tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67121510836110244012024-03-05T04:19:48.144-05:00Rico Thomas RicoObservations on Peace, Public Policy, & the Performing ArtsRico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.comBlogger188125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-27872699763559831122011-05-08T22:44:00.001-04:002011-05-08T22:46:32.613-04:00This Blog Has Moved to RicoThomasRico.com<a href="http://ricothomasrico.com/">RicoThomasRico.com</a>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-11425426745575950332011-01-01T23:30:00.000-05:002011-05-08T22:50:45.573-04:00RTR's 2009 Photo Retrospective<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It's been a couple of years since I have posted a photo retrospective. Below are 25 of my personal favorite photos that were posted on Flickr during 2009. I shot these pictures for myself, my blog, the Peace Education Center (PEC), and other local Lansing (MI) activist groups.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Flag Presentation at My Father's Funeral</span></b></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVUP7g4cPWUP0fJi6YNjSBMt8dCqofDQioqADSXh02KMpFxVFdhHpyCee6CURUUA_c7V0KSTayOEE2wmlYl2o1ec7lKshRWf9zh4joFbTYPsVWw6-MlpWvSL2ZdS7-9XGP7vQJN92bOxL/s400/925funeral.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422016410516170930" /><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; font-family:verdana;font-size:medium;">Bill Petry Leads Lansing Peace Vigil</span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3nABV4o8RgxxOVXWh5z5tPlUU6YMwCtve9LUr8CBGbJ3FQ7riSspjFWHeK7EmApfTq95WuxlcvTS7q9hwC3P0Hsg8NvW13f7B0xZqRhf_O00i23yCiuwB3fKKqFmUcHdj8-FuxGIoD_cR/s400/924vigilwBILL.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422016277913980146" /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Local Solidarity Group Support Peace in Gaza</span></span></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSDVwWbiRhgyJtpUCA4sw0JtXA8aiL_GcA0GfUM8V2J35tXRtGr8UHHMBbFmo-zXrhFjmm-cWMhZwj8nVB_blKdU5jgJClTPU6hq-pDsUZpTLVcnbBi9GEo2uvi4GHBLopX_PdBxlr0kx/s400/920GazaGroup.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422015950697430418" /><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Glenn Beck Protest </span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">at MSU's Kellogg Center</span></b></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAAE8BzAROO46PvVM0FBz0Vcaf-JNuMZyN8MSnCW8J-iA3FYgWCXULqXUlo1tsiWXZDBYIsGMb5Bxnt5f1QUvPD4ugWpCh5EFk72C9AlqEr_WuyR2YHQ7KQ0jJrZvaehryK36zZNfXCqb-/s400/923beck1.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422015802909298978" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Scott Harris and Kathie Carlson at PEC's Alternative Holiday Sale</span></b></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDWaOVtwjl6p9qeah6h4Cy8dCOtx3UkggZQ44jvJj8uRQtz91fScjYCdLtc36ofmCAywglfwydUX3N5k23rHN-PmocmzC3dSrh2IG2acGJCyAbyZNb-EJS-sZhxCvSM8GdRT5G7wKbhfir/s400/922scotts.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422015620722269266" /><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">PEC's Volunteer Crew at Lansing's Old Town</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">BluesFest</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></span></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXF_E3kbPQkkf_7KeVxqjH49cxeUTAVPHxbNfUyYIwpIYHWrVCMVywEP8Y6WijqsgdD8HqyPZ7dF9FABLXfJja3Whpugq_2RE5UjmTdD_76fgcNJByy-9DiVGsz_iCWV7C1D4dVL1ZCaH/s400/921bluescrew.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422015341560668802" /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Local Band Playing on the Bridge in Old Town</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Near the BluesFest</span></b></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_8ckjLo0lKtw7ETrXBL-datSsrTswQ0TLoBtcuDkea6IwmZ6TwJd5_U4k8yrFxPNaZk_EelWODJKixJ6TuJ8sO8tkV1fTBfq4zwuIJLwHe54738G9pcCk8UPbcSJje6cpZGrCcIz1-ZR/s400/921bluebridgeband.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422013308793091778" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Health Care Supporters at the Michigan Capitol</span></b></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pzb4DzJ67yzD2S0PmeNggtxVyrPgfqFKG8Jq2C9Sz9N5KMqF5GciQhMdYncSq190eZ0XM5yDFdTWRkixjBW4g0uTWxA5x1ozsyM6XT6og4PYUgSWpJ7-3Sfwnvr669DoXHiFhX2ouYaK/s400/919healthcarerally.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422012839554266082" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Weston's Henna Design</span></b></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wg3b4FGfVw4YjhvgbZcGo3lc0YAlklXWrPh_DSY3uDflUDgxc2FEZzItkT6PO7yuOOGBJi2vyVVpiGnk59ecI0rRv3aSuScKPhv34kAGH_j0Kn6sxhQWpQ1WDmGRhrlTvp_cboWV9YDt/s400/918henna.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422012636916591634" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Kilvingtons: Another Family for Peace</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhScMJKafJcN023Cme4VVoh-NsWthxHwgy5XYSMmfHAqfPEJcxrhGTPbiPv9HeC-ulDuyfsSUK0_zacK9eFYcCZGDzGjIBt8-T-AgXUrYIUvCW6H0b_6Q_Il1MmnqMe9YTIfx4u5bkw-NUU/s400/917peacefamily.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422012373483825794" /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Out Now</span></b></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSOq7gi_vFUogUaU2hXEQSMk-Fbty8R7F-y1pgycaZOy9nR8YxaOlhqiXXRJ45kd0Ru_wndBGJ8K8XIyrgXvbKDZEhyphenhyphen6e0moSP4wOj3Q0j4c-VHRSEwyE41aflRBWVfKwZomjm03P1Ct7/s400/916outnow11SEPO2009.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422012192311075826" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">East Lansing City Councilperson</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Nathan Triplett Visits PEC's Booth</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">at the Great Lakes Folk Festival</span></b></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ-KHyKGNG3MmOj7z9_xPtR0-mq3weF1Gg3zxGGxFoFcZrzi_Sp5NmNQhmXupxqQAYa9yUpXsB6-8jNXNfkQD4GjExgNSFx3QtweVUrXNh4Rp0HgCUvsCae2rke_ycmBRq4SARgecTwkBm/s400/915nathan.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422011850404018946" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Activist Kathie Kuhn Fronts the September 11th Lansing Peace Vigil</span></b></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWiWlaosaUcfn34FKxT5rXjvibqvpTi9I3KkR8Y7TZpgGCc57A-CyVC0ujMLazHd0Gc12WVvtKBALTW7IH6uqthJA71XAiunux2X7MFG6bvEpOoUgIOy-qoHltun8ehgSZw0v-sNJZhTq/s400/914kathie.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422011655294869618" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></div></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Peace</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfe21b_NdA5qK3AMhfh8-mkxtNWlUpQhcDQas-CeLxBiBEgoZPzx-1r3Sxb1bvUHfTOfxUXz6oNBIKa_XjkNjubgUVBK5Pqfj_tmgfC6HvILPwOJ7aMbmBI1TAcU-f-3wDNRrFV9ySVTm8/s400/913peace11SEP2009.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422011260640958562" /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">2009 Peace Education Center</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Annual Membership Meeting Group Photo</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSuxFueK_FKvr8T0AfqY-pe_fgc0qzrol3dw-25zmzU2FtFyXuOj4F76X9rpnLM93hz2rEiN9JpmxjqX2YsPYujqqmtZOdydAvO0JRDLYy3vp6QaMF5t6GDgQQzgn7Oyu6cvyUhgWpjXt3/s400/912PECGroup2009.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422010995664068930" /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Young Bob Dylan Lookalike at the Rothbury Festival</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_9TAx5bfCdI29G4u7ZwQBxfj8XTVOQQNUU06iLFbQI_XvUTAstQZrWfbtvGwryH-LupHJ3wWUX4Vllcc-WhIcCxQT1mXg7WOmihvL8H2LutLumYUH6s1bVD-KNrGkJxzYreH9fG8r_cc/s400/911roth4.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422010706314546898" /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Radio Session at the Allied Media Conference</span></b></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lxNgHdQjdxf587p__TTCWS4u3-8ecDd9ufjRvN9UPjZqI4BptXOKOviSf5AupGWG4a1hIg911VjdGYtVpjFr-YO36XnZB3UqZNngKDLZZYgTxgmPb4oha6GjJBVBl20jfWU6cYgPyoBD/s400/910amcradio.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 341px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422010434961304306" /><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Sparty at the BluesFest</span></b></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_kPvRtvXlsv9nAZz3-K5CvkIQ6I-YIuybQqRfkA3q46kHV7JTNLiiBvNWhZH5RuT27tMiIX2EwBR21sQ9L5F0Ub3hB0SyhxsnZLZTkvIWSrjikZUD1qk0MzA1s2OssTKbTt-CuBe7BGv/s400/909sparty.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422010095174108578" /><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">End of a Long Day </span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">at the Alternative Holiday Sale</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPlPlDolBLiic4HbyOTXH_KkCC4ik0XiCr5YdgF8QroQ6HPu3ZfpWWgThv13ZqdFW8yE1CvMItF7pHR3T9akmlIK4hrNM-r1dZEoLzy6nA08UodxZQ6pP70OGn2Emg2dvQfpo38NK5CFJ/s400/908crank.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422009683527990386" /></span></span></div></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Chris, Tessa, and Deb</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YWnRAFasmNFmQniE2hOVunH9pdaSkzPy_HVeCvfQDcfF4XSTzxbyqYbrXHiMkCNmz8hJk1HLUKEkr8skV4nN34g0Yq1VW5gihaltPzhX0ZZifmccpU-Naybmk7JAhpoXhaKrVsKcSerU/s400/907debchristessa.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422009302301531762" /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Scott Harris of Everybody Reads</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">at PEC's Alternative Holiday Sale</span></b></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYdtgnfJDuz0McYPkOa5kQrGQSyEEvJCduojNlu1oKpUEIeWCe6zMQy6xvjEhmR_9ZpBO1LmQMhBFbP4PAzqOul9SQRk9WP41VIwz5ic7QRC2UBI2bckQVGFXbC6KyyPL_QyK7d9beQil/s400/906scott2.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422008912180053554" /><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Lansing Peace Community: </span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Holiday Group Photo</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHhoKK3sAvYRNp9Kia-XZ27sd3ZblpggtikMNyvFEMu-ZrUX3LWElGwwArNKJGqF4PgLwd5IyX5amFQPEHdNMjA8lXn-nrbTyUmul1mGjQ7NvHZKbHkXrQqv-zNmO3VaoyGiO8XMtFD-dL/s400/xmasgroup2.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422008470784649730" /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Cajun Music at the Great Lakes Folk Festival</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguFrI43H4aB9EKVo-MQxqwhfme_vQOqcDZ_bvbkJNNeEupz7DbWR68VcHnyOpII7RhK26nuyMaWRs4IPyq9mU3-Axuc2Sij0yeumy2bcRJGRQN0t31t_B6PmvrODLwX2Dtt2_52IIOv3gU/s400/904band.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422007793439291714" /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">PEC Volunteers at the Lansing Westside Neighborhood Festival</span></b></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDplKFl2POJ_K8UGOYrwOzqhCElbsVzBF2bm3R1s8X0XqeIiWBIPp1rPVaYoDdRU7hQp76LNBL9CmiW4DOaXe4eOfrCRQCyvkjxl5W6gXw9hni_qbIpQ-ZOsynPmY1y2_MVQ99kRMylZ5W/s400/903Festivalfun2.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422006767489128578" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Supporters of Efren Paredes, Jr.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6JOT0xqFyWedQUsslzUocSDm9F6o5IM_h_B1IlZf73W7Ib_eSNm06uImEpehC711LTxwCLHJodFpQmv9Xh0h2Y063kziRtacsrj1_CBCj8L4vAw0cBqVTKSDaWQLI218F7pCeSqgbSuzM/s400/902efrenshirts.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422000154299490930" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">IWW Panel Discussion at the NorthStar Center</span></b></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKVYanMOxVHn6dd2KuB7cCrY-WIHfJ_dQJJk76h1E_jMOgQIw_WuyWMFLBSgf81Wp_3t-r58f4Ooe-JCbkXfsjj_iazobTKE7iqx4YqHk1KEgsL7R2unN9hrHPFplm8XNSNdswqRML_rG/s400/901IWWatNorthStar.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421999890395974210" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">PrideFest Speakers at the Capitol Building</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXdW4tj7y8rn5zwyR-S1jgkYTgRVcpSC9FhMtnpbycSuNk2TKpEvEoOlwQKYKlCWwuK-Ymk3G5Xn07t2gMAsLFPDKkqVShwhK1gqSMuQSdWlzc_jFkVmDXh63TbneKlxsH84HErA0YSz0_/s400/900pride2.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421999683107678002" /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-- Rico Thomas Rico</span></span></div></div>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-30912295573066520322010-12-23T00:58:00.004-05:002010-12-23T02:17:17.175-05:00Festivus for the Rest of Us: A Holiday Tale Retold<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><em style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">[Note: Below is an edited version of the story of my first Festivus in 2007. - RTR]</em></span></span></p><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; font-size: 13px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); "><em style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "></em></span>I spoke with Joanie early yesterday and she graciously wished me and Ruth a happy winter solstice. Her kind sentiments were greatly appreciated and I sincerely wished her the same. You see, Joanie is one of my friends who celebrates the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice" style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-decoration: underline; ">winter solstice, </a>while other friends spent their Decembers celebrating Christmas or Kwanzaa or Hanukkah.</span></p><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span">Christmas is still at the forefront in our home. In fact, I was scheduled to have a Christmas holiday dinner with Ruth, her sister, and my brother-in-law. It was one of those once-a-year dinners with the in-laws at the Outback restaurant. Also, the next day, December 23rd, we were scheduled for a family gathering with the Rico clan, including my siblings from out-of-state arriving for the Christmas holiday. No matter how you slice it, these family holiday gatherings are always full of surprises.