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_____________________________________________
|
|"There is not too much information, there is
| too little cognitive ability to handle it."
|
| Walter Alter, "The List of Re-Calibrations",
| Spring 1992 issue of FAD, p. 44
|_____________________________________________
BABYBABYBABYBABYBABYBABYBABYBABYBABY
BAB ABYBABYBABYBA BABYBABYBABYBABY
!!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !! !! BAB ABYBABYBABYBA BABYBABYBABYBABY
!! !! !! !!! !!! BAB BAA BA YBA BA BABY
!!!!!! !! R !!!!!! @ !! ! ! !! BAB AB AB BA BA BA BA BA BABY
!! !! !! !! ! ! !! BAB BAB BA YBA BABY
!!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!! !! !! !! BABYBABYBABYBABYBABYBABYBABYBA BABY
BABYBABYBABYBABYBABYBABYBAB BABY
BABYBABYBABYBABYBABYBABYBAB!BABYBABY
The September 26, 1992 Issue
____________________________________________________________________________
INDEX
-or-
What the hell did *YOU* do today?
Introduction
Ediborial
Subscription Information
Software Licensing Agreement
Tribute to Asimov
Tribute to Asimov, Part 2
Cultural Artifacts
Re:views
*bOING-bONG
*Bruce Sterling
*Ministry
*NIN
*Malcolm X
*Mark Leyner
*Negativland
*Cop Killer Controversy
____________________________________________________________________________
INTRODUCTION
Ok. Here's the scoop.
I'm over at Megan's house on Friday night. She is the latest-woman-
who-I-want-to-date-yet-she-doesnt-want-to-return-the-offer. Her roommate
Claudia underwent surgery on Thursday to have an ovary removed. Her parents
came to visit and provide support, even though they are in the process of
becoming divorced. Megan told me that during the entire time Claudia's
parents were there, neither one would be in the same room at the same time.
The entire time I was there all he did was watch tv, while Claudi and her
fiancee, Hans, stayed in their room.
Not until I had gone home did it hit me what had happened. There, in the
living room, was my future. Alienated from his wife, alienated from his
daughter, wanting only to be related to those who he loves, and powerless to
do anything, he is reduced to sitting in front of the television watching a
program about unsolved serial murders..................that's me at 50.
And me, so wrapped up in what my own personal concerns that I never really
noticed what was going on........that's you, today, yesterday, and tomorrow.
This issue of Scream Baby was written entirely on September 26, 1992 from
midnight to midnight. The sole exception is the quotes, which were culled
from an ongoing collection of quotes, snippets, and collages that I
maintain.
This issue is dedicated to Claudia's father, though there is no other
connection other than the empty rage, anger, and sense of isolation sparked
by the encounter. Every editorial decision was made during this 24 hour
period, while strung out on caffeine and sugar and loud&aggressive music, so
please excuse any mis-spellings, grammatical lapses, or awkwardly-worked
phrases.
During this period I almost collapsed because I hadn't eaten for an entire
day. Throughout the entire day a cockroach alternately crawled over my leg,
around my desk, and all over my papers. I didn't give him a name.
I don't recommend the process to anyone else.
Just the results.
____________________________________________________________________________
I was using Cyberspace as a metaphor for the experience of living in the
media environment which we all do anyways...and [techies] came back to me
and said "Hi, you're giving us the blueprint for a new world". <laughs>
William Gibson, interviewed in Spring 1992 issue of FAD, p.42
____________________________________________________________________________
EDIBORIAL
There's been some confusion lately about my e-zine, Scream N *me*me,
but I've decided that I don't want to talk about it as much as I thought I
did. For the last year or so I've been publishing an IBM hypertext
electronic zine, Scream N *me*me, which has focused on the social and
cultural aspects of cyberspace, the New Edge, music, and the burgeoning
Austin cyber-scene in general. "Stuff I Think is Cool" has been my main
editorial guideline; ignore me if I suggest anything else.
Scream N *me*me is not a mailing list, like the listing in Practical
Anarchy Online suggests. Scream N *me*me is not available at any ftp site,
though I've received several offers already, and will someday get around to
it, if bored enough. Scream N *me*me *is* available for download at the
Tejas BBS (512) 467-0663.
Getting to the point: I've now created Scream Baby a smaller, leaner,
meander, grind ya to the bone Internet format e-zine.
The same guidelines apply. Anyone can submit, anyone can contribute.
Except, now, anyone can be an editor. Jagwire X, co-founder of XNet, sysop
of the Cyberspace Institute, and all-around cyberpunk has already agreed to
edit at least one issue. Will you be next? is up to you to decide.
I don't have time to wait.
