Thursday, December 28, 2006

and more from the Smith College Alumnae Newsletter:
Curious how author Jane Yolen '60 has managed to write more than 250 children's books, or how author Ruth Ozeki '80 develops her characters? Check out the Alumnae Association's new series of audio interviews with alumnae authors, "An Author's Voice." Featured so far are interviews with Yolen; Ozeki, author of My Year of Meats; Robin Hathaway '56, who created the Dr. Fenimore mystery series; romance novelist Judith Arnold (Barbara Keiler '74); and Andrea Hairston '74, professor of literature and science fiction author. To start listening, go to http://alumnae.smith.edu and look under the "Audio Transcripts" section. Files are available for download in MP3 format.
Gloria Steinem has joined forces with actress and activist Jane Fonda to bring what they call "a little bit of sanity" back to talk radio. The two have founded Greenstone Media to develop radio programming by and for women, who are abandoning talk radio as it becomes more mean-spirited and extreme. "Multiple points of view will be presented," Steinem said. "And if a caller disagrees with a viewpoint, she won't be told she's stupid." So far, they have recruited Maureen Langan, Cory Kahaney, Nelsie Spencer, Rolonda Watts, and Mo Gaffney to host various shows. Programming has begun to appear on various FM stations around the country. For information, visit http://www.greenstoneradio.com.
[from Smith College Alumnae Newsletter]
Spc. Robert J. Volker, 21, of Big Spring, Texas, died Dec. 20 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Spc. Scott D. Dykman, 27, of Helena, Mont., died Dec. 20 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.

Lance Cpl. Ryan J. Burgess, 21, of Sanford, Mich. & Lance Cpl. Ryan L. Mayhan, 25, of Hawthorne, Calif. were killed Dec. 21 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Hospitalman Kyle A. Nolen, 21, of Ennis, Texas, died Dec. 21 in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, as a result of enemy action. Nolen was assigned to H Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Regimental Combat Team 7, I Marine Expeditionary Force Forward, 29 Palms, Calif.

Lance Cpl. Fernando S. Tamayo, 19, of Fontana , Calif. , died December 21 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq . Tamayo was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Staff Sgt. Jacob G. McMillan, 25, of Lafayette, La., died Dec. 20 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle and was followed by enemy small arms fire. McMillan was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of five soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Spc. Joshua D. Sheppard, 22, of Quinton , Okla. , died Dec. 22 in Baghdad , Iraq , of wounds suffered when his patrol came in contact with the enemy using small arms fire. Sheppard was assigned to the 642nd Engineer Support Company, 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum , N.Y.

Sgt. Curtis L. Norris, 28, of Dansville , Mich. , died Dec. 23 in Baghdad , Iraq , of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Norris was assigned to the 210th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum , N.Y.

Spc. John Barta, 25, of Corpus Christi , Texas , died Dec. 23 in Buhritz , Iraq , of wounds suffered from indirect enemy fire during combat operations. Barta was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood , Texas

Pvt. Evan A. Bixler, 21, of Racine , Wis. , died Dec. 24 in Hit , Iraq , of wounds suffered from enemy indirect fire during security operations. Bixler was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Baumholder , Germany .

Pfc. Eric R. Wilkus, 20, of Hamilton , N.J. , died Dec. 25 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center , Landstuhl , Germany , of a non-combat related injury Dec. 22 in Baghdad , Iraq . Wilkus was assigned to the 57th Military Police Company, 8th Military Police Brigade, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii . The incident is under investigation.

Sgt. Jason C. Denfrund, 24, of Cattaraugus , N.Y. , died Dec. 25 in Baghdad , Iraq , of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit while on patrol. Denfrund was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum , N.Y.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Dec. 23 in Salman Pak, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle during combat operations. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry, Big Rapids, Mich.
Killed were:
Spc. Chad J. Vollmer, 24, of Grand Rapids, Mich.
Pfc. Wilson A. Algrim, 21, of Howell, Mich.
Pvt. Bobby Mejia II, Saginaw, Mich.

Lance Cpl. Myles C. Sebastien, 21, of Opelousas, La., died Dec. 20 from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Sebastien was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Lance Cpl. Stephen L. Morris, 21, of Lake Jackson, Texas, died Dec. 24 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Morris was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle during combat operations Dec. 25 in Baghdad , Iraq . They were assigned to the 9th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt , Germany .
Killed were:
Sgt. John T. Bubeck, 25, of Collegeville , Pa. He later died Dec. 26.
Spc. Aaron L. Preston, 29, of Dallas .
Pfc. Andrew H. Nelson, 19, of Saint Johns , Mich.

Spc. Elias Elias, 27, of Glendora, Calif., died Dec. 23 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while on patrol. Elias was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

Sgt. Jae S. Moon, 21, of Levittown, Pa., died Dec. 25 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while on patrol Dec. 14 in Baghdad. Moon was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

Three Troops Killed in Iraq; DoD Identifies Previous Casualties

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 27, 2006 – Three U.S. servicemembers died in Iraq today, military officials reported, and the Defense Department has identified 12 earlier casualties.
A U.S. Marine died from wounds suffered during combat in Anbar province, a soldier died today from injuries suffered when his Humvee rolled over south of Baghdad yesterday, and another soldier died from non-combat related injuries.

The servicemembers' names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

In other news, the Defense Department released the names of 12 servicemembers killed while conducting operations in Iraq:

-- Army Sgt. Jason C. Denfrund, 24, of Cattaraugus, N.Y., died Dec. 25 in Baghdad of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit while on patrol. Denfrund was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

-- Army Pfc. Eric R. Wilkus, 20, of Hamilton, N.J., died Dec. 25 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of a non-combat related injury suffered in Baghdad. Wilkus was assigned to the 57th Military Police Company, 8th Military Police Brigade, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

-- Army Pvt. Evan A. Bixler, 21, of Racine, Wis., died Dec. 24 in Hit of wounds suffered from enemy indirect fire during security operations. Bixler was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Baumholder, Germany.

-- Army Sgt. Curtis L. Norris, 28, of Dansville, Mich., died Dec. 23 in Baghdad of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Norris was assigned to the 210th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

-- Army Spc. Chad J. Vollmer, 24, of Grand Rapids, Mich.; Army Pfc. Wilson A. Algrim, 21, of Howell, Mich.; and Army Pvt. Bobby Mejia II, Saginaw, Mich., died Dec. 23 in Salman Pak of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle during combat operations. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry, Big Rapids, Mich.

-- Army Spc. John Barta, 25, of Corpus Christi, Texas, died Dec. 23 in Buhritz of wounds suffered from indirect enemy fire during combat operations. Barta was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

-- Army Spc. Joshua D. Sheppard, 22, of Quinton, Okla., died Dec. 22 in Baghdad of wounds suffered from enemy small-arms fire. Sheppard was assigned to the 642nd Engineer Support Company, 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

-- Marine Lance Cpl. Fernando S. Tamayo, 19, of Fontana, Calif., died Dec. 21 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. Tamayo was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

-- Army Staff Sgt. Jacob G. McMillan, 25, of Lafayette, La., died Dec. 20 in Baghdad of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle, followed by an enemy small-arms attack. McMillan was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.

