The Postman Rings Twice.

this book ) has some interesting thoughts on culture, language, and the inclusionary/exclusionary nature of catchphrases pulled from movies and television.

On the subject of too-short excerpts.

Excerpt from from Black Swan Green:

Picked-on kids act invisible to reduce the chances of being noticed and picked on. Stammerers act invisible to reduce the chances of being made to say something we can't. Kids whose parents argue act invisible in case we trigger another skirmish. The Triple Invisible Boy, that's Jason Taylor. Even I don't see the real Jason Taylor much these days, 'cept for when we're writing a poem, or occasionally in a mirror, or just before sleep. But he comes out in woods. Ankley branches, knuckly roots, paths that only might be, earthworks by badgers or Romans, a pond that'll ice over come January, a wooden cigar box nailed behind the ear of a secret sycamore where we once planned a treehouse, birdstuffedtwigsnapped silence, toothy bracken, and places you can't find if you're not alone. Time in woods's older than time in clocks, and truer.


From the Hardcover edition.

REVIEW QUOTES

Praise for David Mitchell:

"David Mitchell entices his readers on to a rollercoaster. . . . Then – at least in my case – they can't bear the journey to end. . .a complete narrative pleasure that is rare. . . .Powerful and elegant. . . . He isn't afraid to jerk tears or ratchet up suspense – he understands that's what we make stories for. . . . He plays delicious games with other people's voices, ideas and characters."
–A. S. Byatt, The Guardian (UK)

"Audacious, exhilarating. . . . A formidable creation. . . . [Mitchell's] brilliance takes one's breath away in a manner not unlike a first experience of Chartres or the Duomo. It is a pleasure to sit inside such an edifice, and to marvel. Repeat visits are in order. Each time, a little more structure is revealed. Each time, the space grows less intimidating. Until, finally, it is just a book, one that you are reading with amazement and delight."
–The Globe and Mail

--
In response to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, The Humane Society of the United States has launched
a massive relief effort to rescue animals and assist their caregivers in the disaster areas.

Their entire relief effort is funded by donations from people like you and me, and they desperately need your support. Please
make an emergency contribution to the HSUS Disaster Relief Fund today. Your tax-deductible gift will be used exclusively for
their disaster animal relief work. Click the link below to make your donation now.

https://secure.hsus.org/01/katrina_relief/step1/rA7av-vM12dmC

You really like me. You really, really like me.

Wow - apparently, I do have readers. 

 

OK, contest one.  First person to secure me an advance copy of "Black Swan Green" gets a free Neil Young masterpiece in their mailbox.  mwft521 at gmail dotttttttttt com.

Neil Young month continues.

Time weighs in.

 

The new album is excellent.  If I had any sort of sizable audience here, I'd run some sort of contest for the won copy. 

Protecting animals from the next hurricane.

Dear Friends,

Don't you think it's terrible that people were forced to leave
their pets behind during Hurricane Katrina?

Please ask your U.S. Representative to support the PETS Act,
H.R. 3858, which would require state and local authorities to
plan for evacuating people with pets the next time a disaster
like Hurricane Katrina strikes.

It's quick and easy to do. Just click here:
https://community.hsus.org/campaign/pets_act_house?rk=Opav-vM1WmI5W

All about the shovel hitting the bag.

He was driving down the off-ramp the other day, eating animal cookies that his daughter liked.  A beautiful day, he was looking out the windows at the sunshine and how the dry air made everything sharp after the humid summer.  He left the highway and went up the hill into the city.

 

Looking out the window, he saw a teenager, a boy, hitting something small with a shovel.  He was hitting something that was in a bag.   The ground around the bag was discolored in some way, maybe wet; it was hard to tell, he was driving and there were some shrubs between his car and the parking lot that the boy was in.  He was driving fast and the only thought he had time for before the boy disappeared from view was to ask himself if the bag was moving.  "Is the bag still moving," is a good approximation.   Or has it stopped.

 

He had nightmares about kittens in bags, shovels, and stillness for two nights.

We clean our mugs in the bathroom.

- You didn't clean out your mug again, she says.  I look at her.  A little tendril of strawberry yogurt is peeking over the rim.  I don't correct her grammar.  I'm not sure and I only strike when my aim is true.

- I didn't have a free hand to carry it back, I tell her.  I shrug a friendly, "we're all in this together because we all have only two hands" kind of shrug.  The way her mouth drops open would, in another context, indicate rage and trigger my flight or flight mechanism.  I want to make fun of her denim capri pants but I do not, because technically, the mug is in fact dirty. 

She gives me that mouth.

- If you didn't have a free hand, how did you get it there?

She's got me now. 

Time for bed, part 2.

1)  Summoned to Portland Police Station for "leaving the scene of the crime".  Matter cleared up.

 

2)  Put on a pot of much-needed coffee only to find that it clogged, leaving grinds and sweet dark brew all over the counter.

 

 

Time for bed.

1) I start backing up to let someone out into traffic and bump a car that was trying to sneak in behind me.  "Bump" is too strong a word.  My bumper is black; hers is silver, and so my 1/2 mile/hour collision leaves a black mark on her bumper.  So of course she goes apoplectic.

 

2) I buy the new Neil Young album - the special edition, with the DVD making-of included. 

 

3) They are playing the album on CLZ's Album at Noon (or whatever it's called) and are giving away copies and - of course - I win one, because: A) some cosmic karmic force has granted me never-fail CLZ Album Winning Powers (I think this is the 7th cd I win from them), and B) I just spent $22 on it.  And opened it, rendering it unreturnable.

 

 

#1 for #2.

What to read while sitting down for some necessary bodily function time. Many true stories, each a page or two long, that will stick in your head. Like Paul Harvey without the fascism. Editor: Paul Auster!

Got the fever now.

Mmm-hmmm. 

Nice.

I can't bring myself to listen to much of it - I want the album
experience, while we can still buy music in entire album form - but
the parts of "Prairie Wind" that I've previewed are dynamite. Neil
gets it done, yet again.

Neil Young Opens Vaults; I Go Completely Broke.

"Neil Young Opens Vaults"

Rocker to release series of eight-disc rarities sets

After nearly fifteen years of promises, Neil Young is now confident
that a slew of material from his vaults will begin to see the light of
day in 2006. With his latest album, Prairie Wind, out next week, the
rock legend is planning several eight-disc sets packed with outtakes,
home recordings, album tracks, live cuts and DVDs.

"It starts with my earliest recordings in 1963," says Young. "Then
several recordings with a group called the Squires, into the earliest
Buffalo Springfield stuff. Then there's a live record culled from a
week's worth of performances at the Riverboat in Toronto."

Fans can expect a 1970 show at Toronto's Massey Hall, featuring
material from Harvest a year before its release, as well as Crazy
Horse live at the Fillmore East. "It's got a sixteen-minute 'Cowgirl
in the Sand,'" Young says of the Fillmore gig, "and a super-long 'Down
by the River.'"

One live performance, the rock vet is convinced, trumps the original
recording: the entirety of Tonight's the Night, recorded live at
London's Rainbow Theatre. Says Young, "It's better than the record."

More Neil.

Part one of an interview on Fresh Air about "Greendale"; part two is here.

Google Alerts pays off.

Waiting for me in my inbox this morning, a link to this interview from last weekend's All Things Considered with Mr. Neil Young.  This page also offers a listen to the entire album.  I'm at work, so I can't tune in to any of it right now, but I'm eagerly awaiting this release. 

Foster or Adopt Animals.

How May I Foster or Adopt Animals Affected by Hurricane Katrina?

Thank you for your generous offer to foster or adopt animals affected by Hurricane Katrina. Please visit Petfinder.com to register as a potential foster or permanent home.

Murakami story in New Yorker.

I am still drawn to reading Murakami from the various accounts of his writing style and comparisons to David Lynch.  Despite the deeply unfortunate cat-decapitation scene(s), mentioned previously at this site.

 

Here's a story from the newest New Yorker.

Powells now selling DVDs.

An interesting move - Powell's Books is now selling DVDs.  I admire Powells and am surprised by this - I would hate to see them fragment a la Amazon.  At the same time, I won't shop Amazon (see their rating on www.buyblue.org) so I'm glad to see another option for DVD purchasing.  Apparently, shipping is free on some/all DVD purchases.  I still recommend spending the $20 for a year of free shipping on all purchases from them - we've easily saved money on that one. 

 

Powell's DVD section is right here.

File under: Life stories; New Orleans; Oral Histories.

Click here, please.

What is an orkut?

I'm on record as distrustful and dismissive of online-community type friend-networking.  However, for those of you that are not, Google has swallowed https://www.orkut.com/GLogin.aspx  to compete with the other services, which all seem to be moving to a pay-for-use format.  Orkut is, and apparently will remain, free. 

Stop Bush's Assault on Katrina Victims' Wages

Instead of embracing good jobs for the recently displaced, President Bush's first major act in the Gulf Coast recovery effort was to suspend a law that requires federal contractors to pay workers a decent wage.

Please take a moment to demand that this recovery effort put people first – and reject efforts to exploit this tragedy to line the pockets of corporate elites. Please, write your member of Congress and insist that decent family wages and employing the victims of Katrina be the bedrock of the Gulf Coast rebuilding efforts.

Send a letter from here to your representatives - it takes less than a minute.

Dying for A Drink of Clean Water.

What the world needs now.

Netflix? Try Peerflix.

Here's the skinny.

--
In response to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, The Humane Society of the United States has launched
a massive relief effort to rescue animals and assist their caregivers in the disaster areas.

Their entire relief effort is funded by donations from people like you and me, and they desperately need your support. Please
make an emergency contribution to the HSUS Disaster Relief Fund today. Your tax-deductible gift will be used exclusively for
their disaster animal relief work. Click the link below to make your donation now.

https://secure.hsus.org/01/katrina_relief/step1/rA7av-vM12dmC

This looks interesting.

Free trial, anyone?

Sit right back.

Review and analyze...

Strange but true for Friday.

Static-electricity fire.

George Bush press conference.

Excerpt from George Bush press conference...

Reporter:  What is  your position on Roe vs. Wade?

Bush:   It really makes no difference on how people get out of New Orleans.

God Loves.

God Loves The 1974 VW Dasher.

Disappointing.

Click "WTF"in this article (I link to this page so much now, you might as well just go there before coming here) to get the story.  Bizarre.

Literary magazines and such.

I don't know if I already posted a link to this interesting article, but here it is.

Novelist Orhan Pamuk.

International PEN urges everyone to write letters to Turkish leaders and ambassadors, protesting the upcoming prosecution of novelist Orhan Pamuk. (From the homepage, scroll down to the "Writers in Prison" section and click on the link next to "Turkey.") Here's some contact information:

Prime Minister Racep Tayyip Erdogan
TC Easbaskanlik
Ankara
Turkey
Fax: +90 312 417 0476

Cemil Cicek
Minister of Justice
TC Adalet Bakanligi
Ankara
Turkey
Fax: + 90 312 417 3954

Ambassador O. Faruk Logoglu
Turkish Embassy
2525 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: (202) 612-6700
Fax: (202) 612-6744
E-mail: contact@turkishembassy.org

HE Akin Alptuna
Turkish Embassy
43 Belgrave Square
London SW1X 8PA
Phone: 020 7201 7043/44
Fax: 020 7393 9213
Email: turkish.emb@btclick.com

Ambassador Aydemir Erman
Turkish Embassy
197 Wurtemburg Street
Ottawa ON K1N 8L9
Phone: (613) 789-4044
Fax:(613) 789-3442
Email: turkishottawa@mfa.gov.tr

Thanks very much to Paul for help with this. If you know of any other way people can register their protest against the unethical prosecution of Pamuk, please let me know.

Posted by Michael Schaub | link

Funny editing humor.

To be found upon a click of this here link.

Literary journals v Literary blogs.

Interesting discussion - follow both the links Scott puts up. 

Better.

Tomorrow, the Benton County Daily Record was supposed to print an open letter to Lee Scott, Wal-Mart's CEO, from WakeUpWalMart.com. The letter asks Wal-Mart to work with our campaign to help address the economic and health care crisis facing its 1.3 million workers, all working families, our communities, and our country by agreeing to "six demands for change."

Today, the Benton County Daily Record, in a stunning move, refused to print our letter, really YOUR letter, declaring it "defamatory."

Last week, Lee Scott said, "When you do the right thing, good things accrue to you." We agree. Our letter, which was written in the spirit of the Hurricane Katrina aftermath, states, "Just imagine the good Wal-Mart can do if it works with us to become a better company by doing the right thing - everyday. We hope you will view our 'six demands for change' as a sincere effort to form a new partnership for change."

Please help us change Wal-Mart today by signing our "six demands for change." Your free speech still matters despite the Benton County Daily Records' refusal to print our ad.

http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/feature/benton/

Our genuine hope with this open letter was to offer Lee Scott an olive branch, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, to build a new working relationship to improve the lives of millions of Americans everyday. Evidently, the Benton County Daily Record believes asking Wal-Mart to do the right thing every day is 'defamatory.'

Please forward this link on to your friends and family, and ask them to add their name to our letter, asking Wal-Mart to agree to "six demands for change:"

http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/feature/benton/

Together we are going to change Wal-Mart and build a better America. Thank you.

Paul Blank
WakeUpWalMart.com

________________________________




AN OPEN LETTER TO WAL-MART CEO LEE SCOTT
Mr. Lee Scott, CEO
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Bentonville, Arkansas 72716-8611

Dear Mr. Scott,

In the wake of the terrible tragedies caused by Hurricane Katrina, Wal-Mart helped ease the suffering of many Americans. This crisis brought out the best in Wal-Mart and we applaud your hurricane relief efforts. We hope Wal-Mart's response to Hurricane Katrina represents a turning point.

Wal-Mart has a great opportunity to work with us to help improve the lives of so many Americans who face an economic and health care crisis everyday, everywhere in America. The American people want to know, will Wal-Mart do what is right for America or will Wal-Mart lead a race to the bottom.

We believe now is the time for Wal-Mart to address the serious issues facing its 1.3 million workers, their families, our communities and our country by agreeing to the following "six demands for change."

• 
  Living Wage. Pay all Wal-Mart workers a fair living wage so they can support their families.
  
• Affordable Health Care. Provide all workers comprehensive, affordable health insurance coverage so they can care for their families and no longer be forced to rely on taxpayer-funded public health care.
  
• End Discrimination. Ensure equal opportunity and equal pay for women and people of color in your workforce at all levels through a stringent and independent monitoring process.
  
• Zero Tolerance on Child Labor. Adopt a zero tolerance policy and institute an independent monitoring program to stop the exploitation of child labor in the United States and abroad.
  
• Buy American. Establish a "Buy America" program that annually increases the percentage of "Made in America" goods purchased by Wal-Mart so as to help protect American jobs.
  
• Respect Communities. Work with local communities to effectively address Wal-Mart's negative impact on issues like traffic, sprawl, the environment, and local businesses.

 

As you stated recently, "When you do the right thing, good things accrue to you." We agree. Just imagine the good Wal-Mart can do if it works with us to become a better company by doing the right thing - everyday. We hope you will view our "six demands for change" as a sincere effort to form a new partnership for change.

In the end, we are not your enemy. Our goal is to be your partner in making Wal-Mart a better business. We welcome the opportunity to meet with you and discuss how we can help Wal-Mart grow and prosper in new ways. But, make no mistake about it, if Wal-Mart refuses to change for the better, we will continue to build this broad-based social movement into one of the most powerful forces for change the nation has ever seen.

Wal-Mart has an incredible opportunity - right now - to work with us to better the lives of all your workers, to set a new standard for corporate America, to be a better business, and to build a better nation. We hope you will and look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
WakeUpWalMart.com - America's Campaign to Change Wal-Mart.

P.S. This November we, along with a broad coalition of community organizations, will be launching Wal-Mart Week, November 13th - 19th, to highlight Wal-Mart's negative impact on America. You can go to www.walmartweek.com and learn more about the actions we will be taking and the movie being released. Our hope is that by then, instead of highlighting Wal-Mart's failures, we can stand together and celebrate a new day at Wal-Mart - a day when real change improved the lives of millions of Americans.

