ENCYCLOPEDIA HANASIANA

Take "The Arab Bank" Challenge

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 08:55:01 -0500

As some of you know, I recently serialized a short story called "The Arab Bank" during the Cannes Film Festival, where the story is set. I mashed the whole thing up with Google Maps and Street View and some people seemed to like it. (Somebody I'd never met even interviewed me about it.) But while I was building it, I found that Google Street View does not offer a clear view of the Arab Bank or its ATM, which are crucial to the storyline. (The ATM I'm using on the ebook cover, above, is stock.)

This is where I'm hoping my ad people will help me out. I got to know Cannes in the first place because I covered the International Advertising Festival, which is taking place this week, for three years for Advertising Age—so I know that the town is about to be overrun by Web 2.0 ad types armed with iPhones. Here's the challenge: Take a picture of the Arab Bank and/or its ATM and post it somewhere, Twitpic seems good, and tag it @jimhanas on Twitter (so I can find it.) At night would be best, given the storyline—after you leave the Carlton, say, but before you go to the Gutter Bar. (After the Gutter Bar, you will not remember to do this.)

What's in it for you? The best picture will become the new cover of "The Arab Bank" ebook, and its author will receive a probably authentic signed copy of Luke Sullivan's Hey Whipple, Squeeze This. (No kidding. My wife found it at a used bookstore and I believe the signature is legit.) Two runners-up—should there be more than one entrant—will receive (much less valuable) signed copies of my One Story short story "The Cryerer." And all entrants will get to participate in this crazy new era of "two-way conversation" that you spend all day trying to sell to your clients. Am I saying you'd have to be a hypocrite to refuse "The Arab Bank" challenge? No, but that's an interesting point.

So bring 'em on and, please, try to get some sleep this week. The Arab Bank's address is 44/47 Boulevard de la Croisette, which I think puts it in the same cluster of stories as Fendi, shown here:

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Video: "You Are Not Going to be Famous"

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 09:52:57 -0500

On November 11, 2008, the topic of Adult Education—the Brooklyn-based "useless lecture series" I help curate—was "Lies and Liars." I tried to debunk America's Big Lie by arguing—in part with statistics—that fame will ultimately elude us all. I'm as disappointed as you are. You can also view my previous Adult Ed talk—"On Metatourism"—from the January 2008 program.

You Are Not Going to be Famous from Jim Hanas on Vimeo.

We're Hosting a Book Drive

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 07:41:11 -0500

The Leadership Institute, a public high school in the Bronx, needs a library collection, so Alexandra is helping to gather gently used (or new) books for grades 9 through 12.

We'll be receiving donations at our apartment in Park Slope on Saturday, March 28, from 2 p.m. til 5 p.m. We would love to see you then, but if you can't make it, consider mailing book(s) straight to the school (address below). Or maybe Windsor Terrace would be more convenient—see below for information about that drop-off spot, which will be open earlier in the day. Here are details about our drop-off and the other location:

Our drop-off:
Saturday, March 28, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
532 Fifth St., Apt. 2R, Brooklyn, NY (Park Slope between 7th and 8th Aves., closest subway stop is 7th Ave. on the F)

The buzzer often doesn't work so if no one responds, please call: 917 207-2290.

The Windsor Terrace drop-off:
Saturday, March 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
94 Prospect Park Southwest, Brooklyn, NY (near 11th Avenue and Prospect Park)

Guidelines:
- If you enjoyed a book in high school and can bear to give it away or buy a used copy to donate, we'd love to have it.
- If you have nonfiction to give away, please make sure that it is up to date because the students will be using these books for their schoolwork.
- Please do not donate books with underlining.

More about the school:
The Leadership Institute has limited facilities—a tiny gym, no lockers, one office to house the counselors and coordinators—yet the faculty and administrators are committed to providing a library for the students. They have emptied a spare classroom as a Student Success Center, and they will house the books there. To learn more about the school, go to: http://schools.nyc.gov/SchoolPortals/09/X276/default.htm

Mailing books:
If you are unable to get to our place or the Windsor Terrace location on Sat., you can mail books directly to the school at this address:

Leadership Institute
Attn: Amanda Devecka-Rinear
1701 Fulton Avenue
Bronx, NY 10457

(The least expensive way to send books is Media Mail rate.)

Hope you can drop by!

On Aging

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:22:56 -0500

When I was younger, I thought this passage from Nietzsche—about a man who teaches the way of sleep—was a hilarious send-up of bourgeois values. Now I think it sounds like an awesome lifehack. I would totally read this guy's blog. Or as Zarathustra says, "if life had no sense, and had I to choose nonsense, this would be the desirablest nonsense for me also."

'Suggested Retail Value'

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 10:49:07 -0500

Our friend Heidi Cody sent us this slideshow of her solo show, Suggested Retail Value, at the Acadiana Center for the Arts in Lafayette, LA. I've always liked Heidi's work, which has all sorts of fun with corporate iconography—from "spokescritters" to logos. The current exhibit includes her new collection of "Spokescritter Hats"—which A. and I saw in her studio a few years ago—plus lots of other great stuff.

