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  #11  
Old April 10th 17, 10:06 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Andre Jute[_2_]
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Posts: 10,422
Default Bicycle Mags

On Monday, April 10, 2017 at 6:42:55 PM UTC+1, AMuzi wrote:
On 4/10/2017 10:47 AM, Joy Beeson wrote:
On Mon, 10 Apr 2017 12:05:57 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

Thank God for Usenet.


It won't last long. Is anybody here under sixty?

I think the latest new member is me.


Yeah, like newspapers.

At some point the distribution costs can't be justified over
the declining subscriber base and they just stop. Chicago
Tribune refunded my subscription balance and then 2~3 years
later they quit out-of-area newsstand sales too.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971


The remedy of too many newspapers suffering a circulation decline is to turn themselves into entertainment and lifestyle info sheets. It's a mistake. Their problem isn't poor reporting or even bias, but that too much is given away free on the internet. They must find a way to compete, and turning themselves into pale, slow-responding copies of the internet isn't the answer.. A good start would be to be more reliable and less excitable than the internet, to offer something the internet doesn't.

Andre Jute
PS I can still, from my days in advertising when part of my reputation as a guru derived from being able to analyze what really matters about media outlets to their underwriters (advertisers), name the top 100 newspapers in the world. Not a single new one of that distinction has arisen in the decades since I left advertising for publishing. That fact by itself tells you much about what a financial risk newspapers now are, or, to put it differently, every venture capitalist in the world knows now what I knew then. But most people either don't know or have forgotten that most newspapers, though intermittently money-spinners in the right hands over the longterm, for most of history have been rich men's hobbies, big tax write-offs, like Jeff Bezos of Amazon buying the Washington Post, surely an irrecoverable and prodigous money-loser.
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  #12  
Old April 11th 17, 12:10 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
[email protected]
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Posts: 3,345
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On Monday, April 10, 2017 at 2:06:55 PM UTC-7, Andre Jute wrote:
On Monday, April 10, 2017 at 6:42:55 PM UTC+1, AMuzi wrote:
On 4/10/2017 10:47 AM, Joy Beeson wrote:
On Mon, 10 Apr 2017 12:05:57 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

Thank God for Usenet.

It won't last long. Is anybody here under sixty?

I think the latest new member is me.


Yeah, like newspapers.

At some point the distribution costs can't be justified over
the declining subscriber base and they just stop. Chicago
Tribune refunded my subscription balance and then 2~3 years
later they quit out-of-area newsstand sales too.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971


The remedy of too many newspapers suffering a circulation decline is to turn themselves into entertainment and lifestyle info sheets. It's a mistake.. Their problem isn't poor reporting or even bias, but that too much is given away free on the internet. They must find a way to compete, and turning themselves into pale, slow-responding copies of the internet isn't the answer. A good start would be to be more reliable and less excitable than the internet, to offer something the internet doesn't.

Andre Jute
PS I can still, from my days in advertising when part of my reputation as a guru derived from being able to analyze what really matters about media outlets to their underwriters (advertisers), name the top 100 newspapers in the world. Not a single new one of that distinction has arisen in the decades since I left advertising for publishing. That fact by itself tells you much about what a financial risk newspapers now are, or, to put it differently, every venture capitalist in the world knows now what I knew then. But most people either don't know or have forgotten that most newspapers, though intermittently money-spinners in the right hands over the longterm, for most of history have been rich men's hobbies, big tax write-offs, like Jeff Bezos of Amazon buying the Washington Post, surely an irrecoverable and prodigous money-loser.


I am in complete and total agreement with that. But now how would you find writers?

Some guy was talking about why movies have become crap. He said that originally movies tried to be books - to tell a story. And that worked really well.

But then sensationalism hit the industry and so instead of filming a story they now only film a series of scenes that are linked together not to tell a story but to show a series of scenes.

The only slightly reasonable movie I've see lately is that Tarzan movie.

And a couple of comedies which strangely enough are also trying to tell stories.
  #13  
Old April 11th 17, 01:06 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Tim McNamara
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Posts: 6,945
Default Bicycle Mags

On Mon, 10 Apr 2017 12:47:01 -0300, Joy Beeson
wrote:
On Mon, 10 Apr 2017 12:05:57 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

Thank God for Usenet.


It won't last long. Is anybody here under sixty?

I think the latest new member is me.


I'm 57. ;-)

I've had the same observations as Frank and Tom. Bicycling! was my
entrance into the world of bikes beyond my Schwinn Typhoon and the
exotica of the "English racer" (a sit-up-and-beg three speed that no
Brit would use for racing). French bikes! Italian bikes! Wait, there
is this Tour de France thing with some guy named Eddy. Whoo!

