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| View of the Willamette Valley from Mary's Peak (Photo credit: Quiltsalad) |
Great work, troops!
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Salem Harvest really making a huge difference
Great work, troops!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Free award-winning documentary film: The Life of Vesper Geer
Salem Public Library Presents
A free screening of an award-winning documentary film:
The Life of Vesper Geer by Michael Turner
The Oregonian says: "A beautifully conceived and executed tribute to continuity and preservation... Rich for the eyes, ears, and memory."
A free screening of this award-winning documentary The Life of Vesper Geer will be held:
7 p.m. Tuesday, October 16Salem Public Library’s Loucks Auditorium at 585 Liberty Street SE.
Open to the public, with seating available on a first-come, first-seated basis
More information is available at www.geercrest.org/vesper.htm or 503-873-3406
Vesper Geer was the fourth-generation owner of the Geer farmstead, the oldest frame-built house in Oregon to remain in the same family, and the state’s second deeded land claim. She was born in the kitchen of that old house in 1917, and passed away there on New Year’s Eve, 2010.
Her own photographs, journals, and recordings tell the story of a woman’s enduring love for her small farm, and her struggle to keep it in the family.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Fighting back against The Enemy of the Human Race (coal)
After the hottest summer in recorded history, extractive industries are still attempting to dig in the backyards of communities across the country, release carbon into the air, and poison people in their all-consuming quest for more dirty energy.
As author and veteran climate activist Bill McKibbon recently wrote, "It has become a rogue industry, reckless like no other force on Earth. It is Public Enemy Number One to the survival of our planetary civilization." He lays out in concrete numbers what most of us know - that climate change is real, it is caused by humans, and the reason it is happening is simple: greed.
What we don't hear as often is what groups are doing to fight back. And RESIST grantees are not standing idly by – they are on the frontlines of the devastation. Yes, these are the wealthiest most powerful corporations in the world, but that's not stopping grantees such as Citizens for Huerfano County and Erie Rising in Colorado, or Beyond Toxics in Oregon, or United Mountain Defense in Tennessee.
And this RESIST Newsletter shares a few of their stories...
Confronting Energy Tyranny
By Ceal Smith
An aggressive energy boom is sweeping across the country. And although the technologies are new, the consequences for the people and the planet are familiar. For those caught in the crosshair, hydraulic fracturing (or “fracking”) and massively scaled, remote-concentrated solar are two of the newest yet most disastrous dangers being forced upon our communities and the planet.
One City, Two Worlds
By Lisa Arkin
Eugene, Oregon is actually two different communities, with two different standards for the environment and public health. And when one of those communities is home to poorer families, more immigrants and more people of color, it seems to have fewer rights to health and safety. And then the polluters come knocking.
Polluters: Kiss Your Profits Goodbye
By James Kane
It’s a cold, rainy November morning on the slopes of an abandoned strip mine somewhere in the southern Appalachians. Dead grass carpets the slowly decaying, slumping piles of mining waste, hurriedly piled against the vertical gashes in what was once a mountain ridge. Mining companies abandoned this place long ago, but someone refuses to forget.
Read and download the entire Newsletter here.
All of these groups are RESIST grantees. They are fighting for the survival of their communities and for the planet by taking on the largest corporations in history. Your support makes that possible. Please donate now!
259 Elm Street | Somerville, MA 02144 US
Create an ode to your library -- or a poem, or a rap, or a full-length feature film script, or a novella, or . . .
In celebration of Information Literacy Month in Oregon, library enthusiasts of all ages are invited to submit original pictures, poems, or short essays to Salem Public Library on the topic of “Why I Love My Library.”
Entry forms are available at library service desks or at www.salemlibrary.org.
Participants may submit an unlimited number of creative entries expressing their love for Salem Public Library. However, each participant will have only one entry in a prize drawing for a new Kindle Fire.
Submissions will be accepted until 5 p.m. Sunday, October 21. For more details about the contest, contact the Information Desk at 503-588-6052.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Library Calendar Roundup
Always many great things happening at Salem Public Library, our sadly underfunded and neglected gem of a library. It's a terrible shame that this gem isn't open at least 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. But take advantage of what there is now, while it's there -- the next round of cuts is just around the corner!
Hard Truth about Coal (aka "The Enemy of the Human Race")
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| Coal on the Marches line (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. Oregon has always been at the forefront of this issue. Over 25 communities across the Oregon and Washington have passed city resolutions calling for an area wide environmental impact statement to assess the full implications of the coal export projects.
Governor Kitzhaber and the state agencies have the power to stop this invasion on our right to a healthy community. They can deny or delay permits and demand evaluations from federal agencies to block coal exportation here in Oregon.
Want to learn more about how coal exportation will affect Salem?
Want to learn what you can do about it?
Come to our Coal Hard Truth Forum!
