For awhile, I've been reluctant to be part of Facebook (a site that combines the homepage appeal of MySpace and the messaging of Twitter--which I joined about a month ago).
But now I've joined and feel happy, but a little overwhelmed.
One thing I've noticed is that quite a few people from all phases of my life are members. And I hope to re-establish contact with some of them.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
When you feel like someone has stepped on your face as that someone climbs the literary ladder.
Recently, a local litizine which operates online released its latest e-issue.
I submitted poems to it. My work wasn't chosen.
Normally, I don't waste space on this blog complaining about rejection re submitting poetry to publications/other poets (with the recent exception of revisiting my years-ago treatment by Name Omitted). Rejection is a fact of the writing life.
But I'll run through another red light and make an exception here.
Years back, when the editor was building her litizine, I was able to submit work and be accepted. And I was able to offer a chapbook of mine for review--and the review appeared.
On top of the above, the editor once asked me to guest-edit one of the issues. I took the assignment quite seriously, read the poems and selected my choices. And I did get a nice thank-you letter.
Now, I'm finding that the litizine won't accept my poetry or make room for reviewing a recent chapbook I offered to submit
Maybe there's too many submissions now (not exactly the case during the litizine's early phase). Maybe the poems I submitted were judged as lacking in quality and standards.
And, maybe, just maybe, I'm not Prestigious enough and the editor (plus her assistant) want to chase Literary Prestige like greyhounds after a mechanical rabbit at the dog track. The chasing of Literary Prestige happens a lot in Los Angeles and, as I've noticed in the past, can lead to poets contorting themselves into pretzels or reinventing themselves to create distance from too-populist coffeehouse pasts.
Click this link and judge for yourself as to the quality of the litizine's standards: http://www.poeticdiversity.org/
I submitted poems to it. My work wasn't chosen.
Normally, I don't waste space on this blog complaining about rejection re submitting poetry to publications/other poets (with the recent exception of revisiting my years-ago treatment by Name Omitted). Rejection is a fact of the writing life.
But I'll run through another red light and make an exception here.
Years back, when the editor was building her litizine, I was able to submit work and be accepted. And I was able to offer a chapbook of mine for review--and the review appeared.
On top of the above, the editor once asked me to guest-edit one of the issues. I took the assignment quite seriously, read the poems and selected my choices. And I did get a nice thank-you letter.
Now, I'm finding that the litizine won't accept my poetry or make room for reviewing a recent chapbook I offered to submit
Maybe there's too many submissions now (not exactly the case during the litizine's early phase). Maybe the poems I submitted were judged as lacking in quality and standards.
And, maybe, just maybe, I'm not Prestigious enough and the editor (plus her assistant) want to chase Literary Prestige like greyhounds after a mechanical rabbit at the dog track. The chasing of Literary Prestige happens a lot in Los Angeles and, as I've noticed in the past, can lead to poets contorting themselves into pretzels or reinventing themselves to create distance from too-populist coffeehouse pasts.
Click this link and judge for yourself as to the quality of the litizine's standards: http://www.poeticdiversity.org/
Monday, April 27, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
And Paul Moyer, veteran L.A. anchorperson, rides off into the sunset.
Paul Moyer, who, until recently was KNBC Channel 4's co-anchor (along with Colleen Williams), has now officially left the station: http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2009/04/paul_moyer_officially_don.php#email
Moyer, who was an embodiment of the conservative-leaning, sometimes-overstated anchorman type beloved by Los Angeles TV station managers (see also Jerry Dunphy, Hal Fishman, Harold Greene), is now replaced by aging, blow-dried Chuck Henry (best known for his long-ago stint hosting KABC's fluffy EYE ON L.A.)--referred to as a "seasoned street reporter" in one memorable KNBC ad.
But KNBC is cut-cut-cutting budget, explaining Moyer's departure and the dumb decision to get rid of the Sacramento bureau.
Moyer, who was an embodiment of the conservative-leaning, sometimes-overstated anchorman type beloved by Los Angeles TV station managers (see also Jerry Dunphy, Hal Fishman, Harold Greene), is now replaced by aging, blow-dried Chuck Henry (best known for his long-ago stint hosting KABC's fluffy EYE ON L.A.)--referred to as a "seasoned street reporter" in one memorable KNBC ad.
But KNBC is cut-cut-cutting budget, explaining Moyer's departure and the dumb decision to get rid of the Sacramento bureau.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Mixed feelings re Rod Lurie's remake of STRAW DOGS.
I have a Criterion DVD of Sam Peckinpah's STRAW DOGS at home, but it's not yet (as of this writing) been watched.
