film forum B-Noir festival starts May 5th

how do I choose?!?

70-MOVIE 6-WEEK FESTIVAL OF 40s & 50s THRILLERS FEATURING MANY 35mm RARITIES NOT ON DVD OR VIDEO.
STARTS FRIDAY, MAY 5 WITH A DOUBLE FEATURE OF ROBERT ALDRICH’S
KISS ME DEADLY & KUBRICK’S THE KILLING
Click here for more information and complete schedule.[ www.filmforum.org/films/bnoir.html ]

U.S. Casualties in Iraq & Afghanistan 4/22-4/24/06

Lance Cpl. Aaron W. Simons, 20, of Modesto, Calif., died April 24 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Three U. S. Soldiers, Two Iraqi Citizens Killed in Iraq
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 23, 2006 – Three Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers and two Iraqi citizens were killed and injured today by roadside bombs near Baghdad, U. S. officials announced. The soldiers were killed when their vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb northwest of Baghdad. The names of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The incident is currently under investigation.

And terrorists detonated another roadside bomb today that killed an Iraqi adult and a child, and wounded seven other children south of Baghdad, military officials said. Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, arrived at the scene and called for a medical evacuation unit to transport the victims to a nearby U. S. hospital. A witness to the incident told authorities the bomb struck an Iraqi vehicle, reportedly killing the driver instantly and a child playing nearby. The seven other children were also injured in the blast. The witness also reported he saw a terrorist fleeing the area shortly after the blast occurred. Iraqi authorities are investigating the incident.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Defense Department news releases. )

The following soldiers died of injuries sustained in Baghad, Iraq on April 22, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV causing a fire. This occurred during combat operations. All four soldiers were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 67th Armored Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Killed were: Sgt. Kyle A. Colnot, 23, of Arcadia, Calif. Spc. Eric D. King, 29, of Vancouver, Wash. Pfc. Jacob H. Allcott, 21, of Caldwell, Idaho and Pvt. Michael E. Bouthot, 19, of Fall River, Mass.

Capt. Clayton L. Adamkavicius, 43, of Fairdale, Ky., died of injuries sustained in Abu Ghurayb, Afghanistan, on April 21, when he came under enemy small arms fire during combat operations. Adamkavicius was assigned to the Army National Guard's 149th Brigade, 35th Infantry Division, Louisville, Ky.

Pvt. Travis C. Zimmerman, 19, of New Berlinville, Pa., died in Baghdad, Iraq on April 22, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his observation post during dismounted combat reconnaissance operations. Zimmerman was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Cpl. Eric R. Lueken, 23, of Dubois, Ind., died April 22 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Staff Sgt. Jason C. Ramseyer, 28, of Lenoir, N.C., died April 20 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Viggo Mortensen to star in another Cronenberg film

Viggo Mortensen has signed on to star in David Cronenberg's "Eastern Promises" for Focus Features and BBC FilmsBBC Films.
Project, penned by Steve Knight ("Dirty Pretty Things""Dirty Pretty Things"), is a London thriller that centers on a nurse investigating the identity of a Russian girl who dies in childbirth. The nurse stumbles into danger when she learns the woman was a prostitute involved in sex trafficking.
Mortensen plays a man caught up in the Russian mob.
Paul Webster is producing.
Mortensen recently completed work in "Alatriste" opposite Elena Anaya. He last starred in New Line Cinema's "A History of Violence." [from variety.com]

Vegetarian/Vegan Dinner Benefit for Books Through Bars

Vegetarian/Vegan Dinner Benefit for Books Through Bars
Friday, April 28th 2006 7:00pm
New York, NY USA
Three vegetarian courses, Plenty for vegans, Live folk music on piano and accordion. All proceeds used to send free donated books to people in prison.RSVPs or more info: (212) 254-3697, ext 322 or btb@abcnorio.org
Location: ABC No Rio, 156 Rivington St (between Clinton and Suffolk Sts), LES 156 Rivington St New York NY 10002
Contact:Books Through Barsbtb@abcnorio.org(212) 254-3697, ext. 322 http://www.abcnorio.org/affiliated/btb.html

March for Peace, Justice and Democracy

This Saturday, April 29th, there is a massive "March for Peace, Justice and Democracy" in New York City organized by United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ), calling for an end to the war in Iraq.
The march will make it unmistakably clear to the media, President Bush and Congress that the American people want an exit plan with a timeline to end the war in Iraq. The more people who come, the louder and clearer our message will be.
What: Anti-War March in Downtown New York City
When: Saturday, April 29th starting at Noon
Where: Assemble at 22nd Street and Broadway in New York City starting at 10:30 AM.
March Route: At noon the march will start down Broadway to Foley Square.
Post-March: A "Grassroots Action Festival" run from 1:00 to 6:00 PM at Foley Square—the end of the march route.
You can learn more about the march including the exact route, transportation options to NYC and more here: http://www.april29.org/ ;
You can donate online to support the rally at:http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1668

sign up for the "virtual march" against genocide in Darfur:

sign up for the "virtual march" against genocide in Darfur:
http://political.moveon.org/darfur
Over 400,000 civilians have already died in Darfur. But, almost 2 years after the United States officially recognized it as a "genocide," almost nothing has been done to stop the killing.
A relatively small United Nations peace keeping force (which wouldn't even require new US troops) could protect civilians, stop the violence, and help a real peace process begin. But it won't happen if world leaders, including ours, don't stand up and demand it.
So this week, thousands of concerned Americans will gather in Washington to tell Congress and President Bush to support a real international peacekeeping force - and to do it now. To help show the national media how many voters support this call, MoveOn is organizing this virtual march.
They'll present all signatures and comments at the big rally, and they're aiming to get 250,000 "virtual marchers" by the end of the week.

U.S. Casualties in Iraq & Afghanistan reported in 4/21

Pfc. Robert J. Settle, 25, of Owensboro, Ky., died in Taji, Iraq, on April 19, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Settle was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Marcques J. Nettles, 22, of Beaverton, Ore., died April 2, when the truck he was riding in rolled over in a flash flood near Al Asad, Iraq. Nettles was previously listed as Duty Status - Whereabouts Unknown. His body was recovered April 16. He was assigned to 1st Combat Logistics Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Pfc. Patrick A. Tinnell, 25, of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., died in As Siniyah, Iraq, on April 19, when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated during a dismounted combat patrol. Tinnell was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

U. S. Troops Killed in Afghanistan, Iraq; Officials Identify Earlier Casualties
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 21, 2006 – A U. S. servicemember died in Afghanistan today and a Marine died in Iraq yesterday, U. S. officials announced today.
A U. S. servicemember was killed today when a patrol was attacked by small-arms fire while investigating a cache near Deh Rawod, in Afghanistan's Uruzgan province. One Afghan National Army soldier was wounded in the engagement. The wounded soldier was evacuated to Kandahar for treatment.
"We deeply mourn the loss of one of our soldiers. We will continue to relentlessly pursue the enemy and help the Afghan National Army bring security to the people of Afghanistan," Army Col. Thomas Collins, a spokesman for Combined Forces Command Afghanistan, said.
In Iraq, a Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 7 died due to enemy action while operating in Anbar province yesterday. No further details were available.
The deceased servicemembers' names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Defense officials have identified several servicemembers previously reported killed in Iraq.
Army Pfc. Robert J. Settle, 25, of Owensboro, Ky. , died in Taji, April 19 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee. Settle was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Army Capt. Ian P. Weikel, 31, of Colorado, died in Balad, April 18 from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee in Baghdad. Weikel was assigned to the 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood.
Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Marcques J. Nettles, 22, of Beaverton, Ore. , died April 2, when the truck he was riding in rolled over in a flash flood near Asad. Nettles was previously listed as "duty status whereabouts unknown. " His body was recovered April 16. He was assigned to 1st Combat Logistics Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

