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Selections
from the PopCult mail room,
as chosen by Zippy McDuff, The Invisible Intern™.
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us your own
letter!
(Please tell us whether to include your e-mail address.)
AGREEING
TO DISAGREE
I
just saw your write up on the "Idiots
Guide to Scrapbooking" and I do disagree with it. Comparing the
scrapbooking of our grade-school years to that which we do today is like
comparing a Hummer to a tricycle. Scrapbooking is now a 3 Billion-Dollar
business and the fastest growing hobby. It is far more than just "gluing"
down your photos in a book. I have been published with my work, so I’m
not exactly a beginner, however I think the book could be helpful to many
that are getting started.
Thank
you,
Kitty
Foster
(e-mail
address withheld)
WEGMAN
THE GOOD
I
really hate to do this because yours is one of the greatest sites
on the Internet–it really is. However, I disagree with your assessment
of William Wegman and his photography. Billy is a personal friend
of mine (which has no bearing on why I'm writing) and I can assure you
he is just as surprised as everyone in regard to his worldwide fame. He
is one of the most unassuming people I've ever known. Most of the hype
surrounding his volumes happens to be publisher-related; of this I can
assure you.
Billy
spends hours, weeks, and days trying to get "just the right shot" of those
wonderful canines. None of them are injured and/or inconvenienced in any
way. He is a dog lover like no other I've known.
You
are so right: these are pictures of dogs in clothes. But it's obviously
something the public enjoys. Kings, Presidents and World Leaders–not
to mention your Average Joe–love the work of William Wegman. This
is probably why he appeared on your wonderful site to begin with. After
all, isn't this what Pop Culture is all about?
I'm
a definite Pop Culture freak myself. I check in on your site several
times a week. My partner and I recently bought and are refurbishing an
Eichler Home. (You know… the Silicon Valley and/or Orange County
houses that look like doctor's offices?) Talk about Pop Culture! Danish
Modern, Atriums and Banana Trees are the order of the day! That's why
I love your site so much! Keep up the good work!
I'm
sorry to nag, I really am. It's just that Billy is one of the kindest,
most wonderful people I've ever known. He, his wife and their wonderful
little boy are the stuff dreams are made of. He is one of those people
who makes you feel good, just for having known him. And, by the way…
my Black Lab, Whoopie, feels exactly the same way about her Uncle Billy…
we have her personal portrait (in her stewardess uniform) on the living
room wall to prove it!
Hey!
Keep up the good work…I love your site!!
Jon
Skinner
Los Gatos, CA
(e-mail
address withheld)
Thank
you for the kind words and reasonable disagreement–a combination
I don't often see in my correspondence! The item in question wasn't intended
as a criticism of Mr. Wegman himself–whom I have no doubt is an upright
guy–but rather of the hyper adulation surrounding his work. Although
I personally find it a tad exploitative to make dogs "perform" as humans
for our amusement, I can see why people like the photos. As a cultural
critic, however, I simply find it irksome that such pictures have become
not only an industry onto themselves, but have been elevated to the realm
of high art… when, in my viewpoint, they're just well produced novelty
photos, not unlike similar ones from turn-of-the-previous-century postcards.
In my mind, mass popularity doesn't necessarily mean that something is
great pop culture. (I refer you to the recorded works of "American Idol"
winners as a case in point.)
–Ed.
CORRECTION…ULP!
"K-Tel
Records was founded in the early 1960s by Winnipeg Ontario’s
own Philip Kives..."
Winnipeg
is actually in the province of Manitoba. I grew up there and think you
might want to make that edit before someone there comes in from ice fishing
and notices!
Since
K-Tel was Canadian they advertised on the Canadian channels as well as
the large American networks, making K-Tel adverts quite numerous. Minipops
records (and Fred Penner) were standard equipment for most kids there....
but this might have been the case everywhere (I was young).
I'm
a big fan of the PopCult site... keep on keepin' on!
Yep,
Kris
Hooper
Vancouver, BC
(e-mail
address withheld)
COVER
ART COPYRIGHT
I
read your article about album cover art. I am interested in reproducing
old album cover art to replace worn album covers. I know I would have
to track down the artist for permission to reproduce the art. I wonder
if I would also have to get permission from the label. Do you know anything
about that?
Thanks
Marcy
Young
(e-mail address withheld)
I
believe it depends on whether or not you're reproducing these covers for
commercial purposes. If you're just doing it to replace covers in your
personal collection, then there's no need to seek permission from anyone.
If you were thinking of starting a business that replaces old album covers,
then you would have to seek permission. (As far as business ideas go,
I don't think that one would go very far–record collectors would
never want mere copies, and non-collectors don't care if their covers
are worn out.) But I doubt very much if record labels would give you permission
to use their properties for your own business, since many of them sell
reproductions of classic albums themselves–and they include the record.
–Ed.
THUS,
THE DECLINE OF EASTERN CIVILIZATION BEGINS
Dear
Webmaster,
Columbia
Consulting Co. provides English-learning services to ESL students in Taiwan.
We do this through engaging the students in conversations and discussions
about many different topics relevant to their daily lives.
We
have found the content of your website to be particularly useful for the
type of sessions we construct for English language learning. We would
therefore like to have your permission to use your website as a reference
source to stimulate discussion in our classrooms.
We
will only direct our clients to view your website through their individual
browser windows. Although we will record the interaction between our consultants
and clients and the incidental references to your content, all of your
content will be viewed individually in its original format, and your URL
will be prominently displayed for our clients’ subsequent access
to your site.
We
look forward to receiving your favorable response to our request as soon
as possible.
Sincerely,
Columbia
Consulting Co.
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