</span></p><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span">Later in the day, in an odd turn of events, I learned from Ruth that this evening being December 22nd made it “Festivus Eve.” She casually explained that “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivus" style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-decoration: underline; ">Festivus for the Rest of Us</a>” was the newest, somewhat-backhanded holiday celebration in direct opposition to the gross over-commercialization of Christmas by the dominant Christian society. (Which begs the question, What Would Jesus Buy?)</span></p></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">This was the first I ever heard of Festivus.<br /><br />To my astonishment, Ruth told me of Festivus, a holiday in which the day – December 23rd – is celebrated by the “airing of grievances,” or sharing with your family and friends all the ways they have let you down or disappointed you during the year. A bare, unadorned aluminum pole is the symbol of Festivus. Ruth had me at “grievances.” I was sold. Sign me up for the Festivus holiday.<br /><br />In a real kicker, Ruth explained Festivus was hatched during an episode of “Seinfeld” – season 9, Episode 10, to be exact. The holiday was concocted and described as a joke thread throughout the episode. This, in my view, should solidify it as a December holiday. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5147450279066010450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNw55h7A6tLIGEgcSES_WqDbk2mnQ0s_IMq-QUQPLyniR1FbL8FCn467RtU3UGN_FVJdstw872NU3P9vT-0RYDxE8rT3y6nLAn0qsP6edfWQdDMAUTq5YyxMMZuILrxZATy4F8cwCaZbWp/s400/festivus.jpg" border="0" /><br /><strong>Festivus Eve Dinner<br /></strong><br />By the time I learned about Festivus, it was too late to rent and watch the Seinfeld episode. Instead, we scrambled to get spiffed up and head to the Outback.<br /><br />Even though I was barely into the Festivus spirit, dinner ended up being an airing of grievances. My brother-in-law was highly agitated by the fact that he could not watch MSU sports on TV because of the dispute between the Big Ten Channel and the cable TV companies. Damn it, he was no longer going to send MSU anymore donations as result. He fully blamed MSU for the “blackout” situation.<br /><br />Now, I spend most of my waking hours during the year worrying about war, peace, a lying president, torture, secret prisons, destroyed CIA tapes, etc. Still, I’m like Marky Mark from Downtown, I have opinions on almost everything, especially sports issues. In this case, I was not backing the multi-billion dollar cable TV industry over the multi-million dollar college sports industry. I spoke up and absolved MSU of responsibility for the TV dispute. My brother-in-law flashed an angry Christmas temper with a rock-sold, “You’re full of sh*t!”<br /><br />I explained my rationale further. He doubled his emphasis in the crowded restaurant, “YOUR’RE FULL OF SH*T!!” At that point, I reciprocated with my own Festivus greetings and barked back “You’re full of sh*t!” I looked at Ruth and she looked that me. A new holiday had been christened.<br /><br />After the Festivus greetings were diffused by a quick change of subject, I did not say much else during the dinner. My brother-in-law is an 80-something WWII Navy vet, so I resisted telling him all about my work with the anti-war movement. It potentially could have turned into the Tiger Stadium centerfield bleachers all over again – one side yelling “Eat Sh*t!” and the other side yelling “F*ck You!” back-and-forth in a perverse version of the old Miller Lite commercial. Instead, I kept my mouth shut.<br /><br />On the way home, Ruth and I ended up renting the Seinfeld Season 9, Episode 10. It was best $1 we spent all Christmas season.<br /><br /><strong>My First Festivus Day<br /></strong><br />Before heading to Fowerville to meet the Rico clan on Sunday, I ran into Everybody Reads Bookstore to grab the Sunday NY Times. Deb behind the counter informed me there was no Sunday Times waiting for me; the distributor shorted me again. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Oh, well.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">What could I do? </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">I wished her a Happy Festivus Day -- and she cracked up! Deb and Chris had rented Seinfeld, Season 9, Episode 10, the night before. What a hoot!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Ruth and I arrived at my niece’s home in Fowlerville, only to discover a full power outage in the neighborhood. My niece had a house full of guests and the expectation of Christmas entertaining. In a stellar example improvisation, food was being cooked and warmed in the garage on the summer gas grill. We ended having a good chuckle about the year's happenings, the food turned out great, and nobody told me I was “full of sh*t.” Still, I asked everyone at the table, “Did you know today is Festivus Day?” My nephew from Texas looked over and said, “Where’s your aluminum pole?”<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I’m on to something here.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><div align="right"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">-- Rico Thomas Rico</span></div><div align="right"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5147450652728165234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKuh4PDwsV06DTqZTUTGFMnf8szoEXvKX0zVMu3dDaRqV3HJ-PGkR2ajusTR8QkuSVtqU4WNPD4Zpv376HjW6rShsBJoTl38o0G9OMJ1opOvTZpC7DC01GY7WtbqNLX6VTaReInpgLD-D/s400/DOClist-of-grievences.jpg" border="0" /></span>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-48438475344990186512010-05-16T13:51:00.003-04:002010-05-16T14:12:15.089-04:00Greetings to the Department of Peace SupportersI met some WONDERFUL people from the American Midwest at the Department of Peace regional conference in Livonia, Michigan. The 3-day conference was a well-organized, well-paced and always interesting. I shot lots of video and tons of photos. I will roll photos out in the next day or two and video as soon as I get to the Cat Lair to start editing. I am now on my way to Ferndale, Michigan for the anti-nuke concert featuring Bad Heart Bull of Chicago. BHB will stop in Lansing tomorrow and Grand Rapids on Tuesday.<div><br /></div><div>I will direct my new Dept of Peace friends to visit my new blog <a href="http://ricothomasrico.com/">here</a>, my youtube channel here, RTR on Tumblr <a href="http://ricothomasrico.tumblr.com/">here</a>, and my twitter feed <a href="http://twitter.com/ricothomasrico">here</a>. You can also find me on Facebook <a href="http://www.facebook.com/ricothomasrico">here</a>. Also, you should visit my cats -- who have been out-micro blogging me lately -- on Tumblr <a href="http://mrwhiskers.tumblr.com/">here</a>. My live stream channel is <a href="http://www.livestream.com/ricothomasrico">here</a>, where I am currently looping the health care panel discussion from the 2010 LaborNotes conference.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Peace Education Center's web site is <a href="http://www.peaceedcenter.org/">here </a>and its Youtube channel <a href="http://www.youtube.com/peaceedcenter">here</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, I hope to see you all at the <a href="http://www.ussf2010.org/">U.S. Social Forum</a>. If you decide to attend, please let me know and we can connect again. </div>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-44888303807556571532010-02-13T21:15:00.003-05:002010-02-13T21:18:31.225-05:00RTR Relaunches Blog at ricothomasrico[dot]com<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Read all my new blog postings at <a href="http://ricothomasrico.com/">ricothomasrico[dot]com</a>.</span></span>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-91870407423289889032009-12-24T02:09:00.008-05:002009-12-24T02:46:05.359-05:00Redux: Poet David Blair's Performance at the Allied Media Conference<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">O</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">ne of the most amazing performances I saw all year was poet David Blair's opening at the </span><a href="http://www.alliedmediaconference.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#9999FF;">Allied Media Conference</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"> in Detroit, Michigan on July 17, 2009. His social observations and commentary concluded with a heart-felt tribute to Michael Jackson was very powerful. My Youtube </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/ricothomasrico#p/u/4/kRHwLrEH9po"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#9999FF;">posting</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"> of the performance didn't give it complete justice because that video web site sets a 10 minute time limit on postings. Below is my complete recording, which is just over 13 minutes long. I hope you take a moment during this busy holiday season to watch and listen.</span></span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">-- Rico Thomas Rico</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px;font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">Poet David Blair</span></span></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">Detroit, Michigan * July 17, 2009</span></span></b></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px;font-size:12px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 14px; font-family:arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"> <object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" width="416" height="234" id="mbox_player_7a9adbb71e1ee4c4f5"><param name="movie" value="http://www.motionbox.com/external/hd_player/type%253Dhd%252Caffiliate_name%253Dmotionbox%252Cvideo_uid%253D7a9adbb71e1ee4c4f5"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="allowFullscreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.motionbox.com/external/hd_player/type%253Dhd%252Caffiliate_name%253Dmotionbox%252Cvideo_uid%253D7a9adbb71e1ee4c4f5" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer" width="416" height="234" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" name="mbox_player_7a9adbb71e1ee4c4f5"></embed></object> </span></div></div>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-68328813122777466872009-12-23T20:09:00.009-05:002009-12-23T21:00:59.785-05:002009 Airing of Grievances: No Shortage of Disappointment<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I heard of one “Festivus for the Rest of Us” celebration at the Unicorn Bar tonight in Old Town Lansing (MI). Frog and the Beeftones will be jamming in between “The Airing of Grievances,” “Feats of Strength,” and other shenanigans. I won’t be there myself, but hope to go next year when Michigan’s smoking ban is in place. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:16;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">My disposable income and I generally steer clear of smoky venues. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:16;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I was a little more grumpier than normal today, so it got me in the best mood to air out my grievances for 2009. My list for the traditional “airing of grievances” came out much less humorous than I had envisioned a few days ago. The progressive world doesn't need another Jon Stewart or Colbert anyway. So let’s all fess up and admit it: </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I GOT A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH YOU PEOPLE, AND NOW YOU’RE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT IT!</span></b></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh7hPOgFEo0paS3jG3wajULJMXqESNX2Dchetcf0qQmqm3NcJjhZbLmFpC1msakp_QtpXPLMZYnl1hUtW5TPw8VH8481URMicGa-cVKjtXU97vhYZrDBexwvwtHIRSSPUJvjd8yuf_poUW/s400/festivuswpix.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418606776544104482" border="0" /> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Disappointing me this year in the world of public policy were…</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1.</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> NPR News editors</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, especially from Morning Edition, who allowed their reporters to freely, and without full explanation, label some specific and not-so-specific U.S. Senators involved in the health </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">care reform process and debate as “moderates.” By play-pretending in their reporting that conservative Democrats were “moderate” and as such the “voices of reason,” NPR consistently painted a positive image of conservative Democrats – some who can easily be deemed camouflaged conservative Republicans – who are friendly to the insurance industry and determined to kill any real reform that would extend coverage and health care to millions of everyday Americans. Disagree? Tell it to Arlen Specter or Joe Lieberman or Max Baucus…or… </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">2.</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Health Care Reform activists</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, specifically the national organizers, for not calling for a massive march on Washington, D.C. in August 2009. The health care reform issue and debate is one of the most important confronting America since the Civil Rights campaign in the 1960s. Those of us demanding health care coverage and comprehensive reform should have greeted Congress members at their office doors when they returned from the August summer recess. Instead, health care reformers, including President Obama at the time, were Swift-boated for weeks in the media. As a result, pro-health care advocates have been out-strategized and continue to lose in this national debate.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">3.