramic "McLaren." About midway, the tape improves. The sloppily overdubbed "From Beyond" features some deadpan dialogue but an interesting concept, paving the way nicely for Anthony Reed's "The Hound," which, while not as well done as Strysik's film, comes closer to capturing the iconography and suspense of Lovecraft's writing. Then the fun begins. The UCLA Enigma Sci-Fi Club offers an amateurish but ably sarcastic look at the Campus Crusade for Cthulhu movement in its "Cthulhu Wore Tennis Shoes." And the Lovecraftian heavy metal band The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets throws in two music videos, which end the festival with energy and humor. The videos also show the range of approaches people take to Lovecraftian film. "Worship Me Like a God" incorporates Lovecraft's cultic, savage, and insane side, while "Color Me Green" riffs on the imagery while making fun of the process, a la the fruit loop segment. A fun, if not slightly slow and stilted collection of short films made in the '90s.
What are you watching?
Sunday: Lurker in the Lobby: The Best of the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival Vol. 1
These 10 short independent films ad music videos are all based on or inspired by the short stories of H.P. Lovecraft. While most of them draw on the same BBC-styled production values and the more generic, plodding elements of most Lovecraft-inspired work, there are some bright spots. John Strysik's "The Music of Erich Zann" is perhaps the best work on the tape, aptly casting Zann and featuring an adequately fidgety soundtrack. Aaron Vanek and Andrew Hooks' two attempts to adapt "The Outsider" are cliched and cartoony, as id Ted Purvis' still impressively panoramic "McLaren." About midway, the tape improves. The sloppily overdubbed "From Beyond" features some deadpan dialogue but an interesting concept, paving the way nicely for Anthony Reed's "The Hound," which, while not as well done as Strysik's film, comes closer to capturing the iconography and suspense of Lovecraft's writing. Then the fun begins. The UCLA Enigma Sci-Fi Club offers an amateurish but ably sarcastic look at the Campus Crusade for Cthulhu movement in its "Cthulhu Wore Tennis Shoes." And the Lovecraftian heavy metal band The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets throws in two music videos, which end the festival with energy and humor. The videos also show the range of approaches people take to Lovecraftian film. "Worship Me Like a God" incorporates Lovecraft's cultic, savage, and insane side, while "Color Me Green" riffs on the imagery while making fun of the process, a la the fruit loop segment. A fun, if not slightly slow and stilted collection of short films made in the '90s.
What are you watching?
Books Worth a Look II
These are the books I read in February 2002. Not as many as last month -- about half, I think -- and I've started to mix in some larger comics collections from the mid-'80s and other eras. As I continue to read comics TPB's, I'll include them in the book reviews, not the occasional zine and comics reviews. I'll also try to limit the comics-related books to independent, historically interesting, or otherwise important and innovative works. I wouldn't want to start reviewing Garfield collections, now would I?
The Amorous Exploits of a Young Rakehill by Guillaume Apollinaire (1907)
Written by the poet and critic when he was in desperate need of money, this is straight-forward porn -- or erotica. Roger gives a proper rogering to his sister, his aunt, the bailiff's wife, her sister in law, and several maids. There's a bit of a pregnancy fetish, and Apollinaire's repeated references to the odor of urine is bizarre. Recommended by Neal Pollack in the Week.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Colonia: Islands and Anomalies by Jeff Nicholson (2002)
A departure from Nicholson's previously simple and cartoony style, this collects the first five issues of Colonia. The comic is a rich tale of three people who slip into an alternate reality populated by pirates, mermaids, and fish that can join together in human form. Jack makes a healthy hero, and there's enough mystery and character development -- not to mention a talking duck -- to hold you spellbound.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Fast Eddie, King of the Bees by Robert Arellano (2001)
A wonderful Dickens-meets-Shakespeare science fiction take on Boston. Eddie is a delightful character, and his near Oedipal complex contributes some interesting twists and turns as he grows up as a contortionist and pickpocket, tries to find his parents, is adopted by a plumber turned politician in New Jersey, and accidentally becomes the patriarch of an underground community. Awesome!
