Critical Breakdown

New York's Critical Mass was busted last night as a prep-up for protests surrounding the Republican National Convention next week.

I can't say if the riders who were arrested (around 264 out of an estimated 5000) were in blatant disregard for the basic rules of Critical Mass that police tend to respect (stay in the right lane of traffic, for instance), or if it was a sensitized police department trying to set a tone for next week.

But, I can say that the media has decided to portray the thing how it wants to. Here's the lead from the New York Daily News article [emphasis added]:

Manhattan was spin city last night as 5,000 activists on bicycles swarmed city streets and snarled traffic during a protest of the upcoming Republican National Convention.

Spin city, indeed... Here, buried deep in the article, is the contradictory statement that briefly explains what Critical Mass is...

The ride, organized by an environmental group called Time's Up and dubbed "Critical Mass," is held in the city on the last Friday of every month but never near the scale of last night.

The "scale" of the event is what the paper uses to defend its claim that the ride was a RNC protest, but that scale makes logical sense. Late summer rides are universally the most atteneded CM events, especially if weather is nice. I rode in December and there were maybe 30 people, but just a few months prior on a beautiful Halloween evening the ride began with a couple thousand. I was told the August ride had been even larger. Now, add in people arriving in New York to protest the RNC (it's certainly a liberal crowd on these rides) and you add even more to the number. So, the "scale" is no excuse for changing the entire purpose of the ride to push one's editorial plan for the upcoming Convention.

Here's the link to New York's Critical Mass.

And, here's a link to the CMs going on across North America. You'll notice it isn't even limited to Blue states/regions.

The Race Card

I previously wrote that I believed the U.S. Men's Basketball team would not medal in the Olympic Games. I said this because the level of competition around the world has really stepped up since 1992, because the U.S. had no point guard on the team, no shooters on the team, no role-players on the team, the team was not accustomed to playing under international rules, had very few practices together, and many of the best players in the county were left at home.

But it turns out I was wrong. I didn't like this team because I'm a racist.

Jason Whitlock, an attention-hogging columnist for the Kansas City Star and ESPN.com's Page 2, makes that point in his column posted yesterday.

I'd do something to refute his points, but they are so outlandish on their face I don't feel the need to. Then again, Whitlock made me talk about him, so I guess he's achieved his goal.

You Got Tickets?

This from my friend Josh who is in New York City this week:

I went into the NBC Studios building and I asked
how the Conan tickets work. Well, it was explained to
me along with the fact that Conan's off this week..
but he ended by saying "But I do have some Carson Daly
tickets here you can have." I said no thanks, and he
quickly replied "yeah- I understand."

Read This : Or Else

My favorite mini-comics creator, Kevin Huizenga, is apparently working on a series for Drawn and Quarterly titled Or Else, which looks to include some of his most interesting pieces from the Super Monster days and new work as well. Check out the sample pages (like this one) and I think you'll see why I think Huizenga has the best sense of visual rhythm in the comics scene right now.

Death Ray

In the coming days, my review of Eightball #23 by Daniel Clowes should be popping up on Pop Matters, but if you want to totally ruin the experience of reading that marvelous piece of criticism....

Check out the intensive, extensively informed review of the same Eightball book by Isaac Cates at Indy Magazine.

We touch on a lot of the same points, but Cates is where I can only hope to be in a decade's time (although we both probably wouldn't mind some monetary compensation).

While you're there, check out the rest of the alternative comics zine which proves there are genuine comic book scholars out there in the world.

On the Importance of Differentiating Fantasy from Reality

I don't believe that games don't have an effect: if I thought a cultural object didn't have an effect on me, whether it's a film, a novel or video game, I wouldn't bother engaging with it. I want to be entertained, or scared, or surprised, or made to laugh or to have my mind expanded, whatever. In fact, if the cultural artifact fails to do this well enough then it's probably no good as a cultural artifact. God knows, advertisers seem pretty convinced that their work has an effect. But the reason the Stefan Pakeerah case made the front pages of the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror and rated mentions in several other media publications is precisely that such an extreme response is so very unusual. Do we really want to ban a game on that basis? Furthermore, do we really want to ban a whole slew of games on that basis?

Over at Pop Matters, Colin Harvey discusses some of the nuance in the violence in videogames debate.

GeometERRIFYING!

(es+u+cs+t)squared + s + (tl+f)/2 + (a+dr+fs)/n + sin x-1 = scary movie

That is the mathematical formula which determines the scariness of a film according to a group of British mathematicians.

In my mind, the formula is too rooted in suspense and largely ignores imagery (setting is maybe the one nod to that form of creepiness). Really great horror movies have images that haunt you like waking nightmares, and those are the moments that get seered into the collective conscious. In The Shining, there's the hallway scene. In The Exorcist, there's the head spinning. When you hear the name of a movie that scared you, there are images that immediately reveal themselves from the fog of memory.

