Teens on Media
The March 2002 issue of New Youth Connections is a special "Taking on the Media" issue and contains several articles written by teens taking journalists to task in terms of covering international events -- and teen magazines for being too obsessed with looks. (To its credit, YM magazine will no longer publish articles about dieting, starting with the April 2002 issue.) The issue also features a critique of hip-hop and R&B videos.
Friday, March 22, 2002
Magazine Me VIII
Why am I learning about this for the first time in the April issue of Esquire?
A Magazine That Scares Us
R.U. Sirius calls himself a zeitgeist idiot savant. In 1989 he founded Mondo 2000, the prescient tech journal whose influence far exceeded its circulation, and now he's executive editor of The Thresher, a fiery new political magazine whose first issue, published several months before September 11, contained an interview with Hot Zone author Richard Preston about biological warfare, excerpt from a new book on the militarization of domestic law enforcement, and an essay asserting that "a modern [American] president has to kill lots and lots of people." We don't know what's in the second issue, but it comes out this month. Brace yourself.
It used to be that I'd know about these things. I must be losing my touch. Since September? Sheesh.
Why am I learning about this for the first time in the April issue of Esquire?
A Magazine That Scares Us
R.U. Sirius calls himself a zeitgeist idiot savant. In 1989 he founded Mondo 2000, the prescient tech journal whose influence far exceeded its circulation, and now he's executive editor of The Thresher, a fiery new political magazine whose first issue, published several months before September 11, contained an interview with Hot Zone author Richard Preston about biological warfare, excerpt from a new book on the militarization of domestic law enforcement, and an essay asserting that "a modern [American] president has to kill lots and lots of people." We don't know what's in the second issue, but it comes out this month. Brace yourself.
It used to be that I'd know about these things. I must be losing my touch. Since September? Sheesh.
Pieces, Particles
The following media-related stories recently spotted in print publications might be worth a look. Heads and decks, only. Heads and decks.
The Building of a Bombshell, by Stephen Rebello, Movieline, April 2002 (?)
No one packaged mass seduction like old-time Hollywood, but getting actresses to look the part was hardly an overnight achievement.
Notes from a Parallel Universe, by Jennifer Kahn, Discover, April 2002
Inside the X-Files at the University of California at Berkeley, the line between theory and fantasy, science and supposition, starts to dissolve. The authors of these dissertations are obsessed -- and scientists are nearly as obsessed with them.
Shopping Rebellion, by Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, March 18, 2002
What the kids want.
Top Maine Videos, by Paul Doiron, Down East, April 2002
The only way to find out if any of these widely touted video tapes about the Pine Tree State is worth watching -- or buying -- is to sit down and watch them all. Which I did.
If you work for a magazine and would like to sign me up for a complimentary subscription, please feel free to do so. My address is in the grey bar over on the left.
The following media-related stories recently spotted in print publications might be worth a look. Heads and decks, only. Heads and decks.
The Building of a Bombshell, by Stephen Rebello, Movieline, April 2002 (?)
No one packaged mass seduction like old-time Hollywood, but getting actresses to look the part was hardly an overnight achievement.
Notes from a Parallel Universe, by Jennifer Kahn, Discover, April 2002
Inside the X-Files at the University of California at Berkeley, the line between theory and fantasy, science and supposition, starts to dissolve. The authors of these dissertations are obsessed -- and scientists are nearly as obsessed with them.
Shopping Rebellion, by Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, March 18, 2002
What the kids want.
Top Maine Videos, by Paul Doiron, Down East, April 2002
The only way to find out if any of these widely touted video tapes about the Pine Tree State is worth watching -- or buying -- is to sit down and watch them all. Which I did.
If you work for a magazine and would like to sign me up for a complimentary subscription, please feel free to do so. My address is in the grey bar over on the left.
It's An Ad, Ad, Ad, Ad World IV
After announcing that it plans to buy Greendale, Wisconsin-based Reiman Publications, home of ad-free, folksy magazines such as Country Woman and Farm & Ranch Living, Reader's Digest Association Inc. also announced that it will not introduce advertising to Reiman's already successful publishing efforts.
Checking Reiman's stable of magazines, I notice that they don't publish any titles that begin with "m." I bet that's why. All the "m" magazines are getting ads these days.
After announcing that it plans to buy Greendale, Wisconsin-based Reiman Publications, home of ad-free, folksy magazines such as Country Woman and Farm & Ranch Living, Reader's Digest Association Inc. also announced that it will not introduce advertising to Reiman's already successful publishing efforts.
Checking Reiman's stable of magazines, I notice that they don't publish any titles that begin with "m." I bet that's why. All the "m" magazines are getting ads these days.
Big Brother Is Watching IV
Attention tourists: In Washington, DC, the National Park Service will install 24-7 surveillance cameras at all major monuments on the Mall. Supporters of the plan say that the cameras will be placed in "public areas where there is no expectation of privacy," but civil libertarians are concerned that camera placement will discourage public protests, demonstrations, and other direct action.
If anything, the Park Service is opening a new open-air theater for the Surveillance Camera Players. Now we can save our protests for posterity!
Attention tourists: In Washington, DC, the National Park Service will install 24-7 surveillance cameras at all major monuments on the Mall. Supporters of the plan say that the cameras will be placed in "public areas where there is no expectation of privacy," but civil libertarians are concerned that camera placement will discourage public protests, demonstrations, and other direct action.
If anything, the Park Service is opening a new open-air theater for the Surveillance Camera Players. Now we can save our protests for posterity!
Comics Commotion
Lev Yilmaz has created 17 Quicktime movies of him drawing comics while narrating what he terms "Tales of Mere Existence." His approach to real-time animation -- drawing while filming -- is quite innovative and attention-holding, and his narration is deadpan yet thought-provoking. My favorite movies so far? "Cigarettes" and "Branding." Make with the clicky click!
Lev Yilmaz has created 17 Quicktime movies of him drawing comics while narrating what he terms "Tales of Mere Existence." His approach to real-time animation -- drawing while filming -- is quite innovative and attention-holding, and his narration is deadpan yet thought-provoking. My favorite movies so far? "Cigarettes" and "Branding." Make with the clicky click!
Blogging About Blogging XVII
Paul Boutin is brilliant. On Wednesday he threw down the gauntlet and ran the gantlet, posting an entry titled "Bloggers Vs. Journalists." It's the most insightful look at the recent skirmishes between traditional, print-based journalists and columnists and the upstart bloggers practicing "way new journalism." Many mainstream journalists think blogs are quaint -- echoes of the coverage zines received in the mid-'90s ("Oh, look! They're trying to make their own little magazine!"). And many bloggers -- myself included, given what I've posted in response to John Dvorak's recent piece in PC Magazine -- think that mainstream journos just don't get it.
Paul suggests that the two camps are closer than we think and that, like Maddie and David in Moonlighting, we're going to slap each other in the face only to collapse into each other's arms with a passionate embrace. Easily said by a writer who contributes to print publications and maintains his own infrequent blog (Paul) -- and easily digested by another writer who does the same (me). Over the course of the piece, Paul considers the slightly incestuous viral nature of blogging in terms of people responding to people's responses to people's opinions, the value of grassroots journalism on the Web, and the threat blogs pose to opinion columnists. Brilliant.
Thanks to Joe Sizzle for bringing this to my attention.
Paul Boutin is brilliant. On Wednesday he threw down the gauntlet and ran the gantlet, posting an entry titled "Bloggers Vs. Journalists." It's the most insightful look at the recent skirmishes between traditional, print-based journalists and columnists and the upstart bloggers practicing "way new journalism." Many mainstream journalists think blogs are quaint -- echoes of the coverage zines received in the mid-'90s ("Oh, look! They're trying to make their own little magazine!"). And many bloggers -- myself included, given what I've posted in response to John Dvorak's recent piece in PC Magazine -- think that mainstream journos just don't get it.
Paul suggests that the two camps are closer than we think and that, like Maddie and David in Moonlighting, we're going to slap each other in the face only to collapse into each other's arms with a passionate embrace. Easily said by a writer who contributes to print publications and maintains his own infrequent blog (Paul) -- and easily digested by another writer who does the same (me). Over the course of the piece, Paul considers the slightly incestuous viral nature of blogging in terms of people responding to people's responses to people's opinions, the value of grassroots journalism on the Web, and the threat blogs pose to opinion columnists. Brilliant.
Thanks to Joe Sizzle for bringing this to my attention.
It's an Ad, Ad, Ad, Ad World III
James Lileks' Orphanage of Cast-Off Mascots features more than 20 marketing mascots once used widely in newspaper and magazine advertisements. The problem, Lileks says, is that when products and companies go away, they leave their mascots behind -- unemployed and orphaned. So he's digging into the microfilm archives of Minneapolis newspapers to unearth mascots such as Mr. Coffee Nerves, the Coughing-Fit Brothers, and Happy Egg. If you're interested, you can even adopt them. While it seems that the site hasn't been updated since early 2001, I hope that Lileks continues his fine work. Email him some encouragement.
James Lileks' Orphanage of Cast-Off Mascots features more than 20 marketing mascots once used widely in newspaper and magazine advertisements. The problem, Lileks says, is that when products and companies go away, they leave their mascots behind -- unemployed and orphaned. So he's digging into the microfilm archives of Minneapolis newspapers to unearth mascots such as Mr. Coffee Nerves, the Coughing-Fit Brothers, and Happy Egg. If you're interested, you can even adopt them. While it seems that the site hasn't been updated since early 2001, I hope that Lileks continues his fine work. Email him some encouragement.
White Collar Crime
Russell Mokhiber and Robert Weissman, writing for the Multinational Monitor, challenge President Bush's 10-point plan to "improve corporate responsibility and help protect America's shareholders" in the wake of Enron, Global Crossing, and Arthur Andersen. Their beef? That the plan includes nothing new -- that the federal government already can, should -- but for some reason -- won't enforce laws already on the books.
Mokhiber and Weissman take the Treasury Department, the Office of Foreign Assets Control, the U.S. Sentencing Commission (which created guidelines for sentencing corporate criminals just 10 years ago), and Capitol Hill to task, saying that Bush can make all the points he wants -- but that if the government doesn't have the willpower to enforce existing laws, involving the public in the process, chances are slim to none that big business will show the willpower to abide by those laws.
Russell Mokhiber and Robert Weissman, writing for the Multinational Monitor, challenge President Bush's 10-point plan to "improve corporate responsibility and help protect America's shareholders" in the wake of Enron, Global Crossing, and Arthur Andersen. Their beef? That the plan includes nothing new -- that the federal government already can, should -- but for some reason -- won't enforce laws already on the books.
