Up In The Old Hotel, Fighting Zombies With A Chainsaw

I don't play video games and haven't for a long time, but perhaps that's only because I didn't know there was a video game featuring Joseph Mitchell as a character.  Unfortunately, it doesn't look like he gets to do anything cool, like battle his way out of a post-apocalyptic version of the New Yorker offices where all the editors have been turned into zombies, or take on the King of the Gypsies in a cherrystone clam-eating contest at McSorley's.

More info here. [via]

A One-Block Journey Into The (Retro-) Future

For a brief, but awe-inspiring, sample of what the City of the Future was supposed to look like, walk down East 24th St. in Manhattan between Park and Madison in the direction of Madison Square Park (actually, at certain times of day, it's even better to start a block further east).  You'll walk between, and be dwarfed by, the Met Life Tower and the Met Life North building.  Although the buildings were designed and constructed decades apart, the effect is one of immersion in a single architectural vision.  You have to look up for the effect to be complete, since, for me, the sky bridge spanning 24th St. is the key element of the composition.

I don't think I've ever photographed this block, but in any case, it has to be experienced in person.  Google Street View will give you a taste, though.

Bonus Links
The Met Life North building was begun in 1928, one year after Metropolis (coincidence???), and topped out about 70 stories short of its originally intended 100-story height.  Here's a rendering of the original, uncompleted design.

APB

Any NYC jazz internet types out there know what happened to the Mandatory Attendance blog?  It went on a vacation hiatus and never came back.  I hope Mr. or Mrs. Mandatory is just taking an extended summer break, because the blog was a great resource, often picking up on stuff that the also-valuable-but-less-focused WBGO calendar missed.

The Children Are The Future

Some great writers have passed on recently, but thanks to the younger generation, the future of literature is bright.  No, I'm not talking about this crowd.  These kids are the ones to watch.

Speaking of scouting out up-and-coming talent, I'm reminded of this.

Jose Saramago

Markson, and now Saramago.  We're losing the best we've got.

Maybe more later, but for now, a few recommendations if you haven't read Saramago and are wondering where to start.  You can't miss with any of these:

The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis
The Gospel According to Jesus Christ
Blindness
The History of the Siege of Lisbon

History Is Amazing, Part CMXXXVI

"...the interesting story of conquering armies parading architectural models of the forts they've destroyed through the streets of their own home city."

Vuvuzela Filter

If you're into digital audio processing and World Cup soccer, this is the link for you.  I had to hear about a half dozen different commentators say "vuvuzela" before I figured out what they were saying.  Also, is the vuvuzela related, etymologically or otherwise, to the manzello?

Update: this answers the question, "what would it be like to watch a World Cup match via Twitter?"