Books are seen in many if not most of the scenes in Art Spiegelman: Disaster is My Muse. I spotted some that I have here at home, along with an album box set that’s seen in Bill Griffith’s studio.
“Administrative Errors”
A Massachusetts attorney, a U.S. citizen born in Massachusetts, was ordered by the Department of Homeland Security to leave the country immediately.
An administrative error, like the deportation of Kilmar Ábrego García? Not if it happens again to an American-born citizen, which it has.
(Video cannot be embedded.)
https://youtu.be/E2NJ2ER2fBw
So it’s no surprise that a foreign-born citizen, also a woman, has also been a victim of this obvious intimidation tactic by the Trump administration.
Here’s an example of how to apologize for administrative errors.
One Big Happy
Robert Crumb, Art Spiegelman, and Bill Griffith — the three leading names in what used to be called Underground Cartooning — each had a difficult childhood in dysfunctional families, with Griffith’s being the closest to normal.
I can state this with some confidence, because they have been unflinchingly autobiographical in their work. It’s perhaps no surprise that Griffith achieved the most conventional level of success, in the form of a syndicated comic strip.
I’m starting to watch last night’s American Masters. In an early scene, Robert Crumb appears with his wife Aline, who died in November, 2022.
This song seems appropriate here.
Formerly Underground Cartoonists on Parade
Art Spiegelman is featured tonight on PBS American Masters.
Bill Griffith makes an appearance in the documentary. In what is perhaps not coincidental timing, Robert Crumb is featured in this week’s issue of The New Yorker.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/04/21/r-crumb-looks-back
The Confused Con Man
The ass kissing is what matters to him. At least he didn’t claim that Congress doesn’t have authority over tariffs.
“You don’t negotiate like I negotiate.” Can’t argue with that. Caving on the electronics tariff proves he has no idea what he’s doing, and there is no strategy.
Revolutionary Tests
I have read many varying opinions of original Thorens turntable belts vs. Thakker belts. Using an RPM phone app, I made my own comparison.
The Thorens belt in my TD-166 MKII has been installed for about six months. It spins 0.49% fast above 33.33 rpm.
The new Thakker runs 0.73% slow, while the graph appears to show less flutter than the Thorens belt. Running slightly fast is generally considered to be preferable to slow on a belt drive turntable. The reason why would take too long to explain.
My direct drive Technics table doesn’t have a quartz-locked motor to guarantee speed accuracy. It spins just a tiny bit slow, with noticeably less flutter than either of the belt measurements.
Turntable belts always stretch with use. I’ll leave the Thakker installed in the Thorens table and check the speed periodically.
Those graphs are reminding me to make one of my occasional Kardia heart checks. No flutter here!