Mokhiber and Weissman take the Treasury Department, the Office of Foreign Assets Control, the U.S. Sentencing Commission (which created guidelines for sentencing corporate criminals just 10 years ago), and Capitol Hill to task, saying that Bush can make all the points he wants -- but that if the government doesn't have the willpower to enforce existing laws, involving the public in the process, chances are slim to none that big business will show the willpower to abide by those laws.
Thursday, March 21, 2002
Rabble Rall-ser III
Another Ted Rall roundup courtesy of Jim Treacher. Conservative columnist Alan Keyes contributed a column to MSNBC last week suggesting that editorial cartoons such as Rall's recent work shouldn't be covered by the first amendment. The column even includes the shockingly mutually exclusive subhead "Pornography and Patriotism," which heads a section in which Keyes contends that Rall's work is pornographic, not debate or civic discourse. Rall's work pornographic? I've got your pornography right here, Mr. Keyes.
The Association for American Editorial Cartoonists has released a statement in Rall's defense, and in Comicon.com's Splash section, Rall responds to Keyes' commentary via some Comicon reportage:
The SPLASH tracked down Ted Rall in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, where he is currently on assignment for Gear magazine. Rall told the SPLASH: "Alan Keyes has proven that if you scratch some right-winger there's a fascist lurking underneath. His proposal to submit opinions to government censors smacks of totalitarianism of the highest order; he evidently despises everything that America stands for and would love to see a Nazi-style regime imposed here."
Rall went on to say: "Furthermore, his assertion that my little cartoon is weakening America's resolve regarding the war on terror is laughable to the point of absurdity. First of all, any war effort that could be derailed by a political cartoon probably doesn't have much support to sustain it. Second of all, many Americans -- like me -- see the 'war on terror' for what it is. This isn't about making us safer; it's about scoring a few bucks for Bush's rich friends while making more and more foreigners hate our guts. I doubt there'll be any more 'resolve' for this cynical enterprise than there was for Vietnam once the truth gets out."
Another Ted Rall roundup courtesy of Jim Treacher. Conservative columnist Alan Keyes contributed a column to MSNBC last week suggesting that editorial cartoons such as Rall's recent work shouldn't be covered by the first amendment. The column even includes the shockingly mutually exclusive subhead "Pornography and Patriotism," which heads a section in which Keyes contends that Rall's work is pornographic, not debate or civic discourse. Rall's work pornographic? I've got your pornography right here, Mr. Keyes.
The Association for American Editorial Cartoonists has released a statement in Rall's defense, and in Comicon.com's Splash section, Rall responds to Keyes' commentary via some Comicon reportage:
The SPLASH tracked down Ted Rall in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, where he is currently on assignment for Gear magazine. Rall told the SPLASH: "Alan Keyes has proven that if you scratch some right-winger there's a fascist lurking underneath. His proposal to submit opinions to government censors smacks of totalitarianism of the highest order; he evidently despises everything that America stands for and would love to see a Nazi-style regime imposed here."
Rall went on to say: "Furthermore, his assertion that my little cartoon is weakening America's resolve regarding the war on terror is laughable to the point of absurdity. First of all, any war effort that could be derailed by a political cartoon probably doesn't have much support to sustain it. Second of all, many Americans -- like me -- see the 'war on terror' for what it is. This isn't about making us safer; it's about scoring a few bucks for Bush's rich friends while making more and more foreigners hate our guts. I doubt there'll be any more 'resolve' for this cynical enterprise than there was for Vietnam once the truth gets out."
It's an Ad, Ad, Ad, Ad World II
Maybe this is a sickness specific to magazines with names starting with the letter "m," but following in the footsteps of Mad, Ms. magazine, which has been ad free for more than a decade, will soon accept ads. But it's going one better than AOL-Time-Warner-owned Mad. Ms. will become a nonprofit and only accept ads from nonprofit companies.
The magazine, which will soon move from New York to Beverly Hills, hardly a hot spot for feminism, will publish quarterly -- eventually moving to a bimonthly schedule in a year.
Thanks to Clint Schaff for the head's up.
Maybe this is a sickness specific to magazines with names starting with the letter "m," but following in the footsteps of Mad, Ms. magazine, which has been ad free for more than a decade, will soon accept ads. But it's going one better than AOL-Time-Warner-owned Mad. Ms. will become a nonprofit and only accept ads from nonprofit companies.
The magazine, which will soon move from New York to Beverly Hills, hardly a hot spot for feminism, will publish quarterly -- eventually moving to a bimonthly schedule in a year.
Thanks to Clint Schaff for the head's up.
Read Letter Day
An email today from Ben Russell, columns editor for PopImage, reminded me that I haven't visited the site for awhile. Checking in, I came across an interview with Nate Piekos of Blambot Design Services. He shares his experiences designing fonts, lettering comics, and his own self-publishing projects.
Letterers are often the unsung heroes -- sometimes deservedly so given the current state of crappy computer lettering -- of the comics world. Nate has a good head for what works, why, and how others can learn how to do it themselves.
An email today from Ben Russell, columns editor for PopImage, reminded me that I haven't visited the site for awhile. Checking in, I came across an interview with Nate Piekos of Blambot Design Services. He shares his experiences designing fonts, lettering comics, and his own self-publishing projects.
Letterers are often the unsung heroes -- sometimes deservedly so given the current state of crappy computer lettering -- of the comics world. Nate has a good head for what works, why, and how others can learn how to do it themselves.
In Your Face, Cyberspace!
It's been awhile since I've been interested in or followed the policy debates of ICANN, the IETF, and the EFF, but a recent Nettime transmission struck my fancy. I reprint the following statement with the permission of its author, John Perry Barlow.
The Accra Manifesto
Accra, Ghana
Tuesday, March 12, 2002
(revised Wednesday, March 13, 2002)
Since its beginnings, Cyberspace has provided new approaches for the benign ordering of human affairs. As we begin to develop institutions to govern the digital world, we must avoid returning to industrial models that have generally failed in the analog world to assure equity, liberty, and human inclusion. Instead, let us build upon the promise of what has already proven effective in this social experiment.
The paramount governing values that have so far emerged in this grand collective enterprise are openness, inclusion, technical practicality, emergent form, decentralization, transparency, tolerance, diversity, and a fierce willingness to defend free expression and the preservation of identity. These are appropriate values. They are working.
They should be allowed to go on working, both in the eventual systems for allocating domain names and numbers and in all other matters of Cyberspace governance. Neither the current operations of ICANN nor the current proposal put forward by its president appear to place much faith in them.
Cyberspace has thus far been an environment where architecture is politics. ICANN has turned this practical formulation on its head by attempting to make politics architecture.
To assist in designing a governing process that will promote these values and thus direct us toward the future and away from the past the undersigned propose the following to the ICANN meeting in Accra:
Cyberspace is not a place. It is a dialog of cultures. We believe that if ICANN were to adopt the above principles, it might, through light-handed arbitration of real, rather than projected, problems, acquire the moral authority that has so far evaded it. We fear that if it fails to consider the concerns that have driven us to make this declaration, it will find itself in the unenviable position of trying to impose its will on a global community with neither a mandate nor force of arms. At best, it will become irrelevant as the citizens of Cyberspace develop methods to work around it. At worst, it will be directly dangerous to the health of the Internet. The chaos that might follow either development will not serve our descendents well.
While many of the undersigned do not accept every single one of the above statements, we are in sufficient agreement with the spirit of this statement that we hereby attach our names and hope that the governing board of ICANN will make a sincere effort to incorporate its beliefs and adopt its recommendations.
John Perry Barlow, co-founder and vice chairman, Electronic Frontier Foundation
It's been awhile since I've been interested in or followed the policy debates of ICANN, the IETF, and the EFF, but a recent Nettime transmission struck my fancy. I reprint the following statement with the permission of its author, John Perry Barlow.
The Accra Manifesto
Accra, Ghana
Tuesday, March 12, 2002
(revised Wednesday, March 13, 2002)
Since its beginnings, Cyberspace has provided new approaches for the benign ordering of human affairs. As we begin to develop institutions to govern the digital world, we must avoid returning to industrial models that have generally failed in the analog world to assure equity, liberty, and human inclusion. Instead, let us build upon the promise of what has already proven effective in this social experiment.
The paramount governing values that have so far emerged in this grand collective enterprise are openness, inclusion, technical practicality, emergent form, decentralization, transparency, tolerance, diversity, and a fierce willingness to defend free expression and the preservation of identity. These are appropriate values. They are working.
They should be allowed to go on working, both in the eventual systems for allocating domain names and numbers and in all other matters of Cyberspace governance. Neither the current operations of ICANN nor the current proposal put forward by its president appear to place much faith in them.
Cyberspace has thus far been an environment where architecture is politics. ICANN has turned this practical formulation on its head by attempting to make politics architecture.
To assist in designing a governing process that will promote these values and thus direct us toward the future and away from the past the undersigned propose the following to the ICANN meeting in Accra:
- It appears to us that ICANN has so far failed to generate the moral authority necessary to govern an environment where authority must be based on the general respect of the governed rather than its ability to impose solutions by fiat.
- It has failed for a variety of reasons. Chief among these are its impulse to adapt existing and mechanical models of government to a social space that cannot easily be coerced into submission. It attempts to impose government instead of proposing governance.
- ICANN is overly centralized and, by virtue of its incorporation in the United States and its practical dependency on American contractors, perpetuates the dangerous belief that the Internet is an American environment. We believe that root should not be based in the U.S.
- ICANN was established in a gray area of institutional reality that makes it nearly invulnerable to legal or political rebuke. If ICANN were a function of the U.S. Government, at least it could be brought into court and held accountable for unconstitutional behavior. The current structure provides almost no opportunity for redress in the area of domain names and none at all in the area of domain numbering. It's power is vast and growing. Its accountability is small and shrinking.
- By abandoning the simple and fair system of "first come, first served" domain name allocation that served the Internet well from the beginning, ICANN has created a quagmire of unnecessary disputes and suppressed expression, and has irrationally conflated trademark law with domain assignment.
- Efforts to turn Cyberspace into a traditional democracy, however laudable in principle, may never work well in a social space where it is extremely difficult to define either the electorate or a credible system whereby the people might express their will. Nonetheless, public representation on the board is so important that we can't afford to give up on it. It would be well to remember that democracy is more than a mechanical process of providing that every single member of a constituency has a say. Rather it is a system of governance that seeks the consent of the governed, however that assent is conveyed. To assure that ICANN is democratic in this sense, there must be a low entry barrier to unofficial involvement its decision-making processes, and, possibly, a decentralized, community based system for selecting "at large" board members.
- The current proposal before ICANN would fix this problem by inserting existing nation states into a space where they have no natural sovereignty. While this might, at first pass, lend the popular accountability of governments to its processes, it's likely to result in a system as ineffectual as the ITU or the United Nations. Further, given the wave of negative reaction to the Lynn proposal, its adoption would likely further reduce ICANN's credibility.