But this attempt at systemizing fright, fails to acknowledge something beyond tension in a horror film.

One of the reasons I actually prefer the American version of The Ring over its Japanese source is the prior's tapping of the kind of images that our conscious thought recoils from but our subconscious has some morbid fascination with. One can picture the director sitting around with friends making a list of scary images: "Alright, so we've got bucket of maggots, blank stares on children and pitch black pools of water... Anybody got thoughts on horse carcasses?" These are the things (aside from that weird music) that still rest precariously inside my head. That's the important thing in a horror movie, what carries on after the film reel has ended. Everything else just falls into the genre of Suspense. So, take the entire algorithm and multiply it by the variable "i" for "images".

While on the subject of the two Ring movies and this formula, I'll add a note on my favor for the use of the "true life" variable. My biggest turn-off to the Japanese film was the psychic bonds of the main characters as it destroyed my human empathy for them. Call me a mutant hater, but I'm not a fan of protagonists with magic powers in horror films.

While on the subject of British systems, I should also note that I think we (America) should adapt the procedure of punctuating a sentence outside of quotation marks. It makes life almost easiest enough to bear.

More on Henson Co Projects

Quentin Tarantino will have - it's not totally certain from the article - at least a cameo role in The Muppets' Wizard of Oz although the word "star" is thrown out in the lead.

Neil Gaiman (Sandman) has posted some additional stills from his Mirror Mask film directed by Dave McKean (Cages) and produced by the Jim Henson Company. I'm most astounded by this very McKean-ish shot. Keep in mind this is a live action film.

In Billy We Trust

If I had more time in the day, I'd write more often for this blog. If I had even more time in the day, I'd start my own baseball blog. As it is, I'll have to settle for being a moderator for the message boards over at White Sox Interactive (shameless plug).

If I had that blog I'd like to do things like...oh, I don't know...interview the general manager for my favorite team. Tyler Bleszinski over at Athletics Nation got the chance to do that very thing with the best GM in baseball today, Billy Beane.

Beane has had outstanding success with the Oakland A's since taking over the team. He's done it in a slightly controversial way, throwing away some conventional baseball wisdom and questioning the dogmas and theories that have been in the games for decades. He's even had a book written about him, "Moneyball." (A must-read for any baseball fan) Nobody can claim his philosophy doesn't work -- he's well on his way to guiding the team to its 5th consecutive playoff appearance.

Part one of the interview, for the most part, discusses this year's Oakland A's club. The second part is probably the most interesting, tackling the myth and mystique of the book "Moneyball," written by Michael Lewis. Part three wraps up with a look at the playoff ststem in baseball, the future, and people "getting" what he's trying to do as a general manager.

I think the most intersting lines in the interview come in Part Two when Beane talks about his philosophy. So many have tried to pigeon-hole the team into a "softball team" that relies on the home run and the walk, forgetting about the "little things" like bunting and stealing bases. To address that Beane says:

For us, it’s all about filling in on the backend and figuring out what people
are undervaluing. You know, one day we’re going to have a team with guys who
steal 50 bases because people aren’t paying for it. But it’s all about wins.
That’s all that matters.

The point being Beane doesn't care how he wins. It just so happened that when he began his tenure as GM, on-base percentage and home runs were generally undervalued in the game. That's changing now, and so are the A's. The team is now one of the leaders in defense and pitching.

It's a great interview and a fascinating read. I only wish the White Sox would find a general manger with half the skill of Billy Beane. Instead the team is stuck with Kenny Williams. But hey, at least we're not in 4th place this year...yet. And it's not like we traded the top prospect in the organization for a slightly better than average starting pitcher. Oh...wait.

Fireside Bowl Closed

Chicago punk mecca The Fireside Bowl has closed... not because of pressure from the city as the venue has faced for years now, but instead from the owner's decision to return it to its former bowling alley state.

Update

Saturday night the safe was removed from the club signalling the end of the Fireside's strange, tumultuous and endearing legacy as a punk institution. This happened without much notice. Employees knew there was an eventual plan to nix concerts from the venue but figured the shut down was still about a year away. They were told Sunday they would not need to show up for that evening's shift or ever again.

A Conspiracy?

The internet is abuzz with rumors of a reunion of my favorite band, The Black Crowes. Of course, there's also rumors of Chris Robinson working with the DaLeo brothers from Stone Temple Pilots and of marital trouble between Chris and Kate Hudson. And Rich Robinson first solo album comes out Tuesday, August 24th. So nobody hold their breath. Still, some rumors are more promising than no rumors.