</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> The American Anti-Tax, Anti-Government Movement</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> whose members loudly ranted and raved about federal government spending and deficits, but who were turtles during the 8 years when Bush-Cheney – in good Ronald Reagan fashion – cut taxes, multiplied military spending, and blew the lid off of federal deficit spending. Does this movement think that no one notices that there is hardly a multi-billion dollar defense budget that these people won’t support with nary a complaint about the military establishment siphoning over 50% of federal spending each year (talk about BIG GOVERNMENT!). If they truly want to reign in federal spending, they should rant to yank the national credit card from </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">the military establishment.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">4.</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Conservative Parents </span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">who are so willing to throw their kids to the wolves of the health insurance industry, just to defend against a mythological monster they call (sometimes interchangeably) socialism, communism, and fascism. They’d rather save a few dollars in their pocket than pool their money with the community to provide health insurance coverage for their children, young adults, and other members of their family, as well as everyone else. So while health care coverage is provided in free countries around the globe, conservative parents don’t mind sending their kids into a health care system that will either ruin them financially or make them suffer physically, or both. And, again, these same people hardly say boo-hoo to the billions in federal military spending. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">5.</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> President Barack Obama </span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">when he claims a “historic” health care bill that doesn't provide full coverage for everyone, claims a Nobel Peace Prize without the peace, and declares Copenhagen “meaningful” when it falls well short of what the planet needs to survive. His many supporters are realizing, however slowly, that public policy cannot live on Hope alone; it must be backed up with some real leadership and fortitude. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Disappointing me this year in the world of sports were…</span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1.</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> William Clay Ford </span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">for remaining the owner of the Detroit Lions. The fans have targeted the complaints at the players, coaches, general manager and others. There is only one real place for blame: William Clay Ford, who remains completely out of touch with the workings of professional football. Ford has been fortunate that the loyal fan base has not seriously attempted to hold him directly accountable for the decades-long sad state of the team. Instead, many fans have generously bought game tickets, patronized the stadium concession stands, and purchased Lions apparel and products. So why would Ford change or pay attention to the mechanics of building a winning team when he is so busy counting his mega-profits from the team?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">2. The </span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">dunderhead Michigan State University football players were who arrested</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> for assault during an incident on campus last month. There were nine players who got into trouble. Supposedly, one or two players convinced the others to help defend their honor in a dispute with other students on campus. Thus, the MSU football players seriously tarnished bright futures – including some futures that might include the NFL – to defend someone’s false and misdirected sense of honor. This street-wise sense of “honor” gets you nowhere, except eventually to jail or the grave. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">3.</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Tiger Woods</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> who should have come out to a press conference and told the reporters, “Listen, I’m a billionaire. A billionaire with a B. I don’t care what you think. I care what my wife thinks and will deal with it privately. No further comment.”</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Festive Festivus to you and yours!</span></span></span><p></p><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-- Rico Thomas Rico</span></span></span></div>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-30466486651997514312009-12-19T23:20:00.006-05:002009-12-20T01:00:36.718-05:00A Holiday Tale Retold: A Ghost of Festivus Past<span style="font-family:verdana;"><div><i><b>As we gather in these holidays among family and friends, inevitably we recount stories (i.e., incidents) of holidays past. With the</b></i><i><b> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivus_for_the_rest_of_us">Festivus for the Rest of Us</a> only four days away (Dec. 23rd), I want to retell my first Festivus tale as slightly edited from the original posting </b></i><a href="http://ricothomasrico.blogspot.com/2007/12/festivus-for-rest-of-us.html"><i><b>here</b></i></a><i><b> in December 2007. "Airing of the grievances" is one part of the celebration and I am working on my list for posting here on Wednesday. In the meantime, let's reminisce.... </b></i> </div><div><br /></div>I spoke with Joan Peace early Saturday (Dec. 22nd) and she graciously wished me and Ruth a happy winter solstice. Her kindly sentiments were greatly appreciated, as Joanie celebrated the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice">winter solstice </a>while other friends spent their December with Christmas or Kwanzaa or Hanukkah. I sincerely wished her the same.<br /><br />Christmas, however, was still at the forefront at home. I was scheduled to have dinner with Ruth, her sister, and my brother-in-law. It was one of those once-a-year dinners with the in-laws at the Outback restaurant in Lansing (MI) at 6:30 p.m. Also, the next day (December 23rd) was scheduled with the Rico clan, including my siblings from out-of-state arriving for the Christmas holiday. No matter how you slice it, these family holiday gatherings are always full of surprises.<br /><br />Later in the day, in an odd turn of events, I learned from Ruth that Saturday was also Festivus Eve. She casually explained that “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivus">Festivus for the Rest of Us</a>” was the newest, somewhat backhanded holiday celebration in direct opposition to the gross over-commercialization of Christmas by the dominant Christian society. (Which begs the question, What Would Jesus Buy?)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">This was the first I ever heard of Festivus.<br /><br />To my astonishment, Ruth told me of Festivus, a holiday in which the day – December 23rd – is celebrated by the “airing of grievances,” or sharing with your family and friends all the ways they have let you down or disappointed you during the year. A bare, unadorned aluminum pole is the symbol of Festivus. Ruth had me at “grievances.” I was sold. Sign me up for the Festivus holiday.<br /><br />In a real kicker, Ruth explained Festivus was hatched during an episode of “Seinfeld” – season 9, Episode 10, to be exact. The holiday was concocted and described as a joke thread throughout the episode. This, in my view, should solidify it as a December holiday. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5147450279066010450" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNw55h7A6tLIGEgcSES_WqDbk2mnQ0s_IMq-QUQPLyniR1FbL8FCn467RtU3UGN_FVJdstw872NU3P9vT-0RYDxE8rT3y6nLAn0qsP6edfWQdDMAUTq5YyxMMZuILrxZATy4F8cwCaZbWp/s400/festivus.jpg" border="0" /><br /><strong>Festivus Eve Dinner<br /></strong><br />By the time I learned about Festivus, it was too late to rent and watch the Seinfeld episode. Instead, we scrambled to get spiffed up and head to the Outback.<br /><br />Even though I was barely into the Festivus spirit, dinner ended up being an airing of grievances. My brother-in-law was highly agitated by the fact that he could not watch MSU sports on TV because of the dispute between the Big Ten Channel and the cable TV companies. Damn it, he was no longer going to send MSU any more donations as result. He fully blamed MSU for the “blackout” situation.<br /><br />Now, I spend most of my waking hours during the year worrying about war, peace, a lying president, torture, secret prisons, destroyed CIA tapes, etc. Still, I’m like Marky Mark from Downtown, I have opinions on almost everything, especially sports issues. In this case, I was not backing the multi-billion dollar cable TV industry over the multi-million dollar college sports industry. I spoke up and absolved MSU of responsibility for the TV dispute. My brother-in-law flashed an angry Christmas temper with a rock-solid, “You’re full of sh*t!”<br /><br />I explained my rationale further. He doubled his emphasis in the crowded restaurant, “YOUR’RE FULL OF SH*T!!” At that point, I reciprocated with my own Festivus greetings and barked back “You’re full of sh*t!” I looked at Ruth and she looked that me. A new holiday had been christened.<br /><br />After the Festivus greetings were diffused by a quick change of subject, I did not say much else during the dinner. My brother-in-law is an 80-something WWII Navy vet, so I resisted telling him all about my work with the anti-war movement. It potentially could have turned into the Tiger Stadium centerfield bleachers all over again – one side yelling “Eat Sh*t!” and the other side yelling “F*ck You!” back-and-forth in a perverse version of the old Miller Lite commercial. Instead, I kept my mouth shut.<br /><br />On the way home, Ruth and I ended up renting the Seinfeld Season 9, Episode 10. It was best $1 we spent all Christmas season.<br /><br /><strong>My First Festivus Day<br /></strong><br />Before heading to Fowerville to meet the Rico clan on Sunday, I ran into Everybody Reads Bookstore to grab the Sunday NY Times. Deb behind the counter informed me there was no Sunday Times waiting for me; the distributor shorted me again. </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">Oh, well.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">What could I do? </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">I wished Deb a Happy Festivus Day </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">– </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">and she cracked up! Deb and her partner Chris had rented Seinfeld, Season 9, Episode 10, the night before. What a hoot!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Ruth and I arrived at my niece’s home in Fowlerville (MI), only to discover a full power outage in the neighborhood. My niece had a house full of guests and the expectation of Christmas entertaining. In a stellar example of improvisation, food was being cooked and warmed in the garage on the summer gas grill. We ended having a good chuckle about the year's happenings, the food turned out great, and nobody told me I was “full of sh*t.” Still, I asked everyone at the table, “Did you know today is Festivus Day?” My nephew from Texas looked over and said, “Where’s your aluminum pole?”<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I’m on to something here.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><div align="right"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">-- Rico Thomas Rico</span></div><div align="right"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><br /><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span><div><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">P.S. Below is a sample form to state your own grievances on Wednesday. If you are so inclined please feel free to post your top grievance below or email them to me at tjsuave[at]hotmail[dot]com.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5147450652728165234" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKuh4PDwsV06DTqZTUTGFMnf8szoEXvKX0zVMu3dDaRqV3HJ-PGkR2ajusTR8QkuSVtqU4WNPD4Zpv376HjW6rShsBJoTl38o0G9OMJ1opOvTZpC7DC01GY7WtbqNLX6VTaReInpgLD-D/s400/DOClist-of-grievences.jpg" border="0" /></span></div>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-63774678546973091612009-12-12T14:25:00.003-05:002009-12-12T14:28:45.000-05:00"IN THE FUTURE"<div style:"text-align: center;"><object width="400" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ngVGxYLRrZ0&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ngVGxYLRrZ0&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="364"></embed></object></div>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-42420285578467811332009-12-12T02:37:00.002-05:002009-12-12T02:45:07.085-05:00molotov frijolero<div style="text-align: center;"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1PHZzf9eAT0&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1PHZzf9eAT0&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Thanks to </span><a href="http://someself.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Lubzi</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> for sharing the video link on </span><a href="http://twitter.com/lubzi"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Twitter</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">.