- ICANN, by its cumbersome deliberative processes, already slows the adoption of new technology and might prevent the timely alteration of the technical underpinnings of the Internet in the event of an impending collapse of the system. The addition of even more ponderous governments to the stew of authority would only exacerbate the potential for failure.
- The current structure of the root servers, as documented in the MDR meeting, has the servers distributed between government, commercial, academic, and non-profit organizations distributed around the world. Such a structure is highly resistant to capture and leads to the robustness and diversity of the Internet. One possible outcome of the Lynn proposal is that the root servers are contractually bound to a single organization. This inherently is less stable and more susceptible to capture than the current structure which should be protected as a fundamental architectural principle.
- The best way to assure inclusion is to derive systems that are easy for those governed to understand. ICANN is already too complex in its practices to admit informed participation. The Lynn proposal would only add to this complexity.
- The IETF once provided a good model for governing processes that are well-suited to Cyberspace. It was a system for governance by ideas, rather than by people, laws, or "stake-holders," in that the most elegant solutions were adopted by the consensus of a self-defining community, regardless of the standing of those who proposed them. That the IETF has become less successful in solving problems results less from a flaw in this model than its having been high-jacked by corporate interests. ICANN, in its original design and current state, ignores the value of these proven approaches.
- To address these failures, we propose that ICANN decentralize and convey operational authority to the communities that naturally define themselves around the top-level domains, restricting its duties to the resolution of disputes that cannot be resolved within the communities. In other words, we believe that ICANN should become a loose confederation of autonomous domains, rather like the federal government of the United States during Jefferson's time.
- Prior to delegating its operational functions to the domains, we believe that ICANN might demonstrate its understanding of these principles by defining at least two new public domains. Among these we suggest .lib (for libraries) and .pub (for entities, whether organizations or individuals, working for the common good). It is our belief that the systems of self-governance such communities are likely to develop might serve to instruct other domains in the ordering of their own affairs.
- One of the areas where existing systems of government have worked, to varying degrees of effectiveness, has been in conveying and preserving such human rights as free expression and protection from unchecked corporate self-interest. ICANN might have a continued role in directing itself to the assurance of such rights in Cyberspace. A reformed ICANN might also propose broad policies and technical solutions, but would do so as respected leaders and not as a junta.
- The previously existing systems for governance in Cyberspace have shown the practical efficiency of fixing only that which is broken. This is a principle ICANN would do well to emulate.
Cyberspace is not a place. It is a dialog of cultures. We believe that if ICANN were to adopt the above principles, it might, through light-handed arbitration of real, rather than projected, problems, acquire the moral authority that has so far evaded it. We fear that if it fails to consider the concerns that have driven us to make this declaration, it will find itself in the unenviable position of trying to impose its will on a global community with neither a mandate nor force of arms. At best, it will become irrelevant as the citizens of Cyberspace develop methods to work around it. At worst, it will be directly dangerous to the health of the Internet. The chaos that might follow either development will not serve our descendents well.
While many of the undersigned do not accept every single one of the above statements, we are in sufficient agreement with the spirit of this statement that we hereby attach our names and hope that the governing board of ICANN will make a sincere effort to incorporate its beliefs and adopt its recommendations.
John Perry Barlow, co-founder and vice chairman, Electronic Frontier Foundation
Happy Birthday to Media Dieticians
Not only did Cardhouse celebrate its seventh anniversary yesterday, but today's the birthday of Media Dietician Tom Hopkins.
He wished me a happy birthday late last month, and I'd like to do the same here: Happy birthday Tom!
File under guestimonials, courtesy of Tom: "Crikey! I'm having a hard time keeping up with Media Diet. You're blogging warp speed!"
Are you having a hard time keeping up? Discuss.
Not only did Cardhouse celebrate its seventh anniversary yesterday, but today's the birthday of Media Dietician Tom Hopkins.
He wished me a happy birthday late last month, and I'd like to do the same here: Happy birthday Tom!
File under guestimonials, courtesy of Tom: "Crikey! I'm having a hard time keeping up with Media Diet. You're blogging warp speed!"
Are you having a hard time keeping up? Discuss.
Weather Report V
As reported previously, it rained and snowed for most of yesterday afternoon and evening, contributing to the puddles and slush along Washington Avenue and on Central Square -- and enabling some rapid traffic splashing. Neil and I were supposed to move my boxes from Anni and Jonathan's basement to Joe's basement -- I'm hopping box hostels -- but the wet created a large puddle behind Anni and Jonathan's house by the basement entrance. Like two inches of standing, slushy, slippery water.
We could've have managed with the rain, but the puddle was too much. So we had to change our plans. Monday might now be moving day. Fingers crossed on the weather.
Today is beautiful. A bit cold, but sunny, clear, and crisp. I woke with the sun again but stayed in bed enjoying the cool early morning breeze until about 8. Wonderful.
As reported previously, it rained and snowed for most of yesterday afternoon and evening, contributing to the puddles and slush along Washington Avenue and on Central Square -- and enabling some rapid traffic splashing. Neil and I were supposed to move my boxes from Anni and Jonathan's basement to Joe's basement -- I'm hopping box hostels -- but the wet created a large puddle behind Anni and Jonathan's house by the basement entrance. Like two inches of standing, slushy, slippery water.
We could've have managed with the rain, but the puddle was too much. So we had to change our plans. Monday might now be moving day. Fingers crossed on the weather.
Today is beautiful. A bit cold, but sunny, clear, and crisp. I woke with the sun again but stayed in bed enjoying the cool early morning breeze until about 8. Wonderful.
The Heroism of Lens Men
On the V: The Original Miniseries DVD, there's a behind-the-scenes documentary about the making of the movie and the meanings behind its messages. Marc Singer, who plays Mike Donovan, a gung-ho TV news videographer, discusses how he prepared for the role, why a TV cameraman makes a good hero, and the role of TV journalism.
"The guy I'm playing is Mike Donovan. He's a person who tries his best to live up to the promise of being a human being. He feels a sense of responsibility toward other people so he doesn't lie down under the yoke when the Earth is being taken over. He fights back. He becomes the strong arm of the Resistance. He does what the man on the other side of this lens does in real life.
"He's a photographer -- a news cameraman is what he is -- and that allows him access into the alien craft and also gives him a nice viewpoint to view all of humanity. Very often, newsmen are allowed to go places that the rest of us civilians aren't able to go, so it provides a good format for this guy to get in where the bad guys are and see what they're doing.
"I had to do some very strenuous special preparation for this. I had to keep down the bubble of enthusiasm and joy so that when I got on the set I looked like a professional and wasn't giggling in front of the cameras all the time. The second thing I had to do was... Our producer Chuck Bowman [?] was very kind in establishing liaisons between myself and real news photographers and real news teams, and in that way I was able to assimilate some of the real aspects of the heroism of these people's professions.
"I don't think that any of us know exactly what kind of heroes are in different trades in our society, but I think that some of the greatest heroes that exist are in the news profession: those people that bring us tapes from destruction in El Salvador ad people who bring us tapes of the Vietnam crisis and things like that. These are people that lay their lives on the line so that humanity can be informed as to what it's doing and how to rectify situations it doesn't like."
Cmdr. Ilana has organized an extensive V-related Web site.
On the V: The Original Miniseries DVD, there's a behind-the-scenes documentary about the making of the movie and the meanings behind its messages. Marc Singer, who plays Mike Donovan, a gung-ho TV news videographer, discusses how he prepared for the role, why a TV cameraman makes a good hero, and the role of TV journalism.
"The guy I'm playing is Mike Donovan. He's a person who tries his best to live up to the promise of being a human being. He feels a sense of responsibility toward other people so he doesn't lie down under the yoke when the Earth is being taken over. He fights back. He becomes the strong arm of the Resistance. He does what the man on the other side of this lens does in real life.
"He's a photographer -- a news cameraman is what he is -- and that allows him access into the alien craft and also gives him a nice viewpoint to view all of humanity. Very often, newsmen are allowed to go places that the rest of us civilians aren't able to go, so it provides a good format for this guy to get in where the bad guys are and see what they're doing.
"I had to do some very strenuous special preparation for this. I had to keep down the bubble of enthusiasm and joy so that when I got on the set I looked like a professional and wasn't giggling in front of the cameras all the time. The second thing I had to do was... Our producer Chuck Bowman [?] was very kind in establishing liaisons between myself and real news photographers and real news teams, and in that way I was able to assimilate some of the real aspects of the heroism of these people's professions.
"I don't think that any of us know exactly what kind of heroes are in different trades in our society, but I think that some of the greatest heroes that exist are in the news profession: those people that bring us tapes from destruction in El Salvador ad people who bring us tapes of the Vietnam crisis and things like that. These are people that lay their lives on the line so that humanity can be informed as to what it's doing and how to rectify situations it doesn't like."
Cmdr. Ilana has organized an extensive V-related Web site.
See You in the Funny Pages VII
I've been a subscriber to Modern Tales since I first learned about it earlier this month, and while I visit several times a week, almost every day, it's rather hit and miss. But today -- oh, today -- is why I signed up in the first place. For today Modern Tales gives us a doozy of a double dose: a new "Hutch Owens" page by Tom Hart and a new "Fancy Froglin" page by James Kochalka. Woot!
By the way, I would have said, "Woohoo!" above, but it seems that everybody's saying "Woot!" these days in blogspace, etc.
What the heck does "Woot!" mean? Discuss.
I've been a subscriber to Modern Tales since I first learned about it earlier this month, and while I visit several times a week, almost every day, it's rather hit and miss. But today -- oh, today -- is why I signed up in the first place. For today Modern Tales gives us a doozy of a double dose: a new "Hutch Owens" page by Tom Hart and a new "Fancy Froglin" page by James Kochalka. Woot!
By the way, I would have said, "Woohoo!" above, but it seems that everybody's saying "Woot!" these days in blogspace, etc.
What the heck does "Woot!" mean? Discuss.
Tick Tock, You... Stop
Two writers for Metropolis magazine mourn the loss of an architectural detail that they didn't ever really like in the first place -- but now miss something fierce: the oversized clock in Grand Central Terminal. They raise some interesting points about how preservation should allow for anomaly and how architecture must have ordinary spaces to have good ones, and the removal of the clock as part of the terminal's renovation got me thinking about things I about the places I've lived:
The movie theater in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
Lounge Ax in Chicago
The Tasty on Harvard Square
The old Lucy Parsons block on Central Square
The Willow Jazz Club near Ball Square
What do you miss? Discuss.
Two writers for Metropolis magazine mourn the loss of an architectural detail that they didn't ever really like in the first place -- but now miss something fierce: the oversized clock in Grand Central Terminal. They raise some interesting points about how preservation should allow for anomaly and how architecture must have ordinary spaces to have good ones, and the removal of the clock as part of the terminal's renovation got me thinking about things I about the places I've lived:
What do you miss? Discuss.