Going Public

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:40:39 -0500

Variety reports today that We Live in Public, Ondi Timoner's documentary about Web 1.0 entrepreneur Josh Harris, will debut at Sundance next month. I profiled Harris earlier this year for Radar (may it rest it peace), when Timoner also gave us permission to post the film's concept trailer. It will be interesting to see how the final product turns out. So interesting, apparently, that Harris himself—who has been in self-imposed exile in Ethiopia for the past year—tells me he plans to make the trip to Park City for the premiere.

The Dozens

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:08:39 -0500

I have a new short story in the debut issue of Twelve Stories, an online literary journal. I sent them something because I liked their premise. They accept submissions until they find 12 stories they like, then they publish an issue. If you like "July 4: Easter"—which is what my story is called—you can find some of my previously published stories on Scribd.

The Week in Review

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 21:15:10 -0500

I freelanced in an office last week and received this fine edition of grainy, computer-generated portraits in return.

Watching the Directors

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:15:43 -0500

I profiled a bunch of commercials directors for Creativity magazine's annual "Directors to Watch" issue, including Trish Sie (pictured) who conceived and directed the ingenious treadmill video for her brother's band OK Go—which went on to win a Grammy for best video. I also talked to rock photographer Autumn De Wilde, veteran copywriter-turned-director Harold Einstein, U.K. creative collective Minivegas, and whimsical animator Woof Wan-Bau. The articles and samples from their reels should be available on the site for a few weeks.

War is Over (Sort of)

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:52:03 -0500

For the December issue of PRINT, I talked to David Rees and 23/6's Brian Spinks about the animated version of "Get Your War On." Here's the story on Scribd. Click in the upper right-hand corner for a larger view.

War Collage [PRINT, December 2008]

Get your own at Scribd or explore others: Humor Comics

What Have We Learned?

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:33:43 -0500

Last week's Adult Education event was lots of fun. From Paul Shaw, I learned that what designers call "serifs," regular people call "feet." From Daniel Wright, I learned that building a better mousetrap will indeed cause people to beat a path to your door—unless that mousetrap is shaped like a cat. From Alexandra (shown here in a photo by Maryanne Ventrice), I learned that the term "fashionpacer" was an acceptable substitute for "best dressed" in high school yearbooks of the 1970s. And from Francis Heaney, I learned that Francis Heaney has a lot—and I mean a lot—of ties. People actually gasped at how many.

The next event, on November 11, will take on the topic of "Lies and Liars" and will include a talk by yours truly. The line-up is as follows: (Complete details here. Speaker bios after the jump.)

"The Way We Lie"
Is a white lie a gateway drug to larger lies? Writer Jill Stoddard investigates this and other fun facts about lying, including some she made up on her own.

"On the Internet, Nobody Knows You're a Fraud"
D.E. Rasso examines the duplicitous and desperate world of Internet impostors.

"You Are Not Going to Be Famous"
Jim Hanas debunks America's big lie.

All hosted by comedian Charles Star.

[continued]

Squirrel Power

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:17:17 -0500

I've noted before that the squirrels at my folks' place in Kentucky display a creepy, almost dolphin-like ingenuity, but this not-half-bad attempt at a jack-o-lantern (on a pumpkin my parents left outside) really takes the cake. Sure, it's not perfect, but it was done by squirrels! Mom wonders: "Do you think I should try to sell it on eBay or try to trap the squirrel? Either way I could make a fortune!"

Next Semester

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 09:45:28 -0500

If you made it to Adult Education on Tuesday, you know that a good time was had by all. Robert Galinsky of the New York Reality TV School shared the 9 commandments of reality TV—e.g. "Thou Shall Never Say, 'I am an Actor.'" Charles told the true story of his high school physics teacher who turned out to be a proud member of NAMBLA. (So proud, in fact, that he appeared in a creepy documentary defending his beliefs.) Portfolio's Jeff Bercovici told tales of Juicy Campus, while Gersh Kuntzman did that thing he does each week in The Brooklyn Paper, except he did it live and in person.

Next up, on October 14, Adult Education welcomes a panel of collectors to speak on the theme of "Hunting and Gathering." The line-up is as follows: (Complete details here. Speaker bios after the jump.)

"No Park City"
Designer Paul Shaw casts a typographer's eye over his growing collection of "No Parking" signs from around New York City.

"Mice, Deer, and Terrorists: Three Things Made Easier to Kill"
A survey of recent inventions, compiled by patent-hunter Daniel Wright.

"The Ties That Blind"
Francis Heaney's neverending quest to find ties and shirts that shouldn't go together, but do.

"America's Awkward Stage"
Alexandra Ringe pages through a century's worth of yearbooks and unearths the moments we'd rather forget.

All hosted by comedian Charles Star.

[continued]

The United States of Pantone

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 12:41:24 -0500

Alexandra made this out of an old swatch set for our friend Neil's birthday. It makes me feel like Lee Greenwood.

DFW

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 11:04:56 -0500

Call it hubris, but whenever I'm confronted with an accomplished literary work, I think to myself, "I might have written this. I have some of the tools, and the rest I could acquire. Given the right amount of time, concentration, and perseverance, I could have written this." But, despite its frustrations, I never thought this about Infinite Jest. I couldn't have written it in 10,000 years. It's sad.