Random Notes

Last month, I posted a bit about that Facebook movie, The Social Network. That piece was broadcast today on WUWM, Milwaukee Public Radio, NPR.  Good movie. Fun stuff–when technology became as cool as rock ‘n roll.  Have a listen here.

I went to the movies last night and I’m beginning to feel like Dylan’s Mr. Jones. You know, the line from 1965’s Ballad of a Thin Man: “Because something is happening here, but you don’t know what it is, do you, Mr. Jones.” What’s with movies these days? Not that I’ve been living on Mars […]

Somewhere, Kurt Vonnegut wrote that writers should begin a story, any story, novel, whatever, as close as possible to the end.  At least, I think he said that.  Did I dream that?  Anyway, great advice.  And here’s a fine little chalk talk by Mr. Vonnegut.  He’s talking about the simple shapes of stories.  Entertaining and […]

What kind of screwed up world do we live in where American kids don’t care about Swinging London? Kids of my g-g-generation marked the beginning of Modern Cultural Life in 1964—specifically February—Beatles on Ed Sullivan and the subsequent glorious British Invasion of Sixties bands, fashion and…the gorgeous girls—Jane Asher, Jean Shrimpton, Vanessa Redgrave, Patti Boyd, […]

One hundred and ten years ago, somebody was thinking about electronic publishing. On October 17, 1900, George Harvey, president of Harper and Brothers Publishing Company wrote to Samuel Clemons’ literary agent about the great man’s on again off again autobiography.  Clemons, though he had barely begun on the project, refused to allow any publication of […]