Awarding Acrimony
More news from Providence: The Providence Newspaper Guild, which has been in conflict with the Providence Journal since the late '90s, is protesting the recent naming of the ProJo as metropolitan newspaper of the year by the New England Newspaper Association. While the Journal crows about the award -- indicating that it's outdistancing the Boston Globe -- Guild members say the award "would come at a most unlikely time -- when this once-award-winning newspaper has taken a very public dive in quality. Such an award would strike every Rhode Islander as bizarre."
Maybe they should all go see Mary Lou Lord on Saturday.
More news from Providence: The Providence Newspaper Guild, which has been in conflict with the Providence Journal since the late '90s, is protesting the recent naming of the ProJo as metropolitan newspaper of the year by the New England Newspaper Association. While the Journal crows about the award -- indicating that it's outdistancing the Boston Globe -- Guild members say the award "would come at a most unlikely time -- when this once-award-winning newspaper has taken a very public dive in quality. Such an award would strike every Rhode Islander as bizarre."
Maybe they should all go see Mary Lou Lord on Saturday.
Pulling the Plug II
If it's any consolation to those of us who miss Other Music, Newbury Comics just opened a new store in the Providence Place Mall in Rhode Island. The regional chain is celebrating the opening of its first-ever mall store with a 10%-off sale (for email club members only) and an afternoon Mary Lou Lord in-store performance Saturday. Um, it's not much consolation, really.
If it's any consolation to those of us who miss Other Music, Newbury Comics just opened a new store in the Providence Place Mall in Rhode Island. The regional chain is celebrating the opening of its first-ever mall store with a 10%-off sale (for email club members only) and an afternoon Mary Lou Lord in-store performance Saturday. Um, it's not much consolation, really.
Wednesday, March 20, 2002
Magazine Me VII
Not that I'm out to scoop anyone with Media Diet, but I think it's pretty neat that I posted the finalists for this year's National Magazine Award before the American Society of Magazine Editors announced them. Their news release is dated today, 3 p.m. I posted the finalists almost four hours earlier. It's like I'm a poor man's Matt Drudge or something. We break the news; others fix it.
Not that I'm out to scoop anyone with Media Diet, but I think it's pretty neat that I posted the finalists for this year's National Magazine Award before the American Society of Magazine Editors announced them. Their news release is dated today, 3 p.m. I posted the finalists almost four hours earlier. It's like I'm a poor man's Matt Drudge or something. We break the news; others fix it.
Weather Report IV
I've been awake since 5:30 a.m. Woke with the sun -- something I've been doing lately as the sun continues to rise earlier and earlier -- and had no more sleep in my system. So I showered, failed to shave, and got into work around 7. The T runs quite slowly around 6 -- the waits were insane.
In any event, I've hit a wall and a lull in the day. I've accomplished quite a bit at work, and I don't really have anything to do this evening until 8, when I need to move my boxes out of Anni and Jonathan's basement and into Joe's. Ah, box hostel hopping.
So I went outside just now for a quick walk around the block. I find that quick walks during the day help me get out of the office -- and help me get organized in terms of prioritizing what I have to do for the rest of the work day. This afternoon, having hit this wall and lull, I'm at a loss.
But it's snowing. It's raining, too. I've been up since 5:30, and it's oddly overcast and beautiful in the North End right now. You should go outside.
I've been awake since 5:30 a.m. Woke with the sun -- something I've been doing lately as the sun continues to rise earlier and earlier -- and had no more sleep in my system. So I showered, failed to shave, and got into work around 7. The T runs quite slowly around 6 -- the waits were insane.
In any event, I've hit a wall and a lull in the day. I've accomplished quite a bit at work, and I don't really have anything to do this evening until 8, when I need to move my boxes out of Anni and Jonathan's basement and into Joe's. Ah, box hostel hopping.
So I went outside just now for a quick walk around the block. I find that quick walks during the day help me get out of the office -- and help me get organized in terms of prioritizing what I have to do for the rest of the work day. This afternoon, having hit this wall and lull, I'm at a loss.
But it's snowing. It's raining, too. I've been up since 5:30, and it's oddly overcast and beautiful in the North End right now. You should go outside.
Comics at a Loss
Eddie Campbell says that comics are not an art form -- and that they don't even exist. That's some pretty big talk.
Eddie Campbell says that comics are not an art form -- and that they don't even exist. That's some pretty big talk.
Magazine Me VI
Judges for the American Society of Magazine Editors' National Magazine Awards gathered yesterday to select the finalists. Here they are:
General Excellence: Under 200,000
Paris Review
Oxford American
American Scholar
City
MBA Jungle
Nest
Print
General Excellence: 200-500,000
Details
National Geographic Adventurer
Texas Monthly
Saveur
Sports Illustrated for Women
General Excellence: 500-1,000,000
Gourmet
Wired
Vibe
Jane
New Yorker
General Excellence: 1,000,000-2,000,000
Fortune
Entertainment Weekly
Vanity Fair
ESPN
InStyle
General Excellence: 2 million and up
Better Homes and Gardens
National Geographic
O
Newsweek
Time
Personal Service
MBA Jungle
Worth
Money
National Geographic Adventurer
Leisure Interests
Vogue
Philosophy
Sports Illustrated
Travel & Leisure
Field & Stream
O
Reporting
Atlantic Monthly
Time
Fortune
Yankee
New Yorker
Public Interest
Atlantic Monthly
SF magazine
Governing
Self
Sports Illustrated
Feature Writing
Atlantic Monthly
Men's Journal
Esquire
New Yorker
LA magazine
Columns and Commentary
GQ
New York
Newsweek (twice)
Oxford American
Essays
American Scholar
New Yorker (twice)
Men's Journal
Harper's
Reviews/Criticism
Atlantic Monthly
Government
GQ
Harper's
New Yorker
Profiles
Esquire
GQ
Harper's
LA magazine
New Yorker
Single Topic Issue
Cincinnati
Time
Gourmet
The Nation
New Yorker
Photography
National Geographic Adventurer
Newsweek
Time
Vanity Fair
Vogue
Design
Audobon
Details
Esquire
Nest
Surface
Fiction
Atlantic Monthly
Harper's
New Yorker
Paris Review
Zoetrope
Online
Beliefnet
Chronicle of Higher Education
National Geographic Interactive
RollingStone.com
Slate
Judges for the American Society of Magazine Editors' National Magazine Awards gathered yesterday to select the finalists. Here they are:
General Excellence: Under 200,000
General Excellence: 200-500,000
General Excellence: 500-1,000,000
General Excellence: 1,000,000-2,000,000
General Excellence: 2 million and up
Personal Service
Leisure Interests
Reporting
Public Interest
Feature Writing
Columns and Commentary
Essays
Reviews/Criticism
Profiles
Single Topic Issue
Photography
Design
Fiction
Online
Magazine Me V
Joining magazines such as POV (RIP) and Real Joe that offer an alternative to the general interest magazines aimed at men -- Esquire, GQ, Maxim, etc. -- some folks in Baltimore have launched a new periodical called Adam. Targeting "the original man," Adam can be found at Barnes & Noble, 7-11, and newsstands across the country. A single issue costs $3, but you can subscribe for six issues at an introductory rate of $9.99. The Web site is still pretty skimpy.
The current issue of Adam includes an article titled "21 Ways to Make Your Community a Better Place" by Scott Beale, mastermind behind the Millenial Politics project.
Joining magazines such as POV (RIP) and Real Joe that offer an alternative to the general interest magazines aimed at men -- Esquire, GQ, Maxim, etc. -- some folks in Baltimore have launched a new periodical called Adam. Targeting "the original man," Adam can be found at Barnes & Noble, 7-11, and newsstands across the country. A single issue costs $3, but you can subscribe for six issues at an introductory rate of $9.99. The Web site is still pretty skimpy.
The current issue of Adam includes an article titled "21 Ways to Make Your Community a Better Place" by Scott Beale, mastermind behind the Millenial Politics project.
How to Go on a Media Diet
The following was excerpted and translated from an article by Marco Visscher, "Wijsheid is geen nieuws" ("Wisdom is No News") that ran in the March 2002 issue of Ode, an Utne Reader-like magazine in the Netherlands. It was posted without permission on the Nettime mailing list. I do the same here.
Three Suggestions For a "News Diet" (detox program):
Never read today's paper, always yesterday's. This will automatically lead to a certain distance.
Never watch the news on television, but watch it half an hour later on video tape instead. You will find you'll skip over the uninteresting bits and that the sum total of news you watch will drop. (Bonus tip: With everything the news reader says, ask yourself aloud, "Oh, is that so?")
(Advanced technique) Once a week, put your newspaper aside immediately. Do not use for litter box. Do not read; stick to reading yesterday's paper during the rest of the week. Read the extra paper only after two (or three, or four) weeks. You will find that many articles have become redundant or are simply boring. You will have missed nothing.
Translated by Pieter.
The following was excerpted and translated from an article by Marco Visscher, "Wijsheid is geen nieuws" ("Wisdom is No News") that ran in the March 2002 issue of Ode, an Utne Reader-like magazine in the Netherlands. It was posted without permission on the Nettime mailing list. I do the same here.
Three Suggestions For a "News Diet" (detox program):
Translated by Pieter.
One Man's Alternative Media Strategy II
I realize that Sander's recent missive is a rough draft, but I wrote a response of sorts last night. It's not really a rebuttal or critique of Sander's essay, but I used his thoughts as a trigger to consider and solidify my own. This, too, is open to feedback.
Regardless of the laudable and romantic path Sander took to find himself creating and consuming what he terms "alternative media," I take issue with his contention that participating in alternative media -- if you're of the anti-war, anti-imperialist sort -- makes people part of the American Left.
The Left, while continuing to represent some valid and vibrant ideas and ideals, is no longer useful as a political determinant, much less as a productive actor on the societal stage. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that the Left has become a cartoon of itself, with the New Left being an oxymoron since the SDS' and SNCC's fracturing and factionalization and the end of the countercultural evolution of the late '60s -- much like the New South has lacked a solid foundation as a concept since the end of post-slavery industrialization. At the same time, many lefty -- my preferred descriptor -- activists (myself included) continue to idolize and idealize some of the more visible participants in the political and social reorganization efforts that took place in the '60s. Even if we go back even further to the initial labor organizing icons of early industrialization for inspiration and education, we are left without a current generation of heroes and leaders. Particularly in the media space.
Let's consider some of the lefty holdovers currently involved in media. Abe Peck, formerly an editor of the Chicago Seed, rests near the top of the journalism department at Northwestern University and -- at least while I was a student there in the early '90s -- was blissfully unaware of zines, arguably the heir to the throne he and his comrades once occupied. Jann Wenner, founder of Rolling Stone, a once-important (politically and philosophically) countercultural outlet, has aged badly along with his magazine, continuing to employ graying lapsed leftists such as the despicably irresponsible P.J. O'Rourke (the Dave Barry of political posturing) as he orchestrates a circle jerk for baby boomer has beens, catering just enough to the younger set to maintain popcult credibility -- and including just enough political content to be consider slightly radical.
