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contours provocations
journal - 2000-0803 - thu 2230 UV, MIA Journals, The Feral Glance A distraught week it has been. Three days of having a tummy bug does not a happy camper make. At least this time around, I recognized it early on. This is always one of the most difficult maladies for me to sense, and usually I'm feeling really terrible before I figure out what is wrong. The highlight of the week by far has been watching the six hours of the British production, "Ultraviolet" on the Sci-Fi Channel. As I said on Monday, after seeing episodes one and two, "An ultramodern, British take on the vampire mythology. Very stylish and utterly hypnotic. Suave, slick and sophisticated." With each new episode, it only became more enthralling. In reading the fan sites, I discovered that these six episodes are all. And it is unlikely that any more will be produced. It also appears not to have been overly popular. No doubt, one reason is that makes demands of the vewier. The programs are complex, tightly packed and inter-related. And I must admit that there were times that I was not sure what was going on. But what a ride! (It is not uncommon for American TV to cut portions of British or any other productions to make room for commercials. So I wonder if this was the case here. In reading the fan sites, there are some references that I don't remember. American commercialism is no respecter of talent. Several years ago, A&E hacked about five minutes out of each "Avengers" epsiode. Even the quintessential "I Love Lucy" has been butchered by the editor's bloody ax.) Within the last month, a number of journals that I read have vanished. And my little world is not the same. "Snow's Journal" suddenly stopped. "The Forum" journal section has become invisible; although the site is still there. One of the most baffling has been "et cetera," hosted by the French ISP altern.org, but which, as the notice said, was closed for "legal reasons." (That has to be the first time I've encounter such a situation.) Two others have not updated in weeks. These were superb works, and they are missed. Yesterday evening, I decided to chance a baked potato at a nearby resturant. As I entered the door, I noticed two young guys standing with an older man as he used the telephone. Of course, I glanced at one of them. And he glanced back. But is was a glance that was almost feral in its intensity. As though you were being sized up. I'm not sure I'd go so far to say it was confrontational. More along the lines of establishing territory - the alpha male thing. All this took only a few seconds. I think I was more surprised than anything else. Curious. PAX!
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