A Year in the Life
Just sent out the first copies of “A Year in the Life,” the 24-minute biographical documentary about Ely potter Clary Illian.
Here is the trailer:
The video chronicles her recovery from a broken wrist and entering into semi-retirement.
Music by Hot Club of Davenport.
More bonus features from the DVD to come. Stay tuned!
Steve: O’Keefe arrest “convenient”
h/t Washington Indie
Insert clip of SNL's Dana Carvey as the Church Lady,
"Isn't that convenient?"
Songwriting documentary with Davenport band The Oliver Twists
The Oliver Twists are a Davenport-based band who will release their next album on Future Appletree Records soon
In late 2008, they were in the studio to record a new song, “Play the Part,” and this documentary was made along the way.
Band interviews and performances are featured in this experimental video with the trio (Jamey Cummins on keyboards, Phil Pracht on drums, Aiden Landman on bass).
John McCain on Gay Marriage: “Smart people tell me…”
OOOOPS! What happens when smart people are wrong?
John McCain: “Smart people tell me that that decision will be reversed by a higher court.”
In September, 2007, Senator John McCain was in Gladbrook, Ia. campaigning at a house party. He spoke on the lawn at the home of Lynn and Claire Handorf and then took questions from the audience and press.
Regarding a Polk County ruling that allowed at least one gay couple to marry in Des Moines, Senator McCain said, “Smart people tell me that that decision will be reversed by a higher court.”
McCain said he would support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, “if there was a superior federal court that said that the states don’t have the right to regulate the status of marriage…but I certainly don’t [support an amendment] when the states are deciding.”
My new question: Where are these smart people now?
Interview with Paul Street on the “Obama Phenomena”
Iowa City author Paul Street’s latest book, Barack Obama and the Future of American Politics, is a critical report on the phenomenal rise of the junior senator from Illinois.
(Interview below the fold.)
Continue Reading October 19, 2008 at 11:11 am Leave a comment
Green Jobs Now: Build the New Economy
Saturday, September 27
Are you ready for the green economy? Are you ready to tackle the climate crisis by building a green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty?
Green Jobs Now is having a job fair, rally, press conference & community conversation in Des Moines.
| Rally and Press Conference Saturday, September 27, 11 a.m. – Noon, State Capitol, West Steps COMMUNITY CONVERSATION |
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Astronomical Quilt
I am a little late on the uptake for this one…well only about one hundred and thirty two (132) years late.
Ellen Harding Baker created this gorgeous and informative quilt in 1876 that she used as a visual aid for lectures on astronomy in West Branch, Moscow and Lone Tree.
The quilt is in the archive of the National Museum of American History.
From the NMAH website: “The maker, Sarah Ellen Harding, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1847, and married Marion Baker of Cedar County, Iowa, on October 10, 1867. They lived in Cedar County until 1878, then moved to Johnson County where Marion had a general merchandise business in Lone Tree.
Ellen had seven children before she died of tuberculosis in the spring of 1886.”
h/t Label-Free
Border Patrol? We don’t need no stinking border patrol!
Oops, did I forget to advertise the US Border Patrol Recruiting event in West Des Moines, IA yesterday?
Oh well, when the pay is “up to $50,000 dollars for the first year and up to $70,000 within three years of service” I’m sure they will find someone willing to become a glorified security guard.
Discrepancy alert: another news agency has reported that “Border Patrol recruits earn between $36,000 and $46,000 in their first year, with the potential of earning up to $70,000 per year within three years of service.”
If you are chosen to protect one of the US borders, you will have to move to Texas, Arizona, California, or New Mexico.
Interesting. Don’t we also have a border to the north? Isn’t the threat of a terrorist or biological weapon attack coming from Canada just as great as from the South?
Why aren’t any USBP agents being deployed to Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine?
Secret’s Out: Suppressed Report Says Biofuels Raise Food Prices
The Guardian obtained a leaked report from the World Bank that has pegged “biofuel” production as a bigger problem in raising food prices than previously thought.
“The report estimates that higher energy and fertiliser prices accounted for an increase of only 15%, while biofuels have been responsible for a 75% jump over that period.“
The World Bank report has been suppressed since its completion in April because insiders believe it would embarrass President Bush (can’t let that happen!). The US government claims that producing fuel from plants has only raised food prices by 3 percent. I hope any ethanol defenders and comments on this blog can explain why there is such a discrepancy.
An estimated 100 million people have fallen below the poverty line because of rising global food prices.
Coincidentally, back in April, Senator Charlie “Chuck” Grassley labeled the whole ethanol/food debate “a big joke.”
Maybe I just don’t get his sense of humor?
