Monday, January 31, 2011

Thursday, February 10, 2011 at 6:30 p.m.

The IDB Cultural Center
presents the DC premiere of a new documentary by Dalton Narine on the Trinidadian Carnival artist 

Mas Man Peter Minshall

2010, directed, produced  and introduced by Dalton Narine.  Digibeta, 57 minutes, color documentary

Emmy award-winner Peter Minshall (1941- ) is a Trinidadian Carnival artist who describes his medium as “the Mas” (masquerade) and prefers to be called a “Mas Man.”  He combines in his craft the qualities of sculpture with those of movement.  His bands are never merely costumed parades, but exercises in total theatre, using music, drama, dance, and visual spectacle to communicate a metaphor-rich narrative.  Through interviews and historical footage, this film traces his development over three decades from costume designer to allegorical fabulist who opens confrontation between good and evil against the backdrop of the celebrations.  As he tells it, his mission is to awaken themes about humanity in mobile street theater with outrageously enormous and powerfully designed “dancing mobiles” moving among 2,500 masqueraders in Trinidad’s spring festival.  His talent for filling open spaces with fantastic productions attracted the attention of the Olympic Games which hired him as Artistic Director for the Opening Ceremonies in Barcelona, Atlanta, and Salt Lake City.

DALTON NARINE is a Trinidadian-born writer and film producer.  Mas Man Peter Minshall has been nominated as Best Documentary at eight festivals, winning in Trinidad and Tobago, New York and South Africa International Film Festivals; and also won Best Cinematography at Chagrin Falls Documentary Festival.  Narine has written for the Village Voice; served as features editor at The Miami Herald, editor at Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel and associate editor at Ebony magazine.  He has also received awards for feature writing at Ebony and The Herald.

In November 2010, the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian reported that the country plans on working on the exportation of local mas to the world  in the near future.  The amount of US $355,000 has been granted by the IDB’s Multilateral Investment Fund to the twin-island country, following a request by the Trinidad and Tobago Coalition of Services Industries (TTCSI).

Free and open to the public,  Inter-American Development Bank,  Enrique V. Iglesias Auditorium
1330 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC.  Metro Center  13th Street exit.  Photo ID required.
Business casual.  Unreserved general admission, 380 seats.  202.623.3558   www.iadb.org/cultural
2011 – Inter-American Year of Culture

Beltway Poetry logo

Beltway Poetry Quarterly
http://www.beltwaypoetry.com

Beltway Poetry Quarterly at the AWP Conference in Washington, DC
The Associated Writers and Writing Programs' Annual Conference comes to DC--February 2 through 5.  Beltway Poetry is a local sponsor!


"Four by Four: Beltway Poetry Quarterly Celebrates the Lineage of the Capitol City"

Join us for our exciting panel presentation
 
1:30 pm, Marriott Wardman Park, Virginia A Room, Lobby Level

We honor four African American poets, active from the 1920s to the 1990s, who helped build and sustain the literary community in DC, and whose influence continues to inspire.  Each historic writer is paired with a contemporary DC writer:
 
Dan Vera on Sterling Brown,  
Regie Cabico on Essex Hemphill,  
Kim Roberts on Georgia Douglas Johnson,
and Brian Gilmore on May Miller
 
Moderated by Holly Bass.

Read an article in the DC Examiner about this panel:
 
http://www.examiner.com/poetry-in-washington-dc/beltway-poetry-quarterly-pairs-local-dc-poets-at-awp
 
Extensive free and off-site events make AWP accessible to all

Can't afford the conference fee?  Remember that the AWP Book Fair is free and open to the public on the final day, Saturday, February 5, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. 

There is also an incredible array of off-site events to choose among, taking place all over the city.  A list can be found in the February Beltway Poetry News:
http://washingtonart.com/beltway/ponews.html.
 
Kim Roberts, Editor
Beltway Poetry Quarterly
Join our mailing list!
Weather Alert: Winter Storm Watch issued for northern and western suburbs
January 31, 2011 1:05:32 PM
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Between tonight and Wednesday midday, parts of the metro region may experience two periods of iciness, according to The Post's Capital Weather Gang.