U.S. Casualties in Iraq & Afghanistan reported in 4/21

Pfc. Robert J. Settle, 25, of Owensboro, Ky., died in Taji, Iraq, on April 19, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Settle was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Marcques J. Nettles, 22, of Beaverton, Ore., died April 2, when the truck he was riding in rolled over in a flash flood near Al Asad, Iraq. Nettles was previously listed as Duty Status - Whereabouts Unknown. His body was recovered April 16. He was assigned to 1st Combat Logistics Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Pfc. Patrick A. Tinnell, 25, of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., died in As Siniyah, Iraq, on April 19, when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated during a dismounted combat patrol. Tinnell was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

U. S. Troops Killed in Afghanistan, Iraq; Officials Identify Earlier Casualties
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 21, 2006 – A U. S. servicemember died in Afghanistan today and a Marine died in Iraq yesterday, U. S. officials announced today.
A U. S. servicemember was killed today when a patrol was attacked by small-arms fire while investigating a cache near Deh Rawod, in Afghanistan's Uruzgan province. One Afghan National Army soldier was wounded in the engagement. The wounded soldier was evacuated to Kandahar for treatment.
"We deeply mourn the loss of one of our soldiers. We will continue to relentlessly pursue the enemy and help the Afghan National Army bring security to the people of Afghanistan," Army Col. Thomas Collins, a spokesman for Combined Forces Command Afghanistan, said.
In Iraq, a Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 7 died due to enemy action while operating in Anbar province yesterday. No further details were available.
The deceased servicemembers' names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Defense officials have identified several servicemembers previously reported killed in Iraq.
Army Pfc. Robert J. Settle, 25, of Owensboro, Ky. , died in Taji, April 19 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee. Settle was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Army Capt. Ian P. Weikel, 31, of Colorado, died in Balad, April 18 from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee in Baghdad. Weikel was assigned to the 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood.
Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Marcques J. Nettles, 22, of Beaverton, Ore. , died April 2, when the truck he was riding in rolled over in a flash flood near Asad. Nettles was previously listed as "duty status whereabouts unknown. " His body was recovered April 16. He was assigned to 1st Combat Logistics Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

another word for today

coeval \koh-EE-vuhl\, adjective: Of the same age; originating or existing during the same period of time -- usually followed by 'with'. noun: One of the same age; a contemporary.

Coeval with human speech and found among all peoples, poetry appeals to our sense of wonder, to our unending quest for answers to the timeless questions of who we are and why we are. -- Mark Mathabane, "A Poet Can Lead Us Toward Change", [2]Newsday, January 20, 1993

Coeval comes from Medieval Latin coaevus, from Latin co- + aevum, "a period of time, lifetime."

The Word of the Day for April 20

ab initio \ab-uh-NISH-ee-oh\ adverb : from the beginning

Example sentence:
"Under Pennsylvania law, a life-insurance policy that would have been issued at a higher premium if the insured had supplied the correct smoking information was void ab initio...." (_The National Law Journal_, March 4, 1991)

adopted at the end of the 16th century directly from Latin, and it translates, unsurprisingly, as "from the beginning." ("Initio" is a form of the noun "initium," meaning "beginning," which gave rise to such English words as "initial," "initiate," and "initiative.") "Ab initio" frequently appears in legal contexts, as in example sentence. Recently, people have also begun using "ab initio" as an adjective meaning "starting from or based on first principles" (as in "predicted from ab initio calculations").

Small Press Center's Second Annual Round Table Writers' Conference

for those of you with lots of extra cash to spend...$225 to "meet" Jonathan Ames (?!?)...I mean...I like him and all but...pretty much anyone who goes to readings, etc. in nyc can meet any of the people they've listed so...what exactly is the point of the high price tag? and who in their right mind wants to meet another publicist? eek!!

Small Press Center's Second Annual Round Table Writers' Conference
April 28-29
New York City
Featuring: Jonathan Ames, Mario Bosquez, Andy Greenwald, Sigrid Nunez, Nuala O'Faolain, and Sean Wilsey
The Small Press Center's Second Annual Round Table Writers' Conference will be held on April 28-29 at
20 West 44th Street in New York City. The conference will provide attendees with numerous opportunities to meet agents, editors, publicists, and authors, including: Jonathan Ames, William Bastone of The Smoking Gun, Andy Greenwald, Sigrid Nunez (recently featured on the cover of Poets & Writers Magazine), Joy Press from the Village Voice, Nuala O'Faolain, and memoirist Sean Wilsey. The conference costs $225 for one day, and $325 for two. Space is limited. For more information, please visit: www.writersconferencenyc.org. Conference partners include: Barnes & Noble, Gotham Writers' Workshop, iUniverse, and Poets & Writers.

Julia Roberts fails to move Broadway critics

gee...what a shocker...


Julia Roberts fails to move Broadway critics
By Claudia Parsons 34 minutes ago
NEW YORK (Reuters) -

Julia Roberts is still Hollywood's ultimate "Pretty Woman" but her first venture onto a Broadway stage failed to convince the critics whose verdict was "modest," "flat" and "lackluster."
Hundreds of fans gathered outside the theater for Wednesday's opening night of "Three Days of Rain" and stars who turned up for the hottest ticket on Broadway included Oprah Winfrey, Tim Robbins and Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
The play is the first professional stage role for the Oscar-winning Roberts, 38. She remains Hollywood's highest-paid actress, commanding $20 million a film, according to The Hollywood Reporter's list of the movie industry's top players.
"For the record, Roberts does not deliver a train wreck of a performance," the Toronto Star said in a review on Thursday headlined "Pretty Woman pretty flat." It said she failed to bring her Oscar-winning screen charisma to the stage.
"Her face, so luminous on screen, barely registers onstage," the review said.
New York Times critic Ben Brantley, whose reviews can make or break a play, confessed to be a "Juliaholic" and said he was nervous on entering the theater "as if a relative or a close friend were about to do something foolish in public."
"Your heart goes out to her when she makes her entrance in the first act and freezes with the unyielding stiffness of an industrial lamppost," Brantley wrote.
Richard Greenberg's play is a drama about a brother and sister who meet up with a childhood friend for the reading of a will. Roberts plays Nan in the first act and then her mother in the second, which takes place a generation earlier.
"She's stiff with self-consciousness (especially in the first act), only glancingly acquainted with the two characters she plays and so deeply, disturbingly beautiful that you don't want to let her out of your sight," Brantley wrote.
"On the few occasions when she smiles, it's with a sunniness that could dispel even 40 days and 40 nights of rain," he added.
RUN ALMOST SOLD OUT
USA Today critic Elysa Gardner was more generous, saying the two roles played to a Broadway newcomer's strengths and potential weaknesses. "In the end, Roberts makes both women credible, compelling and sweetly funny," Gardner wrote.
New York tabloid Newsday's critic Linda Winer was also a fan, saying: "Julia Roberts gives a lean, intelligent, altogether honorable performance."
But good reviews were in the minority.
The Boston Globe said the play was a lackluster "One hundred and fifty minutes of tedium," and added: "Roberts, a cinematic ball of fire, wanders around the stage in the first act as if she's looking for the Prozac."
"Mostly cloudy," was the Washington Post's verdict. "As if marooned on an unfamiliar shore, Julia Roberts staggers hesitantly through 'Three Days of Rain,"' it said.
Roberts' 12-week run is almost entirely sold out. In recent weeks tickets were listed on eBay for as much as $999 for a front-row pair of seats on opening weekend.
Roberts co-stars with
Paul Rudd and Bradley Cooper, both also familiar from the screen -- Rudd's credits include "The 40 Year Old Virgin," "Friends" and "Clueless," while Cooper is currently in "Failure to Launch" with Matthew McConaughey "It's weird because we are under the microscope in a way that other shows might not be," Rudd told NY1 television.
Roberts won an Oscar for "Erin Brockovich" in 2001 and was nominated for one in 1991 for "Pretty Woman."

joaquin phoenix in a sad state of disrepair

what the f*** happened? this boy was HOT in walk the line & now...a few months later...maybe it's proof that dating models, smoking, hanging in tribeca (gak) and soho (double gak), smoking some more...just isn't good for one's general state of being. still...even in his current state of um..."disrepair"...he's better looking than any other male vegan I know...(oh shutup)

pyrate sisters upcoming shows

Appetite for Correction
Lady Aye made an oopsy with this invite. It IS Thursday, April 20th -- not the 11th! Sorry for any confusion.
“Appetite for Seduction” - A Benefit for the Libby Ross Foundation MC Lady Aye w/ Miss Clams Casino & The White Boom BoomThursday, April 20
8pm Happy Valley14 East 27th
$20 minimum donation at the door.That gets you one free drink plus drink specials: $5 beers, $6 well drinks, $7 top shelf and two for one shots.

