Turner Broadcasting System agreed to pay a million dollar fine to the city of Boston for a marketing stunt involving cartoon figures which ignited fears in the city of a terrorist bombing campaign.
Electronic icons of cartoon figures put in public places to advertise the Cartoon Network show, "Aqua Teen Hunger Force", set off a scare that led to closings of an interstate highway, subway stations, bridges, and parts of the Charles River.
Meanwhile, the same campaign ran in New York City, where there was not a single call to 911. Turner Broadcasting said that the majority of the icons placed in New York were apparently stolen.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Monday, February 05, 2007
John Edwards, Running Hard and Fast for President
It's easy to see why Hillary Rodham Clinton is considered the favorite in the Democratic race for the 2008 presidential nomination, if money and recognition are the criteria.
But if the benchmarks are strong positions and straight talk, it's hard to see why it's not John Edwards, the former senator from North Carolina who ran for the vice presidency for the Democrats in 2004.
Senator Clinton's gift, or curse, of equivocating are familiar enough to have been bitingly lampooned on television's Saturday Night Live last week. The show had Senator Clinton explaining her record on Iraq:
"If we knew then what we know now, that you could vote against the war and still become president, I would never have pretended to support it."
Sen. Clinton has yet to take any leadership towards ending the war, and has even said that additional military action in the Middle East, against Iran, "should not be taken off the table."
Meanwhile, Edwards has repudiated his vote for the war, and has called on Sen. Clinton to do the same. He has called "meaningless" current nonbinding resolutions against the war, which are supported by Senator Clinton and the other leading Democratic contender, Senator Barack Obama. Edwards is calling for a complete withdrawal from Iraq in 12 to 18 months.
On another major issue, Edwards appeared on "Meet the Press" last week and described a plan to provide health insurance for the almost 50 million Americans who do not have it. Edwards says he would raise taxes on people making more than $200,000 a year to help pay for the plan.
The New York Times, covering the first steps of Edwards' campaign, comparing it to his run for the vice presidency under John Kerry, says "his campaign voice is different, at times angry and more impatient." Edwards says, "I just find it easier to be more candid now."
In an era where political caution has been so costly, even deadly, Edwards might run long and well on candor.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
But if the benchmarks are strong positions and straight talk, it's hard to see why it's not John Edwards, the former senator from North Carolina who ran for the vice presidency for the Democrats in 2004.
Senator Clinton's gift, or curse, of equivocating are familiar enough to have been bitingly lampooned on television's Saturday Night Live last week. The show had Senator Clinton explaining her record on Iraq:
"If we knew then what we know now, that you could vote against the war and still become president, I would never have pretended to support it."
Sen. Clinton has yet to take any leadership towards ending the war, and has even said that additional military action in the Middle East, against Iran, "should not be taken off the table."
Meanwhile, Edwards has repudiated his vote for the war, and has called on Sen. Clinton to do the same. He has called "meaningless" current nonbinding resolutions against the war, which are supported by Senator Clinton and the other leading Democratic contender, Senator Barack Obama. Edwards is calling for a complete withdrawal from Iraq in 12 to 18 months.
On another major issue, Edwards appeared on "Meet the Press" last week and described a plan to provide health insurance for the almost 50 million Americans who do not have it. Edwards says he would raise taxes on people making more than $200,000 a year to help pay for the plan.
The New York Times, covering the first steps of Edwards' campaign, comparing it to his run for the vice presidency under John Kerry, says "his campaign voice is different, at times angry and more impatient." Edwards says, "I just find it easier to be more candid now."
In an era where political caution has been so costly, even deadly, Edwards might run long and well on candor.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Friday, February 02, 2007
Weekend Scene, Feb. 2 - 4
There's a lot to do in town this weekend besides watching a football game. (Although, if you plan to do some of that, see our contest posting for this week, and enter to win by thinking of two numbers).
Friday 2 Feb: The Katherine Aelias Band play an early show at Castaways, at 5:30. They have a new CD called "Ripped at the Seams". They're followed at 8 pm by Exit Clov.
Out west in Trumansburg, the El Caminos play a western garage kind of rock. Their CD, "Business In the Front...Party in the Back!" features songs such as "Folsom Prison Blues" and a couple of Fred Eaglesmith covers, and the originals talk about Nascar, big belt buckles, Weber grills, Iris Dement, Fox News, peace in the valley, and other poignant elements of life. At the Pourhouse, 7 pm.
Saturday 3 Feb.: The biggest event of the weekend not involving tackling or kicking - but, rather, dancing and healing - is the Benefit Concert for the Ithaca Free Health Clinic at the State Theater, with the Horseflies, the Sim Redmond Band, Thousands of One, and Trevor MacDonald, a veritable surplus of local musical riches. Tickets are $10, or one Ithaca Hour. The show starts at 8 pm, but doors open at 7, to allow for schmooze time. Now that's an Ithaca event.
Sunday 4 Feb. Maxie's is conceding defeat to the Superbowl, and closing early on Sunday (no TV on the premises, which usually is a blessing). But they will party early, with entertainment at brunch, featuring old timey music by Richie Stearns, Pat Burke, and Steve Selin. 11 am - 2 pm.
The only thing the Irish love nearly as much as music is sport (well, the only other thing), so Kilpatrick's is also avoiding conflict with the ballgame, by presenting the great local Irish band, Traonach, at 5 p.m. They do, however, have TV there, if you end up staying for one last song, or one for the road. In the Hilton Hotel, 130 E. Seneca St.
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Friday 2 Feb: The Katherine Aelias Band play an early show at Castaways, at 5:30. They have a new CD called "Ripped at the Seams". They're followed at 8 pm by Exit Clov.
Out west in Trumansburg, the El Caminos play a western garage kind of rock. Their CD, "Business In the Front...Party in the Back!" features songs such as "Folsom Prison Blues" and a couple of Fred Eaglesmith covers, and the originals talk about Nascar, big belt buckles, Weber grills, Iris Dement, Fox News, peace in the valley, and other poignant elements of life. At the Pourhouse, 7 pm.
Saturday 3 Feb.: The biggest event of the weekend not involving tackling or kicking - but, rather, dancing and healing - is the Benefit Concert for the Ithaca Free Health Clinic at the State Theater, with the Horseflies, the Sim Redmond Band, Thousands of One, and Trevor MacDonald, a veritable surplus of local musical riches. Tickets are $10, or one Ithaca Hour. The show starts at 8 pm, but doors open at 7, to allow for schmooze time. Now that's an Ithaca event.
Sunday 4 Feb. Maxie's is conceding defeat to the Superbowl, and closing early on Sunday (no TV on the premises, which usually is a blessing). But they will party early, with entertainment at brunch, featuring old timey music by Richie Stearns, Pat Burke, and Steve Selin. 11 am - 2 pm.
The only thing the Irish love nearly as much as music is sport (well, the only other thing), so Kilpatrick's is also avoiding conflict with the ballgame, by presenting the great local Irish band, Traonach, at 5 p.m. They do, however, have TV there, if you end up staying for one last song, or one for the road. In the Hilton Hotel, 130 E. Seneca St.
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Super Bowl Contest
Believe us, we have problems with football: the commercialism, the hype, the violence. Especially the violence, and if you don't, check out the current NY Times article, "Dark Days Follow Hard-Hitting Career in N.F.L.", which tells of brain damage and other serious health problems among N.F.L. veterans still in their 30's.
We think it is incumbent on the league to alleviate the violence. It can be easily done with simple rule changes, which would enhance rather than detract from the game.
Whatever its folly, the Superbowl is a powerful national hypnotic, with its mix of athleticism, now-or-never competitiveness, bookmaking opportunities, corn chips, and commercials with monkeys.
Shamefully or not, we personally are not immune. So our contest this week invites your prognostication. Our weekly contest usually does not involve strict adhesion to right answers to win, but we think for this one it shall. The closest prediction to the outcome of the game wins a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music, 614 W. State St, down the driveway, next to the new home office of the Ithaca Breast Cancer alliance.
You can post your answer publicly here, if you are bold, or you can submit it in private to Small World Music at sworldmu@twcny.rr.com. We send receipt verification to all entries, as we have had some technical problems receiving some, so if you don't get one from us, try typing in our address rather than using this link, or phone us at 256-0428.
Thanks and good luck!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog and Small World Music
We think it is incumbent on the league to alleviate the violence. It can be easily done with simple rule changes, which would enhance rather than detract from the game.
Whatever its folly, the Superbowl is a powerful national hypnotic, with its mix of athleticism, now-or-never competitiveness, bookmaking opportunities, corn chips, and commercials with monkeys.
Shamefully or not, we personally are not immune. So our contest this week invites your prognostication. Our weekly contest usually does not involve strict adhesion to right answers to win, but we think for this one it shall. The closest prediction to the outcome of the game wins a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music, 614 W. State St, down the driveway, next to the new home office of the Ithaca Breast Cancer alliance.
You can post your answer publicly here, if you are bold, or you can submit it in private to Small World Music at sworldmu@twcny.rr.com. We send receipt verification to all entries, as we have had some technical problems receiving some, so if you don't get one from us, try typing in our address rather than using this link, or phone us at 256-0428.
Thanks and good luck!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog and Small World Music
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Molly Ivins, Rest in Peace
A great writer is lost to us with the passing of Molly Ivins, the liberal Texas journalist and author. Ms. Ivins waged a public battle against breast cancer for seven years. She was 62.
Ms. Ivins was a clear-eyed and caustic critic of conservative politicians in her home state and nationally. But her writing was devoid of sanctimony or hectoring. Instead it was filled with common sense, passion, and humor.
Ms. Ivins worked for a time for the New York Times, which she eventually left, declaring it "a great newspaper, but No Fun." She wrote for scores of periodicals over the years, and authored six books, but her professional and spiritual base was the Texas Observer, the biweekly paper founded in the 1950's to provide, according to its motto, "Sharp Reporting From the Strangest State in the Union."
Ms. Ivins worked until the end. Last autumn, she gave a speech at the University of Texas and could barely speak above a whisper. She implored the students to use their abilites to make a difference in the world. She was impatient with apathy. "Politics is not a picture on a wall or a televison sitcom you can decide you don't much care for," she said.
Molly Ivins ended one of her last columns, "Stand Up Against the Surge", with these words:
We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders. And every single day, every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war. Raise hell. Think of something to make the ridiculous look ridiculous. Make our troops know we're for them and trying to get them out of there. Hit the streets to protest Bush's proposed surge. If you can, go to the peace march in Washington on January 27. We need people in the streets, banging pots and pans and demanding, "Stop it, now!"
Thank you, Molly Ivins.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Ms. Ivins was a clear-eyed and caustic critic of conservative politicians in her home state and nationally. But her writing was devoid of sanctimony or hectoring. Instead it was filled with common sense, passion, and humor.
Ms. Ivins worked for a time for the New York Times, which she eventually left, declaring it "a great newspaper, but No Fun." She wrote for scores of periodicals over the years, and authored six books, but her professional and spiritual base was the Texas Observer, the biweekly paper founded in the 1950's to provide, according to its motto, "Sharp Reporting From the Strangest State in the Union."
Ms. Ivins worked until the end. Last autumn, she gave a speech at the University of Texas and could barely speak above a whisper. She implored the students to use their abilites to make a difference in the world. She was impatient with apathy. "Politics is not a picture on a wall or a televison sitcom you can decide you don't much care for," she said.
Molly Ivins ended one of her last columns, "Stand Up Against the Surge", with these words:
We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders. And every single day, every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war. Raise hell. Think of something to make the ridiculous look ridiculous. Make our troops know we're for them and trying to get them out of there. Hit the streets to protest Bush's proposed surge. If you can, go to the peace march in Washington on January 27. We need people in the streets, banging pots and pans and demanding, "Stop it, now!"
Thank you, Molly Ivins.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
National Attention for Local Currency: Ithaca Hours in Communities Magazine
It's a fair bet that, world-wide, more people outside Ithaca than in Ithaca know about Hours, Ithaca's own money.
Total number of people, we mean. Not percentage-wise.
Hours has been featured on ABC News, on the BBC, in Forbes magazine, Harper's magazine, and in journals and on radio throughout North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.
Still, a local currency is valuable to the extent that local people are familiar with it. So let us share some recent national publicity for Ithaca Hours: excerpts from an article that appears in the winter edition of Communities magazine. The theme of the edition is Helping Your Local Economy Thrive. The article is simply titled, Local Currencies. It is used by permission of its author (myself!). - SB
# # #
Ithaca is a small town in central New York. Located far from the financial hub of New York City, Ithaca is closer to northern Rust Belt and Snow Belt cities ravaged by rising energy costs and vanishing jobs. Underemployment is a perennial problem in Ithaca, where a large workforce in a competitive work environment translates into low wages.
Ithaca Hours was planned as a local money to build the town's economy without depending on scarce dollars. The idea was to create a completely new revenue stream to promote jobs and trade. Dollars could be saved for other purposes.
Ithaca Hours is a member-based organization. Anyone is welcome to use Hours. But members sustain the system with an annual fee of $10 (or its equivalent, one Hour). This fee brings each member an annual disbursement of two Ithaca Hours, worth $20. With about 500 members currently, this constitutes a flow of $10,000 worth of new money into the local economy each year. Since its start in 1991, the system has put well over $100,000 worth of currency into circulation.
Members are listed in annual Directory that acts as a Yellow Pages for the goods and services they offer. Hours prints 5,000 Directories and circulates them throughout the area all year. The Directory is also online (www.ithacahours.org), so new entries can constantly be added, unlike the Yellow Pages.
At first, the Hours system consisted primarily of people trading services. Businesses questioned accepting a currency they couldn't use for expenses such as utilities, taxes, and goods purchased outside the community.
But as membership in Hours grew, businesses saw the advantages of reaching a large group of people with money they were eager to spend.
Hours are a particular advantage in competing with chain stores which do not accept local currency. While not devoid of chain stores on the fringes of town, Ithaca is one of the few cities in the region today with a healthy and attractive downtown.
Businesses can make sure they do not amass more Hours than they can use by setting their own acceptance policies. Most accept a limited percentage of Hours per transaction. But some aggressive businesses accept 100% Hours, for a very distinct competitive advantage.
Local currencies demonstrate what economists call a multiplier effect: because they do not leave their locality, they increase local activity. For example, an Hour spent at an independent book or music store will soon be spent at another local business, while a percentage of each dollar spent at a Borders outlet will soon leave the community for the company's corporate headquarters.
Hours makes interest-free loans to members wishing to start or build businesses. The system also makes regular grants to charities and community groups.
Besides its economic utility, a local currency builds community spirit and pride. Hours users find that the act of spending them leads to conversation and comraderie, something a Visa card generally doesn't do. Local currencies such as Ithaca Hours show the power of ordinary people to solve even the toughest problems (not enough money!) with creative action, taken together.
Stephen Burke
Total number of people, we mean. Not percentage-wise.
Hours has been featured on ABC News, on the BBC, in Forbes magazine, Harper's magazine, and in journals and on radio throughout North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.
Still, a local currency is valuable to the extent that local people are familiar with it. So let us share some recent national publicity for Ithaca Hours: excerpts from an article that appears in the winter edition of Communities magazine. The theme of the edition is Helping Your Local Economy Thrive. The article is simply titled, Local Currencies. It is used by permission of its author (myself!). - SB
# # #
Ithaca is a small town in central New York. Located far from the financial hub of New York City, Ithaca is closer to northern Rust Belt and Snow Belt cities ravaged by rising energy costs and vanishing jobs. Underemployment is a perennial problem in Ithaca, where a large workforce in a competitive work environment translates into low wages.
Ithaca Hours was planned as a local money to build the town's economy without depending on scarce dollars. The idea was to create a completely new revenue stream to promote jobs and trade. Dollars could be saved for other purposes.
Ithaca Hours is a member-based organization. Anyone is welcome to use Hours. But members sustain the system with an annual fee of $10 (or its equivalent, one Hour). This fee brings each member an annual disbursement of two Ithaca Hours, worth $20. With about 500 members currently, this constitutes a flow of $10,000 worth of new money into the local economy each year. Since its start in 1991, the system has put well over $100,000 worth of currency into circulation.
Members are listed in annual Directory that acts as a Yellow Pages for the goods and services they offer. Hours prints 5,000 Directories and circulates them throughout the area all year. The Directory is also online (www.ithacahours.org), so new entries can constantly be added, unlike the Yellow Pages.
At first, the Hours system consisted primarily of people trading services. Businesses questioned accepting a currency they couldn't use for expenses such as utilities, taxes, and goods purchased outside the community.
But as membership in Hours grew, businesses saw the advantages of reaching a large group of people with money they were eager to spend.
Hours are a particular advantage in competing with chain stores which do not accept local currency. While not devoid of chain stores on the fringes of town, Ithaca is one of the few cities in the region today with a healthy and attractive downtown.
Businesses can make sure they do not amass more Hours than they can use by setting their own acceptance policies. Most accept a limited percentage of Hours per transaction. But some aggressive businesses accept 100% Hours, for a very distinct competitive advantage.
Local currencies demonstrate what economists call a multiplier effect: because they do not leave their locality, they increase local activity. For example, an Hour spent at an independent book or music store will soon be spent at another local business, while a percentage of each dollar spent at a Borders outlet will soon leave the community for the company's corporate headquarters.
Hours makes interest-free loans to members wishing to start or build businesses. The system also makes regular grants to charities and community groups.
Besides its economic utility, a local currency builds community spirit and pride. Hours users find that the act of spending them leads to conversation and comraderie, something a Visa card generally doesn't do. Local currencies such as Ithaca Hours show the power of ordinary people to solve even the toughest problems (not enough money!) with creative action, taken together.