Then, Rodale and the death spiral into crapola.

Decades later I discovered VeloNews, Bike Culture Quarterly, Bycycling,
A to B Magazine, The Rivendell Reader/Lauterbrunnen Leaflet, a few other
'zines like On The Wheel. I even read Dirt Rag for a while. But most
of those have fallen by the wayside. I fell off the Bike Quarterly
bandwagon, having read the word "optimized" a few too many times, but
it's about the best that's out there.

When your tastes are non-mainstream in bikes, the publications that are
likely to be successful are not going to meet your taste. So I rely on
the web, mostly, but those blogs and sites fall by the wayside quickly,
too.
  #14  
Old April 11th 17, 02:33 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Andre Jute[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10,422
Default Bicycle Mags

On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 12:10:28 AM UTC+1, wrote:
On Monday, April 10, 2017 at 2:06:55 PM UTC-7, Andre Jute wrote:

The remedy of too many newspapers suffering a circulation decline is to turn themselves into entertainment and lifestyle info sheets. It's a mistake. Their problem isn't poor reporting or even bias, but that too much is given away free on the internet. They must find a way to compete, and turning themselves into pale, slow-responding copies of the internet isn't the answer. A good start would be to be more reliable and less excitable than the internet, to offer something the internet doesn't.

Andre Jute
PS I can still, from my days in advertising when part of my reputation as a guru derived from being able to analyze what really matters about media outlets to their underwriters (advertisers), name the top 100 newspapers in the world. Not a single new one of that distinction has arisen in the decades since I left advertising for publishing. That fact by itself tells you much about what a financial risk newspapers now are, or, to put it differently, every venture capitalist in the world knows now what I knew then. But most people either don't know or have forgotten that most newspapers, though intermittently money-spinners in the right hands over the longterm, for most of history have been rich men's hobbies, big tax write-offs, like Jeff Bezos of Amazon buying the Washington Post, surely an irrecoverable and prodigous money-loser.


I am in complete and total agreement with that. But now how would you find writers?

Some guy was talking about why movies have become crap. He said that originally movies tried to be books - to tell a story. And that worked really well.

But then sensationalism hit the industry and so instead of filming a story they now only film a series of scenes that are linked together not to tell a story but to show a series of scenes.

The only slightly reasonable movie I've see lately is that Tarzan movie.

And a couple of comedies which strangely enough are also trying to tell stories.


If you mean writers for the movies, there are writers who will give you a thoughtful political script, a comedy, an action movie with a story. But the likelihood is that those scripts won't even be read unless they come with some kind of name recognition. Once upon a time Hollywood made movies in order to make movies; they told stories. Now they want to guarantee success, so they make what has been successful before. The obstacle course for writers is formidable and, even if you have name recognition, your script can linger in producer hell for five or ten years. I have several books on which I've earned more out of sequential film options than out of the books being on the best-seller lists on both sides of the Atlantic; a writer's time wasted by film people is irrecoverable. To demonstrate how bad it is, there's even a sort of prize in Hollywood where every year they vote on a script that's been in development too long and try to get it production. You get the idea: it's a lottery.

Some writers now avoid the hassle and stress by publishing stories that lend themselves best to being told as screenplays as books:
BUGGINS' TURN:
http://coolmainpress.com/BugginsTurnscreenplay.html
***
W. S. Buggins is the nerdiest wimp ever, an embarrassment.
A poet, for crying out loud.
Now the rappa-revo Bloody Raztuz Razzamatazz has recorded his poems.
And Buggins,
with only a little prodding from Celia
— the beautiful stockbroker —
is blossoming into a guerilla consumer advocate.
With violence and destruction of property.
A rock’n’roll romantic comedy we all wish would come true.
***
If you want to read it, don't bother buying a copy, just send your email and the book's name to my publisher at info at coolmainpress with the commercial extension, and she'll send you a free copy. (Same applies to everyone on RBT.)
***
A CRIME OF INFLUENCE
http://coolmainpress.com/ElectionofP...TIME-LIFE.html
***
In 1952
In the last titanic struggle for the soul of America
One man has the vision and the power
To do what has to be done

Harry Luce can do his patriotic duty
— and destroy his friend

Or Harry can be loyal to his friend
— and betray his country

Which would you choose?
***
  #15  
Old April 11th 17, 03:19 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,345
Default Bicycle Mags

On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 6:33:08 AM UTC-7, Andre Jute wrote:
On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 12:10:28 AM UTC+1, wrote:
On Monday, April 10, 2017 at 2:06:55 PM UTC-7, Andre Jute wrote:

The remedy of too many newspapers suffering a circulation decline is to turn themselves into entertainment and lifestyle info sheets. It's a mistake. Their problem isn't poor reporting or even bias, but that too much is given away free on the internet. They must find a way to compete, and turning themselves into pale, slow-responding copies of the internet isn't the answer. A good start would be to be more reliable and less excitable than the internet, to offer something the internet doesn't.