The Pyrate Sisters Shock & Amaze at Mondo Porno Pirates (with their sideshow skills, of course!!)
Arlene Grocery
Friday, April 28 95 Stanton Street Doors at 8:00pm$10 with flier, printout or
in costume$15 withoutwww.editrixabby.com for more info!

Let's bowl, let's bowl, let's rock 'n' roll!The Pyrate Sisters bop to the hep rockabilly sounds of Bones Maki & The Sundodgers!
Asbury Lanes
209 4TH AVE ASBURY PARK, NJSaturday, April 28 9pm$10

anthology film archives latest

here's the latest from Anthology Film Archives

ANTHOLOGY FILM ARCHIVES
32 SECOND AVENUE NEW YORK, NY 10003
www.anthologyfilmarchives.org

This week at Anthology Film Archives:
RESULTS YOU CAN'T REFUSE: 30 YEARS OF BB OPTICS-
week 3 RARE RIVETTE!
STARRING TAYLOR MEAD: THE ANTON PERICH MOVIES & RON RICE
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––RESULTS YOU CAN'T REFUSE: 30 YEARS OF BB OPTICS
TUESDAYS & WEDNESDAYS THROUGHOUT APRIL
THIS WEEK:
Tuesday 18 April 8:00
PROGRAM 5A revelatory show of optical printing effects, disrupted and disturbed images, sound and image interference and some top-notch verbal jousting. De Landa will be on hand to introduce his rarely screened RAW NERVES and to discuss the creation of this now infamous film. This is a very rare screening as the print has been taken out of distribution.
Manuel De Landa
RAW NERVES: A LACANIAN THRILLER (1980, 30 minutes, 16mm)
Bill Brand SPLIT DECISION (1979, 15 minutes, 16mm)
Bill Brand BEFORE THE FACT (1974, 6 minutes, 16mm)
Hollis Frampton CRITICAL MASS (HAPAX LEGOMENA III) (1971, 25.5 minutes, 16mm)
Total running time: ca. 90 minutes.
Wednesday 19 April 8:00
PROGRAM 6A wildly diverse program that moves between the realms of performance, punk rock and patricide. The JFK footage was originally shot for the Warren Commission investigation and was, many years later, preserved by Brand. Seen out of context, it is a mystifying document that raises more questions than it answers. The other works in this program speak to ideas of the ritual, mysticism and transformation. Also included is a guided tour through various documentaries that Bill has worked on, as well as outtakes and mishaps that have happened along the way. Expect some very special surprises.
Martha Colburn HEY TIGER (1996, 2.5 minutes, Super 8 on 16mm)
Bruce Nauman ART MAKE UP (1967-68, 10-minute excerpt, Super 8 on 16mm)
Bradley Eros OSMOSIS (1972-2002, 10 minutes, Super 8 on 16mm)
JFK Assassination Reenactments (approx. 1963-64, 35 minutes, 8mm to 16mm on video)PLUS!
Documentary Clips, Outtakes, and Mishaps from BB Optics
Approximate running time: 80 minutes.For full schedule:
http://www.anthologyfilmarchives.org/schedule/?festival_id=17

RARE RIVETTE!
Jacques Rivette's
OUT 1: SPECTRE, his condensation and reconsideration ofthe little-seen 13-hour
OUT 1: NOLI ME TANGERE, can be considered assomething like the little brother of the Holy Grail. While still clocking inexcess of four hours, SPECTRE reduces the lengthy performative andimprovisational aspects of the original to concentrate on the mysterious andconspiratorial underpinnings of the plot. A not-to-be-missed cinema event.
DUE TO THE EXTREME RARITY OF THIS FILM, IDEAL SUBTITLED PRINTS COULD NOT BEFOUND. This print, generously loaned for exhibition, is the best subtitled print available, but is in poor quality. (Our own inspection found that the film is in relatively good shape, the only flaw being it is rather faded and pink). We consider our screening to be in the spirit of keeping this remarkable film in circulation at any cost...Special thanks to Todd Wiener of the UCLA Film & Television Archive andDanielle Rosencranz of Sunshine Productions.
OUT 1: SPECTRE1971-72, 255 minutes, 16mm. In French with English subtitles. WithJean-Pierre Léaud, Juliet Berto, Bulle Ogier, Michel Lonsdale, andBernadette Lafont.“In spring 1970, Rivette shot approximately thirty hours of improvisationwith over three dozen actors. Originally intended to be shown as a TV serial‘in eight episodes lasting an hour and a half each’,
OUT 1: NOLI ME TANGERE was rejected by the ORTF and never properly released… After it became clearthat he could not get this film shown on TV or released theatrically,Rivette spent the better part of a year editing a shorter, quite differentfilm out of this material; which eventually opened in Paris in March 1974.- Jonathan Rosenbaum
Friday, April 21 through Sunday, April 23 at 7:00.
JEAN RENOIR: LE PATRON: CINÉASTES DE NOTRE TEMPS PART 3: LA RÈGLE ET L’EXCEPTION1961, 76 minutes, 16mm. In French with English subtitles.In the third part of this extensive documentary, Rivette and Renoir discuss,at length, the conception and production of Renoir’s most celebrated film,THE RULES OF THE GAME.–Saturday, April 22 & Sunday, April 23 at 5:00.

STARRING TAYLOR MEAD: THE ANTON PERICH MOVIES & RON RICE
In the early 70s, Anton Perich produced and directed approximately twenty video movies starring Taylor Mead for his weekly cable TV show. When the movies were repeatedly censored by the cable broadcast network, they created a major scandal within the TV world of that time. Six of these movies will be shown at Anthology in this special program.As an accompaniment to these unique works, we are presenting two classic films by Ron Rice that propelled Taylor to his first taste of underground “stardom”, including our recently preserved print of THE FLOWER THIEF.
PROGRAM 1
DR. POPE (1973, 35 minutes)Taylor is a Manhattan shrink and the Pope in Rome, at the same time. Susan Blond and Tinkerbelle play his most famous patients, a notorious gossip columnist Rona Barrett and Jackie O.
LA DOLCE VITA GRANDE (1972, 30 minutes)Taylor plays Carlo, a famous Italian film producer, and Cyrinda Foxe plays his wife Sophia, a famous Italian movie star. Sophia, who has fired his driver Ninno, has to re-hire the driver in order to keep Carlo sexually excited so he can impregnate Sophia. Also featuring: Bebe Buell, Donna Jordan, Oliviero Toscany, Jean-Pierre Kalfon, Octavio Escali.
FRANKENSTINO (1973, 31 minutes)Taylor plays Dr. Frankenstein at work in his laboratory surrounded by his numerous assistants and monsters (Wayne County, Robert Starr and others). – Friday, April 21 at 8:00.
PROGRAM 2 STAR CANDIDATE (1973, 35 minutes)Taylor plays a famous movie star running to be the next NYC mayor, with his campaign financially supported by cardboard company boss (Danny Fields). Tinkerbelle plays his secretary, Susan Blond his wife, Wayne County his gay son, and Sami Melange his bodyguard/lover. If elected mayor, Taylor promises to cut down every tree in Central Park and construct a 16-lane highway in the middle of Manhattan.
DR. TINKERBELLE (1972, 30 minutes)Taylor plays a bored decadent billionaire who, to the dismay of his wife (Susan Blond) and his doctor (Tinkerbelle), brings home a young French man and a chanteuse from the Cannes Film Festival. With the doctor's help, the wife tries various schemes to get rid of the husband and inherit his wealth and new boyfriend.
CANDY AND DADDY (1972, 35 minutes)Taylor plays a pervert and increasingly drunk father of gorgeous blonde minx Candy Darling, who, with her boyfriend (Craig Vandenburg), has just thrown a wild party and totally destroyed their Central Park West apartment.–
Saturday, April 22 at 8:00.Ron Rice
THE FLOWER THIEF 1960, 75 minutes. Starring Taylor Mead. Though dying before the age of thirty, having made only a few films, Ron Rice nevertheless left behind the mark of his strong, intuitive gifts as a filmmaker. A high school dropout and restless drifter, Rice initially made his way to film when he purchased an 8mm camera to record bicycle races. In San Francisco he met Taylor Mead, which led to the production of THE FLOWER THIEF, with Mead as its off-beat hero. In its great feeling for spontaneous illogicality, the film not only defied the professional conventions of slick narrative, but seemed to capture the spirit of a rebellious generation.– Thursday, April 20 at 7:30 & Sunday, April 23 at 6:00. Ron Rice
THE QUEEN OF SHEBA MEETS THE ATOM MAN 1963/1982, 109 minutes.“The film describes, poetically, a way of living. The film is a protest which is violent, childish, and sincere - a protest against an industrial world based on the cycle of production and consumption.” - Alberto MoraviaTaylor plays the Atom Man, so-named for his insignificance, and Winifred Bryan is the rather, ahem, imposing Queen of Sheba in Rice's final work, unfinished at the time of his death but given a definitive edit by Taylor. – Saturday, April 22 at 5:30 & Sunday, April 23 at 8:00.

