[ Thursday, August 29, 2002 ]
I read Russell Bank's Cloudsplitter about 2 years ago and unlike so many other books, its stuck with me.
It's a huge and ambitious novel, telling the story of John Brown, his family and ending at the doomed raid on Harper's Ferry. Told from the voice the bittersweet point of view of Owen, John's son, it braids several thematic lines together and does so brilliantly.
What is the nature of a violent act? Is there a crime so awful (slavery) that any means necessary to stop it are acceptable? Brown was a man so filled with the zeal of abolitionism that eventually became a cold blooded killer in his fight against slavery. At the same time, his own son is little more than slave to his father. His own free will crushed under the power of his father's charisma and strength.
It's a long novel, one where the characters development slowly. But the novel's length brings with it a richness that is extremely rare in fiction that I've read lately. This remains the best novel I've read in the past 3 years.
Peter Palermo [7:07 PM]
Rapid melting of the Arctic ice pack may turn a cherished sailor's myth into reality. The Northwest Passage, the legendary shipping shortcut from the Atlantic to the Pacific, could be ice-free in as few as 10 years, many predict.
Peter Palermo [2:36 PM]
[ Wednesday, August 28, 2002 ]
christian indoctrination made easy (thanks, Brenda)
You'll need, a large trunk with air holes for breathing, one child, a lock, and a large key ring with a key that says "Jesus" on it.
Peter Palermo [2:16 PM]
[ Tuesday, August 27, 2002 ]
what a week.
Sarah and I flew to Santa Fe last Tuesday and upon our arrival I learned that a close family member had died. I spent the next two days waffling about whether I should get on the next plan home or continue with the important mission I was on. It was only after spending an hour with a Rabbi (an hour I had been mildly dreading) that I realized that family histories are largely made of singular moments. Specific moments in time where the families gather in celebration or crisis. It's at these moments that breakthroughs can occur.
So, I flew to St. Louis and attended my first funeral as a cogent adult. It was both awful and beautiful.
Peter Palermo [1:32 PM]
[ Monday, August 19, 2002 ]
One more thing before I go...
Free Jose Padilla!
Peter Palermo [10:53 PM]
The festival is over. We wrapped it up yesterday with Arrested Development - awesome show and a massive crowd. Today, my feet are killing me. Have to spend today down in the park getting it ready for winter (seems weird to be thinking about winter in the middle of August.) And tomorrow, I'm off to Santa Fe for the rest of the week. Things will be silent here for few days.
Please, do try to find a way to carry-on.
Peter Palermo [7:37 AM]
[ Wednesday, August 14, 2002 ]
Brilliance, from Adam Felber
Peter Palermo [6:11 PM]
american kabuki
(via tower of hubris)
Peter Palermo [5:04 PM]
[ Tuesday, August 13, 2002 ]
The rise of the eco friendly home in Europe.Be It Ever So Humble: Trash Home
Once upon a time I was carpenter. I know how cheap and mass produced today's homes are. Can you imagine some McMansion in Stocton, CA lasting for 300 years, passed from generation to generation, every year growing more wonderful as it adds a familial patina? No. Like everything else in this country, buildings are disposable. If I were king, I'd decree that building codes be such that the home should be expected to last 300 years.
Peter Palermo [1:29 PM]
[ Monday, August 12, 2002 ]
the top 40 links of blogging
Peter Palermo [5:44 PM]
I sent a distilled version of what I wrote below to the local radio talk show, Forum. (This is talk-radio for rabid lefties, mind you) And Michael read it on the AIR! The playwrights that he had in the studio with him totally agreed with my point of view. Sad.
Peter Palermo [10:48 AM]
This represents another in my littany of beefs with the slag heap that passes for journalism in this town. This critic in particular, and I hope reads this -Octavio Rocca- is the worst kind of critic. Read this review he penned for the San Francisco Butoh Festival. Now, I've got many friends involved with this production, and I even prod. managed it once, years ago. It's easy to dislike Butoh as an artform and it's even easier to make bad butoh. But here's the deal...Rocca has no regard for the time and effort that these artists have put into their work. He's much more interested in getting in his zingers.
A review from Rocca is much more about Rocca than it is about the piece that is unfortunate enough to be in crosshairs. Nevermind the fact that these critics weild a huge amount of power in this town. Unfortunately, they have box office totals completely in their command. It's criminal that someone as cold and callous as Rocca can effectively close a show - based on his own petulent whims - and cast dozens of people out of work.