Updated, many new features.

A useful resource before shopping.

Are computers bad for kids?

A thought-provoking article, at Orion.

Update.

On and On has a new post.

This American Life Update, 9/6/05.

_________________________________________________
This American Life Update
September 6, 2005
The "Endless Packing" Edition
_________________________________________________

THIS WEEKEND, 9/9-11:
After the Flood.  Surprising stories from survivors in New Orleans.
And, insiders at FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, tell
the story of how their agency has changed over the last four years,
and how its ability to respond to national emergencies has been
hampered.

NEXT WEEKEND, 9/16-18:
Getting and Spending.  We all think we'd do anything for love. But
really, what we'd do anything for, is money. Stories about the things
people will do for cash.

Fwd: I realise...

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Allison Lau

Date: 07-Sep-2005 10:15
Subject: I realise...
 

I realise this is getting mighty annoying but I changed the blog address again. Forever! I swear!

 

http://haibaratown.blogspot.com/

More Good Poems.

The other book of Good Poems is available in paperback; this new one is still hardcover only. 

Help dogs, cats of Katrina.

Family dynamics.

Far more interesting than anything I've posted here in a long time are the events unfolding at the On and On blog. 

 

Starcraft again.

Have any of my readers actually played this game? E-mail me...

Court KOs Online Game Bypass Program - Yahoo! News

Direct from New Orleans.

Stephen Elliott has gone down to the area and posted this article at Salon.com - and will have further coverage at his own site.

Mr.Sun's Gas Shortage Tips.

To be found here.

The post where I vomit my life onto the internet, stroking my ego, for your very mild enjoyment.

1. The first CD I bought, long ago, was The Black Crowes' "Southern Harmony and Musical Companion". It was a damn long time ago and my recent mis-storage while in transit has rendered it unlistenable during the good part of "Black Moon Creeping". So, the rotation of old CD albums into some landfill has begun, as I purchased a new (apparently digitally remastered) copy of it tonight at Newbury Comics with a new hat.
   
2. I am eating B&J New York Super Fudge Chunk. White chocolate is not really chocolate, you know. It tastes good right here, though.
3. I am on pager tonight. I keep hearing beeping coming from somewhere, but it is not an appliance, a smoke alarm, or the pager, so I guess I need to increase my dosage.
4. My daughter is no longer using a crib, which slingshots me into a permanent state of ever-recycling nostalgia.
5. UMF wants my donation. They won't get it unless they promise not to bulldoze the Campus Security building.
   
6. Listening to live jazz. Mmmmmmmmmm.
7. Home alone with no one to talk to (hence ice cream, live jazz, and vomit post), as my loves are visiting Nana tonight.
   
8. You look like a man-o'-lantern.
9. Bought Auster's "Collected Prose" and "The Book of Illusions" today - the latter, used - based on my fair enjoyment of "Oracle Night" and my very thorough and complete enjoyment of "The New York Trilogy".
   
10. I promised myself I'd stop at ten. Off to read.
    

Finding humor.

Check out the track list.

Available in ME?

The Vermont Coffee Company, known for their organic and fairtraded coffee, has just upgraded its coffee roasting machine to run on biodiesel fuel. The bio-roaster can roast the same amount of beans in four hours as the company's two older machines roasted in 10-12 hours running simultaneously. A local distributor, Jackman's, has agreed to supply the biodiesel to the Vermont Coffee Company. The company currently distributes just over one ton of fresh-roasted beans per week.

Very curious.

Does anyone know someone that uses one of these, with the idea from here?  It looks like a dynamite little project.  Ask around, I'd love to hear stories about use, construction, problems, etc.  Thanks.

Conversation re: Google.

Sorry for the formatting, I'm still sick as anything.

 

===========

From: A
To: M
it's the same deal with microsoft tho, isn't it (or any beta version that becomes the hottest thing)? google is now the monopolising head honcho of the internet game. a few years ago there was another webpage that filed grievances with what they were starting to do with the ad bar. they had just started doing it..it literally happened overnight. i still use 'em. not sure how i feel about google talk yet. i really love trillian. On 8/25/05, M wrote: > interesting article.  hard to know what to think.  i can't imagine > that hotmail/msn, yahoo, etc. are any less involved; google probably > just gets the "big brother" attention because they're popular, > efficient, easy target.  i figure if i'm using the internet, i'm > holding hands with big brother anyway, regardless of how many security > protocols i set up. > > don't get blown away. > > did you see the "dear leader" blog I linked to from > maghus.blogspot.com?  funny stuff. > > m > > On 25/08/05, A wrote: > > i don't know, i used to be pro for their search engine when it was all > > the rage in '99. but that was before they started this: > > http://www.google-watch.org/bigbro.html > > > > hey, there's a huge ass typhoon/hurricane going on right now and it's > > pretty cool. i think i just saw a tea bush unroot! > > >

Mitchell stuff.

Working my way through Ghostwritten now.  Here's a post about his three released books.

Sven is on to something.

In Thrall To Data

I apparently have no chance of ever getting cancer.

This study is just what the doctor ordered. Make mine a double.

An expensive gift.

Too bad it's only through Amazon... and I'm not a millionaire

Complete

Libraries offering audiobook borrowing.

Here.

Dear Leader.

http://dearleadersdailythought.blogspot.com/

DM interview re: BSG.

http://trashotron.com/agony/columns/2005/05-16-05.htm

Google Talk

Go ahead - download it. You know I am. Bye-bye AOL IM.

Google Talk

Oh my head.

Galleys are now being sent here and there (sadly, not actually here, but there) for David Mitchell's new book, out next April. Anyone reading this that I don't know about that has a copy they'd like to send my way will get this blog renamed after them.

Black Swan Green

Anchors and Life-jackets

Posted elsewhere by me:

I think articles like this
(http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/08/21/letting_go?mode=PF)
are valuable uses of newspaper space in that they get us thinking
about our own lives, our own connections with the books we've read and
the fictions that have influenced who we are now – fictions both on
the page and in our lives. I am also always curious about other
people's bookshelves – I've left my wife stuck holding a conversation
up with a host while I wander off to their bookshelf. Judgments
inevitably follow.

And I think, unfortunately, that my expectation of others similarly
judging me by my books has, at times, had strong influence on what I
purchase. I've read none of Gabriel Garcia Marquez – I'm probably
even misspelling his name – but I own almost everything he's written.

I think we are, unfortunately, defined to some degree by what we own,
what we choose to spend our time on/with. I debated with myself
openly at my blog for a while on the pros and cons of getting an iPod,
eventually deciding against it largely because it would insulate me
more than I wanted to be insulated. I feel that the books I keep are
foundational blocks, at times – it feels supportive to know that the
copy of such-and-such that I've read every year in the fall for a
decade now is still there.

However, having said all that, I still own some books that, if I'm
seeking the hard, honest truth - No, I'll probably never read them.
So maybe I need to postpone my own morning cup of coffee sometime this
week.

Tap tap on your shoulder.

I'd be interested in what the tech-savvy folks out there think about
this, just released today and pulling down one of the top-headline
spaces on my news page. I'd e-mail you all individually, but hell,
here's a blog.

http://desktop.google.com/

Never moving to Kansas.

First "intelligent design", and now this.

========================
Schools drop two disputed books

Associated Press

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Two of the 14 books that a group of suburban
Kansas City parents found objectionable have been removed from the
high school curriculum in the Blue Valley School District.

Officials insist "This Boy's Life" by Tobias Wolff and "Fallen Angels"
by Walter Dean Myers - along with three other titles - were removed
Monday because a review committee decided they were no longer the best
fit for the curriculum. The books will remain in the library.

"This Boy's Life," a memoir that focuses on the experiences of a boy,
was challenged because of foul language and references to alcohol and
sexual activity. "Fallen Angels" is a story about the Vietnam War.

No titles were removed because of violence, language or sexual
content, said Verneda Edwards, director of curriculum and instruction.

The district also plans to start posting information on the Internet
alerting parents to any sensitive or objectionable material contained
in books on classroom reading lists.

The district started the review of all titles used in communication
arts classes after parent Janet Harmon and her husband challenged
"This Boy's Life" two years ago. Harmon and other parents expanded the
challenge to 14 titles in January.

"It's a small step in the right direction, and we hope that there will
be many more steps like this made," said Janet Harmon, who delivered
the petition against the books to the school board.

Kerry McGuire, a junior at Blue Valley North High School, organized a
counterpetition supporting the books.

"I guess I have to say if they were truly taken off because they no
longer fit the curriculum, that's their prerogative," McGuire said.

But she said she would be disappointed if district officials made the
changes because parents pressured them.

New goodnews.

New posts up at Asym Motion, On and On, A in J. Linkas at the right.

Blog dislikers take note.

Literary Friendships

"JOIN GARRISON KEILLOR as he hosts a brand new series: he's invited an outstanding group of American writers to talk about their friendships with one another—and with one another's work—in front of a live audience. The series promises to be sparkling, enlightening, and possibly contentious.

What really happens when two writers become friends? Literary Friendships features poets, mystery writers, and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelists exploring the solitude of writing and the company of friendship."

 

Viva la Chabon!

http://literaryfriendships.publicradio.org

The Abridged Guide to Successfully Enjoying Writing a Stunningly Obnoxiously Self-Referential Resarch Paper.

Breathtakingly (adverbs!!!!!!!!) near the completion of my graduate studies, I now deign to share these nuggets of wisdom with those of you who are considering the life of academia, or are currently enjoying the examined life.  The research paper(s): the lynchpin of your studies, the Everest you must climb, whether you have a thesis to complete or not.  These honed-in-fires-to-hot-to-explain tips will ensure accolades-a-go-go.  Strap on your crampons and let's go.

 

1) Work in the word "doppelganger".  This is not optional; it must appear in the paper.  Every paper.

 

2) When writing in the feared APA format, or whatever corset your institution demands you squeeze your original ideas into, relax!  Who (besides Charlie B, now living far away from all of you, unless I suddenly have national readership, in which case Hi Charlie) is actually going to get out a ruler and measure the margins?  Nobody!  Tighten those suckers up 0.25 inches and watch the extra pages appear!  (Note: if e-mailing the paper to your professor as an attachment, disregard this nugget, because if s/he's smart enough to request it be sent that way, s/he knows how to check Page Setup, and there goes that grade A.  Goodbye, A.  Bye.)

 

3)  References?  Not if they aren't on paper.  Web/internet references are a bad idea.  It's playing with fire.  Do you want to play with fire, little boy?  Do you want to play with Bob?  Do... you... want... to... play... with... Bob?  (Answer: No.)

 

4)  Don't use snappy bullets.  You aren't in marketing for Krispy Kreme.  Just use the regular friggin' bullets.

 

5)  Use your Gmail account as your word processor.  It's functional, it goes where you go, drafts are easy to save, oh god damn it just sign up for a Gmail account already

 

6)  Try to work in "botard", "flapgas", and "Khan".  Not mandatory, for experts only.  It can be done.

 

7)  Disconnect the internet while you're working.

OK, but what does the name mean?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumpy%27nut

The Thank-You Card

It's passed around at the office.  I get it and scribble something, thanks for your help, you've been great, what a job.  Then it's a rope.  The rope's around your neck.  How do you get out of the rope?  There's a list attached to the front, you check off your name after you've written your message.  Who hasn't signed it yet?  If you get the card last, you're stuck with it.  But Mary hasn't gotten it yet so I go to her office and even better she isn't there, so it gets tossed onto her desk and I wipe my hands clean of the damned thing.  I actually do the little hand wiping motion.  I do a little jig.  Someone else will be last with the card, the hot potato, the noose, the musical chair-less-ness. 

Assorted sort-of-bon mots.

... Abandoning ship with "Life of Pi" (get it?? yeeeeeaaaaargrrrgh!) as it just doesn't seem to be sticking to my ribs.  It is competently written but the author's note at the beginning, lengthy and apparently harvested directly out of his belly-button, threw me off my stride and I just haven't been able to whip enough interest to continue.  Back to the library it goes.

 

... Finished the Oates story in the fiction Atlantic.  WTF?  Great stuff, moving along well, and then I'm watching "The Island" without Scarlett Johansson.  She tied it up at the end pretty well but even that felt a little bit like I'd been lead on.  Does not encourage me to read "We Were The Mulvaneys" (Goodwill, $2.95).  The Englander story is decent thus far.

 

... Speaking of Goodwill, passed on Sue Monk Kidd's "Secret Life of Bees" today.  Did I make a mistake?  I carried it around for a bit but when I read the back... no.

 

... Secured a copy of "Mediated" from the library, arriving this afternoon.  I'm hoping for new insights and new ideas, and not just affirmations of what I already believe.  That, and/or "The Giant's House", and The Atlantic are what's happening.

 

... http://www.newyorker.com/printables/fact/040920fa_fact3 has a great article about Gillian Welch and David Rawlings.  It's not a new one but it's new for me, so I'm pinning it up here, along with this: http://downloads.fastatmosphere.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=FASTATMOSPHERE&Category_Code=GW-MP3-WIN   ...that Time (the Revelator) is mighty fine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why buy batteries?

This is the best.


"A compact wind up radio for travel and emergencies

The Freeplay Summit is the first, true alternative power radio with an attractive, modern look. This unique digital travel radio is a showcase of Freeplay's unsurpassed understanding of dynamo powered electronics. Either wind it up or let the solar panel soak up power from the sun. The Summit stores power in its built-in rechargeable battery pack. Small buttons run all the operations on this advanced, AM/FM radio with SW coverage of 5.95-15.6MHz. The feature-packed, compact design makes it ideal for a global trek or a trip to the beach.

Features snooze alarm clock and 30 station presets. Includes short wave antenna, carry pouch, and world travel power adapters."

I have a cheapy $20 non-digital version that I bought five years ago and the batteries have never been replaced, and we use it every day to listen to news. It's been dropped one too many times and this is its replacement. Better. Stronger. Faster.

Drooling? Well, check it out anyway.

Chekhov's Mistress: Two Perspectives on Blogging

You might have noticed that I enjoy articles about blogs. Here's a goodun', very thoughtful.

Chekhov's Mistress: Two Perspectives on Blogging

EB Superfan!

Blogs for Books.

Someone get me a coffee.

The New York Times > Technology > Dear Blog: Today I Worked on My Book

History of Netscape.

Interesting article on the one that started it all. Sort of.

I Turn My Camera On.

Photojournalism at its most dry! The order's all messed up, but give me a break.





Weekend project. New coop, one board at a time.













We need hats because we are without hair. Mine was cooler, but only temperature-wise.













Today's breakfast! Exciting!













With today's breakfast!















Break!

Mediated and the iPod.

Great article about the books and the device.  My indecision has been snapped.

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,923-1684705,00.html

Next stop: close contact with multiple clients.

Today's dining plan includes lentil salad (lentils, garlic, onions, butter, oil, rice, spices, etc), one or two everything bagels, assorted Clig Bars, pretzels, and lots of coffee. Let's get to work!








"Let's take a look at your employment plan. ...Why are you on fire?"

Indeed, one WOULD think that short fiction would be more popular.

... On some days, the amount of pleasure I get from reading about writing completely overshadows any actual writing I do.  Rushed out today to get the just-released first fiction issue of The Atlantic, which will no longer be publishing fiction in each issue, opting instead to put it all in one yearly installment.  Why?  Grunt: http://www.mediabistro.com/articles/cache/a4183.asp

 

There's a Rick Moody essay on writing that is decent, so far (one can only read so much at work).  Many people dislike Rick Moody, not just those listed on Maud's site today but, it seems, everywhere.  Purple America, The Ice Storm, Demonology.  I picked through Demonology one time and don't remember anything except feeling let down that what was inside did not match up with the Smarties on the cover.  The Ice Storm was a good movie.  Other than that, I don't think I know anything about him.  Any thoughts?

This might explain why I was up half the night downloading from Audible.