Anthology Film Archives is located at 32 Second Ave. at Second Street and can be reached by the Second Avenue F and V train or the #6, Bleecker Street stop.32 Second Avenue / 2nd Street 212.505.5181http://www.anthologyfilmarchives.org

polanski's REPULSION at film forum

www.filmforum.org/films/repulsion.html

POLANSKI’S HORROR CLASSIC STARRING CATHERINE DENEUVE STARTS
THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 21 IN A NEW 35mm RESTORATION. TWO WEEKS ONLY!
Showtimes: 1:10, 3:15, 5:30, 7:35, 9:40

Roadside Bomb Kills Soldier; DoD Identifies Earlier Casualties

from American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 19, 2006 – A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier died yesterday from wounds suffered when a roadside bomb struck his vehicle north of Baghdad, military officials reported today.
The soldier's name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Meanwhile, the Defense Department has identified seven other service members who died recently:
Army Master Sgt. Clinton W. Cubert, 38, of Lawrenceburg, Ky. , died April 16 in the Lexington (Ky. ) Veterans Affairs Medical Center of injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near his Humvee in Samarra, Iraq, on Sept. 11, 2005. Cubert was assigned to the Army National Guard's 2113th Transportation Company, Paducah, Ky.
Army Spc. Mark W. Melcher, 34, of Pittsburgh, died April 15 in Taqaddum, Iraq, when his M1A1 Abrams tank came under enemy small-arms fire. Melcher was assigned to the National Guard's 1st Battalion, 103rd Armor, Friedens, Pa.
Marine Lance Cpl. Darin T. Settle, 23, of Henley, Mo. , died April 14 from a nonhostile motor vehicle accident in Anbar province. He was assigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N. C.

Four Marines died April 15 when their Humvee struck a roadside bomb in Iraq's Anbar province.
Killed were:
Lance Cpl. Derrick J. Cothran, 21, of Avondale, La. ;
Cpl. Pablo V. Mayorga, 33, of Margate, Fla. ;
Lance Cpl. Justin D. Sims, 22, of Covington, Ky. ; and
Pfc. Ryan G. Winslow, 19, of Jefferson, Ala.
Cothran, Mayorga and Winslow were all assigned to the 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N. C. Sims was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, also at Camp Lejeune.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Defense Department news releases. )

Capt. Ian P. Weikel, 31, of Colorado, died in Balad, Iraq on April 18, from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations in Baghdad. Weikel was assigned to the 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

chris offutt on comix

http://www.uiowa.edu/~ournews/2006/april/041106offutt-comics.html

University of Iowa News Release
April 11, 2006
Chris Offutt Discusses Comics In April 21 Writers' Workshop Lecture
Chris Offutt, a University of Iowa Writers' Workshop alumnus and visiting faculty member, will discuss "Comic Books Come of Age" at 4 p.m. Friday, April 21, in Room 150S of the Seamans Center on the UI campus.
The lecture, a part of the workshop's new Writers' Workshop Lecture Series, is free and the public is invited to attend.
Offutt, a Lannan and Whiting Award winner and a Guggenheim fellow, made his comic-writing debut last year in "Michael Chabon Presents: The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist, No. 6" and he wrote an essay, "Why I Love Comics," for "RoadStrips: A Graphic Journey Across America." Another comics essay appeared in "Give our Regards to the Atomsmashers," and DC comics has asked him to write for "Batman."
"People who write and draw their own comic books have more creative freedom than any other artist," Offutt says. "They have independent control over both text and image, which function equally together. Every other artist either collaborates or deploys language separate from imagery."
Offutt's books are the short-story collections "Out of the Woods" and "Kentucky Straight," the novel "The Good Brother," and the memoirs "The Same River Twice" and "No Heroes."
The Writers' Workshop is a graduate program of the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. You may visit their Web page at www.uiowa.edu/~iww/.
For UI arts information and calendar updates, visit http://www.uiowa.edu/artsiowa. To receive UI arts news by e-mail, ur-acr@uiowa.edu.
STORY SOURCE: University of Iowa Arts Center Relations, 300 Plaza Centre One, Suite 351, Iowa City, IA 52242-2500.

Hope this doesn't mean he's not writing any more fiction...we've already lost denis johnson (claims he's not going to write anything but plays from now on)...not that I'm not excited at the prospect of Offutt meets BATMAN.

Patrick McGrath reading tonight

no rsvp(future readings will begin at 7)
Please join the PAGE series in warmly welcoming
(note the 7:30 start time):

PATRICK McGRATH Ghost Town: Tales of Manhattan Then and Now (Bloomsbury USA)
EMILY BARTON Brookland: A Novel(FSG) and
TERESE SVOBODAT in God(University of Nebraska Press) *

Wednesday, April 19, 2006
7:30 p.m.
The National Arts Club free and open to the public open bar and refreshments jacket requested * The National Arts Club * 15 Gramercy Park South * NYC 10003
PAGE is directed by Fran Gordon and Wah-Ming Chang

U.S. Casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan

The Department of Defense announced today the death of four Marines. Lance Cpl. Derrick J. Cothran, 21, of Avondale, La. Cpl. Pablo V. Mayorga, 33, of Margate, Fla. Lance Cpl. Justin D. Sims, 22, of Covington, Ky. and Pfc. Ryan G. Winslow, 19, of Jefferson, Ala. All four Marines died April 15 when their HMMWV struck an improvised explosive device during combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Cothran, Mayorga, and Winslow were all assigned to the 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Sims was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Spc. Mark W. Melcher, 34, of Pittsburgh, Pa., died in Al Taqaddum, Iraq on April 15, when his M1A1 Abrams tank came under enemy small-arms fire during combat operations. Melcher was assigned to the National Guard's 1st Battalion, 103rd Armor, Friedens, Pa.

Master Sgt. Clinton W. Cubert, 38, of Lawrenceburg, Ky., died on April 16, in the Lexington Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Lexington, Ky., of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations in Samarra, Iraq, on Sept. 11, 2005. Cubert was assigned to the Army National Guard's 2113th Transportation Company, Paducah, Ky.