</span>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-15847300288140963522009-09-24T22:13:00.008-04:002009-09-24T23:07:55.583-04:00Free Speech Gets Beat, Gassed Again<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ever since the Seattle police were out-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">strategized</span> by protesters at the 1999 World Trade Organization meeting, certain police across the country have built-in over-reaction modes in large crowd situations. Here are some of the recordings of the First Amendment getting beat up and/or gassed including today's incident in Pittsburgh:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>Pittsburgh, 24 September 2009 G-20 Conference</b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><object width="340" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1ei8vlLbhbo&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1ei8vlLbhbo&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="340" height="285"></embed></object><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>Minneapolis, September 2008, Republican National Convention</b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b><div style="text-align: left;"><object width="340" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2MhnI_VsHgA&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2MhnI_VsHgA&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="340" height="285"></embed></object></div><br /></b></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Denver, August 2008, Democratic National Convention</span></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><object width="500" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KfISlq1gzK8&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KfISlq1gzK8&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="315"></embed></object><b><br /></b><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>Denver, August 2008, Democratic National Convention</b><br /><object width="340" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/439gOpKK32Y&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/439gOpKK32Y&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="340" height="285"></embed></object></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrPCw4I4y4g4oFsldBUO10htCRxFyaXPpTB0hAZhjgCXz4f6AYK9voTcZ_HrROo-V7o_GadiHBHmtMagfrUcPudsJmjYCGxYAUmWoRId5V1AsggTLuQeSLZVoZaSs6xiOf7M0F0TAeocx/s320/Support+The+Police.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 310px; height: 310px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385226838642648962" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-89575839165487032502009-09-24T00:00:00.012-04:002009-09-24T00:18:35.808-04:00Insurgent Theater Takes Intensity to Pittsburgh<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><a href="http://ulyssescrewmen.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#6666CC;">Insurgent Theater</span></span></span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">is in</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Grand Rapids</span></span></span></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">,</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><st1:state st="on"><st1:state st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Michigan</span></span></span></st1:state></st1:state><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, t</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">onight and will transport to </span></span></span><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Pittsburgh</span></span></span></st1:place></st1:city><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> for a performance tomorrow, September 24th. The post-industrial steel town and site of </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">the</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.pittsburghsummit.gov/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#6666CC;">G-20 economic summit</span></span></span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">is a most appropriate location for the troupe's touring show featuring the play, "Ulysses' Crewmen." The </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><span><st1:city st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Pittsburgh</span></span></span></st1:city><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">performance is scheduled in the</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><st1:placename st="on"><st1:placename st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Tent</span></span></span></st1:placename><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></span></span></span></st1:placename><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><st1:placetype st="on"><st1:placetype st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">City</span></span></span></st1:placetype><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></span></span></span></st1:placetype><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> at</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Carnegie</span></span></span></st1:placename><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></span></span></span></st1:place></st1:placename><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><st1:placename st="on"><st1:placename st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Mellon</span></span></span></st1:placename><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></span></span></span></st1:placename><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><st1:placetype st="on"><st1:placetype st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">University</span></span></span></st1:placetype></st1:placetype></st1:place><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">at 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.(EST). There were hot rumors at Gone Wired Cafe last night that they will be connecting with</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.revbilly.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#6666CC;">Reverend Billy</span></span></span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">at CMU.</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Pittsburgh</span></span></span></st1:place></st1:city><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></span></span></span></st1:place></st1:city><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> activists -- and their G-20 guest from around the globe -- shouldn't miss this show, with or without the Reverend.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Insurgent Theater's performance last night was intense, to say the least. This two-person play -- featuring actors Kate Pleuss </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">and Ben Turk -- revolves around the fictional tale of a kidnapped American heading to an international global trade conference, a nice irony for the audience in</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Pittsburgh</span></span></span></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. Pleuss carried the show with a riveting performance in the lead role of the kidnapper. Turk, the playwright for 'Ulysses' Crewman,' deserves praise for giving Pleuss the words to deliver a powerful anti-capitalist, anti-establishment message, not an easy task to make a weighty subject entertaining.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Adding to the unique experience, Turk designed the show to be a "transparent" theatrical experience by attempting to eliminate the "manipulative" and hierarchical relationship built into conventional theater. To begin, the audience was gathered around the performance space in a circle. Turk and Pleuss at center stage introduced the play, the project, and the tour, piece by piece, while dressing into custom piece by piece. Away we went from there, with the unseasonably warm </span></span></span><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Michigan</span></span></span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> temperature adding to intense ambiance of the play.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">For all those activists in </span></span></span><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Pittsburgh</span></span></span></st1:place></st1:city><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> tomorrow, grab your favorite G-20 rep and escort them to see Ulysses' Crewmen. They won't forget it after they return home, and neither will you.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;text-align:right"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-- Rico Thomas Rico</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana;color:#CCCCCC;">P.S. See photos from the Lansing performance <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peaceedcenter/sets/72157622311939849/">here</a>. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana;color:#CCCCCC;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;text-align:center"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">Photo from "Ulysses' Crewman" Performed in</span></span></span></b><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;text-align:center"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">Lansing</span></span></span></b></st1:city><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">, </span></span><st1:state st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">Michigan</span></span></st1:state></span></b></st1:place><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">, September 22, 2009</span></span></span></b><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3oQD4_rzIxGsAoOzDkp2wmKNjswM74WuQ0MXoXyUlmtF6_J2eDIOY6f8q_3n-fAdhZbSFWu8V3RtQbnB7n5e3vBnVFhwdqpFMiCwgfmCmbsU45QP4Ni3LcUZzZknxYVifRB3dLNon2aEi/s400/ulll2.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384879115039589346" />Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-17708739332626777432009-09-23T21:18:00.005-04:002009-09-23T21:27:10.674-04:00Health Care Reform PSA: Helping the Real Needy<div style="text-align: center;"><object width="384" height="256" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" id="ordie_player_041b5acaf5"><param name="movie" value="http://player.ordienetworks.com/flash/fodplayer.swf"><param name="flashvars" value="key=041b5acaf5"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed width="384" height="256" flashvars="key=041b5acaf5" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" quality="high" src="http://player.ordienetworks.com/flash/fodplayer.swf" name="ordie_player_041b5acaf5" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object><div style="text-align:left;font-size:x-small;margin-top:0;width:384px;"><a href="http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/041b5acaf5/protect-insurance-companies-psa" title="from FOD Team, Will Ferrell, Jon Hamm, Olivia Wilde, Thomas Lennon, Donald Faison, Linda Cardellini, Masi Oka, Ben Garant, Jordana Spiro, lauren, Drew Antzis, and chad_carter">Protect Insurance Companies PSA</a> from <a href="http://www.funnyordie.com/will_ferrell">Will Ferrell</a></div></div>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-13652604470636555322009-09-22T03:58:00.006-04:002009-09-22T04:43:01.809-04:00Ulysses' Crewmen: 8 p.m. Curtain Today at Gone Wired Cafe<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The Milwaukee-based Insurgent Theater has been winding its way through the Midwest with its performance of "Ulysses' Crewman." Today, Sept. 22nd, it arrives in Lansing, Michigan, for an 8 p.m. curtain at Gone Wired Cafe. The performance is free and open to the public, though the Peace Education Center welcomes any donations to help the effort.<br /><br />I've been looking forward to the performance for a while now. The troupe's <a href="http://ulyssescrewmen.blogspot.com/">blog</a>, documenting the behind-the-scenes details at each stop along the way, is very interesting and adds to the anticipation. The venue -- the room at the rear of Gone Wired -- is perfect for this show because the audience sits right in the middle of the performance. Expect a very intimate theatrical experience.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I plan to get there a little early, grab a cup of coffee from Colleen, and get a good seat. Theater fans and activists -- hope to see you out there.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-- Rico Thomas Rico</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Preview of Insurgent Theatre's </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>newest play: "Ulysses' Crewmen"</b></span></span> </span></span></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object width="340" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YCwYQzt_vbw&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YCwYQzt_vbw&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="340" height="285"></embed></object>,</div>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-27460984234326908922009-09-21T17:05:00.006-04:002009-09-21T23:51:42.149-04:00Reflections: International Day of Peace<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">September 21 is the </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Day_of_Peace"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">International Day of Peace</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> as designated by the 192 member states of the </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">United Nations</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. As co-chairs of the </span></span><a href="http://www.peaceedcenter.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Peace Education Center (PEC)</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> of Greater Lansing, Melissa Osborn and I were guest speakers at the annual meeting of the Greater Lansing United Nations Association (GLUNA) where we were asked to talk about this special day. The </span></span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/peacecenter"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">YouTube videos</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> of our speeches are below. I spoke first in reflecting on the PEC's upcoming 40-year anniversary and Melissa followed with a talk on "Looking Ahead: The Global Search for Peace."</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">See photos from the event <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peaceedcenter/sets/72157622421285628/">here</a>.