Today's Dose is recommended by Seamus from Las Vegas, Nevada

<<>
Take today's Dose in HTML at:
http://www.powells.com/dose/cgi-bin/product?isbn=0060005696
<>>

"The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less"
by Barry Schwartz

PUBLISHER COMMENTS
As Americans, we assume that more choice means better options
and greater satisfaction. But beware of excessive choice: choice
overload can make you question the decisions you make before you
even make them, it can set you up for unrealistically high expectations,
and it can make you blame yourself for any and all failures. In
the long run, this can lead to decision-making paralysis, anxiety,
and perpetual stress. And, in a culture that tells us that there
is no excuse for falling short of perfection when your options
are limitless, too much choice can lead to clinical depression.

In "The Paradox of Choice," Barry Schwartz explains at what point
choice -- the hallmark of individual freedom and self-determination
that we so cherish -- becomes detrimental to our psychological
and emotional well-being. In accessible, engaging, and anecdotal
prose, Schwartz shows how the dramatic explosion in choice --
from the mundane to the profound challenges of balancing career,
family, and individual needs -- has paradoxically become a problem
instead of a solution. Schwartz also shows how our obsession with
choice encourages us to seek that which makes us feel worse.

Enthusiasms.

Prompted by T.W.'s recent list of enthusiasms, and comments directed at me regarding my fixations, a short list.

1) I love TAL as much as the next person ...or at least, I thought I did. I haven't been able to listen in recent times, because apparently TAL is a hoot-n-holler trigger for my daughter. Ira's voice can't compete. I have been throughly researching Audible.com (along with enthusiasm #2) and find much to be enthused about, including audiobook versions of Cloud Atlas, Disgrace, a good number of Hemingway shorts, and of course the previously mentioned TAL, both in complete archive and subscription form. I am planning to download the "Neighbors" episode tonight.

2) iPods. mP3 players. I have been going back and forth about iPods for a month or two now, gripped by profound indecisiveness. I have a cd player in the truck; I have a tape deck in the car, and our next car will have a cd player; I have music at home. This leaves work, where I cannot access fine audio content through my computer network and simmer with envy at M's iPod-fueled paperwork time. She listens to it all and the day flies. I listen to the air conditioner and wish I had "Good Poems", "TAL", "The Hustle", "Tonight's the Night", and so on. But is such a small window worth shelling out between $200 and $400? Can't I make it through part of the day with environmental sounds instead of listening to "Gimme Fiction" for the 900th time? Do I need a gadget? Will it make me happy? Simplify? Amplify?

3) A free, non-trial PC version of Audio Hijack. It must exist. I must find it.

The "death" of letter writing.

I go through enthusiasms of letter writing that usually die before I manage to write a single letter to anyone. The modern age (such a phrase! so laden!) doesn't allow me to take the time, and I'm so comfortable with typing, with e-mail; it would be so much better, the writing of letters, but I'm just not enough a go-getter.

This article has strengthed my resolve again. I also found some nice postcard-paper at Staples that I bought so that I can print my own postcards and then send them to friends. (So please send me your mailing addresses - again - so I can add them to my book. Again.) It's a good article, makes all the good points.

Daltrey?

The house that Maxwell built.

...Battery acid.

 

Today is LT's first day of day care.  We have been lucky to this point in being able to keep her in the care of family and close friends.  With me working full time again, Monday through Friday, and L working full time, we are now needing day care.  She is at a nice place not too far from home, quiet, clean, an invested provider who is willing to accomodate our germ phobias, vegetarianism, anti-TV stance, etc.  L will get exposure to more kids, which is good, and to girls; so far, all of her little friends have been boys, so it will be good for her to be around little ladies also.  When I called earlier, she was painting.  She's never painted before.

 

It is very difficult.  I wish I was at home with her now, taking her on a bike ride or reading "Daddy Cuddles". 

 

How do parents deal with it when they don't hear from their children every single day?  I know it must come about gradually, you get used to it in increments. 

 

...Bought Kafka's "Complete Stories" and "A Farewell to Arms" (not by Kafka) for $1 each.  The list grows.  A partial list, in no particular order:

 

-The Corrections

-A Garlic Testament

-Ghostwritten

-Children Playing Before...

-In Pharoh's Army

-Back in the World

-Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress

-The Hours

-Complete Stories (Kafka)

-Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

-Slow Man

-This Boy's Life

-Life of Pi

-Three Junes

 

...and so on. 

 

...Battery acid.

Commercial Alert relaunched.

This belongs on another site, but it's already there and I wanted to mention it here as well - Commercial Alert has relaunched their website (http://commercialalert.org/) and it's worth visiting.  I know W.S. will be excited about the new site.

 

It's astonishing to me that so many studies are needed to conclude that watching television is bad for kids. 

Toolbar.

Google Toolbar for Firefox Coming This Week:

http://google.weblogsinc.com/entry/1234000030049393/

Independence Day leftovers.

...As ready-made falafel was unavailable to us, we had a pasta with an improvised thyme and toasted bread crumb topping that I enjoyed (thyme and sage are favorites, which is part of why I hunger for sweet potato and butternut squash soup, even in the midst of a heat wave) but that no one else cared for.  Having been up from 1AM to 4AM the night before with a sick little girl, we decided to stay home for the day.  She was doing a lot better and spent some time in her pool and her sandbox, had a good nap, a few rides around the yard in her wagon.  We celebrated Nora's seventh birthday with some special wet food (she usually only eats dry) and festive singing.  L did some reading in "Dry" by Augusten Burroughs, I closed in on the end of "Disgrace" by J.M. Coetzee, and LT looked briefly at a Ranger Rick magazine. 

 

...We did not go see fireworks.  We heard some nearby, after LT had gone to bed and we were out sitting in front of the chiminea.  It was great to sit near a blazing fire and look up to see the firelight on the leaves and then the stars.  Saw some fireworks in the bug zapper.

 

...Have been mulling over going to the Animal Refuge League and adopting another cat.  They have a surplus right now and could use some open homes for the little furry friends.  I have always opposed another cat - Nora is a treasure and I didn't want her to feel displaced or get less attention.  But, in a way, that has already happened with LT joining us, and Nora has adapted well to that.  We also worry about feline leukemia.  Still undecided.

 

...Our team nurse has given her notice.  It's difficult to react to surprises like that when the polite response is sorrow and gratitude, but when you really don't care for the person and won't give her a second thought.  Your response isn't prepared and so you're feeling around for the right words and facial expression, and you just end up smiling and making noises of disappointment instead of offering up platitudes about her service here.  Oops.

 

...Took a picture with the digital camera in which I look suspiciously like Roger Daltrey.  Google Images will tell you what I mean.  Note his hair.  I may post it here if I get time. 

 

...Bought G. Love's latest album "The Hustle" this weekend.  I enjoyed his first album and when I was getting into that he was just releasing the second, which I habve written about here and is his finest.  "Yeah, It's That Easy" followed that and was a new direction for him with more studio-produced "effects" and less "three guys with instruments".  Still a good album, but following that came "Philadelphonic" with a few goodies and a bunch of duds, and sampling, which continued the removal of originality from his style.  I previewed a bit of the next album, "The Electric Mile", and heard more of the same uninspired nonsense.  After previewing a bit of this album, I liked what I heard and decided to give him another chance.  He had put on a dynamite show back in the day at the Stone Coast Brewery, owning the audience from the first song.  I liked him.  This album is, so far, good.  It isn't a return to the wholesome goodness of "Coast to Coast Motel", and there's some filler, but the strong tracks are vintage and stick in my head.  The title track is good stuff, as is the track that features Jack Johnson.  Worth checking out, but preview it before you buy it.  Or, just buy "Coast to Coast Motel."

 

...Google Earth is great.  Only download-able at certain times of day; they are limiting downloads.  See http://google.weblogsinc.com/ - the Chicago Real Estate article - for an interesting use of the software.

 

... Happy Independence Day.

The only picture I have left.

Tasty summer listening.

Although not as commercially successful as their self-titled debut, Coast to Coast Motel is a definite improvement. The band keeps their hip-hop influence (much more prevalent on the debut) in check here, concentrating more on creating a mighty instrumental groove. It's also more of a traditional rock & roll approach for the band, with the results quite often being successful. The opening "Sweet Sugar Mama" is bass-driven and funky; other highlights include the smooth "Nancy," the uplifting "Chains #3," and the startling Led Zeppelin attack (musically, anyway) of "Small Fish." "Kiss and Tell" is an obvious attempt at a hit single, while some may consider the lyrics to "Soda Pop" a bit too foolish. As mentioned earlier, however, the group achieves some great, groovy interplay which can easily suck the listener in. Jimmy Prescott's upright bass playing and Jeff Clemens' drumming are tight and locked together, as G. Love adds his scratchy blues guitar on top. These guys have found the groove.

Review by Greg Prato

July 2005 issue available

America F'd as Democrats Flop Around on Dock, Gasping Last Breaths

Diabolical!

Books as tattoos

I've mentioned this before, briefly, in a previous post (or maybe in my head) - something related to this, anyway. An interesting project in which a story, apparently written nowhere else, is being tattoo'd one word at a time on over 2,000 people. It will only exist in this form. Weirdo arty stuff, but interesting nonetheless.

Read this article about it.

If she's truly that far gone, should we try to save her?

No, I am not breaking confidentiality and speaking of a client. I am talking about Katie Holmes. There's been enough witty commentary about Tom and Katie to distract us from things even remotely important (which "TomKat" is, most assuredly, not), but the whole creepy-ass Scientology business, and Tom Cruise's arrogance about it, does stir interest, no?

Here's an article about where Scientology begins.

I confess to reading a number of books in Hubbard's "Mission Earth" series when reading science fiction was the popular fad among early-teen boys wearing rose-tinted glasses, bad sweaters, spiky hair and dating their former babysitters. This series of books is largely responsible for my realization that there may, in fact, be such a thing as a bad science fiction book, and that there may, in fact, be better books to be reading than just science fiction books. (Dr. Who held me in his grip for years afterward.) The "Mission Earth" books are, to be generous, horrible. I think I read three or four of them before I realized my mistake. Ugh! And I had been planning on reading "Battlefield Earth" once I had developed enough reading skill to tackle such a monumental piece of fiction. Now I can just watch it on video... or, not.

Perfection

Quote from W. Somerset Maugham, lifted intact from MaudNewton.com:

=====

This is a very long novel and I am ashamed to make it longer by writing a preface to it. An author is probably the last person who can write fitly of his own work. In this connexion an instructive story is told by Roger Martin du Gard, a distinguished French novelist, about Marcel Proust. Proust wanted a certain French periodical to publish an important article on his great novel and thinking that no one could write it better than he, sat down and wrote it himself. Then he asked a young friend of his, a man of letters, to put his name to it and take it to the editor. This the young man did, but after a few days the editor sent for him. 'I must refuse your article,' he told him. 'Marcel Proust would never forgive me if I printed a criticism of his work that was so perfunctory and so unsympathetic.' Though authors are touchy about their productions and inclined to resent unfavourable criticism they are seldom self-satisfied. They are conscious how far the work on which they have spent much time and trouble comes short of their conception, and when they consider it are much more vexed with their failure to express this in its completeness than pleased with the passages here and there that they can regard with complacency. Their aim is perfection and they are wretchedly aware that they have not attained it.

=====

 

Check this out, also: http://www.vintagefutureclassics.co.uk/ (sorry about lack of click here) - I've read four or five of these, sadly enough one of them being the inexplicably-included "Fight Club" (a top-notch movie but, for my money - and I got it from the library - a painfully bad read).

Yes!

Who TF is Sean Paajanen, and how did he get ahold of my patented process?

Nevertheless, good call. I'm going to stick with the tblsp/cup, especially after the disappointing (to me) show at work today.

I have no entertaining photos to post.

Make Coffee in a Drip Coffee Maker

Tempting.

This site offers a whole lot of everything. Like this, which looks pretty great.

A proper brew.

My coffee-brewing skills have been called out, challenged, slapped with the white glove. "Too strong" was the consensus between our psychiatrist and a fellow support worker. A CCSW, complaining about coffee-too-strong! I have staunchly defended my patented process:

1) Measure out the ice-cold water.

2) Flatten the filter against the walls of the filter-place. This works best if you have recently rinsed the filter-place; the filter sticks well to the sides. This discourages rebellious grinds from jumping the walls.

3) Use a good blend. You may refer to my previous post about beer if you wish to join in the unwarranted assault on my patented process, but I assure you that you will be comparing apples and oranges. Will I drink Folgers, etc. in a pinch? Yes, despite their horrid record(s) on fair trade coffee, I will stoop. However, if you have a choice, get a fine blend from a local producer. I enjoy Coffee By Design. Green Mountain makes a number of outstanding coffees, many of them organic and fair trade and reasonably priced.

4) While you're at it, use a filter that isn't bleached. I used to use the brown, natural kind but have moved to Green Mountain's bleach/dioxin free filters, as they claim that the natural ones slightly alter the flavor of the coffee in a negative way. I understand that filters in general help to limit the acidity of the coffee (hence my general avoidance of the gold mesh "permanent filters", which while ecologically best will kick your stomach in the ass, so to speak) but I prefer the least intrusive kind possible.

5) Use a tablespoon measure. If you are making 11 cups of coffee (not mugs, but cups, the measurement on the coffee maker itself), you will put in 10 level scoops of coffee. Making 8 cups? 7 level scoops. I sometimes vary the level of the last scoop, depending on the general blend of the coffee itself; if it's a dark blend, I make that last scoop just as level as can be; usually same with a medium blend; if it's one of those limited batch seasonal blends that are light, I might add a little extra on that last scoop. Flavored coffees get a level last scoop and often succeed best when blended beforehand with a generic medium blend, to cut the flavor a little bit; some flavored coffees, such as hazelnut, can be overpowering otherwise.

6) You know I like the Silk Creamer. You know I do. I'll use the dairy kind, the cream, half and half, even milk. Under no circumstances should anyone use powdered non-dairy creamer. It is harder for one person to find anything that holds so many bad-for-you (in so many ways) ingredients in one place. Non-hydrogenated oils, corn syrup solids, artificial colors and flavors - you are cheating yourself not only of treasured retirement years with your family: you are cheating yourself out of a decent tasting cup of coffee.

Even as I type, my "challenge pot" is coming to its golden completion. Stay tuned for updates on consumer reaction.

UPDATE: Citing "a dusty cup", comment was withheld on my brew. The psychiatrist was unavailable to take the challenge. Dusty cup? This is not a person to hold back with constructive criticism, and so I am guessing she was unwilling to accept my fine technique. Which means I am unproven. (I thought it was a bit weak, and so bought a iced mocha with two shots on the way home, which provided sufficient nausea to make me unable to finish it. What gives?)

3D maps and such.

Looking forward to downloading this and trying it out.  Take the product tour, found on the right.

 

http://earth.google.com/

It worked for Ross Perot!!! No it didn't!!!

As part of my ongoing effort to provide an entertaining blog experience, I now present to you the first batch of photos chronicling my completely-unlike-a-superhero life experience.

Look! Driving to work!




Get to work, you slob! (note: open bag of kettle chips, completely non-ergonomic chair, proximity to coffee pot (peering from behind monitor), and general disarray.)








Time for a break! Let's go buy books!
"Disgrace"
"Dress your Family..."
"Ghostwritten"

Which one to read first?! Who cares! We've got pictures!

ScentHighlights? Smells like someone died.

How the Web changes your reading habits

By Gregory M. Lamb Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

PALO ALTO, CALIF. – When Ed Chi wants to read, he turns to two of the six computer screens that surround his desk. One is devoted exclusively to e-mail; the other, to the rest of his reading material.

The senior researcher is testing a theory: What if your "virtual desk" was as just big as your real desk? How would that change your behavior? Dr. Chi, of the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) in California, has found out one thing already. Almost all his reading - text messages, e-mails, journal articles, even books - is done on-screen.

Computers and the Internet are changing the way people read. Thus far, search engines and hyperlinks, those underlined words or phrases that when clicked take you to a new Web page, have turned the online literary voyage into a kind of U-pick island-hop. Far more is in store.

...read the rest here.

Blogs!

Wow, look! Nearly every blog I wrote about in that recent post has a new entry! (Nearly.) (no pressure.) Does this mean I wield internet control? Do people go to sites I recommend? Am I all powerful? These are important questions that I will ponder.

Meanwhile, I am going to try the picture tool.

