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| Good Friday Morning, The Town of Kent goes back to court this coming Monday morning after Judge O'Rourke decided last week to hold the town liable for Swine flu, bad breath and Celine Dion. As many of you know I've engaged in a political quest of late and so far my impressions are this: It's a silly, anti-democratic system designed to humiliate, intimidate and befuddle the voters so that a select few can get a boner over power and control of your lives. If they were actually interested in good governance it would be one thing. If they were involved in graft and corruption it would be fine, too, as at least it would have a point. (Not a good point, but a point nonetheless.) Yet we allow these folk to control and sway our opinions because they're practiced at the skill of political demagoguery. They don't work for candidates as much as they work against them and they do so with remarkable success. You all know who these folk are in your town, every town has them, and I'll bet you can even name them.TIX Tickets sells tickets to shows and concerts via an online website. But what they don't tell you is that the price of the tickets isn't the price of the tickets. In one case, a ticket sold at $168 for a concert turned out to be worth $80. The company says that they just resell tickets and that price a customer pays is the 'going rate' for tickets held by a third party and sold via TIX Tickets, that they don't set the price, the sellers do. And, though the company has on its website a statement that says, "Ticket prices include a substantial service charge above the face value which reflects our cost in acquiring premium tickets," you have to wonder if an $80 markup in addition to a $15 shipping charge and an additional $50.40 for "other expenses", qualifies as their cost or a scam. I'm leaning towards scam and you should too. Stay away! Under the rubric of fighting terrorism, England (yes, it's our second, "what is going on in England?" story this week,) has pretty much banned taking photographs. A couple of grandparents on vacation from Spain were evicted from a shopping mall for taking pictures of their grandchildren. After the incident, the mall's management admitted the couple were probably not terrorists but that taking pictures presents a security risk... of terrorism. There are no reports just yet of Basque separatists masquerading as small children. Forgot those poppy seed bagels for awhile. US forces in Afghanistan dropped several tons of explosives on several tons of poppy seeds gathered for packaging and export to win the "hearts and minds" of that country's civilian population. NATO Commanders have targeted Taliban run creamed cheese factories next. Roger Griffiths, a New Zealand artist with a current show in NYC, multiple land holdings and $180,000 in the bank, withdrew the entire account in $20 bills because the bank wouldn't give him an $80,000 mortgage. It took them a while to gather the bills and provided a black and red sports bag for easier transport. In the meantime, the bank, Westpac, has one of the lowest rates of customer foreclosures but has been rocked by huge losses made to NZ corporations which also includes a $400,000 internal financial scam. The Putnam County 4H Fair begins this afternoon and runs through Sunday evening. It's free, so come on out and stop in at the Town of Kent's Stormwater tent to say hello. Last year there were no provisions for recycling at the fair meaning all their garbage, including cans, bottles and the remains of tons of food product (mostly David Amram's famous grilled corn) were all dumped unceremoniously into trash bins. I made stink about it, and rightfully so and we'll find out in a few hours if that's been rectified. Imagine, an agricultural fair in this day and age without recycling? Personally, I'm hoping for the best! Tonight:
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| Copyright © 2009 News That Matters | ||
Friday, July 24, 2009
News That Matters - July 24, 2009 - Things To Do Edition
Meanwhile, a couple from Vienna also visiting London, had their vacation pictures forcibly erased from their digital camera by London police after being told that taking pictures of anything to do with transport was "strictly forbidden". The couple had taken pictures of the Vauxhall bus station, a stunning modern architectural icon. In the meantime, an amateur photographer, learning to shoot crowd scenes had his camera and film confiscated after London police claim the had taken pictures of a "sensitive nature". Unfortunately for England, a Google search of "Vauxhall bus station" produced some 152,000 image hits.
Dazzling Dragonflies
8 PM - The Cultural Center on Lake Carmel. Blue Horse Repertory presents the daughter of composer and poet David Amram, an American icon of the beatnik generation, Alana Amram is not just following in her father’s footsteps but forging her own path as a singer/songwriter. There is a bittersweet sincerity in her voice, somewhat reminiscent of Janis Joplin in her calm moments. Alana’s lyrics portray tales of a simple life complicated by emotions, exemplified in the touching imagery of “Broke My Own Heart.“ The Rough Gems, a seven-piece band including Alana herself, adds multiple dimensions to her songs. The music is primarily a mix of country and folk with an occasional turn towards pop rock from an unidentifiable decade - a melting pot of good old American styles. It’s a vintage sound with a modern perspective. And while songs like “Take a Drink” are infectiously upbeat, The Rough Gems cover the other side of the spectrum as well. The sluggish tempo and endearing yet slightly dark lyrics of “The Blackest Crow” is the stuff secret goth crushes are made of. With The Rough Gems, Alana Amram has found a diverse yet tightly knit group of musicians that will help her honky tonk her way into the hearts of hillbillies, hippies, and maybe even headbangers. Alana Amram is definitely one of the brightest stars on the NYC&W scene $12 ($10 Arts on the Lake members)