Lance Cpl. Darin T. Settle, 23, of Henley, Mo., died April 14 from a non-hostile motor vehicle accident in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

EMERSON AND BROOKS WIN PULITZER PRIZES

[courtesy of Poets & Writers]

EMERSON AND BROOKS WIN PULITZER PRIZES
Claudia Emerson won the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry for Late Wife (Louisiana State University Press). Also nominated were Elizabeth Alexander for American Sublime (Graywolf Press) and Dean Young for Elegy on Toy Piano (University of Pittsburgh Press).
The winner in the fiction category is Geraldine Brooks for her novel March (Viking). Also nominated were E.L. Doctorow for The March (Random House) and Lee Martin for The Bright Forever (Shaye Areheart Books/Crown Publishing).
Emerson and Brooks will each receive $10,000.

Past winners of the Pulitzer Prizes
2005 Poetry: Ted Kooser for Delights & Shadows (Copper Cayon Press) 2005 Fiction: Marilynne Robinson for Gilead (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
2004 Poetry: Franz Wright for Walking to Martha's Vineyard (Alfred A. Knopf) 2004 Fiction: Edward P. Jones for The Known World (Amistad/HarperCollins)
2003 Poetry: Paul Muldoon for Moy Sand and Gravel (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)2003 Fiction: Jeffrey Eugenides for Middlesex (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
2002 Poetry: Carl Dennis for Practical Gods (Penguin) 2002 Fiction: Richard Russo for Empire Falls (Alfred A. Knopf)
2001 Poetry: Stephen Dunn for Different Hours (W.W. Norton) 2001 Fiction: Michael Chabon for The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (Random House)
2000 Poetry: C.K. Williams for Repair (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) 2000 Fiction: Jhumpa Lahiri for Interpreter of Maladies (Mariner Books/Houghton Mifflin)

U.S. Casualties in Iraq reported 4/12-4/16/06

Four Marines Killed in Action in Iraq's Anbar Province
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 16, 2006 – Four U. S. Marines were killed in action yesterday in Iraq's Anbar province, military officials in Baghdad announced today. Three of the Marines were assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5, and the fourth was assigned to the 2/28 Brigade Combat Team. Officials provided no other details. The Marines' names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Spc. Andrew K. Waits, 23, of Waterford, Mich., died April 13, in Baghdad, Iraq, where an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Waits was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Comabt Team, 101st Airborne Divison (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two Marines - Cpl. Salem Bachar, 20, of Chula Vista, Calif. & Lance Cpl. Stephen J. Perez, 22, of San Antonio, Texas. Both were killed due to enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq on April 13. Bachar was assigned to Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Perez was assigned to 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

WASHINGTON, April 15, 2006 – A Marine assigned to 1st Marine Logistics Group died in a motor vehicle accident yesterday in Iraq's Anbar province, military officials reported, and tips from Iraqi citizens continue to result in captured insurgents and weapons. The death was not a result of enemy action, officials said. The Marine's name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

WASHINGTON, April 15, 2006 – Two Marines died and 22 were wounded due to enemy action while operating in Iraq's Anbar province April 13, military officials reported, and the Defense Department has identified several other servicemembers who died earlier.
One Marine died at the scene of the Anbar province attack. Another died later at a medical facility in Taqqadum.
Dead are:
Cpl. Salem Bachar, 20, of Chula Vista, Calif. Bachar was assigned to Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Lance Cpl. Stephen J. Perez, 22, of San Antonio. Perez was assigned to 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Eight wounded Marines, all assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5, were evacuated by air to a medical facility in Balad. Two were listed in critical condition. Six were listed in stable condition. Ten wounded Marines, all assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5, were evacuated to a medical facility at Camp Fallujah. Four were being held for observation. Six were treated and returned to duty. Four other Marines assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5 received minor wounds.
"Our hearts go out to the families of the dead and wounded Marines," said Marine spokesman Lt. Col. Bryan Salas. "Our wounded Marines are receiving the best care available, and we look forward to their speedy recovery. "

Meanwhile, the Defense Department has identified several earlier casualties:
Army Spc. Andrew K. Waits, 23, of Waterford, Mich. , died April 13 in Baghdad when a roadside bomb detonated near his Humvee during combat operations. Waits was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Divison (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Two soldiers died of injuries suffered in Misiab on April 12, when a roadside bomb detonated near their Humvee during combat operations. Spc. Scott M. Bandhold, 37, of North Merrick, N. Y. , and Pfc. Roland E. Calderon-Ascencio, 21, of Miami, Fla. , were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
MarineLance Cpl. Marcus S. Glimpse, 22, of Huntington Beach, Calif. , died April 12 as the result of a roadside bomb while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Three soldiers died of injuries suffered in Taji on April 11 when a roadside bomb detonated near their Bradley fighting vehicle and they came under small-arms fire during combat operations. Cpl. Joseph A. Blanco, 25, of Bloomington, Calif. ; Pfc. James F. Costello III, 27, of St. Louis, Mo. ; and Pfc. George R. Roehl Jr. , 21, of Manchester, N. H. , were assigned to the 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Marine Lance Cpl. Philip J. Martini, 24, of Lansing, Ill. , died April 8 of a gunshot wound while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. Martini was assigned to 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Marine Lance Cpl. Eric A. Palmisano, 27, of Florence, Wis. , died April 2 after the truck he was riding in rolled over in a flash flood near Asad. The incident also resulted in the death of six other Marines. Palmisano was listed in "Whereabouts Unknown" status until his body was recovered April 11. He was assigned to 1st Transportation Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Marcques J. Nettles, 22, of Beaverton, Ore. , is still listed as "Whereabouts Unknown" as a result of the incident, and search efforts continue.

Lance Cpl. Marcus S. Glimpse, 22, of Huntington Beach, Calif., died April 12 as the result of an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Spc. Shawn R. Creighton, 21, of Windsor, N.C., died in Rawah, Iraq on April 8, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Stryker vehicle during patrol operations. Creighton was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

Spc. Andrew K. Waits, 23, of Waterford, Mich., died April 13, in Baghdad, Iraq, where an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Waits was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Comabt Team, 101st Airborne Divison (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.


Three Soldiers Die in Iraq; DoD Identifies Recent Casualties
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 12, 2006 – Roadside bombs killed three U. S. servicemembers in Iraq today, and the Defense Department has identified five other recent casualties.
Military officials reported that two Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers were killed when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb south of Baghdad this morning. Another Multinational Division Baghdad soldier died this morning in a roadside bomb attack east of Baghdad.
The soldiers' names are being withheld pending notification of the families, and the incidents are under investigation.

Meanwhile, the Defense Department has identified three soldiers and two Marines who died recently in Iraq:
Army Spc. James W. Gardner, 22, of Glasgow, Ky. , died in Tal Afar on April 10 from a noncombat related cause. Gardner was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Two soldiers died of injuries suffered April 9 in Ramadi when a roadside bomb detonated near their Humvee during combat operations. Sgt. 1st Class Randall L. Lamberson, 36, of Springfield, Mo. , died in Balad on April 10, and Spc. David S. Collins, 24, of Jasper Ga. , died in Ramadi on April 9. The soldiers were assigned to the Army's 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Marine Cpl. Richard P. Waller, 22, of Fort Worth, Texas, died April 7 from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in Iraq's Anbar province. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Marine Lance Cpl. Bryan N. Taylor, 20, of Milford, Ohio, died April 6 after being shot by an Iraqi army soldier on a coalition base near Qaim. He was assigned to the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N. C. The incident is under investigation.

