I've been on this internet block long enough that I should have known better than to title a post "Did I mention the naked dancing girls?". Inevitably, this has waylaid a few Google researchers on their way to other places, but to them I say, "Welcome! Stay for the hot intellectual discussion about culture!" But actually, that brings the conversation neatly around to the importance of honesty and straightforwardness in audience development. The "butts in seats" movement is often focused on … [Read more...]

The first time I was tagged, I was no where near any books, so I thought I could sneak away quietly. But the second time I was tapped, I realized there was no escaping karma, so here 'tis. The rules of the meme: 1. Pick up the nearest book. 2. Open to page 123. 3. Find the fifth sentence. 4. Post the next three sentences. 5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you. This passage comes to us courtesy of Vikram Chandra's Sacred Games, nearly 1000 pages of film noir that's been kicked down a … [Read more...]

If you hate the impact Peter Gelb and Gawker.com have had on our level of cultural discourse, the Friday Informer is probably not for you. If you subscribe to the mash-up, however, here's this week's dish.The Friday Informer: Come As You Are … [Read more...]