I used to work for Brend Way of ODC, a modern dance company that celebrated it's 30th anniversary not long ago...a monumentous feat. ODC persists much on the sheer will power, intelligence and energy of Brenda Way. Say what you will about her art, she is a force to reckon with. I remember, some years ago, Rocca reffered to her as small mind attempting to make high brow culture. The man is not a critic. This is not art criticism, this is personal attack. And, while I am sure it sells papers, it is immoral considering the amount of people who make their livelyhood from the enterprise and the number of artists who poured their life into the creation of a piece.
If I could, I would send this man to some sort of critic's gulag.
Peter Palermo [9:39 AM]
[ Friday, August 09, 2002 ]
Shall I tell you about how the local rag, the Chronicle, supported the non-profit arts presenter I work for? Now they didn't give us any cash, mind you, just some free ad space. Cost them nothing. Well, two years ago the paper got bought by Hearst in NYC and anything resembling a heart was removed from the enterprise. Now, this heartless enterprise (and I have many beefs with this souless slag heap, but I'll stay on topic) hosts something called Opera in the Park. Which is a free opera show in Golden Gate Park. Basically the same thing we do, but infinitely inferior. Any way, last year I went with the betrothed and watched with disgust as the new Golden Boy Phil Bronstein (Mr. Sharon Stone, that is) the managing editor for said slag heap, stood on stage with the fruit of his unholy union nestled in the crook of his arm complete with baby gap hat, and told us San Franciscans that we could always count on the Chronicle to support the arts and the slag heap would never let us down.
Just 6 weeks earlier, we had been told that the Chronicle was not interested in continuing its support of our Festival, after nearly 50 years.
there...I feel better.
Peter Palermo [3:53 PM]
Somebody go buy me this bad ass car.
Peter Palermo [11:04 AM]
[ Thursday, August 08, 2002 ]
world com "discovers" another 3 billion in errors
who's in charge over there? Did they have an CEO internship program or something?
Peter Palermo [5:42 PM]
Another one for my betrothed who never reads my blog.whygodwhy : American Idle
She's gotten hooked on this American Idol thing. I admit to sitting in front of the TV while it was on, but much like Clinton and his smoking, I may have watched, but I didn't enjoy. However, at one particularly painful moment, Sarah reached for the remote and turned it down.
No! I exclaimed. "Aren't we watching to see these kids fail? Turn it up!" (via harpold.com)
Peter Palermo [5:13 PM]
Back in July, the Festival hosted the Legends of Hip Hop show at the grove. On the roster were some of first hip hop dancers from back in the day. Mr. Wiggles and the Electric Boogaloo (some great clips of the day are here).Don Campbell was there and whole mess of others. What fascinated me about the whole thing was revisionistic tendencies of the whole group.
Here were a bunch of guys, my age and older, who were trying to pin down and remember the things that they did when they were 16 and just messing around. I heard so many conversations that weekend that went like - "You didn't make that move! I was lockin' in back 75! Lemme see your lock, cmon. Show me your lock. Awww, man! Than's just hard Robot."
Only now, 25 years later, do these guys realize that what they came up with is deeply engrained into the culture and they've received no credit.
Then, there was this whole East Coast, West Coast thing, with guys like Skeeter Rabbit (great name!) who actually was one of the first Crips (and explained to me how Brittney Spears now regularly does a thing called the Crip Walk that they invented as a gang symbol) and did hard time, going nose to nose with some Oakland boys who wanted their "props". Everybody wanted their props. This is a game for old men. Kids just wanna have fun and old men want props.
That's it, G.
Peter Palermo [11:53 AM]
I think this represents some sort of divine sense of humor.
Pistol fires accidentally at reception for Georgia's Rep. Bob Barr; no one injured
Bob Barr, a long time NRA flunkie gets handed an antique pistol at a reception and it fires.
Peter Palermo [9:45 AM]
[ Wednesday, August 07, 2002 ]
This one is for my lovely bride-to-be (who rarely even reads this!).
This link and the next one down via Tom Tomorrow.
Peter Palermo [2:08 PM]
GI Joe's weapon removed from him at LAX.
Even though Joe would appear to be an opperative of the US military, he was not allowed to board the plane with his plastic M-16.
Peter Palermo [1:59 PM]
[ Monday, August 05, 2002 ]
CNN is taking submissions for a new design for the ground zero. Some are actually pretty thrilling.
Peter Palermo [5:10 PM]
[ Thursday, August 01, 2002 ]
You thought Traficant's hair was too weird to be fake? You were wrong.
Peter Palermo [9:51 AM]