Those are the more visible examples. To find true media heroes coming out of the Left, we need to look further afield -- to Paul Krassner and his end-of-the-line diatribes in the Realist; to Bruce Anderson of the Anderson Valley Advertiser, who had to move to the mountains of Northern California to find his political voice and position in a community; and to Fred Woodworth, whose low-tech print shop continues to crank out the Match and which lent Luddite luminescence to the ever-cranky Zine World (now the abominably named Reader's Guide to the Underground Press). These three are on the outside of the outside, often countering even the countercultures that embrace them. And I'd be surprised if any of them considered themselves part of the American Left, even if they have lefty tendencies.
But it's not just the dependence on historic and romantic figures that bothers me about the Left -- and Sander's fascination with it. It's the language and accessibility of the movement. The Left -- particularly the New Left -- has almost always been an academic, policy-oriented, and arcane clique, not speaking in a tongue understood by many working-class people -- and certainly not palatable to the masses. Even anarchy, which should be one of the most easily digestible political philosophies -- self-interested responsibility to the community -- has couched its message either in violence (the window breaking during the WTO protests) or in mumbo jumbo (John Zerzan's ongoing neo-primitive attacks on the beautifully befuddled yet cleverly critical Murray Bookchin). And it's all because of communication, right? Just like Saul Alinsky -- to name drop another oldie but goodie -- said.
Media, then, is the platform on which -- the agar in which -- communication grows and happens. Sander's right that political activists need to gain control of media production. This is how we -- if there is a unified we -- can best get our messages out. But is this access to power through production as cut and dried as Sander suggests: "taken out of the hands of the fat cats"? I don't think so. I also don't think that a unionized and state-run media is the answer, either. A media dictatorship is a media dictatorship. The fall, foibles, and follies of Communism shows just how an appealing and attractive political philosophy (Marxism, natch) can be misinterpreted and inadequately applied.
If we don't follow the traditional leftist track of class warfare, union organization, and state ownership, what are we to do? I'd like to suggest three possible courses of action.
Deprofessionalize journalism
Professional journalism is flawed in two major ways. One, the professionalization of the trade has removed the responsibility of the reporter -- remember, my experience is largely limited to print and print-modeled journalism -- placing the respect, resources, and resolve largely in the hands of the media organizations that employ us and hold our copyrights if what we do is work for hire. As respected as Daniel Pearl might be, he's respected in part because of his association with the Wall Street Journal. This doesn't apply to Pearl, per se, but with comfort comes complicity. This removal of responsibility is made manifest mainly through the myth of objectivity. Objectivity doesn't exist. Fairness and accuracy do. But instead of media pandering to the masses and business owners with a he said/she said namby-pamby waffling, I'd rather see newspapers with a political and social platform, writers with a strident and striving voice, and media with very clear biases. Readers -- media consumers -- should have a hand in creating and contesting those voices and biases.
Because, two, journalism and media production's professionalization has distanced writers and producers from the readers and consumers. I often joke that all journalists do is talk to people others can't talk to -- and then tell others what they talked about. This is true. We should all be able to gain access to our social, political, and cultural leaders. We should all be able to voice our opinions. And we should all be -- regardless of our role and status in society -- visible, accessible, and responsible for the impact we have on the world.
Mini-movements such as community journalism, self-publishing online and offline, and media-driven community organizing experiments are all solid steps toward the goal of media being a socially democratic platform on which people tell each other their own stories instead of waiting for the mainstream media powers that be to give them the nod. Journalists and media producers should help us make sense of the world -- not make cents off the world. And our first responsibility should be to the readers and media consumers, not to an abstract profession or a business's stockholders.
Smash the media state from inside
Another admittedly cartoony corpse of the counterculture, Hunter Thompson, who now writes for ESPN.com but failed to weigh in on 911 for Rolling Stone, put it best: "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." If you're at all interested in the ideas and ideals that Sander -- and I -- espouse, get a "real" media job. We saw this happen quite often during the zine boom of the '90s. Mike Gunderloy, who founded Factsheet Five and ran a publishing imprint named after Civil War-era abolitionist and anarchist attorney Lysander Spooner, got a book contract. As did kitcschy popcult commentator Pagan Kennedy. Noel Ignatiev, publisher of Race Traitor, taught briefly at Harvard. Jim Romenesko got a gig at the Poynter Institute. Lookout! and Epitaph records continue to walk the fine line between commercial credibility and punk-rock positivity. Geeky zine maven Chip Rowe holds forth as the Playboy Advisor. And Might alumni David Moodie and Dave Eggers innovatively influenced Spin and Esquire before the McSweeney's phenomenon. (I, not to enroll myself in the same school as the above, work full time for Fast Company magazine, which is published by Gruner & Jahr, a division of Bertlesmann. Please enjoy the irony of that with me.)
Let's infect mainstream media. Let's create workplaces and media that reflect our collective value and values. Let's hold our managers and owners accountable to the needs of the readers, viewers, and other media consumers. Let's use mainstream media to create communities and affinity groups sinilar to those we support with our alternative media activity. Let's show people that they can do what we do, too. As people involved in media production, no matter to what extent, we come from a place of privilege. Let's use that power to help kids living in housing projects publish poetry chapbooks, give radio shows to the homeless and the elderly, and produce records by the developmentally disabled. Alt.media doesn't need to be outsider art, but we do need to consider and tap into outside voices.
But let's do all of the above paying heed to some of the lessons learned by mainstream media -- the practice of our trade; the importance of active, well-reasoned, and fair editing and filtering; the possibilities offered by professional presentation (delightful design); and the need to meet people's -- the market's -- needs. The market isn't the problem. The abuse and manipulation of the market is.
Offer viable parallel options
This is where we are now and where we've been since the '20s if not earlier -- and we're still not very good at it. We don't need a counterculture, an under-the-counter culture, or an underground. What we need is a parallel media space that's more exciting, important, and useful than the mainstream.
In creating this, we face two major challenges. One, the problem isn't access to production. As Sander demonstrates, the production tools are available. Through photocopying, desktop publishing, home recording, microbroadcasting (the only aspect of this that's still illegal or -- on the Web -- soon to be), blogging, web printing, and Web publishing, we can already make our own media. The hurdles we face are more deeply rooted in distribution and promotion. I'll address this in a minute. Two, Sturgeon's Law -- that 90% of everything is crud -- is even more true for alternative and independent media. There's a reason why some poets have to self-publish. There's a reason why some bands, including mine, can't get shows. The reason? They're not very good. Viable alternative media needs to move beyond democracy in the sense that anyone can do anything. Oh, they can. I know. I used to review 400 personal Web pages every month. And they should. It's just that the rest of us might not need to know.
My solutions for these two challenges? First, a more collaborative and cooperative approach to distribution and promotion. There's little thanks, money, or glory in it, but it's necessary. Remember Blacklist Mailorder, the record distro MRR ran out of the back room of Epicenter in San Francisco? Hella better and more personal that Interpunk.com. Remember the grassroots minicomics distros Spit-and-a-Half, Puppy Toss, and Wow Cool? More direct than Diamond. Remember Hello Records, They Might Be Giants' CD subscription service? Gone. Luckily, projects like Free Speech TV are still around. We need more affinity groups cross-promoting participants' media products and services. We need more music collectives like Elephant Six and Handstand Command, in which my band, the Anchormen, is active, cross-promoting shows, cooperatively releasing records, and building something larger than its parts -- but still with art and heart.
Secondly, we need to encourage quality and ongoing improvement -- of effort, of production, and of response. Since my exposure to independent and micromedia in 1988, I've seen a hesitancy to criticize alt.media just because it's an alternative. "Support the scene!" people wail. Yes, support the scene. But constructively criticize your compatriots' books, records, zines, comics, Web sites, radio shows, and public-access TV shows. Independence isn't an excuse for being immature, impolite, or incompetent. Instead, it gives us more dire reasons to be ballsier, better, and bigger than our mainstream counterparts. Of course, I think everyone should be supported for doing it themselves, but I think alt.media lacks a culture of constructive criticism. Let's collectively help each other improve -- and hold up the quality creators and positive projects as viable alternatives to the loathsome noise of the mainstream.
You'll notice that none of the above potential solutions mentions the Left, unions, state ownership, or class conflict. I agree with Sander in that my thinking is informed by such elements of what we do. But I think that a true alternative media will be built on collaboration, cooperation, creativity, and criticism much more than it will be bolstered by the ideologies of the Left, old, new, or now.
End note
Riffing on my comments on the flaws of objectivity, I'd like to touch on Sander's consideration of the Right. One, the Right is a construct just like the Left, and it has little currency as such. We need to move beyond bipartisan and bipolar categorization -- past a three-party system in which Ralph Nader is repeatedly held up to represent the Greens -- and toward a society in which multiple viewpoints can be held personally, responsibly, and transparently. The reason why the Right is evil is because they try to hide their evils -- just as the Left is tempted to hide its shortcomings (H. Rapp Brown, anyone?). If held personally responsible, do you think business executives would have let Andersen, Enron, or Global Crossing happen? Two, this comes down again at root to the myth of objectivity. I'm not calling for a fence-sitting subjectivity in which all opinions are equally valid, but a subjectivity in which all opinions and biases are open and clear. Despite the need for media literacy work, people aren't stupid. Increased accountability will increase honesty, and vice versa. If media organizations and journalists take the first step and model positive behavior by putting down their masks and shields -- acting like people instead of institutions -- we'd all be the better off for it. And, perhaps, the rest of the world will follow.
I realize that Sander's recent missive is a rough draft, but I wrote a response of sorts last night. It's not really a rebuttal or critique of Sander's essay, but I used his thoughts as a trigger to consider and solidify my own. This, too, is open to feedback.
Regardless of the laudable and romantic path Sander took to find himself creating and consuming what he terms "alternative media," I take issue with his contention that participating in alternative media -- if you're of the anti-war, anti-imperialist sort -- makes people part of the American Left.
The Left, while continuing to represent some valid and vibrant ideas and ideals, is no longer useful as a political determinant, much less as a productive actor on the societal stage. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that the Left has become a cartoon of itself, with the New Left being an oxymoron since the SDS' and SNCC's fracturing and factionalization and the end of the countercultural evolution of the late '60s -- much like the New South has lacked a solid foundation as a concept since the end of post-slavery industrialization. At the same time, many lefty -- my preferred descriptor -- activists (myself included) continue to idolize and idealize some of the more visible participants in the political and social reorganization efforts that took place in the '60s. Even if we go back even further to the initial labor organizing icons of early industrialization for inspiration and education, we are left without a current generation of heroes and leaders. Particularly in the media space.