Salem Coal Hard Truth Forum
Wednesday October 10th, 7:00-8:30pm
Willamette University
College of Law
Paulus Lecture Hall (Room 201)
245 Winter Street SE, Salem
(Refreshments Provided)
Join us for an evening of panelists and Q & A, with experts talking about the health, economic, and environmental impacts of coal export projects in Oregon and Washington.
Speakers include
- Martin
Donohoe, MD, FACP is Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of
Community Health at Portland State University, senior physician at
Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Hospital, and member of the Social Justice
Committee and Board of Advisors for Oregon Physicians for Social
Responsibility (PSR),
- Reverend Rick Davis of the Unitarian Universalist
Church of Salem, and
- Peter Frick-Wright, a frequent contributor to The Oregonian, Bike and Sierra Magazine, which sent him to cover the first coal export terminal proposals in 2010.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Remembering a better time
Time was, both major parties recognized that the best measure of the economic success of the country was how high the averages climbed on measures of prosperity, not how high the most extreme outliers could go.If only we had that wisdom today.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Manhattan Short Film Festival returns to Salem Cinema!
Manhattan Short Film Fest Ballot (Photo credit: Coldspire)This is another great thing that Salem has. We've gone every year since this started at Salem Cinema and it's been amazing. Don't miss it!SALEM: Salem Cinema, Screenings:
Sun Sept 30, Mon Oct 1, Tues Oct 2
MANHATTAN SHORT
THE WORLD'S FIRST GLOBAL FILM FESTIVAL
OREGON
You Be the Judge!
Over 100,000 Film-Lovers in
Over 300 Cities
Across 6 Continents
Unite for One Week for
One Film Festival
Latest News: New York, NY, September 18th, 2012, Filmgoers in Oregon will unite with over 100,000 film-lovers around the world this week when the 15th Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival screens at the venues listed below.
Click Here to View the Official Trailer for the 2012 MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival
This year The Festival received 520 entries from 49 countries and selected 10 Finalists (See Titles Below) whose films will not just entertain a global audience, but be judged by them as well. Audiences at each venue will be handed a voting card and asked to vote for the ONE film they think is best. Votes will be sent through to MANHATTAN SHORT HQ in NYC, and the winner will be announced on Sunday, October 7th, at 10 PM, at ManhattanShort.com.
MANHATTAN SHORT is more than just one of the largest short film festivals in the world... it's the World's First Global Film Festival, and it gives us great pleasure to invite you to take part in it.
Cinemas hosting MANHATTAN SHORT near you are listed below. Click on the blue links below for show times, tickets and more information. To forward this information to a friend, click on the link on the top right of the page.
SALEM: Salem Cinema, Screenings:
Sun Sept 30, Mon Oct 1-Tues Oct 2
FINALISTS 2012
The Devil's Ballroom: (Norway 15:30) Henrik M. Dahlsbrakken
On a perilous journey to the North Pole, an Arctic explorer makes a critical decision with lifelong consequences. Click Here to Read the Festival Interview with Henrik
A Curios Conjunction of Coincidences: (The Netherlands 8:34) Joost Reijmers
Bad luck connects three men together even though they live in different centuries.
Click Here to Read the Festival Interview with Joost
Where Does The Sea Flow: (Russia 14:00 * World Premier) Vitaly Saltykov
A mother comes to grips with a precocious young daughter and the violent circumstances of her birth. Click Here to Read the Festival Interview with Vitaly
Two & Two: (UK 8:25 USA Premier) Babak Anvari
In a school run by an authoritarian regime, a seemingly ridiculous decree becomes a syllabus for terror. Click Here to Read the Festival Interview with Babak
Cluck: (Ireland 18:57) Michael Lavelle
Feathers are ruffled at the orphanage when a new arrival threatens to upset the pecking order. Click Here to Read the Festival Interview with Michael
Behind The Mirrors: (Peru 12:10) Julio O. Ramos
When one of the night's customers at a disreputable motel leaves an unexpected mess, the young manager sees an opportunity that may change his family's fortunes forever.
Click Here to Read the Festival Interview with Julio
The Elaborate End of Robert Ebb: (France/UK 12:50) Clement Bolla, FX Goby, Matthieu Landour
A monster terrorizes a town and induces collective hysteria with hilarious results.
Click Here to Read the Festival Interview with FX Goby
Superman, Spiderman or Batman: (Romania 11.00) Tudor Giurgiu
Inspired by his favorite comic book heroes, a young boy tries to save the day.
Click Here to Read the Festival Interview with Tudor
'92 Skybox Alonzo Mourning Rookie Card: (USA 12.00) Todd Sklar
Brothers Jim and Dave sort out their differences in extreme fashion when their father dies.
Click Here to Read the Festival Interview with Todd
Voice Over: (Spain 9.50) Martin Rosete
A series of life-threatening experiences pale in comparison to a situation that requires real courage. Click Here to Read the Festival Interview with Martin
View & Download the Trailer
If you would like to view and also download the Festival Trailer edited by Festival editor Vito DeCandia (www.vitodecandia.com) for your Facebook Page or any other social-media outlet, simply click on the link below. There are two versions, one for Facebook, and a higher resolution for cinemas.