The first event - late tonight into tomorrow morning - should be minor. Only very light amounts of precipitation are forecast.

The second event - late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning - will feature heavier precipitation. However, it likely turns to rain from the District and to the southeast, with the odds of significant icing increasing as you go north and northwest toward Loudoun County in Va. and Montgomery and Frederick counties in Md., where a Winter Storm Watch is in effect.
SUN RA
SPECIAL E-NOTE ON SUN RA THIS WEEK: The E-Space is The Place.
EGYPT CALLING:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/30/weekinreview/30shane.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha26
To the Sufi all religions are one.

   - Hazrat Inayat Khan

Sunday, January 30, 2011

DO YOU HAVE A RADIO?
As-Salaam Alaikum!
Peace & Blessings!
 
Join me tomorrow, Monday, January 31, 2011 from 10-11am on The Struggle Continues! on WPFW, 89.3 FM in Washington,DC (www.wpfw.org) for our 1st "Editor's Roundtable". Special guests include Denise Rolark, Publisher of The Washington Informer;
Ayesha Mustafaa, Editor of Muslim Journal; and Ashahed Muhammad, Assistant Editor of The Final Call. We'll discuss topical issues such as President Obama's State of the Union speech; Unrest in Egypt; Chicago Mayoral elections; the passing of journalist Sam Yette, etc.
 
Listeners will be able to call in at 202-588-0893 to join the conversation.
For more information call 301-728-8949 or email brotherhodari@gmail.com.
 
Hodari Abdul-Ali

TURNING THE FACE OF EGYPT TO YOUR FACE: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hBV0ApIh_4
NASSER
WHAT'S GOING ON?

Hey, what's going on in Tunisia?  Funny how the media can only focus on one nation at a time. It's important to also focus on the "small" news. Strange things can happen under the radar. Notice how no one will pay attention to that election in Sudan now. Oh- and what's happening in Haiti?

How long will the love affair with Egypt in the news last?  If things turn ugly will we want to see it?
If things remain non-violent and become successful, might this inspire new tactics by young Palestinians? How long can a peaceful revolution win the PR war?

Funny how we are watching the Egyptian military and waiting to see who they will be loyal too. When does a soldier overlook his uniform?  His oath?

Soon the media will have to explain to us the Muslim Brotherhood. In the next few days we will also hear more about Nasser. When I was growing up I always remember my mother talking about how handsome he was. She never said anything about his politics.
BOARD MEETING THIS MORNING AT THE WRITER'S CENTER:

WWW.WRITER.ORG

SUPPORT US.

Don't forget to subscribe to Poet Lore: www.poetlore.com

Drop by and visit us at Booth 306 at the upcoming AWP Book fair.
CAFE SOCIETY: Watch your buns.

Outside the cafes the poor walk by looking in the windows.
They are outside the glitter...
For some the end of poverty begins with the smashing of glass.
When did access to food and warmth become a privilege?
Why do some people have income and jobs and others have none.
How long can poor people remain invisible?
At the end of the day, which side will you be on?
What is the price of coffee? How much bread are you willing to share?
It's 2011 and our butter is melting...
Tricycle Daily Dharma
 
Face Your Fears

To willingly reside in our distress, no longer resisting what is, is the real key to transformation. As painful as it may be to face our deepest fears, we do reach the point where it's more painful not to face them. This is a pivotal point in the practice life.