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
Impresario: Malcolm McLaren & the British New Wave ed. by Paul Taylor (1988)
This is a catalog to an exhibition at the New York Museum of Contemporary Art in 1988 showcasing McLaren-related art, film, music, clothing, and other work. The essays here look at McLaren's stylistic appropriations, management of the Sex Pistols and Bow Wow Wow, shops shared with Vivienne Westwood, political theater, and exploitation of youth and their culture. The tip of the iceberg here.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Fair.
Kafka Americana by Jonathan Lethem and Carter Scholz (2001)
Lethem and Scholz collect five short stories that previously appeared in Crank!, Gas, Starlight, and McSweeney's. Positing Kafka as pervert, superhero, screenwriter, insurance salesman, and painter, Lethem and Scholz offer Paul di Filippo-like pop culture pastiches that maintain Kafka's existentialism while adding a postmodern neo-sentimentality. Also reminds me of Rick Veitch's comics writing. Dark, pale shadows of a preferred past.
Days to read: 3. Rating: Good.
Metacity/Datatown by MVRDV (1999)
Based on a video installation produced in 1999 in the Netherlands, Winy Maas' conceptual look at the computer modeling of urban development and the resources needed for a growing population is an innovative wake-up call that our needs exceed our capacity. Drawing on stats in Mexico City, Sao Paulo, and the Netherlands, Maas blends hard data with poetic computer graphics to make his case.
Days to read: 4. Rating: Good.
Mr. Monster Vol. 1 by Michael T. Gilbert (1996)
A full-color collection of Gilbert's Mr. Monster comics published by Eclipse in the mid-'80s. Gilbert and Alan Moore look at Gilbert's Golden Age influence and new superhero storytelling. And William Messner-Loebs provides art for several Will Eisner-infused issues. The stories are simple -- man fights monsters -- but there's some humor, and this highlights one of the first indie comics wave's figureheads. Sloppy color repro disappoints.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
The Mystery of Man by Hilton Hotema (NA)
Similar to Alice Bailey's "Consciousness of the Atom" and the work of Madame Blavatsky, this slim, photocopied volume attempts to uncover what life is. There are some interesting ideas here: Matter doesn't exist, we share the world with other beings we can't see, we don't need to eat, and our consciousness is only a part of a larger whole. Still, rather esoteric, even for me, and not very well documented or reasoned.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Fair.
Oddville! by Jay Stephens (2002)
This collection of comic strips collects material originally published by several alternative weekly newspapers in 1995 and 1996. A flying baby, Jetcat, a grunge band made up of zombies, a giant radio-controlled robot, gargantua monkey, and a girl named Melissa engage in wacky hijinks as the city figures out how to deal with the flying baby. Funny and tender -- a good look at Stephens' earlier work.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Outlaw School by Rebecca Ore (2000)
Abused by her mother and forced to take behavior-modifying drugs at school, Jayne opts not to join the judicious girls and instead goes to a residential treatment center. There, she meets Ocean and embarks on a career of underground education and computer programming. A passable cyberpunk novel rife with commentary on education and the socialization process.
Days to read: 3. Rating: Fair.
Sense of Wonder: A Life in Comic Fandom by Bill Schelly (2001)
A personal and charming account of Bill Schelly's immersion in comic book fandom starting in the mid-'60s. While Schelly wasn't part of the first wave of fandom, his experiences provide a worthy parallel. In addition, the book serves as a solid history of Schelly's zine -- and the fan network that was supported by self-publishing and letter writing. A good addition to the history of comics fandom!
Days to read: NA. Rating: Good.
Zot! Book 1 by Scott McCloud (1997)
An absolutely beautiful full-color collection of the first 10 issues of McCloud's wonderful comic, originally published by Eclipse Comics starting in 1984. McCloud presages some of the theories espoused in his later analytical works. At the same time, he lays out a fun tale of time travel, heroism, love, politics, and self-realization. They don't make 'em like this any more.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
What are you reading?
These are the books I read in February 2002. Not as many as last month -- about half, I think -- and I've started to mix in some larger comics collections from the mid-'80s and other eras. As I continue to read comics TPB's, I'll include them in the book reviews, not the occasional zine and comics reviews. I'll also try to limit the comics-related books to independent, historically interesting, or otherwise important and innovative works. I wouldn't want to start reviewing Garfield collections, now would I?
