Ithaca Blog

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Fireworks on Friday the 1st

Ithaca's Fourth of July fireworks show will be held on the First of July, in Dryden.

For a couple of years now, the Ithaca show has been generously hosted by the TC3 campus in Dryden, after Ithaca College declined the honor anymore, after a roof went on fire one year from a misfire. (We were on a blanket right next to it; it was pretty riveting.)

The show has always been held off-date, which is cheaper.

TCAT promises a fleet of buses leaving from Green Street for public transport round trips.

Like the midnight movie show that starts at 12 a.m., and noon Mass that starts at 12 p.m., the fireworks show starts when it is dark.

Steve Burke
for Ithaca NY Blog

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Where To Buy Music In Ithaca

When a couple of people, in a week, lament the loss of our old store, Small World Music, as a place to buy new music, we know it is time to crassly remind one and all that SWM is still here. Just in a different abode.

The funky store on West State Street is now on East State Street, at 115, also known as 115 The Commons, aka 115 E. Martin Luther King Street.

To make things even simpler, SWM shares a space with Angry Mom Records, in the basement of Autumn Leaves Books.

SWM still does what it always did, selling new and used CDs and LPs.

New releases currently include "A Treasure" by Neil Young, "Revelator" by the Tedeschi Trucks Band, and "Ukelele Songs" by Eddie Vedder. There are also newish works by Fleet Foxes, Foo Fighters, and our current #1 (and the nation's), Adele.

SWM at Angry Mom Records is open every day at noon. Til 6 on Sundays, 8 on M, T, Wed.'s, and 9 on Fridays and Saturdays. Phone is 319-4953.

Steve Burke
for Small World Music and Ithaca NY Blog 

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

One Month (Or So) To GrassRoots Festival

It's the first day of summer, which puts us in mind of GrassRoots Festival.

(So do the e-mail reminders we got from them.)

Advance Tickets, for $95, will be on sale through July 13.

Volunteer work is still available. Registration goes through July 11,  though the earlier you register, of course, the better shot you have at getting work you want at times that suit you.

Registration, ticket sales, and information are all available at www.grassrootsfest.org.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday 18 June

"We Hail From Kings and Queens" is the theme of this year's Juneteenth Celebration in Ithaca, on Saturday 18 June.

Juneteenth is a celebration of African-American history and culture. The date commemorates the post-Civil War emanicipation of the last remaining slaves in the United States, in east Texas, on 19 June 1865, with the arrival of federal forces in Galveston.

Juneteenth is an official holiday in 37 states, including New York.

The celebration in Ithaca is at the Southside Community Center, on S. Plain Street. The street will be closed to car traffic for a street fair, with music, food, children's activities, and vendors, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Stephen Burke
for Ithaca NY Blog

Monday, June 06, 2011

To Edify (Not Mollify)

Ithaca being an academic community, we thought our readers might appreciate this recent exchange with our friend Sal, who teaches high school English in Rockland County.

Sal writes:

- Latest ponderable from 11th grade vocab quiz:
Asked to use "mollify" in a sentence, a student submitted, "I put fabric softener in my dryer to mollify my underwear." How does one judge this?

I replied:

- Sal, I think you have trouble if you give this.
The sentence then becomes a correct-enough template to define any verb.
"... to circumnavigate my underwear."
"... to amortize my underwear."
If they say that's why they did it, then you can't call them wrong, can you? Unless you hold fast to your right (your responsibility) to consider whether the mollification, circumnavigation, or amortization of the underwear was a reasonable expectation.

Teach your children well -
Steve Burke
for Ithaca NY Blog

No-Fracking Day in New York, Sat. 25 June

Saturday 25 June will be a day of protest throughout New York against chemical drilling for natural gas, a controversial process known as fracking.

Ithaca will host one of the largest of the state-wide events.

"The Epic No Frack Event" is an all-day event, from 8 a.m. - 11 p.m., at three locations on the Ithaca College campus. It features 45 speakers, 6 films, and 10 musicians.

Complete details are available at AllFrackedUp.com.

Steve Burke
for Ithaca NY Blog