___________________________________________________________________________
"Now, wide angle this, you just opened up your electronic mailbox for the
evening and there's over a hundred special delivery letters in there
addressed to the center of the universe, YOU. There's one from Vivian, a
transsexual composer down in San Diego who is suing a major record label
for copyright infringement. There's one from Rolf, an artist way over in
Amsterdam requesting tumors in specimen jars for a little project. There's
one from Lareen, a legal secretary in Reno wondering if its OK to stretch a
condom over the balls so it won't come off. There's an eloquent defense of
the neo-ether in high tension stationary waves by Prof. Wzxler, formerly
of Livermore. Varclav Vaclarv in Belgrade just lost his Walkman to a
nearby anti-tank mine. And on and on long into night."
Walter Alter, "Log On Modem Mania", p. 48, Spring 1992 issue of FAD.
___________________________________________________________________________
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
-or-
"Hey! My e-mailbox doesn't look like *that*"
Listen up! To subscribe to Scream Baby, send e-mail to
bladex@wixer.cactus.org.
Include the following information:
1. Who are you? [i.e. Tell me something about yourself]
2. Name one cultural artifact (book, movie, software, etc.) that you
think is worth my time to examine...
[Note: assume that I have already graduated from the standard
cyberpunk canon, i.e., I've already read Neuromancer, thanks]
3. Include the following statement : "I have read the software
licensing agreement and promise to abide by any restrictions on
distribution that may apply, as determined by the publisher"
All this must be included in one screen of text or less. Remember, the only
guidelines I use are "Stuff I Think is Cool", so if you provide clunky or
stupid answers, or fail to answer any question(s) fully, then you will not
be added to the mailing list. Any request for subscription that is not in
the form mentioned above will not be accepted. Sorry.
Hope you're not too upset.
SOFTWARE LICENSING AGREEMENT
This is not a standard licensing agreement, so please read carefully.
This premiere issue of Scream Baby may be freely reproduced in any
electronic storage or retrieval system. The user is denied the right to
"print out" or reproduce on a paper medium any portion of any issue of
Scream Baby, excepting when said reproduction is in accord with the Fair Use
Act and/or any copyright laws which may apply. This publication protected
by the copyright laws of the most powerful nation on the planet. (I mean
America).
Any subsequent issue of Scream Baby will contain the following restrictions
which key in on BBS software/distribution networks:
Internet: Copies are for personal use only. You may not forward an issue
to another person, post to a newsgroup, archive on an ftp site, or in
any form, shape, or manner, make available for distribution to another
being. E-Mail subscriptions, as regulated by the publisher, are the
only acceptable methods for distribution.
WWIV : no non-standard restrictions on distribution apply. Permission
granted to archive and re-distribute, simply because the coolest people
hang out on WWIV anyway.
FIDOnet : Permission granted to archive and re-distribute, simply because
this network, as an amalgamation, is so dull that anything I do will
have no effect.
Really-Big-Commercial Systems : Permission granted to make this file
available for download and re-distribution, but a commercial licensing
agreement is required. A royalty rate of .002 cents per download (or
20 cents per 100 downloads) shall apply. Payment is on a semi-annual
basis, to the publisher's address. Really-Big-Commercial Systems is
defined as having 30 or more incoming lines and shall include, but not
be limited to, Compuserve, GEnie, Delphi, EXEC-PC BBS, and any others I
can think of. You think I'm joking?
"The Well" : Copies are for personal use only. This may not be made
available for download nor posted to any conference, simply because of
that stupid You Are Your Own Words slogan and all the energy wasted on
debating what it means. E-mail subscriptions, as regulated by the
publisher, are the only acceptable methods for distribution.
Telegard : It is illegal to archive or make available for distribution any
publication of Cyberlicious <tm>, simple because it's a hacked version
of WWIV.
"Other" : This list is not meant to be comprehensive and may be amended by
the publisher at any time. If your BBS or distribution method is not
listed above, then use the least squares method to determine the
"closest fit". For example, BITNET would fall under the category of
"Internet". If none of the above closely fit your situation, then
either e-mail the publisher for clarification or simply blow it off and
do what ya like.
Again, these restrictions do not apply to this issue, but I wanted to point
out the situation with future issues. Consider this a warning.
___________________________________________________________________________
In the 21st century, he who controls the screen controls consciousness,
information and thought. The screen is a mirror of your mind. If you're
passively watching screens, you're being programmed. If you're editing
your own screen, you're in control of your mind.
Americans voluntarily stick their amoeboid faces towards the screen seven
hours a day and suck up information that Big Brother is putting there.
Americans spend more time looking at monitors than they do gazing into the
eyes of family and friends.
-- Timothy Leary, found in The Immediast Underground _Seizing The Media_.
Original source uncited.
___________________________________________________________________________
TRIBUTE TO ISAAC ASIMOV
Think of all that space opening up on publisher's book rack lists!