-- Marine Lance Cpl. Myles C. Sebastien, 21, of Opelousas, La., died Dec. 20 from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. Sebastien was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Capt. Hayes Clayton, 29, of Georgia, died Dec. 25 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was conducting combat operations. Clayton was assigned to the 842nd Military Training and Transition team, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

Cpl. Joshua M. Schmitz, 21, of Spencer, Wis.
Lance Cpl. William C. Koprince Jr., 24, of Lenoir City, Tenn.
Schmitz died December 26 and Koprince on December 27 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Both Marines were assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died of injuries suffered when the vehicle they were in was involved in a rollover incident on Dec. 26 in Baghdad, Iraq. They were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.
Killed were:
Spc. Joseph A. Strong, 21, of Lebanon, Ind.
Spc. Douglas L. Tinsley, 21, of Chester, S.C.
The incident is under investigation.

Spc. Michael J. Crutchfield, 21, of Stockton, Calif., died Dec. 23 in Balad, Iraq, of a non-combat related injury. Crutchfield was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, Fort Bragg, N.C.
Crutchfield's death is under investigation.

Four Troops Killed in Iraq; DoD Identifies Previous Casualties

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 28, 2006 – One U.S. servicemember died in Iraq today, three others died there yesterday, and military officials have identified two earlier casualties.
In Baghdad today, a U.S. Army soldier died when a roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle, and two soldiers died in a separate roadside bomb explosion yesterday. Elsewhere in Iraq yesterday, a Marine died from wounds suffered during combat in Anbar province.

The servicemembers' names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

In other news, the Defense Department released the names of two servicemembers killed while conducting operations in Iraq:

-- Army Sgt. Jae S. Moon, 21, of Levittown, Pa., died Dec. 25 in Baghdad from wounds suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle while patrolling Baghdad. Moon was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

-- Army Spc. Elias Elias, 27, of Glendora, Calif., died Dec. 23 in Baghdad from wounds suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle while on patrol. Elias was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

Sgt. 1st Class Dexter E. Wheelous, 37, of Winder, Ga., died Dec. 25 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Wheelous was assigned to the 842nd Military Training and Transition team, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

efface \ih-FAYS\, transitive verb:

1. To cause to disappear by rubbing out, striking out, etc.; to erase; to render illegible or indiscernible.
2. To destroy, as a mental impression; to wipe out; to eliminate completely.
3. To make (oneself) inconspicuous.



vertiginous \ver-TIJ-uh-nus\ adjective
1 a : characterized by or suffering from vertigo or dizziness b : inclined to frequent and often pointless change : inconstant
*2 : causing or tending to cause dizziness
3 : marked by turning : rotary

Example sentence:
In Moscow, we saw "Swan Lake" from the vertiginous perspective of the Bolshoi Theatre's uppermost balcony.

Did you know?
"It is generally necessary to avoid crowded rooms and the vertiginous influence of the dance," one 19th-century medical work advised. We're not sure what condition this advice was aimed at, but it may well have been "vertigo," a disordered state characterized by whirling dizziness. "Vertiginous," from the Latin "vertiginosus," is the adjective form of "vertigo," which in Latin means "a turning or whirling action." Both words descend from the Latin verb "vertere," meaning "to turn." ("Vertiginous" and "vertigo" are just two of an almost dizzying array of "vertere" offspring, from "adverse" to "vortex.") The "dizzying" sense of "vertiginous" is often used figuratively, as in "vertiginous medical discoveries may drastically change life in the 21st century."

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
Freedom of the press is limited to those who own one.
-- A. J. Liebling

With most men, unbelief in one thing springs from blind belief in another.
-- Georg Christoph Lichtenberg

Today's scientists have substituted mathematics for experiments, and they wander off through equation after equation, and eventually build a structure which has no relation to reality.
-- Nikola Tesla, Modern Mechanics and Inventions, July, 1934

When I was born the doctor took one look at my face .... turned me over and said. Look ... twins!
-- Rodney Dangerfield

Things are only impossible until they're not.
-- Jean-Luc Picard, 'Star Trek: The Next Generation'

If winning isn't everything, why do they keep score?
-- Vince Lombardi

The reserve of modern assertions is sometimes pushed to extremes, in which the fear of being contradicted leads the writer to strip himself of almost all sense and meaning.
-- Sir Winston Churchill

What's the use of a good quotation if you can't change it?
-- Doctor Who

When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.
-- Arthur C. Clarke, Clarke's first law

How can I believe in God when just last week I got my tongue caught in the roller of an electric typewriter?
-- Woody Allen

It is a common delusion that you make things better by talking about them.
-- Dame Rose Macaulay

Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of authority.
-- Thomas H. Huxley
ex cathedra \eks-kuh-THEE-druh ("th" is as in "think")\ adjective
: by virtue of or in the exercise of one's office or position

Example sentence:
Andrew seems to think that his new position as supervisor gives him the ex cathedra privilege of taking excessively long lunch breaks.

"Ex cathedra" is a Latin phrase, meaning not "from the cathedral," but "from the chair." The phrase does have religious origins though: it was originally applied to decisions made by Popes from their thrones. According to Roman Catholic doctrine, a Pope speaking ex cathedra on issues of faith or morals is infallible. In general use, the phrase has come to be used with regard to statements made by people in positions of authority, and it is often used ironically to describe someone speaking with overbearing or unwarranted self-certainty.

irenic \eye-REN-ik; -REE-nik\, adjective:
Tending to promote peace; conciliatory.

With an irenic spirit they join the debate, at times ugly and vicious, about the historicity of the Bible (by which they mean the Hebrew Scriptures, also known as the Old Testament).
-- Phyllis Trible, "God's Ghostwriters", New York Times, February 4, 2001

Indeed, for Cozzi -- as for several scholars -- the Interdict controversy of 1606-7 became the emblematic struggle that defined the Venetian Republic as tolerant and open, free from the tyranny of the Counter Reformation Church, animated by an aristocracy steeped in the values of civic humanism and evangelism, and committed to commerce and an irenic diplomacy.
-- John Martin (Editor) and Dennis Romano (Editor), Venice Reconsidered

Taylor was always irenic by temperament and desire, and his sensitivity to others enabled him to bring together and work with people of very diverse views.
-- "The Right Rev John Taylor", Times (London), February 1, 2001


The covers of this book are too far apart.
-- Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

I never lecture, not because I am shy or a bad speaker, but simply because I detest the sort of people who go to lectures and don't want to meet them.
-- H. L. Mencken

Never try to tell everything you know. It may take too short a time.
-- Norman Ford

No one travelling on a business trip would be missed if he failed to arrive.
-- Thorstein Veblen

Never go out to meet trouble. If you will just sit still, nine cases out of ten someone will intercept it before it reaches you.
-- Calvin Coolidge

wassail \WAH-sul; wah-SAYL\, noun:

1. An expression of good wishes on a festive occasion, especially in drinking to someone.
2. An occasion on which such good wishes are expressed in drinking; a drinking bout; a carouse.
3. The liquor used for a wassail; especially, a beverage formerly much used in England at Christmas and other festivals, made of ale (or wine) flavored with spices, sugar, toast, roasted apples, etc.
4. Of or pertaining to wassail, or to a wassail; convivial; as, a wassail bowl.
5. To drink to the health of; a toast.
6. To drink a wassail.