Soldier, Marine Killed in Iraq; DoD Identifies Recent Casualties
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 13, 2006 – Military officials in Baghdad announced a U. S. soldier's death today and a Marine's death yesterday, and the Defense Department has identified two other recent casualties.
A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier was killed today when a roadside bomb struck his vehicle southwest of Baghdad. A Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5 died due to enemy action while operating near Baghdad. Officials provided no other details.
The servicemembers' names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
In addition, the Defense Department has identified two soldiers - both assigned to the 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska -- who died recently in Iraq:
Army Spc. Kenneth D. Hess, 26, of Asheville, N. C. , died April 11 in Rawah as the result of a suicide bomber attack while he was conducting a dismounted patrol.
Army Spc. Shawn R. Creighton, 21, of Windsor, N. C. , died in Rawah April 8 when a roadside bomb detonated near his Stryker vehicle during a patrol.

Spc. Scott M. Bandhold, 37, of North Merrick, N.Y. and Pfc. Roland E. Calderonascenio, 21, of Miami, Fla. died of injuries sustained in Misiab, Iraq on April 12, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV during combat operations. The soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Cpl. Joseph A. Blanco, 25, of Bloomington, Calif., Pfc. James F. Costello III, 27, of St. Louis, Mo. and Pfc. George R. Roehl Jr., 21, of Manchester, N.H.died of injuries sustained in Taji, Iraq on April 11, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Bradley Fighting Vehicle and they subsequently came under small arms fire during combat operations. All three soldiers were assigned to the 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Lance Cpl. Eric A. Palmisano, 27, of Florence, Wis., died April 2, after the truck he was riding in rolled over in a flash flood near Al Asad, Iraq. The incident also resulted in the death of six other Marines and a Navy petty officer. Palmisano was listed as Duty Status - Whereabouts Unknown until his body was recovered April 11. He was assigned to 1st Transportation Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Petty Officer 3rd Class Marcques J. Nettles, 22, of Beaverton, Ore. is still listed as Duty Status - Whereabouts Unknown as a result of the incident and search efforts continue.

Spc. Kenneth D. Hess, 26, of Asheville, N.C., died in Rawah, Iraq on April 11, as the result of a suicide bomber attack while Hess was conducting a dismounted patrol. Hess was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

Lance Cpl. Philip J. Martini, 24, of Lansing, Ill., died April 8, of a gunshot wound while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Martini was assigned to 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 11, 2006 – Five U. S. soldiers have died in Iraq in recent days, and the Defense Department has identified four other recent casualties.
Three Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers died after a roadside bomb exploded near the vehicle they were riding in north of Baghdad today, military officials reported.
A soldier assigned to 2nd Battalion 28th Brigade Combat Team died yesterday from wounds suffered from enemy action April 9 in Anbar province, officials announced today.
They also announced today a soldier from the 130th Engineer Brigade was killed April 9 when his combat patrol struck a roadside bomb near Balad. Another soldier was wounded and was taken to a military medical treatment facility, officials added. They provided no report on the wounded soldier's condition.
The soldiers' names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Meanwhile, the Defense Department has identified three soldiers and a Marine who died recently in Iraq:
Army Sgt. 1st Class Gregory S. Rogers, 42, of Cincinnati, died in Ramadi on April 9 when a roadside bomb exploded near his Humvee during a convoy. Rogers was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Army Pfc. Joseph I. Love, 22, of North Pole, Alaska, died in Balad on April 9 when a roadside bomb exploded near his Humvee during a convoy. Love was assigned to the 94th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy), 8th Sustainment Command (Theater), Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
Army Pvt. Jody W. Missildine, 19, of Plant City, Fla. , died in Tal Afar on April 8 when a roadside bomb exploded near his Humvee during a convoy. Missildine was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg, Germany.
Marine Lance Cpl. Juana Navarro Arellano, 24, of Ceres, Calif. , died April 8 from wounds received while supporting combat operations in Anbar province. Arellano was assigned to 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.

wings of desire @ Museum of the Moving Image

Wim Wenders

Wings of Desire

Friday, April 14, 7:30 p.m.Saturday, April 15, 6:30 p.m.Sunday, April 16, 6:30 p.m.
1987, 127 mins., Germany. With Bruno Ganz, Peter Falk. In Wenders's romantic, philosophical, and political fable, angels watch over modern-day Berlin.

NARAL south dakota letter

just got this in one of my email inboxes...the 2nd line was enough for me to not want to read the rest. "a national symbol of freedom" ?!? Unless, of course, you happen to be Native American. someone at NARAL needs to buy a f**king clue.

"My home state is under attack.
Home of Mount Rushmore, a national symbol of freedom, my South Dakota is now also known as a playground for the radical right. South Dakota has passed the most restrictive ban on abortion since Roe v. Wade, with no exception even in cases of rape or incest or when a woman's health is in danger.
These aren't the values of the state I know and love.
I grew up in De Smet, South Dakota -- population 1,250. There were 42 students in my graduating class. Each year my town welcomes thousands of visitors to tour the places made famous by Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" books. I am a South Dakota gal who enjoys the great outdoors: camping, boating, and visiting my grandfather's farm.
Born, raised, and educated in South Dakota, I know plenty about small-town values -- values that our state legislature abandoned when it passed the ban. South Dakotans value community, helping out our neighbors, and protecting access to adequate health care. We also value privacy, and believe that a woman's health decisions should be made between her, her doctor, and her faith.
I apply the values I learned in South Dakota everyday in my job at NARAL Pro-Choice America -- and now I am going to stand with my home state and NARAL Pro-Choice South Dakota to oppose this ban. Just last month, pro-choice South Dakotans filed a petition to get a measure on the November ballot that would allow South Dakotans to repeal this law. NARAL Pro-Choice South Dakota is part of the coalition working to repeal the ban. With your help, we can restore pro-choice values to South Dakota.
Sincerely,Heidi, age 24, native of De Smet, South Dakota"

current reads

Since blogger's not accepting this info in the sidebar for some reason, here's what I'm currently reading...Didion is, of course, a pleasure and why I didn't read this sooner I really don't know. The Historian has an interesting premise but for all the hype, I'd have to say, is probably one of the worst edited books I've read in a long time. Clocking in at over 600 pages, the story within a story within a story within a story is an awkward and confusing device(s?) and there is no reason this book couldn't have been cut to 300 pages. Still, it will make a good movie (hopefully) which is why I started reading it before the deal was announced. oh well.

9,000-Year-Old Drilled Teeth Are Work of Stone Age Dentists

from National Geographic...can I just say...ouch.

Human teeth excavated from an archaeological site in Pakistan show that dentistry was thriving as recently as 9,000 years ago.

Researchers excavating a Stone Age graveyard found a total of 11 teeth that had been drilled, including one that had apparently undergone a complex procedure to hollow out a cavity deep inside the tooth. The discovery suggests a high level of technological sophistication, though the procedure, which involved drills tipped with shards of flint, could hardly have been a painless affair.
"The finding provides clear and compelling evidence that earlier people had knowledge of manipulation of dental hard tissues in living people," said Clark Spencer Larsen, an anthropologist at Ohio State University in Columbus, who was not part of the excavation.
Scientists from the Université de Poitiers in Poitiers, France, and the Musée Guimet of Paris made the discovery.
The team's findings appear in this week's issue of the journal Nature.
Therapeutic Reason?
"We think the drilling had medical reasons," said Roberto Macchiarelli, a paleoanthropologist at the Université de Poitiers and lead author of the study.
"While some teeth had been drilled more than once, four showed signs of decay … suggesting a possible therapeutic intervention."
The procedure could not have had an aesthetic purpose, since its results were not easily visible, he added.
But the real motive is still uncertain.
"The reason is difficult to ascertain," said Jeffrey Schwartz, an anthropologist at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. "As the authors [of the study] admit, encroaching on the [tooth's] pulp cavity would cause pain, and leaving these holes so close to the pulp cavity, where they would accumulate food and lead to infection and continue to cause pain, would hardly seem to be therapeutic."
Macchiarelli's team made the discovery while excavating a 9,000-year-old graveyard in Baluchistan, a region of Pakistan that borders Afghanistan and Iran (map).

