The Labor News Roundup includes Starbucks crimes in Ethiopia.
Month: October 2007
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Indexed
The New York Times blog Freakonomics points out this interesting Indexed site. Apparently, a book is due in February. Cool stuff.
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Awful Plastic Surgery
Just came across this page and dug it. It’s a bunch of silly before and after shots of stars.
I guess it’s only fair to look at the good ones, as well.
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Voicing the Pain
BOOKS & AUTHORS
Banned Book Week
It’s Banned Book Week, and what better way to celebrate it than with P.O.W. poetry? Join Magers and Quinn tonight — along with bookstores across the country — for readings from the University of Iowa’s Poems From Guantanamo: The Detainees Speak. This collection brings together 22 poems — originally written in toothpaste, scratched onto foam drinking cups with pebbles, and furtively handed to attorneys — by 17 detainees. “Since 2002, at least 775 men have been held in the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. According to Department of Defense data, fewer than half of them are accused of committing any hostile act against the United States or its allies. In hundreds of cases, even the circumstances of their initial detainment are questionable.” The fact that they were able to create poetry within these confounds and these circumstances certainly merits a listen.7:30 p.m., Magers & Quinn Booksellers, 3038 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-822-4611.
A Three Dog Life
“This is the one thing that stays the same: my husband got hurt. Everything else changes. A grandson needs me and then he doesn’t. My children are close then one drifts away. I smoke and don’t smoke… The clock ticks, the seasons shift, the night sky rearranges itself, but my husband remains constant, his injuries are permanent.” Abigail Thomas’ 2006 memoir, A Three Dog Life, chronicles her efforts to care for her husband following a tragic accident that resulted in severe brain damage, total memory loss, fits of rage, terrors, and hallucinations. It’s not easy deciding to institutionalize the man you love. And Thomas’ memoir delves deep into the guilt and the grief she suffered trying to move on with her life. This isn’t just a touching tale of woe, however; it’s a beautifully written one as well. A Three Dog Life was selected as one of the Best Books of 2006 by both the L.A. Times and the Washington Post. Thomas has authored several book, and teaches fiction writing at The New School in New York. She’ll be discussing her book this afternoon and signing copies following the discussion.2 p.m., University of Minnesota Bookstore, Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis; 612-626-0559; free.
LECTURE
Changing Hearts and Minds about Animals
Apparently, it’s not just Banned Book Week; it’s also Veg Week. I guess that means no piggly-wiggly tonight, folks. Veg Week kicks off today with a presentation by animal activist and Farm Sanctuary president, Gene Baur. As part of this evening’s lecture, “Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals,” Baur will share stories of Farm Sanctuary’s rescued animals, to show how “farm animals — like all animals — have feelings and can respond to kindness.” Stick around after the presentation for a catered reception and a chance to speak with Baur one-on-one. 7 p.m., Coffman Theater, University of Minnesota, 300 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis; 612-626-5785; free.
MUSIC
Suzanne Vega
Vega is deservedly getting the best reviews of her career for Beauty & Crime, her tip of the beret to New York City, her home since childhood and also the site of September 11th, her dead brother’s apartment, and sidewalks full of poets and fashion models. Vega gathers it all up — Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, and Edith Wharton are in there, too — and winnows it down to 11 songs that come in under 40 minutes. She exacts such a detailed mixture of art (the naked sentiments in her cool, lofty lyrics, the seamless physical and emotional backdrop of NYC) and craft (the immaculate production, sophisticated arrangements, prim intonation) that the entire disc feels as much like scrimshaw as music: a small but potent treasure. –Britt Robson7 p.m., Varsity Theater, 1308 Fourth St. S.E., Minneapolis; 612-604-0222; $37.
Deerhoof
In May of 1996, Deerhoof took on singer Satomi Matsuzaki, who had moved to San Francisco to study film, and went on their first tour with her singing into a strange microphone composed of paper maché and Walkman headphones. That’s probably the best story I can tell to somehow describe their style. Deerhoof is difficult to categorize (and these days, that’s a good thing). Rolling Stone has written quite a bit about them this year, featuring them as the “Breaking” band in their January issue. And The New York Times called them “one of the most original rock bands to have come along in the last decade.” Greg Saunier’s power percussion and John Dietrich’s complex guitar work provide a most unique sound for Matsuzaki’s surreal voice. 8 p.m., McGuire Theater, Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-375-7600; $16 (members $13).
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24-Hour Comic Book Day
A 24-Hour Comic Book Day is shaping up across the nation. It’s set for October 20th, so reserve the date.