Stephen Burke
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Ithaca Free Clinic Concert: The Show Goes On
The benefit concert for the Ithaca Free Clinic will go on this Saturday, 3 February.
The show was jeopardized because its original venue, Club Euphoria, has been denied a liquor license and will close.
The show will relocate to the State Theater.
Some of Ithaca's most prominent bands will play to benefit the Free Clinic, which is celebrating its first year of providing free health care in its clinic on S. Fulton St. Scheduled to perform are the Horseflies, the Sim Redmond Band, Thousands of One, and Trevor MacDonald.
Doors will open at 7 pm and the music will start at 8. Tickets are $10, and Ithaca Hours are accepted.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
The show was jeopardized because its original venue, Club Euphoria, has been denied a liquor license and will close.
The show will relocate to the State Theater.
Some of Ithaca's most prominent bands will play to benefit the Free Clinic, which is celebrating its first year of providing free health care in its clinic on S. Fulton St. Scheduled to perform are the Horseflies, the Sim Redmond Band, Thousands of One, and Trevor MacDonald.
Doors will open at 7 pm and the music will start at 8. Tickets are $10, and Ithaca Hours are accepted.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Friday, January 26, 2007
Weekend Activities, Jan. 26 - 28
The annual Light in Winter Festival, mentioned in our weekly contest, is the big show in town this weekend. Way too many activities to mention, so by all means check their website. We will mention their headline act, the Bang on a Can All-Stars . Their show is energetic and avant-garde, and the music both experimental and classical. It will be mind-expanding and fun. At the State Theater on Saturday at 8 pm.
Light in Winter's roster makes room for some local acts, too. The Burns Sisters and Joe Crookston are both performing in connection with the festival at the Lost Dog Cafe. The Burnses are Friday at 9:30, and Joe is 9:30 on Saturday.
Lindsay Mac is a folkie and/or rockin' cellist who has been called the Ani Difranco of her instrument. We think maybe she is more like Hank Roberts. But anyway, for sure she is Lindsay Mac, and she is playing at Felicia's Atomic Lounge on Sunday at 7 pm.
Remember to check that Light in Winter website for the gamut of activities they are offering, days and nights all weekend, many of them free.
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Light in Winter's roster makes room for some local acts, too. The Burns Sisters and Joe Crookston are both performing in connection with the festival at the Lost Dog Cafe. The Burnses are Friday at 9:30, and Joe is 9:30 on Saturday.
Lindsay Mac is a folkie and/or rockin' cellist who has been called the Ani Difranco of her instrument. We think maybe she is more like Hank Roberts. But anyway, for sure she is Lindsay Mac, and she is playing at Felicia's Atomic Lounge on Sunday at 7 pm.
Remember to check that Light in Winter website for the gamut of activities they are offering, days and nights all weekend, many of them free.
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Contest: "Light in Winter" Music
This week's contest, sponsored by Small World Music, is inspired by the Light In Winter festival this weekend in Ithaca, a festival celebrating the connections between science and art.
One festival event this weekend features the music, and the physics, of the pipe organ, one of the oldest musical instruments in the Western musical tradition.
Our focus is more recent.
In American popular music, there are three makes of organs that are so predominant that they are commonly known brand names - as Fender, Gibson, and Martin are among guitars, for instance.
One of the three is associated with jazz, one with rock (it was used by the Animals in "House of the Rising Sun", by Rod Argent of The Zombies, and most notably by Ray Manzarek of the Doors), and one with Tex-Mex music.
Name any one, and you are eligible for a randomly-selected $10 gift certificate from Small World Music.
You can post your entry here on Ithaca Blog, or email it to Small World Music (sworldmu@twcny.rr.com).
Please note: we think we have had some problems in not receiving some entries that are sent by clicking to that link. We have been receiving many, but perhaps not all, due to some technical problem that we don't quite fathom. This week we will send verification of every entry received, with a quick email reply. If you don't get one for your entry, we would like to know... either email us by typing out our address instead of using the link, or phone us at 256-0428.
Thank you -
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog and Small World Music
One festival event this weekend features the music, and the physics, of the pipe organ, one of the oldest musical instruments in the Western musical tradition.
Our focus is more recent.
In American popular music, there are three makes of organs that are so predominant that they are commonly known brand names - as Fender, Gibson, and Martin are among guitars, for instance.
One of the three is associated with jazz, one with rock (it was used by the Animals in "House of the Rising Sun", by Rod Argent of The Zombies, and most notably by Ray Manzarek of the Doors), and one with Tex-Mex music.
Name any one, and you are eligible for a randomly-selected $10 gift certificate from Small World Music.
You can post your entry here on Ithaca Blog, or email it to Small World Music (sworldmu@twcny.rr.com).
Please note: we think we have had some problems in not receiving some entries that are sent by clicking to that link. We have been receiving many, but perhaps not all, due to some technical problem that we don't quite fathom. This week we will send verification of every entry received, with a quick email reply. If you don't get one for your entry, we would like to know... either email us by typing out our address instead of using the link, or phone us at 256-0428.
Thank you -
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog and Small World Music
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Taxi Driver Cocaine Bust: He's Not a Taxi Driver
A driver for the Green Hornet car service was arrested today for allegedly selling cocaine. A significant fact missed by local media is that the man arrested is not a taxi driver, and Green Hornet is not a taxi company.
Green Hornet is a livery service. There's a big difference.
Cab companies are regulated by the police department. Cab drivers undergo extensive background checks, and receive a special license from the police.
Livery drivers don't. They obtain licensing through the Department of Motor Vehicles, similar to a truck driver.
Green Hornet has been operating for some months now in Ithaca, advertising itself as a taxi company. Customers have no way of knowing that its drivers have not undergone the scrutiny that is mandatory for cab drivers.
Customers also don't know that Green Hornet cannot legally provide the same services as a true cab company.
Green Hornet cannot pick up a customer within the Ithaca City limits for a trip within the city limits. They are only permitted to take fares from the city to outside the city - for example, from downtown to Pyramid Mall, or from Ithaca College to downtown. A Green Hornet car is not permitted to take a fare from one side of the city to the other, or to operate between downtown and Cornell.
You will not get any indication of this, however, from their Yellow Pages advertising, or any of their other advertising.
Nor, unfortunately, does the local media take note of this important detail in this criminal case.
Stephen Burke
Ithaca Blog
Green Hornet is a livery service. There's a big difference.
Cab companies are regulated by the police department. Cab drivers undergo extensive background checks, and receive a special license from the police.
Livery drivers don't. They obtain licensing through the Department of Motor Vehicles, similar to a truck driver.
Green Hornet has been operating for some months now in Ithaca, advertising itself as a taxi company. Customers have no way of knowing that its drivers have not undergone the scrutiny that is mandatory for cab drivers.
Customers also don't know that Green Hornet cannot legally provide the same services as a true cab company.
Green Hornet cannot pick up a customer within the Ithaca City limits for a trip within the city limits. They are only permitted to take fares from the city to outside the city - for example, from downtown to Pyramid Mall, or from Ithaca College to downtown. A Green Hornet car is not permitted to take a fare from one side of the city to the other, or to operate between downtown and Cornell.
You will not get any indication of this, however, from their Yellow Pages advertising, or any of their other advertising.
Nor, unfortunately, does the local media take note of this important detail in this criminal case.
Stephen Burke
Ithaca Blog
New Orleans & Chicago: Contest Winner
M.C. from Ithaca is the randomly-selected winner of the Ithaca Blog contest last week, where we posed a question about New Orleans and Chicago, two entities that had a big (football) contest themselves last Sunday.
Our question was about music, not football. We noted that both cities are noted for their music, but for some reason Chicago is guitar, and New Orleans is piano. How come?
The reason we came up with, ourselves, is that in fact most of the great Chicago musicians came from the south, and the simple fact is that it's a lot easier to be an itinerant guitarist than pianist. So the guitarists moved, and the pianists stayed.
True? Maybe. Plausible? Also maybe!
You didn't have to submit that particular answer to enter the contest and randomly win. But in fact M.C. did have that answer.
M.C. wins a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music. Thanks to him and to all who entered. New contest every weekend.
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog and Small World Music
Our question was about music, not football. We noted that both cities are noted for their music, but for some reason Chicago is guitar, and New Orleans is piano. How come?
The reason we came up with, ourselves, is that in fact most of the great Chicago musicians came from the south, and the simple fact is that it's a lot easier to be an itinerant guitarist than pianist. So the guitarists moved, and the pianists stayed.
True? Maybe. Plausible? Also maybe!
You didn't have to submit that particular answer to enter the contest and randomly win. But in fact M.C. did have that answer.
M.C. wins a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music. Thanks to him and to all who entered. New contest every weekend.
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog and Small World Music
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Contest: New Orleans Vs. Chicago (in Music, Not Football)
The current event focus for this weekend's contest, sponsored by Small World Music, is the football game on Sunday between New Orleans and Chicago. Hang on, you don't have to know about football to win.
We got to thinking about these two cities, and about their musical traditions (much stronger than their sports traditions), and wondered: why is it that New Orleans has the good pianists, and Chicago the good guitarists?
We have what we think is a cogent, if not plausible, answer. Send in an opinion, or even a dissension from the premise, or any kind of comment - cogent, plausible, or otherwise - and become eligible for a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music, where you can, of course, find much good music from both these noteworthy cities.
Send your thoughts to Small World Music directly: sworldmu@twcny.rr.com
Blow your horn & win ! -
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog & Small World Music
We got to thinking about these two cities, and about their musical traditions (much stronger than their sports traditions), and wondered: why is it that New Orleans has the good pianists, and Chicago the good guitarists?
We have what we think is a cogent, if not plausible, answer. Send in an opinion, or even a dissension from the premise, or any kind of comment - cogent, plausible, or otherwise - and become eligible for a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music, where you can, of course, find much good music from both these noteworthy cities.
Send your thoughts to Small World Music directly: sworldmu@twcny.rr.com
Blow your horn & win ! -
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog & Small World Music
Swing to the Left: Ithaca Town Supervisor Stepping Down
Cathy Valentino, Democratic supervisor of the town of Ithaca, announced this week that she will not seek re-election after 12 years in the politically powerful post.
Valentino's powerful incumbency has consistently fended off challengers from the Republican party, as well as from the more liberal wing of her own party. Her tenure had a distinctly conservative cast, and her retirement presents a significant opportunity to progressive Democrats.
Tim Joseph, chair of the Tompkins County legislature, and a leading progressive Democrat, quickly announced his interest in the job.
Although technically the Town Supervisor's position is a lesser position than the one he holds, Joseph noted, "It's in a sense a lower level of government, but a higher office. The town supervisor has executive authority, which is something no one has at the Legislature."
Joseph's initial remarks about the position suggest a progressive agenda. He noted the influence the Town Board has over land use issues, and the importance of such issues in reducing dependence on oil, and protecting the environment - not overt concerns under Valentino.
Town Board member Herb Engman, also a Democrat, has also already expressed interest in the job.
No Republicans have come forward. The seat might be considered unwinnable by the Republicans in a town which is heavily Democratic, and perhaps increasingly liberal.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Valentino's powerful incumbency has consistently fended off challengers from the Republican party, as well as from the more liberal wing of her own party. Her tenure had a distinctly conservative cast, and her retirement presents a significant opportunity to progressive Democrats.
Tim Joseph, chair of the Tompkins County legislature, and a leading progressive Democrat, quickly announced his interest in the job.
Although technically the Town Supervisor's position is a lesser position than the one he holds, Joseph noted, "It's in a sense a lower level of government, but a higher office. The town supervisor has executive authority, which is something no one has at the Legislature."
Joseph's initial remarks about the position suggest a progressive agenda. He noted the influence the Town Board has over land use issues, and the importance of such issues in reducing dependence on oil, and protecting the environment - not overt concerns under Valentino.
Town Board member Herb Engman, also a Democrat, has also already expressed interest in the job.
No Republicans have come forward. The seat might be considered unwinnable by the Republicans in a town which is heavily Democratic, and perhaps increasingly liberal.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Weekend Activities, Jan. 20 & 21
Saturday: Greg Schatz, a.k.a. Schatzy, begins a half-week long tour of Ithaca tonight. Schatzy is an Ithaca native who moved to New Orleans a few years back, and built a good career there with interesting, fun music befitting the Big Easy environment. Tonight he is at the Chapter House, at 8 p.m., with AJ Strauss on bass and Felix Teitlebaum on drums. He'll be at Korova at 9 on Sunday, then traveling to Maxie's for a 6 - 10 pm show on Tuesday.
Sunday: The main event of the weekend is George Carlin at the State Theater. Tickets are dear, but also close to selling out at this moment, so act fast to see one of the greats of modern comedy. See if he will grace us with the Regis Dance. 7 p.m.
At the other end of the expensive spectrum is Bill Staines, performing free at Bound for Glory at the old Commons Coffeehouse in Anabel Taylor Hall at Cornell. Mr. Staines is one of those old- school folk singers who values a good melody and a good tale and exudes niceness in a thoroughly winning way. Arrive early for a seat. The first set is 8:30; a 7:30 arrival time is not too early. They have brownies, etc., and right across the hall is the Alternatives Library, a fine resource for worthy reading material.
You could probably make the third set, at 10:30, and get a seat, as early-birds split. Go there from the Carlin show and you can even-out the cost of a great night's entertainment.
Or achieve the same thing by checking out the Small Kings at Maxie's. There's no cover charge for the "rock, groove and pop fantasy" they perform. The Small Kings start at 8 and go to 11.
Have fun -
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Sunday: The main event of the weekend is George Carlin at the State Theater. Tickets are dear, but also close to selling out at this moment, so act fast to see one of the greats of modern comedy. See if he will grace us with the Regis Dance. 7 p.m.
At the other end of the expensive spectrum is Bill Staines, performing free at Bound for Glory at the old Commons Coffeehouse in Anabel Taylor Hall at Cornell. Mr. Staines is one of those old- school folk singers who values a good melody and a good tale and exudes niceness in a thoroughly winning way. Arrive early for a seat. The first set is 8:30; a 7:30 arrival time is not too early. They have brownies, etc., and right across the hall is the Alternatives Library, a fine resource for worthy reading material.
You could probably make the third set, at 10:30, and get a seat, as early-birds split. Go there from the Carlin show and you can even-out the cost of a great night's entertainment.
Or achieve the same thing by checking out the Small Kings at Maxie's. There's no cover charge for the "rock, groove and pop fantasy" they perform. The Small Kings start at 8 and go to 11.
Have fun -
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
The Real Reason(s) for Our Warm Winters
Winter finally touched Ithaca today. We say touched, not hit, because we haven't really been hit. Not like the Mid-West, and the citrus growers - and, closer to home, Rochester, where almost 150,000 people have lost power.
The difference between our microclimate and Rochester's is lake effect. Cold dry air moving from the north and west passes over warmer air over Lake Erie, picks up water vapor, and dumps it on land after it freezes. Syracuse gets the same effect from Onondaga Lake. Ithaca doesn't, from Cayuga Lake, as our lake is much smaller, discouraging the phenomenon. Cayuga's smaller size also makes it freeze over faster.
Among my friends, there is a theory that the mild winters in Ithaca over the past decade have to do with our friend E., who moved here from NYC in the 1990's. E. is of Puerto Rican descent and was terrified at the prospect of northern tundra winters here in Ithaca.
So he bought every piece of equipment you might think of to ward off winter suffering and to make the best of the season: ice skates, skis, Sterno, an ergonomic shovel, a snowblower, a Coleman stove, thermal suits, flannel sheets, an arctic sleeping bag, battery-powered flashlights, clocks, and radio, wind pants, snowshoes, a toboggan, a tuque, everything but a St. Bernard.
As a result, it has barely snowed since. We reckon we have E. to thank. We don't use his full name, as Greek Peak has him to blame.
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
The difference between our microclimate and Rochester's is lake effect. Cold dry air moving from the north and west passes over warmer air over Lake Erie, picks up water vapor, and dumps it on land after it freezes. Syracuse gets the same effect from Onondaga Lake. Ithaca doesn't, from Cayuga Lake, as our lake is much smaller, discouraging the phenomenon. Cayuga's smaller size also makes it freeze over faster.
Among my friends, there is a theory that the mild winters in Ithaca over the past decade have to do with our friend E., who moved here from NYC in the 1990's. E. is of Puerto Rican descent and was terrified at the prospect of northern tundra winters here in Ithaca.
So he bought every piece of equipment you might think of to ward off winter suffering and to make the best of the season: ice skates, skis, Sterno, an ergonomic shovel, a snowblower, a Coleman stove, thermal suits, flannel sheets, an arctic sleeping bag, battery-powered flashlights, clocks, and radio, wind pants, snowshoes, a toboggan, a tuque, everything but a St. Bernard.
As a result, it has barely snowed since. We reckon we have E. to thank. We don't use his full name, as Greek Peak has him to blame.
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Weekend Activities, Jan. 12 & 13
Friday: If you haven't been to a musical Happy Hour for a while, there are a couple tonight. The Purple Valley Band is at Micawber's, starting at 6 pm, and the Coots are at the Haunt at 6:30. Classic rock and other good-time music for your drinking, and perhaps dancing, pleasure.
Saturday: Shtreimel, at Castaways, 8 p.m. Klezmer music is one of the hottest styles right now. Go know, but it is happening. Shtreimel are leading practicioners, from Montreal. Their "harmonica-led, groove-driven" music has also found them a home away from home in some of the hipper hangouts in Manhattan, and even among the elites in Brooklyn.