Christmas often means plum pudding, fruitcake, roast goose and wassail.
-- Florence Fabricant, "Recipes to Summon the Holiday Spirit", New York Times, December 21, 1988

But have you ever tried to spear a buffalo after a hard night at theold wassail bowl?
-- Gore Vidal, The Smithsonian Institution

rue \ROO\ verb
*transitive sense: to feel penitence, remorse, or regret for
intransitive sense : to feel sorrow, remorse, or regret

Example sentence:
As Robert watched Deborah's train pull out of the station, he knew that he would forever rue the day he let the one woman he truly loved get away.

Did you know?
If you remember your high school French, or if you've ever strolled down the Rue de Rivoli in Paris, you may have the notion that the English word "rue" is somehow connected to the French word for "street." In actuality, the French and English words are not related at all. The English "rue" is originally from the Old English word "hreow," meaning "sorrow." Used as both a noun and, more frequently, a verb, "rue" is very old, dating back to before the 12th century.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.

urbane \ur-BAYN\, adjective:
Polished and smooth in manner; polite, refined, and elegant.

Taylor comes across as an intelligent man, suave and urbane, articulate and smooth as butter.
-- Bill Berkeley, The Graves Are Not Yet Full



There is no doubt that the first requirement for a composer is to be dead.
-- Arthur Honegger

He who hesitates is a damned fool.
-- Mae West

Art is either plagiarism or revolution.
-- Paul Gauguin
adamantine \ad-uh-MAN-teen\ adjective
1 : made of or having the quality of adamant
*2 : rigidly firm : unyielding
3 : resembling the diamond in hardness or luster

Example sentence:
Jay was adamantine in his refusal to help with the party, insisting he had to be somewhere else that night

Did you know?
The Greek and Latin word for the hardest imaginable substance, whether applied to a legendary stone or an actual substance, such as diamond, was "adamas." Latin poets used the term figuratively for things lasting, firm, or unbending, and the adjective "adamantinus" was used in similar contexts. The English noun "adamant" (meaning "an unbreakable or extremely hard substance"), as well as the adjective "adamant" (meaning "inflexible" or "unyielding"), came from "adamas." "Adamantine," which has such figurative uses as "rigid," "firm," and "unyielding," came from "adamantinus." "Adamas" is actually the source of "diamond" as well. "Diamas," the Latin term for diamond, was an alteration of "adamas."

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.

Friday, December 22, 2006

final missive from Jesse Dayton & co.

Hardchargers-
Was 06' good to ya? Well it was good to me. Quick recap of JDs' '06: first and foremost we toured our asses off...USA, (best shows out of Texas? Denver, NYC, Portland); Europe, (best shows? London, Amsterdam, Country Rendevouz Fest. in France); Asia, (every single show was great but Saigon was on fire!); and then Russia was off the charts. Started our Honky-Tonk Hotrod Festival w/ shows in Houston,(w/ the RoadKings!), Phoenix, Denver and the best one Portland (big thanks to our continued sponsors....JIM BEAM!) Proudest show IN Texas had to be the Katrina/Rita Benefit in Houston (we helped raise over $20,000) Time for recording?...recorded and released hit-record "Banjo & Sullivans' the Ultimate Collection" w/ Universal Records for Rob Zombies' hit movie "The Devils' Rejects" (and I didn't have to make a crappy pop country record in Nashville in order to get it done!)...recorded and released new CD on Stag Records, "The South Austin Sessions"...recorded a country-duets record w/ Brennen Leigh to be released early next year...recorded some of the best Road Kings stuff ever, release date TBA....recorded w/ legendary honky-tonk hero Johnny Bush, which will be out in March. All in all 06 was a kick ass year!
Last show of the year, open to the public, is in AUSTIN on SOUTH CONGRESS at EGOS' this FRI. NIGHT, (SHOW STARTS @ 10:30), so brang it on ya'll!
Hardchargers-
Was 06' good to ya? Well it was good to me. Quick recap of JDs' '06: first and foremost we toured our asses off...USA, (best shows out of Texas? Denver, NYC, Portland); Europe, (best shows? London, Amsterdam, Country Rendevouz Fest. in France); Asia, (every single show was great but Saigon was on fire!); and then Russia was off the charts. Started our Honky-Tonk Hotrod Festival w/ shows in Houston,(w/ the RoadKings!), Phoenix, Denver and the best one Portland (big thanks to our continued sponsors....JIM BEAM!) Proudest show IN Texas had to be the Katrina/Rita Benefit in Houston (we helped raise over $20,000) Time for recording?...recorded and released hit-record "Banjo & Sullivans' the Ultimate Collection" w/ Universal Records for Rob Zombies' hit movie "The Devils' Rejects" (and I didn't have to make a crappy pop country record in Nashville in order to get it done!)...recorded and released new CD on Stag Records, "The South Austin Sessions"...recorded a country-duets record w/ Brennen Leigh to be released early next year...recorded some of the best Road Kings stuff ever, release date TBA....recorded w/ legendary honky-tonk hero Johnny Bush, which will be out in March. All in all 06 was a kick ass year!
Last show of the year, open to the public, is in AUSTIN on SOUTH CONGRESS at EGOS' this FRI. NIGHT, (SHOW STARTS @ 10:30), so brang it on ya'll!

Adios Mi Amigos! JD-
p.s. New Years Resolution? Help people that are less fortunate than myself (starting in New Orleans and spreading all over the globe)...and try to get myself and Lew Temples' schedule to slow down long enough to make Balmorhea...good on ya hoss!
Economics is extremely useful as a form of employment for economists.
-- John Kenneth Galbraith

I often quote myself. It adds spice to my conversation.
-- George Bernard Shaw

Writing gives you the illusion of control, and then you realize it's just an
illusion, that people are going to bring their own stuff into it.
-- David Sedaris, interview in Louisville Courier-Journal, June 5,
2005

A husband is like a fire, he goes out when unattended.
-- Evan Esar
he Word of the Day for December 22 is:

gregarious \grih-GAIR-ee-us\ adjective
1 a : tending to associate with others of one's kind : social *b : marked
by or indicating a liking for companionship: sociable c : of or relating to a
social group
2 a of a plant : growing in a cluster or a colony b : living in contiguous
nests but not forming a true colony -- used especially of wasps and bees

Example sentence:
Michael's gregarious nature made him popular with students of all different
stripes at school.

