Shamefully, I admit I have not been over to 32 poems blog for a while. See what happens when you neglect to read a truly worthwhile blog for a few days.... you risk missing good stuff.
Good stuff in this case is Deborah Ager's link to Charles Jensen's Definitive List of Problems with American Poetry. Well, be warned. This is "to-bust-a-gut" material.
Gee, where would I start with the best of this piece. I do like the decoder rings... but you gotta love the Poetry created outside of academia fitting into one of two new genres of writing: greeting cards or word noise.
Follow the link and read the whole thing for yourself. (Did I just encourage people to leave my site?) OK, go read it, but come right back.
poetry
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Live 8 Full Coverage on Yahoo! News
Live 8 Full Coverage on Yahoo! News
Moscow has been added to the LIVE8 concert list which kicks off Saturday the efforts to build support to put pressure on world leaders meeting the following week to do more to alleviate extreme poverty.
live8
Moscow has been added to the LIVE8 concert list which kicks off Saturday the efforts to build support to put pressure on world leaders meeting the following week to do more to alleviate extreme poverty.
live8
News of U2: Live 8: U2 and Paul McCartney (Sgt. Pepper's)
Paul McCartney and U2 will be preforming the Beatles Song "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" on Sarurday to open the live8 Concert in London - according to the u2fanlife blog
live8
live8
Last night's reading
Writers Place Open MIC last night was a light turnout - 10 people but it was a warmly supportive group as there were a couple of new readers and I thought although it was perhaps a little less formal ( around tables rather than theater style) it was an enjoyable atmosphere.
I read three poems of mine...
I read three poems of mine...
- Beautiful Music
- Freedom Summer Redux
- Doing Circles
Speaking of readings.... I see Christine Hamm is doing one at the Bowery Poetry Club in NYC. Yes, this is me all impressed.
Beyond poetry, (but maybe not) I have been enjoying a good deal of 60's music on my new satellite radio. It has really hit me how much I miss the music of the 60's and 70's for that matter. I am sure this says a lot about me besides age.
The 60's were such a turbulent age and it is quizzical how it seemed to amalgamate both social conscience and at the same time lead so many to sort of drop out of institutional society for a while. There are many differences between the 60's and the past five years, I do feel some of the same undercurrents developing around me. Just an observation.
Monday, June 27, 2005
Pentagon Is Hoping No Child Is Left Behind
It should come as no surprise that the military is finding it more difficult to recruit young people these days. I think it was just Friday that I blogged on the poll showing declining numbers of parents who would encourage their sons and daughters to enlist.
Part of that "wonderful BUSH law called the NO CHILD LET BEHIND ACT requires schools to provide information on students be given to the military. This information includes names, phone numbers, address, gender, ethnicity, Social Security numbers, academic achievement data and age for students as young as 16 along with e-mail addresses and other personal information. Hey, and you thought No Child Left Behind was an education Act not a military recruiters Act.
But wait, this gets better.... the Pentagon has hired a private marketing firm to keep files on millions of young people. WOW this deserves the Earnie Grahan Award for innovation in trashing privacy rights.
The Pentagon contract for this data is with BeNow - 500 Edgewater Drive Suite 525 Wakefield, MA 01880 781-246-0040.
It seems that there is an "opt-out" option - which few are told of. School districts have reportedly discussed providing such information to parents on cards - but have been pressure from federal education authorities who warned they'd pull funding from their districts. Which again begs to ask the question what exactly are we trying to prevent the "Child" from missing out on?
Two things are running through my head here...
1. Sixteen year olds do not need to be hounded by military recruiters.
2. Private vendors do NOT need involuntary access to social security numbers of anyone, much less minors.
sources:
Washington Post
Santa Cruz Sentinel
Tags: Privacy No Child Left Behind Pentagon
Part of that "wonderful BUSH law called the NO CHILD LET BEHIND ACT requires schools to provide information on students be given to the military. This information includes names, phone numbers, address, gender, ethnicity, Social Security numbers, academic achievement data and age for students as young as 16 along with e-mail addresses and other personal information. Hey, and you thought No Child Left Behind was an education Act not a military recruiters Act.
But wait, this gets better.... the Pentagon has hired a private marketing firm to keep files on millions of young people. WOW this deserves the Earnie Grahan Award for innovation in trashing privacy rights.
The Pentagon contract for this data is with BeNow - 500 Edgewater Drive Suite 525 Wakefield, MA 01880 781-246-0040.
