Current Events. . .

UC Davis a photo by Marc Snyder on Flickr.

The Revolution, revisited

"The Revolution" was a book-of-the-month back in 2007, but I thought I would bring it back in light of the recent awe-inspiring events in Egypt. There has been a lot of attention paid to the important role social media has played in recent events (with some dissenting views as well), so I thought I would bring back my ill-considered exploration of the subject. This book, of course, has nothing to do with the incredibly brave people who actually take to the streets and overthrow dictators - it's more about some of us who watch.

I guess I was unaware of Facebook and Twitter at the time - and look, it's the original judges from American Idol! Proof once again that a FIMP book is a poor place to find meaningful or useful information about the world around you.

This Just In!

Why did they bury a story like this on page 12?

The Green in Greensburg - Alternative Energy

Greensburg's way ahead of the curve when it comes to alternative sources of energy. We have drawn on the enormous potential of trees to power the grid. Here's one of the tree-outlets. It's kind of like tapping them for maple syrup. . . you'd be amazed at how much electricity is generated by all of those fluttering leaves.

Before and After

"Before and After" is the 98th tiny book published by the Fiji Island Mermaid Press. It's not my usual practice to reproduce the entire book on the blog right after it's been sent out to FIMP Book of the Month subscribers, but this one is dealing with the ongoing oil spill, and it seems to make sense to put it out there while that horrible situation is still unfolding.

I'm happy with this month's book for a couple of reasons. Back in my graduate school days at Indiana University I studied concrete poetry with Mary Ellen Solt, and this book puts some of those ideas to use. She was a great professor - I remember her passing out her syllabus in two week increments over the course of the semester, as she was putting the class together as she went along, being responsive to what was happening with the students. Pretty amazing for someone who was near the end of a long teaching career. If she were still around I'd send her one of these. . .

I'm pleased with the way this book translates to xerox. As a printmaker I always feel like my work should take advantage of the peculiar strengths of whatever medium I'm working in, and that includes xerography. I don't always achieve that, but in this case the xerox did nice things to the pages that include both laser-printed and rubber-stamped text. Things that I wanted it to do, like increasing the contrast and making them less distinct from each other, so that the "OIL" stamp takes a few more seconds to read as something other than just pattern and noise. In the xerox, you're much more likely to see the page as a picture first, before you start reading, than you do with the "printing plate" from which the xerox is made. It's nice when things like that actually work out the way you hoped they would.

And I'm happy that the front and back covers are full participants in the little drama of the book. I especially like the back cover - I sacrificed the usual FIMP logo for the drama of the black swallowing up the page.

So, anyway, I'm happy with this one, and that's why. I wish the subject matter were something less awful. There's something that makes me sick.

Orange Beach, Alabama

photograph by Dave Martin, AP

This Is Your Brain On The Web, OMG Cat!

Harnessing The Awesome Power Of Social Media To Make A Better World

Getting The Word Out

All of these "Not Now, I'm Busy" things are now available for perusal in chronological order on FIMP.

Current Events. . . Octomom!

So when I glanced at the front of yesterday's paper, I momentarily thought that printmaking had finally made front page news. The Ethics of Multiples! Imagine my disappointment when I saw that it was only an article about Marvel Comics new character, Octomom. Strange thing is, they don't seem to have decided yet whether she's a villain or a hero.

Which reminds me of a quote I read recently: "Printmaking is like sex; both are about more than just reproduction."

John Cage Lives!

Why did they have to take the piano into custody?

My guess is it was performing an extended dance mix of John Cage's 4'33", with a reference to the old "tree falling in the woods" problem.

new horizons in crime

Woman arrested for killing virtual reality husband.