At least some percentage will be exciting, worth reading, and not garbage.
Thanks! Isaac.
__________________________________________________________________________
I had once intended to write an entire novel while having to urinate very
badly. I wanted to see how that need affected the style and tempo of my
work. I had found, for instance, that hwen I'm writing about a character
who's in a Ph.D. program and I don't have to urinate badly, I'll have him do
a regularl three- or four-year program. But if I'm writing a novel and I
have to urinate very very badly, then I'll push the character through an
accelerated Ph.D. program in perhaps only two years, maybe even a year.
-- Mark Leyner, "Et tu, Babe", p. 6
[This meme dedicated to Willard Uncaphur]
___________________________________________________________________________
TRIBUTE TO ISAAC ASIMOV, PART 2
Ok, I've gone back and think maybe I should re:address the issue. I do not
want to appear as denying the validity of Asimov, the man. My respect for
his intellectual energy, his proliferation, his humanity, deserves that I be
less flippant.
I've ignored all the Asimov Tributes that I've seen in magazine racks
lately, and don't really care to know what anyone else thinks about the
subject. The man was the bedrock of science fiction. He's dead. If you
want to honor him, please stop trying to emulate him! is my greatest secret
joy.
Asimov was aware of people like me. In a preface to one of his Foundations
books (I forget which one), he gleefully writes about the criticism that his
characters are wooden stick figures, his plots dull and boring, his
adjectives stale and flat....and yet he sells so many copies that he must be
doing something right!
Grrrrrr............
As long as hard science fiction remains unconcerned about characters, then I
shall remain unconcerned about hard science fiction. Perhaps the greatest
crime in fiction is to create characterizations, instead of characters, and
think it serves your purpose. For these, and other reasons, I haven't read
much of Asimov's works, and haven't particularly enjoyed much of what I have
read.
Yet the only object I've ever stolen in my life was a book written by Isaac
Asimov.
The theft was inadvertent. Mostly because I wasn't paying attention, I
walked out of the University of Texas' Undergraduate Library with a copy of
one of his books. One has to walk past "Book Detectors" -- similar to metal
detecotrs used at airports -- in order to leave the library. Three blocks
away, I realize that the distant ringing sound heard on the way out was the
library's alarm! A guard usually sits *right* there, but no one was present
at the time, nor was anyone chasing me down, so I decided to simply return
the book when I was finished.
I couldn't bring myself to return the copy.
The book? "Azazel", a collection of satires exploring the foibles of
humanity.
The original storyline for the series was fantastic: Azazel was a small 2
centimeter imp with magical powers. The editors at _Asimov's_ objected to
Isaac selling stories to rival magazines, and suggested that he retain all
the elements, but transform Azazel into an extra-dimensional creature with
advanced knowledge and abilities involving time, space, and physics.
Isaac even warns the reader in the preface that these are unlike anything
else he has written, and not to complain if they appear "unAsimovian".
These stories are satires, and not only are they satires but incredibly
funny satires. I enjoyed them tremendously, partially because Asimov wrote
these for fun, partially because he allowed himself to be free of the burden
of being one of the Big Three Science Fiction Authors of All Time.
The slip on the inside of the book is stamped April 24, 1989. I've been a
criminal, then, for the last three-and-a-half years, and have no intention
to return the book.
I have yet to figure why........
____________________________________________________________________________
This is like going to an alternative club for the first time but borrowing
a painted-up leather jacket from a friend who's a local. No matter how
cool you look, everybody knows the jacket doesn't belong to you.
Chase, "Choking on Staples, Part I", Issue 5 of _Industrial Nation_, p. 52
____________________________________________________________________________
CULTURAL ARTIFACTS
"If stranded on a deserted island, what 10 records would you want with you?"
This common musical convention [i.e. hack] is the foundation of this next
section, except updated and adapted for the medium of cyberspace. Any
cultural artifact is an acceptable entry. [I'm not going to bother with
defining cultural artifact]. Second, there are no deserted islands of the
Net. We are all connected by the Web.
Here's my list for today, in no order :
"Power Shift" -- Alvin Toffler
Anything written by Harlan Ellison
Urban Dance Squad : "Life and Perspectives of a Genuine Cross-Over"
If any publication steps in to fill the role left vacant by the demise of
fact sheet five, then take it. I'm still looking.
"My Cousin, My Gastroenterologist" -- Mark Leyner
A telecommunications software package. Qmodem vs. Telemate? Who cares, as
long as you're plugged in.
"Your Flesh"
"FutureCulture" -- as compiled by Andy Hawks
"Slacker" -- the movie. Not the book, not the cultural phenomenon, not the
thousands of pseudo-wanna-bes who walked out of the theaters across the
globe suddenly thinking they were slackers too......no, just the movie
gets my recommendation. No one chooses a slacker lifestyle.