Here is another fine literary effort from the mighty Bruce Campbell. For those of you who do not understand fine filmmaking, despite years of graduate school in film, this man is the star of Evil Dead II, a movie of no small enjoyment. In other news, I recommend that everyone turn off their instant messengers when not in use; don't even think about leaving it on overnight (as I did) or leaving it for any length of time with your user listed as "away" (as I did), or your computer will, as someone said to me today, get "a code in its node" - i.e., a virus and/or adware. (As mine did.) What is adware? This: "Adware or advertising-supported software is any computer program or software package in which advertisements or other marketing material are included with or automatically loaded by the software and displayed or played back after installation or in which information about the computer or its users activities is uploaded automatically when the user has not requested it. These applications often present banner ads in pop-up windows or through a bar that appears on a computer screen. (from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adware ) More succinctly: a big pain in the ass!

"It's so easy"

Now Blogger (blogspot) supports posting pictures to the blogs without downloading the useful but cumbersome "Hello" program. Check it out at http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=324

Blogs are so much fun for me and you and everyone.

Blogs are a great way to pass the time, sharing yourself, your interests, and your thoughts with the world. It's part of the interactive future! (for those equally distrustful of my B.S., check out Franzen's "The Reader in Exile" essay, in his book "How to Be Alone". You might be able to find a copy of it online somewhere... ya cheap bastard.)

What's going on in my list of bookmarks? Marvin Gaye wants to know.

Asymptotic Motion, formally known as "Lost in Korean Translation" (I've actually forgotten the former title, ha ha, ha.), has great potential. What could be a better use for a blog than the exploits of a handsome man winding his way through the misbegotten alleys and trails of South Korea? Not to mention the public transport. I visit daily to reread his one new post. (Sorry.)

Starbucks Gossip is entertaining. You know they need to serve more FT brew.

25 Stoned Avenue is the newest effort from our contact in Boston. Boston is a great city. I enjoy thinking about the recent trip there, looking out of the hotel room window at the city spread out below. As much as I appreciate the great green outdoors, there's something to be said for forays into the city.

On and On is also sporting a brand new look. "Cloud Atlas" - great idea! I hope for more posting soon.

What great blogs do you visit? Share!

Assorted bon-bons

- Happy Father's Day, all.

- Highly recommended: A Dyson vacuum. Our old Hoover bit the dust and we found a good deal on the mighty Dyson (check out the website). It is a new universe of clean.

- Highly not recommended: having a clog somewhere between your septic tank and your washing machine that results in liquid feces being splattered in a big way across your basement floor.

- Settled on re-organizing My Yahoo! for news.

- Reading Franzen and enjoying it quite a bit, so far.

- Links section updated; new area for blogs now. All blogs listed now sporting new content.

News.

I'd be interested in input from readers about what websites they sue for news.  I'm a longtime "My Yahoo" user and have been toying with the new Google homepage, but find some stories missing.  I hesitate to sign on with corporate congloms like CNN...  what websites do people use for one-stop news, weather, etc?

I did not message you with "Tell me this isn't you!"

I received an IM last night from JH saying "Tell me this isn't you!" with "this" as a link.  We clicked on it and this apparently set loose a whole bunch of spyware-type programs in our system.  We then received the same message from our own account, and I've gotten one e-mail already today asking what this was about, so I'm guessing many people on our AOL-IM Buddy List received the same IM.  If you clicked on it, you very likely have something bad installed on your computer now (unless, like TW, you are a Mac user).  I had to run Microsoft Antispyware twice and reset my Internet Explorer security levels (Firefox seems unaffected... of course) to High manually (Antispyware kept telling me that something was trying to reset it). 

 

E-mail me if you have any questions.

Bloomsday

Today is Bloomsday, the day on which the action in James Joyce's novel Ulysses takes place in 1904. Leopold Bloom, the main character of Ulysses, does not have much work to do, so he spends most of his day wandering around Dublin doing some errands. He leaves his house on Eccles Street, walks south across the River Liffey, picks up a letter, buys a bar of soap, and goes to the funeral of a man he didn't know very well. In the afternoon, he has a cheese sandwich, he feeds the gulls in the river, helps a blind man cross the street, and visits a couple of pubs. He thinks about his job, his wife, his daughter, his stillborn son. He muses about life and death and reincarnation. He knows that his wife is going to cheat on him that afternoon at his house. In the evening, he wanders around the red light district of Dublin and meets up with a young writer named Stephen Dedalus, who is drunk. Leopold Bloom takes him home with him and offers to let him spend the night. And they stand outside, looking at the stars for a while. And then Bloom goes inside and climbs into bed with his wife.

Full text

One

One

This is great.

From the site host's description:

"Thursday, December 23, 2004
I'm going to try to read a new short story every day.

And I will log them all on this page.

I will try not to read the same author twice, but I'm making no promises. I love some authors (like Alice Munro) and cannot be expected to forsake them because of some project — especially when i make the rules. More rules: Some stories will be really short, because I just want to get one read. Some stories will be ones I have read before, possibly while in school."

Have at it, my friend! I am jealous and wish to emulate you in some small way.

I Read A Short Story Today

Ten things

Ten things I mean/t to do and/or should have done (in no particular
order) (I know the original question was specifically for things I
meant to do – past tense, things I wish I had done before this point –
but I'm expanding it a bit into things I hope to do. I've seen
variations on this theme at different sites (Edrants.com, for
example). I'll leave it to you to decide which is which in this
list.)

Ten things I meant to do:

1) Go North with _____ when he asked me to, right after his father died
2) Get a short story published
3) Get a book (short stories or novel) published and go on a book
tour in a VW van (either a very well maintained Vanagon or a Eurovan,
or since they poorly decided to stop making them, something similar)
across the country with ultra-literate beverage-enjoying companions
and a carefully chosen selection of great music
4) Live more simply
5) Record the life stories of my immediate family members and
transcribe them (and finishing transcribing already recorded ones)
6) Write every day
7) Finish this list sooner
8) Apologize to S.P. for how I treated him
9) Own a cabin in the woods beside a lake
10) Adopt more cats

==============

From Terry Teachout, a list that cuts to the quick. Let's see yours.
I'm working on mine.

===

TT: Ten things I always meant to do

(1) Learn French.

(2) Write a biography of Peter Drucker.

(3) Play bass in a piano-guitar-bass trio.

(4) Ride a tandem bicycle through Central Park on a beautiful spring
day (with an appropriate person, of course).

(5) Join the Mile High Club.

(6) Take a trip on the American Orient Express.

(7) Take a helicopter ride through the Grand Canyon.

(8) Watch an opera from the prompter's box.

(9) Walk on my hands without breaking anything important in the process.

(10) This.

O.K., eleven:

(11) Visit the Museo Morandi.

Consumer reports - Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

Abandoning ship on this one, about 1/3 of the way through. Not bad - a bit slow in places, but some great passages. What sank it for me is the decapitated cats. Actually, I read on from there, but when Johnny Walker (I don't know) starts slicing apart a cat that can't move but is conscious and can feel pain, I literally tossed it across the room. "There is some shit I will not eat" - E.E. Cummings

Not recommended.

Powell's Books - Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

I may still read "Wind-Up Bird Chronicle", but am significantly less hot-to-trot.

Men. Prostates.

Read it. You're not getting younger.

From www.drweil.com :
===============

Prostate Health, Part 1

As part of Men's Health Week in the United States (June 12-18), the
Daily Tip today and tomorrow will address prostate health - a subject
all men should address with their physicians.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common, noncancerous
enlargement of the prostate gland, common in American and European men
over the age of 50. While the actual cause is not completely
understood, experts believe it is closely linked to hormone levels.
Try the following to help reduce the risk of BPH:
Eat a diet low in saturated and trans-fats, focusing instead on the
healthier monounsaturated and omega-3 fats.
Eat more soy. Asian men have a lower risk of BPH and some researchers
believe it is related to their intake of soy foods.
Avoid symptom triggers such as caffeine and alcohol, which increase
the need to urinate and may irritate the bladder. Avoid constipation
by increasing fiber in your diet. The pressure from constipation may
make the symptoms of BPH worse.
Have regular check-ups. The National Institute on Aging recommends
that men get regular medical checkups with a complete prostate exam.

Prostate Health, Part II

Yesterday's Daily Tip discussed diet and benign prostatic hyperplasia
(BPH) as part of Men's Health Week; today's Daily Tip discusses
nutritional supplements for prostate health.

For a healthy prostate, the following have been shown to have a
positive effect, and may help to prevent or lessen the risk of BPH and
other prostate-related conditions:
Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens). If symptoms of BPH do occur, try
managing them with saw palmetto. The best form to use is a standard
extract of 160 mg twice a day. Although saw palmetto does not shrink
the size of the prostate, it often helps promote healthy function.
Herbs and nutrients such as green tea extract, stinging nettle root,
ginger, rosemary, zinc, lycopene, and selenium have been shown to help
maintain and promote normal prostate health.
Keep in mind that it may take at least eight weeks of using these
supplements before you see improvement of your symptoms. Be sure to
consult your physician and discuss any medications you are taking -
including supplements - to avoid interactions.

For more prostate health information visit the Men's Health Center on
DrWeil.com.

So many varieties of nonsense.

1) You cannot be happy/successful if you cannot maintain your fame?
2) The man is on the brink of financial ruin. Please. He owns the friggin' Beatles catalog. The Beatles. I think he's all set.
3) "Vindicated for all time"? That's not exactly how it works. It's not like divorce(s).
4) Dressed in white, hugged, cried, threw confetti and freed white doves? "Billie Jean" is a good tune, but come on.

Pundits ponder Jackson's future as he recovers - Yahoo! News

The potential of the internet

is limitless!

More with a Google homepage

We here at MH enjoy our Google.
==============

Google adds more bells and whistles
By MICHAEL LIEDTKE
ASSOCIATED PRESS
6/13/2005

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. - Google Inc. has introduced a new option that
will enable visitors to display more information on the online search
engine leader's bare-bones home page, a departure that pushes the
company a step closer to operating an Internet portal in the mold of
rivals Yahoo and MSN.com.
The feature, available at labs.google.com, allows the millions of
Google users worldwide to select components tools located underneath
the search engine's hood and display them on the main page.

For instance, a user could choose to have the weather, an e-mailbox,
movie listings, top news stories, stock market quotes, and driving
directions displayed whenever they visit Google's home page and sign
in using a personalized account. The company unveiled the feature
during a media day hosted at its Mountain View headquarters.

Displaying a potpourri of information on the home page marks a
significant change for Google, which has always greeted its visitors
with little more than a box to process a search request, along with a
few tabs to navigate to other features, such as news and shopping.

A blog returns

After a long retreat from blogging, he's back. Seoul man. Check it out.

After you do, click at the link on his blog that leads to Postsecret. The explanation about the site is all the way at the bottom of the page. Interesting.

Asymptotic Motion

Put down that micro

Michelob Light has experienced a MH renaissance in recent weeks, as the warm summer months beckon with the siren call of booze. (Wine still plays an ongoing part, but the heat makes one want a Cold Brew on hand.)

I enjoy the "finer" beers as well, on occasion, but the price is prohibitive and the simpler days of college, MGD and throwing up everywhere remind me that it is best not to turn one's back on the old standards.

I haven't even heard of most of the beers in this story, probably because I live in rural New England, not the big city.

Old Brews Become Cool to Young Drinkers - Yahoo! News

Whoa nelly

Kudos to the anon MH reader who sent this link. Check out the narrator.

The Dive From Clausen's Pier

Music Reviews: White Stripes

I agree. It's a great album.
======
"The White Stripes, 'Get Behind Me Satan' (Third Man/V2)

Jack White, the frontman and brainchild of the blues rock duo The White Stripes, seems to have entered a new phase: Call it 'the mustache years.'

No longer sporting the signature red and white of years past, White now dons a country-goth look of long, straight black hair and a thin (and slightly creepy) stache. He recently wed model Karen Elson in your standard, Shaman-conducted, Amazon River ceremony aboard a canoe. In a long, grandiloquent message among the liner notes of 'Get Behind Me Satan,' he writes, 'Do yourself a favor and breathe real, get it?'

If White has found fresh perspective and new air to suck, it shows on the group's fifth album. Though the Stripes were already a rare, color-coded combination of retro and new, White has moved beyond previous roots to the band's Detroit garage rock days.

At its peaks, 'Get Behind Me Satan' is a euphoric rush of a new, unheard sound. Not stocked in White's typical ripping guitar licks, 'Satan' is instead mostly centered on piano stomp and gypsy tambourine.

The album, however, begins with more typical Stripes bombast. On 'Blue Orchid,' the first single, White shrieks over power chords, his falsetto reaching Robert Plant heights as he chases demons away: 'Get behind me now, anyway.'

But the third track, 'Doorbell,' is a glorious, just-try-to-stop-your-toes-from-tapping anthem of invitation: 'I've been thinking about ma' doorbell — when you gonna ring it?' Instead of thrashing on his guitar, White is banging out similar, on-the-beat piano chords, mirrored by a pulsing bass.

The effect is only topped by 'The Denial Twist' — a song so good that stereos and iPods will simply be unable to play it loud enough.

Throughout it, White spews a torrent of tell-it-how-it-is leveling. He sings, "You need to spit it out in the telephone booth while you call everyone that you know." The way he groans "spit it out" is comparable to a Buddy Guy note bend, stretching high to get to that grimace-enducing soul that's the heart of the blues.

As a guitar and drums duo, the White Stripes have always kept their music raw and minimal — after all, two people can do only so much — especially when one, Meg White, plays as simple a drums as possible.

What's exciting is that White's country roots (last year he produced Loretta Lynn's Grammy-winning "Van Lear Rose,") have not only yielded backporch twang, but down-and-dirty dancehall classics.

"Satan" otherwise oscillates between bluegrass ("Little Ghost"), more Zeppelin-style rockers ("Instinct Blues") and soft songs, including the late-night closer "I'm Lonely (But I Ain't That Lonely Yet)" and "Passive Manipulation," sung by the normally mute Meg.

White verges close to cliche sometimes, including an uninspired line to Rita Hayworth: "Oh Rita, Oh Rita, if you lived in Mosquita."

But a song like "Forever for Her (Is Over for Me)" exemplifies that the Stripes are a long way past "Fell in Love with a Girl." It sounds right off The Rolling Stones' "Exile on Main Street."

"Get Behind Me Satan" isn't consistent enough to be in the same league as "Exile," but the new Jack White has taken a step forward — just enough to leave the devil in the dust.

• Jake Coyle, AP Writer

Wow an exciting new blog with lots of original content!

Now you have to keep it going.

25 Stone Avenue

I'm not really sure what to do with this.

sdrawkcab :hcraeS elgooG

Live Crowes broadcasts

Finally dragged myself over to the Black Crowes site (thanks to E) and they've got "radio online" broadcasts of live show(s). Great stuff. We're going to see them with Tom Petty in July. I've seen them play two other times. The first time was Freshman year of college. They were touring in support of their first album and were playing at the civic center. I don't remember how - I think maybe because D and I were scott north senators, or some such thing - but we secured a van and drove down from Farmington. We ran into one of D's teachers, a high school teacher, female, attractive, there with two potentially underage - I think they were seniors, or juniors (high school, that is) - a year, maybe two younger than us. Long story short we danced with them and "slow-danced" (heh) with them. It was a great thing to dance all close to someone attractive that finds you attractive and you just met and the Crowes are playing it well and you've got one of those really great moments.

After the show the teacher wanted D and I to go back to the hotel room with her and her two sidekicks. D thought I didn't want to, I thought D didn't want to, and so we didn't. We later yelled at each other and laughed about it. Besides all that, the Crowes put on a great show.

The second time was in one of the HORDE festivals, at the OOB Ballpark. I don't remember who else was on the bill - yes I do, it was Blues Traveler, G.Love, Ziggy Marley - and the Crowes were, again, fantastic. They are a top live act. They had someone in a black crow costume prancing around the stage which felt a little weird but musically they were top notch. Looking forward to the show.

THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE BLACK CROWES

So - essentially - it's good, but not as good as Cloud Atlas? Hmmm.

Brief review, right here.

