Cover Me

Sat 20 Apr 200211:31 AM

So, no site to launch today, but check back on Wednesday. In the meantime I’m offering my first new cover in forever, “Funny Pages.”

Out to Launch

Fri 19 Apr 200208:40 PM

Behavior was supposed to launch a new site tomorrow, and I was excited to tell everyone about it. Unfortunately, some unexpected cicrumstances have pushed the launch back to next Wednesday. Bummer.

Book Learnin’

Thu 18 Apr 200204:37 PM

“The Russian Avant-Garde Book” is an exhibit on display right now at the Museum of Modern Art, and also a Web site, exceptionally well-designed by a friend of mine at For Office Use Only.

Jail House Rock

Mon 15 Apr 200207:09 PM

New York’s Channel 13 has started showing old episodes of Patrick McGoohan’s semi-legendary television show “The Prisoner” late on Sunday nights. It’s been years since I’ve seen it. While the cheesey 60s themes and metaphors are a hoot, the series nevertheless remains absurdly cool, and as worthy as any pop-culture artifact of cult devotion.

Don’t Myth It

Fri 12 Apr 200207:54 PM

Should museums — especially art museums — be putting on exhibits as brazenly commercial as “Star Wars: The Magic of Myth”? Probably not, but I confess to feeling a strong pull towards the Brooklyn Museum of Art to see it. To even things out, I’ll make a trip to see the Whitney Biennial first and get a good dose of ‘real art.’ Kinda the way you’d drink a Diet Coke to balance out a Big Mac.

God’s Comic

Fri 12 Apr 200201:01 AM

Top Cop Goes Pop

Wed 10 Apr 200210:42 PM

Late night television hit a new low yesterday when David Letterman had Attorney General John Ashcroft as a guest. (The Late Show’s Web site has a video clip of the segment, though it probably won’t be up there too long). The AG was a good enough sport and I’ll bet that he’s even a charming fellow if one can get past his far-right politics. But his clumsy attempts at playfulness were just maddening and disturbing given his office’s egregious abuses of power earlier that very same day.

New Look

Tue 9 Apr 200206:16 PM

The redesigned Wall Street Journal is out and it looks pretty good. It’s still hard to believe that they spent US$232 million on this effort, but I guess they know money. As for the redesign as a possible harbinger of some change in character for this venerable rag… well, if lines like, “Please excuse us if we take a moment to mention our make-over. We figure we’re entitled every 40 years or so,” are any indication, then the Journal’s singular brand of ‘progressive conservative’ smarminess is in no immediate danger.

French New York

Sun 7 Apr 200201:13 AM

Lately I’ve been on a New York-on-film kick, inspired by James Sanders’ “Celluloid Skyline,” a hefty survey of Gotham’s cinematic history. Last week I watched “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three,” which may not hold up as a thrill ride, but it has a certain documentarian charm. Then yesterday I rented “The French Connection.” The last time I watched it I think I was twelve and it had been clumsily butchered up for the Saturday afternoon matinee on Channel 20. Its gritty details went right over my head but I remembered being floored by its brutal, epic sweep. That same feeling hit me with an exponential force this time, crystallized by the pristine DVD print, the ferocity of Gene Hackman’s performance, the gorgeously uncompromising cinematography, and William Friedkin’s pitch-perfect storytelling.

Holy Land

Fri 5 Apr 200206:41 PM

Every time I watch PBS’s “Frontline,” I’m completely impressed. But last night I watched an episode called “Battle for the Holy Land” which includes some amazing behind-the-scenes footage (shot by the BBC) with both Palestinian freedom fighters and Israeli security forces. It was powerful and chilling and probably the most revealing documentation of the conflict that I’ve ever seen.

About

Subtraction.com

Khoi Vinh’s Web site

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Cover Me

Out to Launch

Book Learnin’

Jail House Rock

Don’t Myth It

God’s Comic

Top Cop Goes Pop

New Look

French New York

Holy Land

Khoi Vinh’s Web site