Did you know?
When you're one of the herd, it's tough to avoid being social. The
etymology of "gregarious" reflects the social nature of the flock; in fact, the
word grew out of the Latin noun "grex," meaning "herd" or "flock." When it first
began appearing in English texts in the 17th century, "gregarious" was applied
mainly to animals, but by the 18th century it was being used for social human
beings as well. By the way, "grex" gave English a whole flock of other words
too, including "egregious," "aggregate," "congregate," and "segregate."

malaise \muh-LAYZ; -LEZ\, noun:

1. A vague feeling of discomfort in the body, as at the onset of illness.
2. A general feeling of depression or unease.

The first sign of illness is a malaise no worse than influenza.
-- Steve Jones, Darwin's Ghost

Beauty is a basic pleasure. Try to imagine that you have become immune to beauty. Chances are, you would consider yourself unwell -- sunk in a physical, spiritual, or emotional malaise.
-- Nancy Etcoff, Survival of the Prettiest

He fell in love with Modotti's sad beauty and her indecipherable character, and he saw in her the same vague subtle malaise that made him feel like a stranger to life.
-- Pino Cacucci, Tina Modotti: A Life

Shortly after the birth of his second child, the Prince found himself in a state of malaise and dissatisfaction with life which manifested itself as a boredom with his wife, and an interest in one of the young ladies at court.
-- Andrew Crumey, Pfitz

The Word of the Day for December 21 is:

Parthian \PAR-thee-un ("th" as in "think")\ adjective
1 : of, relating to, or characteristic of ancient Parthia or its people
*2 : relating to, being, or having the effect of a shot fired while in real
or feigned retreat

Example sentence:
As a Parthian shot, she said that the other candidate simply did not
understand the needs of the city's citizens.

Did you know?
The adjective "Parthian," which often shows up in the phrase "Parthian
shot," has its roots in the military strategies of the ancient Parthians. One of
the fighting maneuvers of Parthian horsemen was to discharge arrows while in
real or feigned retreat. The maneuver must have been memorable, because
"Parthian shot" continues to be used for a "parting shot," or a cutting remark
made by a person who is leaving, many centuries after the dissolution of the
Parthian empire.
unabashed   \un-uh-BASHT\   adjective
: not disconcerted : undisguised, unapologetic

Example sentence:
Mary marveled at Sean's unabashed rudeness, astonished that he could be so
obnoxious without a trace of remorse.

Did you know?
When you are "unabashed," you make no apologies for your behavior, but when
you are "abashed," your confidence has been shaken and you may feel rather
inferior or ashamed of yourself. English speakers have been using "abashed" to
describe feelings of embarrassment since the 14th century, but they have only
used "unabashed" (brazenly or otherwise) since the late 1500s. Both words can be
traced back to the Anglo-French word "abair," meaning "to astonish."






You Are Subscribed As: yvonneprb@aol.com

flibbertigibbet \FLIB-ur-tee-jib-it\, noun:
A silly, flighty, or scatterbrained person, especially a pert young woman with such qualities.

We discover here not the flibbertigibbet Connolly describes but a serious reader (Goethe, Tolstoy, Proust) who found her cultural ideal in 18th-century France.
-- Martin Stannard, "Enter Shrieking", New York Times, November 28, 1993

He argues persuasively that Millay's reputation has been harmed not only by academics who dread and fear her heartfelt "simplicity," but by the very admirers who wished to promote her as a kind of whimsical flibbertigibbet, a poetical Anne of Green Gables.
-- Liz Rosenberg, "So Young, So Good, So Popular", New York Times, March 15, 1992

Thursday, December 21, 2006

DoD Identifies Two Soldiers, Marine Killed in Iraq

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21, 2006 – The Defense Department announced the identities today of two soldiers and a Marine killed in Iraq Dec. 18 and 19 while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

-- Army Staff Sgt. Brian L. Mintzlaff, 34, of Fort Worth, Texas, died Dec. 18 in Taji from injuries suffered when his Bradley fighting vehicle rolled over. Mintzlaff was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

-- Army Spc. Andrew P. Daul, 21, of Brighton, Mich., died Dec. 19 in Hit of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Abrams tank during combat operations. Daul was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg, Germany.

-- Marine Cpl. Joshua D. Pickard, 20, of Merced, Calif., died Dec. 19 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. Pickard was assigned to 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.


BUILDING ON THE DREAM

Habitat-NYC's 8th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and Celebration

When: Monday January 15th, 2007 at 1:00 p.m.
Where: Concord Baptist Church - 833 Gardner C. Taylor Blvd, Brooklyn, NY
What: Please join Habitat-NYC and Concord Baptist Church for a Luncheon, Civil Rights Panel, and a Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King's Legacy.


Featuring a Keynote Speech from Rev. Dr. Gary Simpson, Senior Pastor of Concord Baptist Church, as well as a panel discussion featuring Dr. Marjorie Hill of Gay Men's Health Crisis, Jose Valencia from the New York Association for New Americans, and Wendy Weiser from the Brennan Center for Social Justice.

Directions: Take the A Train to Nostrand Ave. Exit near the intersection of Fulton St. and Nostrand Ave. Walk north on Nostrand Ave. towards Macon St. Turn right on Madison Ave. The church is on the corner of Madison St. and Marcy Ave.

To RSVP, PLEASE CONTACT
events@habitatnyc.org
(718) 246-5656 ext. 318

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

from CSM books - opinions are not necessarily & often, not even f**king close to, mine...

Alphabet of Dreams, by Susan Fletcher

I blame my grandmother. The year we spent Christmas at her house, she read me Henry Van Dyke's "The Story of the Other Wise Man" and got me permanently hooked on the Magi. Since then, not only has Van Dyke's story become a classic (warning: if you come over at Christmas I will foist it upon you) but I've also actively sought out other stories of these three kings.

Perhaps it's the message of seeking and finding. Or maybe it's the way one baby in a manger can redefine majesty in an instant. Whatever the reason, any thoughtful book on the subject is almost sure to win me over. And Susan Fletcher's new novel for young adults, Alphabet of Dreams, is certainly no exception.

In the Monitor
Thursday, 12/21/06

Bush's move to supersize US military

New aid crisis in Pakistan
Railroad boom hits environmental, 'not in my backyard' snags
The new walls of Jerusalem: Part 3 • From the West Bank, a circuitous road to market
Editorial: Echo from the end of a dolphin species
More stories...