Let's consider some of the lefty holdovers currently involved in media. Abe Peck, formerly an editor of the Chicago Seed, rests near the top of the journalism department at Northwestern University and -- at least while I was a student there in the early '90s -- was blissfully unaware of zines, arguably the heir to the throne he and his comrades once occupied. Jann Wenner, founder of Rolling Stone, a once-important (politically and philosophically) countercultural outlet, has aged badly along with his magazine, continuing to employ graying lapsed leftists such as the despicably irresponsible P.J. O'Rourke (the Dave Barry of political posturing) as he orchestrates a circle jerk for baby boomer has beens, catering just enough to the younger set to maintain popcult credibility -- and including just enough political content to be consider slightly radical.
Those are the more visible examples. To find true media heroes coming out of the Left, we need to look further afield -- to Paul Krassner and his end-of-the-line diatribes in the Realist; to Bruce Anderson of the Anderson Valley Advertiser, who had to move to the mountains of Northern California to find his political voice and position in a community; and to Fred Woodworth, whose low-tech print shop continues to crank out the Match and which lent Luddite luminescence to the ever-cranky Zine World (now the abominably named Reader's Guide to the Underground Press). These three are on the outside of the outside, often countering even the countercultures that embrace them. And I'd be surprised if any of them considered themselves part of the American Left, even if they have lefty tendencies.
But it's not just the dependence on historic and romantic figures that bothers me about the Left -- and Sander's fascination with it. It's the language and accessibility of the movement. The Left -- particularly the New Left -- has almost always been an academic, policy-oriented, and arcane clique, not speaking in a tongue understood by many working-class people -- and certainly not palatable to the masses. Even anarchy, which should be one of the most easily digestible political philosophies -- self-interested responsibility to the community -- has couched its message either in violence (the window breaking during the WTO protests) or in mumbo jumbo (John Zerzan's ongoing neo-primitive attacks on the beautifully befuddled yet cleverly critical Murray Bookchin). And it's all because of communication, right? Just like Saul Alinsky -- to name drop another oldie but goodie -- said.
Media, then, is the platform on which -- the agar in which -- communication grows and happens. Sander's right that political activists need to gain control of media production. This is how we -- if there is a unified we -- can best get our messages out. But is this access to power through production as cut and dried as Sander suggests: "taken out of the hands of the fat cats"? I don't think so. I also don't think that a unionized and state-run media is the answer, either. A media dictatorship is a media dictatorship. The fall, foibles, and follies of Communism shows just how an appealing and attractive political philosophy (Marxism, natch) can be misinterpreted and inadequately applied.
If we don't follow the traditional leftist track of class warfare, union organization, and state ownership, what are we to do? I'd like to suggest three possible courses of action.
Deprofessionalize journalism
Professional journalism is flawed in two major ways. One, the professionalization of the trade has removed the responsibility of the reporter -- remember, my experience is largely limited to print and print-modeled journalism -- placing the respect, resources, and resolve largely in the hands of the media organizations that employ us and hold our copyrights if what we do is work for hire. As respected as Daniel Pearl might be, he's respected in part because of his association with the Wall Street Journal. This doesn't apply to Pearl, per se, but with comfort comes complicity. This removal of responsibility is made manifest mainly through the myth of objectivity. Objectivity doesn't exist. Fairness and accuracy do. But instead of media pandering to the masses and business owners with a he said/she said namby-pamby waffling, I'd rather see newspapers with a political and social platform, writers with a strident and striving voice, and media with very clear biases. Readers -- media consumers -- should have a hand in creating and contesting those voices and biases.
Because, two, journalism and media production's professionalization has distanced writers and producers from the readers and consumers. I often joke that all journalists do is talk to people others can't talk to -- and then tell others what they talked about. This is true. We should all be able to gain access to our social, political, and cultural leaders. We should all be able to voice our opinions. And we should all be -- regardless of our role and status in society -- visible, accessible, and responsible for the impact we have on the world.
Mini-movements such as community journalism, self-publishing online and offline, and media-driven community organizing experiments are all solid steps toward the goal of media being a socially democratic platform on which people tell each other their own stories instead of waiting for the mainstream media powers that be to give them the nod. Journalists and media producers should help us make sense of the world -- not make cents off the world. And our first responsibility should be to the readers and media consumers, not to an abstract profession or a business's stockholders.
Smash the media state from inside
Another admittedly cartoony corpse of the counterculture, Hunter Thompson, who now writes for ESPN.com but failed to weigh in on 911 for Rolling Stone, put it best: "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." If you're at all interested in the ideas and ideals that Sander -- and I -- espouse, get a "real" media job. We saw this happen quite often during the zine boom of the '90s. Mike Gunderloy, who founded Factsheet Five and ran a publishing imprint named after Civil War-era abolitionist and anarchist attorney Lysander Spooner, got a book contract. As did kitcschy popcult commentator Pagan Kennedy. Noel Ignatiev, publisher of Race Traitor, taught briefly at Harvard. Jim Romenesko got a gig at the Poynter Institute. Lookout! and Epitaph records continue to walk the fine line between commercial credibility and punk-rock positivity. Geeky zine maven Chip Rowe holds forth as the Playboy Advisor. And Might alumni David Moodie and Dave Eggers innovatively influenced Spin and Esquire before the McSweeney's phenomenon. (I, not to enroll myself in the same school as the above, work full time for Fast Company magazine, which is published by Gruner & Jahr, a division of Bertlesmann. Please enjoy the irony of that with me.)
Let's infect mainstream media. Let's create workplaces and media that reflect our collective value and values. Let's hold our managers and owners accountable to the needs of the readers, viewers, and other media consumers. Let's use mainstream media to create communities and affinity groups sinilar to those we support with our alternative media activity. Let's show people that they can do what we do, too. As people involved in media production, no matter to what extent, we come from a place of privilege. Let's use that power to help kids living in housing projects publish poetry chapbooks, give radio shows to the homeless and the elderly, and produce records by the developmentally disabled. Alt.media doesn't need to be outsider art, but we do need to consider and tap into outside voices.
But let's do all of the above paying heed to some of the lessons learned by mainstream media -- the practice of our trade; the importance of active, well-reasoned, and fair editing and filtering; the possibilities offered by professional presentation (delightful design); and the need to meet people's -- the market's -- needs. The market isn't the problem. The abuse and manipulation of the market is.
Offer viable parallel options
This is where we are now and where we've been since the '20s if not earlier -- and we're still not very good at it. We don't need a counterculture, an under-the-counter culture, or an underground. What we need is a parallel media space that's more exciting, important, and useful than the mainstream.
In creating this, we face two major challenges. One, the problem isn't access to production. As Sander demonstrates, the production tools are available. Through photocopying, desktop publishing, home recording, microbroadcasting (the only aspect of this that's still illegal or -- on the Web -- soon to be), blogging, web printing, and Web publishing, we can already make our own media. The hurdles we face are more deeply rooted in distribution and promotion. I'll address this in a minute. Two, Sturgeon's Law -- that 90% of everything is crud -- is even more true for alternative and independent media. There's a reason why some poets have to self-publish. There's a reason why some bands, including mine, can't get shows. The reason? They're not very good. Viable alternative media needs to move beyond democracy in the sense that anyone can do anything. Oh, they can. I know. I used to review 400 personal Web pages every month. And they should. It's just that the rest of us might not need to know.
My solutions for these two challenges? First, a more collaborative and cooperative approach to distribution and promotion. There's little thanks, money, or glory in it, but it's necessary. Remember Blacklist Mailorder, the record distro MRR ran out of the back room of Epicenter in San Francisco? Hella better and more personal that Interpunk.com. Remember the grassroots minicomics distros Spit-and-a-Half, Puppy Toss, and Wow Cool? More direct than Diamond. Remember Hello Records, They Might Be Giants' CD subscription service? Gone. Luckily, projects like Free Speech TV are still around. We need more affinity groups cross-promoting participants' media products and services. We need more music collectives like Elephant Six and Handstand Command, in which my band, the Anchormen, is active, cross-promoting shows, cooperatively releasing records, and building something larger than its parts -- but still with art and heart.
Secondly, we need to encourage quality and ongoing improvement -- of effort, of production, and of response. Since my exposure to independent and micromedia in 1988, I've seen a hesitancy to criticize alt.media just because it's an alternative. "Support the scene!" people wail. Yes, support the scene. But constructively criticize your compatriots' books, records, zines, comics, Web sites, radio shows, and public-access TV shows. Independence isn't an excuse for being immature, impolite, or incompetent. Instead, it gives us more dire reasons to be ballsier, better, and bigger than our mainstream counterparts. Of course, I think everyone should be supported for doing it themselves, but I think alt.media lacks a culture of constructive criticism. Let's collectively help each other improve -- and hold up the quality creators and positive projects as viable alternatives to the loathsome noise of the mainstream.
You'll notice that none of the above potential solutions mentions the Left, unions, state ownership, or class conflict. I agree with Sander in that my thinking is informed by such elements of what we do. But I think that a true alternative media will be built on collaboration, cooperation, creativity, and criticism much more than it will be bolstered by the ideologies of the Left, old, new, or now.
End note
Riffing on my comments on the flaws of objectivity, I'd like to touch on Sander's consideration of the Right. One, the Right is a construct just like the Left, and it has little currency as such. We need to move beyond bipartisan and bipolar categorization -- past a three-party system in which Ralph Nader is repeatedly held up to represent the Greens -- and toward a society in which multiple viewpoints can be held personally, responsibly, and transparently. The reason why the Right is evil is because they try to hide their evils -- just as the Left is tempted to hide its shortcomings (H. Rapp Brown, anyone?). If held personally responsible, do you think business executives would have let Andersen, Enron, or Global Crossing happen? Two, this comes down again at root to the myth of objectivity. I'm not calling for a fence-sitting subjectivity in which all opinions are equally valid, but a subjectivity in which all opinions and biases are open and clear. Despite the need for media literacy work, people aren't stupid. Increased accountability will increase honesty, and vice versa. If media organizations and journalists take the first step and model positive behavior by putting down their masks and shields -- acting like people instead of institutions -- we'd all be the better off for it. And, perhaps, the rest of the world will follow.
From the In Box: Music to My Ears V
Thanx for the great review and exposure on your site! It is much appreciated, though I was very disheartened to read that Other Music is now gone. What a huge loss. They were very supportive of us. Hopefully the one in NYC will stay open. -- The Duke of Candied Apples, Freezepop
Thanx for the great review and exposure on your site! It is much appreciated, though I was very disheartened to read that Other Music is now gone. What a huge loss. They were very supportive of us. Hopefully the one in NYC will stay open. -- The Duke of Candied Apples, Freezepop
Flogging Bloggers
Heather Hamilton, an LA-based Web designer, was fired from her job late last month for posting negative comments about her employer in her blog. According to the Feb. 26 entry in Dooce.com, someone anonymously emailed executives at Hamilton's company, telling them that she'd posted critical comments about the organization on her Web site.