Stephen Bennett is an award-winning guitar player, an expert flatpicker and finger-picker. He is also renowned for his playing on National steel guitar, circa 1930, and on the innovative harp guitar. The show is presented by the Guitar League, at the Community School of Music and Arts, 8 p.m. $22 at the door, $18 in advance. Tickets are available at Small World Music, and other locations.
Local big shots Crow Greenspun and Sim Redmond share a bill at the Rongo. 10 p.m. These boys are among the best in Ithaca: best performers and best songwriters, and their work keeps getting better, as they continually search for new sounds to keep their music vital. You can find all Crow's and Sim's recorded work at Small World Music. Special offer: mention Ithaca Blog when you come in, and take $2 off any of Crow's or Sim's CDs.
Have fun -
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog and Small World Music
Saturday: Shtreimel, at Castaways, 8 p.m. Klezmer music is one of the hottest styles right now. Go know, but it is happening. Shtreimel are leading practicioners, from Montreal. Their "harmonica-led, groove-driven" music has also found them a home away from home in some of the hipper hangouts in Manhattan, and even among the elites in Brooklyn.
Stephen Bennett is an award-winning guitar player, an expert flatpicker and finger-picker. He is also renowned for his playing on National steel guitar, circa 1930, and on the innovative harp guitar. The show is presented by the Guitar League, at the Community School of Music and Arts, 8 p.m. $22 at the door, $18 in advance. Tickets are available at Small World Music, and other locations.
Local big shots Crow Greenspun and Sim Redmond share a bill at the Rongo. 10 p.m. These boys are among the best in Ithaca: best performers and best songwriters, and their work keeps getting better, as they continually search for new sounds to keep their music vital. You can find all Crow's and Sim's recorded work at Small World Music. Special offer: mention Ithaca Blog when you come in, and take $2 off any of Crow's or Sim's CDs.
Have fun -
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog and Small World Music
Free Citizens Against Guantanamo
What do you do if you are a free person living under a regime that jails people charged with no crime, denies them contact with lawyers or anyone in the outside world, denies them trial, and subjects them to torture?
You say something about it. That's what a group of Ithacans, and thousands of people around the world, are doing now, to protest the fifth anniversary of Guantanamo Prison. The Bush administration operates the prison in Guatanamo Bay, Cuba, away from the United States and its laws.
January 11 has been designated an International Day of Action to Shut Down Guantanamo.
Forty cities around the world will stage protests. A group of Ithacans has gone to Washington to participate in non-violent actions.
This morning, about 100 people were arrested at a peaceful demonstration in the U.S. Federal Court after a march of hundreds more from the Supreme Court. It was the first time political arrests were made at the Federal Court.
Locally, Ithacans will gather at the west end of the Commons at 4 p.m. today for a silent vigil.
The aim of the movement is to enforce American principles of human rights, particularly the rights to humane treatment, and a fair and speedy trial.
For more information, visit www.witnesstorture.org.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
You say something about it. That's what a group of Ithacans, and thousands of people around the world, are doing now, to protest the fifth anniversary of Guantanamo Prison. The Bush administration operates the prison in Guatanamo Bay, Cuba, away from the United States and its laws.
January 11 has been designated an International Day of Action to Shut Down Guantanamo.
Forty cities around the world will stage protests. A group of Ithacans has gone to Washington to participate in non-violent actions.
This morning, about 100 people were arrested at a peaceful demonstration in the U.S. Federal Court after a march of hundreds more from the Supreme Court. It was the first time political arrests were made at the Federal Court.
Locally, Ithacans will gather at the west end of the Commons at 4 p.m. today for a silent vigil.
The aim of the movement is to enforce American principles of human rights, particularly the rights to humane treatment, and a fair and speedy trial.
For more information, visit www.witnesstorture.org.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Last Week's Contest Winner
The winner of last week's "t-shirt contest", so to speak, was J.M. of Ithaca.
The consensus of respondents seems to be that the no-tag tag is alright. Personally, I put my t-shirt on backward this very morning. So I am unconvinced. Of course, I also think that cell phones are a lousy idea.
J.M. gets a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music. Where we might be selling a line of artistic t-shirts, soon. American Apparel, for sure; I don't know if they offer a choice between tagged and tagless.
Thanks to all who entered. New chance to win a gift cert. mid-week, this week, by submitting a political opinion about George Bush and his desired escalation of war in Iraq (see today's earlier posting). Plus, new, regularly-scheduled contest each Friday.
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
The consensus of respondents seems to be that the no-tag tag is alright. Personally, I put my t-shirt on backward this very morning. So I am unconvinced. Of course, I also think that cell phones are a lousy idea.
J.M. gets a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music. Where we might be selling a line of artistic t-shirts, soon. American Apparel, for sure; I don't know if they offer a choice between tagged and tagless.
Thanks to all who entered. New chance to win a gift cert. mid-week, this week, by submitting a political opinion about George Bush and his desired escalation of war in Iraq (see today's earlier posting). Plus, new, regularly-scheduled contest each Friday.
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Special Contest: Analyze Bush's Plan on Iraq
In a few hours, on Wednesday night, George Bush Jr. will address the nation to say he wants to send 20,000 more Americans to Iraq, to eradicate the chaos and violence there once and for all.
We're looking for your comments. Is President Bush smart? A genius? Is this the inspired policy move that has somehow eluded every other thinker in the world?
Or is it a deluded act of desperation, bordering on insanity? They say one of the indications of insanity is when something doesn't work, and you keep doing it anyway.
Or is it simply a cynical bid to extend the war, for another administration to solve?
Write Ithaca Blog with whatever opinion or comment you might have, at sworldmu@twcny.rr.com. We will randomly select one correspondent for a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music.
We would like to be able to print or excerpt responses. We will couch your identity, unless you tell us otherwise, or will follow any other direction you might give.
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
We're looking for your comments. Is President Bush smart? A genius? Is this the inspired policy move that has somehow eluded every other thinker in the world?
Or is it a deluded act of desperation, bordering on insanity? They say one of the indications of insanity is when something doesn't work, and you keep doing it anyway.
Or is it simply a cynical bid to extend the war, for another administration to solve?
Write Ithaca Blog with whatever opinion or comment you might have, at sworldmu@twcny.rr.com. We will randomly select one correspondent for a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music.
We would like to be able to print or excerpt responses. We will couch your identity, unless you tell us otherwise, or will follow any other direction you might give.
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Verbatim Plays: Art Instigating Life (and Politics)
"Guantanamo: Honor Bound to Defend Freedom", a play presented here in Ithaca last month by local peace groups, is a staged reading of testimony by former detainees at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo, Cuba, out of the reach of U.S. law.
The Tricycle Theater in London first presented the play in 2004. It was an immediate sensation, and quickly moved from a 240 seat theater in remote North London to the main theater district in the West End. It subsequently went to New York, and then around the world.
The newly-created form has been dubbed "verbatim theater." It uses real words of real people and dramatizes them. The result, according to critics and crowds, is gripping theater that illuminates real issues.
The Tricycle Theater has announced its next piece, an inquiry into the legality of Prime Minister Tony Blair's engagement of Great Britain into the invasion of Iraq by the United States.
The play, "Called To Account: The Indictment of Anthony Charles Lynton Blair for the Crime of Aggression Against Iraq - A Hearing", is scheduled to open in London in May, in time for Blair's 10th anniversary as prime minister.
The text for the play will come from real-life cross-examinations of a panel of experts, both pro and con, by two leading British lawyers, which will be conducted next month. Twenty hours of testimony will be turned into a two-hour play by Richard Norton-Taylor, a journalist who has done other verbatim plays for Tricycle.
The names of the witnesses will reamin secret until the play opens.
"We are not starting from the premise that Blair is guilty, but from the premise that the whole thing needs to be aired," says Tricycle's artistic director, Nicolas Kent.
At a time when mainstream media has avoided challenging political authorities, non-traditional journalistic and artistic forces are exhibiting new relevance and power.
Specualtion is already rampant that Blair will soon vacate office. His approval rating in Britain is at an historic low, though not as low as President Bush's approval rating in the U.S. of 26 per cent.
There is no word yet whether a U.S. theater group will emulate the offerings of the Tricycle Theater. Perhaps when President Bush goes before the nation on Wednesday to ask for 20,000 more troops for Iraq, some real-life inquiry will begin.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
The Tricycle Theater in London first presented the play in 2004. It was an immediate sensation, and quickly moved from a 240 seat theater in remote North London to the main theater district in the West End. It subsequently went to New York, and then around the world.
The newly-created form has been dubbed "verbatim theater." It uses real words of real people and dramatizes them. The result, according to critics and crowds, is gripping theater that illuminates real issues.
The Tricycle Theater has announced its next piece, an inquiry into the legality of Prime Minister Tony Blair's engagement of Great Britain into the invasion of Iraq by the United States.
The play, "Called To Account: The Indictment of Anthony Charles Lynton Blair for the Crime of Aggression Against Iraq - A Hearing", is scheduled to open in London in May, in time for Blair's 10th anniversary as prime minister.
The text for the play will come from real-life cross-examinations of a panel of experts, both pro and con, by two leading British lawyers, which will be conducted next month. Twenty hours of testimony will be turned into a two-hour play by Richard Norton-Taylor, a journalist who has done other verbatim plays for Tricycle.
The names of the witnesses will reamin secret until the play opens.
"We are not starting from the premise that Blair is guilty, but from the premise that the whole thing needs to be aired," says Tricycle's artistic director, Nicolas Kent.
At a time when mainstream media has avoided challenging political authorities, non-traditional journalistic and artistic forces are exhibiting new relevance and power.
Specualtion is already rampant that Blair will soon vacate office. His approval rating in Britain is at an historic low, though not as low as President Bush's approval rating in the U.S. of 26 per cent.
There is no word yet whether a U.S. theater group will emulate the offerings of the Tricycle Theater. Perhaps when President Bush goes before the nation on Wednesday to ask for 20,000 more troops for Iraq, some real-life inquiry will begin.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Friday, January 05, 2007
Weekend Conte$t: T-Shirt Opinions
This week, we are interested in your opinion. Of course we are always interested in your opinion, but right now for money.
Send in an answer to our query and you are eligible to win a randomly-selected gift certificate for $10 from Small World Music.
Okay, our question: the new thing with t-shirts, no more tag on the back inside neck. Instead the product information is a print-on label. A boon or a bane?? Are you pro or con??
Send your opinion, in 3,000 words or less, directly to Small World Music at sworldmu@twcny.rr.com. Winning entry selected on Tuesday. Good luck!
Steve Burke
for IB and SWM
Send in an answer to our query and you are eligible to win a randomly-selected gift certificate for $10 from Small World Music.
Okay, our question: the new thing with t-shirts, no more tag on the back inside neck. Instead the product information is a print-on label. A boon or a bane?? Are you pro or con??
Send your opinion, in 3,000 words or less, directly to Small World Music at sworldmu@twcny.rr.com. Winning entry selected on Tuesday. Good luck!
Steve Burke
for IB and SWM
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Ithaca Hours: A New Year for Ithaca's Own Money
2007 is the 16th year of operation for Ithaca Hours, the town's own money. Hours is preparing for the new year with its new annual Directory of members and participating businesses.
The idea behind Hours is simple. Like most Americans, most Ithacans live paycheck to paycheck, with not much extra. It doesn't mean people don't have resources and skills, and it sure doesn't mean they don't have needs. There's just not enough cash around to connect them.
That's where Hours comes in. Hours is a currency that looks and works just like cash money. You get them by becoming a member. Annual membership costs one Hour - or ten dollars. For that, you get two Ithaca Hours to spend locally. You also get a listing in the Directory for goods or services you can offer, for which you will accept some payment in Hours.
Some of the most prominent establishments in town accept Ithaca Hours: the public library, GreenStar Co-op, Ithaca Bakery, Autumn Leaves Books, The Bookery, Small World Music, Ten Thousand Villages, House of Shalimar, Sparrow's Wines and Liquors, Finger Lakes Beverage Center, The Frame Shop, Blue Spruce Painting and Decorating, Significant Elements, Renovus Energy, Ithaca Guitar Works, Macro Mama's, Maxie's, Viva Tacqueria, ABC Cafe, Graphic Touch Design and Illustration, 544 Productions Website Design, the Ithaca Health Alliance, Dr. Diane Reppert, Dr. David Cederbaum, Cayuga Medical Center, and hundreds more.
There are over $100,000 in Hours in circulation. Hours help people to supplement their incomes, and help businesses attract and retain customers.
Hours attract interest and visitors from all over the world, including the Japanese government, ABC News, Forbes Magazine, and many others.
Many visitors to Ithaca who are familiar with Hours before they arrive wonder why not everyone Ithaca uses Hours. If you are among these, this is a good time to find out about Hours, and to join. Hours is still in the process of putting together the 2007 print Directory, and it's not too late to be included. Check ithacahours.org for more information.
The most recent media attention for Hours comes from the current issue of Communities magazine. Ithaca Blog will publish part of their coverage in a posting soon to come.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
The idea behind Hours is simple. Like most Americans, most Ithacans live paycheck to paycheck, with not much extra. It doesn't mean people don't have resources and skills, and it sure doesn't mean they don't have needs. There's just not enough cash around to connect them.
That's where Hours comes in. Hours is a currency that looks and works just like cash money. You get them by becoming a member. Annual membership costs one Hour - or ten dollars. For that, you get two Ithaca Hours to spend locally. You also get a listing in the Directory for goods or services you can offer, for which you will accept some payment in Hours.
Some of the most prominent establishments in town accept Ithaca Hours: the public library, GreenStar Co-op, Ithaca Bakery, Autumn Leaves Books, The Bookery, Small World Music, Ten Thousand Villages, House of Shalimar, Sparrow's Wines and Liquors, Finger Lakes Beverage Center, The Frame Shop, Blue Spruce Painting and Decorating, Significant Elements, Renovus Energy, Ithaca Guitar Works, Macro Mama's, Maxie's, Viva Tacqueria, ABC Cafe, Graphic Touch Design and Illustration, 544 Productions Website Design, the Ithaca Health Alliance, Dr. Diane Reppert, Dr. David Cederbaum, Cayuga Medical Center, and hundreds more.
There are over $100,000 in Hours in circulation. Hours help people to supplement their incomes, and help businesses attract and retain customers.
Hours attract interest and visitors from all over the world, including the Japanese government, ABC News, Forbes Magazine, and many others.
Many visitors to Ithaca who are familiar with Hours before they arrive wonder why not everyone Ithaca uses Hours. If you are among these, this is a good time to find out about Hours, and to join. Hours is still in the process of putting together the 2007 print Directory, and it's not too late to be included. Check ithacahours.org for more information.
The most recent media attention for Hours comes from the current issue of Communities magazine. Ithaca Blog will publish part of their coverage in a posting soon to come.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
New Year's Eve Song Conte$t Answer
The answer(s) to our NYEve weekend contest: George Harrison, and "Ding Dong".
The winner: Mike, of Liverpool. No kidding, but it is Liverpool, NY.
Mike wins a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music. Mike, you might be interested in a used copy we have of George's posthumous CD, "Brainwashed". Let us know.
Thanks to all respondents. New contest every Friday!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog and Small World Music
The winner: Mike, of Liverpool. No kidding, but it is Liverpool, NY.
Mike wins a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music. Mike, you might be interested in a used copy we have of George's posthumous CD, "Brainwashed". Let us know.
Thanks to all respondents. New contest every Friday!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog and Small World Music
Friday, December 29, 2006
Weekend Conte$t: New Year's Eve Song
Here's the Ithaca Blog weekend quiz from Small World Music:
Two ex-Beatles wrote songs about Christmas in their solo careers. One ex-Beatle, ever the contrarian, wrote one about New Year's. Name him.
The winner, selected at random from winning entries, gets a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music, 614 W. State St., down the driveway, Ithaca's hometown music store, the Cheapest and Best, the Exclusive Hipster Hangout Where Everyone Is Welcome, etc.
Special bonus opportunity with this week's question: Name the New Year's song in question, and get another 5 semolians tagged on to that gift certificate.
Send your entry directly to Small World Music: sworldmu@twcny.rr.com.
Good luck and a Very New Year! -
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog and Small World Music
Two ex-Beatles wrote songs about Christmas in their solo careers. One ex-Beatle, ever the contrarian, wrote one about New Year's. Name him.
The winner, selected at random from winning entries, gets a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music, 614 W. State St., down the driveway, Ithaca's hometown music store, the Cheapest and Best, the Exclusive Hipster Hangout Where Everyone Is Welcome, etc.
Special bonus opportunity with this week's question: Name the New Year's song in question, and get another 5 semolians tagged on to that gift certificate.
Send your entry directly to Small World Music: sworldmu@twcny.rr.com.
Good luck and a Very New Year! -
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog and Small World Music
Thursday, December 28, 2006
New Year's Eve Weekend Fun
NYE is Sunday, but there seems to be a lot of merriment around town starting on Thursday.
Thurs. In the book world, maybe you've noticed, long titles with even longer subtitles are the trend these days. The reason is website hits. The more words in a title, the greater chance a web search will include it. We don't know if the same reason is behind longer entertainment listings. You can ask the band tonight, at the Common Ground: Colin Smith and Gregor Sayet-Bone Perform as the TalkToMes Acoustic. They play old-timey stuff and are a lot of fun. 1230 Danby Road, 8 pm.
Fri. Or, you can ask the band tonight at the Lost Dog Cafe: Oculus Holiday Party with Guests and Old and New Friends. 106 N. Cayuga Street, 9:30 pm. The party moves up east hill tomorrow night, to the Nines, 311 College Av., at 10 pm. Cornell is out, so there will be parking.