The New Yorker: Fiction, Issue of 2005-06-13 and 20

Debut fiction, no less. The New Yorker: PRINTABLES

400 years, 400 years.

-- Bought a bug light this weekend, on Sunday. The mosquito population is very large here this year. I remember the bug light from when I was a kid, hanging in the tree right outside the kitchen, the one that still has the ramshackle remains of the bird feeder I made as a kid. I'm happy with the purchase. It's working overtime tonight - the humidity, the rain, the heat. It's glowing purple and has little lightning storms all over it. Electrocuting potential West-nile carriers non-stop.

--Had the graduation party Saturday. Commenced at 1p, concluded around 11p. I consumed at least seven beers. We listened to the Red Sox, to "Thicker than Water", Bob Marley, Black Crowes, a mix CD, and Jack Johnson. Mostly family in attendance, with a few friends showing. The badminton set was a let down - missing two poles. We rigged it up with steel used in chicken quarters construction and got some good games in - I am rusty. The birdies ("shuttlecocks") were demolished, making the badminton set completely worthless. It's going back to the store, someday.

-- The little girl's helmet - correctly sized this time - arrived today. She wore it around the house this evening, wore it up to bed. I guess she likes it. The hippo puppet also arrived. We now sport a hippo, a cow, a dog ("Rambo") and a frog ("I.M.A. Frog") in puppets. From here.

-- The little girl enjoys Bob Marley, especially "Brand New Second-Hand", especially when Frog is dancing as well. Frog is a remarkable dancer.

--Reading "Kafka on the Shore" and "A Box of Matches". Listening to On and On.

Narrate.

Will someone please convince this woman to narrate audiobooks?

How old are you now, anyway?

In my mind, it would be easy to have a list of ten things I meant to do that would include, in said list,

4) Be Jack White

... because, let's face facts: "Blue Orchid" is an unassailably good song. (I think unassailably is spelled incorrectly, but I'm on a roll.) You may not like it. True enough, a lot of you grandmotherly-types out there (no offense, Ma) probably didn't like "Sympathy for the Devil" or "Under Pressure" when they first came out, but now they are universally recognized, both by scholars and Joe Sixpacks everywhere, as High Quality Tunes. (Or, "That's a great fuckin' tune".) You do not need to like a song to appreciate its perfection. This is true of many songs. Actually, this is true of few songs, but there are some out there. It hits hard and fast and is well suited to being played at high volume in a truck/car. You will listen to it twice and be able to mimic the guitar perfectly. Will I get tired of this song? Doubtless. Perfection is no panacea for eventual overplaying. "Seven Nation Army" is a fine, fine song - very likely falling into the aforementioned category - but now compels me to Change It. "Dead Leaves on a Dirty Ground", another fine Jack White track - you probably don't like it. But it is well-crafted, oh yes.

If I/you/we were Jack White, we would have been (at one time) sleeping with Meg White. This, being Jack White, would be a good thing, as you would be in a band with her, and she is very attractive. (You will disagree.) Now you would be single - no, check that, recently married to a non-model looking model, the best kind - and in a band/amicable relationship with your attractive ex-wife, Meg White.

You would look like Johnny Depp, in a rock & roll sort of way.

You would be cool enough to produce albums by Loretta Lynn. Don't like her? Maybe he doesn't either, but he sees craftsmanship.

I recommend a listen.

Enough, already

OK - the political/activist posts have been spilling over into this site in a big way lately, indicative that I've begun to move out of my post-election catatonic state.

This site wasn't intended for my railing against injustice.

For that, click here.

I'll try to confine my thoughts on those subjects to that site. All I ask is that you stop in there once in a while and think about what you're reading, click on some links, have an open mind.

I am going to keep the Wake-Up Wal-Mart banner (on the right) here for a while, though, because ... well, because I can.

80 Years

80 Years of The New Yorker to Be Offered in Disc Form

"The New Yorker, the weekly magazine that started as "a hectic book of gossip, cartoons and facetiae," as Louis Menand once wrote, and has evolved into a citadel of narrative nonfiction and investigative reporting, will publish its entire 80-year archives on searchable computer discs this fall."

Article (with the price. low low low!)

FRENCH PEOPLE ARE SMARTER THAN YOU

Discussion about France's no-vote and why.

DC BACHELOR » FRENCH PEOPLE ARE SMARTER THAN YOU

Book report: Revolutionary Road

Recommended. The writing feels, at times, very dated (1961, to be somewhat exact) - at other times, it feels as though this was intentional, and necessary. Not that Yates could have predicted the erosion of the language over time. The story seems, at times, like The Donna Reed Show gone off the rails and burst into flames. I compared this to "The Corrections" at one point, talking to a friend. Now I can't remember enough about "The Corrections" to know if it was warranted. I won't forget this book.

Buy at store/borrow from library: Borrow. You'll probably end up wanting to buy it (from powells.com, of course.)




Revolutionary Road.

The New Yorker: Fiction, Issue of 2005-06-06

A MOUTHFUL OF CUT GLASS
by TESSA HADLEY

The New Yorker: Fiction

Specimen Days: A Novel by Michael Cunningham

This looks really good. From the Powell's write-up:

"In each section of Michael Cunningham's bold new novel, his first since The Hours, we encounter the same group of characters: a young boy, an older man, and a young woman. "In the Machine" is a ghost story that takes place at the height of the industrial revolution, as human beings confront the alienating realities of the new machine age. "The Children's Crusade," set in the early twenty-first century, plays with the conventions of the noir thriller as it tracks the pursuit of a terrorist band that is detonating bombs, seemingly at random, around the city. The third part, "Like Beauty," evokes a New York 150 years into the future, when the city is all but overwhelmed by refugees from the first inhabited planet to be contacted by the people of Earth.

Presiding over each episode of this interrelated whole is the prophetic figure of the poet Walt Whitman, who promised his future readers, "It avails not, neither time or place...I am with you, and know how it is." Specimen Days is a genre-bending, haunting, and transformative ode to life in our greatest city and a meditation on the direction and meaning of America's destiny. It is a work of surpassing power and beauty by one of the most original and daring writers at work today."

Powell's Books - Specimen Days: A Novel by Michael Cunningham

StoryCorps

Life story interviews across the nation.

StoryCorps - Interview Your Loved Ones

Do not steal purses

This guy tries to take a purse and gets fucking clobbered. So great it's hard to believe it isn't staged. I have no idea what language the site is in, but you don't need to read the language to feel the hurt.

Clobbered

10 things: another survey. This one requires thought.

From Terry Teachout, a list that cuts to the quick. Let's see yours. I'm working on mine.

===

TT: Ten things I always meant to do

(1) Learn French.

(2) Write a biography of Peter Drucker.

(3) Play bass in a piano-guitar-bass trio.

(4) Ride a tandem bicycle through Central Park on a beautiful spring day (with an appropriate person, of course).

(5) Join the Mile High Club.

(6) Take a trip on the American Orient Express.

(7) Take a helicopter ride through the Grand Canyon.

(8) Watch an opera from the prompter’s box.

(9) Walk on my hands without breaking anything important in the process.

(10) This.

O.K., eleven:

(11) Visit the Museo Morandi.


Ten things

Ed's list

A History of Violence: Exclusive Clip

This looks interesting. Maria Bello was good on ER, back in the day.

Apple- Trailers - A History of Violence: Exclusive Clip

Listening ≠ Reading?

An interesting discussion at Conversational Reading about whether or not listening to audiobooks counts as "reading". I'm going to say no, and maybe it's semantics, but if you read the printed notes to a symphony, are you "listening" to the music? No - you're reading it.

Whether or not one is "better" is another issue. I'd be interested in thoughts. Check out the discussion here:

Conversational Reading: Listening ≠ Reading

The NY Times article.

Nuzak

"Recently, I encountered the term "WPN" (for "what passes for news"). I’d like to propose a related term, "Nuzak.""

Let the use of the term spread across the land. (No doubt a post here will set the blaze.)

BELLACIAO - Nuzak: What the mainstream media are giving us is elevator news’ - Collective Bellaciao

AlterNet: Apollo in Action

Worth reading, following, and calling your reps/sens to urge their support.

Apollo in Action
By Jay Inslee, Grist Magazine
Posted on May 23, 2005, Printed on May 24, 2005

On April 21, Congress stepped back in geologic time when the House of Representatives passed an energy policy of the dinosaurs, by the dinosaurs, and for the dinosaurs. This energy bill is truly a 'Jurassic' piece of legislation that relies on a limited energy source derived from creatures and plants that died millions of years ago. In fact, 93 percent of the $8 billion in tax incentives in the bill go to oil, gas, and other traditional energy industries.
Shortly before the House debate, one national leader said, 'I will tell you with $55 oil we don't need incentives to oil and gas companies to explore. ... What we need is to put a strategy in place that will help this country over time become less dependent.' Incredibly, that leader was President George W. Bush. Even the president with the worst environmental record since Warren G. Harding cannot conceal that this energy bill is more technologically suited for the 19th century than the 21st century.
Instead of this petroleum-soaked energy policy, some of my colleagues and I have been promoting a new vision for our energy future, one that would avoid drilling in our pristine areas, while creating jobs, enhancing our national security, and protecting the environment. This clean-energy vision, called the New Apollo Energy Act, is based on optimism rather than self-doubt, on new technologies rather than archaic methods, and on faith in Americans' innovative talent rather than capitulation to narrow special interests.

Whole article: http://www.alternet.org/envirohealth/22058/

Survey: is this me?

There are opposing opinions here at home. Your comments welcome. For another view, go here.


Me?

He stars in the movie Pumpkin, which we own, and which also came out the same year as Miranda, which we rented (free, Videoport) last night. We had low expectations but were quite impressed. A good movie, a great performance from MH fave Kyle Maclachlan.

The J.L. version of my account of the recent Boston trip

Stovepipe hat and all.

Yo, Boston

You almost definitely need this.

It is a very good idea to download this software.

Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) Home

Funny alt titles!

Ed comes up with good stuff.

List of Possible Titles for New Brigid Hughes Magazine

More background on the coffee issue

Interesting reading for those who enjoy coffee.

Your coffee cupn

Links updated

Over on the right.

Mugged

Better coffee. Right here, baby. While you're there.

Magazine Husband abandons any chance of signing up with Netflix

Here's why. Stop rolling your eyes and read the related post below.

Speechified

Sweet! We here at MagHus enjoy a well-given speech, particularly in this god-forsaken time of twitchy head-thrusts as "emphatic" speech punctuators. I can't give credit to where I found this link, because then you'll see I'm doing a poor job of aping his writing.

Top 100 Speeches by Rank

Campaign For Reader Privacy

Through PEN. Please sign at link below...

Campaign For Reader Privacy

Take up your PEN

"About PEN
PEN American Center is the largest of the 141 centers of International PEN, the world’s oldest human rights organization and the oldest international literary organization. International PEN was founded in 1921 to dispel national, ethnic, and racial hatreds and to promote understanding among all countries. PEN American Center, founded a year later, works to advance literature, to defend free expression, and to foster international literary fellowship."

More goodness at PEN American Center - Homepage

Goodbye virus

When sickness is knocking on the door, here's what we like to kick it in the ass.
================================
DrWeil.com: Garlic Broth

Garlic is an herb with remarkable medicinal properties and it tastes great, too. It is a cardiovascular tonic, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels and inhibiting blood clotting. It's also a powerful germicide and may protect against some carcinogens. The smell of garlic cooking has extremely positive associations - it's comforting and homey. If you eat garlic regularly (and with a good attitude), you won't smell of it. It's better for you in its natural state - raw or lightly cooked - rather than dried as powder or in capsules. Enjoy the smell, taste and healthful effects of the whole, fresh herb. Sip a warm mug of this flavorful broth as is or use it as a base for other soups.

8 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 whole head garlic, cloves peeled and coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch dried sage
Salt to taste

1. To the vegetable stock, add the olive oil, bay leaf, garlic, thyme and sage.

2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add salt to taste.

3. Strain and serve.
================================

It tastes great and the garlic gets the immune system going again. Have no fear, garlic broth is here. Chicken soup - who needs it?

Garlic broth

Another scurvey

Even though fully two out of three people (truly) did not fill out the last one, this one transcends, embraces, internationalizes. Comments section is still alive and so anyone reading this is welcome to chime in. Few will.

----------------------------
Total volume of music files on my computer: 5.5 GB

The last CD I bought was:
Blank. I then converted the "Garden State" soundtrack into a listenable format and burned it.

Song playing right now:
"Lonely Stranger" ("Unplugged" album version) by Eric Clapton. There's no good reason not to own this album.

Five songs I listen to a lot, lately (in no particular order):
1. "In the Waiting Line" by Zero 7. I like the pseudo-Portishead stuff with a little more pep in the step. This is good like "Underwater Love" from the "Thicker than Water" soundtrack.
2. "Scarecrow", by Beck. Bass from "Billie Jean", take me all the way. Scarecrow's only scarin' himself.
3. "I'm Wide Awake It's Morning", by Bright Eyes. First thing in the morning, which is probably cliched and lame, but it gets the day started right. Nice and loud in the truck.
4. "Vertigo", by U2. I was hot to trot for this album for a while. That's faded a bit, but the first half of this song still breaks it loose. Probably the closest they'll ever again be to "Achtung Baby" greatness.
5. "Cows", by Sandra Boynton. Look her up on Powell's and you'll get the idea.

Five people to whom I’m passing the baton (in no particular order): Honey, Johnny, Julianne, Tom, Peter

"We've Found One Use For Ethan Hawke's Books and It's not Propping Up the Couch"

I sort of liked "The Hottest State"; didn't read "Ash Wednesday". I am biased, being Dead Poets Society Superfan #1. However, this is good.

Conversational Reading: We've Found One Use

Postage Pass

Wish I could get one of these from the USPS. You'd all be getting letters.

Postage Pass

More on the "reality writing" project

That's my hackneyed term for it.

WRITERS AT WORK

Now this is news we can use

Decaffeinating Tea in Three Simple Steps

If you prefer decaffeinated tea to regular, but want to avoid the chemical solvents many manufacturers use in the decaffeination process, you can remove about 80 percent of the caffeine yourself, through a few simple steps. As an added bonus, this method retains most of the flavor and the majority of teas' healthful polyphenols, which can be depleted in chemical decaffeination.
Steep the tea for 30 seconds in hot water. This will release most of the caffeine into the water.
Pour off this liquid and discard.
Add more fresh hot water, steep as usual, and enjoy!

From DrWeil.com

Your co-workers?

Unskilled

The New Yorker: New fiction, Issue of 2005-05-23

Take note, Mr. J.H., answerer of surveys, friend of friends, reader of readers: new Franzen, and apparently a story causing "pretty major excitement" (you will be disappointed in this link, though the site itself is often quite fine).

The New Yorker: PRINTABLES (they named it that, not me, but hey, you've got a work printer; have at it!)

Mr. Sun!: Outlook for graduates.

Mr. Sun with my personal forecast.

Mr. Sun!: Outlook for graduates.

End of the weekend

Used graduation monies to buy a KDS 19" monitor. It is a very large monitor. The last one was tiny - I think it was 12" viewable, something like that. This is like a big picture window.

Currently reading "Revolutionary Road" by Richard Yates. It's really good. JH is reading "You Shall Know Our Velocity" and has not returned the survey. JL is, to our knowledge, reading nothing and has not returned the survey. The female JH is not returning our survey or anything else at press time.

Has anyone subscribed to Tin House? Wondering if it's worth it.

Thanks for the comment, P. I know two P's, both of them wacky. Which P are you?

THE LITBLOG CO-OP - First "Read This!" Selection drops

Check it out - the first title being carried on the shoulders of a cheering Litblog management crowd.

(Co-Op description, from Powells.com, now featuring the chosen title for 30% off:

About the litblog co-op
The Lit Blog Co-op unites twenty-one leading literary weblogs for the purpose of drawing attention to the best of contemporary fiction, authors and presses that are struggling to be noticed in a flooded marketplace.

Participating bloggers will discuss quarterly selections at the LBC website, as well as on their own blogs, with each member bringing their own unique perspective and ideas to coverage of the book.)