If you head on over to the Crowes official website, there is new animation for the first time in forever and a audio file of a classic, classic Chris Robinson scream from a live performance of "Cursed Diamond." I've seen the band twice, once with Jimmy Page, once in Milwaukee on their last tour. And, I got a Rich Robinson guitar pick at the Milwaukee show! (Yeah, me!)

I'm not sure what kind of lineup would be cobbled together for the reunion. Obviously, first choice is the classic lineup of Chris, Rich, Steve Gorman, Ed Harsch, Marc Ford and Johnny Colt. Right now Colt is playing bass for Train and Gorman playing drums for the Stereophonics. And I'm not sure if Marc would be welcomed back with open arms. I'm sure Ed would welcome a get-together, so the bare minimum lineup I'd like to see is Chris, Rich, Steve, and Ed. That's really been the core of the group anyway.

And for those who don't know, Steve Gorman is one hell of a drummer. One of those few guys, like Keith Moon (but obviously not quite in that same league), whose sound on the drum kit actually shapes the band.

I'll be crossing my fingers.

This Photo Essay is for Kristi

...but the rest of you can look too.

The Dilemna of Wrigley Field : Big Media Edition

The City of Chicago has upped its skirmish with the Tribune Company over the crumbling Wrigley Field. Another inspection of the structure's stability is required if the Cubs want to host Monday's game.

Of course, the best part of the whole debacle has been the media coverage. Here are today's headlines from the major newspapers:

Tribune: City orders more Wrigley inspections - Although it's on the front page of the paper, the article is a business-as-usual approach. The Trib would have loved to bury this story like they did earlier pieces regarding falling concrete at the park, but don't want the already suspicious Daley machine to accuse it of doing so. So. Here's the article, but it's not a big deal. Honestly, it is probably an accurate portrayal of this story's importance. (ie Wrigley won't be shut down on Monday)

Sun Times: City threatens to lock fans out - Holy cow! The Sun Times is eating this up with a goofy grin on its face. The bit about fans not being allowed to watch the game (unless they sign a waiver) is a suggestion at the tail of the story. But the Sun Times pulls that cuttable quote to the very head to incite a riot. As much as its shady, I love it.

Underneath the headlines is the story of an LA Times (owned by the Tribune) reporter who claimed an undisclosed source called the repair work on Wrigley "shoddy". She later recanted the statement under the excuse of notes being mixed up. Of course, there are some glaringly dubious explanations for her dismissal of earlier statements... Did she fudge the source quote to add flare to a story without realizing the real effect it could/would have? Did the Tribune force her to pull her initial claim? Neither is very good for perceptions of the media. But maybe that's just the Sun Times in me talking.

The Big Ticket

I've been looking for some good mp3 blogs and found the very enjoyable Big Ticket, which links to the trailer for the new Wes Anderson movie...

And the world was suddenly a little bit brighter.

The Curious Bond of NPR and Al Sharpton

A few of the folks at work are big NPR listeners, so it's often the soundtrack of a shift. For a plethora of reasons I don't care to go, this is my first prolonged exposure to NPR.

One thing I have learned about frequent NPR listeners is this: they have a peculiar affinity for Al Sharpton.

Now, I truly, deeply, madly cannot stand NPR. I think the idea of National Public Radio is a good thing and I have no interest in shutting it down or even changing its editorial voice. But. NPR is the oatmeal of news. What you might not notice in the monotone drull of sludge that is NPR's tone is that news is actually pretty interesting. It doesn't have to be a badge of intellectual courage. Honestly, I enjoy it when a news anchor shows some concern for their content, just enough that I can understand the context and implications of an event without necessarily having them expressly read to me. This is part of the craft of broadcast journalism. I'd say that NPR basically scratches their temple with their middle finger in sight of their audience, but that would actually be interesting and also require you to see them.

So.

When someone who regularly listens to NPR is confronted by the vibrant, emotive Al Sharpton, my theory is that they are smitten by the fabulous world of emotion. This is like when people first saw color television or when Prometheus brought a burning stick into town.

"Did you guys hear that?"
"Yeah, but I don't even know what to call it."
"My buddy Kyle across the street says it's IN-FLECK-SHUN."
"These are truly blessed times."

Olympic-Sized TV Coverage

I've already watched more of the 2004 Olympics than I did of all of the 2000 Olypmics. Why? Certainly not because of increased interest -- I have basically none. But the fact that I can turn on the TV at any point during the day and see some kind of athletic competition is a big plus over how the Games were handled four years ago. Today I saw Team Handball on MSNBC and Table Tennis on Bravo. Synchonized diving is n NBC right now, and who can turn down a chance to see Jim Lampley anchor the Games!