Sat. Nice short name, old familiar favorite: John Brown's Body, at Castaways, 413 Old Taughannock Blvd., 10 pm. The band has a new look, and presumably sound, with Kevin Kinsella leaving, and Elliott Martin handling the vocals. Lots of new material is promised.
Sun. The big New Year's show is at Castaways, with the Sim Redmond Band, recently back from Japan, and boasting (and boosting) a very popular new CD. They will be joined by IY, and the TalkToMes. 9:30 pm.
Another good NYE show is out at the Rongo, with local Americanans Mudbone and the Broken String Band. 9 pm.
And a little more homespun evening is offered by Kitchen Chair, who perform at a contra dance with potluck supper. The food is at 7 pm, and the dancing starts at 8:30. At the Women's Community Building, Seneca & Cayuga Streets.
Auld lang syne, you all -
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Thurs. In the book world, maybe you've noticed, long titles with even longer subtitles are the trend these days. The reason is website hits. The more words in a title, the greater chance a web search will include it. We don't know if the same reason is behind longer entertainment listings. You can ask the band tonight, at the Common Ground: Colin Smith and Gregor Sayet-Bone Perform as the TalkToMes Acoustic. They play old-timey stuff and are a lot of fun. 1230 Danby Road, 8 pm.
Fri. Or, you can ask the band tonight at the Lost Dog Cafe: Oculus Holiday Party with Guests and Old and New Friends. 106 N. Cayuga Street, 9:30 pm. The party moves up east hill tomorrow night, to the Nines, 311 College Av., at 10 pm. Cornell is out, so there will be parking.
Sat. Nice short name, old familiar favorite: John Brown's Body, at Castaways, 413 Old Taughannock Blvd., 10 pm. The band has a new look, and presumably sound, with Kevin Kinsella leaving, and Elliott Martin handling the vocals. Lots of new material is promised.
Sun. The big New Year's show is at Castaways, with the Sim Redmond Band, recently back from Japan, and boasting (and boosting) a very popular new CD. They will be joined by IY, and the TalkToMes. 9:30 pm.
Another good NYE show is out at the Rongo, with local Americanans Mudbone and the Broken String Band. 9 pm.
And a little more homespun evening is offered by Kitchen Chair, who perform at a contra dance with potluck supper. The food is at 7 pm, and the dancing starts at 8:30. At the Women's Community Building, Seneca & Cayuga Streets.
Auld lang syne, you all -
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
The Ford Legacies: Gerald's - and Betty's
The historical focus on the Ford administration, with Gerald Ford's death, is his pardon of Richard Nixon, which was full, unequivocal, and rapid, given within a month of Nixon's resignation, before charges could be responsibly rendered.
The rationale, which is discussed respectfully now, and probably will be for a period, is that President Ford saved the nation further turmoil and trauma from the Watergate scandal.
And surely he did. But at what cost? Journalists will debate it regularly for a while, and historians for years. Ultimately, we'll all decide for ourselves.
Meanwhile, the issue has an ironic counterpoint in the legacy of Betty Ford, who helped create new understanding of drug addicition by revealing hers, showing how truth heals, and how hiding from the truth is the real cause of trauma, and the inability to heal.
It's too bad Mr. Ford did not have the insight and courage of Mrs. Ford in deciding how best to heal a nation.
Let us pay our respects to Mr. Ford as a man. But let us honor Mrs. Ford as the better example of wisdom and leadership in this country.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
The rationale, which is discussed respectfully now, and probably will be for a period, is that President Ford saved the nation further turmoil and trauma from the Watergate scandal.
And surely he did. But at what cost? Journalists will debate it regularly for a while, and historians for years. Ultimately, we'll all decide for ourselves.
Meanwhile, the issue has an ironic counterpoint in the legacy of Betty Ford, who helped create new understanding of drug addicition by revealing hers, showing how truth heals, and how hiding from the truth is the real cause of trauma, and the inability to heal.
It's too bad Mr. Ford did not have the insight and courage of Mrs. Ford in deciding how best to heal a nation.
Let us pay our respects to Mr. Ford as a man. But let us honor Mrs. Ford as the better example of wisdom and leadership in this country.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Friday, December 22, 2006
"Yule Blog" ??
A faithful reader writes to ask whether we will be posting a "Yule Blog" with ideas for wonderful gifts.
We appreciate the clever name, but we think for the most part we should leave the gift notions to people and their loved ones, and to their gift professionals (i.e. Santa; elves).
However, as gift para-professionals at Small World Music, we will advise our faithful readers that we are open on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., and will open for a half-day on our normally-closed day of Sunday. That's Christmas Eve day, and we know from experience there will be a lot of frantic people looking around for meaningful but fun gifts. That's where we (i.e., where music) comes in.
Music is probably the least expensive gift that conveys emotion, and lasts, and everybody likes. Everyone likes food, but you can't have it and eat it, too. Books are nice, but they don't pack much emotional wallop, and they are not really a shared experience the way music is.
Beyond all this touting, we also want to remind our loyal readers that we have a present for you. Just mention Ithaca Blog at Small World Music and we will take 10% off your purchase price.
Our onliest other Yule Blog remark is that this really is the most wonderful time of year, when we all do things for one another, to create joy and light when otherwise it is most dark. Let us all count our blessings, and share them.
Happy holidays to you & yours -
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
We appreciate the clever name, but we think for the most part we should leave the gift notions to people and their loved ones, and to their gift professionals (i.e. Santa; elves).
However, as gift para-professionals at Small World Music, we will advise our faithful readers that we are open on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., and will open for a half-day on our normally-closed day of Sunday. That's Christmas Eve day, and we know from experience there will be a lot of frantic people looking around for meaningful but fun gifts. That's where we (i.e., where music) comes in.
Music is probably the least expensive gift that conveys emotion, and lasts, and everybody likes. Everyone likes food, but you can't have it and eat it, too. Books are nice, but they don't pack much emotional wallop, and they are not really a shared experience the way music is.
Beyond all this touting, we also want to remind our loyal readers that we have a present for you. Just mention Ithaca Blog at Small World Music and we will take 10% off your purchase price.
Our onliest other Yule Blog remark is that this really is the most wonderful time of year, when we all do things for one another, to create joy and light when otherwise it is most dark. Let us all count our blessings, and share them.
Happy holidays to you & yours -
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Jesus Christ Thrown Out of Church
This is an excerpt from a column by Jimmy Breslin a few years ago at Christmas. Breslin was at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York and saw them giving Christ the bum's rush at closing time.
Breslin says he saw it. He says it's not a metaphor.
We would print the whole column, if we had it. Here is a fragment.
- from "Sending Christ Into the Cold", by Jimmy Breslin
Christ slipped into a pew on the side aisle on the left-hand side. He looked like all the others who had nothing. In fact, he had less. At least the other homeless people had plastic garbage bags filled with whatever they owned. Christ sat with nothing.
When he gave up his life for this religion, it was a belief that honored the blind, the destitute, the lame. Now he sat in a church and looked ahead, far ahead, over the many rows, to an altar that sat under a steeple and was dedicated to gold.
They were in a palace away from the cold, the most famous church of the Catholics in America. It is supposed to represent the Lord's religion. On this cold night, one of the ushers said that the church closes at 8:35. Exactly.
"Nobody can stay?", an usher was asked.
"Church closes," he said.
Christ slipped out of a pew and followed the other homeless people out of the church. The ushers and cops didn't have the slightest idea who he is, and nobody running the huge church he was leaving knows anything about him, either.
They claim they do. They say they pray to him and try to act in his behalf. Last night, he was asked to leave and go out into the cold, just like any of the other homeless.
#
Doing something to ease poverty and stop violence in this world would make a fitting Christmas gift. To be in a position to do it, proves it is more blessed to give than to receive.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Breslin says he saw it. He says it's not a metaphor.
We would print the whole column, if we had it. Here is a fragment.
- from "Sending Christ Into the Cold", by Jimmy Breslin
Christ slipped into a pew on the side aisle on the left-hand side. He looked like all the others who had nothing. In fact, he had less. At least the other homeless people had plastic garbage bags filled with whatever they owned. Christ sat with nothing.
When he gave up his life for this religion, it was a belief that honored the blind, the destitute, the lame. Now he sat in a church and looked ahead, far ahead, over the many rows, to an altar that sat under a steeple and was dedicated to gold.
They were in a palace away from the cold, the most famous church of the Catholics in America. It is supposed to represent the Lord's religion. On this cold night, one of the ushers said that the church closes at 8:35. Exactly.
"Nobody can stay?", an usher was asked.
"Church closes," he said.
Christ slipped out of a pew and followed the other homeless people out of the church. The ushers and cops didn't have the slightest idea who he is, and nobody running the huge church he was leaving knows anything about him, either.
They claim they do. They say they pray to him and try to act in his behalf. Last night, he was asked to leave and go out into the cold, just like any of the other homeless.
#
Doing something to ease poverty and stop violence in this world would make a fitting Christmas gift. To be in a position to do it, proves it is more blessed to give than to receive.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Conte$t Answer, & Winner
Nick J. of Ithaca was the randomly-selected winner of our most recent weekly contest, identifying George Carlin as the source of the funny quotes we posted last Friday. Nick wins a $10 gift certificate from Small World Music.
Nobody goes home a loser from Ithaca Blog, however. Simply mention Ithaca Blog at Small World Music, and you will get a 10% discount on purchases between now and Christmas.
Thank you, & watch for new contest each Friday!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Nobody goes home a loser from Ithaca Blog, however. Simply mention Ithaca Blog at Small World Music, and you will get a 10% discount on purchases between now and Christmas.
Thank you, & watch for new contest each Friday!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Monday, December 18, 2006
New Life for City Health Club?
Downtown Ithaca's health club, City Health, might not be closing after all.
After reports that poor finances would close City Health after decades of operation, Ithacans stepped forward to try to save the facility, with new and renewed memberships, and outright donations.
As Ithaca Blog reported last week, the news of the closing was met with dismay by Ithacans who enjoyed the casual, friendly atmosphere of the club, and appreciated the club's history of community service.
The response from the community delighted but also surprised the club, which is working on responses for the short and the long term.
The club asks that anyone interested in membership call the club's manager, Frank Henry, at 273-8300.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
After reports that poor finances would close City Health after decades of operation, Ithacans stepped forward to try to save the facility, with new and renewed memberships, and outright donations.
As Ithaca Blog reported last week, the news of the closing was met with dismay by Ithacans who enjoyed the casual, friendly atmosphere of the club, and appreciated the club's history of community service.
The response from the community delighted but also surprised the club, which is working on responses for the short and the long term.
The club asks that anyone interested in membership call the club's manager, Frank Henry, at 273-8300.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Friday, December 15, 2006
Weekend Conte$t: Mystery Guest
Identify the source of the following quotes to win this weekend's contest:
- No one can ever know for sure what a deserted area looks like.
- There ought to be at least one round state.
- In comic strips, the person on the left always talks first.
Hints: (1.) He hosted the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live, in 1975. (2.) He will be appearing at the State Theater next month.
Send your answer to sworldmu@twcny.rr.com. A winner will be randomly selected for a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music. Just in time for the holidays.
Beyond the contest winnings possibilities, Small World is currently offering a 10% discount to all Ithaca Blog readers. Just mention it and it's bargaintime for you. See previous posting for details about it, or us (if you are detail-oriented) .
thanks
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog and Small World Music
- No one can ever know for sure what a deserted area looks like.
- There ought to be at least one round state.
- In comic strips, the person on the left always talks first.
Hints: (1.) He hosted the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live, in 1975. (2.) He will be appearing at the State Theater next month.
Send your answer to sworldmu@twcny.rr.com. A winner will be randomly selected for a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music. Just in time for the holidays.
Beyond the contest winnings possibilities, Small World is currently offering a 10% discount to all Ithaca Blog readers. Just mention it and it's bargaintime for you. See previous posting for details about it, or us (if you are detail-oriented) .
thanks
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog and Small World Music
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Weekend Activities, Dec. 15 -17
If you have time to do much recreational stuff this weekend, either you should run an organizing service, or you are dedicated to the arts, or you have the ability to forget things in a benign way. We admire all these qualities.
Friday: The biggest, nicest show of the pre-Xmas weekend figures to be the Three Irish Tenors: A Christmas From Dublin, at the State Theater. These are not the 3 more famous Irish Tenors you might know from TV, but they have large performing and singing pedigrees, beyond being Irish, which actually is generally good enough. Do you know any three Irish guys who will not sing, if the conditions are right? ... You can get a little more better description than this on the State Theater's website. But here is my recommendation: I will be there! 8 p.m.
Local heroes Donna the Buffalo and the Sim Redmond Band have a slightly out-of-town show at the Magic City Music Hall in Johnson City. The hall is located on Harry L Drive, or is it Harry L Drive Drive? You might want to call the venue, at 797-0178. 8 pm until, we imagine, late.
Saturday: Here's what we mean about the Irish and singing: the other gender takes their turn tonight, with those three warbling lasses, the Burns Sisters, in their annual holiday concert. At Club Euphoria, Cayuga & Seneca Streets, 8 p.m.
If you don't have time for anything but shopping, but you are music-minded, come visit Small World Music, and avail yourself of a 10% holiday discount just by mentioning Ithaca Blog. 614 W. State St., down the driveway, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. 256-0428.
Have fun -
Steve Burke
foe Ithaca Blog (and Small World Music)
Friday: The biggest, nicest show of the pre-Xmas weekend figures to be the Three Irish Tenors: A Christmas From Dublin, at the State Theater. These are not the 3 more famous Irish Tenors you might know from TV, but they have large performing and singing pedigrees, beyond being Irish, which actually is generally good enough. Do you know any three Irish guys who will not sing, if the conditions are right? ... You can get a little more better description than this on the State Theater's website. But here is my recommendation: I will be there! 8 p.m.
Local heroes Donna the Buffalo and the Sim Redmond Band have a slightly out-of-town show at the Magic City Music Hall in Johnson City. The hall is located on Harry L Drive, or is it Harry L Drive Drive? You might want to call the venue, at 797-0178. 8 pm until, we imagine, late.
Saturday: Here's what we mean about the Irish and singing: the other gender takes their turn tonight, with those three warbling lasses, the Burns Sisters, in their annual holiday concert. At Club Euphoria, Cayuga & Seneca Streets, 8 p.m.
If you don't have time for anything but shopping, but you are music-minded, come visit Small World Music, and avail yourself of a 10% holiday discount just by mentioning Ithaca Blog. 614 W. State St., down the driveway, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. 256-0428.
Have fun -
Steve Burke
foe Ithaca Blog (and Small World Music)
Offer for Ithaca Blog Readers from Small World Music
Get 10% off your holiday purchases at Small World Music by mentioning Ithaca Blog!
We want to do something special for you, and we want to know who you are! Mention Ithaca Blog at Small World Music, 614 W. State St. (down the driveway), and get 10% off all your purchases between now and Christmas.
Small World is Ithaca's hometown music store. That means you will find music here you will love. Local, world, reggae, bluegrass, country, blues, gospel, jazz, African, Latin, and more, not to mention rock & pop, including all the latest releases (right now, for example: Tom Waits, Indigo Girls, Yusef (Cat Stevens), Madeleine Peyroux, Bob Dylan, Tony Bennett, Hazmat Modine ... and, need we say, more).
Small World also sells used CDs, and LPs, so there is plenty of music at every price range. We always beat list price on all releases. Best and Cheapest, is our motto (one of our mottos).
Music is probably the least expensive gift you can buy that carries an emotional component. Isn't it? Books are good, but they cost more, and they don't make you get up and dance. Candles are cheaper, but they burn away.
So come take care of some holiday business, and save money via Ithaca Blog. Thanks for reading, and we look forward to seeing you.
Steve Burke
for both
We want to do something special for you, and we want to know who you are! Mention Ithaca Blog at Small World Music, 614 W. State St. (down the driveway), and get 10% off all your purchases between now and Christmas.
Small World is Ithaca's hometown music store. That means you will find music here you will love. Local, world, reggae, bluegrass, country, blues, gospel, jazz, African, Latin, and more, not to mention rock & pop, including all the latest releases (right now, for example: Tom Waits, Indigo Girls, Yusef (Cat Stevens), Madeleine Peyroux, Bob Dylan, Tony Bennett, Hazmat Modine ... and, need we say, more).
Small World also sells used CDs, and LPs, so there is plenty of music at every price range. We always beat list price on all releases. Best and Cheapest, is our motto (one of our mottos).
Music is probably the least expensive gift you can buy that carries an emotional component. Isn't it? Books are good, but they cost more, and they don't make you get up and dance. Candles are cheaper, but they burn away.
So come take care of some holiday business, and save money via Ithaca Blog. Thanks for reading, and we look forward to seeing you.
Steve Burke
for both
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Micro-Loans and Peace, and Ithaca Efforts
The 2006 Nobel Prize for Peace was notable for going not to a negotiator of treaties, but of loans to the poor.
Thirty years ago, Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh, moved by the hunger and poverty in his famine-struck country, began making small, unsecured loans to poor neighbors.
His immediate motivation was meeting a local woman who borrowed less than a dollar from a money-lender to help run a business. The money-lender required exclusive rights to buy all she produced at a price he chose. Yunus said, "This, to me, was a way of recruiting slave labor."
So, Yunus acted. He gathered the names of other "victims", as he called them, of this money-lender. He found 42 of them, who had borrowed a total of $27. He offered them $27 from his own pocket - in his words, "to get these victims out of the clutches of those money-lenders.
"The excitement that was generated among the people by this small action got me further involved in it."