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Sunglasses so geek-chic
In July 2006 The Rake published an excellent essay by my good friend Peter Schilling in which he enthused about his SolarShield Fits-Overs – these, in essence, are some cheap and ugly-ass sunglasses that fit right over existing eyewear. Well, Mr. Schilling wrote today to inform he’s not the only male, Minneapolis-based media figure rocking his $14.99 Fits-Overs. Writes Schilling: “Head on over to today’s blogumentary to see Chuck Olsen’s take on last Friday’s critical mass. Watch the video. You will notice, about a minute in, that fearless filmmaker Olsen, braving the streets and risking jail, is doing so wearing SolarShield Fits-Overs!”
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Floating Condos
River Cities is selling floating condos that will travel from St. Paul to Port Isabel, Texas.
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Brian Lambert, Reader's Rep?
One of our correspondents the other day bemoaned our Strib coverage as appealing to “about 500 readers” and asked that we please write about something else. I hear you, brother (though I think the 500 number is WAY too high). I left the Strib because I didn’t want to think about it all the time and would much prefer to concentrate on other local media, but the management weasels over on Portland just won’t let up.
Arrived home from the North Shore Sunday night to find that the Strib’s longtime contact with the outside world–the reader’s representative–is the latest position to be whacked, or semi-whacked, depending on how you read the memo (posted below).
The paper’s ombudsman position, created in the late ’70s, was one of the first in the country. For years, Lou Gelfand handled the duties and was notable in his willingness to bite senior management’s hand when required. Kate Parry, who was imported from the Pioneer Press about three years ago, lacked Gelfand’s chutzpah during a time when those hands needed some serious gnawing. Well, at least she answered the phone. Now, with the switchboard operators gone and an Orwellian computerized phone system in place, and Parry reassigned as a health care editor, readers with issues are going to be hard-pressed to find someone to bitch to in the newsroom.
That’s where my esteemed colleague comes in. On the newsroom’s intranet communications board, one poster wondered if the new reader’s rep might be “Brian Lambert at the Rake.” I think that’s a great idea–I’d post his phone number right now, but he’s kayaking and can’t defend himself.
Here’s the memo and–hopefully–here’s the end of Strib news for a while:From: “Rene Sanchez”
To:
Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 11:07:34 -0500
Subject: Kate Parry is our new Health Care EditorDear staff:
We’re pleased to announce that Kate Parry will be our new health care editor, taking on responsibility for coverage in print and on line. She will also occasionally serve as an at-large editor in the newsroom.
As you all know, we created one health care team to serve needs across the newsroom, including business, metro and features. This team has some of our most experienced reporters and writers, and we are looking to this team to produce some of our most ambitious journalism. In addition, we will need to expand our coverage online headed into 2008. We searched for several months for the right person to lead this coverage before coming to the conclusion that Kate had the best mix of skills for this important job. We know that she will provide thoughtful leadership and sophisticated editing; she has a long track record as an award-winning journalist.
When Kate came here nearly three years ago, it was with the understanding that the job of reader representative would not be a lifetime appointment and we discussed a tenure of about three years. I think we can all agree that Kate has served in that role admirably, and with courage. She has taken on some very difficult topics in her column, and spent hours listening to readers, and addressing the public. She has tackled prickly issues in the newsroom too, negotiating differences between writers and readers. We have been lucky to have her in that role.
But in a time of dwindling resources, we need more help with the journalism in the newsroom in order to serve our readers at the level they deserve.
We plan to keep the readers’rep position open while we evaluate our options although it’s likely that in the future this will be a part-time position. In the meantime, we hope to step up communication in other ways. We will, of course, continue to answer all readers calls and report significant issues to editors in the room. Department heads will be asked to take on responsibility for correcting errors in their sections. And newsroom leaders will be asked to increase communication with the public. I will be resuming the editor’s blog and the editor’s column that Anders started, and I will occasionally ask other top editors to share that responsibility. We will also take on more responsibility for outside speaking engagements to share with the public the work we are doing in the newsroom. I have done two in the last week alone.
Kate will start her new job Monday, Oct. 8. Since her work will cross all departments, she will report to Deputy Managing Editor Rene Sanchez. Please join us in thanking her for her work as the reader’s representative and wishing her well in this new role.
Nancy, Scott and Rene
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Please Can I Cancel my Subscription Now?
They not only wrote the story, they actually ran an AP photo of the men’s room, just in case you ladies don’t know what one looks like. (This cutline corrected from original.)