Andre Jute
PS I can still, from my days in advertising when part of my reputation as a guru derived from being able to analyze what really matters about media outlets to their underwriters (advertisers), name the top 100 newspapers in the world. Not a single new one of that distinction has arisen in the decades since I left advertising for publishing. That fact by itself tells you much about what a financial risk newspapers now are, or, to put it differently, every venture capitalist in the world knows now what I knew then. But most people either don't know or have forgotten that most newspapers, though intermittently money-spinners in the right hands over the longterm, for most of history have been rich men's hobbies, big tax write-offs, like Jeff Bezos of Amazon buying the Washington Post, surely an irrecoverable and prodigous money-loser.


I am in complete and total agreement with that. But now how would you find writers?

Some guy was talking about why movies have become crap. He said that originally movies tried to be books - to tell a story. And that worked really well.

But then sensationalism hit the industry and so instead of filming a story they now only film a series of scenes that are linked together not to tell a story but to show a series of scenes.

The only slightly reasonable movie I've see lately is that Tarzan movie..

And a couple of comedies which strangely enough are also trying to tell stories.


If you mean writers for the movies, there are writers who will give you a thoughtful political script, a comedy, an action movie with a story. But the likelihood is that those scripts won't even be read unless they come with some kind of name recognition. Once upon a time Hollywood made movies in order to make movies; they told stories. Now they want to guarantee success, so they make what has been successful before. The obstacle course for writers is formidable and, even if you have name recognition, your script can linger in producer hell for five or ten years. I have several books on which I've earned more out of sequential film options than out of the books being on the best-seller lists on both sides of the Atlantic; a writer's time wasted by film people is irrecoverable. To demonstrate how bad it is, there's even a sort of prize in Hollywood where every year they vote on a script that's been in development too long and try to get it production. You get the idea: it's a lottery.

Some writers now avoid the hassle and stress by publishing stories that lend themselves best to being told as screenplays as books:
BUGGINS' TURN:
http://coolmainpress.com/BugginsTurnscreenplay.html
***
W. S. Buggins is the nerdiest wimp ever, an embarrassment.
A poet, for crying out loud.
Now the rappa-revo Bloody Raztuz Razzamatazz has recorded his poems.
And Buggins,
with only a little prodding from Celia
— the beautiful stockbroker —
is blossoming into a guerilla consumer advocate.
With violence and destruction of property.
A rock’n’roll romantic comedy we all wish would come true..
***
If you want to read it, don't bother buying a copy, just send your email and the book's name to my publisher at info at coolmainpress with the commercial extension, and she'll send you a free copy. (Same applies to everyone on RBT.)
***
A CRIME OF INFLUENCE
http://coolmainpress.com/ElectionofP...TIME-LIFE.html
***
In 1952
In the last titanic struggle for the soul of America
One man has the vision and the power
To do what has to be done

Harry Luce can do his patriotic duty
— and destroy his friend

Or Harry can be loyal to his friend
— and betray his country

Which would you choose?
***


Andre - did you write that story about the election of Eisenhower? That was a stunning book that showed why the power of the press became so great and how in the end it has destroyed itself through supreme conceit.
  #16  
Old April 11th 17, 03:49 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Andre Jute[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10,422
Default Bicycle Mags

On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 3:19:54 PM UTC+1, wrote:
On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 6:33:08 AM UTC-7, Andre Jute wrote:
On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 12:10:28 AM UTC+1, wrote:
On Monday, April 10, 2017 at 2:06:55 PM UTC-7, Andre Jute wrote:

The remedy of too many newspapers suffering a circulation decline is to turn themselves into entertainment and lifestyle info sheets. It's a mistake. Their problem isn't poor reporting or even bias, but that too much is given away free on the internet. They must find a way to compete, and turning themselves into pale, slow-responding copies of the internet isn't the answer. A good start would be to be more reliable and less excitable than the internet, to offer something the internet doesn't.

