Seeing Iron Man and Speed Racer within a 24-hour period may be a mistake by any synaptical-health standard, but doing so left one salient detail fresh in my mind. The ultimate symbol of greed and corporate soullessness uniting the two movies? Naturally, the Segway.

Oh. Huh.

Ahh, recalling the glory days of the Fall’s Middle Class Revolt tour, upon which we would wait an hour or so past the announced set time just to see if Mr. Smith would arrive at the venue…. But you could never say the man was not articulate, well, except perhaps when he was also unable to stand up. This book may be better than a Chris Rock HBO Special for sheer density of laff factor.

Technology in the Arts is… named quite well.

Adroitly recommended by Mr. Steven Zeitchik, The Unconsoled is a great Italo Calvino novel that happens to have been written by Kazuo Ishiguro (of Remains of the Day fame).

Free chess and chess advice online at Chess Now- which is not to be confused with possibly the worst public access show of all time, ChessNow.

Portrait of Barry London, 1992.