<br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-- Rico Thomas Rico</span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>Tom Rico: "The PEC: 40 Years of Promoting Peace"<br /><br /><object width="340" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/B4y0XDlgmYI&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/B4y0XDlgmYI&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="340" height="285"></embed></object></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>Melissa Osborn: "Looking Ahead: The Global Search for Peace"</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><object width="340" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7qsC-Si74kM&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7qsC-Si74kM&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="340" height="285"></embed></object> </span></span></div></div><br /><br /><br /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="BlipEmbedPlayer" height="150" width="100%" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab"><param name="movie" value="http://blip.fm/_/swf/BlipEmbedPlayer.swf"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="FlashVars" value="blipId=23038817"><embed src="http://blip.fm/_/swf/BlipEmbedPlayer.swf" quality="high" height="150" width="100%" name="BlipEmbedPlayer" align="middle" play="true" loop="false" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" flashvars="blipId=23038817"></embed></object></div>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-24197672030851657262009-08-05T18:18:00.007-04:002009-08-05T18:35:41.345-04:00RTR Scandal: Kenyan Birth Certificate Revealed<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Much to my shock and surprise, my Kenyan birth certificate was just </span></span><a href="http://kenyanbirthcertificategenerator.com/f3ca2baab29d6408a9ea911ceb8b2907.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">revealed</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> today (see below)! This whole time I thought I was born in Saginaw, Michigan, to U.S. citizens. I hope this type of </span></span><a href="http://kenyanbirthcertificategenerator.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">revelation</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> does not happen to you. </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-- Rico Thomas Rico</span></span></div><br /><br /><a href="http://kenyanbirthcertificategenerator.com/f3ca2baab29d6408a9ea911ceb8b2907"><img src="http://kenyanbirthcertificategenerator.com/f3ca2baab29d6408a9ea911ceb8b2907.jpg" /></a></div><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="BlipEmbedPlayer" height="150" width="100%" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab"><param name="movie" value="http://blip.fm/_/swf/BlipEmbedPlayer.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="FlashVars" value="blipId=18861189" /><embed src="http://blip.fm/_/swf/BlipEmbedPlayer.swf" quality="high"height="150" width="100%" name="BlipEmbedPlayer" align="middle"play="true"loop="false"quality="high"allowScriptAccess="always"type="application/x-shockwave-flash"pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer"wmode="transparent"flashVars="blipId=18861189"></embed></object>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-51290013985167839432009-08-04T22:06:00.012-04:002009-09-21T17:43:48.036-04:00RTR's Twitterverse<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Over the weekend, I took notice when a Facebook friend announced he was starting a Twitter account. A lot of the response from his other FB friends was "Oh, No! Don't Do it! Twitter Sucks." I found the response ironic coming from people on -- of all things -- Facebook. </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Even the person who personally turned me on to FB -- the redhead who shall remain nameless who co-chairs a local nonprofit org with me -- is now refusing to open a Twitter account and knocking this super-fast-growing social network. She even sent me a </span></span><a href="http://current.com/items/89891774_twouble-with-twitters.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">videoslam against Twitter</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> through Facebook.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">There has been a consistently growing backlash against Twitter, similar to the backlash against Facebook. There is a lot of weak criticism from the backlash crowd, many of whom have not tried it or don't "get it." When I first joined Twitter I complained loudly to Boy Thunder about it being totally useless. For one month I was like "I don't get it, I don't get it...wait, I get it." I got it when I figured out how to best use it for my own purposes, which are a combination of business, social, and activist purposes. I find it the fastest source for breaking news and an endless source of entertainment. I get some great recommendations for books and online articles from some great people from around the country, and around the world. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Below is a mosaic from the cool, smart, interesting people who follow me on Twitter. I learned about the mosaic function from one of my favorite bloggers/tweeters [</span></span><a href="http://iallison.wordpress.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">iAllison</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">] who mentioned in a tweet tonight. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I highly recommend Twitter. So follow me on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/ricothomasrico">here</a> -- or don't.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-- Rico Thomas Rico</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="http://sxoop.com/twitter/">Get your twitter mosaic here.</a></div><div><div><p><a href="http://twitter.com/CFCLFM"><img width="48" height="48" title="CFCLFM" border="0" src="http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/59025554/LFM_MiPolSum_Face2_normal.jpg" /></a><a href="http://twitter.com/bloggingformich"><img width="48" height="48" title="bloggingformich" border="0" src="http://a3.twimg.com/profile_images/55494999/bfm_logo_normal.jpg" /></a><a href="http://twitter.com/ProgressMich"><img width="48" height="48" title="ProgressMich" border="0" src="http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/53444406/logotwitter_normal.jpg" /></a><a href="http://twitter.com/XicanoPrince"><img width="48" height="48" title="Pete Vargas" border="0" src="http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/67520714/P1017566-2_normal.JPG" /></a><a href="http://twitter.com/NathanTriplett"><img width="48" height="48" title="Nathan Triplett" border="0" src="http://a3.twimg.com/profile_images/268128417/NathanPicIran_normal.jpg" /></a><a href="http://twitter.com/EfrenParedesJr"><img width="48" height="48" title="Efren Paredes, Jr." border="0" src="http://a3.twimg.com/profile_images/73996589/EP_Photo_Oct_2005_normal.jpg" /></a><a href="http://twitter.com/LEPFA"><img width="48" height="48" title="Amanda @ LEPFA" border="0" src="http://a3.twimg.com/profile_images/325036267/FBmanga_normal.jpg" /></a><a href="http://twitter.com/shakour"><img width="48" height="48" title="shakour" 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border="0" src="http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/408450230/twitterProfilePhoto_normal.jpg" /></a><a href="http://twitter.com/chiokerickya"><img width="48" height="48" title="Chioke Mose" border="0" src="http://s.twimg.com/a/1253301564/images/default_profile_4_normal.png" /></a><a href="http://twitter.com/xicanasoldier"><img width="48" height="48" title="Gabriela Alcazar" border="0" src="http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/412729798/Photo_600_normal.jpg" /></a><a href="http://twitter.com/JeremyGilley"><img width="48" height="48" title="Jeremy Gilley" border="0" src="http://a3.twimg.com/profile_images/290077553/Compressed_Jeremy_Pic_for_Twitter_normal.jpg" /></a><a href="http://twitter.com/EntExpress"><img width="48" height="48" title="EntertainmentExpress" border="0" src="http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/406572444/_DSC7174_normal.jpg" /></a><a href="http://twitter.com/redwingnews"><img width="48" height="48" title="Red Wings News" border="0" src="http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/33694022/red_300_normal.gif" /></a><a href="http://twitter.com/MoveOn_Lansing"><img width="48" height="48" title="MoveOn Lansing" border="0" src="http://a3.twimg.com/profile_images/424667605/bigins_normal.png" /></a><a href="http://twitter.com/DonovanCorbett"><img width="48" height="48" title="Donovan Corbett" border="0" src="http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/251155620/logosmall_normal.jpg" /></a><a href="http://twitter.com/samanthamenchac"><img width="48" height="48" title="samantha menchaca" border="0" src="http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/379058044/gdpit_com_55382442_205_normal.gif" /></a></p><br /><br /></div></div><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="BlipEmbedPlayer" height="150" width="100%" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab"><param name="movie" value="http://blip.fm/_/swf/BlipEmbedPlayer.swf"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="FlashVars" value="blipId=17618132"><embed src="http://blip.fm/_/swf/BlipEmbedPlayer.swf" quality="high" height="150" width="100%" name="BlipEmbedPlayer" align="middle" play="true" loop="false" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" flashvars="blipId=17618132"></embed></object>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-43168024284055272132009-07-22T23:26:00.004-04:002009-07-22T23:44:31.438-04:00SARCASM<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidoYFlmNBjY001khAetUkFr9BhPTk_BzWurifwL0mmow_oMGYNQN8RsgW3FqRfg_EUaoqrpp8haj7DXAPhY2C1EOcq3RgvfP52LddUciB8wl9w40gTlXQVOTwkn3YxH-NKrL6EfxdBMKZg/s1600-h/Fake.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 353px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidoYFlmNBjY001khAetUkFr9BhPTk_BzWurifwL0mmow_oMGYNQN8RsgW3FqRfg_EUaoqrpp8haj7DXAPhY2C1EOcq3RgvfP52LddUciB8wl9w40gTlXQVOTwkn3YxH-NKrL6EfxdBMKZg/s400/Fake.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361491968038477682" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><div style="text-align: center;">SARCASM via Facebook via <a href="http://www.cindysheehanssoapbox.com/">Cindy Sheehan</a> via <a href="http://www.motifake.com/">motifake.com</a>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="BlipEmbedPlayer" height="150" width="100%" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab"><param name="movie" value="http://blip.fm/_/swf/BlipEmbedPlayer.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="FlashVars" value="blipId=17550300" /><embed src="http://blip.fm/_/swf/BlipEmbedPlayer.swf" quality="high"height="150" width="100%" name="BlipEmbedPlayer" align="middle"play="true"loop="false"quality="high"allowScriptAccess="always"type="application/x-shockwave-flash"pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer"wmode="transparent"flashVars="blipId=17550300"></embed></object>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-57342955211375637152009-07-20T22:35:00.026-04:002009-07-31T09:52:41.556-04:00AMC 2009: Not Your Daddy's J-School<p class="NoSpacing"><span><div style="text-align: right;"><!-- AddThis Button BEGIN --><br /><a href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&pub=xa-4a72f4844b9d0112" onmouseover="return addthis_open(this, '', '[URL]', '[TITLE]')" onmouseout="addthis_close()" onclick="return addthis_sendto()"><img src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/lg-share-en.gif" width="125" height="16" alt="Bookmark and Share" style="border:0"/></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js?pub=xa-4a72f4844b9d0112"></script><br /><!-- AddThis Button END --></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/us/18cronkite.html?_r=1&ref=obituaries">Walter Cronkite</a> died over the weekend.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A titan in the world of journalism, in the end he personally outlived the relevancy of the corporate media establishment from whence he made his mark.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="NoSpacing"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I spent the weekend in the <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=The+D">‘D’</a> at the <a href="http://alliedmediaconference.org/">Allied Media Conference 2009</a> (</span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">AMC</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">09).</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">You could say that what we learned there was not your daddy’s or granddaddy’s journalism – i.e., Walter’s journalism.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The conference center at </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Wayne</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">State</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">University</span></span></span></st1:stockticker></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> was filled with knowledge, shared knowledge, specifically by, for, and about scores of citizen-journalists from across the </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">U.S.</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">We learned and shared the techniques being used to replace and displace the corporate media that is collapsing after having failed for so long in meeting its public service, truth-telling, and ethical obligations.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Corporate newspapers and TV news have slowly realized their readership/viewership has tiptoed out of the room.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The targeted audience has taken up community news coverage in its own grassroots manner.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">You may have read about the trend in the newspaper – if you have one still published in your town and that newspaper covered the story.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="NoSpacing"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Walter would have appreciated the </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">AMC</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">09 citizen-journalists.