Click Here to View and Download the MANHATTAN SHORT Trailer for 2012]
Download Posters & Flyers
To download Flyers (8.5 x 11), Posters (11 x 17), and large Cinema Posters (27 x 40), simply click on the link below:
Click Here to Download MANHATTAN SHORT Flyers & Posters
Download Stills at 300 dpi
Attention Press and all media outlets, to download stills of the 2012 Finalists Films, click on the link below: Click Here to Download Stills of Finalists' Films at 300 dpi
Online-Media-Channels
At ManhattanShort.com
Check out the Online-Media-Channels located at ManhattanShort.com—a group of us, bloggers, and reporters, are going to go out and cover some of the locations hosting MANHATTAN SHORT around the world. We'll be asking people what film they voted for and why, and a whole lot more. Hosting Channels this year are:
San Antonio, TX Catherine Lester & Denise Orozco
Oklahoma City Jonathan Shahen & Cait Brasil
Yale University, Orange County Community College & Huntington, NY
Tom See & Nicholas Mason, and hopefully someone else
Mumbai Anil Sadarangani, Smita Deshmukh, Samir Phadnis, Disha Sheth
Kathmandu Anup Poudel, Gaurav Kandel
Sponsors & Partners
We would like to thank and acknowledge the following sponsors and partners for their friendship and support.
Stella Artois: For the eleventh year in a row, Stella Artois has been the official beer for MANHATTAN SHORT. Check out "Up There," a short documentary produced by Stella Artois, screening at Film of the Week at ManhattanShort.com.
SpectiCast: Is the fastest growing all-digital private network company in North America, serving both theatrical and non-theatrical venues. SpectiCast provides exhibitors with a low cost and high quality digital delivery system to exhibit the world's best independent film and alternative content, and enables film distributors and content providers to access its network of over 300 art houses, independent and chain theatres, as well as performing arts centers, museums, schools, and other non-traditional exhibition venues.
Voltage Video: Has been a leader in post-production services for over 20 years, serving the Film, Television, and Music Industries, as well as Independent Artists. We specialize in HD Transfers, Closed Captioning, Editing and Digital Distribution, with a production staff that will guide you through the process from start to finish.
ONE WORLD ONE WEEK ONE FESTIVAL
Friday, September 7, 2012
Debunking another big lie from Big Ag
(From Wood Prairie Farm's newsletter)
Buying Influence.
Biotech's war of disinformation heats up.
Prop 37: Biotech and the Stanford Sell Out.
Early this week all the telltale signs were there. Biotech's $25 million massively funded propaganda campaign of disinformation - orchestrated by former tobacco lobbyists - aimed at confusing California voters into voting against their own interests: CA Prop 37, the peoples' Right-To-Know GMO Labeling referendum.
Then, a coordinated, national tsunami-like blanket coverage of suffocating proportions by the traditional media - down to the smallest hamlet including our local country radio station - of a 'new' Stanford compilation study which at once trashed organic, ignored biotech crops and held a no-questions-asked-assumption that the government's chemical-industry-friendly official pesticide tolerance levels were somehow scientifically-based and bulls eye accurate. The subject: under the lens of a narrow 'nutritional comparison,' a calculated unwieldy meta-analysis of 17 human studies and 223 laboratory studies of how does organic compare to conventional.
Within twenty four hours, the cracks in the processional's armor started to appear.
Noted Activist Post: "From Stanford Center for Health Policy's own website it is admitted that 'national' and international foundations and corporations' fund its research and 'outreach activities.' This confirms the suspicions of an increasingly aware public who saw the 'study' as biased, contradictory of both logic and ethics, and the result of insidious corporate-funding.
According to FSI's 2011 Annual Report Agricultural giant Cargill, British Petroleum (BP), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Google, Goldman Sachs, the Smith Richardson Foundation, and many other corporate-financier, Fortune 500 special interests."
Agricultural giant Cargill is in fact in direct partnership with Stanford University. Specifically it has donated at least 5 million dollars for the creation of a Center on Food Security and the Environment (FSE). The center is allegedly 'committed to helping feed a growing population while preserving the planet's natural resources.' This will presumably be done through the use of patented Cargill biotechnology, have nothing to do with actually 'helping feed' anything but Cargill's bottom line and corporate-financier domination of the global food supply, while Stanford simply leverages its reputation and credibility to give cover and badly needed legitimacy to Cargill's methods and agenda. Stanford's most recent "study" is essentially the university "giving back" to Cargill and others."
Two lessons come to mind which are pertinent to this Stanford news story.It is no coincidence that the corporations behind this propaganda coup are the biggest contributors to the biotech disinformation campaign deployed to defeat California Prop 37.
- Franklin D. Roosevelt: "in politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way."
- Mythically attributed to Watergate's Deep Throat: "Follow the money."
Below are links to some of the more pithy articles exposing the false 'journalism' and study critiques which expose Stanford's embarrassing complicity.
Jim
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