A MUCKRAKER OTHER

WARNING: No minced words here. İ rake the muck of the 'other', the so-called open-minded side who's preference is to whine and distort reality. If still suckling mom's tit or warped by delusions of polıtıcally correct equality you WİLL be offended by such materıal. Welcome to Reality.





Michael Stern Hart 1947 - 2011 (E-book pioneer)

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Mr Hart is the man we have most to thank for electronic books, or e-books, as we now know them. Way, way back in 1971 (the "personal computer" didn't even exist because conventional wisdom cried, Who would want to take work home?) as a freshman at the University of Illinois he had access to the mainframe computer and, bored silly, typed the entire Declaration of Independence into the system. When six people downloaded it the young Hart was encouraged to go forth.


He called himself a "cyber-hippie" (but did a stint in the US Army before college) and would go on to found Project Gutenberg, an online library. Quoted in the Chicago Tribune in 1999:
I'm not doing this to make the academic community happy. I am a revolutionary in this neo-industrial revolution. That's why they have trouble with me. How can anyone be troubled by free information?
He died in Urbana, Ill. He was sixty-four. 


Project Gutenberg

Woman journalist questions male audiences preference for action heroes

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This summer's unleash of comic book heroes on the big screens prompted Tribune newspapers writer Rebecca Keegan to pen "Flex time" in which she questioned the merit of so much cinematic muscular action on male audiences. Her cornerstone concern: Muscular summer actions have swaggered back into style [as opposed to the prima donna pretty boys, anti-heroes, and boyish action stars like Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker/Spider Man] but what are they saying to male audiences?


My beef with this 'concern' is why isn't it ever asked aloud regarding the chorus line of effete, scrawny, unmanly and queer characters ubiquitous on television (cable and network) and popping up all over movies? Seems to be that influence warrants an obvious "Hmmm?" But it's not asked in the Tribune newspapers or Newsweek or sophisticated style magazines - Esquire, GQ, Vanity Fair - because that would come off as, oh, intolerant...small-minded...homophobic...male chauvinistic. 


Jason Momoa as Conan
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert - the wonderful actor Guy Pierce was very believable! - Glee, The Big Bang Theory (which is not remotely funny), Ugly Betty apparently say nothing of import to the blockbuster demographic 17-34 y/o males but too many macho images and intellectuals want to organize dialogues. Thor, Captain America, the Green Lantern, Conan the Barbarian, and HBO's "Game of Thrones" all cut a swath through viewership this summer. No shortage of testosterone and biceps there! 


All these manly muscle men leave some experts, according to Keegan, to "tempt men both in and outside of show business to consider using illicit products to keep up" because, hey, "steroid use still occurs in Hollywood."  There are also dozens of fitness centers and body transformers ("gym" is oh so Neanderthal) and real live models all over L.A. fueling the billion dollar fitness industry. It is possible for boys and men to improve self-esteem via building muscle and to go at it naturally and sanely. The question isn't what influence behemoth action characters have on men - that's obvious - but why male audiences still prefer said characters? But, then again, that's obvious too --it's just a thorn in some academics' sides.


Original Muscle Beach in Venice Beach, CA

It could be worse

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And, Lawd, don't I know it first hand! This is me working at optimism during peaceful, good times: It could be worse. I tell myself this now so as not to be broadsided by the sudden ill wind. Of course it can always be worse or better, but compared to what?! 

I use specifics. 

Although I'm without steady work it could be worse:
  1. I'm in a much, much, much better situation than General Qaddahfi. Here is a man who has gone from ruling and owning a country for 42 years to hiding in underground tunnels -- like a rat. On top of that media outlets can't agree on a uniform spelling of his name. Damn, you'd think a world leader would at least have his name gotten right.
  2. I have a clean place to sleep and eat and take hot showers and work online.
  3. I have helpful friends.
  4. the funds are low but I'm not piss poor broke! nor hounded by creditors.
  5. I'm not washed up like lesbian Lindsay Lohan
  6. I'm not a worthless piece of shit like the pitiful lot of homeless addicts I see in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Scary mofos!
  7. I don't have broken bones
  8. my sense of humor is still intact, too
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