It seems that there is an "opt-out" option - which few are told of. School districts have reportedly discussed providing such information to parents on cards - but have been pressure from federal education authorities who warned they'd pull funding from their districts. Which again begs to ask the question what exactly are we trying to prevent the "Child" from missing out on?
Two things are running through my head here...
1. Sixteen year olds do not need to be hounded by military recruiters.
2. Private vendors do NOT need involuntary access to social security numbers of anyone, much less minors.
sources:
Washington Post
Santa Cruz Sentinel
Tags: Privacy No Child Left Behind Pentagon
Sunday, June 26, 2005
Live 8
I have chosen to focus on LIVE 8 in my blog- so you'll be hearing about if somewhat routinely for a while. Live 8 get its name from the members of the G-8 summit members the USA, Canada, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Russia.
From July 6th - 9th Britain's Prime Minister, Tony Blair hosting the meeting of leaders from these 8 nations. Last year a commission began exploring the problems Africa faces in today's world. The summit will have an opportunity to focus on the African continent's past and present and the international community's role in its development path. The issues facing this continent are not surprising... unpayable debts, uncontrolled spread of AIDS, and unfair trade rules which keep Africans poor. Still, the major obstacles to the people of Africa developing any real hope for the future is one in which the solution lies in part with the countries that comprise the G-8 summit membership.
On July 13, 1985 - the world took notice when rock stars from around the world held unique dual concerts in London and Philadelphia, which saw millions of people watching as Live Aid, called on people to take action to help the sufferers of the famine hitting Africa. Live Aid raised over $100 million. Still, 20 years later poverty, famine and disease remains major problems in Africa. The public has shown this is important is to them, but now it is time to get our governments involved. LIVE 8 is not a fund raiser... it is about justice not charity. It is about asking our governments to take a responsible look at our policies to African countries.
I hope you'll check this message [here] from Bob Geldof about Live 8. Find out what it is all about. Join in support of creating HOPE for the people of Africa.
I'll be blogging some on this daily throughout the duration of the summit along with the rest of my blog routine. I hope other poets, writers and artists will do likewise. Sometimes I believe the creative minds of the world are also those people with the great sensitivity to those cultural and political issues that divide us. I think it would be great to see others in the poetry community to be on the front lines supporting the effort along with the many musicians who have made the commitment.
live8
From July 6th - 9th Britain's Prime Minister, Tony Blair hosting the meeting of leaders from these 8 nations. Last year a commission began exploring the problems Africa faces in today's world. The summit will have an opportunity to focus on the African continent's past and present and the international community's role in its development path. The issues facing this continent are not surprising... unpayable debts, uncontrolled spread of AIDS, and unfair trade rules which keep Africans poor. Still, the major obstacles to the people of Africa developing any real hope for the future is one in which the solution lies in part with the countries that comprise the G-8 summit membership.
On July 13, 1985 - the world took notice when rock stars from around the world held unique dual concerts in London and Philadelphia, which saw millions of people watching as Live Aid, called on people to take action to help the sufferers of the famine hitting Africa. Live Aid raised over $100 million. Still, 20 years later poverty, famine and disease remains major problems in Africa. The public has shown this is important is to them, but now it is time to get our governments involved. LIVE 8 is not a fund raiser... it is about justice not charity. It is about asking our governments to take a responsible look at our policies to African countries.
I hope you'll check this message [here] from Bob Geldof about Live 8. Find out what it is all about. Join in support of creating HOPE for the people of Africa.
I'll be blogging some on this daily throughout the duration of the summit along with the rest of my blog routine. I hope other poets, writers and artists will do likewise. Sometimes I believe the creative minds of the world are also those people with the great sensitivity to those cultural and political issues that divide us. I think it would be great to see others in the poetry community to be on the front lines supporting the effort along with the many musicians who have made the commitment.
live8
Tough Issues Exposed In Poetry & Prose
I read A Houston Chronicle article with some excellent examples of poets and writers tackling tough issues in their work. It has for example people like Naomi Shihab Nye featured.
Ney is a highly talented poet who I have met and had the pleasure to experience her great passion for the troubled lives of so many on both sides of the Middle East spectrum. It is good to see such work getting exposure from mainstream media outlets. Such attention in literature can only broaden our opportunities for better understanding.
Ney is a highly talented poet who I have met and had the pleasure to experience her great passion for the troubled lives of so many on both sides of the Middle East spectrum. It is good to see such work getting exposure from mainstream media outlets. Such attention in literature can only broaden our opportunities for better understanding.
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