Ezra Bayda, “Bursting the Bubble of Fear”
THE TRUE BELIEVERS

I've always been amazed by how the actions of one individual changes the course of history. How many people lose their lives because one person takes over a country? During my lifetime I've participated in a number of protests and demonstrations. I never however found myself yelling an angry slogan or calling for the death of someone. I've never been part of a mob or riot. I do recall the disturbance in the DC neighborhood of Mt. Pleasant many years ago. I was watching live footage on television of people running along Columbia Road, smashing the windows of local businesses. When I heard noise outside my window and smelled smoke, I realized that what I was looking at on the screen was now my own building. It was a McLuhan moment. The medium was massaging me and her hands were rough. This is how I view events taking place in the Arab World today. Something is happening right outside my window. It's 2012, and folks are unhappy with how the next U.S. election goes. Our nation is divided around one political leader. Some like him. Others hate him. Lincoln meet Obama. America, are you ready for a second Civil War? I can see Americans running around in the streets. Our media will show us images and provide commentary that will just fan the flames. A few reckless politicians will send us backwards into history. Do you remember the days of slavery? If folks will ransack museums in Cairo, might not people do the same to the Smithsonian?  I believe in gravity more than I believe in people's political differences. Everyone running down a street calling for democracy is not a true believer. Someone will try to hustle you freedom on the same day someone else has a discount on chains. A fool can be sold anything. So I'm asking myself (right now), how much of what I'm seeing on television these days is progressive change? Have we reached the point where poverty and corruption has divided our world into nations now reduced to shattered pieces that cannot even glow in the dark. When a nation's monuments has to be protected by tanks, it can only mean that a people have gone mad and like guppies have decided to eat their young. Name a country that you don't want to live in today. When do you stop counting?  Do you want to be a woman in the Congo?  Do you want to be Gay in Uganda?  How about a nation led by a comedian or a television talk show host? There comes a point in one's faith, when you turn to God and ask him to send in the clowns. We're not quite ready for a holy man's return. These are Old Testaments days - we've already seen the flood, now what is coming out of Egypt - is the fire this time.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

THE EGYPTIAN BOOK OF THE DEAD:

It looks like just a matter of time before Egypt becomes another "failed" state. It will be difficult to form a strong central government. The process will take years...
Everyone will look for someone to blame. Chaos could open the door to a military government or one that is more religious than secular. There is a point where political protest reaches its progressive peak. If a charismatic leader doesn't appear to place emphasis on national unity, then the country simply fails to become the sum of its many parts. If folks have already taken their politics outdoor, why would they now take them indoors?  Where there is a political vacuum the bad guys rush in. Crime and little war lords emerge. Next comes turf wars and a large black market since goods and services will soon have everyone fighting for food and a bottle of water. The breakdown in the infrastructure could take many years to rebuild. Look for the U.S. and Israel to be very uneasy about this. Who will speak for Egypt after the unrest?  Go wake the mummies.
Good News:

Nelson Mandela (92) is home from the hospital in Johannesburg.
He was treated for an acute respiratory infection.
Harlem World Magazine
A story of almost six million people
who changed the face of America
 
 
CHARLES JOHNSON TALKS ABOUT THE BEATS ON THE E-CHANNEL:
http://ethelbert-miller.blogspot.com/

Friday, January 28, 2011

DANCING IN THE STREETS: THE ARAB WORLD GOES MOTOWN?

We seem to love people protesting in the streets, as long as they are not in our streets. Demonstrations have been taking place around the world. Have you noticed? When we hear the word democracy we seem to think it's a burger everyone wants to chew. Remember when we fell in love with Iran - and the protesters in that country. We like how folks use Twitter and cell phones. Still, I'm not gaga over people turning over cars, burning things and throwing rocks. Of course it could be tea - but it isn't. Young people running around reminds me at times of L'Enfant Plaza (Green Line ) in DC. For some reason young black kids seem to be the only folks running with groups without a political agenda. Is this the State of the Race?  When I look at pictures coming out of Egypt or Tunisia I always search for the women. Just guys running around has that Lord of the Flies feel to it - with a taste of Clockwork Orange. I want to believe all protest leads to a better society. However when I see chaos I want to know what's coming after it. Who is going to be in charge of the new state? High unemployment is not going to disappear overnight. Corruption always means someone else gets the good seats at the games. Well, I guess no more field trips to Cairo for a spell. Tonight the pyramids wear lace.

Please join us on Wednesday, February 9 for a special advance screening of the film Poetry!



Poets House is delighted to present an advance screening of the new, award-winning Korean film Poetry with an introduction and discussion by film critic Michael Atkinson. A reception to follow.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011, 6pm
Poets House, 10 River Terrace, at Murray Street  
This event is FREE FOR POETS HOUSE MEMBERS. To renew your Poets House membership, click here. $10 for the general public.
RSVP by Friday, February 4, 2011 to rsvp@poetshouse.org or by phone 212-431-7920, ext. 2832. (Email strongly preferred.)