On a related note, I predicted before the Games began the U.S. would not even medal in Men's Basketball. Right now things look fairly good on that prediction. Bill Simmons of ESPN's Page 2 writes much better and much more passionately about the team than I ever could right here.

Sunday Funnies

A number of webcomics I've really enjoyed in the past week or so...

Not Normal : "Jonathan" - Because a good zombie comic is always joy.

A Softer World - Photo comics on an overwhelming scale just don't work. But when A Softer World works (and it does quite often) it works perfectly.

Copper - With the gorgeous surprise success that is Flight and his personal project Daisy Kutter, Kazu Kibuishi is a talent to watch. His style is breathtaking... clean, crisp, vibrant, imaginative, adaptable for a multitude of tones, and all-in-all very professional. Kazu has caught me the same way Craig Thompson did back with a short he did for Expo 2000.

Toothpaste for Dinner - And this strip basically tells the story of my coming home from work on Saturday and much of my day on Sunday. Full site link here; check out the rest.

I'll also note here that my "Republicans for Voldemort" t-shirt from goats.com is apparently adept at picking up chicks. Although I can't take advantage of this at the moment, you certainly can.

Ye (football) gods!

Tuesday Morning Quarterback (the football column for everyone!) is back in action this week.

And with the cool fall-ish weather rolling in to Chicago, we know it's football time again.

Park and Bean (the worst Millenium Park headline ever)

Went to Millenium Park today. Click below for pictures; thoughts will follow.




This is the big face fountain section of the park; needless to say, the chids love it.



Here is the inside of the Cloudgate, known by Chicagoans as the Bean.

Laws of the Unwritten

The meta-art project "Library of Unwritten Books" takes people's ideas for books they'd like-to-write-but-probably-never-will and collects them in a published form.

Now, I realize I am probably sucking the entire life and vibrancy out of the project by writing what I am about to (for that I apologize greatly), but...

Who owns the copyright?

When Labyrinth Met Cages

::Gasp::

The Jim Henson Company is behind a film called Mirrormask written by Neil Gaiman and directed by Dave McKean. Has the Sandman taken hold of me or is this real?

Well, judging from the linked article's emphasis on the business of the film, this is happening in our actual lives.

While it seems short on puppetry largely negating the Henson corner of this awe-striking triumverate, I'm ecstatic to see a Gaiman/McKean work hit the screen. This "adaptation" will be interesting as we see if McKean's distinct page style will effectively transfer to celluloid.

I feel like JHC (ha!) has lost its spirit, bleeding the Muppets dry (they don't even have blood!) and now - it is reported - trying to tap into the financial butter that is Labyrinth and Dark Crystal.

::Sigh::

The Second City Isn't Even That

Reporters across the city are visibly shocked and appalled that Chicago is not on the list of most recent probable targets for Al Qaeda.

You can almost hear the underlying stream of obscenities in their reports (vowels removed for the innocent), "Motherf*cking Newark? New-*ss-f*cking-ark? What the f*ck Al Qaeda? We're the motherf*cking sh*t dispensers for commodities f*cking exchange! You don't get your commodities sh*t lest you come to our f*cking door, b*tches."

Of course, the news has to remove more than the vowels. So, the reports are desperate pleas for Al Qaeda to consider Chicago as a target but because of our awesome security measures to not-even-think-about-it.

A person should, when discovering they are not the targets of a deadly and largely indefensible suicide attack, say to themselves some brief praise to a deity of their choice and/or persuasion. If they are a potential target, they might even avoid advertising to their enemies all the viable and important strategies and locations for such an attack.

But this is the "Second City". Chicagoans take great pride in our place on the ladder of national socio-political influence, and if we can't even have that... well, there's gonna be hell to pay. It's just a question of who's going to be paying.

Man Bites Dog Treat

One thing I have learned in my old age is to not eat dog treats. This very funny experiment (challenge, dare, what-have-you) almost turned horrible. But since it didn't, I'll post the video clip here for the world to enjoy.

At the Zoo

The big news from the zoo was that I found elephant book ends... something I've been hunting down for a while.

But here's a couple photos I took:



Some fish there. Here's a building!

Who Votes for Things?

Finally got to play with some stuff that is long overdue.

-Snazzy New Design. Really needed to pull the visual of the blog closer to where the site is going, so edited one of the blogger templates a bit for the desired effect.

-Snazzy New T-Shirt. Right now, there's just a female version of "The Comma Joke Ringer" aka "Area Hippies...", the second in the Hippie series of RF shirts. I hope to have a few more fun designs up by the end of the week; the Studs merchandise will be coming down.

Things Against Stuff

There's two kinds of fun / there's things and there's stuff / and they just cannot get along / which side you on?

New Danielson Familie song rocks mock caucus.