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Like the story of the fourth Wise Man, "Alphabet of Dreams" is less about that celebrated birth and more about one individual's journey - not just to Bethlehem, but metaphorically, to self-knowledge and transformation. And while the kings do end up playing a central role, Fletcher prevents their story from overwhelming the narrative of the teenage protagonist.

When we first meet her, 14-year-old Mitra is anything but preoccupied with biblical prophecies. Her concerns are for food, shelter, and safety - for herself and for her little brother, Babak. Something has happened to Mitra's family - although that's a mystery that remains unsolved for most of the novel. Whatever it is, it's prompted Mitra and Babak to go into hiding. They don't even look at the stars to wish - although dream they both do.

Ultimately, it's Babak's prophetic dreams that catapult them into the world of the Magi when Babak becomes a seer for the kings' trek. And although Mitra must give up her own plans to accompany him, her sacrifice is not in vain. For the first time, she finds herself looking up to the stars that lead the Magi to their destination and Mitra and Babak toward the family they had feared lost.

One of the chief delights of this book is Fletcher's rendering of place and time. The Middle East of biblical renown comes alive with blinding sandstorms and temperamental camels, with kings draped in Oriental finery, and a surprisingly ordinary stable.

In keeping with the humility of the nativity, Fletcher doesn't dwell on the events in the manger. Nor does she overstate the themes of transformation and redemption at the heart of this novel. Nevertheless, the warmth and wonder of the Bethlehem encounter pervade its final chapters, as does this new message from the Magi, just in time for Christmas: The beauty of a quest of the heart is that it's often fulfilled in ways we least expect.

- Jenny Sawyer

Three books about cities

ROBERT HARBISON/CSM/FILE
This is the story of a city under siege. The firsthand accounts of dozens of ordinary Muscovites (workers, artists, schoolchildren, politicians), create a gripping portrait of Moscow and its people at a crucial moment in history. Moscow 1941: A City and Its People at War, by Rodric Braithwaite, British ambassador in Moscow from 1988 to 1992, tells the story of the attack on Moscow by Hitler's army and the fierce counterassault mounted by the Russians. Braithwaite (who also wrote "Across the Moscow River") knows his subject and the personal stories he weaves together allow for a particularly rich re-creation of a pivotal moment in history.

At its height, it surpassed both Rome and Athens as a cultural beacon. Ancient Alexandria, with its magnificent library said to contain 750,000 scrolls, was the marvel of its age. The Rise and Fall of Alexandria: Birthplace of the Modern Mind by Justin Pollard and Howard Reid offers an accessible account of the Egyptian city's Hellenic history - including a record of the scientific, philosophical, and cultural developments for which it is famed - from its founding in 331 BCE to its Islamic conquest in 646 CE.

Through the life of her grandmother, British journalist Marina Benjamin offers a fascinating glimpse of old-world Baghdad and the rich life the city's Jewish community once enjoyed there. Last Days in Babylon: The History of a Family, the Story of a Nation tells of a world that no longer exists. Benjamin visited Baghdad in 2004, intent on tracking traces of her grandmother's community, only to find that almost nothing remained. Her account is bittersweet yet highly evocative.

Readers' picks

Try a little poetry. Garrison Keillor of "Prairie Home Companion" has put together Good Poems for Hard Times, a delectable myriad of poems. I find myself savoring long-dead poets and refreshingly new ones. Inspirational, humorous, and thought-provoking. I highly recommend it.
- John Mooneyhan

I have been reading former President Jimmy Carter's book Palestine: Peace not Apartheid and find it easy to read as he includes enough history and facts to enable the uninformed to be able to understand the conflict. Several of the maps are very helpful.
- Jean Snyder, Greenbelt, Md.
Season's Greetings from the Throwing Music family to yours

• Throwing Muses in San Francisco

• Kristin's UK Dates!

• New, Live KH CD!

• Benefit mp3 download available for a limited time only!

• Preview and Pre-Order "Learn to Sing Like a Star" - and Bonus tracks!

• Video in Progress


BEFORE we get going, we want to wish all of you a happy holiday season and a fantastic new year! We're endlessly grateful for all of you -- just for being here & staying in touch. We can't wait to get out and see folks as we 'make the rounds' over the next few months.


THROWING MUSES will play a show this Saturday, December 16 at Great American Music Hall in San Francisco . 50 Foot Wave will be the first of three bands that evening. The Moore Bothers are the band in the middle -- and what a great way to take a breather between sets!


KRISTIN is happy to announce her first comprehensive UK & European tour in 6 years or so! Only the UK dates have been announced so far and they are:

MARCH

01 - BRISTOL - THEKLA - www.alt-tickets.co.uk

02 - LEICESTER - Y THEATRE - www.leicesterymca.co.uk

03 - NOTTINGHAM - RESCUE ROOMS - www.alt-tickets.co.uk

04 - BIRMINGHAM - GLEE CLUB - www.glee.co.uk

06 - PORTSMOUTH - WEDGEWOOD ROOMS - www.seetickets.com

07 - LONDON - KOKO - www.gigsandtours.com

09 - SHEFFIELD - LEADMILL - www.ticketweb.co.uk

10 - MANCHESTER - ACADEMY 3 - www.gigsandtours.com

11 - GLASGOW - ORAN MOR - www.gigsinscotland.com

European dates will be coming soon -- stay tuned!


MISSISSIPPI CANDLELIGHT is the title of the new, live CD we're offering in the Throwing Music Online Store. It's a great recording of an intimate, candle-lit, un-amplified set Kristin played back in July at Mississippi Studios in Portland , OR . Kristin decided to focus on songs from "The Grotto" that evening -- and it made for a very special set. Lots of smiles, some tears and a set of great, acoustic performances. Like having Kristin come over and play in your living room!


I DON’T WANT ANYTHING FOR CHRISTMAS is a benefit mp3 single we’re offering as a download in the Online Store for a limited time only. Various Portland artists, including Kristin, lend their vocal talents to this song, proceeds of which go to the Henderson House for battered women. The single is $5, and your money goes to a great cause.


YEP ROC is now offering people the opportunity to pre-order "Learn to Sing Like a Star"! Folks who pre-order will gain access to 3 non-album tracks as mp3 downloads. There's a nifty preview of "In Shock" - the first track from "LTSLAS" - you can find that here!


PRODUCTION has begun on the video for "In Shock". Orrin Anderson is directing -- and it looks like it'll be beautiful. Stay tuned for that!


Lots more to come in January, including the London preview show, a big US promo tour and of course, the new release...Hope to see you sooooon!


Love,

Your Friends at Throwing Music
Farewell Message From Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2006 – For these past six years, I have had the opportunity -- and, I should add, the privilege -- to serve with the greatest military the world has ever known.

To all of the men and women in uniform, all across the globe, I wish it were possible for me to meet with each of you personally today so I could look you in the eyes, shake your hands and express my heartfelt gratitude for your service, and to give you some sense of what you have given me -- pride in our mission and an abiding confidence in our country and in those of you who volunteer to risk your lives to defend us all.