The people of Mehrgarh, the site of the dig, were once nomadic hunter-gatherers who settled into a more sedate lifestyle, growing crops and raising cattle.
During the dig, the researchers identified nine individuals with a total of 11 drilled teeth.
"One individual had three drilled teeth, while another had a tooth that had been drilled twice," Macchiarelli said.
A closer look with a microscope revealed that at least in one case, not only had the tooth been drilled, but the resulting cavity had also been delicately reshaped.
And in all cases, the researchers noticed smoothening of the teeth. That meant the drilling had been conducted on living people who then continued to use the teeth for chewing food.
Flint Drill
To make a hole on the relatively small surface of a tooth, Mehrgarh's dentists probably used a contraption quite similar to the one used in making a fire.
Rope from a bowlike device was looped around a slender piece of wood that was tipped with a sharp shard of flint. When the bow was moved sideways, it created a drill-like circular motion and pushed the flint into the tooth.
"It was very fast and also generated heat, enabling the dentist to drill holes smaller that 1 millimeter [0.04 inch] in diameter," said Macchiarelli, who created a replica of the drill by studying related artifacts.
He thinks that know-how for the early dentistry was probably transferred from artisans skilled at drilling holes in bead ornaments.
The researchers have yet to find evidence of dental fillings. Macchiarelli thinks that some sort of tarlike material or soft vegetable matter was stuffed into the tooth cavity. However, there is no evidence to prove the theory.
"[The fillings] could have degraded over time," he reasoned.
Out of Fashion
Though the dental manipulation lasted near Mehrgarh for about 1,500 years, the practice completely disappeared with the onset of the metal age about 7,000 years ago, Macchiarelli said.
"There is no evidence of this procedure in graveyards from much later periods, despite the continuation of poor dental health. We have no idea why it stopped," he said.
Schwartz, the Pittsburgh anthropologist, agreed the purpose of the drilling remains mysterious.
"In Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, the lip-side surfaces of front teeth were drilled to receive semiprecious stones and gold, but that was clearly ornamental," he said.
"So I'm stumped as to why these holes were drilled."
Perhaps the pain caused the practice to lose popularity, he added.

U.S. Casualties in Iraq 4/11

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers Sgt. 1st Class Randall L. Lamberson, 36, of Springfield, Mo., died in Balad, Iraq on April 10th. & Spc. David S. Collins, 24, of Jasper Ga., died in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, on April 9th.died of injuries sustained in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, on April 9, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV during combat operations. The soldiers were assigned to the Army's 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Spc. James W. Gardner, 22, of Glasgow, Ky., died in Tal Afar, Iraq, on April 10, from a non-combat related cause. Gardner was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Lance Cpl. Bryan N. Taylor, 20, of Milford, Ohio, died April 6 after being shot by an Iraqi Army soldier on a coalition base near Al Qaim, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. The incident is currently under investigation.

Cpl. Richard P. Waller, 22, of Fort Worth, Texas, died April 7 from wounds received while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

more from the orchid show

NY Botanical Garden Orchid Show 2006

NY Botanical Garden March 2006 all photos taken with a kodak disposable 35mm camera.

greg's blogs

my friend greg has blogs too...

http://sexkittenscratches.blogspot.com/

And here are some pictures from our trips to New Zealand and Sri Lanka:
http://sonicgg.tripod.com/sri_lanka_aug_2005
http://sonicgg.tripod.com/new_zealand_

the latest from crispin the world traveler

¡°Can you help me?¡±, asked one of my domestic helpers. She had cornered me in my bedroom after I had drank rather more than I should have done one particular evening.
¡°I have never been kissed by a man before, I want to try....¡±.
Even taking my current state of inebriation into account, this seemed like a strange request, but then again, putting it in context with my China experience, ¡°suprise¡± is no longer an impulse that affects me in any great manner.My two domestic helpers had been fighting over my attention for a long while. Xia zi ¨C the woman inquestion, and Michael ¨C a man who once give me filmwork as an extra, only never to receive another phone call in his short-lasting career, were not in the strictest terms Domestic Helpers, but rather a coupleof disenfranchised Cantonese people I had allowed to live in my spacious apartment ¨C rent free.Usually, I like my own space, but my domestic helpers, along the 50 RMB women down the alley, have provided some solace for me during a difficult time in my life since the split up from my girlfriend in rather dramatic fashion........ She had been pressurizing me into marriage for quite a while until eventually,matters came to hand in the form of a pregnancy. She give me two very clear and simple options :1.Marry her 2.We split up, have the abortion, and pay her 13000RMB
Given these unambiguous choices, I thought long and hard about the consequences of each. Finally, I made a decision ¨C I went on holiday. Unfortunately, life has taught me a harsh lesson. You cannot run away from responsibility. I returned to Zhuhai with an abortion on my hands, and a rather hefty sum off money to payout. Luckily, since my arrival in China, I have become somewhat proficient at bargaining. I managed to lower my severance fee to a more manageable 4000 RMB, plus the costs of the abortion. It finally put an end to a 14 month relationship that started on a bus during my second week in China. She was sitting in the seat infront of mine, as I was studying my English textbooksfor the following day's lesson. Before we had spoken,I had been distracted by the nap of her neck ¨C her wonderful complexion. She turned around to speak to me, to inquire about my stay in China. We exchangednumbers, and before long took part in a courtship thatwas as traditional as any I have ever experienced inmy 31 years.I arrived in China a bit worse for wear. The ShashlikI had eaten at my leaving party in Kyrgyzstan haddisagreed quite adversely with my internal workings. Iwas sitting at the airport, making frequent visits tothe toilet. On one such visit, I received a phone callfrom an erstwhile girlfriend, whom I had to stopseeing once she started extorting money from me. It isthe last time to date that I have spoken to her. Isuppose, even among the extortionists of the world, itis possible to harbor strong emotion to some extent.Her final words were ¡°.......I love you¡±. I feltsomething touch me deep down in side, which I couldn'tquite place, but then I realised that it was much morelikely due to the subsequent bowel movement. My goodKyrgyz friend Kuat works in airport security. Ispotted him, and joined him for a brandy at thedeparture gate. I offered to give him all my smallleft-over change, which he asked me to hand overdiscretely. He returned the favour by letting me jumpthe queue for the airplane ¨C a gesture I was thankfulfor, but a gesture which served no purpose other thanfor me to question the security procedures in place.So anyway, I finally arrived in Zhuhai, via Urumxi inthe North, and Chengdu in Central China. Within acouple of days, I started working at my first school.The noteworthy people that I should mention are anEnglish ex-actor called David ¨C on TV a lot in the70's, an Australian man called Macca, who has left apast which is probably more painful than most peoples'nightmares and has since turned to the bottle, and aCzech women called Jitka ¨C a mamouth of a women withtree-trunks for legs, married to a small diminutiveCanadian man.David had a vendetta towards China from the beginning.When I one day suggested that China did not have apoliceman on every corner, he screamed at me ¡°Are youcrazy!? If I was to stand up right now and sayTiannemen Square was a massacre, you think I wouldstill be in China tomorrow?? You are so na0S7ve!¡±.In the end, I was proved right, when he did just thatand more, in exactly the same venue, in front of allthe school management and approximately 80 Chinese¡°spies¡±. He got off with a warning.Macca's history is sordid and obscure, and it is abook of worms probably not worth even touching thecover. Suffice to say, when he drinks past his limit,he has the tendancy to either cry, or swear profuselyat anyone who has the misfortune of crossing his path.This has led to numerous druggings, beatings, andbeing dragged through the bushes. It probablyculminated at a nationally broadcast concert when heclimbed up on stage and said ¡°F*ck China¡± on liveTV. He mangaged to miraculously avoid a beating thatnight.Now on to Jitka. Where to begin. Well, she startedtaking a liking to me at some point. Given that thiswoman is a rather grotesque object of undesire, Ifound the attention at first unwanted, and then alittle sinister. She started to give me presents ¨C atfirst quite innocent ones, such as chocolates andflowers. Then the presents started to become a littlemore bizarre. Condoms came first, then for Christmas,she gave me a book entitled ¡°The Ultimate Guide toAnal Sex for Women¡±. The gifts didn't cease. One day,she sent me an email saying that there was animportant document hidden inside my desk that shewanted me to sign ASAP. Tentatively, I approached mydesk, released the document from the envelope, andread the title. I had to rub my eyes a couple of timesjust to make sure that I wasn't hallucinating. I feltsure that it said ¡°My last will and testament¡±, butsurely that was out of the question. I opened my eyesagain to examine the document, and it did indeed statethat in the case of her death, all her property andbelongings would be bequeathed to me. These sort ofproblems are not the kind I like to confront head on.Luckily, I had a reprieve. MASS SACKINGS!My principal, a woman of few principles if the truthbe told, had decided to show these over-privilegedwhiteys exactly who was in control. One personresigned, one person did a ¡°midnight run¡±, and inChinese logic, when you become understaffed, thelogical option is to sack the rest of your staff.After seeing four of my colleagues discarded withoutseverance pay, I decided to make a principled stance -I resigned. I finished cancelling all my paperwork andwent on holiday looking for a new start.........Thailand. I can't say that I acted with total moralintegrity during my time here, as that would bestretching the truth slightly. I met a nice Japanesegirl on a trip to the island to the South of Bangkok.During my time on the island, I received an email frommy former school saying something along the lines of -¡°This is a letter of pending libelaction.....yadiyadiyada.....all your money that youare due will be held in escrow (I had to look up thisparticular legal term) until a full retraction ismade....yadiyadiyada........This sort of marred myholiday somewhat, and as a result, that of my Japanesefriend, but it all ended up well. I spent my lastnight in the luxury suite of the 5 star Sofitel hotel¨C a luxury that has not been exceeded in my life todate.I returned to China, tail between my legs. I had beenadvised that the best policy is to curtail one'semotions and kiss ass in these circumstances. However,kissing ass was not really necessary when I eventuallyreturned to the school, after a few brandies for dutchcourage, to collect whatever money was due to me, aseverybody concerned hid from me behind glass windowsand closed doors.By this point, I had found a new job in a start-upschool. It was under construction when I arrived, andI spent the first two or three months killing time andmosquitos. There were four of us, and our manager wasa well-known conman, although the Chinese are not soefficient when it comes to checking references. Theconman didn't last long. Neither did the other twoteachers. After a while, I affirmed my position as thehead teacher ¨C this at a time when my drinking wasspiraling into another dimension, and as I found a newdrug of choice ¨C well a group of drugs if the truthbe told.In praise of Benzos ¨C the good, the bad, the ugly.The good ¨C I alone managed to put up with thebullshit ¨C no mean feat!. The bad ¨C My memory and myintellectual capacity ain't what it used to be. Theugly ¨C numerous lost phones and wallets, and a lostweekend in Hong Kong ¨C maybe Graeme can fill in thedetails, cos I don't know what the fuck went on exceptfor a few smashed glasses, a lost wallet, and a ferrygoing to a destination other than the one I intended.I love my doctors. I have a doctor in every port ¨Ceach one with his own unique brand of happy feel-goodpills.So, I climbed the career ladder, and before I know it,I land the position of Director of Studies. For thoseunaware of teaching, this is a high managementposition in the school. So far, I have sacked oneperson and received two death threats. Not bad foronly 5 months on the job!So, all is well, and all is not well. China is abalancing act. I slide too much in one direction, andI lose everything; if I follow the line, who knowswhat the future holds. One thing I can say for sure ¨Cthere are no certainties in this existence.
Speak soon,Crispin