The Amorous Exploits of a Young Rakehill by Guillaume Apollinaire (1907)
Written by the poet and critic when he was in desperate need of money, this is straight-forward porn -- or erotica. Roger gives a proper rogering to his sister, his aunt, the bailiff's wife, her sister in law, and several maids. There's a bit of a pregnancy fetish, and Apollinaire's repeated references to the odor of urine is bizarre. Recommended by Neal Pollack in the Week.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Colonia: Islands and Anomalies by Jeff Nicholson (2002)
A departure from Nicholson's previously simple and cartoony style, this collects the first five issues of Colonia. The comic is a rich tale of three people who slip into an alternate reality populated by pirates, mermaids, and fish that can join together in human form. Jack makes a healthy hero, and there's enough mystery and character development -- not to mention a talking duck -- to hold you spellbound.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Fast Eddie, King of the Bees by Robert Arellano (2001)
A wonderful Dickens-meets-Shakespeare science fiction take on Boston. Eddie is a delightful character, and his near Oedipal complex contributes some interesting twists and turns as he grows up as a contortionist and pickpocket, tries to find his parents, is adopted by a plumber turned politician in New Jersey, and accidentally becomes the patriarch of an underground community. Awesome!
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
Impresario: Malcolm McLaren & the British New Wave ed. by Paul Taylor (1988)
This is a catalog to an exhibition at the New York Museum of Contemporary Art in 1988 showcasing McLaren-related art, film, music, clothing, and other work. The essays here look at McLaren's stylistic appropriations, management of the Sex Pistols and Bow Wow Wow, shops shared with Vivienne Westwood, political theater, and exploitation of youth and their culture. The tip of the iceberg here.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Fair.
Kafka Americana by Jonathan Lethem and Carter Scholz (2001)
Lethem and Scholz collect five short stories that previously appeared in Crank!, Gas, Starlight, and McSweeney's. Positing Kafka as pervert, superhero, screenwriter, insurance salesman, and painter, Lethem and Scholz offer Paul di Filippo-like pop culture pastiches that maintain Kafka's existentialism while adding a postmodern neo-sentimentality. Also reminds me of Rick Veitch's comics writing. Dark, pale shadows of a preferred past.
Days to read: 3. Rating: Good.
Metacity/Datatown by MVRDV (1999)
Based on a video installation produced in 1999 in the Netherlands, Winy Maas' conceptual look at the computer modeling of urban development and the resources needed for a growing population is an innovative wake-up call that our needs exceed our capacity. Drawing on stats in Mexico City, Sao Paulo, and the Netherlands, Maas blends hard data with poetic computer graphics to make his case.
Days to read: 4. Rating: Good.
Mr. Monster Vol. 1 by Michael T. Gilbert (1996)
A full-color collection of Gilbert's Mr. Monster comics published by Eclipse in the mid-'80s. Gilbert and Alan Moore look at Gilbert's Golden Age influence and new superhero storytelling. And William Messner-Loebs provides art for several Will Eisner-infused issues. The stories are simple -- man fights monsters -- but there's some humor, and this highlights one of the first indie comics wave's figureheads. Sloppy color repro disappoints.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
The Mystery of Man by Hilton Hotema (NA)
Similar to Alice Bailey's "Consciousness of the Atom" and the work of Madame Blavatsky, this slim, photocopied volume attempts to uncover what life is. There are some interesting ideas here: Matter doesn't exist, we share the world with other beings we can't see, we don't need to eat, and our consciousness is only a part of a larger whole. Still, rather esoteric, even for me, and not very well documented or reasoned.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Fair.
Oddville! by Jay Stephens (2002)
This collection of comic strips collects material originally published by several alternative weekly newspapers in 1995 and 1996. A flying baby, Jetcat, a grunge band made up of zombies, a giant radio-controlled robot, gargantua monkey, and a girl named Melissa engage in wacky hijinks as the city figures out how to deal with the flying baby. Funny and tender -- a good look at Stephens' earlier work.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Good.