As I complete my second tour as secretary of defense, I leave knowing that the true strength of our military lies not in our weapons, but in the hearts of the men and women in uniform, in your patriotism, in your professionalism, and your determination to accomplish the mission.

President Abraham Lincoln once said, and I quote, "Determine that the thing can and shall be done, and then we shall find the way." That remains as true today as it did during President Lincoln's time. I have seen countless examples of this resolve when I have met with those of you serving in this long struggle against violent extremists.

I remember visiting a base near Fallujah, where Marines had been engaged in some of the most intense house-to-house fighting since World War II. It was two days before Christmas. A staff sergeant asked me why there wasn't a way he could extend his tour beyond his unit's service limit in Iraq.

And, I think back to a young man I met at Bethesda naval hospital. He was in the very early stages of his recovery from multiple wounds suffered in Iraq. He looked up at me with a tube in his nose, and he said with force: "If only the American people will give us the time we need, we can do it. We are getting it done."

And a soldier I met in Afghanistan not long ago who said, "I really can't believe we're allowed to do something this important." Well, I feel the same way. I can't believe I have had the chance to be involved in something so important to the safety of the American people and the future of our country.

What you are accomplishing is not simply important -- it is historic.

When the cause of human freedom required men and women to stand on the front lines in its defense, you stepped forward to liberate more than 50 million citizens in Afghanistan and Iraq.

You captured or killed tens of thousands of extremists -- taking the fight to where they live, rather than waiting for the extremists to attack us again where our families live; and you helped alleviate the conditions that foster extremism in places like the Horn of Africa, the Philippines and elsewhere so that your children and grandchildren will not have to face the challenges that we face today.

This month has two important anniversaries -- the free elections of the Iraqi national assembly and the seating of the very first democratically elected president in Afghanistan's long history. We all remember the images of Iraqis proudly raising their purple fingers in the air after voting in their first free elections and the images of the Afghan girls singing with joy as their new president took the oath of office. Those were historic chapters in the saga of human freedom, and you made them possible.

The long struggle we are in is complex; it's unfamiliar; and it's still little understood, leading some to believe that there is no need to go on.

The enemy is counting on us to falter and to fail. You are the ones who live the successes and who endure the setbacks of this struggle, who find your daily missions a personal test of will. And you are the ones who, above all, know that the cause of freedom is well worth the price.

In 10 or 20 years, when you are talking to your children or to your grandchildren, you will look back on your service and at what you have accomplished with a great sense of pride. You will know that you were part of a truly proud history. Indeed, you were the makers of that proud history and an inspiration to the generations that followed.

It has been the highest honor of my life to serve with you -- the men and women of the U.S. armed forces. You define the American spirit. You have helped millions triumph over tyranny, during this time of great consequence.

You have my eternal respect, and you will remain in my thoughts and prayers always. May God bless you and your families, and may God continue to bless our wonderful country.
Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense

FILM FORUM NEWSLETTER - HOLIDAY DOUBLE ISSUE
Wednesday, December 20 & 27, 2006
IN THIS ISSUE:
THE CASE OF THE GRINNING CAT
ESSENTIALLY WOODY
WALKABOUT
JULES AND JIM
FOX BEFORE THE CODE Series
ARMY OF SHADOWS
SACRIFICE / LEPER / SKY BURIAL

VIEW FILM TRAILERS ONLINE:
ARMY OF SHADOWS
KIKI SMITH: SQUATTING THE PALACE

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FF Welcomes New Industry Council Member

Roberts & Ritholz has joined as the newest member of our Industry Council with a $2,500 gift. IC members receive a host of terrific benefits, including (10) guest-privilege membership cards for staff & colleagues. Click here for more information about I.C., or contact Jacki Guttmann at jacki@filmforum.org.


MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE ONLINE!



Memberships, beginning at $75, afford $5.50 tickets to all screenings plus other great benefits.

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What is a nonprofit cinema?
Why support Film Forum?

Film Forum is mission-driven, not profit-driven: we exist to bring you the best in independent and classic film, and hand-select programs you’ll see nowhere else in the city. With excellence as our criterion, not the bottom line, we must raise over $1.3 million annually from memberships and contributions to cover costs.

How to Help

Make a tax-deductible gift online now.

Need more info?
• Click here to learn more about what makes Film Forum unique.
• Click here for various ways to support Film Forum.
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Gift Cards Available Online

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Gift cards are also available at the box office — in four denominations: $25, $50, $75, $100.

Good for:
• Tickets
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NEW! Film Forum’s Winter 2007 Repertory Calendar:
FRONT & BACK


NEW! Winter/Spring 2007 Premiere Calendar:
FRONT | BACK


Film Forum’s Fall/Winter 2006 Repertory Calendar:
FRONT & BACK

Fall 2006 Premiere Calendar:
FRONT | BACK

(note: you must have Acrobat Reader to view these files.)

Printed copies of calendars are available in Film Forum's lobby.


PROGRAM OF RECENT FILMS BY LEGENDARY FRENCH DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER CHRIS MARKER OPENS TODAY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20

ART CRITIC MOLLY NESBIT WILL INTRODUCE THE 7:15 SHOW ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRIS MARKER NOW ON DISPLAY IN THE FILM FORUM LOBBY

Click here to buy tickets online

Click here for more information
[ www.filmforum.org/films/case.html ]
On THE CASE OF THE GRINNING CAT:
“As lively, engaged, and provocative as ever... Octogenarian Chris Marker meditates on the state of post-9/11 France. Part personal essay, part city symphony.”
–J. Hoberman, Village Voice


STARTS FRIDAY! 3-WEEK 28-MOVIE WOODY ALLEN FESTIVAL OPENS ON DEC 22/23 WITH NEW 35mm PRINT OF ANNIE HALL (FRI/SAT) AND CONTINUES WITH PLAY IT AGAIN SAM & PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO (SUN/MON), MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY & MIGHTY APHRODITE (TUE), LOVE AND DEATH & EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX (WED) AND MUCH MORE!

TUESDAY, JANUARY 2: DIRECTOR BARBARA KOPPLE IN PERSON AT 9:10 SHOW OF WILD MAN BLUES AND VINTAGE JAZZ LEGEND VINCE GIORDANO, A MEMBER OF THE BAND IN SWEET AND LOWDOWN, IN PERSON AT 7:15 SHOW!

Time Out New York is the exclusive media sponsor for “Essentially Woody”

Click here for more information and complete schedule
[ www.filmforum.org/films/woody.html ]
“America's most authentic, most serious, most consistent film auteur.”
– Vincent Canby, NY Times


ONE WEEK ONLY! NICOLAS ROEG'S BREATHTAKINGLY-SHOT DEBUT STARTS THIS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22 IN NEW 35mm PRINT!

