writing literature essay Martin Luther King Letter Birmingham Jail George Orwell Shooting Elephant Ted Conover Arthur Miller Death Salesman Malcolm X Ernest Hemingway Sherman Alexie David Sedaris John Updike Nancy Mairs Gabriel García Márquez Raymond Carver Anton Chekhov Charles Bukowski T C Boyle Gerald Locklin Ralph Ellison James Baldwin Joyce Carol Oates Bob Dylan Kafka Metamorphosis Jeff Wall Dorothea Lange Tillie Olsen Flannery O'Connor Junot Diaz James Joyce Tim O'Brien Andre Kertesz
Patrick Stewart as Claudius, left, and David Tennant as Hamlet.
Annie Tang, former PCC student, now at UCLA, and former attendee of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival told us about some great Shakespeare productions online at PBS. See Hamlet and, not to be missed, Macbeth, both shown on PBS and streaming online. David "Dr. Who" Tennant has the lead in Hamlet; Patrick "Star Trek" Stewart appears as Claudius in Hamlet and in the title role of Macbeth.
A big thank you to Albert Carranza for finding this link of Bart Simpson as Hamlet. Hamlet, above, kills Polonius, at left.
Sandy Velazquez of English 1B told me about a special program at the The Pasadena Playhouse that is worth attending. The Impro Theatre, I learned, is an improv group that puts on full-fledged plays, sometimes inspired by the classics, soemtimes by pop culture. The Impro Theatre is currently staging productions at The Playhouse's Carrie Hamilton Theatre. Here's the latest news from the Impro:
"IMPRO THEATRE lies somewhere between the Royal Shakespeare Company and 'Whose Line Is It Anyway.' Starting on October 7, 2011, Impro Theatre will present three productions in repertory at The Carrie Hamilton Theatre: "Tennessee Williams UnScripted," "Chekhov UnScripted," and "Twilight Zone UnScripted" - just in time for Halloween! The company consists of classically trained actors who are also masters of improvisation. . . . True narrative daredevils, Impro Theatre is bent on writing and performing in the moment to create a unique theatrical experience."
DOLO, Somalia — Is the world about to watch 750,000 Somalis starve to death? The United Nations’ warnings could not be clearer. A drought-induced famine is steadily creeping across Somalia and tens of thousands of people have already died. The Islamist militant group the Shabab is blocking most aid agencies from accessing the areas it controls, and in the next few months three-quarters of a million people could run out of food, United Nations officials say.
Soon, the rains will start pounding down, but before any crops will grow, disease will bloom. Malaria, cholera, typhoid and measles will sweep through immune-suppressed populations, aid agencies say, killing countless malnourished people.
DOLO, Somalia — The displaced first began coming through Dolo, just a few miles from the Ethiopian border, in March. Now, the trickle has become a flood. The new arrivals clutch small bags of clothes and other meager possessions. Their children are thin, some emaciated. Almost every child appears small for his or her age. But they are the fortunate ones: They have survived their journeys, at least for now. For more of The Washington Post story click here.
Here is a video clip from a PBS NewsHour report about the crisis:
U.N. agencies are calling for $1.6 billion from donor countries to help speed food aid to malnourished and starving refugees in East Africa.
More than 11 million people are in need of aid in the region beset by the worst drought in 60 years, and 800,000 children could die from starvation, the U.N. says.
Somalis are particularly vulnerable because the country is without a functioning government and al-Qaida linked groups have denied access to aid agencies.
"They have lost their crops. They have lost their livestock. They have lost any other means of income," Jeremy Konyndyk, policy director for Mercy Corps told the NewsHour. "In the case of people in southern Somalia, [they have] no choice but to either find aid, which is scant in that part of the world, or to flee."
UPDATE 9/3/11: The Los Angeles Times ran this article on the program on September 2, 2011.
I received an email today (August 24, 2011) about an interesting program coming to UCLA's art museum in Westwood Village. I thought I'd pass it on to you.