Outlaw School by Rebecca Ore (2000)
Abused by her mother and forced to take behavior-modifying drugs at school, Jayne opts not to join the judicious girls and instead goes to a residential treatment center. There, she meets Ocean and embarks on a career of underground education and computer programming. A passable cyberpunk novel rife with commentary on education and the socialization process.
Days to read: 3. Rating: Fair.
Sense of Wonder: A Life in Comic Fandom by Bill Schelly (2001)
A personal and charming account of Bill Schelly's immersion in comic book fandom starting in the mid-'60s. While Schelly wasn't part of the first wave of fandom, his experiences provide a worthy parallel. In addition, the book serves as a solid history of Schelly's zine -- and the fan network that was supported by self-publishing and letter writing. A good addition to the history of comics fandom!
Days to read: NA. Rating: Good.
Zot! Book 1 by Scott McCloud (1997)
An absolutely beautiful full-color collection of the first 10 issues of McCloud's wonderful comic, originally published by Eclipse Comics starting in 1984. McCloud presages some of the theories espoused in his later analytical works. At the same time, he lays out a fun tale of time travel, heroism, love, politics, and self-realization. They don't make 'em like this any more.
Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent.
What are you reading?
From the In Box: Rock Shows of Note VI
I really liked VD's guitar melodies. They were interesting to listen to, yet sort of... "lazy" and relaxed. I guess "mature" might be the word. I imagine the front guy (who I imagine comes up with the melodies) as someone who likes to play guitar, but maybe likes writing good songs a little bit more. -- Neil Curri
I really liked VD's guitar melodies. They were interesting to listen to, yet sort of... "lazy" and relaxed. I guess "mature" might be the word. I imagine the front guy (who I imagine comes up with the melodies) as someone who likes to play guitar, but maybe likes writing good songs a little bit more. -- Neil Curri
Monday, March 04, 2002
Blogging About Blogging XII
Please take a moment and appreciate the beauty of the little search button over to the left. Now Media Dieticians can search the contents of Media Diet and Media Diet alone for secondary references, related resources, and the like. I'll probably keep using this arcane titling scheme -- the title above means that this is the 12th entry in a series of posts all about the self-referential aspects of publishing Media Diet -- but now it's less so you can keep track of entries' context. Because you can find that using the little search thingy grinning at us coyly on the left. Now, make with the clicky click!
And it's free. Courtesy of Atomz. They're my newest friends.
Please take a moment and appreciate the beauty of the little search button over to the left. Now Media Dieticians can search the contents of Media Diet and Media Diet alone for secondary references, related resources, and the like. I'll probably keep using this arcane titling scheme -- the title above means that this is the 12th entry in a series of posts all about the self-referential aspects of publishing Media Diet -- but now it's less so you can keep track of entries' context. Because you can find that using the little search thingy grinning at us coyly on the left. Now, make with the clicky click!
And it's free. Courtesy of Atomz. They're my newest friends.
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Seriousness III
I just got a copy of the article that the Atlantic axed. If you'd like to check it out, email me.
In other Eggers-related news, the new McSweeney's just came out. You can learn more about it -- you can even subscribe. It, like the preceding editions, is beautiful. I do miss the indicia, however.
After you've accomplished the above goals, you can go see -- and meet, even! -- Neal Pollack at the Picnic in Cambridge, Mass., the evening of Wednesday, March 6. 7 p.m. to be exact. If you want to more than press the flesh, like, well, hear Neal read or something, you can do that, too -- 5:30 p.m. for you early birds who have no jobs and avoid the T, tomorrow, March 5, at the Coolidge Corner in Brookline.
I just got a copy of the article that the Atlantic axed. If you'd like to check it out, email me.
In other Eggers-related news, the new McSweeney's just came out. You can learn more about it -- you can even subscribe. It, like the preceding editions, is beautiful. I do miss the indicia, however.
After you've accomplished the above goals, you can go see -- and meet, even! -- Neal Pollack at the Picnic in Cambridge, Mass., the evening of Wednesday, March 6. 7 p.m. to be exact. If you want to more than press the flesh, like, well, hear Neal read or something, you can do that, too -- 5:30 p.m. for you early birds who have no jobs and avoid the T, tomorrow, March 5, at the Coolidge Corner in Brookline.