tron & sara's houston blog

http://houstonhaiku.blogspot.com/

latest from NARRATIVE

We are proud to announce that Pia Z. Ehrhardt's short story “Famous Fathers” has been selected as a finalist for StorySouth’s 2006 Million Writers Award. The Million Writers Award is given annually to the best story published online, as voted by readers. Voting takes place from now until end of the day on April 30, and we encourage you to visit the Million Writers Award web site at http://www.storysouth.com/millionwriters.html and cast your vote. Last October, "Famous Fathers" was awarded the 2005 Narrative Prize, and the story is available online here. In 2005, Narrative author, Alicia Gifford won the Million Writers Award for her story “Toggling the Switch,” and several other Narrative stories were named notable stories of the year. This year, in addition to Pia's story, the Million Writers Award selected four Narrative stories as notable stories of the year:
“You, or Someone Like You” by Chandler Burr “Fathers and Sons” by Jeffrey Colvin “The Great Beyond” by Alma Garcia “A Wedding Story” by Debra Spark Congratulations to all of our writers, and many thanks to our readers, friends, and patrons for making Narrative a good place for stories.
WWW.NARRATIVEMAGAZINE.COM

U.S. Casualties in Iraq this week so far...

Pvt. Jody W. Missildine, 19, of Plant City, Fla., died in Tal Afar, Iraq, on April 8, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during convoy operations. Missildine was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg, Germany.

Sgt. 1st Class Gregory S. Rogers, 42, of Cincinnati, Ohio, died in Ar Ramadi, Iraq on April 9, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during convoy operations. Rodgers was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Soldiers Die in Anbar Action; Terror Suspects Detained, Killed
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 10, 2006 – Three U. S. soldiers died yesterday from wounds suffered by enemy action in Iraq's Anbar province, military officials in Baghdad announced today.
A soldier assigned to Regimental Combat Team 7 died yesterday from wounds suffered April 8, and two soldiers assigned to the 2/28 Brigade Combat Team were killed in action yesterday.
The soldiers' names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
In other news from Iraq, coalition forces raided adjacent suspected al Qaeda safehouses about 10 kilometers northwest of Balad today, killing one terrorist and detaining four others. Three of the detainees suffered wounds during the raids, military officials said.
The coalition troops killed an armed woman terrorist inside the location and shot and wounded an armed man as he ran from the building. The other three were detained as they attempted to flee. Two of the fleeing suspects suffered minor injuries during apprehension, and both are receiving further medical treatment, officials said. Coalition forces found a suicide vest, multiple claymore mines and other explosives nearby.
The terrorist who suffered the gunshot wound was taken to the Air Force Theater Hospital in Balad, and was listed in stable condition.
No civilians were harmed during the raid, and all lethal material was destroyed, officials said.

Marine in Iraq Killed, DoD Identifies Three Other Fatalities
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2006 – A Marine was killed in Iraq April 6 when he was shot by an Iraqi army soldier on a coalition base near Qaim, Iraq, and the Defense Department released the names of another Marine and two soldiers killed in other incidents that day.
The name of the Marine killed in the shooting incident is being withheld until after the family is notified, officials said. The Iraqi soldier involved in the incident was also wounded. He was evacuated to Balad and is listed in very serious condition, officials said. The incident is under investigation.

DoD released the identities of three servicemembers also killed in Iraq April 6:

Spc. Daniel L. Sesker, 22, of Ogden, Iowa, died in Bayji, Iraq when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations. Sesker was assigned to the Army National Guard's Troop C, 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry in LeMars, Iowa.

Spc. Dustin J. Harris, 21, of Bangor, Maine, died in Bayji, Iraq when an improvised device detonated during dismounted patrol operations. Harris was assigned to the 172nd Brigade Support Battalion, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

Pfc. Chase A. Edwards, 19, of Lake Charles, La. , died while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N. C.

Spc. Daniel L. Sesker, 22, of Ogden, Iowa, died in Bayji, Iraq on April 6, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Sesker was assigned to the Army National Guard's Troop C, 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry in LeMars, Iowa.

Lance Cpl. Juana NavarroArellano, 24, of Ceres, Calif., died April 8 from wounds received while supporting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. She was assigned to 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.

Pfc. Joseph I. Love, 22, of North Pole, Alaska, died in Balad, Iraq, on April 9, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during convoy operations. Love was assigned to the 94th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy), 8th Sustainment Command (Theater), Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.