LIBROS SCHMIBROS AT THE HAMMER
SAT AUG 27-SUN OCT 9 | PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Libros Schmibros, the Boyle Heights nonprofit lending library and used-book shop, will bring a version of the literary center to the Hammer Museum via A.I.R., the Museum’s Public Engagement artist-in-residence program.
The Grand Opening and Book Drive takes place Saturday, August 27, 11am-7pm. Visitors receive free museum admission with the donation of books. Click here for a list of desired titles.
During the residency all visitors are welcome to borrow books for free or to keep one if they prefer. In the latter case, Libros Schmibros suggests a donation of half the cover price, except for Westwood and Boyle Heights residents, who are invited to donate just a dollar.
Where is the Hammer? Here is a information about visiting the Hammer, including location and directions. The Hammer is free for students with ID, UCLA faculty and staff, military personnel, veterans, and visitors 17 and under accompanied by an adult. It is free for all visitors on Thursdays.
Yes, it happened. After all the promoting and cajoling, some of us from PCC got to Ireland for the Galway Arts Festival and more during July 2011. We saw such stirring landscapes as the Burren, above, and a couple of strong plays, including Misterman by Enda Walsh, which starred Cillian Murphy, and was a favorite of many of us on the trip. Murphy gave one of the best stage performances I've ever seen as he portrayed a man attempting to run from his guilt, madness, and the brutality of others. I can only hope it comes to Los Angeles. This video promotes the play, which sold-out during its Galway Arts Festival run.
While in Galway we also walked its streets. At Galway's center is a church from the early 14th century, which is within a hundred yards of row houses from the late 19th century and the former home of Nora Barnacle, the future wife of James Joyce, among the greatest writers of prose fiction. Across town we found the Spanish Arch of 1584 just across from the Galway City Museum, which was recently redeveloped.
The Spanish Arch fronts the River Corrib, with the Galway City Museum in the background.
The Spanish Arch, left, across from the Galway City Museum.
Galway is a city of 80,000 and during the arts festival it doubles as residents and visitors all seem to take to the streets, even with the skies darkening and light rain falling. Small as it is, Galway is a city of people, not cars. Its busiest streets, which would appear to be wide alleys to southern Californians, are occupied by pedestrians, shopping bags in hand, or baby carriages at their feet.
Quay Street, by day, Galway City
Quay Street, by night, Galway City
No matter the weather, the streets were at their best when the sidewalk performers came out and on Sunday evening, July 17 when the Macnas Parade ruled. The parade is street performance, theater, and fantasia, all in one. Take a look:
Macnas Parade, Galway City
Macnas Parade, Galway City
Macnas Parade, Galway City
Macnas Parade, Galway City
Macnas Parade, Galway City
Macnas Parade, Galway City
Macnas Parade, Galway City
Macnas Parade, Galway City
In an hour or so outside of Galway we could take a bus (and sometimes a boat) to some old, and very green, landscapes of Ireland. A highlight was the trip we made to Inis Mór, the largest of the Aran Islands, all of 12 square miles and a population of 900. Most of its residents work crafts, welcome tourists, and speak Gaelic, the ancient Irish language that is now spoken by only 10% of the country's population. Inis Mór is also the site of Dún Aonghasa, a prehistoric fort, probably from the 2nd century BC, that looks westward across the Atlantic Ocean from a cliff of more than 300 feet high.
Inis Mór. Dún Aonghasa.
Inis Mór. Dún Aonghasa. PCC students view the Atlantic.
Inis Mór. Dún Aonghasa. Janet views the Atlantic.
A video from YouTube of Inis Mór. Dún Aonghasa.
The Aran Islands also gave their name to the Aran sweater, popular with the local fishermen. As the sweaters grew in popularity so did a story surrounding them. Did the sweater's cable pattern identify, as many claim, the bodies of the fishermen who had died at sea? Or is this a myth perpetrated by sales reps for buyers and tour guides for tourists? The story, whether true or false, captures a disturbing part of Irish seafaring history. It was a dangerous way to make a living.
I only buy my Aran sweaters now from Sarah Flaherty, above, of Bungowla, Kilronan, Aran Islands, Co. Galway, Ireland. A warm, charming lady, she also does work for Steven Spielberg. I figure, what is good enough for Steve is good enough for me. Here I am modeling my recent purchase of one of Sarah's designs.