Yunus went to a local bank to discuss starting a program. "But that did not work," he says. "The bank said that the poor were not creditworthy." So Yunus offered to guarantee the loans. "I was stunned by the result," he says. "The poor paid backs their loans, on time, every time."
Despite the success of the effort, Yunus could not persuade the bank to adopt the program. It was considered insufficiently profitable. Yunus says, "That was when I decided to create a separate bank for the poor, and in 1983, I finally succeeded in doing that. I named it Grameen Bank, or Village Bank."
Grameen Bank made loans to people without collateral. Recipients were required only to supply the names of 5 people who would vouch for them. The idea was that a public declaration by the recipient to repay the loan would suffice.
Today, Grameen Bank has made over $6 billion in loans, to 7 million borrowers, who then become co-owners of the bank. The repayment rate is 99%.
Yunus and the Grameen Bank were awarded the prize for peace, in the words of the Nobel committee, because "lasting peace cannot be achieved unless large population groups find ways to break out of poverty. Micro-credit is one such means." Yunus notes, "Half the world population lives on two dollars a day. Over one billion people live on less than a dollar a day. This is no formula for peace.
"By giving us this prize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has given important support to the proposition that peace is inextricably linked to poverty. Poverty is a threat to peace."
Ithaca has two organizations that follow the example of the Grameen Bank - less dramatically, certainly, but diligently.
The Alternatives Federal Credit Union mission statement says it is "dedicated to economic justice." Alternatives has many programs and services for those traditionally underserved by banks.
The Individual Development Account, for example, matches savings for education, a house, or business, 2 to 1. When an individual saves $1000, the Credit Union will match the savings with $2000.
Ithaca Hours is a local currency program that addresses the problem of insufficient money in Ithaca by creating new money to be spent in Ithaca.
Ithaca Hours are notes which are used exactly like cash. Members join the organization by paying $10, or one Ithaca Hour, each year. Members receive a listing in the Hours Directory that advertises a service or goods that will be traded either wholly or partially for Hours. Members also receive, for their annual dues, two Hours, worth $20.
Hours thus stimulate local business by creating new money - an actual new stream of wealth - that stays in Ithaca.
At very low cost, the Directory provides advertising for people who moonlight skills or services, as well as for small businesses that cannot afford Yellow Pages or other advertising.
Hours give an advantage to local businesses competing with large national chain stores from out of town that do not accept the local money.
And, in a close mimicking of the Grameen Bank, Hours makes loans of the currency interest-free to members, without collateral or an extensive application process.
For more information about these organizations, see their websites. (Ithaca Hours is www.ithacahours.org. Beware of a site called hours.com that is not connected with Ithaca Hours.)
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Thirty years ago, Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh, moved by the hunger and poverty in his famine-struck country, began making small, unsecured loans to poor neighbors.
His immediate motivation was meeting a local woman who borrowed less than a dollar from a money-lender to help run a business. The money-lender required exclusive rights to buy all she produced at a price he chose. Yunus said, "This, to me, was a way of recruiting slave labor."
So, Yunus acted. He gathered the names of other "victims", as he called them, of this money-lender. He found 42 of them, who had borrowed a total of $27. He offered them $27 from his own pocket - in his words, "to get these victims out of the clutches of those money-lenders.
"The excitement that was generated among the people by this small action got me further involved in it."
Yunus went to a local bank to discuss starting a program. "But that did not work," he says. "The bank said that the poor were not creditworthy." So Yunus offered to guarantee the loans. "I was stunned by the result," he says. "The poor paid backs their loans, on time, every time."
Despite the success of the effort, Yunus could not persuade the bank to adopt the program. It was considered insufficiently profitable. Yunus says, "That was when I decided to create a separate bank for the poor, and in 1983, I finally succeeded in doing that. I named it Grameen Bank, or Village Bank."
Grameen Bank made loans to people without collateral. Recipients were required only to supply the names of 5 people who would vouch for them. The idea was that a public declaration by the recipient to repay the loan would suffice.
Today, Grameen Bank has made over $6 billion in loans, to 7 million borrowers, who then become co-owners of the bank. The repayment rate is 99%.
Yunus and the Grameen Bank were awarded the prize for peace, in the words of the Nobel committee, because "lasting peace cannot be achieved unless large population groups find ways to break out of poverty. Micro-credit is one such means." Yunus notes, "Half the world population lives on two dollars a day. Over one billion people live on less than a dollar a day. This is no formula for peace.
"By giving us this prize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has given important support to the proposition that peace is inextricably linked to poverty. Poverty is a threat to peace."
Ithaca has two organizations that follow the example of the Grameen Bank - less dramatically, certainly, but diligently.
The Alternatives Federal Credit Union mission statement says it is "dedicated to economic justice." Alternatives has many programs and services for those traditionally underserved by banks.
The Individual Development Account, for example, matches savings for education, a house, or business, 2 to 1. When an individual saves $1000, the Credit Union will match the savings with $2000.
Ithaca Hours is a local currency program that addresses the problem of insufficient money in Ithaca by creating new money to be spent in Ithaca.
Ithaca Hours are notes which are used exactly like cash. Members join the organization by paying $10, or one Ithaca Hour, each year. Members receive a listing in the Hours Directory that advertises a service or goods that will be traded either wholly or partially for Hours. Members also receive, for their annual dues, two Hours, worth $20.
Hours thus stimulate local business by creating new money - an actual new stream of wealth - that stays in Ithaca.
At very low cost, the Directory provides advertising for people who moonlight skills or services, as well as for small businesses that cannot afford Yellow Pages or other advertising.
Hours give an advantage to local businesses competing with large national chain stores from out of town that do not accept the local money.
And, in a close mimicking of the Grameen Bank, Hours makes loans of the currency interest-free to members, without collateral or an extensive application process.
For more information about these organizations, see their websites. (Ithaca Hours is www.ithacahours.org. Beware of a site called hours.com that is not connected with Ithaca Hours.)
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
New York Santa Claus Conte$t Answer
In last week's contest, we were looking for the 19th century literary New Yorkers who helped shape the modern image of Santa Claus.
They were: Washington Irving, who detailed (and adapted) Dutch portrayals of Saint Nicholas in "A Knickerbocker's History of New York"; Clement Clark Moore, a Professor at the Episcopal General Theological Seminary in New York, widely credited with the authorship of "A Visit From St. Nicholas", a.k.a. "The Night Before Christmas"; and Francis P. Church, author of the "Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus" editorial for the New York Sun.
(We accepted "the guy who wrote..." for each of these works, being more interested in the works than the authors.)
The randomly-selected winner is Stefanie N., who gets a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music.
A new contest every Friday!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
They were: Washington Irving, who detailed (and adapted) Dutch portrayals of Saint Nicholas in "A Knickerbocker's History of New York"; Clement Clark Moore, a Professor at the Episcopal General Theological Seminary in New York, widely credited with the authorship of "A Visit From St. Nicholas", a.k.a. "The Night Before Christmas"; and Francis P. Church, author of the "Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus" editorial for the New York Sun.
(We accepted "the guy who wrote..." for each of these works, being more interested in the works than the authors.)
The randomly-selected winner is Stefanie N., who gets a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music.
A new contest every Friday!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Saturday, December 09, 2006
City Health Club to Close
City Health Club on W. Green St. will be closing this month, after 25 years as Ithaca's downtown health club.
Owner Tony Lieb declined to give any reason for the closing beyond a drop in memberships. But two new health clubs downtown, one located to the east and one to the west of City Health, probably contributed.
Finger Lakes Fitness Center in the Commons is a little sleeker, ostensibly with lower overhead costs. At the other extreme, Island Health and Fitness, on the west end, is a huge space, with over 35,000 feet, a swimming pool, a cafe, and a child care service.
City Health seems to have got caught in the middle.
The venerable club will be missed by members who appreciated its convenient location and casual, neighborhood style.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Owner Tony Lieb declined to give any reason for the closing beyond a drop in memberships. But two new health clubs downtown, one located to the east and one to the west of City Health, probably contributed.
Finger Lakes Fitness Center in the Commons is a little sleeker, ostensibly with lower overhead costs. At the other extreme, Island Health and Fitness, on the west end, is a huge space, with over 35,000 feet, a swimming pool, a cafe, and a child care service.
City Health seems to have got caught in the middle.
The venerable club will be missed by members who appreciated its convenient location and casual, neighborhood style.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Friday, December 08, 2006
Weekend Conte$t: Santa Claus in NY
Santa might live in the North Pole, but much of his identity, as construed in the U.S., was forged by writers and artists in New York in the 19th century.
We'll mention one prominent example, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon will be there, in your mind, spurring you to think of another:
Thomas Nast, the great illustrator for Harper's Magazine, consolidated details of Santa's appearance to render the version we know today (black boots, big belt, sack on back, sleigh with reindeer).
Think of one other (hint: the three we have in mind are all literary, not graphic), and you will be eligible for a randomly-selected prize of a $10 gift certificate from Santa's helpers at Small World Music. Send your entry directly to SWM at sworldmu@twcny.rr.com.
Ho ho,
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
We'll mention one prominent example, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon will be there, in your mind, spurring you to think of another:
Thomas Nast, the great illustrator for Harper's Magazine, consolidated details of Santa's appearance to render the version we know today (black boots, big belt, sack on back, sleigh with reindeer).
Think of one other (hint: the three we have in mind are all literary, not graphic), and you will be eligible for a randomly-selected prize of a $10 gift certificate from Santa's helpers at Small World Music. Send your entry directly to SWM at sworldmu@twcny.rr.com.
Ho ho,
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Weekend Action, Dec. 8 - 10
Friday: If winter weather doesn't faze you, the Night Eagle Cafe in Oxford is a great destination for a musical road trip, and tonight's performer, Bill Staines, is worth a journey. The Cafe is a venerable music spot, at 6 Lafayette Pl. in Oxford. Showtime is 8 p.m. Phone is (607) 843-7378.
Saturday: A customer at Small World Music remarked this week, looking at our Bulletin Wall, "How many things can a person do on December 9?". We weren't sure if he meant himself, or Richie Stearns, as Richie is playing at Old Time Dance Night at Close Hall in Jacksonville, with Steve Selig et al., at 8 p.m. ; and at Castaways at 9:30 p.m. Maybe Rich will go on late at Castaways, as the bill also features the M Shanghai String Band, from the old-timey borough of Brooklyn, and Uncle Monk, a punk-bluegrass duo featuring Tommy Ramone, of the Ramones. Yes of course those Ramones!
Sunday: Jennie Stearns has a CD release concert for her new effort, "Birds Fall," which features production help from Gurf Morlix, who also produced Lucinda Williams. 7 p.m., Felicia's Atomic Lounge, 508 W. State St.
There's more great old-time music up the street, at Maxie's (635 W. State St.), at 8 p.m., when members of the Horse Flies get together under the guise of Dorothy's House Flies. It's part of Maxie's Shuck'n'Jive series, and there is no admission fee.
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Saturday: A customer at Small World Music remarked this week, looking at our Bulletin Wall, "How many things can a person do on December 9?". We weren't sure if he meant himself, or Richie Stearns, as Richie is playing at Old Time Dance Night at Close Hall in Jacksonville, with Steve Selig et al., at 8 p.m. ; and at Castaways at 9:30 p.m. Maybe Rich will go on late at Castaways, as the bill also features the M Shanghai String Band, from the old-timey borough of Brooklyn, and Uncle Monk, a punk-bluegrass duo featuring Tommy Ramone, of the Ramones. Yes of course those Ramones!
Sunday: Jennie Stearns has a CD release concert for her new effort, "Birds Fall," which features production help from Gurf Morlix, who also produced Lucinda Williams. 7 p.m., Felicia's Atomic Lounge, 508 W. State St.
There's more great old-time music up the street, at Maxie's (635 W. State St.), at 8 p.m., when members of the Horse Flies get together under the guise of Dorothy's House Flies. It's part of Maxie's Shuck'n'Jive series, and there is no admission fee.
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Car Sharing Money Awarded to Ithaca
Ithaca Carshare has been awarded $177,220 by New York state to start a car sharing operation in Ithaca next year.
Car sharing is a transportation innovation that provides access to cars on a temporary basis, without the costs or cares of ownership.
The grant money from the state reflects a growing interest in car sharing as a transportation alternative that will ease traffic congestion, benefit the environment, and lessen transportation costs for individuals.
There are about two dozen car sharing operations in North America. Ithaca will be among the smallest cities to develop car sharing.
Ithaca Carshare applied for the grant money last year and considered the grant crucial to inception.
Ithaca Carshare has developed with the help of private and public organizations in Ithaca, including the City of Ithaca, Tompkins County, Cornell University, Ithaca College, and EcoVillage of Ithaca.
For more information on car sharing, see previous postings on Ithaca Blog, and Ithaca Carshare's website, www.ithacacarshare.org.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Car sharing is a transportation innovation that provides access to cars on a temporary basis, without the costs or cares of ownership.
The grant money from the state reflects a growing interest in car sharing as a transportation alternative that will ease traffic congestion, benefit the environment, and lessen transportation costs for individuals.
There are about two dozen car sharing operations in North America. Ithaca will be among the smallest cities to develop car sharing.
Ithaca Carshare applied for the grant money last year and considered the grant crucial to inception.
Ithaca Carshare has developed with the help of private and public organizations in Ithaca, including the City of Ithaca, Tompkins County, Cornell University, Ithaca College, and EcoVillage of Ithaca.
For more information on car sharing, see previous postings on Ithaca Blog, and Ithaca Carshare's website, www.ithacacarshare.org.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Donut Wars, Round 2
We're trying to be equitable and have a fair fight here between neighboring coffee-and places, Dunkin' Donuts and Collegetown Bagel Express.
Yesterday we visited CTB-Ex, and made a favorable report.
Today we went to Dunkin' Donuts, but come back empty-handed, despite a legitimate effort. We spent over 5 minutes in D.D., but had to split without being served.
There were simply too many people in there. Not, unfortunately, because they were coming in so fast, but because they were going out so slow.
D.D. is not skimping on the staff size. There were 8 people back there, at the counter and the drive-thru window. But - understandably - they seemed a little lost with the products and procedures. It's only been open 3 days.
We will return for another try. Meanwhile, we can report on one dismaying thing, a familiar phenomenon and, if you've seen the movie "Supersize Me", or are familiar with the issues in the movie, a troubling one.
We had plenty of time on line to scan the menu, and D.D. has a pricing stucture that rewards you for ordering big. My planned order, a donut and a small coffee, costs over two dollars. But look up on the menu board, and you see that a medium coffee and two donuts are bundled as a menu item that costs only about 40 cents more. Sp you feel like a sucker not ordering large.
A little insidious, especially for the cheapskate customer (right here). But also a little serious, you know. After all, these donuts are not that nutritious, although caloric. And black coffee (my style) has no calories, but some of the fancy coffee drinks offered are up in the paints for empty calories. In fact, the drinks can be more fattening than the donuts. A medium Vanilla Bean Coolatta, for example, has more calories than three donuts, and more than 5 times the saturated fat. So be careful!
We'll try, try again for a freshly-brewed consumer report.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Yesterday we visited CTB-Ex, and made a favorable report.
Today we went to Dunkin' Donuts, but come back empty-handed, despite a legitimate effort. We spent over 5 minutes in D.D., but had to split without being served.
There were simply too many people in there. Not, unfortunately, because they were coming in so fast, but because they were going out so slow.
D.D. is not skimping on the staff size. There were 8 people back there, at the counter and the drive-thru window. But - understandably - they seemed a little lost with the products and procedures. It's only been open 3 days.
We will return for another try. Meanwhile, we can report on one dismaying thing, a familiar phenomenon and, if you've seen the movie "Supersize Me", or are familiar with the issues in the movie, a troubling one.
We had plenty of time on line to scan the menu, and D.D. has a pricing stucture that rewards you for ordering big. My planned order, a donut and a small coffee, costs over two dollars. But look up on the menu board, and you see that a medium coffee and two donuts are bundled as a menu item that costs only about 40 cents more. Sp you feel like a sucker not ordering large.
A little insidious, especially for the cheapskate customer (right here). But also a little serious, you know. After all, these donuts are not that nutritious, although caloric. And black coffee (my style) has no calories, but some of the fancy coffee drinks offered are up in the paints for empty calories. In fact, the drinks can be more fattening than the donuts. A medium Vanilla Bean Coolatta, for example, has more calories than three donuts, and more than 5 times the saturated fat. So be careful!
We'll try, try again for a freshly-brewed consumer report.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Donut (and Coffee) Wars: Round 1
In our prior post, we promised a scrutinizing series on the new Dunkin' Donuts drive-thru and walk-in on Meadow Street, and its veteran next-door neighbor, the Collegetown Bagels Express.
Well, we didn't wait long to get started. We took a trip there this afternoon for a preliminary look.
The first thing that struck us was the long line of vehicles at the D.D. drive-thru window. Eight vehicles, in the middle of the afternoon.
We say vehicles because only one was a car. The rest looked like tanks, although we suppose they were only S.U.V.'s, but in that number looked like a sortie.
And our first thought was, people after donuts must be big people. Above-average, big people.
You can probably get that way pretty easily as a drive-thru donut place patron.
We went inside and saw two customers at the counter. So there is no way the service at the drive-thru was faster than service inside. The attraction of the drive-thru seems to be not having to stand up in one's quest of donuts. Which seems like a cause for a good, hard look in the mirror, so to speak.
At CTB, there was one car at the drive-thru. A sedan, regular-sized. There was a young woman at the wheel and she seemed regular-sized, and was smiling.
Inside there were three customers and they were all smaller than me, and I am a Large, but just barely - not a Behemoth. They were also smiling.
We are already seeing a trend.