Hamilton goes on to ask some very insightful questions about the interplay between her personal and professional lives, particularly on the Web:
Should I lose my job over what I have written on my personal Web site, especially if I have made sure not to mention specific places, persons, or events by name?
At what point does my personal Web site, regardless of what I've published on the site, affect my professional life? If I am not responsible for the two colliding (meaning, an anonymous person tips off my employer that I run a personal weblog), is it right that my employer should condemn me for expressing personal dissatisfaction? Would it be any different if someone found a notepad on which I had scribbled things about my job and turned it in to my boss?
I've been considering similar questions this week because of Fast Company's Web feature on blogging, which links to Media Diet because I'm a staffer there. Traffic here has gone up as a result, and I'm curious what FC readers and regulars think of my personal media- and popcult-related side projects.
While Hamilton continued to analyze her situation in her Feb. 27 entry and pokes fun at termination letters, you'll be happy to know that now that Hamilton has more free time, she's back in stride, cleaning her apartment and considering serious matters such as, well, defecation and gender differences.
Heather Hamilton, an LA-based Web designer, was fired from her job late last month for posting negative comments about her employer in her blog. According to the Feb. 26 entry in Dooce.com, someone anonymously emailed executives at Hamilton's company, telling them that she'd posted critical comments about the organization on her Web site.
Hamilton goes on to ask some very insightful questions about the interplay between her personal and professional lives, particularly on the Web:
I've been considering similar questions this week because of Fast Company's Web feature on blogging, which links to Media Diet because I'm a staffer there. Traffic here has gone up as a result, and I'm curious what FC readers and regulars think of my personal media- and popcult-related side projects.
While Hamilton continued to analyze her situation in her Feb. 27 entry and pokes fun at termination letters, you'll be happy to know that now that Hamilton has more free time, she's back in stride, cleaning her apartment and considering serious matters such as, well, defecation and gender differences.
Tuesday, March 19, 2002
Music to My Ears V
A three-pack of new record reviews!
Choo Choo La Rouge: "Wall to Wall" CD
What if Bob Dylan led Slot Machine instead of John Holkeboer? We might get this rootsy indie rock, ably presented at the Upstairs Lounge not too long ago. Kicking off with the cyclical and distortion-ridden "Cards," which features some excellent plaintive yet positively confident vocals, this seven-song CD makes me appreciate Choo Choo La Rouge's live act even more. They were good at the Kendall Cafe. They were good at the Upstairs. And they're good on record. I do have to make fun of the chorus' "Whoo-hoo"'s as a trite songwriting tactic -- as opposed to Naked Raygun's "Whoa-hey-oh"'s -- but Choo Choo quickly redeems itself with its alt.country via Munly de Hardy ballad "Worse Mistakes." There's a little Johnny Cash, Robyn Hitchcock, and Lemonpeelers in here, and this CD makes it clear why Choo Choo would fit in on any Boston-area indie-pop or alt.country bill; had I known, I would've booked them with Clare Burson and Gloria Deluxe. Now that I do know, it's songs like the Weakerthans via Neutral Milk Hotel-like "Ragged Dick" and the Spoilsport-plus-"A Simple Desultory Phillipic"-era Simon and Garfunkel-styled "Hearsed and Rehearsed" that'll keep this in heavy rotation. Choo Choo puts the alt in alt.country. Sunny bubblegum pop, beat pop, alt.country -- Choo Choo has it all. I even remember "In the End" from the show." Kudos.
Freezepop: "Fashion Impression Function" CD
A tongue-in-cheek but true take on early-'80s synth pop music a la early Depeche Mode, Yaz, Human League, and -- dare I say it? -- the Kitchens of Distinction. It's not so much parody as it is selfless homage, and it's much better than also-Boston-based Lifestyle. Freezepop comprises the Duke of Candied Apples, Liz Enthusiasm, and the "other" Sean T. Drinkwater, wth Duke and Enthusiasm seeming to be the true aficionadoes. "Lazy"'s vocals, courtesy of the dreamy Enthusiasm, remind me of Papas Fritas, which is a nice vocal nod, and the overall vibe is rather sleepy and happily sluggish. The beats aren't overly aggressive, the bleeps and swells are tastefully placed, and these songs could easily be twee pop indie-rock anthems were it not for their couching in Yamaha-fueled synth pop. The male vocals on "Shark Attack" are a nice touch, riffing off of Soft Cell and White Town (a modren reference!). Many of the songs are mixes and remixes by Kodomo, Commodore Vic, and others. There's even an All Your Base Are Belong to Us remix, ably taking Freezepop out of the past and into the future. Again, this is much more than a kitschy return to the past. Freezepop's retro reproductions -- even the Pizzicato Five-like remix by Kodomo -- are honest, earnest, and appreciative kicks in the pant of Synthpop. I'll be listening to this a lot. Robotron vs. K-Rad. Servotron vs. Pracky Pranky. Brilliant. Archenemy Record Co., P.O. Box 802, Boston, MA 02134.
Matters & Dunaway: "Midtech" CD EP
Andre Obin and Thomas Gallagher collaborate on this five-song CD of intelligent dance music that's at times reminiscent of Greyboy and other times reflective of Medeski, Martin & Wood. This music was recorded last fall entirely on a Yamaha MD8, bringing together the best of live performance and sequencing. Surprisingly -- to me -- the pieces are all relatively short -- 3-6 minutes -- which helps my attention span immensely. Bass riffs are a big part of the first two tracks, "Movement" and "Spidercheck," and there's a certain Beastie Boys aspect to Matters & Dunaway's compositions -- I could put in the Beastie's DVD and hear Ad Rock freestyling over much of this -- but for the most part it's rather laid back and just on the edge of ambient ("Honduras" is almost all ambient IDM plus some misleading skronk.). DJ Spooky is invoked as the synths swell and the beats kick in. Overall, impressive. But "Stars in the Lake" is most interesting of all. Be sure to wait for its Trans Am-like opening leading into some Sea and Cake-styled guitar noodling. This track leads me to think that these might be suggestions of songs, but there's enough promise that, given a live band and a little more edge and risk, Matters & Dunaway could be a truly great project worth following.
All three of the above records were purchased at the now-closed Other Music in Cambridge. RIP.
A three-pack of new record reviews!
Choo Choo La Rouge: "Wall to Wall" CD
What if Bob Dylan led Slot Machine instead of John Holkeboer? We might get this rootsy indie rock, ably presented at the Upstairs Lounge not too long ago. Kicking off with the cyclical and distortion-ridden "Cards," which features some excellent plaintive yet positively confident vocals, this seven-song CD makes me appreciate Choo Choo La Rouge's live act even more. They were good at the Kendall Cafe. They were good at the Upstairs. And they're good on record. I do have to make fun of the chorus' "Whoo-hoo"'s as a trite songwriting tactic -- as opposed to Naked Raygun's "Whoa-hey-oh"'s -- but Choo Choo quickly redeems itself with its alt.country via Munly de Hardy ballad "Worse Mistakes." There's a little Johnny Cash, Robyn Hitchcock, and Lemonpeelers in here, and this CD makes it clear why Choo Choo would fit in on any Boston-area indie-pop or alt.country bill; had I known, I would've booked them with Clare Burson and Gloria Deluxe. Now that I do know, it's songs like the Weakerthans via Neutral Milk Hotel-like "Ragged Dick" and the Spoilsport-plus-"A Simple Desultory Phillipic"-era Simon and Garfunkel-styled "Hearsed and Rehearsed" that'll keep this in heavy rotation. Choo Choo puts the alt in alt.country. Sunny bubblegum pop, beat pop, alt.country -- Choo Choo has it all. I even remember "In the End" from the show." Kudos.
Freezepop: "Fashion Impression Function" CD
A tongue-in-cheek but true take on early-'80s synth pop music a la early Depeche Mode, Yaz, Human League, and -- dare I say it? -- the Kitchens of Distinction. It's not so much parody as it is selfless homage, and it's much better than also-Boston-based Lifestyle. Freezepop comprises the Duke of Candied Apples, Liz Enthusiasm, and the "other" Sean T. Drinkwater, wth Duke and Enthusiasm seeming to be the true aficionadoes. "Lazy"'s vocals, courtesy of the dreamy Enthusiasm, remind me of Papas Fritas, which is a nice vocal nod, and the overall vibe is rather sleepy and happily sluggish. The beats aren't overly aggressive, the bleeps and swells are tastefully placed, and these songs could easily be twee pop indie-rock anthems were it not for their couching in Yamaha-fueled synth pop. The male vocals on "Shark Attack" are a nice touch, riffing off of Soft Cell and White Town (a modren reference!). Many of the songs are mixes and remixes by Kodomo, Commodore Vic, and others. There's even an All Your Base Are Belong to Us remix, ably taking Freezepop out of the past and into the future. Again, this is much more than a kitschy return to the past. Freezepop's retro reproductions -- even the Pizzicato Five-like remix by Kodomo -- are honest, earnest, and appreciative kicks in the pant of Synthpop. I'll be listening to this a lot. Robotron vs. K-Rad. Servotron vs. Pracky Pranky. Brilliant. Archenemy Record Co., P.O. Box 802, Boston, MA 02134.
Matters & Dunaway: "Midtech" CD EP
Andre Obin and Thomas Gallagher collaborate on this five-song CD of intelligent dance music that's at times reminiscent of Greyboy and other times reflective of Medeski, Martin & Wood. This music was recorded last fall entirely on a Yamaha MD8, bringing together the best of live performance and sequencing. Surprisingly -- to me -- the pieces are all relatively short -- 3-6 minutes -- which helps my attention span immensely. Bass riffs are a big part of the first two tracks, "Movement" and "Spidercheck," and there's a certain Beastie Boys aspect to Matters & Dunaway's compositions -- I could put in the Beastie's DVD and hear Ad Rock freestyling over much of this -- but for the most part it's rather laid back and just on the edge of ambient ("Honduras" is almost all ambient IDM plus some misleading skronk.). DJ Spooky is invoked as the synths swell and the beats kick in. Overall, impressive. But "Stars in the Lake" is most interesting of all. Be sure to wait for its Trans Am-like opening leading into some Sea and Cake-styled guitar noodling. This track leads me to think that these might be suggestions of songs, but there's enough promise that, given a live band and a little more edge and risk, Matters & Dunaway could be a truly great project worth following.
All three of the above records were purchased at the now-closed Other Music in Cambridge. RIP.