THE LITBLOG CO-OP

I have been convinced by the scantest of arguments

... to turn on the comments feature of this blog. Now you can leave comments to any posts. I expect one of the following:

A) No comments
B) Comments from the person who suggested I turn them on, mocking my dorkiness; no comments from anyone else
C) B, except an occasional comment from my mother
D) None of the thrilling give-and-take of comments sections on blogs such as... as... never mind.

I graduate on Saturday.

(Sort of. Won't actually get the degree until later in the year, well after summer courses are done, and a graduation party at MH World Headquarters is in the works, but the pomp/circumstance activities are Saturday.)

You shouldn't have.

Cleaner. Better. Simpler. Gentlemen... why?

We had the technology.

How MH stacks up

I recommend that every time you visit this site, you click on "NEXT BLOG" in the very top right hand corner when you are done reading my carefully selected links and underwhelming original material. You will get a different, randomly selected blog every time. Some of them will make sense, be interesting, may even be worth bookmarking. 95% of them will be either

A) Incoherent
B) Written by a 14 year old girl in North Dakota
C) Abandoned

Good for a few laughs.

A short, incomplete review of why Wal-Mart is bad for America

Responsible Shopper Profile: WalMart

No, you didn't ask for it, but Democracy for America has started a campaign against the corporate behemoth. I'm posting a sample from the Responsible Shopper page. You can click there to see some of the good things that WalMart has done, in case you feel feisty enough to try and defend them against the mighty truth. If you aren't interested in this and came for the link to the story about TAL becoming a TV show, scroll down. Irritated because it's taking forever? That's because WalMart's list of evils is so long. Don't blame me.

From the site:
---------------------------
Wal-Mart Stores has been criticized for:
Corporate Influence In May, 2004, Good Jobs First showed that Wal-Mart has received more than $1 billion in economic development subsidies from states for its stores. The subsidies have come as many states are forced by White House tax cuts and reductions in federal grants to make tough budget decisions. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities shows states are cutting subsidies for publicly funded health insurance, child care, federal employment, both higher and lower education, and programs aimed at public safety and people with disabilities. Taxpayer dollars continue to subsidize Wal-Mart, who took in more than $200 billion in revenue and netted nearly $9 billion in profits last year, while paying worker near-poverty wages, and violating environmental regulations Source: The Progress Report, May 28, 2004

Cultural Impact In May 2004, the National Trust for Historic Preservation released its list of endangered historic sites, which included the entire state of Vermont. According to the trust, the primary reason for this designation was Wal-Mart's aggressive plans for expansion in the state, which would threaten its unique small-town character. They further contend that the arrival of new Wal-Marts would decimate small businesses and town centers, create poverty-level jobs, and have severe negative environmental impact. Source: The Associated Press, May 25, 2004

Discrimination In June, 2004 a federal judge approved class-action status for a sex-discrimination lawsuit against Wal-Mart that could represent as many as 1.6 million current and former female employees of the company. The suit assert that female employees of Wal-Mart have been assigned to the lowest paying positions, which, in turn, provide the least opportunity for advancement. Wal-Mart is accused of habitually denying women the chance for promotion by not informing them of openings and by not giving them the necessary support to advance. The company is further being accused of offering better pay to males, and of assigning women to certain areas of the store based on their sex, such as baby clothes instead of hardware. Source: New York Times, June 22, 2001/AP, Jun 22, 2004

Sweatshop Labor Wal-Mart has been Criticized for its Involvement in Sweatshops:

* On March 22, 2004 workers at King Yong, a large Taiwanese owned garment export factory in Nicaragua producing clothing for export to Wal-Mart and Kohl's, organized a legal union. Shortly after, the facility started firing scores of workers, including several of the newly elected union leaders. King Yong continues to defy repeated demands by the government of Nicaragua to immediately reinstate the over 400 workers fired, end excessive mandatory overtime, pay the legal overtime wage, and to correct numerous health and safety violations including inadequate lighting, excessive noise, poor ventilation and failure to conduct health and safety trainings.
* Lee Kil-Soo, owner of the Daewoosa factory in American Samoa, was convicted in February 2003 of human trafficking for illegally confining workers in "involuntary servitude," holding their passports, and threatening deportation in retaliation for any acts of non-compliance. A US Department of Labor (DOL) investigation reported that workers at Daewoosa were often beaten, deprived of food, and forced to work without pay. Clothing produced by the Daewoosa factory was sold with the "Made in the USA" label, because American Samoa is a US territory. Before Mr. Lee's arrest and the closing of the factory, Daewoosa supplied clothing to J.C. Penney, Kohl's, Sears, Target, and Wal-Mart. According to the Manchester Guardian Weekly , only J.C. Penney has paid back wages to the Daewoosa workers.
* In January 2003 workers at the WINS facilities of California were paid $337,000 of the more than $900,000 owed them in back wages. In July 2001, Wins was prohibited from shipping goods because of labor violations, including the failure to pay its workers promptly. By August, however, Wins was permitted to resume shipping goods, although all proceeds were paid into the special "lock box" fund to be distributed to the unpaid workers. Efforts to pay the workers with the funds were thwarted when Wins filed for bankruptcy, prompting creditors to lay claim to the lock box money. The release of those funds has been delayed by bankruptcy court proceedings. WINs made clothing for Wal-Mart, Kmart, Sears and JC Penney.
* According to CorpWatch, Wal-Mart is one of several U.S. corporations employing 40 thousand factory workers in Jordan’s Qualified Industrial Zones. Jordanians own almost none of the factories. Most are owned and operated by entrepreneurs from China, Taiwan, Korea, India, Pakistan or the Philippines who import workers from over-seas. Posited as a product of Jordan’s 1994 peace agreement with Israel, which permitted Jordan to export products duty free to the United States, provided at least eight percent of their industrial inputs come from Israel, these newly established factories have yet to establish standards for treatment of workers. Of the 40 thousand workers in the Qualified Industrial Zones,fewer than half are Jordanian. Ninety percent are women under the age of 22, and almost all of them are paid the minimum wage, about $3.50 a day.
* Workers at the Beximco Factory in Bangladesh which makes shirts and pants sold in Wal-Mart stores work 12 hour days seven days a week and are paid wages ranging from 9 to 20 cents an hour.
* In April 2001, Nicaraguan court ordered Chentex—a Taiwanese-owned maquila that was making jeans for Kohl's, J.C. Penney, Kmart, and Wal-Mart—to rehire nine illegally fired union leaders. Chentex had been targeted by the National Labor Committee for its union-busting activity, while workers earned just 18 cents for each $24 pair of pants they sewed.
* In December 2003, the nonprofit Human Rights Watch reported that US retailers J.C. Penney, Wal-Mart, and Kmart did business with the Confecciones Ninos factory before it closed in March 2002. Workers at the plant reported being denied overtime wages, drinking water, bathroom visits, and sick days, in addition to being threatened with termination for union activity.

Source: National Labor Committee, Human Rights Watch,et al

Worker Rights Wal-Mart has been Criticized for its Involvement in Legal Disputes over Workers' Rights:

* In January 2005 a lawsuit filed in Alameda County, California alleges that Wal-Mart stores in that region violated labor law as store managers deleted overtime hours from employee pay records and erased timecard entries. The plaintiffs, who are seeking back wages and damages, claim that the store managers were pressured to "shave time" from employee records in order to minimize labor costs and maintain the chain's low prices.
* In February 2002 two former Wal-Mart employees in Oklahoma filed a lawsuit against Wal-Mart on behalf of workers in 85 of the company's stores in that state claiming the company forced them to work overtime without compensation. The suit alleges Wal-Mart managers assigned tasks they knew couldn't be completed within a shift and then forced employees to work off the clock and during breaks to complete the jobs.
* In December 2002 a federal jury in Oregon found Wal-Mart guilty of violating federal and state wage laws by forcing employees to work unpaid overtime between 1994 and 1999. Over 400 employees from 24 Wal-Mart stores in Oregon sued the company. It was the first of several similar suits across the country to come to trial. The lawsuit claimed managers got employees to work off the clock by asking them to clean up the store after they'd clocked out and by deleting hours from time records. The suit also said Wal-Mart reprimanded employees who claimed overtime. An attorney for Wal-Mart had no comment on the verdict.
* As of June 2002, Wal-Mart employees and former employees in 28 states had filed a series of class-action and individual lawsuits against the company for forcing or pressuring them to work unpaid overtime. The employees say that they are forced or pressuring into working off-the clock despite the fact that the company's own policy prohibits such actions. In the suits the workers claim that overtime practices helped Wal-Mart undersell its competition and push up profits. The company paid $50 million to settle a class-action suit filed by 69,000 current and former Wal-Mart employees in Colorado in 2000 that alleged Wal-Mart pressured them to work off the clock. However, the company denies that the problem is more than a few isolated incidences. According to a Wal-Mart spokesperson, "Off-the-clock work is an infrequent and isolated problem, which we correct whenever we become aware of it."
* On October 23, 2003, 250 illegal workers were arrested outside of 61 Wal-Mart stores in 21 states. Immigration officers also took boxes of documents from Wal-Mart's headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, in an effort to determine whether or not Wal-Mart should be charged with knowingly employing contractors who were using illegal workers. Nine of the employees arrested during the raids have filed a lawsuit claiming Wal-Mart was aware they were illegal immigrants and violated federal racketeering laws by conspiring with cleaning contractors to pay them low wages.
* In August 2001, a New York Wal-Mart worker filed a class-action suit against Wal-Mart on behalf of 20,000 workers in the state claiming that the company forced them to work overtime without pay, sometimes by locking them inside the store after they had clocked out. The lawsuit also claims that the retailer required employees to work through meals and rest breaks. The plaintiffs are asking for unpaid overtime wages, attorneys' fees and the costs of the action. Lawyers for the plaintiff say employees would be intimidated into working the extra hours by being given fewer hours to work or by not getting promotions.
* In August 2001 an appeal court held up a verdict against Wal-Mart in a lawsuit filed by a former employee who said that the company did not take enough action in stopping her supervisor from sexually harassing her. The company claimed that the employee only complained twice about the harassment, however the judges concluded that there was evidence of repeated complaints by the plaintiff. The employee had been awarded $43,750 in damages and $20,000 in court costs and attorney's fees.
Source: Associated Press, Feb. 24, 2002, et al.


Child Labor In January 2005 Wal-Mart paid $135,540 to settle charges it violated child labor laws in three states. The settlement covered 24 violations mainly involving workers under the age of 18 operating dangerous machinery including cardboard balers and chain saws in Connecticut, Arkansas and New Hampshire. Wal-Mart agreed in the settlement not to employee any worker under the age of 14 and will not allow any worker under age 18 to operate cardboard balers. The company denied any wrongdoing in the settlement with the Labor Department. Source: Reuters, Feb. 12, 2005

Corporate Influence In the first decade after Wal-Mart arrived in Iowa, the state lost 555 grocery stores, 298 hardware stores, 293 building supply stores, 161 variety stores, 158 women's apparel stores, 153 shoe stores, 116 drugstores, and 111 men's and boys' apparel stores. Source: Iowa State University Study

Discrimination Wal-Mart has been Criticized for its Discrimination Practices:

* Wal-Mart achieved a score of 43 on the Human Rights Campaign 2005 Corporate Equality Index which rates large corporations on policies that affect their gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees, consumers and investors. The 2005 HRC Corporate Equality Index rated companies on a scale of 0 percent to 100 percent on seven factors. The company achieved a score of 43 on the organization's 2004 Corporate Equality Index.
* In February 2005 Wal-Mart was ordered to pay $7.5 million to a former employee with cerebral palsy and who claimed he was reassigned from a job in the company's pharmacy department to garbage duty. A Wal-Mart spokesperson stated, "Wal-Mart does not tolerate discrimination of any kind. We are optimistic that the award will be substantially reduced or eliminated altogether."
* In September 2003 lawyers for Wal-Mart asked a federal judge to break up a sexual discrimination lawsuit seeking to represent 1.6 million current and former women workers. The lawyers requested that the suit be dismantled into separate class actions against each of Wal-Mart's 3,473 nationwide stores. The suit alleged that the company set up a system of frequently paying its female workers less than their male counterparts for comparable jobs and bypassing women for key promotions. Claiming that the suit ignored the thousands of women who earn more than their male counterparts, Wal-Mart denied the allegations and stated that they didn't consider additional factors: some jobs require a gun license to sell firearms carried in some Wal-Mart stores while others pay a premium for workers skilled in handling live crickets sold for fishing. Without the muscle provided by a class action suit, Wal-Mart's female workers who believe they have been discriminated against expressed doubt that they would be awarded punitive damages, as well as back pay.
* In February 2004, the UFCW mobilized a class action lawsuit against Wal-Mart, alleging the company "denied women promotions, paid them less than men and forced them to visit strip clubs on business " This class action suit was first mobiled in September 2003, when a federal judge in San Francisco began considering whether or not the 1.6 million women employed by Wal-Mart since late 1998 should be represented in what would be one of the largest class action suits in history.
* The National Organization for Women (NOW) declared September 28 2002 a National Day of Action Against Wal-Mart. NOW also declared Wal-Mart a Merchant of Shame. Among the complaints against the company are charges of unequal pay and promotion for female employees, the exclusion of contraception coverage in the employee's health benefits, and the fact that the retail chain does not sell Preven, commonly known as "morning-after pill" for women, but it does carry Viagra.
* According to Business Week, "Based on filings Wal-Mart made to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, ...72 percent of the company's sales staff are women but only one-third of them make it into management, despite Wal-Mart's promote-from-within policy. That means, according to EEOC data, that Wal-Mart doesn't just rank below its current retailing peers, which have an average of 56 percent women managers, but it also ranks below rivals' levels of 25 years ago."
* In November 2001, the Mexican-American Political Association (MAPA) called for a boycott of all California Wal-Marts and Sam's Clubs in California claiming a Fresno Wal-Mart mistreated employees and store officials regularly used racial slurs. The company had been in discussions with MAPA over the allegations but halted them after Wal-Mart claimed that MAPA was demanding access to personnel records.
* In August 2001, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued its 17th lawsuit against Wal-Mart for allegedly discriminating against a job applicant who used a wheelchair.The lawsuit alleges that a Wal-Mart in Clinton, Missouri refused to hire or accept an application from a man because of his disability. A Wal-Mart spokesperson stated, ''...we employ a large number of handicapped people and we do not have policies that would discriminate against them in any way.''
* In June 2001, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed its 16th federal lawsuit against Wal-Mart. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a Wal-Mart "greeter" who said she was fired after the company refused to let her sit occasionally while working due to her knee problems, violating the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Earlier in the month, Wal-Mart was ordered by a federal judge to air commercials in Arizona admitting it violated the Americans With Disabilities Act after a the judge ruled it didn't fulfill terms of a settlement of a suit filed by the EEOC over the company's refusal to hire two deaf men.
* In February 2001, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) accused Wal-Mart of violating the American with Disabilities Act by failing to provide qualified interpreters for deaf applicants and employees. The EEOC is seeking an order that would force the company to offer equal job opportunities to disabled applicants, as well as compensation, including punitive damages and legal fees, to deaf employees.
Source: Business First, et al.


Legal Disputes In February 2005 Wal-Mart won an appeal on a 1995 lawsuit which argued that the company should pay millions of dollars in overtime to company pharmacists which the company had classified as salaried employees, which was against federal law. A three-judge appelate panel said federal labor regulations allow employers to adjust salaries based on economic conditions but if those changes are made too frequently, the salary could be declared a "sham" and allow employees to be reclassified as hourly employees. Source: The Associated Press, February 2, 2005

Unionization Walmart has been Criticized for its Resistance to Unionization:

* In August 2001, the National Labor Relations Board started an investigation into allegations that a Texas Wal-Mart harassed employees who tried to start a union. The United Food & Commercial Workers Union claimed that the store's managers told employees they would lose profit-sharing bonuses for signing union cards and restricted employees from soliciting for the union during their breaks.
* In February of 2004, a cut-cost model Wal-Mart spokeswoman warned unionization would threaten Wal-Mart’s trademark low prices by raising employee wages. "Changing that model would make our business less successful, our jobs less secure," she said.
* A supervisor at Wal-Mart store 589 in Hillview, Kentucky reported he was required to report staff members who mentioned trade unions to his manager.
* According to an internal Wal-Mart document, "Wal-Mart is opposed to the unionization of its associates. Any suggestion that the company is neutral on the subject or that it encourages associates to join labor organizations is not true
* A coalition of labor groups organized November 21, 2002 as a national "day of action" against Wal-Mart to encourage the company to provide higher wages and lower-cost health care benefits for its more than 1 million American workers. The groups claim Wal-Mart, which owns more than 3,300 stores across the country, has opposed its efforts to unionize Wal-Mart employees.

