David Barringer explains the concept behind his excellent American Soma Design

Please check out designer and author David Barringer's explanation for the visually arresting cover he created for American Soma, which I am so excited to have as the introductory image to the book. The design is conceptually interesting, as David explains here.
(http://davidbarringer.blogspot.com/)

The Dissemination of Desire

An interesting article appears on Yahoo, warning readers about the unfulfilling allure of desire culture. One of the central messages in American Soma's "Post-Modern Colonialism" is that commercial concerns inherently fuel discontent.

Let's take a closer look and compare story with article:

First, "Postmodern Colonialism" from American Soma:

" Many of the nations approached still required additional priming, their people needed to be aware of things in order to begin wanting them. And through black market items, through months-old dog-eared copies of entertainment magazines filled cover to cover with glossy advertisements and images of stars looking so delicious they might have been pies in a bakery case, each distant population gradually discovered the saleable essentials of our world and grew to desire their opulent pretenses. "

Now, the Yahoo article.

http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/107058/11-Ways-to-Save-Money-Now

"According to Boston College sociologist Juliet Schor, "Television viewing results in an upscaling of desire. And that in turn leads people to buy." Her study found that every additional hour of TV viewing per week boosts spending by roughly $200 a year. So a handful of sitcoms and a reality series or two can cost you more than a grand a year. Forget keeping up with the Joneses; now people are struggling to keep up with the Kardashians."

Another human evolutionary branch?

"A skeleton cast of tiny and controversial Homo floresiensis, nicknamed the Hobbit, went on public display for the first time Tuesday at Stony Brook University on Long Island."

http://www.livescience.com/history/090422-hobbit-cast.html

Galleys, Pilcrow and Good Stuff!

So, good people, the galleys are bound for the printer! American Soma will be a physical reality in a few weeks.

In the meantime, Savannah is gearing up for Chicago's Pilcrow Lit Fest, brain child of Amy Guth! She'll be appearing on the following panels. Please come say hello!

Saturday, May 23--

Location Three: Upstairs @ Trader Todd's

10:00-10:45 Social & Political Writing Panel Panelists discuss the role of social and political writing in contemporary writing/blogging.
Moderator: Tim Hall
Panelists: Mark R. Brand, Ramsin Canon, Savannah Schroll Guz, Conor McCarthy, Amy Sayre-Roberts

1:00-1:45 Airtight Stances, A Teaching Artists Panel: Teaching-artists from a variety of disciplines converge to define and discuss what they do.
Moderator: Larry O. Dean
Panelists: Robert Duffer, Savannah Schroll Guz, others TBA

The story "Evolution" intersects with Frontline Program

The science inspiring the story "Evolution" in American Soma was discussed at length in the April 20, 2009 presentation of Frontline.

First, from "Evolution":

"Eventually, tests revealed that water was to blame for the unusual genetic manifestations. The basic purification systems employed by the cities were not filtering out the estrogen excreted by women taking birth control pills and hormone replacement therapies. Detergents containing the compounds alkyl phenoxy polyethoxy ethanols, also regularly flushed into the water systems, returned in filtered drinking water to activate the estrogen receptors in cells of both males and females. Mothers mixed formula with tap water, and children drank it in their Tang. Girl-boys were first made and later born."

~ ~ ~ ~

And now, from the Frontline program:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/poisonedwaters/

"In Poisoned Waters, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Hedrick Smith examines the growing hazards to human health and the ecosystem.

'The '70s were a lot about, 'We're the good guys; we're the environmentalists; we're going to go after the polluters,' and it's not really about that anymore,' Jay Manning, director of ecology for Washington state, tells FRONTLINE. 'It's about the way we all live. And unfortunately, we are all polluters. I am; you are; all of us are.'

Through interviews with scientists, environmental activists, corporate executives and average citizens impacted by the burgeoning pollution problem, Smith reveals startling new evidence that today's growing environmental threat comes not from the giant industrial polluters of old, but from chemicals in consumers' face creams, deodorants, prescription medicines and household cleaners that find their way into sewers, storm drains and eventually into America's waterways and drinking water."

Amy Guth and Leah Jones are on the Road!

Like Jack Kerouac and Neil Cassidy, Leah Jones and Amy Guth are on the road to visit Nashville, where Pilcrow Litfest South will be held. Amy snapped this shot while heading through Indiana! Soma, soma everywhere.

"A dram is better than a damn." --Aldous Huxley

Washington houses the new monarchy

A group of The People have spoken, and the media and party politicians consider the protest 'despicable.' Our policy-makers are not listening, but instead appear to have aligned themselves against the very spirit that founded us. Job protection, perhaps?

Congratulations, Washington. You are the new monarchy.

http://briefingroom.thehill.com/2009/04/16/schakowsky-tea-parties-despicable/

Geek. Farm. Life. is excellent

Check out this fascinating podcast, blog, and photo gallery for the hobby farmer: http://geekfarmlife.com/

Perfect for those interested in knitting, animal care, food preservation, cheese making, animal birthing, and other self-sufficiency topics. How-to discussions abound. Misty and Andrew answer listener calls.

Download via iTunes or listen online.

New Fiction at Dogzplot

Savannah has new flash fiction appearing at the literary site Dogzplot. Titled "Fugitive Doctor", it comes from the novel-in-progress Charlotte's Nexus.

http://dogzplot.blogspot.com/2009/04/fugitive-doctor-savanna-schroll-guz.html
"He whittled his possessions down to a few portable items and became a living ghost: there one day, vanished by morning."

Janet Cardiff and George Bures

In the spirit of antique collecting and purchasing practical items for general self-sufficiency, while we're in south-central Pennsylvania celebrating the holiday with my parents, we'll be attending a house auction in Strasburg, about an hour from my hometown. While we dig the little Cape Cod, we're not prepared to move yet. Horse before the cart and all that. However, there is a raft of excellent garden tools, kitchen antiques, and botanical prints.

Out the window on your left, check out "Opera for a Small Room" by Canadian artists Janet Cardiff and George Bures, who likewise scour antique and second-hand stores, find treasures and build entire installations based on what they've collected. "Opera", which is both a visually and aurally stunning 20-minute loop of music and antiquated vinyl, radio, and stereo collectibles imagines the life of one man whose record collection Bures and Cardiff found in an antique shop.

Now, off to enjoy some wine and conversation. And later, lamb and herbed potatoes.