You can see for yourself at a bargain price this week. The CTB Express has a coupon in the Ithaca Journal every day this month (we think) for a free 12-ounce coffee. No other purchase required. We think it is co-incidental to the Dunkin' Donuts opening. But it is fortuitous for research purposes.
We availed ourselves of a French Roast, and bought a Brownie, so as not to appear cheap. Also, because it is a Brownie. And we took them back to work, and the coffee was cooled down nicely, and went very good with that Brownie, and eased our afternoon work quite a bit.
So, Round One definitely goes to CTB. Tomorow we will see what Dunkin' Donuts has got in its bag o' tricks.
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Well, we didn't wait long to get started. We took a trip there this afternoon for a preliminary look.
The first thing that struck us was the long line of vehicles at the D.D. drive-thru window. Eight vehicles, in the middle of the afternoon.
We say vehicles because only one was a car. The rest looked like tanks, although we suppose they were only S.U.V.'s, but in that number looked like a sortie.
And our first thought was, people after donuts must be big people. Above-average, big people.
You can probably get that way pretty easily as a drive-thru donut place patron.
We went inside and saw two customers at the counter. So there is no way the service at the drive-thru was faster than service inside. The attraction of the drive-thru seems to be not having to stand up in one's quest of donuts. Which seems like a cause for a good, hard look in the mirror, so to speak.
At CTB, there was one car at the drive-thru. A sedan, regular-sized. There was a young woman at the wheel and she seemed regular-sized, and was smiling.
Inside there were three customers and they were all smaller than me, and I am a Large, but just barely - not a Behemoth. They were also smiling.
We are already seeing a trend.
You can see for yourself at a bargain price this week. The CTB Express has a coupon in the Ithaca Journal every day this month (we think) for a free 12-ounce coffee. No other purchase required. We think it is co-incidental to the Dunkin' Donuts opening. But it is fortuitous for research purposes.
We availed ourselves of a French Roast, and bought a Brownie, so as not to appear cheap. Also, because it is a Brownie. And we took them back to work, and the coffee was cooled down nicely, and went very good with that Brownie, and eased our afternoon work quite a bit.
So, Round One definitely goes to CTB. Tomorow we will see what Dunkin' Donuts has got in its bag o' tricks.
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Donut Wars
A new and explosive expansion of Dunkin' Donuts from their New England headquarters made news on National Public Radio this morning, and we are seeing an example of it here in Ithaca.
The angle on NPR was that Dunkin' D. is moving into the southern states, long the bastion of the legendary Krispy Kreme.
You might think you don't like donuts, and you might be sure, but if you have never had a Krispy Kreme, you have not really been put to the test.
I don't particularly like donuts, myself, but I lived in the south for a while, and can tell you Krispy Kreme is scary, like scary drugs.
As with drugs, it's not a question of liking, it's a question of succumbing. Chris Rock has a routine about Krispy Kreme, speculating that their main ingredient is crack cocaine.
As Keith Richards says, it's easy getting in, but it's a hard way out.
The angle here in Ithaca is that D.D. has opened a franchise on Meadow Street, right next to Collegetown Bagels.
It is more approximately a coffee war than a donut war. But it is an aggressive move by the out-of-town interloper.
The CTB location is their one and only drive-thru. With the plethora of good coffee places in town, it seemed like a competitive edge.
Now the edge of their property is a border with this decades-old mega-franchise. With a drive-thru.
Until now, the closest Dunkin' Donuts was in Owego. And it's not even a drive-thru.
A cursory look at the prices at both establishments shows CTB a little cheaper for everything: coffee, bagels, donuts, etc.
Will cheaper prices, hometown status, and a good product be enough for CTB to compete with the clout of a national chain with a huge advertising budget, the legacy of the guy who made the donuts, and very, very bright awnings? With 5 outlets in Ithaca, CTB is not used to the position of underdog.
In the interests of conscientious journalism, this week Ithaca Blog will do a comparison gorge at each establishment, and bring you the report.
Don't worry. We can quit anytime we want to. Just like Keith.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
The angle on NPR was that Dunkin' D. is moving into the southern states, long the bastion of the legendary Krispy Kreme.
You might think you don't like donuts, and you might be sure, but if you have never had a Krispy Kreme, you have not really been put to the test.
I don't particularly like donuts, myself, but I lived in the south for a while, and can tell you Krispy Kreme is scary, like scary drugs.
As with drugs, it's not a question of liking, it's a question of succumbing. Chris Rock has a routine about Krispy Kreme, speculating that their main ingredient is crack cocaine.
As Keith Richards says, it's easy getting in, but it's a hard way out.
The angle here in Ithaca is that D.D. has opened a franchise on Meadow Street, right next to Collegetown Bagels.
It is more approximately a coffee war than a donut war. But it is an aggressive move by the out-of-town interloper.
The CTB location is their one and only drive-thru. With the plethora of good coffee places in town, it seemed like a competitive edge.
Now the edge of their property is a border with this decades-old mega-franchise. With a drive-thru.
Until now, the closest Dunkin' Donuts was in Owego. And it's not even a drive-thru.
A cursory look at the prices at both establishments shows CTB a little cheaper for everything: coffee, bagels, donuts, etc.
Will cheaper prices, hometown status, and a good product be enough for CTB to compete with the clout of a national chain with a huge advertising budget, the legacy of the guy who made the donuts, and very, very bright awnings? With 5 outlets in Ithaca, CTB is not used to the position of underdog.
In the interests of conscientious journalism, this week Ithaca Blog will do a comparison gorge at each establishment, and bring you the report.
Don't worry. We can quit anytime we want to. Just like Keith.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Conte$t Winner
Winner of last week's contest, and $10 gift certificate to Small World Music, was A.N. from Brooktondale.
There is no correct answer to reveal, as the question was about motivational psychology. But we can report the results, that most of our responders tackle tasks they find least odious first, and leave less pleasant ones for later.
We thought it might be about 50-50 between that, and people who like to get the less pleasant things out of the way. Nope. It was about 80-20.
A fresh, pleasant contest every Friday!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
There is no correct answer to reveal, as the question was about motivational psychology. But we can report the results, that most of our responders tackle tasks they find least odious first, and leave less pleasant ones for later.
We thought it might be about 50-50 between that, and people who like to get the less pleasant things out of the way. Nope. It was about 80-20.
A fresh, pleasant contest every Friday!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Friday, December 01, 2006
Conte$t: Personality Quiz
This week's contest, sponsored by Small World Music, isn't a quiz question. It's a nosey question, in the interest of personality psychology.
All you have to do is answer to be eligible for the weekly prize of a $10 gift certificate to SWM, Ithaca's community music store, down the Driveway of Winning at 614 W. State Street.
Here's the (2-part) question:
When faced with two tasks, of similar importance and requiring similar effort, which will you do first, the one you don't like so much, or the one you don't mind as much? Why?
Answer in 3,000 words or less for the prize. The winner will be randomly selected. It doesn't matter what your answer is, but you will be disqualified if you correct us by saying that the proper expression is 3,000 words or fewer. We know that, but it is less euphonious.
Send your answer directly to Small World Music at sworldmu@twcny.rr.com.
The Ol' Professor
for Ithaca Blog
All you have to do is answer to be eligible for the weekly prize of a $10 gift certificate to SWM, Ithaca's community music store, down the Driveway of Winning at 614 W. State Street.
Here's the (2-part) question:
When faced with two tasks, of similar importance and requiring similar effort, which will you do first, the one you don't like so much, or the one you don't mind as much? Why?
Answer in 3,000 words or less for the prize. The winner will be randomly selected. It doesn't matter what your answer is, but you will be disqualified if you correct us by saying that the proper expression is 3,000 words or fewer. We know that, but it is less euphonious.
Send your answer directly to Small World Music at sworldmu@twcny.rr.com.
The Ol' Professor
for Ithaca Blog
Meaningful Holiday Giving
Ithaca has some opportunities to do something beyond shopping for Playstations for the holidays.
The Ithaca Craft Alliance has its 18th annual holiday festival at the Women's Community Building this weekend. They deck the halls with crafty gift items from scores of local artists. There's live music and free admission. Friday 11 - 6, Saturday 10 - 5.
Down the block, at St. John's Episcopal Parish Hall, is something a little different: an Alternatives Gift Fair, where rather than buying anything, you make a donation to a worthy cause. "Honor friends and relatives with donations to causes that fit their values", they say.
There are over 100 opportunities for helping. $20 to Hospicare provides medical supplies not covered by insurance for a Hospicare patient. $10 to the Learning Web provides an hour career counseling session for seven at-risk youths. $25 to the Women's Opportunity Center helps provide dental care for a client (their "Toothfairy Fund").
The Alternatives Gift Fair raised $14,000 last year. You can help raise that figure this year and demonstrate the value of love and sharing. The event is Saturday 2 December, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
P.S. Please also see comment linked to this post about the Syracuse Peace Council Craft Fair.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
The Ithaca Craft Alliance has its 18th annual holiday festival at the Women's Community Building this weekend. They deck the halls with crafty gift items from scores of local artists. There's live music and free admission. Friday 11 - 6, Saturday 10 - 5.
Down the block, at St. John's Episcopal Parish Hall, is something a little different: an Alternatives Gift Fair, where rather than buying anything, you make a donation to a worthy cause. "Honor friends and relatives with donations to causes that fit their values", they say.
There are over 100 opportunities for helping. $20 to Hospicare provides medical supplies not covered by insurance for a Hospicare patient. $10 to the Learning Web provides an hour career counseling session for seven at-risk youths. $25 to the Women's Opportunity Center helps provide dental care for a client (their "Toothfairy Fund").
The Alternatives Gift Fair raised $14,000 last year. You can help raise that figure this year and demonstrate the value of love and sharing. The event is Saturday 2 December, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
P.S. Please also see comment linked to this post about the Syracuse Peace Council Craft Fair.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Barring False Imprisonment
Did you ever contemplate being imprisoned for something you didn't do?
Bad, right?
Under the Bush administration it happens not by occasional failure of justice, but as a matter of policy.
Khaled el-Masri, a German citizen, was abducted by the CIA on 31 December 2003. He was taken to a secret prison in Afghanistan and tortured and held for 5 months.
El-Masri still doesn't know why.
He has come to the U.S. for answers. Earlier this week, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the CIA on his behalf.
America has long stood as a country where the rule of law guarantees justice. It's what we work and pay taxes for. Not for the secrecy and brutality of a police state. Sorry, Messrs. Bush and Cheney.
The mid-term elections showed that Americans are waking up and standing up against the subversion of the Bush organization. The doors, it seems, are opening.
Locally, this weekend, there is an important presentation that opens the doors a bit more. "Guantanamo: Honor Bound to Defend Freedom" is a reading of actual testimony from former detainees at the U.S. prison maintained in Cuba, out of the reach of law.
The event is at the Greater Ithaca Activity Center (GIAC), at Albany and Court Streets in downtown Ithaca, Friday and Saturday Dec. 1 and 2, at 7 p.m. each night.
There will be a discussion with Gita Gutierrez, an attorney and professor at Cornell Law School, who represented one of the detainees featured in the reading.
The event is sponsored by a number of groups, including GIAC, Amnesty International, Ithaca Catholic Worker, and the Cornell Law School.
Call 273-7437 for more information.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Bad, right?
Under the Bush administration it happens not by occasional failure of justice, but as a matter of policy.
Khaled el-Masri, a German citizen, was abducted by the CIA on 31 December 2003. He was taken to a secret prison in Afghanistan and tortured and held for 5 months.
El-Masri still doesn't know why.
He has come to the U.S. for answers. Earlier this week, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the CIA on his behalf.
America has long stood as a country where the rule of law guarantees justice. It's what we work and pay taxes for. Not for the secrecy and brutality of a police state. Sorry, Messrs. Bush and Cheney.
The mid-term elections showed that Americans are waking up and standing up against the subversion of the Bush organization. The doors, it seems, are opening.
Locally, this weekend, there is an important presentation that opens the doors a bit more. "Guantanamo: Honor Bound to Defend Freedom" is a reading of actual testimony from former detainees at the U.S. prison maintained in Cuba, out of the reach of law.
The event is at the Greater Ithaca Activity Center (GIAC), at Albany and Court Streets in downtown Ithaca, Friday and Saturday Dec. 1 and 2, at 7 p.m. each night.
There will be a discussion with Gita Gutierrez, an attorney and professor at Cornell Law School, who represented one of the detainees featured in the reading.
The event is sponsored by a number of groups, including GIAC, Amnesty International, Ithaca Catholic Worker, and the Cornell Law School.
Call 273-7437 for more information.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Environmental Christmas Trees!
We think of Ithaca as a place concerned, if not obsessed, with the environmental aspects of many facets of life.
(GreenStar Co-op, for instance, sells Organic Salt. It's tough to figure what the opposite is.
Of course, there are worse obsessions, and furthermore, it's not just Ithaca. One of the most e-mailed stories from the New York Times right now is "Free or Farmed, When Is a Fish Really Organic?".)
So it goes without saying that there are environmental issues about Christmas trees. Is there such thing as an organic Christmas tree? Are Christmas trees ecologically good, bad, or neutral? Which is more ecological, artificial or real?
There certainly is such thing as an organic Christmas tree. Christmas trees, like any agricultural product, can be grown with chemical herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers, or without.
The Department of Agriculture does not currently have a certification program for trees. Mike Ludgate of Ludgate Produce Farms says that is a bit of a problem for conscientious sellers, as it prevents them from promoting organic trees as such. But the trees at Ludgates would qualify for such designation, if it existed. Theirs are 100% naturally raised, no chemicals of any kind, and they come from local farms, so their environmental footprint is light, indeed. (The origin of trees from the mega-stores is harder to determine, and they may well come from mega-farms far away, thus involving a lot of fossil fuel in transport.)
Best of all is the fact that the locally-raised tree is not just neutrally benign for the earth, but actively positive. Trees are grown on farms, rather than taken from forests. An acre of trees provides enough oxygen for 18 people. They provide habitat for birds and other wildlife. And because of their hardiness, they grow where other things won't, increasing soil stability.
Fake Christmas trees, on the other hand, seem to be actively bad. Most are made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and have ingredients like lead, thus carry warnings to avoid ingesting any dust from them. Quite a contrast from the heady smell of a fresh evergreen. No warning labels attached to that.
Mike Ludgate reports that trees are ready and waiting. Ludgates also sells wreaths handcrafted from their own farm.
Ithaca Blog will follow up this piece with more jolly news and offerings from other suppliers around town.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
(GreenStar Co-op, for instance, sells Organic Salt. It's tough to figure what the opposite is.
Of course, there are worse obsessions, and furthermore, it's not just Ithaca. One of the most e-mailed stories from the New York Times right now is "Free or Farmed, When Is a Fish Really Organic?".)
So it goes without saying that there are environmental issues about Christmas trees. Is there such thing as an organic Christmas tree? Are Christmas trees ecologically good, bad, or neutral? Which is more ecological, artificial or real?
There certainly is such thing as an organic Christmas tree. Christmas trees, like any agricultural product, can be grown with chemical herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers, or without.
The Department of Agriculture does not currently have a certification program for trees. Mike Ludgate of Ludgate Produce Farms says that is a bit of a problem for conscientious sellers, as it prevents them from promoting organic trees as such. But the trees at Ludgates would qualify for such designation, if it existed. Theirs are 100% naturally raised, no chemicals of any kind, and they come from local farms, so their environmental footprint is light, indeed. (The origin of trees from the mega-stores is harder to determine, and they may well come from mega-farms far away, thus involving a lot of fossil fuel in transport.)
Best of all is the fact that the locally-raised tree is not just neutrally benign for the earth, but actively positive. Trees are grown on farms, rather than taken from forests. An acre of trees provides enough oxygen for 18 people. They provide habitat for birds and other wildlife. And because of their hardiness, they grow where other things won't, increasing soil stability.
Fake Christmas trees, on the other hand, seem to be actively bad. Most are made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and have ingredients like lead, thus carry warnings to avoid ingesting any dust from them. Quite a contrast from the heady smell of a fresh evergreen. No warning labels attached to that.
Mike Ludgate reports that trees are ready and waiting. Ludgates also sells wreaths handcrafted from their own farm.
Ithaca Blog will follow up this piece with more jolly news and offerings from other suppliers around town.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Johnny Cash Conte$t Winner
We try to make sure you don't have to be too far above normal to win our weekly contest. Although we assume most of our readers are that.
Anyhow, you probably didn't have to be a Johnny Cash expert to reckon out that it is False that Mr. Cash was born in Hawaii, as we posited.
Our randomly-selected winner was Mo, who also happened to know that J.R. was born in Arkansas.
Mo receives a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music (see our ad in Ithaca Blog sidebar).
Thanks to all who entered. New contest every Friday!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Anyhow, you probably didn't have to be a Johnny Cash expert to reckon out that it is False that Mr. Cash was born in Hawaii, as we posited.
Our randomly-selected winner was Mo, who also happened to know that J.R. was born in Arkansas.
Mo receives a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music (see our ad in Ithaca Blog sidebar).
Thanks to all who entered. New contest every Friday!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Weekend Conte$t: Johnny Cash
In tribute to the Johnny Cash Tribute Show in Ithaca this weekend, our weekend contest is about the Man in Black.
True or false: Johnny Cash was born in Hawaii?
The winner receives a $10 gift certificate to Small World Muisc (see ad in Ithaca Blog sidebar). Send your answer directly to Small World Music at sworldmu@twcny.rr.com.
Thanks, and good luck!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
True or false: Johnny Cash was born in Hawaii?
The winner receives a $10 gift certificate to Small World Muisc (see ad in Ithaca Blog sidebar). Send your answer directly to Small World Music at sworldmu@twcny.rr.com.