Andre Jute
PS I can still, from my days in advertising when part of my reputation as a guru derived from being able to analyze what really matters about media outlets to their underwriters (advertisers), name the top 100 newspapers in the world. Not a single new one of that distinction has arisen in the decades since I left advertising for publishing. That fact by itself tells you much about what a financial risk newspapers now are, or, to put it differently, every venture capitalist in the world knows now what I knew then.. But most people either don't know or have forgotten that most newspapers, though intermittently money-spinners in the right hands over the longterm, for most of history have been rich men's hobbies, big tax write-offs, like Jeff Bezos of Amazon buying the Washington Post, surely an irrecoverable and prodigous money-loser.

I am in complete and total agreement with that. But now how would you find writers?

Some guy was talking about why movies have become crap. He said that originally movies tried to be books - to tell a story. And that worked really well.

But then sensationalism hit the industry and so instead of filming a story they now only film a series of scenes that are linked together not to tell a story but to show a series of scenes.

The only slightly reasonable movie I've see lately is that Tarzan movie.

And a couple of comedies which strangely enough are also trying to tell stories.


If you mean writers for the movies, there are writers who will give you a thoughtful political script, a comedy, an action movie with a story. But the likelihood is that those scripts won't even be read unless they come with some kind of name recognition. Once upon a time Hollywood made movies in order to make movies; they told stories. Now they want to guarantee success, so they make what has been successful before. The obstacle course for writers is formidable and, even if you have name recognition, your script can linger in producer hell for five or ten years. I have several books on which I've earned more out of sequential film options than out of the books being on the best-seller lists on both sides of the Atlantic; a writer's time wasted by film people is irrecoverable. To demonstrate how bad it is, there's even a sort of prize in Hollywood where every year they vote on a script that's been in development too long and try to get it production. You get the idea: it's a lottery.

Some writers now avoid the hassle and stress by publishing stories that lend themselves best to being told as screenplays as books:
BUGGINS' TURN:
http://coolmainpress.com/BugginsTurnscreenplay.html
***
W. S. Buggins is the nerdiest wimp ever, an embarrassment.
A poet, for crying out loud.
Now the rappa-revo Bloody Raztuz Razzamatazz has recorded his poems.
And Buggins,
with only a little prodding from Celia
— the beautiful stockbroker —
is blossoming into a guerilla consumer advocate.
With violence and destruction of property.
A rock’n’roll romantic comedy we all wish would come true.
***
If you want to read it, don't bother buying a copy, just send your email and the book's name to my publisher at info at coolmainpress with the commercial extension, and she'll send you a free copy. (Same applies to everyone on RBT.)
***
A CRIME OF INFLUENCE
http://coolmainpress.com/ElectionofP...TIME-LIFE.html
***
In 1952
In the last titanic struggle for the soul of America
One man has the vision and the power
To do what has to be done

Harry Luce can do his patriotic duty
— and destroy his friend

Or Harry can be loyal to his friend
— and betray his country

Which would you choose?
***


Andre - did you write that story about the election of Eisenhower? That was a stunning book that showed why the power of the press became so great and how in the end it has destroyed itself through supreme conceit.


Thanks; that's most flattering about such a short book. Yes, I wrote it.

Of course, Harry Luce and the other media barons didn't *intend* to cheapen the political process, that effect was a byproduct of their political urgency, very much akin to the reasons for the desperate bias of mainly "progressive" mainstream media in the last election. The men who made Eisenhower President were a better class of person, but in the end you cannot say their results didn't sell out the Constitution in exactly the same way the New York Times and the Washington Post daily sold out the Constitution in recent years.

AJ
  #17  
Old April 11th 17, 04:12 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,345
Default Bicycle Mags

On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 7:49:05 AM UTC-7, Andre Jute wrote:
On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 3:19:54 PM UTC+1, wrote:
On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 6:33:08 AM UTC-7, Andre Jute wrote:
On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 12:10:28 AM UTC+1, wrote:
On Monday, April 10, 2017 at 2:06:55 PM UTC-7, Andre Jute wrote:

The remedy of too many newspapers suffering a circulation decline is to turn themselves into entertainment and lifestyle info sheets. It's a mistake. Their problem isn't poor reporting or even bias, but that too much is given away free on the internet. They must find a way to compete, and turning themselves into pale, slow-responding copies of the internet isn't the answer. A good start would be to be more reliable and less excitable than the internet, to offer something the internet doesn't.