Advance praise for the film Poetry

Advance praise for the film Poetry
"An extraordinary vision of human empathy." – Manohla Dargis, The New York Times

"A life-size movie about loss and self-discovery." – Wesley Morris, The Boston Globe

Acclaimed Korean director Lee Chang-dong ("a major figure in world cinema" – The New York Times) follows his award-winning Secret Sunshine with the story of another woman raising a child on her own.

Mija (an extraordinary performance by veteran actress Yun Jung-hee) is a proper, sixty-ish woman struggling to provide for her adolescent grandson. Faced with the discovery of a heinous family crime, she finds strength and purpose upon enrolling in a poetry class — a creative process that allows her to understand and escape her own pain.

Best Screenplay winner at the Cannes International Film Festival and an official selection at the New York, Toronto and Telluride Film Festivals, Poetry is a masterful study of the subtle empowerment of an indefatigable woman.
Poetry opens in New York City on February 11. Click here for the film's official page.

MICHAEL ATKINSON is a former film critic for The Village Voice and has written for The Believer, Spin, Details, LA Weekly, The Boston Phoenix, The Stranger, Interview, and more. He is also the author of five books, and he lectures on film history and screenwriting at C.W. Post/Long Island University and New York University.
 
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Breaking News Alert: Obama speaks with Mubarak, urges Egyptian authorities to refrain from violence
January 28, 2011 6:46:13 PM
----------------------------------------

Saying he had just spoken with President Hosni Mubarak, President Obama urged Egyptian authorities to refrain from violence against peaceful protesters and to grant greater freedoms for the Egyptian people. "People in Egypt have rights that are universal," Obama said.
Campaign for America's Future
Dear Ethelbert,
The good news: President Obama has put jobs at the top of his agenda. However, the new House majority, elected by voters upset at the lousy economy, are more focused on cutting spending than creating jobs.
But in this jobs depression, Washington has to embrace truly bold solutions to the jobs crisis. We need the President and Congress to use all the tools available to the public and private sector to get the economy going, create millions of jobs and lay the foundation for decades of sustainable growth.
And it’s our job to make sure they do.
On March 10, The Campaign for America's Future is convening America's best leaders, thinkers and organizers for a critical "Summit on Jobs and America's Future" – to present powerful solutions to the economic crisis and push the parameters of the politically possible.
Without bold new policies, our country could suffer another lost decade of high unemployment, economic stagnation, and growing poverty.
The political stalemate between political parties almost guarantees that we won’t get the kind of growth and job creation America needs. Progress will take place only if we mobilize and demand it. And even if we can’t get real action on a bold jobs program until the next election, NOW is the time to get to work.
Together, we have successfully put jobs at the top of the President’s agenda. Now we need to take our campaign to the next level.
At the Summit we will discuss transformational plans to put Americans back to work.
We will talk about investment in infrastructure and new energy technologies. We will address the massive state layoffs of teachers and other public servants. And we will discuss a long-term strategy for generating a widely shared prosperity -- a strategy that revives American manufacturing and ensures we can make it in America once more.
As we fight against damaging conservative cuts to important public programs, it is crucially important that we rally the country to fight for a new strategy for jobs and growth so vital to this country’s future.
If you want to get to work on a better future for America, come to the Jobs Summit and bring your ideas for creating jobs and about organizing for jobs for all.
Sincerely,
Robert Borosage      Roger Hickey
Robert L. Borosage & Roger Hickey, Co-directors
Campaign for America's Future
Henry Giroux | Remembering Howard Zinn, Once Again
Henry Giroux, Truthout: "Howard Zinn never faltered in his attempts to connect scholarship with politics, and he never retreated into the dystopian world of indifference or cynicism. Howard has left us a legacy of work, activism and hope that even in the darkest times offers a new language for reclaiming the link between politics and democracy, agency and critical thinking, ethics and a space of social responsibility and hope."
Read the Article
Black Classic Press logo
          