"TAZ : The Temporary Autonomous Zone" -- Hakim Bey.
One of my friends, Iron Burl, just happened to stop by Saturday afternoon,
and we went out to eat. Good thing, too, since I nearly collapsed in the
shower for having not eaten anything but chocolate & coke in the previous
twenty four hours.
Iron Burl has written for Scream N *me*me, for his own comiczine publishing
empire Dr. Joe Guy Pan Presents, and did half of the work for his ACTV
program Scumbag's Place. I asked for his cultural artifacts, and here's
what he finally came up with:
Iron Burl's Lists:
Top 5 Comix to buy:
1. Hate
2. Eightball
3. Yummy Fur
4. Trailer Trash
5. Cud
Top 5 Videos to Rent
1. GWAR: Phallus in Wonderland
2. Arise: The Subgenius Video
3. Rubin & Ed
4. Shakes the Clown
5. Slacker
Top 5 Rudy Ray Moore Videos
1. Avenging Disco Godfather
2. The Devil's Son-in-Law
3. Dolomite 2: The Human Tornado
4. Dolomite
5. Rude
I had to ask who Rudy Ray Moore was: an early 70s genius who produced and
starred in his own low budget films with predomonately black casts, except
for the bad guys who are usually white. "Spike Lee of the 70s". Iron Burl
says check it out].
Some-what related newsflash:
Ice-T is set to start production on a "Mystery Science Theater 3000" for
African Americans. Black exploitation films will be showed with voice
overlays and comedic comments by prominent rappers and similar members of
the African-American community.
Since Ice-T calls himself a 1989-type-Dolomite on "The Iceberg: Freedom of
Speech....Just Watch What You Say" album, perhaps you will have Rudy Ray
Moore delivered to your cable television doorstep.
___________________________________________________________________________
Are animals really more noble than people?
I wouldn't squash a spider, but I could kill a human being. A spider is
being the best spider he can be. He's fulfilling his purpose as a spider.
He meshes perfectly with nature's overall scheme. Nothing in nature is
wasted, and I can't say the same thing about people.
-- Anton LaVey, interviewed in Issue 2 of Answer Me!
___________________________________________________________________________
MEDIA MADNESS
Re:views on cultural artifacts
bOING-bOING Issue 9 ($4/issue $14/year for 4 issues from BB, 11288 Ventura
Blvd #818, Studio City CA 91604)
There's not much to say about this issue, except to "go get it." The last
seven pages of the issue are a parody of Mondo 2000, specifically skewering
it's commodification and commercialization, as well as the pseudo-
postmodernistic jargon that rarely makes any sense.
Ex: R. Seltzer interview with Elvis:
RS: Throught your career we find a softening of Tongue in your public
work, an almost explicit deTongueification, as you compartmentalize elements
of your sol, of your rhythmn and your blues, for your representation-as-
surface-commodity to various market segments, presumably defined by
corporate interests. To what extent did you coevolve strategies of your own
aligned with these interests?
EP : Huh? Could you flip your skinny ass around here a minute and
tell me what you just said?
Exactly!
Actually, just kidding. Everyone compares bb to Mondo, since they cover the
same New Edge Territory, though from only a slightly different angle. [Left
as an exercise for the reader]. It's simply closer to the underground, and
less "slick" for this self-described "swapmeet for Do-It-Yourself Cyborgs".
There is a long interview with Bruce Sterling mostly about his upcoming
book, _The Hacker Crackdown_, which is slated to be released October 15th,
1992. If you haven't heard about it, this is a journalistic treatment of
Operation Sun Devil and related events in cyberspace.
Here is what you don't know, however :
BS: ....I plan to distribute the text of the book...I plan to publish the
book to the Internet when it comes out in paperback, which will be about a
year and a half from now. I want this book to be given away free for
download.
bb: Is this something you want to disclose publicly?
BS: Yeah, I don't mind talking about it now. At least I don't mind talking
about it bOING-bOING. I would point out to people who think, "Oh great, I
can wait for the disk," that it won't have the handy index, nor will ithave
the handsome author's photo on the back flyleaf. <laughter> Plus, screens
are a bitch to read, let's face it. But I don't know, I might lose some
money from doing this, but I don't believe that everypixel in cyberspace
ought to be made into a sales opportunity. I really felt that this was
something I had to do in order to be a good citizen, something that I was
sort of uniquely qualified to do, and felt a moral obligation to do. I
would have done it, really, had no one paid me at all.
-- page 17, Issue 9 of bOING-bOING.
This interview took place in May of 1992, so the release of the text of _The
Hacker Crackdown_ should be around Christmas time of 1993. At that time,