PaulKatcher.com

Links I Like

It's been awhile since I did a good, ol'-fashioned link dump, so let's see what's caught my interest of late:

• The Bare Necessities: A Generation Tries to Imagine Life Without iPods — A terrific Wall Street Journal column on the misguided attitudes of people who think they and the country are mired in financial malaise. "Americans of all income groups have made enormous gains in their standard of living in recent decades," writes Stephen Moore, who illustrates how cell phones and laptops are taken for granted when, only a generation ago, today's ho-hum possessions such as air conditioning, washing machines and microwaves were considered luxuries.

Yeah, it sucks that Canadian lap dances don't come at that 30% discount anymore, but a $150 guitar, a $150 digital camera and a $150 used bike can provide years of enjoyment, if you focus on those potential, self-directed positives instead of paying $150 to see Van Halen for two hours and then complaining about it.

Also, your closet doesn't have to be overflowing. Not sure if you knew that.

• Front Desk Tip — Did you know that greasing the front desk a mere $20 at a variety of Las Vegas Strip casinos can usually net you a cheap room upgrade? Here are more than 1,300 tales of success and failure.

• Gianna Michaels' Wikipedia Bio — I love this first line: "Gianna Michaels (born June 6, 1983) is an award-winning American pornographic actress." It's amazing how just one word, "pornographic," changes the entire context from something millions of women would want as their Wikipedia lead to something we sure never got from Britannica.

• Bear Stearns Mementos on eBay — When the company collapsed, people were spending up to $85 for BS hand puppets. Now the demand has quelled and people are treating this junk for what it is. Seriously, a café card? Jeez.

• Pettitte Vows to Teach of PED Dangers — Yeah, he must really care about the kids when he — like Clemens and all the other phonies — elected to not speak with George Mitchell's investigators, not before and not after he was fingered by Brian McNamee. Remind me to carry a Bible with me the next time I bullshit someone.

• Whiten Your Teeth the Natural Way — Strawberries + baking powder. Who knew? I do know that hot dogs and beer does not work.

• Liquid Ass Fart Spray — Jeff Bezos' dream of becoming the biggest seller of fart-smelling products has become a reality! This is where the "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" feature makes for a few funnies. Hmmm, what should I buy with this liquid ass fart spray? Ah yes, insta poop!

• YouTube: Man Trapped in Elevator for 41 Hours — This freaky video, which will certainly give me nightmares, accompanies "Up and Then Down," an article in the New Yorker detailing Nicholas White's looooong cigarette break in 1999, when he was stuck alone in a McGraw-Hill Building elevator for almost two days.

Time to play: Who would you most and least like to get stuck in an elevator with?

Most:
1. Anyone with a deck of cards and a lot of money
2. The CEO whom I will threaten to sue every 10 minutes

Least:
1. The dude who had Taco Bell for lunch
2. Anyone who thinks Jesus is going to help us
2. Ugly receptionist who hasn't gotten laid since the dork in accounting banged her after the 2002 office holiday party

My First Photo Exhibition

For the past eight years in the space, I've shared with you hundreds — and perhaps thousands — of my photos. Everything from baseball to boobies to booze. From the Brooklyn Bridge to the Bronz Zoo to Bon Jovi. You get the idea.

Like William Hung, however, I had never received any formal training. (Shock of the century, I know.)

That all changed in February when I enrolled in a 9-week Photography II course, taught by Charles Lavoie, at Photo Manhattan. With weekly lectures, tutorials, homework assignments and small-group critiques, it was the perfect bridge between the Super Bowl and Opening Day. Certainly better than watching the fucking Knicks continue to torch the heralded legacy of New York City basketball.

The course wraps this Thursday, April 10 at 7 p.m., with a public exhibition by approximately 20 students from three classes. All are welcome to attend the showing at Photo Manhattan (51 W. 14 Street). (See past exhibits.)

My contribution will be six photos from my chosen subject of NYC underground. The subway system allowed me access to a wealth of people, lines and colors, without being exposed to rain or cold, and without limitations of shooting only during daylight hours.

Here is a gallery of 10 shots I really like. Since I can only display six, I am leaning toward the ones below, though I have a couple of days to decide on which shots make the cut.

What I love about these shots is that they are uniquely mine. Not in my personal "style" or anything, but they belong to my eyes and my brain and my hands.

If 100 of the world's best photographers went into the subway system today to copy my assignment, they couldn't do it. They could shoot more technically sound photos. They could present shots that are more intriguing, with more striking color or that speak more of a message. But they couldn't match these exactly. They are all mine.

That's what I like about photography and all creative arts, including the music and writing I dabble in. If you make it, you own it, and if you like it, you can make yourself happy just by creating more of it.