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Seriousness II
Karl Wenclas, erstwhile figurehead of the Underground Literary Alliance, a cranky and contrarian voice in the zine, small-press, and mainstream publishing worlds, contends that the New York Post missed the real story about the Atlantic canceling the Eggers/Baum feature following the realization that Eggers' sister committed suicide last fall. Ian Spiegelman of the Post begs to differ.
I agree with what Spiegelman says in his letter of response: The real story -- sad news that it is -- is that Dave's sister is dead. And it doesn't seem to me -- if it's true that the Atlantic learned of Beth's suicide from someone in Eggers' camp -- that Dave had a hand in the nixing of the piece. It was a decision that the Atlantic's editorial staff made. Besides, Dave kept his sister's death a secret for three months. Why break that secret now to kill an article in the Atlantic? And as far as Wenclas' contention that the suicide is a media hoax engineered by Eggers? Please. That's not something you joke about.
Wenclas says that the 10,000-word spiked story is the "best look at the Eggers phenomenon that's been written." His compatriot Michael Jackman tells me that the ULA broke this story with its zine "The Killed Story" (available for the usual). "The real story, we think, was that anybody has enough power to bully others into submission and how craven today's writers are," Jackman emailed me. "As for the propriety angle, why is propriety a concern in literary criticism where it wouldn't be in journalism? These are all good, productive questions to ask, but we're being met with silence on it."
Perhaps the ULA will make the killed story available for DIY distribution. I'd certainly like to read it.
Karl Wenclas, erstwhile figurehead of the Underground Literary Alliance, a cranky and contrarian voice in the zine, small-press, and mainstream publishing worlds, contends that the New York Post missed the real story about the Atlantic canceling the Eggers/Baum feature following the realization that Eggers' sister committed suicide last fall. Ian Spiegelman of the Post begs to differ.
I agree with what Spiegelman says in his letter of response: The real story -- sad news that it is -- is that Dave's sister is dead. And it doesn't seem to me -- if it's true that the Atlantic learned of Beth's suicide from someone in Eggers' camp -- that Dave had a hand in the nixing of the piece. It was a decision that the Atlantic's editorial staff made. Besides, Dave kept his sister's death a secret for three months. Why break that secret now to kill an article in the Atlantic? And as far as Wenclas' contention that the suicide is a media hoax engineered by Eggers? Please. That's not something you joke about.
Wenclas says that the 10,000-word spiked story is the "best look at the Eggers phenomenon that's been written." His compatriot Michael Jackman tells me that the ULA broke this story with its zine "The Killed Story" (available for the usual). "The real story, we think, was that anybody has enough power to bully others into submission and how craven today's writers are," Jackman emailed me. "As for the propriety angle, why is propriety a concern in literary criticism where it wouldn't be in journalism? These are all good, productive questions to ask, but we're being met with silence on it."
Perhaps the ULA will make the killed story available for DIY distribution. I'd certainly like to read it.
From the In Box: Rock Shows of Note VI
Yes, Greg, myself [Ryan], and for a bit Kevin (violinist), were part of Weeping in Fits and Starts. That was basically Greg's band of multiple musicians (myself being the exception) and multiple song styles. We then formed a true "band" once we captured Mike (drums) and started to collaborate on the songwriting, ultimately attempting to define our style. -- Ryan Veilleux
Yes, Greg, myself [Ryan], and for a bit Kevin (violinist), were part of Weeping in Fits and Starts. That was basically Greg's band of multiple musicians (myself being the exception) and multiple song styles. We then formed a true "band" once we captured Mike (drums) and started to collaborate on the songwriting, ultimately attempting to define our style. -- Ryan Veilleux
In Bed with Head Executives
The editor of the Harvard Business Review learned a hard lesson recently: Don't sleep with your sources. (I'm overstating the case, but it's a lesson worth learning.) While reporting a Q&A with former GE chair Jack Welch, Suzy Wetlaufer reportedly became romantically involved with her interviewee. HBR scrapped the less-than-objective article and assigned other staffers to hurriedly re-report the piece for its scheduled February publication.