Andre Jute
PS I can still, from my days in advertising when part of my reputation as a guru derived from being able to analyze what really matters about media outlets to their underwriters (advertisers), name the top 100 newspapers in the world. Not a single new one of that distinction has arisen in the decades since I left advertising for publishing. That fact by itself tells you much about what a financial risk newspapers now are, or, to put it differently, every venture capitalist in the world knows now what I knew then. But most people either don't know or have forgotten that most newspapers, though intermittently money-spinners in the right hands over the longterm, for most of history have been rich men's hobbies, big tax write-offs, like Jeff Bezos of Amazon buying the Washington Post, surely an irrecoverable and prodigous money-loser.

I am in complete and total agreement with that. But now how would you find writers?

Some guy was talking about why movies have become crap. He said that originally movies tried to be books - to tell a story. And that worked really well.

But then sensationalism hit the industry and so instead of filming a story they now only film a series of scenes that are linked together not to tell a story but to show a series of scenes.

The only slightly reasonable movie I've see lately is that Tarzan movie.

And a couple of comedies which strangely enough are also trying to tell stories.

If you mean writers for the movies, there are writers who will give you a thoughtful political script, a comedy, an action movie with a story. But the likelihood is that those scripts won't even be read unless they come with some kind of name recognition. Once upon a time Hollywood made movies in order to make movies; they told stories. Now they want to guarantee success, so they make what has been successful before. The obstacle course for writers is formidable and, even if you have name recognition, your script can linger in producer hell for five or ten years. I have several books on which I've earned more out of sequential film options than out of the books being on the best-seller lists on both sides of the Atlantic; a writer's time wasted by film people is irrecoverable. To demonstrate how bad it is, there's even a sort of prize in Hollywood where every year they vote on a script that's been in development too long and try to get it production. You get the idea: it's a lottery.

Some writers now avoid the hassle and stress by publishing stories that lend themselves best to being told as screenplays as books:
BUGGINS' TURN:
http://coolmainpress.com/BugginsTurnscreenplay.html
***
W. S. Buggins is the nerdiest wimp ever, an embarrassment.
A poet, for crying out loud.
Now the rappa-revo Bloody Raztuz Razzamatazz has recorded his poems.
And Buggins,
with only a little prodding from Celia
— the beautiful stockbroker —
is blossoming into a guerilla consumer advocate.
With violence and destruction of property.
A rock’n’roll romantic comedy we all wish would come true.
***
If you want to read it, don't bother buying a copy, just send your email and the book's name to my publisher at info at coolmainpress with the commercial extension, and she'll send you a free copy. (Same applies to everyone on RBT.)
***
A CRIME OF INFLUENCE
http://coolmainpress.com/ElectionofP...TIME-LIFE.html
***
In 1952
In the last titanic struggle for the soul of America
One man has the vision and the power
To do what has to be done

Harry Luce can do his patriotic duty
— and destroy his friend

Or Harry can be loyal to his friend
— and betray his country

Which would you choose?
***


Andre - did you write that story about the election of Eisenhower? That was a stunning book that showed why the power of the press became so great and how in the end it has destroyed itself through supreme conceit.


Thanks; that's most flattering about such a short book. Yes, I wrote it.

Of course, Harry Luce and the other media barons didn't *intend* to cheapen the political process, that effect was a byproduct of their political urgency, very much akin to the reasons for the desperate bias of mainly "progressive" mainstream media in the last election. The men who made Eisenhower President were a better class of person, but in the end you cannot say their results didn't sell out the Constitution in exactly the same way the New York Times and the Washington Post daily sold out the Constitution in recent years.

AJ


Andre - it is too bad that what passes for a media today wouldn't even understand your point. Every day when I read or watch media I am shocked at what sort of people they have become. I have not seen even a hint of morals or ethics.

But I would like to thank you for that story. I was beginning to think that there were no more reporters. And that, while taking a bit of editorial license, was pretty much what that was.
  #18  
Old April 11th 17, 04:25 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,345
Default Bicycle Mags

On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 8:12:09 AM UTC-7, wrote:
On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 7:49:05 AM UTC-7, Andre Jute wrote:
On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 3:19:54 PM UTC+1, wrote:
On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 6:33:08 AM UTC-7, Andre Jute wrote:
On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 12:10:28 AM UTC+1, wrote:
On Monday, April 10, 2017 at 2:06:55 PM UTC-7, Andre Jute wrote:

The remedy of too many newspapers suffering a circulation decline is to turn themselves into entertainment and lifestyle info sheets. It's a mistake. Their problem isn't poor reporting or even bias, but that too much is given away free on the internet. They must find a way to compete, and turning themselves into pale, slow-responding copies of the internet isn't the answer. A good start would be to be more reliable and less excitable than the internet, to offer something the internet doesn't.