Eso Won Books Named Los Angeles Times "Bookstore of the Week"
 James Fulgate co-owner of Eso Won Books 
 

    
Owner James Fulgate and his partner, Thomas Hamilton, opened Eso Won Books in 1990. The original location was at Crenshaw and Slauson, upstairs from the shop Africana Imports. "The UPS people hated us," Fulgate laughs. Since the fall of 2006, the store has been located at 4331 Degnan Blvd. in Leimert Park. Although Eso Won Books' current store has more than 3,200 square feet, it's a shade smaller than its previous location on La Brea. In 1995, a young activist who'd just written a memoir came to Eso Won for a signing. There wasn't a huge crowd for Barack Obama and his book, "Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance," but the bookstore made him feel welcome. When he returned to Los Angeles with "The Audacity of Hope," Obama told his publishers that's where he wanted to go. The store sold more than 900 books. Read more
Natalie Stokes
Black Classic Press

BE SURE TO TAKE THE DC POETRY TOUR:
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/gallery/walking-tours/dc/index.html
Breaking News Alert
The New York Times
Fri, January 28, 2011 -- 5:37 PM ET
-----

Mubarak Says He Will Appoint New Ministers but Affirms Response to Protests

President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt addressed the country,
saying that he was "on the side of freedom," but needed to
protect the security of the nation. He also said he
understood Egyptians' calls for economic relief and said he
"works for it every day."
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Breaking News Alert: Thousands of protesters battle police in Cairo
January 28, 2011 7:52:07 AM
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Heavily armed riot police battled thousands of protesters across Cairo on Friday, as the Egyptian government sought to squelch a burgeoning pro-democracy movement that appears to be gaining strength.

Egypt's government shut down Internet connections and cellular telephone service in an effort to disrupt communication among the demonstrators, who have relied heavily on social networking sites to organize their protests.

But crowds nevertheless were gathering in response to organizers' call for a day of protests dubbed "Angry Friday," Tear gas blanketed much of this capital city's downtown, as demonstrators sought to converge on the centrally located Tahrir Square. The protesters were met by police wielding clubs and water cannons.
THE E CHANNEL: AT THE MOVIES WITH CHARLES JOHNSON

http://ethelbert-miller.blogspot.com/
BIRTH OF A NATION
THIS READ LIKE THE FEAR OF OBAMA, HEALTHCARE AND  A DESIRE TO RETURN TO TEA PARTY TIME...
 
What year is it?  Do you remember the days of slavery? 
 
NOT EVEN A HALF PENCE:
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2011/01/27/rep-mike-pence-wont-run-for-president/

Well, this was the guy E-Notes thought was going to get the Republican nomination.
Where is this party going to go now?
Persistent Voices: Poetry by Writers Lost to AIDS
Wednesday, February 2nd
Bloombars (3222 11th St. NW)
8 p.m.

Some of our most vital and necessary poetic voices were stilled by the AIDS epidemic, but their words live on in the anthology Persistent Voices: Poetry by Writers Lost to AIDS.  Join a lineup of some of today’s top poets, including Sarah Browning, Eduardo Corral, Alex Dimitrov, Randall Mann, and Miguel Murphy, along with the editors of Persistent Voices, Philip Clark and David Groff, at a reading celebrating the lives and works of poets taken from us too soon.  Free event; $10 suggested donation, with proceeds to benefit the PEN Fund for Writers and Editors with AIDS.
 ZINN LIVES:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sam-chaltain/remembering-howard-zinn_b_814626.html
Daily Buddhist Wisdom






We must acknowledge that there can be no hope of gratifying the senses permanently. At best, the happiness we derive from eating a good meal can only last until the next time we are hungry.
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama
An E- Thought:  RISE AND COME WITH ME

One day after President Obama's State of the Union address I'm sitting in my home, in the dark, with no power. I'm in the nation's capital - really. My power in Washington D.C. goes off several times a year. It has nothing to do with terrorism. Sometimes it's a thunderstorm - this time a snowstorm. Large limbs from trees have fallen in front of my house. Several years ago the poet Sam Hamod gave me a hardhat, the kind that construction workers wear. I thought it was cool to have one, now I keep it by the door.My hardhat is a first line of protection. Oh, bring back the old days of duck and over. Turn my eyes away from the windows.