Thanks to Jim Romenesko's Media News.
The editor of the Harvard Business Review learned a hard lesson recently: Don't sleep with your sources. (I'm overstating the case, but it's a lesson worth learning.) While reporting a Q&A with former GE chair Jack Welch, Suzy Wetlaufer reportedly became romantically involved with her interviewee. HBR scrapped the less-than-objective article and assigned other staffers to hurriedly re-report the piece for its scheduled February publication.
Thanks to Jim Romenesko's Media News.
From the In Box: Music to My Ears IV
I was doing a Web search for Mistle Thrush (Valerie Forgione in particular), and I stumbled across your blog. It looks familiar -- perhaps I've been there before!
I was surprised you used the word "goth" in the review. I can't remember Mistle Thrush sounding even remotely "goth" since 1994. Do you have the "Agus Amarach" album? I highly recommend it. "Drunk With You" seems to have a completely pop/rock vibe to me. You mentioned that "Give A Little" might be destined for the most airplay. "Small" is on WBCN's regular rotation list. I'm not sure about other radio stations. I am intrigued about your "they are not original" comments -- yet you can't peg them. If they sound like a lot of other bands wouldn't they be easy to describe since you've heard it before?
In your review of "Drunk With You" you asked what fans of Mistle Thrush listen to. I have been a fan of Mistle Thrush since 1994. Here's my short list:
Sparkola: "Climbing Out Your Window" (MP3 single)
Rose Polenzani: everything on her self-titled CD "Rose Polenzani"
New Bohemians: "The Live Mauntauk Sessions"
The rest of what I listen to is on my online radio show. -- Susan Kaup
Thanks for your email, Susan! And for the music suggestions. You've been listening to them much longer than I have (I still occasionally confuse Mistle Thrush with Turkish Delight, for shame!), and certainly seem to have a deep appreciation for what they do.
I guess what I was driving at in the review is that Mistle Thrush falls into a weird grey area for me. While I'm not entirely familiar with or fond of the music they play (I can take it or leave it, truth be told), I definitely feel like the band has gothic elements to it -- and not in the industrial sense. Just as Morphine, while not a goth band, had gothic aspects to their sound. And, while Mistle Thrush's music is interesting and enjoyable, I don't think the band is particularly innovative or ground breaking. So even if I can't name drop a bunch of bands that bump up against them, if I'm not surprised or really excited about what they're doing -- new to me doesn't mean it's new. If it sounds
I was doing a Web search for Mistle Thrush (Valerie Forgione in particular), and I stumbled across your blog. It looks familiar -- perhaps I've been there before!
I was surprised you used the word "goth" in the review. I can't remember Mistle Thrush sounding even remotely "goth" since 1994. Do you have the "Agus Amarach" album? I highly recommend it. "Drunk With You" seems to have a completely pop/rock vibe to me. You mentioned that "Give A Little" might be destined for the most airplay. "Small" is on WBCN's regular rotation list. I'm not sure about other radio stations. I am intrigued about your "they are not original" comments -- yet you can't peg them. If they sound like a lot of other bands wouldn't they be easy to describe since you've heard it before?
In your review of "Drunk With You" you asked what fans of Mistle Thrush listen to. I have been a fan of Mistle Thrush since 1994. Here's my short list:
The rest of what I listen to is on my online radio show.
Thanks for your email, Susan! And for the music suggestions. You've been listening to them much longer than I have (I still occasionally confuse Mistle Thrush with Turkish Delight, for shame!), and certainly seem to have a deep appreciation for what they do.
I guess what I was driving at in the review is that Mistle Thrush falls into a weird grey area for me. While I'm not entirely familiar with or fond of the music they play (I can take it or leave it, truth be told), I definitely feel like the band has gothic elements to it -- and not in the industrial sense. Just as Morphine, while not a goth band, had gothic aspects to their sound. And, while Mistle Thrush's music is interesting and enjoyable, I don't think the band is particularly innovative or ground breaking. So even if I can't name drop a bunch of bands that bump up against them, if I'm not surprised or really excited about what they're doing -- new to me doesn't mean it's new. If it sounds