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">After all, most of them are starting from the standpoint of opposing </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">U.S.</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> wars and aggression around the globe.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The lessons of </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Vietnam</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> and the failures of </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">U.S.</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> foreign policy – so famously <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdOb_183d1o">called out by Walter</a> on national TV in his CBS news anchor heyday – are not lost on the </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">AMC</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">09 writers, videographers, artists, and others, most of whom were probably born after the retirement of the “most trusted man in </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">America</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">.” </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="NoSpacing"><span><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="NoSpacing"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">On Friday I sat next to the young </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Latina</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> activists from </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Chicago</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">’s <a href="http://lvejo.org/index.htm">Little Village Environmental Justice Organization</a> and I wonder if most of them would know the name and history of Walter Cronkite.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">That history, however, doesn’t directly matter in their lives, as the LVEJO activists are too busy <a href="http://lvejo.org/campaigns/toxictours.htm">tracking and mapping</a> the environmental danger spots buried in and around their neighborhood.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">If needed later, they can tap into Wikipedia for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Cronkite">a quick lesson on Cronkite</a>.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">In </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Detroit</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> at </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">AMC</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">09, they brought with them the techniques and strategies used to map and visually depict the environmental injustice in Little Village.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">After 90 minutes, a room full of activists exited the room with the shared knowledge, ready to map their own local injustices.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">There’s plenty of injustice to go around.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="NoSpacing"><b><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">EDUCATION </span></span></span></b><st1:stockticker><b><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">AND</span></span></span></b></st1:stockticker><b><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> ANALYSIS</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="NoSpacing"><span><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="NoSpacing"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">That’s what the how-to, can-do part of the conference was like:</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Want to learn how to start an Internet radio station?</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Head to the basement, the <a href="http://www.prometheusradio.org/">Prometheus Radio Project</a> will show you how (photo, below right). Next door, you can learn silk screen techniques for advocacy posters or t-shirts from the <a href="http://www.beehivecollective.org/">Beehive Design Collective</a>.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Want to jump into the video remix wave?</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Have a discussion with the <a href="http://www.openyouthnetworks.org/">Open Youth Networks</a>.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Want to build your own radio tower?</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Grab those pliers.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">There was no shortage of experienced people – even people sitting right next to you in the room and not necessarily the instructors – willing to teach you a thing or two, or rattle off helpful web site addresses as you scramble to get it all down on paper.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">What was the web address again? was heard often.</span></span></span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGlvoczvmdvFHZey_0191H5oEw9qMdZl5WxqNCwdrIM42s61OaIXuzfacEw5cZsKl8RTd6HVUbI93-BzVAM15gKPpXlSATBWPPtZebSm5M4H2bGJJG0E9eorL2_h3ARxIimayZmUB6M5J/s320/amcpix.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 257px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360738146555568722" border="0" /> <p class="NoSpacing"><span><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="NoSpacing"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">In addition to the learning, there were exchanges of ideas and analysis.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The scheduled breakout sessions were supplemented with media-focused caucuses structured to highlight specific interests or groups:</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Documentary photographers, professional writers, sex workers, the women’s movement and others.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">There were documentary films shown each day.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">There were amazing live video conferences scheduled with activists in </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Palestine</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Mexico</span></span></span></st1:stockticker></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, and </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">South Africa</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="NoSpacing"><span><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="NoSpacing"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Early Friday evening, the campus auditorium in </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Detroit</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> was filled </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">with AMC</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">09 activists.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">In </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Johannesburg</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">South Africa</span></span></span></st1:stockticker></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, artist/activist Ra Ra spoke with the audience in real time via Internet, as his image was projected on the large theater screen.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">At the same time, another image was projected showing a scrolling conversation from people posting their own live comments via chat and Twitter.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It was an amazing sight and true community conversation.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Below is a short video of the live stream action with </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">South Africa</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. (See various photos <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ricothomasrico/sets/72157621707712068/">here</a>.)</span></span></span></p> <p class="NoSpacing"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="NoSpacing"><b><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">REHEARSAL FOR THE USSF</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="NoSpacing"><span><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="NoSpacing"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Organizers from the <a href="http://www.ussf2010.org/">U.S. Social Forum</a> – which is booked in </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Detroit</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> for June 22 -26, 2010 – were in attendance at </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">AMC</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">09.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I’m sure they wanted to get a feel for the way </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Detroit</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> can host events and, yes, throw a party.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Based on my experience, I would guess the USSF folks walked away pleased with the experience.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">AMC</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">09 was well-organized, welcoming to a diverse group of visitors from around the country, and flat out fun.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Next year the Allied Media Conference is scheduled for June 17 -20, 2010 in </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Detroit</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> and will immediately precede the USSF.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">June 2010 will be “A Detroit Summer,” as I heard some activists already calling it.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="NoSpacing"><span><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></o:p></span></p> <span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I predict next summer will unforgettable, just like the </span></span></span><st1:stockticker><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">AMC</span></span></span></st1:stockticker><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">09.</span></span></span><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-- Rico Thomas Rico</span></span></span></div><br><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;font-size:13;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Real Time Talk With Activists in South Africa</span></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;font-size:13;"><div style="text-align: center;"><object width="400" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aMGlGP2kTwU&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aMGlGP2kTwU&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="344"></embed></object><br /></div></span></span></div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="BlipEmbedPlayer" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab" width="100%" height="150"><param name="movie" value="http://blip.fm/_/swf/BlipEmbedPlayer.swf"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="FlashVars" value="blipId=17331896"><embed src="http://blip.fm/_/swf/BlipEmbedPlayer.swf" quality="high" name="BlipEmbedPlayer" play="true" loop="false" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" flashvars="blipId=17331896" width="100%" align="middle" height="150"></embed></object></div>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-16994606460005842132009-07-09T23:30:00.009-04:002009-07-11T02:01:03.946-04:00The Sick Puppies at PETA<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I like pussy galore and have cat companions to prove it.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Having been heavily involved in the peace movement for the last few years, most people don’t know that my recently re-charged activism started after a volunteer stint at the </span></span><a href="http://cahs-lansing.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Capital Area Human Society</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> (CAHS) in Lansing, Michigan. I became experienced in dog training, pet adoption counseling, and special events – volunteer work with and for animals that was alternately rewarding, challenging, and heart-wrenching. You get a good glimpse of the underbelly of a society, one with people who mal-treat helpless, voiceless animals.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I’m now a self-admitted ailurophile and an experienced cat-rescuer. All of my cat companions are adopted from the CAHS or have been rescued from abandonment by me personally.</span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">My interest in animals and animal rights is far from casual. In fact, one of the biggest short-comings of the progressive movement is that the peace community and animal rights and rescue movement – both striving to protect people, community, and animals from various forms of violence – do not work closer together. I know some self-proclaimed peace people who would scoff at this notion, not having made or not wanting to make the connection. If they did, the passion of both groups combined would be formidable.</span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">So then, why wasn’t I impressed by the </span></span><a href="http://www.peta.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> (PETA) demonstration on the downtown streets of Lansing on Wednesday? If you missed the demonstration, like most of us did, PETA had two young women showering on the streets to draw attention to the water-related cost of beef production and to promote vegetarianism. Read about it in the Lansing State Journal </span></span><a href="http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009907090328"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">.