When you sit in the dark, cold and thinking, it's just a matter of time before you discover faith. A small prayer, a little, "Dear God" 
emerges from your lips and you find yourself praying for heat and  power to be restored. But how do you know if something is being repaired? What if no one is working at correcting the power problem?  What if they can't find the parts?  All I can do is sit and wait. Sit and wait.


This is what the poor do. They wait, clutching their faith, praying for a miracle. I was struck yesterday by how suddenly a tree limb cracks and falls. No warning, just one of nature's heartbreaks. This is how I now anticipate the return of warmth and light. A sudden brightness bringing hope and joy. But why the impatience for what is inevitable? 

And what if Lazarus was to die a second time?

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

IN THE NEWS:
TUNISIA, EGYPT...what nation will be next?  Saudi Arabia?  Will 2011 be the year of radical change inside the Arab world?  What impact will this have on the Palestinian issue and the state of Israel?  What happens when people want democracy? Do we side with stability instead?


THE PALESTINE PAPERS
Thousands of internal Palestinian Authority documents concerning the negotiations with Israel were published and covered extensively by Al Jazeera and The Guardian. The Institute for Palestine Studies has been following the story closely.
These videos, audio file and oped by IPS affiliates offer preliminary analysis. They are based on the first round of leaks, and represent differing views on the substance and possible effects of the leak.
PALESTINE STUDIES TV w/ Diana Buttu

...

In this special segment of Palestine Studies TV, Diana Buttu, a former member of the Palestine Liberation Organization's Negotiations Support Unit, spoke about the  significance of the leaks, the political fallout and what they say about Israel's basic position on negotiations and the prospects for a two-state solution.
Follow us


ALSO NEW FROM IPS 
Distributed by the Institute for Palestine Studies.
The Institute has produced authoritative studies on Palestinian affairs and the Arab-Israeli conflict since 1963. Its flagship Journal of Palestine Studies is published by the University of California Press.
Email contact palestinestudies@mail.democracyinaction.org
Local Commuter Alert: National Weather Service: 'Dangerous' travel conditions for evening rush
January 26, 2011 11:29:37 AM
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The National Weather Service (NWS) is warning drivers that a winter storm could create "dangerous" driving conditions during the evening rush hour.

The NWS says the heavy snow will reduce visibilities below a quarter mile and snow could accumulate at times at a rate of 2 inches per hour. The Post's Capital Weather Gang believes the heaviest snow will fall between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. tonight. Accumulations could top 8 inches in northern and western suburbs.
Breaking News Alert: Federal budget deficit estimated to hit almost $1.5 trillion
January 26, 2011 10:20:16 AM
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The weak economy and fresh tax cuts approved last month will help drive the federal budget deficit to $1.5 trillion this year, the biggest budget gap in history and one of the largest as a share of the economy since World War II, congressional budget analysts said Wednesday.
Cave Canem Workshop for Arab American Writers & Poets of Color

Spring 2011 New York City Workshop
Mondays, 6-9 pm
March 21 & 28; April 4, 11 & 25; May 2, 9 & 16
Cave Canem, Brooklyn, NY

Writing across Cultures
led by Nathalie Handal

In this 8-session workshop for Arab American writers & poets of color, participants will explore cultural memory and identity through weekly exercises and readings of poets from Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Arab world.