British spies to terrorists: make cupcakes not war
By PAISLEY DODDS, Associated Press – Fri Jun 3, 2011 (?) 9:36 am ET
LONDON – Britain's spy agencies have a new message for terrorists: make cupcakes, not war. Intelligence agents managed to hack into the extremist Inspire magazine, replacing its bombmaking instructions with a recipe for cupcakes.
It's the first time the agents sabotaged the English-language magazine linked to U.S.-born Yemeni cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, an extremist accused in several recent terror plots.
The quarterly online magazine, which is sent to websites and email addresses as a pdf file, had offered an original page titled "Make a Bomb in the Kitchen of Your Mom" in one of its editions last year. The magazine's pages were corrupted, however, and the instructions replaced with the cupcake recipe.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Bob Dylan is alive and kicking, and he turned 70 years old on May 24, 2011. Google has more than 2.1 million recorded posts for Bob Dylan, that is, if you limit your search to posts from the last 24 hours; you get 45 million hits if you don't limit by date. In comparison, with no date limitation, search Lady Gaga and you get 378 million results. What does that tell us? What does that tell you?
Dylan has written at least 400 songs that we know of, released over 50 albums, played more than 3,000 concerts, performed in front of Martin Luther King the day King gave his "I Have a Dream" speech, did a show with Pope John Paul II looking over his shoulder, sang one of his songs in tribute to Frank Sinatra, which made Frank cry, honored at the Kennedy Center, won a Grammy or two or three, a Golden Globe, a Pulitzer and an Oscar. He has been nominated for the Nobel Prize in literature. He has not, however, sung (as far as we know) "Friday," the song made famous by Rebecca Black. You can't believe everything you see and hear on YouTube.
If you go searching for Bob Dylan on the web, you won't find him--or don't be so sure you have. But you will find some things that might be about him.
Here's a couple of things I found:
Tell us what Bob Dylan you found on web. Post a link in the comments section. Maybe you'll win something. Maybe you won't. No matter. We're all bound to lose, bound to win. I think Bob Dylan said that.
Want to go to a world-class art museum but can't afford those airline ticket prices or costly museum admissions?
Check out the comments section for good tips from Nick Klotz, Elva Zepada-Earnhart, and Joey Naranjo. (Thank you Nick, Elva and Joey!) And check these, as well:
LACMA is on Wilshire Boulevard, in the Miracle Mile, sharing park space with the La Brea Tar Pits. After 5 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday (LACMA is closed Wednesdays) general admission to the permanent galleries and non-ticketed exhibitions is free to Los Angeles County residents with proof of residency.
Admission to MOCA is free every Thursday, 5–8pm. (MOCA has two sites in downtown Los Angeles: one on Grand Avenue, and another in Little Tokyo.) All other times, students with I.D. are charged $5; children under 12 and jurors with I.D. are free.
Students with a valid I.D. are always admitted free, as are visitors under 18. The Norton Simon, west of Pasadena's Old Towne, on Colorado Boulevard, is closed Tuesdays, but open all other days from noon to 6 p.m.; on Friday it is open until 9 p.m.
Sometimes English with McCabe must play a song. Give T-Bone Walker a listen, if you like. Here he is playing "Stormy Monday" and telling us--sorry, Rebecca Black--what "Friday" is really all about.
Now, how good was that? Here's the lyrics:
They call it stormy Monday,
but Tuesday's just as bad
They call it stormy Monday,
but Tuesday's just as bad
Wednesday's worse,
and Thursday's also sad
Yes the eagle flies on Friday,
and Saturday I go out to play
Eagle flies on Friday,
and Saturday I go out to play
Sunday I go to church,
then I kneel down and pray
Lord have mercy,
Lord have mercy on me
Lord have mercy,
my heart's in misery
Crazy about my baby,
yes, send her back to me
TOKYO -- Japan, a country lulled by the reassuring rhythms of order and predictability, has been jolted by earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis into an unsettling new reality: lack of control.