Source: Reuters, November 18, 2002, et al.

Unionization In February 2005 Wal-Mart announced it planned to close a Canadian store whose workers were on the verge of becoming the first ever to win a union contract from the company. Wal-Mart said it would close the store in response to unreasonable demands from union negotiators, that would make it impossible for the store to sustain its business. The United Food & Commercial Workers Canada had previously asked Quebec labor officials to appoint a mediator, saying that negotiations had reached an impasse. The store became the first unionized Wal-Mart store in North America in September of 2004, after the bargaining unit was certified by provincial labor officials. Shortly afterwards another Canadian Wal-Mart become certified. Neither store reached a contract. (see related Alert item.) Source: Associated Press, Feb. 9, 2005

Worker Benefits Wal-Mart's health care policies have come under attack as critics say employees are unable to meet the company's eligibility requirements or because they cannot afford monthly premiums as high as $264 a month for family coverage. Source: New York Times, Nov. 1, 2004

Cultural Impact In September 2004 residents of Teotihuacan, near Mexico City, protested over the construction of a warehouse-style Bodega Aurrera, a unit of Wal-Mart, on the edge of archaeological ruins. The construction site is less than a mile from the gated tourist park housing the main ruins and is visible from the top of the Pyramid of the Sun, a structure that has stood on the site for more than 2,000 years. Opponents are taking legal action to stop construction Source: Ethical Corporation

Ethics Wal-Mart has been accused by a Galveston, Texas judge of inappropriate behavior during a number of lawsuits filed against the company. In a lawsuit involving a girl who was burnt after her clothes purchased at Wal-Mart caught fire, the judge found that the company had "repeatedly concealed documents and witnesses." The judge acknowledged nine additional cases in where Wal-Mart was found of noncompliance of court rules. Source: The AP State & Local Wire, February 14, 2001

Health and Safety Walmart has been Criticized for its involvement in Legal Disputes over Health and Safety:

* In June 2004 Wal-Mart was one of 13 major retailers named in a lawsuit filed in California claiming that the companies failed to inform customers that some of the costume jewelry they sell contains lead. In the suit, state Attorney General Bill Lockyer alleged that state tests showed high levels of lead in both metal and nonmetal parts of the costume jewelry, which retailers have been marketing primarily to teenagers and young children. The levels were "well above" that which requires a warning to consumers under California law, according to Lockyer.
* In April 2003 California announced Wal-Mart would temporarily halt firearms sales within the state after justice officials found nearly 500 violations of gun laws by just six stores in one month. Investigators found the stores guilty of illegal sales to felons, releasing firearms to buyers before the 10-day waiting period and background checks were completed, and failures to identify purchasers through thumbprints and a driver's license - as required by state law.
* In April 2003 Wal-Mart agreed to pay a $750,000 penalty to settle a government lawsuit that said the company failed to report safety hazards from defective exercise "glider" machines. In May 2001, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Justice Department accused Wal-Mart of failing to report hazards with Weider and Weslo brand exercise gliders, despite knowing of at least 29 consumers who were injured while trying the equipment in Wal-Mart stores. Injuries included fractured vertebrae, herniated discs and a compression injury to a woman's spine.
* Wal-Mart reported 17,000 cases of falling merchandise resulting in injury to customers between 1989 and 1994. Of those cases, 45 percent to 50 percent resulted in injuries to the head, neck, shoulders and/or upper torso.

Source: USAToday, April 11, 2003, et al.

Legal Disputes In August 2001 Wal-Mart announced it had agreed to comply with Wisconsin's fair pricing law as a settlement to a complaint filed by the state in 2000 alleging the retail giant was selling some items below cost to drive out competitors. The retailer will also donate $15,000 to a high school consumer education contest. Wal-Mart did not admit any wrongdoing in the settlement. Source: Associated Press, Aug. 13, 2001

Legal Disputes In November 2004 Wal-Mart was ordered to pay $765,000 in fines for violating state petroleum storage tank laws at its automobile service centers in Florida. According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection the company failed to register with the state the above ground fuel tanks at all 75 of its Tire & Lube Express service centers in Florida and didn't install devices that prevent overflows, among other problems. Source: AP, Nov. 18, 2004

Legal Disputes In October 2001 Wal-Mart was ordered to pay $13 million to the family of a woman the company had falsely accused of shoplifting, The woman, who had spent a month in jail in 1994 after the store accused her of taking part in a shoplifting ring, died in 2000. The shoplifting charges were dropped after prosecutors discovered there was no evidence to support them, according to a lawyer for the plaintiffs. Source: Associated Press, Oct. 10, 2001

Toxic Emissions or Discharges In May 2004 Wal-Mart was fined $3.1 million for violations of the Clean Water Act at 24 construction sites. The violations involved excessive storm water runoff, which carries sediment, pesticides, chemicals, solvents and other toxic substances into waterways. The settlement covered allegations that the company failed to get permits before construction, had not developed plans to control polluted runoff water and did not install required controls to prevent discharges.The company had been fined $1 million for violations of the Clean Water Act at different construction sites in 2001. (See realted Alert item.) Source: Ethical Corporation

Toxic Emissions or Discharges In June 2001, Wal-Mart announced it would pay $1 million in fines to settle charges that it violated environmental laws while building stores in four states. The company, which builds more than 300 stores a year, was accused by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of violating Clean Water Act regulations and illegally discharging dirt from 17 construction sites in Massachusetts, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Wal-Mart also agreed to better monitor future construction. (See related Alert item.) Source: Associated Press, June 7, 2001

Unionization In February 2005 workers at a Colorado Wal-Mart voted not to unionize. In January employees won approval to hold the election, which would have made the workers at the store the first union workers at the Wal-Mart's. However, in a secret-ballot election 18 workers voted against representation by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. The negative vote came shortly after Wal-Mart decided to close a store in Quebec where workers were close to reaching a union contract. (See related item.) Source: CNN, Feb. 25, 2005

More Moore publishing Indy maybe

A Call to Action: Support the Indy Press

"Jennifer Nix has a challenge to progressives: put your money where your mouth is, and help build the independent press. Who will respond?"

MediaChannel | Media Reform Runup

Hmmm. Bartleby/Moby

Moby Blook

The New Yorker: Fiction, Issue of 2005-05-16

New fiction's up. Yah!!

The New Yorker

Reality authoring

"The novelist Laurie Stone understood that her desire to go into the box was a symptom of something, she just didn't know of what. Ms. Stone, 58, will have a month to consider her decision from the confines of a sleek-angled structure, about 140 square feet, whose walls resemble shoji screens made not of rice paper but of translucent cellular plastic panels. Her temporary home was built just for her, in a converted factory in Queens."

Would You, Could You in a Box? (Write, That Is.) - New York Times

'American Life' radio host branches out into TV

"Former Chicago playwright David Mamet has said Ira Glass reinvented radio. But can he reinvent television?"

'American Life' radio host branches out into TV

PSA: Tick season

After a lovely morning outside with my nearly-two daughter, I feel something crawling up into the nether regions. (I am wearing shorts.) Yes - it is tick season, in case you weren't sure. I banished that tick to live out the rest of its evil life with all of my feces and urine, well below the ground, and commenced my yearly tick panic. Apparently there's a nasty new strain of Lyme out there.

My body is itchy all over.

Boston

OK, I know I mentioned this post to a few people and it probably sounded like it would be a lot better than this. I just decided not to spend the entire trip writing down pithy anecdotes and observations, and I don't have the impetus to go back and doctor it up. Here it is.

--------------
2:23 Boarded the train. L promptly ordered a Tazo Calm tea. Having been on a train exactly two other times in my life (to/from Washington D.C.) I can safely say that I am most comfortable with the amenities provided by business class. Rode coach last time, sprung for the good seats this time. Scenic countryside is bare trees and scrub brush. Probably will shift into green as we get further south.

2:55P Realized that my complimentary soft drink can actually be a Starbucks coffee. I had my second-ever Starbucks coffee. Seeing as I already paid for this one, I think I'll get my money's worth. Let's conduct an exercise in delayed gratifiction and postpone the drink until later.

3:15P Have passed three trailer parks. The first two were a disappointment, but really: would a train pass through neighborhoods of gorgeous houses? Not likely. People who can afford gorgeous houses can afford for them to be located out of earshot of train whistles.
Brought two new books with me for the trip, just arrived in the mail today from Powells.com: "A Garlic Testament: Seasons on a Small New Mexico Farm", which gets the following description: "From his New Mexico mountain home, award-winning author Stanley Crawford writes about growing garlic and selling it. This book is a favorite not only for its assemblage of garlic and farming lore but for what it tells us about how to live a satisfying life." Sounds good to me. Planning to include garlic, lots of it, in our garden this year. ""Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules" is a collection of short stories - some classic, others impending - selected and introduced by David Sedaris." Many fine authors, including MH oft-appreciated Tobias Wolff.

3:31PM First lines are not, for me, make-or-break when reading short stories, but a good one - a really good one - is delicious. Sometimes I like to put a book or story down when it's just getting really good, or when I just read something that really did it for me, and then savor the anticpation of getting back to the story later. Delayed gratification again. Here: "When Frankin D. Roosevelt was president-elect there must have been sculptors all over America who wanted a chance to model his head from life, but my mother had connections." That sense that you're about to read something different, a story with something you haven't seen before - and then putting it down, knowing you've got something good waiting for you. That's nice.

"The Station Agent": good movie.

4:02PM. Caved - freshly brewed coffee cooling in front of me. She went to get it from the carafe but then couldn't remember whether she'd put decaf into the decaf carafe or the regular carafe, so she made a fresh batch and just brought me a cup. Complimentary caffeine!

4:15P. How do we know when our stop is coming? I should put this away.

6:03P. "Welcome to the Park Plaza. Just so you know, we've given you a complimentary room upgrade. You'll now be staying in a top floor suite." Access to the restricted lounge! Free amenities too numerous to list! Probably not that big a deal, except I'm close to receiving my Official Hick Status and have never spent a few minutes relaxing with quality hors douvres in the restricted top-floor lounge, so our heads our spinning.

Counted 14 iPods after leaving the train.

8:46P. Can't stop counting iPods. 27. Walked around, ate Italian food, adjourned to hotel, watching "I Love the 70's" in underwear. Going to throw chairs out window (on fire) after show is finished. Rock & roll!

11:31A. Watched many hours of television last night - this is what happens when you don't have television at home. The Daily Show and Adult Swim had us laughing.
Saw L into her training and retired to the Towers Lounge for the newspaper, coffee, and failed attempts to contact C.L. for lunch. Had a wonderful walk around the park, enjoying the trees and swans and ducks. Of course: a couple asked me to take their picture on the footbridge. Saw other people crouching next to ambivalent ducks for photos, next to flower beds. Who looks at these photos years later and fondly remembers the flower bed? They're great when you're right there, but really. I took pictures of flower beds in Paris, long ago, and my standout memories are T.W. getting shit on by a bird (and I have a picture of that, which I'll gladly post here, pending T.W. approval) and getting woken up obscenely early (for a high schooler) by an obscenely chipper French wake-up call. That's it. The flowers in Paris are the flowers in Boston.
The nearest independent coffee shop/bookstore is Trident. I may hoof it down there, or meet J.L. there for lunch.
A half naked man was out on his patio last night. He probably thought he was out of sight, as his patio is near the top of another building, but I could see right down there.

8:45A. After the park yesterday, I loitered around the lounge and the room, reading, eating, relaxing, and then walked all the way down Newbury to eat lunch at Trident Booksellers and Cafe. It's a nice little place, bookshelves at nice odd angles to each other, plenty of magazines, interesting titles on display tables. Almost bought "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle" on a whim. Had an avacado and havarti melt with heated potato chips and a pickle, water on the side. Caught a cab to the Museum of Science, where J.L. works. Spent the afternoon with her - toured the museum, walked through the city. We parted in the hotel and, waiting for the elevators, I see a big group of burly men walk to a private elevator, and who but Hillary Clinton in the middle. I was so surprised, I missed my elevator and had to catch the next one. When I rounded the corner in the hall leading to my room, the burly men were right there, all looking at me. Turns out the presidential suite is two doors down from our room. Was woken up periodically through the night by laughing and very loud AC/DC coming from her room.
After the training adjourned, we walked to Papa Razzi for dinner. Delicious food, outstanding wine, great place.

Going Under Cover with Book Search Tools

"By Gary Price, News EditorMay 4, 2005
Google, Amazon and others offer really useful "search inside the book" tools, but they're not always the easiest features to use. Here's a closer look at getting the most from online book search services.
A few weeks ago we blogged about Google offering a new shortcut that allows searchers to include books from the Google Print program on a search results page. By beginning your search with the word "book" or "books" you should see three book titles in a OneBox on your results page.
One problem: Google doesn't offer any way to limit your search to only Google Print material. However, there's a simple "hack" I've discovered that lets you run a keyword search with results limited solely to items included in Google Print."

Read the rest here.

So: you support the Red Sox because they're your "home team" but you won't support your local coffee shops over the Away Team?

Sure you will.

Delocator.net

The New Yorker: Fiction, May 05

New issue's out. Here's the fiction.

The New Yorker: Fiction

Pam Anderson Releases Explicit New Video

Pam Anderson Video

Nice - May Sarton

From The Writer's Almanac (where you can hear it read to you):

"TUESDAY, 3 MAY, 2005

Poem: "An Observation" by May Sarton from A Private Mythology. © W.W. Norton & Co.

An Observation

True gardeners cannot bear a glove
Between the sure touch and the tender root,
Must let their hands grow knotted as they move
With a rough sensitivity about
Under the earth, between the rock and shoot,
Never to bruise or wound the hidden fruit.
And so I watched my mother's hands grow scarred,
She who could heal the wounded plant or friend
With the same vulnerable yet rigorous love;
I minded once to see her beauty gnarled,
But now her truth is given me to live,
As I learn for myself we must be hard
To move among the tender with an open hand,
And to stay sensitive up to the end
Pay with some toughness for a gentle world.



Literary and Historical Notes:

It's the birthday of May Sarton, poet and essayist, novelist, born in Belgium in the village of Wondelgem in 1912. Her family fled the country during World War I. She grew up in Massachusetts, but settled in New York City. She wanted to become an actress, and she spent eight years during the Great Depression before her theater company went out of business. She said, "After my theater failed, I never looked back. It was like a fever out of my system. The theater is an angel with feet tied to bags of gold. You can't move without money. It's much better to be a writer. You just need a room."

In the same year her theater shut down, she published her first book of poems, Encounter in April (1937).

She went on to write many more books of poems, and many novels. None of the books sold especially well. She struggled to pay the bills. In her novel Mrs. Stevens Hears the Mermaids Singing, (1965) she wrote, "There were moments ... when it seemed that all one could be asked was just to keep the ashtrays clean, the bed made, the wastebaskets emptied, as if one never got to the real things because of the constant exhausting battle to keep ordinary life from falling apart."

That novel, Mrs. Stevens Hears the Mermaids Singing, tells the story of an elderly lesbian poet looking back on her life, and it was May Sarton's way of announcing her sexuality to the world. Around the same time, the mid '60s, she also began publishing her journals, writing about her daily routines, what she called "the sacramentalization of ordinary life."

And though she didn't get much critical attention, she began to develop a large following. She'd go off to read her poetry at colleges, and when she showed up, the rooms were packed and she got standing ovations.