</span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">PETA’s tactic is a familiar one used by this organization: Take naked women or scantily-clad women and parade them around with a contrived (yet meritorious) campaign slogan. Sometimes the naked women are in cages; sometimes in print ads; and sometimes in showers. The campaign slogan gets lost in the organization’s obvious willingness to objectify women. One of my Facebook friends reacted to PETA’s Lansing stunt by commenting:</span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">“I am all about animal rights (being a vegetarian is a facet of that), but why is it okay to trade woman's rights for animal rights? There are other ways to make a point then objectifying women, but PETA doesn't seem to be willing to explore those ideas. I think PETA actually hurts their cause from all the extreme crap they pull, who wants their dietary/political/ethical lifestyle to be associated with a group willing to be racist, sexist, and violent in order to attract people to their cause?”</span></span></b></i></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Sexist. That’s what it is. PETA’s repeated willingness to disrespect women seriously tarnishes its credibility. If you don’t believe the extent of PETA’s attitudes towards women, you should watch its 2009 Super Bowl ad </span></span><a href="http://www.peta.org/content/standalone/VeggieLove/Default.aspx"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. As you watch it, you can probably guess why the ad was rejected by the television networks.</span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">What I want to know is, who convinced PETA to go with these ads and actions that objectify and exploit women? I’m trying to imagine the PETA board members or their executive team going around the table agreeing to the print ads, the TV ads, and the street protests that incorporate such bad taste. Whoever sold this campaign to PETA and whoever in the organization approved it should be called out because they are, undoubtedly, some sick puppies.</span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-- Rico Thomas Rico</span></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI227nD7PMkvQLW7ugcEND4qmjfRXvgMG_OFoIfhF2Qf1KyBJWnpi23dGKMwbNEeaUz7Fa6hi3Q4hmS9JqdMO0ZLeBVRmD6pMdMlx-C74azKc8xQTzJQQK909jAoHrcvAyuHg2MVkSRqYi/s400/tumpr.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356671666932703554" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b>Who You Callin' a Sick Puppy?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div></div></div><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="BlipEmbedPlayer" height="150" width="100%" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab"><param name="movie" value="http://blip.fm/_/swf/BlipEmbedPlayer.swf"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="FlashVars" value="blipId=16232986"><embed src="http://blip.fm/_/swf/BlipEmbedPlayer.swf" quality="high" height="150" width="100%" name="BlipEmbedPlayer" align="middle" play="true" loop="false" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" flashvars="blipId=16232986"></embed></object><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="BlipEmbedPlayer" height="150" width="100%" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab"><param name="movie" value="http://blip.fm/_/swf/BlipEmbedPlayer.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="FlashVars" value="blipId=16320609" /><embed src="http://blip.fm/_/swf/BlipEmbedPlayer.swf" quality="high"height="150" width="100%" name="BlipEmbedPlayer" align="middle"play="true"loop="false"quality="high"allowScriptAccess="always"type="application/x-shockwave-flash"pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer"wmode="transparent"flashVars="blipId=16320609"></embed></object>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-14768315699212467442009-07-08T22:46:00.003-04:002009-07-08T22:52:39.139-04:00Girl Talk 3 A.M. July 4, 2009 at Rothbury<object width="400" height="360"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FXBOfBoxYqE&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FXBOfBoxYqE&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="360"></embed></object><br /><br /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="BlipEmbedPlayer" height="150" width="100%" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab"><param name="movie" value="http://blip.fm/_/swf/BlipEmbedPlayer.swf"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="FlashVars" value="blipId=15874114"><embed src="http://blip.fm/_/swf/BlipEmbedPlayer.swf" quality="high" height="150" width="100%" name="BlipEmbedPlayer" align="middle" play="true" loop="false" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" flashvars="blipId=15874114"></embed></object>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-5729445187526842792009-07-06T15:53:00.008-04:002009-07-07T23:08:09.252-04:00Girl Talk 2 A.M. 4th of July Rothbury 2009<object width="400" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dvbDAyMqcb0&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dvbDAyMqcb0&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="364"></embed></object>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-32403642006468925892009-07-04T23:57:00.024-04:002009-07-07T23:09:39.943-04:00Rothbury on the 4th of July<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">It's halftime at The Dead concert in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Rothbury</span> Music Festival so I thought <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">this would</span> be a good moment to re-cap some of today's highlights and to post some photos.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>GIRL TALK</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">This 24-hour time frame started with a frenetic 90-minute set by Girl Talk.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Right before the show, some guy said GT “goes ape shit” while on stag<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">e.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">His assessment was close, as GT – whose real name is Gregg <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Gillis</span> from </span></span><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Pittsburgh</span></span></st1:city><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><st1:state st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">PA</span></span></st1:state></st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> – incited the whole crowd to go ape shit in one big, bouncing dance party.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It’s 2 a.m., do you know where your parents are?</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">At that hour, who gives an ape shit?</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">GT commands that he is NOT a DJ.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Instead, he is the leading innovator in the relatively new “mash-up” music genre.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Gillis</span>’s <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ar</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">t takes samples of popular commercial recordings and mixes-and-matches and overlays seemingly mismatched songs into high-powered dance tunes that go in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">unpredictable</span>, surprising directions. (Pop-up Michael Jackson riffs got the largest crowd reaction.)</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">He creates clever, sometimes ironic, audio/musical collages.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The crowds love GT.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Recording <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">conglomerates</span> hate him.</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">ve</span> always liked mash-up music genres and perform<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">ers</span>.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Most recently The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Nortec</span> Collective's Mexican electronica has grabbed my attention. And <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I still greatly appreciate the early works of Dread Zeppelin, the reggae band fronted by an Elvis <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">impersonator</span> singing Led Zeppelin songs.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">You can hardly get more mashed up than that.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Check ‘em all out, starting with Girl Talk.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEineka7GDv9WjEqnjdQrF1CROGbFbMKKie47JajgItxdTt5hAqKobA9Qut2TfAzFWxNkY2Efbj8hBmmiumLCZ-CIWvUDvrKnimsDFyqtECBrsssCrPBXNssIsmpKhMyqtQqu_Qd-6bGz_La/s400/Copy+of+girltak.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354824284061929330" border="0" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>GIRL TALK DANCE PARTY, 3 A.M.</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b>THE DEAD</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Tonight at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Rothbury</span>, we have the main attraction.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Not Dread, but The Dead.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">This is the only stage going right now at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Rothbury</span>.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The traveling Dead Heads are here.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I talked to a guy from the East Coast who – like so ma<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">ny</span> others – follows this band everywhere, Jerry Garcia or no Jerry Garcia.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Dead drummer Bill <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Kreutzmann</span> quickly drew a crowd while visiting his art exhibit here at the festival.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">People were thanking him for all the memories.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Tonight, from the looks of it, will be another good memory.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The band is jamming in good Dead fashion.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjUgNkcaTjYki6CQXyxCHB2rU0JmCefhg13AUgpxCbOhI8-Z5pJqNeWYkDmGbIFib18VcyfT34Yrw3FvRZR3uWVPMqEDJzQ-bAwVS7rhwS8YeXWDo4w5L7cnyqljd1NjKCzYgFoV6wr0pu/s400/Copy+of+BILL.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354824923920834754" border="0" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>BILL <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">KREUTZMANN</span>(right) GREETS SOME FANS</b></span></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA</b></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Zappa Plays Zappa performed earlier today with an impressive set of – what else? – Zappa tunes.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Guitarist <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Dweezil</span> Zappa (below) led the band through a rousing set and adding one more relentless performance to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Rothbury</span>’s relentless musical weekend.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">This festival’s reputation has grown with each quality performance and we still have one more day to go.</span></span></span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6gCGwgHGxebK3qD5I0sYxICdNwJRVApBg8NC4RrZyEp5_hEMw1MZRt9pkIg43nNObWsssgS6Jyw-aulI3127oD2NVD1Q1x9xVxoHXPuY087LsbpvhDZKGViOiZqS3epBtPRIblGzIy9et/s400/Copy+of+DEEWIL.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354826524632653202" border="0" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>DWEEZIL ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>MY FRIENDS ON THE 4TH OF JULY</b></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Below are photos of concert goers dressed for <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Independence</span> Day, 2009.</span></span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhreN27JdsDy1rcTCm0amsb57jI11VPhZMuLqGkkyBti5yC4e6KWPsLRyB5IEbG7-fPgRCpV6yg6oERuZwLBmlJPp9c34HhnFVy8wiXXH4SNdTpgGdeE0zA7QYqVk-iCR3AvmG0uNu5l2Ll/s400/Copy+of+MISSA.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354827266089433346" border="0" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>MISS </b></span></span><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>AMERICA</b></span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYcRsjii7Cq5rNku93QTLMVlqHzLkLgkeMXPf0cnZkHCaf6epu8_-MrYrchOX-4BeeFsgUPcPdVMcVRdzviZCeRLnwgkjtfkEm7l2LYLOauQU-3jVDkTETGeKonrkwjegjtdGjSVpP3Vi/s400/Copy+of+MRAMER.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354828479961519202" border="0" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>MR. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">AMERIC</span></b>A</span></span></span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX4Af_uvzbeiJFbs3BnrvqQrnYUw_OFnDhJCMDYTQ8f2vG3eXvCEadv_ZmcN0g44wmiVTov6Yh9mRK8WZYVKDQhw9SlzIUu6kCBiEOHNnTsEvKU-dDrT_gL5Q2pUD_BIOa1t5X9reJnIVw/s400/Copy+of+HIGHFLY.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354829680924037410" border="0" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>HIGH FLYING WOMAN</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2yp7RYYU0HPE5jJpMwO08cPFOEEBYbRh5m4fGbpfkLRh9DiM_LymxIQojyazWxM9Va6QdIbEkCbi2Dh6xokm6k4xlSYRFp7jF47sDUcbiVAd3Ok8sFO5rHSY0Yh_WlX-ETlJtgZ85M39T/s400/Copy+of+DEAD+AMER.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354830404506253938" border="0" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>DEAD AMERICA</b></span></span></span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTQg4HVJgYWcPjwQ6XnKVSP-_R2RW51NjhvD81XFai92HDtrgZoSiZp_945UkSmQosBhd2xi2-P0Px35t8nsdhRpkPAKfaiJAoq5kjAiO8gp296_v9RJXtbvqrgP6N4jqfSKjLNhQN401/s400/Copy+of+POLICE.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354831223995954882" border="0" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>MI STATE POLICE PATROL (Note the Bubble Light on Top)</b></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">One more day! Should be fun.