We’ve been having a debate around my house for several months now…since about the time Par (Mr. Ethics) Ridder took over at the Strib…about whether or not we should cancel our subscription to The Newspaper of the Very Local Twin Cities.I’ve been saying yes, mostly because, bridge coverage aside, the paper is very weak tea indeed. Every day it seems less like the residual pride of the journalists left there is able to bubble through the crust of the utterly venal management to come through with a story that I care about.
The last straw was Saturday, though. The top of the front page was covered with this story. In case you failed to get your undies in a bunch about anonymous gay sex at the airport, the problem is going to be solved. Yup, the most important story in the Twin Cities on Saturday was that the airport will be lowering the dividers of the mens’ room stalls at the airport. Too late for Larry Craig, of course, but the fears of Twin Citians who are concerned that sex (yes, sex!) happens between consenting adults have now been allayed.
I’ll sleep better knowing that stuff I couldn’t possibly care less about is being assiduously covered by the Strib. I thought that was the job of Channel 5.
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Lawyers, Athletes, and Poets
LECTURE
The Kids Are All Right
Back in April, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a report on the possibility of regulating television violence that might be seen by children. Though they were unable to define what constitutes violence, they did suggest that it can be regulated constitutionally. Now, as we await the FCC’s next steps, the Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and Law invites attorney Robert Corn-Revere to examine the conflict between our First Amendment rights and government control of the media. “7 p.m., Cowles Auditorium, Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota, 301 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612 625 3421; free.
BOOKS & AUTHORS
Black & Blue
The NFL’s “Black and Blue” division — composed of the Chicago Bears, the Detroit Lions, the Green Bay Packers, and the Minnesota Vikings — has been playing a good-old-boy ass-kicking game for the past four decades. You know the kind of game I’m talking about. It’s the kind of football that Tom Cruise was trying to get Cuba Gooding to play in Jerry McGuire — the kind that knocks you out dead on the field, the black-and-blue kind. In honor of the division’s 40th anniversary, sportswriter Bob Berghaus takes us back to its glory days with team histories and game accounts dating all the way back to its 1967 inception. Black and Blue: A Smashmouth History of the NFL’S Roughest Division contains original interviews with coaches, players, and sportscasters, along with with stories and photos of some of the goriest games. If you like your gridline violence, you’ll appreciate this opportunity to meet a like-minded authority.7:30 p.m., Magers & Quinn Booksellers, 3038 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-822-4611.
MUSIC
Paolo Nutini
While Amy Winehouse was too tired, stressed, or drugged up to make her previously scheduled State Theater performance here this week, at least her opening act is pulling through. This is no ordinary opening act, folks. At only 19 years of age, Paolo Nutini already has a number five single on the UK charts, a number three album on the UK charts, and a Golden St. Christopher medal from the city of Barga, Italy — the highest honor the city offers. See him now, and see him first, for I am certain we will be speaking of him for many years to come. Hailing from Scotland, with Italian roots tossed in, Nutini writes his own music, tells a great story, and sings it so beautifully and passionately that you wouldn’t even care if he didn’t.7:30 p.m., Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul; 651-290-1200; $29.50.
Olu Dara
On the more seasoned side of the musical spectrum, Olu Dara serves up “an eclectic mix of blues, jazz, and storytelling, with tinges of funk, African popular music, and reggae.” While he has been making music for more than three decades, during which time he has won numerous awards — including a 1999 Audelco Lifetime Achievement Award for his theater work — and while he has been oft compared to the legendary Louis Armstrong, you might not even know his name. For many years, Dara took a back seat to big names like Art Blakey, David Murray, and Henry Threadgill. Just under a decade ago, he finally stepped forward with his record debut, proving himself as a worthy leader, as well. You won’t want to miss this trumpet virtuoso.7 & 9 p.m., Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant, 1010 Nicollet, Minneapolis; 612-332-1010; $35 & $22.
THEATER & PERFORMANCE
Let Go, and Embrace the Ones You Love
Tired of passing up plays with costly tickets? Tonight, Mu Performing Arts offers a pay-what-you-can production of Bahala Na (let it go), directed by Jennifer Weir. As is standard Mixed Blood fare, the performance highlights socio-political issues of race, gender, age, and sexuality. Written by Chinese American playwright Clarence Coo, Bahala Na centers on a Chinese woman’s relationship with her gay grandson, taking us from 1920s China to the Philippines to America in the 1990s.8 p.m., Mixed Blood Theatre, 1501 S. 4th St., Minneapolis; 612-338-6131; today only, pay-what-you-can.