But I've read numerous accounts of the film (namely Marshall Fine's behind-the-scenes chapter in his Peckinpah bio BLOODY SAM) and I'm wondering why film critic-turned-filmmaker Rod Lurie not only feels the need to remake STRAW DOGS, but also remake it as what may turn out as little more than a typical Screen Gems "thriller" programmer:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i2b46d200e6140dd06e48d27fcd9248a6
Exhibit A is the Screen Gems release LAKEVIEW TERRACE, which blends Neil LaBute's "are you a real man" schtick with a conventional "good guy takes down bad guy" third act.
To be fair to Rod Lurie, he's a competent if not outstanding filmmaker. And his NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH (a good film--up until an ill-advised ending) deserves to be seen in its DVD/pay-per-view release after the theatrical release was doomed due to business problems of its original distributor (Yari Film Group).
But I don't see Lurie being capable of making a STRAW DOGS that will either stand on its own or be blessed with attention/controversy/debate decades later, as with the Peckinpah original.
In addition to worries about quality or lack thereof one hopes that Sony's micromanagement won't ensure a PG-13 rating for the STRAW DOGS "reimagining,", as occurred with LAKEVIEW TERRACE.
But I've read numerous accounts of the film (namely Marshall Fine's behind-the-scenes chapter in his Peckinpah bio BLOODY SAM) and I'm wondering why film critic-turned-filmmaker Rod Lurie not only feels the need to remake STRAW DOGS, but also remake it as what may turn out as little more than a typical Screen Gems "thriller" programmer:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i2b46d200e6140dd06e48d27fcd9248a6
Exhibit A is the Screen Gems release LAKEVIEW TERRACE, which blends Neil LaBute's "are you a real man" schtick with a conventional "good guy takes down bad guy" third act.
To be fair to Rod Lurie, he's a competent if not outstanding filmmaker. And his NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH (a good film--up until an ill-advised ending) deserves to be seen in its DVD/pay-per-view release after the theatrical release was doomed due to business problems of its original distributor (Yari Film Group).
But I don't see Lurie being capable of making a STRAW DOGS that will either stand on its own or be blessed with attention/controversy/debate decades later, as with the Peckinpah original.
In addition to worries about quality or lack thereof one hopes that Sony's micromanagement won't ensure a PG-13 rating for the STRAW DOGS "reimagining,", as occurred with LAKEVIEW TERRACE.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Bush torture memos set to music.
Courtesy of musician Jonathan Mann, a little ditty with found lyrics from a George Butch, Jr.-era memo about waterboarding: http://www.rockcookiebottom.com/post/97815385/109-for-this-song-i-took-language-directly-from
http://blog.amnestyusa.org/waronterror/govt-running-out-the-clock-on-torture/
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/04/23/prosecutions/
http://blog.amnestyusa.org/waronterror/govt-running-out-the-clock-on-torture/
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/04/23/prosecutions/
RIP cinematographer/director Jack Cardiff.
The famed cinematographer (and sometimes director) Jack Cardiff, who lensed films as diverse as THE RED SHOES, THE AFRICAN QUEEN and RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II, has passed away at the age of 94.
A link to Jeffrey Wells' post on Cardiff at HOLLYWOOD ELSEWHERE: http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2009/04/eye_of_cardiff.php
A link to Jeffrey Wells' post on Cardiff at HOLLYWOOD ELSEWHERE: http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2009/04/eye_of_cardiff.php
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Literal-minded listserve post re passing of J.G. Ballard.
From the "You can't make this stuff up" department. Here's a post on USENET re the passing of writer J.G. Ballard (CRASH, EMPIRE OF THE SUN):
"I see the young British artists of the past ten years or so from a different perspective. They find themselves in a world totally dominated by advertising, by a corrupt politics carried out as a branch of advertising, and by a reality that is a total fiction controlled by manufacturers, PR firms, and vast entertainment and media corporations. Nothing is real, everything is fake. Bizarrely, most people like it that way..."--JGB
media corporations. Nothing is real, everything is fake. Bizarrely, most people like it that way.
[And here's the response from the USENET poster]
Good grief! Do people really think that way? Out here in flyover country, reality is still pretty real. We work (those of us who still have jobs), raise our children, and have pretty satisfying lives. What the hell is with artists?
"I see the young British artists of the past ten years or so from a different perspective. They find themselves in a world totally dominated by advertising, by a corrupt politics carried out as a branch of advertising, and by a reality that is a total fiction controlled by manufacturers, PR firms, and vast entertainment and media corporations. Nothing is real, everything is fake. Bizarrely, most people like it that way..."--JGB
media corporations. Nothing is real, everything is fake. Bizarrely, most people like it that way.
[And here's the response from the USENET poster]
Good grief! Do people really think that way? Out here in flyover country, reality is still pretty real. We work (those of us who still have jobs), raise our children, and have pretty satisfying lives. What the hell is with artists?
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