Andre Jute
PS I can still, from my days in advertising when part of my reputation as a guru derived from being able to analyze what really matters about media outlets to their underwriters (advertisers), name the top 100 newspapers in the world. Not a single new one of that distinction has arisen in the decades since I left advertising for publishing. That fact by itself tells you much about what a financial risk newspapers now are, or, to put it differently, every venture capitalist in the world knows now what I knew then. But most people either don't know or have forgotten that most newspapers, though intermittently money-spinners in the right hands over the longterm, for most of history have been rich men's hobbies, big tax write-offs, like Jeff Bezos of Amazon buying the Washington Post, surely an irrecoverable and prodigous money-loser.

I am in complete and total agreement with that. But now how would you find writers?

Some guy was talking about why movies have become crap. He said that originally movies tried to be books - to tell a story. And that worked really well.

But then sensationalism hit the industry and so instead of filming a story they now only film a series of scenes that are linked together not to tell a story but to show a series of scenes.

The only slightly reasonable movie I've see lately is that Tarzan movie.

And a couple of comedies which strangely enough are also trying to tell stories.

If you mean writers for the movies, there are writers who will give you a thoughtful political script, a comedy, an action movie with a story. But the likelihood is that those scripts won't even be read unless they come with some kind of name recognition. Once upon a time Hollywood made movies in order to make movies; they told stories. Now they want to guarantee success, so they make what has been successful before. The obstacle course for writers is formidable and, even if you have name recognition, your script can linger in producer hell for five or ten years. I have several books on which I've earned more out of sequential film options than out of the books being on the best-seller lists on both sides of the Atlantic; a writer's time wasted by film people is irrecoverable. To demonstrate how bad it is, there's even a sort of prize in Hollywood where every year they vote on a script that's been in development too long and try to get it production. You get the idea: it's a lottery.

Some writers now avoid the hassle and stress by publishing stories that lend themselves best to being told as screenplays as books:
BUGGINS' TURN:
http://coolmainpress.com/BugginsTurnscreenplay.html
***
W. S. Buggins is the nerdiest wimp ever, an embarrassment.
A poet, for crying out loud.
Now the rappa-revo Bloody Raztuz Razzamatazz has recorded his poems..
And Buggins,
with only a little prodding from Celia
— the beautiful stockbroker —
is blossoming into a guerilla consumer advocate.
With violence and destruction of property.
A rock’n’roll romantic comedy we all wish would come true.
***
If you want to read it, don't bother buying a copy, just send your email and the book's name to my publisher at info at coolmainpress with the commercial extension, and she'll send you a free copy. (Same applies to everyone on RBT.)
***
A CRIME OF INFLUENCE
http://coolmainpress.com/ElectionofP...TIME-LIFE.html
***
In 1952
In the last titanic struggle for the soul of America
One man has the vision and the power
To do what has to be done

Harry Luce can do his patriotic duty
— and destroy his friend

Or Harry can be loyal to his friend
— and betray his country

Which would you choose?
***

Andre - did you write that story about the election of Eisenhower? That was a stunning book that showed why the power of the press became so great and how in the end it has destroyed itself through supreme conceit.


Thanks; that's most flattering about such a short book. Yes, I wrote it..

Of course, Harry Luce and the other media barons didn't *intend* to cheapen the political process, that effect was a byproduct of their political urgency, very much akin to the reasons for the desperate bias of mainly "progressive" mainstream media in the last election. The men who made Eisenhower President were a better class of person, but in the end you cannot say their results didn't sell out the Constitution in exactly the same way the New York Times and the Washington Post daily sold out the Constitution in recent years.

AJ


Andre - it is too bad that what passes for a media today wouldn't even understand your point. Every day when I read or watch media I am shocked at what sort of people they have become. I have not seen even a hint of morals or ethics.

But I would like to thank you for that story. I was beginning to think that there were no more reporters. And that, while taking a bit of editorial license, was pretty much what that was.


I am happy to say that my brother dropped off a copy of Velonews. Because of what I was saying that gives he the idea that he is haunting this site,

But that May copy of Velonews appears to be everything that I said that bike magazines are not. Not only do we have a lead up to the Giro but we also have stories about Pantani - THE climber - Andy Hampsten on the Gavia on a Huffy in the Giro and several other stories that contain real bicycling interests.

Every year the UCI has better and better drug testing. And every year fewer and fewer racers are using drugs and racing is getting back to a challenge of honest athletic capability.

Armstrong was supercharged but so were all the other major team leaders. And to give you some idea of the effects of those drugs - the average speed of the Tour de France has gone up every single year despite the exit of major drug use. This is indicative that simply using athletic knowledge and letting your team leader rest most of the time is FAR more powerful than putting him out in front all the time.