Thanks, and good luck!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Thanksgiving Weekend Shows
On Thanksgiving the colleges clear out for Grandmother's house, so the entertainment tends to be of, by, and for the year-round people of Ithaca.
Friday 24 Nov. : The biggest show of the weekend, in terms of both publicity and performers, is the Johnny Cash Tribute Show. The show is all-Johnny, so lots of boom-chugga-boom and redemption, though actually J.R. had a long career with a lot of surprises and turns, and there should plenty of those on stage from the many, many musicians participating, such as the host band for the night, the Don Bazley Projectiles; Sean Kobuk; Missing Marcus; Juge Greenspun; Pat Burke; Richie Stearns; and Ithaca Journal music critic, Jim Catalano. The show is a benefit for Books Thru Bars, an organization that provides books for prisoners. Castaways, 10 p.m.
Saturday 25 Nov. : Blue Sky Mission Club brings a taste of GrassRoots-style cajun, country, and zydeco to Trumansburg in November, at the venerable Rongovian Embassy, 9 p.m.
Sunday 26 Nov. : Crow Greenspun returns to the Shuck 'n' Jive series at Maxie's. No cover. 8 p.m.
Happy holiday weekend!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Friday 24 Nov. : The biggest show of the weekend, in terms of both publicity and performers, is the Johnny Cash Tribute Show. The show is all-Johnny, so lots of boom-chugga-boom and redemption, though actually J.R. had a long career with a lot of surprises and turns, and there should plenty of those on stage from the many, many musicians participating, such as the host band for the night, the Don Bazley Projectiles; Sean Kobuk; Missing Marcus; Juge Greenspun; Pat Burke; Richie Stearns; and Ithaca Journal music critic, Jim Catalano. The show is a benefit for Books Thru Bars, an organization that provides books for prisoners. Castaways, 10 p.m.
Saturday 25 Nov. : Blue Sky Mission Club brings a taste of GrassRoots-style cajun, country, and zydeco to Trumansburg in November, at the venerable Rongovian Embassy, 9 p.m.
Sunday 26 Nov. : Crow Greenspun returns to the Shuck 'n' Jive series at Maxie's. No cover. 8 p.m.
Happy holiday weekend!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Harpo Marx Conte$t Answers
M.Z. of Trumansburg was the randomly-selected winner of last weekend's trivia quiz about Harpo Marx, who was born 118 years ago this Thanksgiving.
Contestants only needed to know one of three answers, but M.Z. knew them all:
Harpo's birth name was Adolph. He actually changed it legally to Arthur, for reasons that seem obvious, but were actually prescient. He thought Adolph sounded "too German". But he changed it decades before the emergence of Adolph Hitler.
As Chico's character was supposed to be Italian, Harpo was supposed to be Irish: conniving and fey. The connection fell away once Harpo began performing entirely in pantomime. His namesake instrument, however, is a national symbol of Ireland.
Harpo did actually play the harp, although he was initially self-taught and for years played it in a tuning of his own invention.
Congratulations to M.Z. for her prize, a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music (see our ad in the Ithaca Blog sidebar). New contest every Friday!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Contestants only needed to know one of three answers, but M.Z. knew them all:
Harpo's birth name was Adolph. He actually changed it legally to Arthur, for reasons that seem obvious, but were actually prescient. He thought Adolph sounded "too German". But he changed it decades before the emergence of Adolph Hitler.
As Chico's character was supposed to be Italian, Harpo was supposed to be Irish: conniving and fey. The connection fell away once Harpo began performing entirely in pantomime. His namesake instrument, however, is a national symbol of Ireland.
Harpo did actually play the harp, although he was initially self-taught and for years played it in a tuning of his own invention.
Congratulations to M.Z. for her prize, a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music (see our ad in the Ithaca Blog sidebar). New contest every Friday!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Yodeling Ithacans - Man and Dog - on Letterman
Ithaca lovers of the yodel will find a couple of familiar locals on the David Letterman Show on Wednesday.
The tall one, at about 5'4", is Johnny Brown . The short one, at about eleven inches, is Teddy Bear, Johnny's 18-month old puppy dog.
Johnny and Teddy are scheduled to make their national singing debut on a show segment called "Stupid Pet Tricks."
Johnny taught Teddy the art of sing-along yodeling so Teddy would have something to do at Johnny's music performances. Johnny is a jug band musician who specializes in staples such as washtub bass, washboard, spoons, kazoo, and birdcalls, in addition to yodeling. When Johnny hits a falsetto in G, Teddy lifts his head and delivers a prolonged and impressive canine equivalent. He will keep on doing it, too.
It is an old bromide in show business not to perform with animals, well-known show-stealers. But Johnny is not an insecure performer. He and his friend JoMo, an accomplished 12-string guitarist and vocalist, play classic blues and rags in the great tradition of "givin' 'em what they want." The combo frequently play at street fairs and festivals where anything that draws in the crowd is bona fide. This is where Teddy comes in.
Of course, JoMo and Johnnycake, as the act is billed, do fine on their own. They have played for decades and have played with musical legends such as Son House and the Rev. Gary Davis. In recent years they have benefitted from a boom in old-timey music. In addition to street fairs and festivals, they play a gamut of clubs and bars, but also play for organizations that value their upbeat showmanship. Among Johnny's favorite gigs are shows at senior centers.
Showmanship might not be the right word when one half of the act is a dog. Together, the act is anything but. Check them out Wednesday night on Letterman. And check to see if sometime soon the band will come back to play at Small World Music, as they have done (free shows!) in the past.
Good luck, John and Teddy!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
The tall one, at about 5'4", is Johnny Brown . The short one, at about eleven inches, is Teddy Bear, Johnny's 18-month old puppy dog.
Johnny and Teddy are scheduled to make their national singing debut on a show segment called "Stupid Pet Tricks."
Johnny taught Teddy the art of sing-along yodeling so Teddy would have something to do at Johnny's music performances. Johnny is a jug band musician who specializes in staples such as washtub bass, washboard, spoons, kazoo, and birdcalls, in addition to yodeling. When Johnny hits a falsetto in G, Teddy lifts his head and delivers a prolonged and impressive canine equivalent. He will keep on doing it, too.
It is an old bromide in show business not to perform with animals, well-known show-stealers. But Johnny is not an insecure performer. He and his friend JoMo, an accomplished 12-string guitarist and vocalist, play classic blues and rags in the great tradition of "givin' 'em what they want." The combo frequently play at street fairs and festivals where anything that draws in the crowd is bona fide. This is where Teddy comes in.
Of course, JoMo and Johnnycake, as the act is billed, do fine on their own. They have played for decades and have played with musical legends such as Son House and the Rev. Gary Davis. In recent years they have benefitted from a boom in old-timey music. In addition to street fairs and festivals, they play a gamut of clubs and bars, but also play for organizations that value their upbeat showmanship. Among Johnny's favorite gigs are shows at senior centers.
Showmanship might not be the right word when one half of the act is a dog. Together, the act is anything but. Check them out Wednesday night on Letterman. And check to see if sometime soon the band will come back to play at Small World Music, as they have done (free shows!) in the past.
Good luck, John and Teddy!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Friday, November 17, 2006
Conte$t: Thanksgiving Harpo Marx Quiz
Thanksgiving is this Thursday, and would make a fitting subject for our weekly trivia contest, so we won't use it, of course. Instead we'll have a quiz about another great American institution, Harpo Marx, who was born on November 23, the date of Thanksgiving this year.
Answer any one of the following questions to be in the running for a $10 gift certificate from Small World Music.
- What was Harpo's real name?
- In the Marx Brothers act, as Chico was supposed to be Italian, Harpo was also supposed to be a particular nationality. What was it?
- Did Harpo really play the harp, or was it dubbed?
Answer any one of these questions for a chance to win. You can even win with a WRONG answer, as we select one winner at random from correct entries, and one from incorrect, if there are any. We reward not just expertise, but effort.
Enjoy Thanksgiving, enjoy the Marx Brothers, and send your contest entry directly to Small World Music at sworldmu@twcny.rr.com.
Thanks, & good luck !
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Answer any one of the following questions to be in the running for a $10 gift certificate from Small World Music.
- What was Harpo's real name?
- In the Marx Brothers act, as Chico was supposed to be Italian, Harpo was also supposed to be a particular nationality. What was it?
- Did Harpo really play the harp, or was it dubbed?
Answer any one of these questions for a chance to win. You can even win with a WRONG answer, as we select one winner at random from correct entries, and one from incorrect, if there are any. We reward not just expertise, but effort.
Enjoy Thanksgiving, enjoy the Marx Brothers, and send your contest entry directly to Small World Music at sworldmu@twcny.rr.com.
Thanks, & good luck !
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Weekend Activities, Nov. 17 - 19
Friday: If you've never seen the Hogwarshers, nor been to Felicia's Atomic Cafe, tonight's the chance to do both. Because they're playing there, you see. The Hogwarshers are a new combo playing old-time music, which Ithaca loves so well. Felicia's is a new bar on the West End which is smaller inside than it looks from outside, but is comfortable and friendly. In fact, the bar was voted Friendliest Business in Ithaca in the 2006 Ithaca Times poll. (Felicia's neighbor a block away, Small World Music, feels it might have been a photo finish between them and us, if we only had alcohol here.) 508 West State St., 5:30 p.m.
Saturday: The best show around tonight is not in Ithaca, but in Homer, a few miles up Rt. 13. Richard Shindell is a singer-songwriter from New Jersey, now living in Argentina, who might be the best songwriter anywhere betweem those places, or any places. 8 p.m. at the Center for the Arts in Homer, 72 S. Main St., 749-4900.
Sunday: It's a different kind of old-timey: Malcolm Bilson plays music from the 1790's to the 1830's on fortepiano, an instrument of the period. It's not something you hear every day, but Bilson is known around the world for his playing, and for his role in the period-instrument movement. Even to the untrained ear, it is beautiful and delightful, and the setting is beautiful Barnes Hall, and admission is free. When Bilson plays in NYC, at venues such as Lincoln Center, music lovers line up for blocks for tickets, and pay whatever it takes to get in. Bilson is taking this show to Europe soon, so by all means, take this opportunity now. 8 p.m.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Saturday: The best show around tonight is not in Ithaca, but in Homer, a few miles up Rt. 13. Richard Shindell is a singer-songwriter from New Jersey, now living in Argentina, who might be the best songwriter anywhere betweem those places, or any places. 8 p.m. at the Center for the Arts in Homer, 72 S. Main St., 749-4900.
Sunday: It's a different kind of old-timey: Malcolm Bilson plays music from the 1790's to the 1830's on fortepiano, an instrument of the period. It's not something you hear every day, but Bilson is known around the world for his playing, and for his role in the period-instrument movement. Even to the untrained ear, it is beautiful and delightful, and the setting is beautiful Barnes Hall, and admission is free. When Bilson plays in NYC, at venues such as Lincoln Center, music lovers line up for blocks for tickets, and pay whatever it takes to get in. Bilson is taking this show to Europe soon, so by all means, take this opportunity now. 8 p.m.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
The Local Food Movement
What the organic food movement was in the 1960's and '70's, the local food movement is today.
The organic movement promoted chemical-free farming as better for health and the environment, and small, independent farms as a more diverse and beneficial food system than huge, corporate agribusinesses.
Today, after decades of development and success, organic food is the fastest-growing segment of the food industry. But its success has attracted some growers and manufacturers who seem more interested in the potential profits of organic food than its philosophy or goals.
Wal-Mart is selling organic produce, but buys it wherever it is cheapest, including China. Earthbound Farms, a grower included in the recall of bagged spinach this year for E. coli contamination, began as a small grower of organic produce in 1984, but now is part of a conglomerate with over 24,000 acres in 3 countries.
Today, the local food movement says that organic is no longer a guarantee of the highest quality or practices. The movement encourages consumers to buy from farms within a certain radius of where they live, or from sellers they know.
What's the point, the movement asks, of buying organic apples or broccoli to protect the environment, if the produce is shipped thousands of miles by plane and truck? If the "farm" is actually a monoculture plot of thousands of acres in New Zealand or Mexico? If the distributor is a mass marketer like Wal-Mart that undercuts smaller businesses and family farms?
Alternative, independent forms of marketing, such as farmer's markets, food co-ops, and specialty retailers, are emerging as small farmers look to keep control of their products and profits, and customers look for greater connection to their food and communities.
In Ithaca, the Farmer's Market started with the organic movement of the 1970's. For years it was a no-frills operation where farmers came to town on Saturday mornings and sold out of the backs of their trucks in a parking lot that is now Center Ithaca. With the development of Center Ithaca, the market moved to a parking area on Taughannock Boulevard. The dream at that time was to someday have a permanent building.
By the 1990's, the dream was achieved with the Farmer's Market pavilion, on the Cayuga Inlet off Third Street and Route 13. On Saturdays and Sundays, from April through December, the Farmer's Market is home to scores of farmers and food producers, who must grow or make what they sell, and come from within 30 miles.
Retailers such as GreenStar Co-op, Ludgate Farms, and others are responding to the local food movement with increased dedication to buying and promoting local foods, and foods sold by independent and principled distributors. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County has taken leadership in the educational aspect of the movement, promoting the environmental and economic benefits of local foods.
Beyond addressing issues of pollution, nutrition, urban sprawl, saving family farms, and aiding local economies, locally-grown foods provide a simple benefit in the opinion of many consumers: better taste.
At the Ithaca Farmers Market recently, Pat, age 70, was buying organic sweet potatoes. "When I first came to the Farmer's Market, I didn't know what organic was. Now I do. It's vegetables grown without pesticides, like we used to grow in our gardens when I was a kid. People don't do that anymore like we used to. When I eat one of these sweet potatoes, it's like the ones I used to eat that were so good but I forgot."
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
The organic movement promoted chemical-free farming as better for health and the environment, and small, independent farms as a more diverse and beneficial food system than huge, corporate agribusinesses.
Today, after decades of development and success, organic food is the fastest-growing segment of the food industry. But its success has attracted some growers and manufacturers who seem more interested in the potential profits of organic food than its philosophy or goals.
Wal-Mart is selling organic produce, but buys it wherever it is cheapest, including China. Earthbound Farms, a grower included in the recall of bagged spinach this year for E. coli contamination, began as a small grower of organic produce in 1984, but now is part of a conglomerate with over 24,000 acres in 3 countries.
Today, the local food movement says that organic is no longer a guarantee of the highest quality or practices. The movement encourages consumers to buy from farms within a certain radius of where they live, or from sellers they know.
What's the point, the movement asks, of buying organic apples or broccoli to protect the environment, if the produce is shipped thousands of miles by plane and truck? If the "farm" is actually a monoculture plot of thousands of acres in New Zealand or Mexico? If the distributor is a mass marketer like Wal-Mart that undercuts smaller businesses and family farms?
Alternative, independent forms of marketing, such as farmer's markets, food co-ops, and specialty retailers, are emerging as small farmers look to keep control of their products and profits, and customers look for greater connection to their food and communities.
In Ithaca, the Farmer's Market started with the organic movement of the 1970's. For years it was a no-frills operation where farmers came to town on Saturday mornings and sold out of the backs of their trucks in a parking lot that is now Center Ithaca. With the development of Center Ithaca, the market moved to a parking area on Taughannock Boulevard. The dream at that time was to someday have a permanent building.
By the 1990's, the dream was achieved with the Farmer's Market pavilion, on the Cayuga Inlet off Third Street and Route 13. On Saturdays and Sundays, from April through December, the Farmer's Market is home to scores of farmers and food producers, who must grow or make what they sell, and come from within 30 miles.
Retailers such as GreenStar Co-op, Ludgate Farms, and others are responding to the local food movement with increased dedication to buying and promoting local foods, and foods sold by independent and principled distributors. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County has taken leadership in the educational aspect of the movement, promoting the environmental and economic benefits of local foods.
Beyond addressing issues of pollution, nutrition, urban sprawl, saving family farms, and aiding local economies, locally-grown foods provide a simple benefit in the opinion of many consumers: better taste.
At the Ithaca Farmers Market recently, Pat, age 70, was buying organic sweet potatoes. "When I first came to the Farmer's Market, I didn't know what organic was. Now I do. It's vegetables grown without pesticides, like we used to grow in our gardens when I was a kid. People don't do that anymore like we used to. When I eat one of these sweet potatoes, it's like the ones I used to eat that were so good but I forgot."
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
NY Economy Quiz Answer, & Winner
J.S. is the winner of last weekend's quiz question. He knew that Tompkins County is perennially the county with the lowest rate of unemployment in New York.
The county with the highest is the Bronx.
J.S. wins a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music, down the driveway of winning at 614 w. State St.
A new contest every weekend!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
The county with the highest is the Bronx.
J.S. wins a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music, down the driveway of winning at 614 w. State St.
A new contest every weekend!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Friday, November 10, 2006
Weekend Conte$t of Knowledge (No Actual Knowledge Needed to Win)
This weekend's quiz is about the economy in New York.
Name either: the county in NY with the lowest rate of unemployment; or the county with the highest. Each one holds its respective title year after year, pretty much.
Remember, you don't actually have to know to win. We have two prizes, one randomly selected from the correct answers, and one from the incorrect. We reward not just expertise, but effort.
Don't worry, when we announce the winners next Tuesday, we don't say which was which.
Take a shot, and win a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music. Send entries directly to Small World at sworldmu@twcny.rr.com.
Good luck !
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Name either: the county in NY with the lowest rate of unemployment; or the county with the highest. Each one holds its respective title year after year, pretty much.