For details & application guidelines, follow the link below.
Spring 2011 NYC Workshop: Writing across Cultures
CAVE CANEM FOUNDATION, INC. • www.cavecanempoets.org • 718.858.0000
20 Jay Street, Suite 310-A, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Support Cave Canem: FirstgivingPaypalNetwork for Good
 
Premieres on The Documentary Channel 
Tuesday, Feb. 22nd   
 
DISH Network (CH 197) & DIRECTV (CH 267)
 
The Healing Passage/ Voices From The Watera film by S. Pearl Sharp

www.aSharpShow.com  
 
William Rivers Pitt | The Olbermann Era
William Rivers Pitt, Truthout: "When 'Countdown' first began in 2003, I watched it almost every night - the only cable 'news' show I consistently tuned in to - but quickly soured on the whole experience. I just can't stand it, any of it. I can't stand the emotional manipulation that comes with all forms of televised 'news,' and have for many times many a day now refused to let them in my head. I also never saw the point in getting all riled up at eight o'clock at night. What was I supposed to do with all that rage after nine? Punch the walls and kick the cat, maybe indulge in a little firebombing? Didn't seem prudent."
Read the Article
Dear Friend of D.C. History,
Over the past 117 years, the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. has stood as the guardian of the city’s history. We are proud that our vast collections have been freely available to the public. The staff and volunteers at the Kiplinger Research Library are always pleased to help patrons identify useful materials in our collections housed at the historic Carnegie Library. As a researcher, you more than others understand the importance of keeping this unparalleled resource open and available to all.
As you may have heard, the Historical Society has gone through significant changes in its leadership over the last few weeks. Preservation of the Society’s collections remains our highest priority; however, the costs to process collections as well as to maintain the building in which they are housed are high. Fortunately, we have friends who have risen to the challenge to help the Historical Society as we restructure our organization, and we hope you will join them.
We need your support. Please join the many other history heroes by making a gift or joining as a member online at www.historydc.org/join or print a form
For those who have not visited the Historical Society recently, please join us for our upcoming research workshops on Saturday, January 29 at 3pm and Thursday, February 3 at 3pm. Please RSVP by calling our librarians at 202-383-1850. In addition, if you have any questions or comments about HSW please contact me at alewis@historydc.org. We look forward to seeing you again soon at the Kiplinger Research Library.
Sincerely,
 
Adam Lewis
Interim Administrator

Start your year by making a donation to the
Historical Society of Washington, D.C. at historydc.org/join
!
 
The Historical Society of Washington, D.C. • 801 K Street, NW at Mount Vernon Square • Washington, DC 20001 • 202.383.1850 • info@HistoryDC.org

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

The nation's overall jobless rate is 9.4 percent, but various studies have found unemployment rates of 50 percent or higher for former prisoners nine months or a year after their release.

 - The New York Times, January 25, 2011
LOVE THE ONE...

Obama is going to make another speech this evening.
Do you think it's going to change your life?
If you have bills on your desk, they will still be there tomorrow.
If you have no job today. Well...

Speeches don't go as far as service.
What are you doing to end poverty?
Who are you comforting?  Helping?
Did your yesterday look like today?

What is the state of your union?
Who are you loving right now?
REPUBLICANS AND CULTURAL PIRATES

How many artists knew the name Jim DeMint last year?  Suddenly this guy appears as head of a group of Republicans that wants to abolish the NEA. So once again we are back to fighting the Culture Wars. I'm feeling like Johnny Depp is in the room. The NEA cruise is now under attack. Artists will have to wake from their vacations and fight back. Don't believe we have no money for the arts. DeMint has the same old playbook from the Heritage Foundation league. If you want to know why we keep going in circles just keep voting Republican. I'm waiting for these guys to vote either segregation or slavery back into the books. Cornel West's hair continues to grow and every time I turn around I jump Jim Crow.
I was given gifts. I don't know why, but I think a lot of it has to do with, well, I was born with twelve fingers. Other than that I can't tell you...

  - Lucille Clifton
The Sun   Magazine

An Evening with The Sun in Washington, D.C.
Saturday, February 5, 7:30 PM

Join Sun contributors Krista Bremer, Lee Martin, Leslie Pietrzyk, and Heather Sellers, along with founder and editor Sy Safransky, for a reading in Washington, D.C.
The reading will be held on Saturday, February 5, from 7:30 to 8:30 pm at Go Mama Go, 1809 14th Street Northwest, Washington, D.C.
The event is free, and seating is limited, so we recommend you arrive early. We look forward to seeing you there.
Krista Bremer Lee Martin Leslie Pietrzyk Heather Sellers Sy Safransky
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