So there is still writers and there is still magazines worthy of the name.
  #19  
Old April 11th 17, 05:42 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Sir Ridesalot
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Posts: 5,270
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On Monday, April 10, 2017 at 12:06:02 PM UTC-4, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 4/10/2017 10:55 AM, wrote:
A couple of years ago when I was first recovering from my concussion I subscribed to some bicycle magazines.

Wow was that ever a mistake.

These things are so bad I cannot believe them.

First they insult your intelligence with their "this is the best bike I've ever ridden" on every single bicycle test. Then the pictures of bicycles are designed solely to be artistic and not informative.

And the issue I got on Saturday was the worse one yet.

NOW bicycles are a sports vehicle - the are simply cool. You don't ride for the exercise or the feeling but to be cool. $400 shoes that look like they could give bunions to anyone are bought not because there's anything good about them but because they're cool.

The second coolest thing after riding a bicycle is golfing. GOLFING??? That's for people that think that they're consorting with the upper class. That was never cool to begin with.

So I am swearing off bicycle magazines. I've found a couple of specialty mags that didn't insult your intelligence but I'm not all that interested in long distance touring through Pakistan and how to avoid road mines.

One would think that there would be a magazine about the amateur racing scene but none I've ever seen. Isn't there enough road, off-road, track and CX racing to keep a magazine in business?

I haven't seen a magazine that keeps you up on the pro racing scene. Maybe if you read French.

So the mags that are the most common are a waste of paper comprised of nothing more than advertisements in various garbs. But then the Millennial Generation doesn't appear to be educated enough to write anyway.


I agree with the general deterioration of bike magazines. I first got
into this back in about 1973, when I bought a copy of _Bicycling!_ from
an obscure newsstand. Note the exclamation point in the title. That
was before Rodale Press took it over and made it into a fashion magazine.

Granted, I was starting from near-total ignorance, so I was learning a
lot. But I (and my one cycling friend in the tiny town) read it from
cover to cover. The tech stuff, the fitness stuff, the tales of
touring, the drool-worthy bikes that I couldn't afford all seemed
fascinating. And for a while there were a couple other magazines that
vied for my biking attention.

But Rodale did take over, and things slid downhill. I still remember
one of Rodale's first editions had an article on how to make your own
toe clips from coat hangers. (???) But they overcompensated permanently
into the realm of "The best tights for sexy-looking legs!" or "the
derailleur you gotta have this year!" or other such garbage aimed at
fashion-conscious "fast recreational riders."

Oh, and the magazine of the League of American Wheelmen - um, make that
Bicyclists - went from quirky touring stories and oddball tech info to
"You can't be safe without bike lanes!! How many miles of bike lanes
does YOUR town have?"

For a brief while, I had hopes for Bicycle Times. It seemed more
focused on everyday riding, not the ever-competitive fashion world. But
the writers seem far less expert than the people posting here. And
instead of $200 racing tights, they seem to promote $200 skinny jeans
that have reflectors in the cuffs. Just the thing for riding your fixie
to the coffee shop.

I really enjoyed _Bicycle Quarterly_ for a long time. Editor and
almost-only writer Jan Heine has come up with some interesting ideas,
but I think he's starting to run dry.

And even Yehuda Moon is now on hiatus, although the entire series is on
the web. Sad times indeed! Thank God for Usenet.

--
- Frank Krygowski


I remember Bicycling articles in the 1980s saying that 15 gears were NOT needed on a touring bike and also articles about improving the bicycle but the item in the article had THREE wheels and thuse was a tricycle not a bicycle.

Then there were all the articles telling use we had to buy this or that and those items were expensive. Buycycling magazine indeed!

Cheers
  #20  
Old April 11th 17, 07:32 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Andre Jute[_2_]
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Posts: 10,422
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On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 4:12:09 PM UTC+1, wrote:
On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 7:49:05 AM UTC-7, Andre Jute wrote:
On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 3:19:54 PM UTC+1, wrote:
On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 6:33:08 AM UTC-7, Andre Jute wrote:
On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 12:10:28 AM UTC+1, wrote:
On Monday, April 10, 2017 at 2:06:55 PM UTC-7, Andre Jute wrote:

The remedy of too many newspapers suffering a circulation decline is to turn themselves into entertainment and lifestyle info sheets. It's a mistake. Their problem isn't poor reporting or even bias, but that too much is given away free on the internet. They must find a way to compete, and turning themselves into pale, slow-responding copies of the internet isn't the answer. A good start would be to be more reliable and less excitable than the internet, to offer something the internet doesn't.