Remember, you don't actually have to know to win. We have two prizes, one randomly selected from the correct answers, and one from the incorrect. We reward not just expertise, but effort.
Don't worry, when we announce the winners next Tuesday, we don't say which was which.
Take a shot, and win a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music. Send entries directly to Small World at sworldmu@twcny.rr.com.
Good luck !
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Weekend (Starting Thursday) Hot List
Last weekend was a big one for big names, with John Gorka and Kathy Mattea - both Grassroots Fest caliber performers - in town on Saturday, and comic Lewis Black selling out the State Theater on Sunday. This weekend is a little less luminary, but still satisfying.
Thursday starts it off, with a free jazz concert by the Cornell Jazz Ensemble, with guest pianist and conductor Toshiko Akiyoshi, who performed with Lew Tabackin at Cornell last week. Ms. Akiyoshi's first claim to fame in a long and distinguished career was a 1974 recording, "Kogun", which became the biggest selling jazz album ever in Japan. Tonight's concert is in beautiful Barnes Hall on the Cornell campus, for the beautiful price of free (so nice we say it twice). 8 p.m.
Friday: Reggae old-schoolers, Rastafrica, at Micawber's, 10 p.m.
For a quick and easy road trip, the excellent Rooster Fish Brewpub in Watkins Glen has Gerard Burke playing fine acoustic blues. Don't know what time - but their phone is 535-9797.
Saturday: At the State Theater, the only place befitting such a piece, "Wonderful Town", the classic Broadway musical by Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green. The show is a production of Columbia Artists Theatricals, a major Broadway touring company, and features an 18-piece orchestra. 7:30 p.m.
Film screening and discussion: "Sir, No Sir", an award-winning documentary about G.I. efforts to end the war in Vietnam. Co-sponsored by the Unitarian Church and the Durland Alternatives Library. At the Unitarian Church, Buffalo and Aurora Streets. Free. 7:30 p.m.
Sunday: Jennie Stearns at Felicia's Atomic Lounge. 508 W. State St., 7 p.m.
Go out and enjoy Ithaca!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Thursday starts it off, with a free jazz concert by the Cornell Jazz Ensemble, with guest pianist and conductor Toshiko Akiyoshi, who performed with Lew Tabackin at Cornell last week. Ms. Akiyoshi's first claim to fame in a long and distinguished career was a 1974 recording, "Kogun", which became the biggest selling jazz album ever in Japan. Tonight's concert is in beautiful Barnes Hall on the Cornell campus, for the beautiful price of free (so nice we say it twice). 8 p.m.
Friday: Reggae old-schoolers, Rastafrica, at Micawber's, 10 p.m.
For a quick and easy road trip, the excellent Rooster Fish Brewpub in Watkins Glen has Gerard Burke playing fine acoustic blues. Don't know what time - but their phone is 535-9797.
Saturday: At the State Theater, the only place befitting such a piece, "Wonderful Town", the classic Broadway musical by Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green. The show is a production of Columbia Artists Theatricals, a major Broadway touring company, and features an 18-piece orchestra. 7:30 p.m.
Film screening and discussion: "Sir, No Sir", an award-winning documentary about G.I. efforts to end the war in Vietnam. Co-sponsored by the Unitarian Church and the Durland Alternatives Library. At the Unitarian Church, Buffalo and Aurora Streets. Free. 7:30 p.m.
Sunday: Jennie Stearns at Felicia's Atomic Lounge. 508 W. State St., 7 p.m.
Go out and enjoy Ithaca!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Dave Makar, Electoral Activist
Congratulations to our own Dave Makar, who was elected last night to the Dryden Town Board. It was a resounding win, 60 percent, for a first-time political candidate in the minority party against an incumbent in the majority party.
Dave ran an energetic and well-planned campaign. It was a triumph not just for him, but for the town, whose voter turnout increased by 40 percent over the last Town Board election.
We congratulate Dave for his victory and applaud him for his hard work, sincerity, and purposefulness. We see good things in store for Dryden with his energetic leadership.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Dave ran an energetic and well-planned campaign. It was a triumph not just for him, but for the town, whose voter turnout increased by 40 percent over the last Town Board election.
We congratulate Dave for his victory and applaud him for his hard work, sincerity, and purposefulness. We see good things in store for Dryden with his energetic leadership.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Election Day: The Road Turns
It's a long road that don't turn, my Irish grandmother used to say, meaning everything changes eventually.
Typically Irish, it is a sentiment both fatalistic and optimistic. Today it reflects good fortune, as the long road of bad governance in this country turns toward hope and a chance for recovery.
Republican control of the presidency, the Senate, and the House of Representatives since 2000 has shown the potential for bad policy, dereliction, and corruption when checks and balances don't exist.
Of course, Democrats could have demonstrated at least moral leadership in their vacuum of power. With a very few exceptions - our congressman, Maurice Hinchey, was among them; our senators, Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer, were not - they didn't. Most notably, the Democrats rolled over on the invasion of Iraq, to tragic results for our soldiers, Iraqi civilians, our democracy, our security, and the future of the Middle East.
We have a chance to do better now. But we need to think strategically about a political system that can go so far wrong so easily as our democracy has in the past few years.
As citizens, we need to become more active in our electoral processes. We need better people in government than supposed progressives who will vote for illegal wars when it is the easiest thing to do. We need to demand, or better yet create, more responsive and less entrenched media, to expose and correct bad leadership.
Yesterday was a good start, as we see how important simply voting can be. Imagine what we can achieve from here, with energy, hope, and effort.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Typically Irish, it is a sentiment both fatalistic and optimistic. Today it reflects good fortune, as the long road of bad governance in this country turns toward hope and a chance for recovery.
Republican control of the presidency, the Senate, and the House of Representatives since 2000 has shown the potential for bad policy, dereliction, and corruption when checks and balances don't exist.
Of course, Democrats could have demonstrated at least moral leadership in their vacuum of power. With a very few exceptions - our congressman, Maurice Hinchey, was among them; our senators, Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer, were not - they didn't. Most notably, the Democrats rolled over on the invasion of Iraq, to tragic results for our soldiers, Iraqi civilians, our democracy, our security, and the future of the Middle East.
We have a chance to do better now. But we need to think strategically about a political system that can go so far wrong so easily as our democracy has in the past few years.
As citizens, we need to become more active in our electoral processes. We need better people in government than supposed progressives who will vote for illegal wars when it is the easiest thing to do. We need to demand, or better yet create, more responsive and less entrenched media, to expose and correct bad leadership.
Yesterday was a good start, as we see how important simply voting can be. Imagine what we can achieve from here, with energy, hope, and effort.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
"On the Road" Quiz - Answer and Winner
Our last weekly quiz had to do with U.S. geography, asking which is the only state that borders only one other state?
The answer is Maine. It borders New Hampshire only. New Hampshire goes on to border Vermont and Massachusetts. After that, it gets crazy.
The winner, randomly selected, is Randy, who gets a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music.
New contest next Friday!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
The answer is Maine. It borders New Hampshire only. New Hampshire goes on to border Vermont and Massachusetts. After that, it gets crazy.
The winner, randomly selected, is Randy, who gets a $10 gift certificate to Small World Music.
New contest next Friday!
Steve Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Ineptitude of War
Perhaps because, very simply, war is wrong, it is difficult or impossible to do right. We are seeing that now in Iraq, as the violence and waste grow more and more grotesque, and goals of peace and order seem less and less attainable.
We are also seeing that the operations of war themselves are unmanageable. This week it was revealed that a large percentage of weapons brought to Iraq by the U.S. are inexplicably missing. Today the New York Times reported that deaths among U.S. soldiers are going unexplained and uninvestigated by military authorities, and protocols are shattered as authorities lie to families of victims about what they do and don't know about their deaths.
This is why declaration of war is such a serious undertaking. There is no real winning involved in war, any time, except for profiteers who bring death and evade responsibility in the midst of war's chaos.
This war, brought on by lies, is not simply a mistake, but a crime. As a nation of laws, we need to bring an end to the crime, and punish the criminals.
Many of our leaders - in fact, most of them - are complicit, in having voted for this war. Full justice might never be attained, but the path of justice is open, in votes against these leaders. Here in New York, Senator Clinton was among them.
We need a political party in this country that will stand for peace, even when inexpedient. The time to start building it, rhetorically, was yesterday. The time for greater, uncompromising effort is this election day, and beyond.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
We are also seeing that the operations of war themselves are unmanageable. This week it was revealed that a large percentage of weapons brought to Iraq by the U.S. are inexplicably missing. Today the New York Times reported that deaths among U.S. soldiers are going unexplained and uninvestigated by military authorities, and protocols are shattered as authorities lie to families of victims about what they do and don't know about their deaths.
This is why declaration of war is such a serious undertaking. There is no real winning involved in war, any time, except for profiteers who bring death and evade responsibility in the midst of war's chaos.
This war, brought on by lies, is not simply a mistake, but a crime. As a nation of laws, we need to bring an end to the crime, and punish the criminals.
Many of our leaders - in fact, most of them - are complicit, in having voted for this war. Full justice might never be attained, but the path of justice is open, in votes against these leaders. Here in New York, Senator Clinton was among them.
We need a political party in this country that will stand for peace, even when inexpedient. The time to start building it, rhetorically, was yesterday. The time for greater, uncompromising effort is this election day, and beyond.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Friday, November 03, 2006
Martin Luther King
There was an unfortunate tumult in Ithaca between advocates and opponents of renaming State Street for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Maybe now, since the city has decided to create a municipal tribute for Dr. King before his holiday next January, Ithacans can unite in the cause of honoring him.
Dr. King worked for civil rights, and more. As his leadership developed, Dr. King began to work for a range of fundamental, if radical, changes in America. He began to speak about "a better distribution of wealth." He said, "A true revolution of values will soon look uneasily on the glaring contrast of poverty and wealth." He began to speak forcefully against war.
Dr. King's words against the Vietnam War seem prophetic today. Just as, today, the invasion of Iraq creates more terrorists than it eradicates, Dr. King said that North Vietnam "did not begin to send in any large numbers of supplies or men until American forces had arrived in the tens of thousands." He said that the U.S. was in Vietnam for no purpose other than "to occupy it as an American colony." He asked if the U.S. government was not "the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today."
The speech quoted here, "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence", was given by Dr. King on April 4, 1967, exactly one year before his assassination. Time magazine called it "demagogic slander that sounded like a script for Radio Hanoi." The Washington Post scolded that Dr. King had "diminshed his usefulness to his cause, his country, his people."
Each year, at the time of Dr. King's holiday, we see corporate and media messages extolling Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech. They ignore his calls for economic justice and against war. They eliminate his message as surely as he himself was eliminated.
Today, as then, the citizens of this country are far ahead of their government and media. Dr. King taught us to believe in ourselves and each other. Let's keep this in mind as we move forward in Ithaca to honor this great man in the fullness of his legacy.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Maybe now, since the city has decided to create a municipal tribute for Dr. King before his holiday next January, Ithacans can unite in the cause of honoring him.
Dr. King worked for civil rights, and more. As his leadership developed, Dr. King began to work for a range of fundamental, if radical, changes in America. He began to speak about "a better distribution of wealth." He said, "A true revolution of values will soon look uneasily on the glaring contrast of poverty and wealth." He began to speak forcefully against war.
Dr. King's words against the Vietnam War seem prophetic today. Just as, today, the invasion of Iraq creates more terrorists than it eradicates, Dr. King said that North Vietnam "did not begin to send in any large numbers of supplies or men until American forces had arrived in the tens of thousands." He said that the U.S. was in Vietnam for no purpose other than "to occupy it as an American colony." He asked if the U.S. government was not "the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today."
The speech quoted here, "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence", was given by Dr. King on April 4, 1967, exactly one year before his assassination. Time magazine called it "demagogic slander that sounded like a script for Radio Hanoi." The Washington Post scolded that Dr. King had "diminshed his usefulness to his cause, his country, his people."
Each year, at the time of Dr. King's holiday, we see corporate and media messages extolling Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech. They ignore his calls for economic justice and against war. They eliminate his message as surely as he himself was eliminated.
Today, as then, the citizens of this country are far ahead of their government and media. Dr. King taught us to believe in ourselves and each other. Let's keep this in mind as we move forward in Ithaca to honor this great man in the fullness of his legacy.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Weekend Conte$t: On the Road
We're looking forward to the performances in Ithaca this weekend of folk music's John Gorka, and country music's Kathy Mattea, and thinking about that troubador life style - you know, the bus, the endless road, here today & gone today - all that.
So the trivia contest from Small World Music is about the U.S. map.
There are two states that share the record for bordering the fewest other states. But they are too easy to name. They don't border ANY other states. You know? They are far away. They are uncontinental. They are new. (They are Alaska and Hawaii.)
We're looking for the only state, of all the states, that borders only ONE other state.
Name it and win our weekly prize of a $10 gift certificate to your garage of winning, Small World Music, stalwart of Ithaca's wild west end, 400 feet from Gimme Coffee, which I just visited for a Midnight Rider, which is why I'm going on like this, I am revivified by an excellent coffee beverage.
Send your entry directly to Small World Music at sworldmu@twcny.rr.com.
Thanks and good luck !
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
So the trivia contest from Small World Music is about the U.S. map.
There are two states that share the record for bordering the fewest other states. But they are too easy to name. They don't border ANY other states. You know? They are far away. They are uncontinental. They are new. (They are Alaska and Hawaii.)
We're looking for the only state, of all the states, that borders only ONE other state.
Name it and win our weekly prize of a $10 gift certificate to your garage of winning, Small World Music, stalwart of Ithaca's wild west end, 400 feet from Gimme Coffee, which I just visited for a Midnight Rider, which is why I'm going on like this, I am revivified by an excellent coffee beverage.
Send your entry directly to Small World Music at sworldmu@twcny.rr.com.
Thanks and good luck !
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Activities, first November Weekend
There is a range of good music and entertainment in Ithaca this weekend.
Saturday: John Gorka. Maybe the third-best living songwriter from New Jersey (after Bruce Stringbean, and Richard Shindell). But the only one playing Ithaca this weekend. He has a pleasing and moving baritone voice, and is funny, as Jersey guys tend to be. A Cornell Folk Song Society Show. Kennedy Hall, Cornell, 8 p.m. Tickets $17 at the door, $15 at Small World Music.
Kathy Mattea. A country singer of the could-play-at-Grassroots type. Mattea draws from many traditions in her music: folk, bluegrass, gospel, and Celtic. At the State Theater, 8 p.m.
Sunday: Toshiko Akiyoshi and Lew Tabackin Quartet. Jazz at its finest and most exciting, from two great, veteran practicioners. Statler Auditorium, Cornell, 4 p.m. Tickets $25 and $20.
Lewis Black. From the Jon Stewart Show, the Screaming Jay Hawkins of comedic commentary on contemporary America. At the State Theater, 8 p.m. Tickets $38.50.
Hammell On Trial. Ed Hammell's label, Ani Difranco's Righteous Babe Records, describes him as "a one-man punk band - and by punk we mean (mostly) loud, fast music informed by politics, passion, energy and intelligence, played by a guy with a sharp tongue and a wicked sense of humor." At Castaways, 8 p.m.
Have fun -
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Saturday: John Gorka. Maybe the third-best living songwriter from New Jersey (after Bruce Stringbean, and Richard Shindell). But the only one playing Ithaca this weekend. He has a pleasing and moving baritone voice, and is funny, as Jersey guys tend to be. A Cornell Folk Song Society Show. Kennedy Hall, Cornell, 8 p.m. Tickets $17 at the door, $15 at Small World Music.
Kathy Mattea. A country singer of the could-play-at-Grassroots type. Mattea draws from many traditions in her music: folk, bluegrass, gospel, and Celtic. At the State Theater, 8 p.m.
Sunday: Toshiko Akiyoshi and Lew Tabackin Quartet. Jazz at its finest and most exciting, from two great, veteran practicioners. Statler Auditorium, Cornell, 4 p.m. Tickets $25 and $20.
Lewis Black. From the Jon Stewart Show, the Screaming Jay Hawkins of comedic commentary on contemporary America. At the State Theater, 8 p.m. Tickets $38.50.
Hammell On Trial. Ed Hammell's label, Ani Difranco's Righteous Babe Records, describes him as "a one-man punk band - and by punk we mean (mostly) loud, fast music informed by politics, passion, energy and intelligence, played by a guy with a sharp tongue and a wicked sense of humor." At Castaways, 8 p.m.
Have fun -
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
George Dentes
Ithaca is shocked and saddened by the death of George Dentes, 52, of a heart attack on Tuesday, 31 October.
Mr. Dentes served as district attorney for Tompkins County for 16 years. He graduated from Ithaca High School, the Cornell College of Engineering, and the Cornell Law School. He and his wife, Elsie, met as students at Ithaca High School. Their three children also attended Ithaca High School and Cornell.
Flags on county buildings were ordered flown at half-mast in honor of Mr. Dentes.
Calling hours will be from 4 - 7 p.m. Friday at Bangs Funeral Home, 209 W. Green Street.
Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church, 120 W. Seneca St.
Our deepest condolences go to his wife and children and the extended Dentes family.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
Mr. Dentes served as district attorney for Tompkins County for 16 years. He graduated from Ithaca High School, the Cornell College of Engineering, and the Cornell Law School. He and his wife, Elsie, met as students at Ithaca High School. Their three children also attended Ithaca High School and Cornell.
Flags on county buildings were ordered flown at half-mast in honor of Mr. Dentes.
Calling hours will be from 4 - 7 p.m. Friday at Bangs Funeral Home, 209 W. Green Street.
Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church, 120 W. Seneca St.
Our deepest condolences go to his wife and children and the extended Dentes family.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
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