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">-- Rico Thomas Rico</span></p>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-63513588188953991312009-07-04T00:31:00.011-04:002009-07-05T02:21:24.912-04:00Flogging Molly Flogging Michigan at the Rothbury Music Festival<p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I’m kicking back for the moment here at the 2009 Rothbury Music Festival in </span></span><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Rothbury</span></span></st1:city><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, </span></span><st1:state st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Michigan</span></span></st1:state></st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, waiting for super masher Girl Talk to come on stage at 2 a.m. and close the first full day of this remarkable festival.</span></span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">If you’re too cool to make plans and sittin’ around this holiday weekend, my recommendation is to grab your basic camping </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">gearing, pack lots of loose change for the two-day ticket price, and drive over here in the morning.</span></span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">This world-class </span></span><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Michigan</span></span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> music event – in its second year – should not be missed if at all possible.</span></span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Join me in partying like it's 1969, but without the free booze, drugs, and sex.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The crowd here – something like 30,000 strong? – was described to me as the children and grandchildren of </span></span><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Woodstock</span></span></st1:place></st1:city><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">.</span></span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">And by the looks of it, I agree:</span></span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">socially-conscious, youthful, easy-going, doo-rags, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">a few dreads, and lots of tattoos – plus great taste in music.</span></span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Okay, I don’t quite fit the demographic – tattoo embellishment never needed – but having grown up in The Nasty, I’m still down wit-it.</span></span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Still, at my age, I have the small weekend goals of (1) having fun, (2) covering the event as a blogger, and (3) getting home on Monday with my dignity.</span></span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I’ll take two out of three if I can convince a crowd to make an old man happy and just once body surf him across the crowd.</span></span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">That would make a great video posting, dignity be damned.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Good Golly, Flogging Molly</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I already know one of my highlights of t</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">he weekend will be the performance of the Irish band, Flogging Molly.</span></span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">They are known to many for their high-energy Celtic-rock.</span></span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">They were know to me, personally, as the band listed on the obnoxious green t-shirt worn often by my bud, </span></span><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Lansing</span></span></st1:place></st1:city><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> activist Chris Singer.</span></span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I’ve got to say, the praise heaped on this band by Chris was well-deserved.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Flogging Molly took the stage mid-day and lit up the crowd with an impressive 90-minute set, songs familiar to everyone excep</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">t me.</span></span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The crowd and the band traded on the energy of the moment.</span></span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The mosh pit in front was sizeable and a few people – no old guys – surfed across the crowd.</span></span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I walked away determined to download all their music and you may soon see me wearing a green obnoxious Flogging Molly t-shirt (not).</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Hangin' Backstage with Flogging Molly</span></span></span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2myEGX7w-u95_CQZJDIRdky776HGBbsSVliYQsaGxIHKy_mO48DmIVxW42194wMz_NZCcfA5Vg1D2mRdNlCx2ehpYvOzmsxgTDilJKIRenVfKKVLtT43SN7x1S5Fy-gbTAtLQClrf1ph/s400/flogg001_Group.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354460317403289634" border="0" /> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">That’s it for now.</span></span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Looking at the clock, Girl Talk goes on stage in 90 more minutes.</span></span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I’ll be there, camera and Red Bull in hand. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-- Rico Thomas Rico</span></span></p><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="BlipEmbedPlayer" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab" width="100%" height="150"><param name="movie" value="http://blip.fm/_/swf/BlipEmbedPlayer.swf"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="FlashVars" value="blipId=15700481"><embed src="http://blip.fm/_/swf/BlipEmbedPlayer.swf" quality="high" name="BlipEmbedPlayer" play="true" loop="false" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" flashvars="blipId=15700481" width="100%" align="middle" height="150"></embed></object>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6712151083611024401.post-37836565630362638482009-07-03T00:03:00.008-04:002009-07-03T00:25:09.286-04:00My Friend Efren: A Video Redux<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><object width="340" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2qhNo4XAEMw&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2qhNo4XAEMw&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="340" height="285"></embed></object></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">[Toggle HQ on/off for better video.]</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">INFO TO CONTACT</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">GOVERNOR JENNIFER GRANHOLM </span></b></span><a href="http://free-efren.blogspot.com/2008/04/contact-michigan-gov-granholm-to-free.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">HERE</span></b></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">.</span></b></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Let me tell you about my friend Efren Paredes, Jr.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A Rogue’s Gallery Plus One</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">One night in early March 1989 in </span></span></span><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">St. Joseph</span></span></span></st1:city><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, </span></span></span><st1:state st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Michigan</span></span></span></st1:state></st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, the grocery store manager at Vineland Foods was murdered and the store robbed.</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Five suspects qui<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">ckly emerged in the police investigation.</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Four of the suspects were named in a phone tip received by the police.</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The phone tip, it turned out later, was made by the father of a fifth suspect.</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The suspects were composed of a 15-year-old Latino honor roll student – Efren – and the others a rogue’s gallery of thugs affiliated with the grocery store.</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Facing charges that could easily lead to life sentences, who do you think the thugs fingered – with constantly changing and conflicting stories – as the trigger man, or boy?</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Your American pedigree is confirmed if you guessed the 15-year-old Latino honor roll student.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSNRIAT1S5x0lTCBsoAq5i1BfZ1Lw9XppDk_zxnN6axQG0XfqhMKFSzrXKoEUoDxpvYmWcwiL55N1L0X_YipdqN5bGb_f6fMaBTnHI5rgQqy0d67FN_9oVkblWX61kwG8pCv3AQUYq-Uv/s200/efren-school-photo-1989.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341487285163935714" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 157px; height: 200px; " /><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The prosecutor did not hesitate to prosecute Efren to the fullest extent of the law with all the trimmings of American-style justice:</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A whirlwind trial, flavored with sensational coverage in the local media; totally circumstantial evidence, a chunk of it supplied by the plea-bargained thugs; a tainted jury foreman; an unbalanced legal system in a community known – then and now – to be tainted with racial overtones, and…well, fellow American, you can probably fill in other aspects of the story.</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I encourage you to read the jaw-dropping details of the case </span><a href="http://4efren.com/resources/Case+History.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">.</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ann Rule could not have written a more twisted true-crime tale than this.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Twenty Years Later</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It’s been twenty years. Efren sits in prison, where he grew up.</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">He self-educated himself in prison and has a commanding intellect.</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">He has led an exemplary life in prison and is well- respected, to the point that even prison officials support his release (a very rare stance for prison officials).</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> He is supported by respected wrongful-conviction experts and by many others across the country. </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Effectively, Efren has never been in trouble – before his trial or after his trial.</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">During the last 20 years, two of the murder participants were released from prison in 2005. One served only 6 months in a juvenile correctional facility. The other suspect was not charged at all. Finally, two of these criminals later committed other unrelated crimes.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">At a parole hearing in December 2008, the former prosecutor of the case admitted to be without a good explanation for Efren's motivation for committing the murder, guessing it was a “thrill kill.”</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Law enforcement officials </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">decorated this weak theory with words from some rap lyrics purportedly found in Efren's school locker. The circumstantial evidence is even thinner now than it was 20 years ago.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The Keys of Justice</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Michigan continues to be a state that convicts juveniles – a vast majority of them minorities – and locks them up and throws away the key. There is no hope for rehabilitation, no hope for redemption. And, if you did not commit the crime, almost no hope for justice.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The Michigan State Legislature is currently considering House Bills 4518 and 4594-4596, which would end the practice of throwing way the keys on juvenile offenders. Opponents of these bills are currently painting a false and mis-leading – not to mention, desperate – campaign claiming these bills will give violent criminals an easy get-out-of-jail card. Don't believe it. The bills give juveniles convicted of crimes eligibility for a parole hearing after serving more than 15 years. Eligibility for a parole hearing is far from a free pass. I encourage you to read the bill summaries </span><a href="http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2009-2010/billanalysis/House/pdf/2009-HLA-4518-1.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> and to </span><a href="http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(junnt5fstjmguoiqqere0345))/mileg.aspx?page=Home"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">contact</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> your State Rep and State Senator in supporting these bills. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Finally, the keys of Justice are also held by Governor Jennifer Granholm. She has the power to commute sentences and to grant pardons. I've personally gotten to know Efren and I know, like some many people inside and outside of the prison system, that he is no threat to society -- never was and never has been. Please join me in </span><a href="http://free-efren.blogspot.com/2008/04/contact-michigan-gov-granholm-to-free.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">contacting Governor Granholm</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> by phone, email, or letter, in respectfully asking for justice for my friend, Efren. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-- Rico Thomas Rico</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">[Text abridged from my posting from May 29, 2009.]</span></p></div>Rico Thomas Ricohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11685866499052360013noreply@blogger.com0