Click here to buy tickets online

Click here for more information
[ www.filmforum.org/films/walkabout.html ]
“DON'T MISS! Still one of Roeg’s finest!”
– Time Out New York


LAST TWO DAYS! TRUFFAUT'S NEW WAVE CLASSIC, STARRING JEANNE MOREAU MUST END TOMORROW, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21! NEW 35mm SCOPE PRINT!

Click here to buy tickets online

Showtimes: 1:20, 3:20, 5:20, 7:30 and 9:40
Click here for more information
[ www.filmforum.org/films/julesandjim.html ]
“Truffaut pulls out all the cinematic stops... Film Forum's 35mm print is newly struck and a joy to behold.”
– Time Out New York


LAST TWO DAYS! FESTIVAL OF RACY PRE-CODE MOVIES ENDS WITH JOAN BENNETT IN SHE WANTED A MILLIONAIRE & ALICE FAYE IN SHE LEARNED ABOUT SAILORS IN A NEW 35mm PRINT (WED) AND SALLY EILERS IN 3 ON A HONEYMOON (NEW 35mm PRINT), DANCE TEAM & RAOUL WALSH'S SAILOR'S LUCK (THU)!

Click here for more information and complete schedule
[ www.filmforum.org/films/fox.html ]
“A remarkable batch of fast and bawdy, sly and suggestive comedies, dramas, and musicals.”
– Elliott Stein, The Village Voice


THE MOST CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED MOVIE OF 2006 RETURNS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29! TWO WEEKS ONLY!

Click here to buy tickets online

Showtimes: 1:00, 3:45, 6:45 and 9:30
Click here for more information
[ www.filmforum.org/films/army.html ]
WINNER, BEST FOREIGN FILM OF 2006
- New York Film Critics Circle
SPECIAL CITATION
- Los Angeles FIlm Critics Awards


PROGRAM OF ELLEN BRUNO'S PROFOUNDLY REVELATORY, DEEPLY POETIC DOCUMENTARIES FROM THE FAR EAST OPENS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3 FOR ONE WEEK ONLY

Wednesday, January 3, 8:00 show
Q&A with filmmaker Ellen Bruno

Click here to buy tickets online

Showtimes: 1:00, 2:45, 4:30, 6:15, 8:00, 10:00
Click here for more information
[ www.filmforum.org/films/leper.html ]
“Illuminates a difficult subject of major social consequence. With delicate simplicity, SACRIFICE paints a picture of an unfamiliar reality that is, by turns, unbelievably ugly and startlingly beautiful... a society almost completely alien to our own.”
– Laurence Vittes, The Hollywood Reporter

FILM FORUM MOVIE CHALLENGE
To win a free pair of tickets to any regular screening, Monday - Thursday in January or February, answer the following question correctly:

Question:

Essentially Woody, a festival of the best of actor/director Woody Allen, opens this Friday, December 22, with his Oscar-winning ANNIE HALL, playing Friday & Saturday, December 22 & 23 in a new 35mm print. What movie is Woody's character Alvy Singer obsessed with? Who was the director of that movie? What classic film by that director's father will be showing at FIlm Forum in March? (hint: open repertory calendar pdf at right).

Rules: Answers must be e-mailed to contest@filmforum.org, with “Film Forum Contest” in the subject line. One winner will be selected at random from correct responses received by noon on tuesday, January 2. Winners within the past 6 months will not be eligible unless there are no other correct respondents (so enter just in case!). Please include your full name in your response. Passes not redeemable at special events or in-person appearances. Only one response accepted per person per quiz.

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS MOVIE CHALLENGE

Question:

Guy Maddin’s MY DAD IS 100 YEARS OLD, starring Isabella Rossellini, played through Tuesday, December 19. Rossellini plays all the parts in the film, except for one crucial part of her father’s anatomy. Name it.

Answer:

His belly.

We received 46 correct responses. The winner, Jeanne Youngson, receives a pair of tickets to any Film Forum regular screening, Monday - Thursday in December or January.

For further information on these and other films, please visit our website at www.filmforum.org

Produced with generous support from the
Liman Foundation
© 2006, The Moving Image, Inc. All rights reserved.







July Open Results
2007 Tupelo Press Snowbound Series Chapbook Competition Now Open
Give a Year of Gorgeous Poetry Books, Delivered
Upcoming Events

Join our list
Join our mailing list!


July Open Results

Tupelo Press is delighted to announce that we have committed to five books of poetry from the many wonderful poetry collections submitted during our July open reading period. We received approximately 1,000 manuscripts, and found so many terrific ones. These sorts of decisions are so difficult. As always, we wish it were possible to take more. We are endlessly grateful to all who submitted.

We will be publishing:

Angela Shaw of Swarthmore, PA, for The Beginning of the Fields. Angela Shaw’s poetry has appeared in The Best American Poetry Anthology 1994 and 1996. She has also had poems selected for The Pushcart Prize & The Beacon Best of 2001. Her work has appeared in Poetry, Chelsea, Field, Pleiades, and elsewhere. “The Beginning of the Fields” is her first book.

Karen An-Hwei Lee of Santa Ana, CA, for two books: Ardor and Erythropoiesis. Heather McHugh selected Ms. Lee’s first book, In Medias Res, for the 2003 Katherine Morton Prize from Sarabande Books. In Medias Res also won the Norma Farber First Book Award from Poetry Society of America. She won a 2005 individual artist’s grant from the NEA.

Joshua Marie Wilkinson of Denver, Colorado, for The Book of Whispering in the Projection Booth. Joshua Marie Wilkinson’s first collection, Suspension of a Secret in Abandoned Rooms was published by Pinball Press in 2005, and Lug Your Careless Body Out of the Careful Dusk won the 2005 Iowa Poetry Prize and was published by U. Iowa Press in 2006. New Michigan Press published his chapbook, A Ghost as King of the Rabbits.

Christopher Buckley of Lompoc, CA, for Modern History—Prose Poems 1987-2007. Christopher Buckley has published fourteen books of poetry, most recently, Sky (The Sheep Meadow Press, 2004) and Star Apocrypha (Northwestern University Press, 2001). For his poetry he has received four Pushcart Prizes, two awards from the Poetry Society of America, a Fulbright Award in Creative Writing to the former Yugoslavia, and is the recipient of NEA grants in poetry for 2001 and 1984.


2007 Tupelo Press Snowbound Series Chapbook Competition Now Open




Winner receives: $1000 cash prize and 50 copies of their book.

A judge of national distinction shall be named later.

Manuscripts are judged anonymously, Tupelo Press will consider all finalists for publication.

Entries must be postmarked between
December 1, 2006 and February 15, 2007.

Full Guidelines can be found on the Tupelo Press Website.