Andre Jute
PS I can still, from my days in advertising when part of my reputation as a guru derived from being able to analyze what really matters about media outlets to their underwriters (advertisers), name the top 100 newspapers in the world. Not a single new one of that distinction has arisen in the decades since I left advertising for publishing. That fact by itself tells you much about what a financial risk newspapers now are, or, to put it differently, every venture capitalist in the world knows now what I knew then. But most people either don't know or have forgotten that most newspapers, though intermittently money-spinners in the right hands over the longterm, for most of history have been rich men's hobbies, big tax write-offs, like Jeff Bezos of Amazon buying the Washington Post, surely an irrecoverable and prodigous money-loser.

I am in complete and total agreement with that. But now how would you find writers?

Some guy was talking about why movies have become crap. He said that originally movies tried to be books - to tell a story. And that worked really well.

But then sensationalism hit the industry and so instead of filming a story they now only film a series of scenes that are linked together not to tell a story but to show a series of scenes.

The only slightly reasonable movie I've see lately is that Tarzan movie.

And a couple of comedies which strangely enough are also trying to tell stories.

If you mean writers for the movies, there are writers who will give you a thoughtful political script, a comedy, an action movie with a story. But the likelihood is that those scripts won't even be read unless they come with some kind of name recognition. Once upon a time Hollywood made movies in order to make movies; they told stories. Now they want to guarantee success, so they make what has been successful before. The obstacle course for writers is formidable and, even if you have name recognition, your script can linger in producer hell for five or ten years. I have several books on which I've earned more out of sequential film options than out of the books being on the best-seller lists on both sides of the Atlantic; a writer's time wasted by film people is irrecoverable. To demonstrate how bad it is, there's even a sort of prize in Hollywood where every year they vote on a script that's been in development too long and try to get it production. You get the idea: it's a lottery.

Some writers now avoid the hassle and stress by publishing stories that lend themselves best to being told as screenplays as books:
BUGGINS' TURN:
http://coolmainpress.com/BugginsTurnscreenplay.html
***
W. S. Buggins is the nerdiest wimp ever, an embarrassment.
A poet, for crying out loud.
Now the rappa-revo Bloody Raztuz Razzamatazz has recorded his poems..
And Buggins,
with only a little prodding from Celia
— the beautiful stockbroker —
is blossoming into a guerilla consumer advocate.
With violence and destruction of property.
A rock’n’roll romantic comedy we all wish would come true.
***
If you want to read it, don't bother buying a copy, just send your email and the book's name to my publisher at info at coolmainpress with the commercial extension, and she'll send you a free copy. (Same applies to everyone on RBT.)
***
A CRIME OF INFLUENCE
http://coolmainpress.com/ElectionofP...TIME-LIFE.html
***
In 1952
In the last titanic struggle for the soul of America
One man has the vision and the power
To do what has to be done

Harry Luce can do his patriotic duty
— and destroy his friend

Or Harry can be loyal to his friend
— and betray his country

Which would you choose?
***

Andre - did you write that story about the election of Eisenhower? That was a stunning book that showed why the power of the press became so great and how in the end it has destroyed itself through supreme conceit.


Thanks; that's most flattering about such a short book. Yes, I wrote it..

Of course, Harry Luce and the other media barons didn't *intend* to cheapen the political process, that effect was a byproduct of their political urgency, very much akin to the reasons for the desperate bias of mainly "progressive" mainstream media in the last election. The men who made Eisenhower President were a better class of person, but in the end you cannot say their results didn't sell out the Constitution in exactly the same way the New York Times and the Washington Post daily sold out the Constitution in recent years.

AJ


Andre - it is too bad that what passes for a media today wouldn't even understand your point. Every day when I read or watch media I am shocked at what sort of people they have become. I have not seen even a hint of morals or ethics.


Of course, their apologists will say it is what they've been made by the education system. There's a really good article about the present education outlook and its (absent) link to morality in the current edition of the Australian intellectual magazine Quadrant. Not necessarily an easy read but not actually technical and definitely worth persevering with as it is a keystone article, which I think will be quoted for decades to come:
MELVIN SCHUT: Why the West is No Longer Educated
http://quadrant.org.au/magazine/2017...nger-educated/

But I would like to thank you for that story. I was beginning to think that there were no more reporters. And that, while taking a bit of editorial license, was pretty much what that was.


My pleasure, Tom. It's a piece of work of which I'm pretty proud. Thanks for the review, about which I heard from the Gemma. They will apparently use it at the new edition.

Andre Jute
Just the fax, mam
 




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