In the last 15 years of her life, she published a series of journals about aging: At Seventy and After the Stroke. May Sarton, who said, "If I were in solitary confinement, I'd never write another novel and probably not keep a journal, but I'd write poetry because poems, you see, are between God and me." She said, "My cat likes to go out at one in the morning, so I have to let him out. And at two he meows to come in. [During that time] I make notes for poems. And then in the morning, when I'm all there, as much as I ever am, I work at them. I would not still be a poet without the cat." "

Independent booksellers

"Indie bookstore woes, redux

A kind reader points us to the sad news that another of the twin cities' independent booksellers, Bound to Be Read, will be closing its doors (as well as those of its Albuquerque, NM sister store) this summer.

Bookninja linked the other day to this article from 1999 by David Kornhaber that asserts the now familiar lament that book superstores are changing the way Americans read, to the detriment of literary culure as a whole. It's not just a sad local commentary on today's economics. It's a cultural problem for both readers and writers. "

Read whole article here.

Free Press : Save PBS from partisan operatives

I try not to get political on this blog, but this needs attention. Please click on the link below and take a moment to sign the petition. Thanks.

"Kenneth Tomlinson, the Republican chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) -- the government-funded organization that was designed to shield PBS from political pressure -- is aggressively pressing PBS to correct what he considers "liberal bias."

This top-down partisan meddling goes against the very nature of PBS and the local stations we trust. Let the people speak and decide the future of PBS, not secret dealings by White House operatives.

Sign this petition to demand that Congress, the CPB and PBS station managers remove Tomlinson and support town meetings in your community on the future of PBS. "

Free Press : Save PBS from partisan operatives

The Paris Review - new issue is out

The Paris Review - Homepage

Not enough women

Like the author of this blog post at Conversational Reading, I have more often than not been steered, and steered myself, consciously and unconsciously, toward male writers. I am often encouraged to read Rubyfruit Jungle and Mists of Avalon, but so many books, so little time. Those are on my TBR list; so are these.

Conversational Reading: Women Writers Update

Consumer reports: Stevia

I am always interested in small, effortless ways to increase the
healthiness of my food intake. Thus I purchased Stevia Plus at Wild
Oats this weekend. Think of Nutrasweet, except that it's not made out
of carcinogens. It's healthy, it doesn't effect blood sugar, it
sweetens your coffee (my intended use). Less sugar means a healthier
me. So I stirred some into my travel mug of coffee this morning.

Consumer reports that this stuff tastes like hobo sweat mixed with
turpentine. Or how I would imagine that to taste. It's just awful.
Back to the sugar.

Recommendation: don't buy stevia. (actually, if you use nutrasweet,
it probably tastes like that, and is about 300 times healthier, so try
it. Otherwise, pour some sugar.)

Drake

Some readers of this blog may laugh, thinking how far behind I am musically, but I was just recently introduced to Nick Drake's "Pink Moon" album. If you haven't heard this, it's really, really good. Mellow, acoustic, haunted. Would not be out of place in an extended "Twin Peaks" soundtrack. I've got access to some of the music from his other two albums and also the compilation ("Into the Blue", I think) of unreleased material, less acoustic but not out of line when listened to right after "Pink Moon". There's a box set of all four CD's - "Fruit Tree". Music often fits into certain moods, or times, or events, but this one feels dead-on for more than one setting - rainy day, rainy evening, sunny afternoon, summer drive to the beach, evening nap (this one tested by Magazine Husband staff just the other night, and yes, I slept like a baby when I went to bed) - it's good.

Bad Business Slang

To be worked into workplace conversations at every opportunity!

I would craft a fine post on the culture-nerd habit of dropping in quotes from everything wherever possible, snickering at his/her own creativity/humor/intelligence (a favorite hobby of mine) but, alas, I have to go throw in laundry and scrub the tub. I'm a daisy if I do.

Baaaaaad business slang

Foods to Help Cut Cancer Risk

"The latest news from the research front is pretty specific about foods that affect your cancer risk. The findings below were reported this month at a meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research:

University of Pittsburgh researchers found that capsaicin (the substance that makes chili hot) caused pancreatic cancer cells, grown in the laboratory, to self destruct. They also found that phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), a constituent of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, interfered with a protein needed for the growth of ovarian cancer tumors.

In a study in Hawaii, researchers found that subjects with the highest intake of processed meat increased their risk of pancreatic cancer by 67 percent; a high intake of red meat (including pork) led to a 50 percent increase in risk.

A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids may protect women from breast cancer even before birth. In an animal study, Louisiana State University researchers found that risk of mammary cancer dropped dramatically among mice whose mothers ate diets high in omega-3 fatty acids while pregnant and nursing. "

More

Wal-Mart's Culture of Crime and Greed

Wal-Mart's Culture of Crime and Greed
By Jonathan Tasini
AlterNet.org

Manipulation, greed and wrongdoing in the name of profit are as much a part of the Wal-Mart business model as are those low, low prices.

The Beast of Bentonville (better known as Wal-Mart) is grappling with a spate of management dismissals and investigations over the past few months that appear rooted in internal petty thievery. But rather than a few bad apples being rooted out, it's clear that crime, greed, wrongdoing, malfeasance and cronyism are deeply embedded in the Wal-Mart business model. Indeed, Wal-Mart could not survive without manipulating the system and breaking the law.

In case you didn't catch it, Thomas Coughlin - a former vice chair of the company and at one time a potential future CEO candidate - was forced to resign from the board because of, as the British Financial Times reported on its front page, an "alleged unauthorized use of corporate-owned gift cards and personal reimbursements that appear to have been obtained from the company through the reporting of false information on third-party invoices and company expense reports. The amount in controversy is estimated to be in the range of $100,000 to $500,000." Translation: the guy padded his expense accounts.

In the current investigation, three other employees, including a company officer, were also dismissed. And back in December, three other executives and four employees were fired for violating "unspecified" company rules. I would venture to guess that those rules had nothing to do, for example, with treating workers badly (that kind of conduct actually calls for a promotion at the Beast of Bentonville, or at least a one-time visit to the company's executive washroom) but with other financial wrongdoing.

But why should this be surprising? The culture of Wal-Mart encourages and condones misbehavior among its leaders every day. Let me tick off just the highlights - or lowlights, as the case may be."

Read the article at: Wal-Mart's Culture of Crime and Greed

AlterNet: An Argument for Writers' Taking Charge

"Reaching beyond traditional venues and seeking out new audiences, indie writers and publishers are rolling up their sleeves and carving out new networks through which literature can be promoted.

In reviewing the third volume in Norman Sherry's biography of Graham Greene for The New York Times last year, Paul Theroux lamented the decline of literature's impact on mainstream culture. He wrote:

It is impossible now for any American under the age of 60 or so to comprehend the literary world that existed in the two decades after World War II, and especially the magic that fiction writers exerted upon the public.

Theroux's point rings loud to writers, publishers, agents, editors, and booksellers alike. Even young people, new to the trade, long for the time we never actually knew when publishing wasn't dominated by faceless corporations and the public was hungrier for good books.

But Theroux takes his criticism of today's literary landscape one step further when he characterizes ours as "an age of intrusion, where publishers conspire with bookstores to bully writers into the open and make them part of the selling mechanism. This weird and philistine exhibitionism is now the way of the world."

It is an odd notion that 21st-century writers are a bullied lot. If anything, writers tend to be ignored by their publishers; most writers can scarcely imagine a situation in which a publisher makes promotional demands of them.

Anyway, writers should embrace the hard work that is now required to promote their books. Too often, authors watch passively as their books fail to climb onto best-seller lists. Some still presume their talent alone will lead to a New York Times review, even though the newspaper can only cover a handful of books every week--while in the year 2003, 175,000 new books were published. There's tough competition out there. Having a book launched by Random House or HarperCollins is no longer any guarantee that high-profile reviews and brisk sales will follow."

Read the rest of the article here.

The New York Times > The Souped-Up, Knock-Out, Total Fiction Experience

The Souped-Up, Knock-Out, Total Fiction Experience
By CHARLES McGRATH

WHEN it comes to art, we are a nation of extremists. American writing, painting and music have always swung between the minimal and the maximal, the Apollonian and the Dionysian. We believe with equal fervor in artistic self-effacement and artistic self-aggrandizement. We like tiny, well-made stuff and also great sprawling messes; art that is full of feeling and also art that aspires to a kind of icy perfection.

The result is a culture that has given us both Audubon and Bierstadt; Dickinson and Whitman; Hemingway and Dreiser; Philip Glass and Leonard Bernstein. The pattern may even extend to politics, with the system yielding up blunt, plain-spoken Harry Truman and sexy, stem-winding Bill Clinton.

All the phases of the culture are not necessarily in sync. At the moment, for example, while a minimalist aesthetic, or the tail end of one, still manifests itself in a lot of painting and music, we are living in age of maximalist novels - books less concerned with le mot juste than with being full-service entertainment centers.

These are long books, for the most part, and not always easy reads; they aspire to a condition of larger-than-lifeness, and frequently come decked out with extra bells and whistles- clever textual devices, say, or over-the-top descriptions and set pieces. They are not, one would think, particularly well-suited to our current moment of collective attention deficit, of sound bites and instant messaging, and yet that's exactly the point; at one level or another the maximalist books are all worried about the ways in which our lives and the printed page fail to match up.

This trend goes back at least to "Infinite Jest," David Foster Wallace's 1996 epic, which at 1,079 pages is also the heavyweight champion of the category - a book so dense and complicated that the critic Sven Birkerts suggested it was powered by an internal computer. (It's set at a moment when time has, in effect, acquired corporate sponsorship, and thus takes place in the Year of the Depend Adult Undergarment.)

Other examples include Thomas Pynchon's "Mason & Dixon" (1997), a 770-page feat that recapitulates most of the 18th century in a pastiche of 18th-century language, and features a runaway four-ton cheese and both talking clocks and a talking dog; Dave Eggers's 2000 memoir "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" (not a novel, but nonetheless an influential text in the maximal movement because of the way it makes fun of all the furniture of bookmaking - the acknowledgements, the dedication, and so on - and also, while at the same time being deeply affecting, includes its own reading guide); and Jonathan Franzen's moving family saga "The Corrections" (2001), which manages to include, instead of a talking dog or a talking clock, talking feces.

The most recent example is Jonathan Safran Foer's new novel, his second, whose title alone announces which end of the minimal-maximal spectrum it's coming from: "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close." Mr. Foer's first novel, "Everything Is Illuminated," was arguably only semi-maximalist; embedded within itself, it contained another novel, in a completely different style. The framing text was realistic, more or less. The interior text was a sort of shtetl version of magical realism-the kind of thing that might have resulted had Gabriel García Márquez been born in Ukraine instead of Colombia-and included, for example, a bad smell that enters "the mouth of the sleeping for long enough to misdirect their dreams before exiting with the next snore."

In the new novel, the barrier separating one kind of text from another has evaporated, and there are flashes of magical realism all over the place, not to mention every new accessory from the typographer's catalogue: photographs (including one of mating turtles, another of strolling apes), blank pages, pages so densely printed they're an illegible smudge, and at the end a kind of child's flipbook that shows a man falling upwards.

"Extremely Loud" is hugely ambitious - one of the first novels to explicitly take on the 9/11 catastrophe - and in keeping with its emotional and thematic urgency, it resorts to a kind of hyperactive style. The protagonist, a 9-year-old prodigy, sounds like Holden Caulfield on Ritalin: "In bed that night I invented a special drain that would be under every pillow in New York and would connect to the reservoir. Whenever people cried themselves to sleep the tears would all go to the same place, and in the morning the weatherman could report if the Reservoir of Tears had gone up or down."

Like all the maximalist books, "Extremely Loud" entails a certain amount of showing off, of deliberately sending up one firework after another. You can't write this way unless you have talent and confidence to burn, and Mr. Foer, who is only 28, goes about novel-writing with the energy and abandon of someone who has apparently discovered there's nothing he can't do.

But the book's multitude of tricks and devices also betrays a certain anxiety - a concern that no one style or mode can do justice to the events of 9/11 - and the other maximalist books occasionally suggest a similar inferiority complex . They're so eager to grab our attention that they begin to imply a lack of faith in the novelistic enterprise itself - a fear that without all the bells and whistles no one will pay attention, or maybe just a concern that the old, realistic kind of fiction, the kind that pretended the novel was a direct window onto reality, is worn out, used up, or was insufficient in the first place.

The "Infinite Jest" of the Foster Wallace book is a movie so pleasurable that watching it turns the viewer catatonic. How can a mere novel compete with that?

The maxibooks are all very self-conscious about being just that: books. With footnotes or typography or a steady stream of literary references and allusions, they're always reminding you that what you're holding in your hand is an artifact, something made up. This is an old riff, going back to "Don Quixote" and to Laurence Sterne's "Tristram Shandy," an 18th-century novel that is always commenting on its own process of composition, and at the peak of post-modernism, the moment of Robert Coover and John Barth, a self-conscious nod in this direction was practically obligatory.

With the maximalist writers, though, the gesture sometimes seems less jokey and knowing than defensive and apologetic, suffused with an awareness that in our multimedia culture books are an old and threatened technology. When it comes to writing, they seem to be saying , even too much may not be enough.

Crimes Against the Reader and other ingredients

Mid-last week I sent out this entreaty to friends and colleagues, thinking it a slam dunk, one we all could get behind:
=======================
"Hi. I thought you might be interested in this campaign to stop corporations from marketing junk food to children in schools and communities. Please take a minute to visit the link below; you can learn more about a recently introduced bill and you can send an email to your U.S. Senators.

Take action now at http://www.democracyinaction.org/commercialalert/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=592 "

=======================

Alas, I had included on my list of recipients someone who historically takes jabs at others to boost their own faltering self-esteem, and maturity (for lack of a better word) has not tempered this tendency - thus, this response:

=======================
"Just more of them to love... if you need your government to regulate when you take your kids to McDonald's then maybe we should have them tuck them in at night too... =)"
=======================

I can't help but respond. Maybe this is a stab at metaphor, or something along those lines, but the truth is that this measure is less about when you, proud parent, poison your kid with McDonald's "food" (though, to be fair, some schools have done away with having meals provided by cafeteria services and have opted to plop Taco Bells right into the schools, and one would hope that an addendum to this bill would discourage that practice as well). This measure is more about vending machines and soda and nutritionally bankrupt food in schools, where the kids are captive audiences.

Now, I know the sender of this spent the better part of the late 90's subsisting entirely on Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Mountain Dew - truly - but I have to wonder about when people stop thinking and let whatever they hear on right wing (or left wing) radio, or even "fair and balanced" television - stand as holy gospel. Given how it's no secret now that a large number of "news stories" in recent years have been turned over to government-produced "video news releases" (a practice that may be on its way out), it makes one wonder who is doing what their government tells them to do in this situation. After all, the television shows healthy buff sportos downing Mountain Dew before that big X-Games event. Heaven knows television doesn't lie to us. Anti-regulation nutjobs are the ones who put guns in childrens' hands, and if you think obesity A) isn't really a problem B) isn't tied to what is available to kids in school, then maybe you ought to put down the Dew and try an apple or banana, because you ain't thinkin' straight.

While you're at it, read "Fast Food Nation". You might get a different idea about your constitutionally protected right (...?) to take your tots to McD's.
=================

Essay by Rick Moody on book contests, sadly cut off but available on newstands:

The Believer - Crimes Against the Reader

Ahhh: gardening season has commenced.

Good reading.

The haul from Goodwill

Nothing more than $2.00:

The English Patient, Michael Ondaatje
Ian McEwan, Atonement
Philip Roth, Operation Shylock
Joyce Carol Oates, We Were the Mulvaneys
David Sedaris, Me Talk Pretty One Day
John Banville, The Untouchable
John Banville, Shroud
E. Annie Proulx, Accordion Crimes
John Muir, Wilderness Essays
Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon

Subject: Plans for the Popemobile?

Yahoo! News - Pope Benedict XVI Gets E-Mail Address

Chef report

Making, for the first time, three bean chili with chive-flecked dumplings. It's another crockpot meal from the fantastic
slow cooker cookbook I have referred to in the past. Without the chives, as we are chiveless. I've never made dumplings of any sort, and so far they are a gelatinous blob sulking on the top of my otherwise simple chili. 19 minutes to go. Cook dumplings cook!