Give a Year of Gorgeous Poetry Books, Delivered

Here's a fantastic gift idea: a Tupelo Press subscription for a year of poetry books, delivered! Send someone our next 12 volumes of poetry and save! Your giftee will get each of our beautiful and captivating 2007 titles (including new work by Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Larissa Szporluk and Michael Chitwood) for a total of $178, which includes shipping. Plus, you may order for free any book on our backlist, which will arrive with your first delivery. Purchased individually, these new books would cost $199 and shipping would be additional at $2.95 each. Save more than $50 by subscribing now and be a poetry hero all year!

Other Holiday Ideas

Order one book from the website, and get half off a second one (of lower price). A perfect way for you to give the gift of literature, and at the same time get a little holiday treat for yourself. Take advantage of this special offer now for holiday delivery.

And don't forget that we also have Tupelo Press T-Shirts available. Quotes from either Whiting Award-winner Ilya Kaminsky, or Pushcart Award-winner Floyd Skloot grace the backs of these thirsty, 100% cotton, comfy fashion statements that proclaim to the world that you are a po-lover. Check the colors and sizes on the website.


Upcoming Events


Lillias Bever


THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2007
Reading from Bellini in Istanbul
Tacoma Community College
6501 South 19th Street
Tacoma, WA
Contact: Allen Braden
Phone: (253) 566-5382
Reading from Bellini in Istanbul with Susan Rich.


Aimee Nezhukumatathil



FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2007
4:00PM
Poet's Alcove Featured Reading
Mag:Net Gallery
AGCOR Building
335 Katipunan Avenue
Quezon City, PHILIPPINES
Website: Mag:Net.com
Cost: FREE
Aimee will be reading from Miracle Fruit as well as her new work, At the Drive-In Volcano.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Nicklas J. Palmer, 19, of Leadville, Colo.

Capt. Kevin M. Kryst, 27, of West Bend, Wis.

Palmer died Dec. 16 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Kryst died Dec. 18 from wounds received while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to Marine Light-Attack Helicopter Squadron 267, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Soldiers Missing In Action From Vietnam War are Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of three U.S. servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
They are Capt. Herbert C. Crosby, of Donalsonville, Ga.; Sgt. 1st Class Wayne C. Allen, of Tewksbury, Mass.; and Sgt. 1st Class Francis G. Graziosi, of Rochester, N.Y.; all U.S. Army. Burial dates and locations are being set by their families.
Representatives from the Army met with the next-of-kin of these men to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.
On Jan. 10, 1970, these men were returning to their base at Chu Lai, South Vietnam aboard a UH-1C Huey helicopter. Due to bad weather, their helicopter went down over Quang Nam Province. A search was initiated for the crew, but no sign of the helicopter or crew was spotted.
In 1989, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) gave to U.S. specialists 25 boxes containing the remains of the U.S. servicemen related to this incident. Later that year, additional remains and Crosby's identification tag were obtained from a Vietnamese refugee.
Between 1993 and 1999, joint U.S./S.R.V. teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), conducted three investigations in Ho Chi Minh City and two investigations in Quang Nam-Da Nang Province (formerly Quang Nam Province). A Vietnamese informant in Ho Chi Minh City told the team he knew where the remains of as many as nine American servicemen were buried. He agreed to lead the team to the burial site. In 1994, the team excavated the site and recovered a metal box and several bags containing human remains, including those of these three soldiers.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA and dental comparisons in the identification of the remains.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Matthew W. Clark, 22, of St. Louis, Mo.

Lance Cpl. Luke C. Yepsen, 20, of Kingwood, Texas.

Both Marines died December 14 due to injuries suffered from enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Clark was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Yepsen was assigned to 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Staff Sgt. Henry K. Kahalewai, 43, of Hilo, Hawaii, died Dec. 15 at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, of wounds suffered Nov. 21 in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Stryker vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.

Pfc. Joe L. Baines, 19, of Newark, N.J., died Dec. 16 at Taji, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died of injuries suffered when their HMMWV struck an improvised explosive device while on mounted patrol Dec. 16 in Taji, Iraq. They were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Killed were:

Staff Sgt. David R. Staats, 30, of Pueblo, Colo, died Dec. 16 in Taji, Iraq.

Spc. Matthew J. Stanley, 22, of Wolfeboro Falls, N.H., died Dec. 16 in Taji, Iraq.

Pfc. Seth M. Stanton, 19, of Colorado Springs, Colo., died Dec. 17 in Balad, Iraq.

Cpl. Joshua D. Pickard, 20, of Merced, Calif., died Dec. 19 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Staff Sgt. Brian L. Mintzlaff, 34, of Fort Worth, Texas, died Dec. 18 in Taji, Iraq, from injuries suffered when his Bradley Fighting Vehicle rolled over. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
The incident is under investigation.

Spc. Andrew P. Daul, 21, of Brighton, Mich., died Dec. 19 in Hit, Iraq, of injuries suffered then an improvised explosive device detonated near his Abrams tank during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg, Germany.
and now that I've come to the end of my first semester of grad school...here are some random notes from my little red Clairefontaine notebook...

:try to solve the problem - where is the writer going? what's the story?
:structure :language
present tense - good or bad? what story is being told?
Peter Cameron "One Way or Another"
:draw a timeline - there HAS to be an understandable structure
Calvin Baker "Dominion" 9/25/06
:making beauty from pain: [I think I already posted my notes on this reading, if not, oh well...]
to quote a classmate of mine, "that man is beautiful" as is his prose..
:understanding origin as story
and then on to "workshop"
"opening - description not animated pg 1-2 w/out characters lack of animation too much too soon the end to elegiac for ending of a section point of view issue seeing house from a distance - confused by chronology bottoming out right away where is it going? (my aside: where are ANY of us going?) grief has to be "active" present action confusion of place "home" make the 2 houses clearer where is this story leading? time shifts are too much graph the time shifts (my note: please stop talking please) brother - not invested enough - he's "dead" in many sections what is the forward vector of her story? what is the logci of the chronology/timeline? protecting them - gauze over the lens - need more of the reality of who they are - clarity of scene, clarity of character - the mother - the letter - define the mother - what is the exchange here? [How to show the unimportance of ANYONE but the brother?] "Veronika" idea of vividly drawn characters (my note - as if I didn't KNOW what a vividly drawn character is?)
Use the scene with C. - has to have an "arc" need to be more firmly grounded before time shifts ground them more in the present How OLD is she? (my note: why does it matter so much to YOU how old she is?) see the character? who is she in the present? roots, heritage, "Sometimes A Great Notion" where in time is this? C's place in the timline feels too new - what is the history? (my note: gak...why does every story need to be about a f**king Relationship?)
what people look like/what people are like - J's dialogue - works?
"why specifically is he so important?" (my note: this person obviously has no family or has never lost any family...) next workshop: the idea of structure in story "Mysterious Skin" Scott Himes Julie Hect - claustrophobic - present action to frame to inform the memoir - transparency of process Mavis Gallant: Julie Oranger "Short Stories"...and that's only the first few pages...more later if I have any energy