Sunday, April 27, 2008

pro- or anti- war? neither. both.


If you are like I was, you want our troops out of Iraq, pronto. You believe the foreign policy disaster that is the War on Terror should end, but maybe if someone asked you to explain your stance in the context of the war's history, you'd stutter a bit. Don't worry--it's not your fault. The media has conditioned our collective memory to be more like a blackboard than a stone tablet. Events are recorded, only to be erased and replaced with more shocking, unexpected events. Frustrating, yes. That's where Christopher Ferguson's documentary, No End In Sight, comes in handy.


In this , the definitive Iraq cinematic offering, Ferguson presents the events of the war, from the very beginning, spliced with video (much of it fairly rare footage) of both politicians and soldiers, interviews, and hard facts. And this is no amateur's attempt at chronology; pretty much the only voices missing from the documentary are--surprise--those of Bush, Cheney, and Rice. The linear construct of the film, designed by this capable MIT grad, is simple yet incredibly effective. Say goodbye to one of the administration's most powerful PR tools, Operation Iraqi Confusion.


This is a great piece for the whole family--it doesn't lean too far left for Dad the Republican, and it forms just enough judgment to please an anti-war viewer. I fall in the latter category, and I was interested to find thatNo End In Sight had the effect of pulling me away from the "get US out now at all costs" constituency. The sight of the Iraq people, running wild through streets that we weren't prepared enough to secure, brings the situation into a focused reality that is much harder to turn one's back on than an abstract notion. I don't want to leave until we return a semblance of security to the Iraqis. But, as this documentary makes painfully clear, this won't happen anytime before January 2009.

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Wednesday, April 23, 2008

town.

Here's everything I would be doing in Birmingham the next couple weeks if I didn't have a baby. Every free happening in Bham is listed, and those with a price are some things that may be worth the money. So gather ye rosebuds while ye may.


Thursday, April 24
Art Buzz Birmingham-live music, byob painting class (www.artbuzzbirmingham.com)
5:30-6:30 Wine Tasting at Mt. Brook Western $5 (it's good)
6-10 Redmont Gardens 70th Birthday Celebration (www.redmontgardens.com)
7:00 Jeff Whetstone speaks on photography at BMA
7:00 Little Professor Book Club

Friday, April 25
10-6 Contemporary Art Festival in Lynn Park (www.magiccityart.com)
12:00 Mid-Day Musical Menu-a 30-minute concert of Broadway favorites and lunch at Cathedral Church of the Advent (2017 Sixth Ave N)
4:00 Guitar Hero tournament with live music, food, and drink. Lightning Strikes in Trussville (www.alsironhorse.org)
5-6:30 Wine Tasting at the Vintage Wine Shoppe
5-7 Wine Tasting at Tria
5-7 Wine Tasting at Whole Foods
6:00 Vintage Birmingham Signs author, Tim Hollis, signs at AL Booksmith
6-? Raindrop Music Festival at Bottletree: highlights include Triceratops $20/day $35/wknd

Saturday, April 26
10:00 coffee tasting at Primavera Roasters (4133 White Oak Dr.)
10-5 Reel South Film Festival at BMA. Featuring movies that explore the South in the 20s + 30s. Films at 10, 12:30, and 2:15.
10-6 Contemporary Art Festival in Lynn Park (www.magiccityart.com)
11-4 Mt. Laurel Spring Festival
12-2 Wine Tasting at Whole Foods
1-5 Corks & Chefs at the art fest $25
2:00 "ring World" at the Robert R. Meyer Planetarium on BSC's campus $2
2-? Raindrop Music Festival at Bottletree: highlights include The White Oaks, Kate Taylor, Monarchs $20/day, $35/wknd
7:00 Robert Plant and Alison Krauss at the BJCC

Sunday, April 27
10-6 Contemporary Art Festival in Lynn Park(www.magiccityart.com)
2:00 BMA national poetry month topic tour
3:00 pottery demonstration at Avondale Library

Monday, April 28
6:45 Open Gym Volleyball at Homewood Park

Tuesday, April 29
9:30 performance by spoken word artist Saul Williams at Pearson Hall Auditorium in Miles College.
5:00 Transportation Planning Process Public Involvement Meeting at 1731 First Ave N
5:30 Cultural Exchange Ensemble and UAB Gospel Choir at Hulsey Recital Hall
6:00 To Kill A Mockingbird discussion at Avondale Library
7:30 "The Righteous Gentile, a Holocaust remembrance at Brock Recital Hall on Samford's campus

Wednesday, April 30
4-6 Art Reception at Samford
5:30-7:30 Wine Tasting at the Wine Loft
6:00 The Devil Came on Horseback, a documentary on Darfur at Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
7:30 piano concert at Brock Recital Hall at Samford
7:30 Live jazz and 1/2 price bottles of wine at Open Door Cafe

Thursday, May 1
2:00 Israeli choir concert at Brock Recital Hall at Samford
5-8 Art Opening at Amanada Schedler Fine Art t Mary Evelyn in Homewood
5-8 Art Opening at Monty Stabler galleries in Homewood
5-9 Jazz and wine tasting at Rucker Place $10 (1804 12th Ave S)
5:30-6:30 Wine Tasting at Mt. Brook Western $5 (it's good)
6:00 A Dream in Doubt, a documentary on the Sikh American community at BCRI
6-8:30 Tria Market-live music on the patio, with drink and dinner specials

Friday, May 2
5:30-8:30 Art Opening at Artists Incorporated in Vestavia
5-6:30 Wine Tasting at the Vintage Wine Shoppe
5-7 Wine Tasting at Tria
5-7 Wine Tasting at Whole Foods
6-10 Art Opening at Bare Hands Gallery
Crawfish Boil

Saturday, May 3
PEPPER PLACE opens for 2008!
12-2 Wine Tasting at Whole Foods
7:00 Art Opening at Greencup Books, 105 Richard Arrington S
7:00 Chlidren's Dance Foundation show at Alabama Theatre
Crawfish Boil

Sunday, May 4
7:00 Derek Webb at Workplay

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