Blogging About Blogging XVI
The Media Diet counter has been live for a month as of today. And the stats to date are pretty interesting:
2,080 total visits and 1,571 unique visitors
54 hits a day on average -- not a lot, but I'm proud
Mondays and Tuesdays almost tie for peak days
Media Dieticians also belong to the Late Riser's Club -- traffic begins to pick up at 2 p.m.
People coming in from .com and .net domains are neck and neck
Thanks for coming by!
The Media Diet counter has been live for a month as of today. And the stats to date are pretty interesting:
Thanks for coming by!
From the Reading Pile VIII
After School
This tidy little pocket-sized accordion of a comic sports a woodcut-printed cover and is limited to an edition of 100. Bruce Orr considers children's many after-school activities, drawing in a heavily inked rendering of Robert Lewis' style on one side -- and accelerating to adulthood on the other side to show how playful activities contribute to adult behavior. There are few surprises, but the comparisons are valid and quite emotional. An excellent look at how personalities develop. The physical design slightly reminds me of a bus passenger-related comics accordion printed by Pipifax or Bulb in Europe, but I can't find it, so who knows. Worth a look. Maybe Bruce should move up to Boston! $3 to Bruce Orr, 1601 S. 8th St., Philadelphia, PA 19148.
Batjam
The Picnic stocks a lot of Neil's Jam minis, but this is the first issue -- self-published in October 2001 -- that's inspired a Media Diet buy. Obviously and admittedly based on Batman, this 16-page edition presents an interview with the cartoony hero about his job, hobbies, sidekick, frustrations, and abuse at the, um, feet of others. If this is as deep as Neil Jam gets, I'm not sure I need more, but it's a good introduction to Fitzpatrick's artwork, humor, and pacing. I wonder if Neil knows Kevin, who does Supermonster. $1 to Neil Fitzpatrick.
Doris #11
This 36-page issue begins the Doris ABC's, an encyclopedia set, and goes into the C's. Doris is a little self-conscious about writing about "things I'd feel dumb writing about otherwise; like anarchism and Zimbabwe," but the premise is a welcome departure from her usual perzine narratives. She writes about intential community building, the academic nature of some idealist writing (which makes anarchism inaccessible to many), certainty, Murray Bookchin, direct action, polygamy, abortion and the body politic, the definition of pregnancy (quickening), racism in healthcare and how it spawned the American Medical Association, homemade boats, mucus, books and zines Doris has read, the threat of robbery, ladybugs, her sister's farm (an interview that would've been at home in the current issue of Cometbus), human compost, and other topics that don't necessarily start with the letters A, B, and C. Another quality issue of Doris with personal and productive writing. The framing concept works quite well. $1.50 to P.O. Box 1734, Asheville, NC 28802.
Scenery #13
This "examination of some things we've held to be self-evident" and "illustration of ways we shape our identity" combines sketchbook excerpts and handwritten travel-oriented personal writing that reminds me of the work of Jeff Zenick. Mike travels to Spain and tells stories about his crazy friend Eli and his roommate Josepha, makes a mistaken comparison between British lad mags and Esquire and GQ (Maxim is more like it.), and discusses his commute in Granada, feeling lost in a cemetery, language barriers, the horrors of art commissioned by royalty, shoplifting, and rude travelers. The writing is hella better than that in most travel-oriented perzines -- opting for transparent narrative rather than self-aware, self-righteous judgment -- and Mike's sketches? Absolutely beautiful. Be sure to check the small spire on p. 3, the phone booth on p. 21, and the interrupted rooftops on p. 22. Why haven't I seen this before? $3 to Tree of Knowledge, P.O. Box 251766, Little Rock, AR 72225.
Strawbaby
Another relatively overpriced mini -- After School cost $3? -- this 28-pager features cute brut comic art and watercolored sketchbook excerpts featuring angry children, diapered infants, notebook paper animals, heavy use of hash marks, musclebound ducklings, giraffes, plaintive babies, and the Smart Dog. Amy's art reminds me slightly of Gary Panter and Mike Diana, as well as a Paper Radio-influenced Ron Rege, Jr. I'd like to see a proper comic by Amy, but I doubt I'll pick up another sketchbook mini such as this. Good unified idea, but little else. $3 to Amy Lockhart, 585 Eastvale Dr., Gloucester, Ontario K1J 6Z4 Canada.
Supermonster #14
Entitled Gloriana Comics, this 96-page edition of Kevin Huizenga's minicomic is quite a bargain compared to many zines and self-published comics. With a full-color cover, the comic was drawn between the winter of 2000 and summer of 2001. It opens with "At Work," a two-pager featuring Wendy Caramel-Ganges, one of the issue's ensemble cast, who joins Glenn in the 25-page "The Groceries," in which they envision the future of their unborn child. The piece is drawn in a delightfully cartoony style and, while heavy on dialogue, reads quith smoothly, interspersing foreshadowing with conversation about Wendy's sister's relationship ups and downs. The narrative flow is interrupted by "The Sunset," which itself uses an interrupted phone conversation as the framing conceit for a meditation on the setting sun, complete with a foldout that's equal parts Chris Ware and Greg Cook. Nice pratfall ending! An existential appreciation of a blood-red moon -- and another telephone conversation -- couches Huizenga's scientific explanation in some nice Ron Rege, Jr.-esque imagery, as well as some Scott McCloud-like process comics analyzing the physics of vision. "The Moon Rose" even has a punchline! Lastly, "Basketball" evokes John Porcellino as Huizenga portrays the recollection of a game in Illinois. Hella impressive, Supermonster combines solid storytelling, unintentional cute brut imagery, process comics, and other notable elements to weave several pieces together in a narrative whole. One to get. Immediately. $3 to Kevin Huizenga, P.O. Box 12299, St. Louis, MO 63157.
Ther
After School
This tidy little pocket-sized accordion of a comic sports a woodcut-printed cover and is limited to an edition of 100. Bruce Orr considers children's many after-school activities, drawing in a heavily inked rendering of Robert Lewis' style on one side -- and accelerating to adulthood on the other side to show how playful activities contribute to adult behavior. There are few surprises, but the comparisons are valid and quite emotional. An excellent look at how personalities develop. The physical design slightly reminds me of a bus passenger-related comics accordion printed by Pipifax or Bulb in Europe, but I can't find it, so who knows. Worth a look. Maybe Bruce should move up to Boston! $3 to Bruce Orr, 1601 S. 8th St., Philadelphia, PA 19148.
Batjam
The Picnic stocks a lot of Neil's Jam minis, but this is the first issue -- self-published in October 2001 -- that's inspired a Media Diet buy. Obviously and admittedly based on Batman, this 16-page edition presents an interview with the cartoony hero about his job, hobbies, sidekick, frustrations, and abuse at the, um, feet of others. If this is as deep as Neil Jam gets, I'm not sure I need more, but it's a good introduction to Fitzpatrick's artwork, humor, and pacing. I wonder if Neil knows Kevin, who does Supermonster. $1 to Neil Fitzpatrick.
Doris #11
This 36-page issue begins the Doris ABC's, an encyclopedia set, and goes into the C's. Doris is a little self-conscious about writing about "things I'd feel dumb writing about otherwise; like anarchism and Zimbabwe," but the premise is a welcome departure from her usual perzine narratives. She writes about intential community building, the academic nature of some idealist writing (which makes anarchism inaccessible to many), certainty, Murray Bookchin, direct action, polygamy, abortion and the body politic, the definition of pregnancy (quickening), racism in healthcare and how it spawned the American Medical Association, homemade boats, mucus, books and zines Doris has read, the threat of robbery, ladybugs, her sister's farm (an interview that would've been at home in the current issue of Cometbus), human compost, and other topics that don't necessarily start with the letters A, B, and C. Another quality issue of Doris with personal and productive writing. The framing concept works quite well. $1.50 to P.O. Box 1734, Asheville, NC 28802.
Scenery #13
This "examination of some things we've held to be self-evident" and "illustration of ways we shape our identity" combines sketchbook excerpts and handwritten travel-oriented personal writing that reminds me of the work of Jeff Zenick. Mike travels to Spain and tells stories about his crazy friend Eli and his roommate Josepha, makes a mistaken comparison between British lad mags and Esquire and GQ (Maxim is more like it.), and discusses his commute in Granada, feeling lost in a cemetery, language barriers, the horrors of art commissioned by royalty, shoplifting, and rude travelers. The writing is hella better than that in most travel-oriented perzines -- opting for transparent narrative rather than self-aware, self-righteous judgment -- and Mike's sketches? Absolutely beautiful. Be sure to check the small spire on p. 3, the phone booth on p. 21, and the interrupted rooftops on p. 22. Why haven't I seen this before? $3 to Tree of Knowledge, P.O. Box 251766, Little Rock, AR 72225.
Strawbaby
Another relatively overpriced mini -- After School cost $3? -- this 28-pager features cute brut comic art and watercolored sketchbook excerpts featuring angry children, diapered infants, notebook paper animals, heavy use of hash marks, musclebound ducklings, giraffes, plaintive babies, and the Smart Dog. Amy's art reminds me slightly of Gary Panter and Mike Diana, as well as a Paper Radio-influenced Ron Rege, Jr. I'd like to see a proper comic by Amy, but I doubt I'll pick up another sketchbook mini such as this. Good unified idea, but little else. $3 to Amy Lockhart, 585 Eastvale Dr., Gloucester, Ontario K1J 6Z4 Canada.
Supermonster #14
Entitled Gloriana Comics, this 96-page edition of Kevin Huizenga's minicomic is quite a bargain compared to many zines and self-published comics. With a full-color cover, the comic was drawn between the winter of 2000 and summer of 2001. It opens with "At Work," a two-pager featuring Wendy Caramel-Ganges, one of the issue's ensemble cast, who joins Glenn in the 25-page "The Groceries," in which they envision the future of their unborn child. The piece is drawn in a delightfully cartoony style and, while heavy on dialogue, reads quith smoothly, interspersing foreshadowing with conversation about Wendy's sister's relationship ups and downs. The narrative flow is interrupted by "The Sunset," which itself uses an interrupted phone conversation as the framing conceit for a meditation on the setting sun, complete with a foldout that's equal parts Chris Ware and Greg Cook. Nice pratfall ending! An existential appreciation of a blood-red moon -- and another telephone conversation -- couches Huizenga's scientific explanation in some nice Ron Rege, Jr.-esque imagery, as well as some Scott McCloud-like process comics analyzing the physics of vision. "The Moon Rose" even has a punchline! Lastly, "Basketball" evokes John Porcellino as Huizenga portrays the recollection of a game in Illinois. Hella impressive, Supermonster combines solid storytelling, unintentional cute brut imagery, process comics, and other notable elements to weave several pieces together in a narrative whole. One to get. Immediately. $3 to Kevin Huizenga, P.O. Box 12299, St. Louis, MO 63157.
Ther