Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Halloween ain't what it used to be (for sex offenders)

Today on the wire: "Sex Offenders Locked Down, In the Dark for Halloween."

I very much applaud this measure.

On a less-serious note, this morning on CNN Headline News I caught a piece about calorie-counting on Halloween ... what the hell happened to just having fun in America?!

I'm switching to MSNBC.

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Don't Tell a Soul, Vol. 50: This is finally happening

Good evening.

This right here (right now) is the latest installment of "Don't Tell a Soul." Like those that came before it, it is a mix tape of the "awesomest" caliber ... I only wish I were kidding.

As today is "Happy 'Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock' Day" in the Perrine household, I will not be providing "color commentary" with each mix tape selection.

So you'll just have to trust me on each and every one -- yes, even on the last one....

ANYWAY, like usual, to encourage the consumption of music that doesn't suck, I have provided -- wherever available -- links to free, artist-sanctioned MP3s of the songs.

Back to pretending to be a rock god!
Matt

(Questions? Comments? Want your band to be featured on an upcoming awesome mix tape? E-mail mperrine [at] duluthbudgeteer [dot] com.)

1. Rogue Wave - "Every Moment" (other MP3s available here)
2. Led Zeppelin - "Dancing Days"
3. Best Friends Forever - "Handpocket"* (listen here)
4. Eels - "Old Shit/New Shit" (listen here)
5. Super Furry Animals - "The Gateway Song" (listen here)
6. The High Strung - "The Luck You Got" (listen here)
7. Black Francis - "Threshold Apprehension" (listen here)
8. The Pixies - "Ana"
9. The Breaks - "Equidamus"
10. Hot Rod Circuit - "Weak Warm"
11. Supernova - "King Ding Dong"
12. Matthew Good Band - "Anti-Pop"
13. Apollo Sunshine - "Happening"
14. R.E.M. - "Lotus"
15. stellastarr* - "Jenny"
16. Fleming & John - "Delusions of Grandeur"
17. Galactic feat. Juvenile - "From the Corner to the Block"
18. The Hush Sound - "Crawling Towards the Sun"
19. The Stereo - "New Tokyo is Calling"
20. Matt White - "Play"
21. Warm in the Wake - "She'd Never Seen It" (listen here)
22. JJ72 - "Guidance"
23. The Swiss Army - "False Starts and Timelines"

24. The Broadways - "Dropjaw"
(Broadways song "15 Minutes" available here)
25. Five for Fighting - "Easy Tonight"

*p.s. Look for a review of Best Friends Forever's debut full-length, "Romance Conflict Adventure" -- out now on Plan-It-X Records -- in this weekend's edition of the Budgeteer.

Online Exclusive: 'DECC Official Responds to Parking Lot Break-Ins'

For the full story, visit the Budgeteer's Web site or click here.

Monday, October 29, 2007

This Afternoon's Moment of Zen: My work computer hates Perrines and everything we stand for

Today's Moment of Zen: As a former video store clerk...

Everybody Browsing At Video Store Saying Stupid Things

The Onion

Everybody Browsing At Video Store Saying Stupid Things

CHICAGO-Every single person in the Video Station Monday was overheard saying annoying and amusing stupid things.

‘Will to Murder’ author to sign third edition at Glensheen Saturday

John DeSanto, one of the authors of “Will to Murder,” has a book signing scheduled at Glensheen on Saturday, Nov. 3, from noon to 2 p.m. The signing will take place in Glensheen’s museum shop on the historic estate’s grounds, 3300 London Road, and is free and open to the public.

Will to Murder was first published in 2003 by Duluth’s X-communication and was written by former Duluth News Tribune crime reporter Gail Feichtinger and Gary Waller and John DeSanto – the men who led the investigation and prosecution of Roger Caldwell and Marjorie Hagen, the adopted daughter of Elisabeth Congdon.

The third edition includes exclusive coverage of Marjorie Caldwell Hagen’s release from an Arizona prison, the first photos of Hagen as a free woman, her suspicious activities in Tucson as “Maggie Wallis,” her 2007 arrest for check fraud and computer tampering and the mysterious death of yet another elderly person she befriended – and victimized.

Glensheen was built for the family of Chester and Clara Congdon between 1905 and 1908 and bequeathed to the University of Minnesota Duluth in 1968. It is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the winter.

More information is available by calling 726-8910 or visiting www.d.umn.edu/glen.



FURTHER READING:

"Gary Waller Looks Back at the Glensheen Killings" -- Gary Waller *ahem* looks back at the Glensheen killings. (I keed, I keed!) (written by my boss, Jana Peterson)

"From 'Quiet Neighbors' to the Ashes of the Hesperia" -- Not to plagiarize myself or anything, but it really is Glensheen's little details that make tours there really shine.

"Greetings from the Carnegie Library, Pt. 1" and "Greetings from the Carnegie Library, Pt. 2" -- The story of X-communication and Tony Dierckins, the (almost too) clever publisher behind it.

"Discover Duluth: Glensheen" -- Some pretty pictures* from the historic estate.

*At least that's what gramma keeps telling me!

A&E FYI: Risqué ‘Lysistrata’ opens St. Scholastica’s ’07-’08 theater season

The College of St. Scholastica opens its 2007-2008 theater season with Aristophanes’s “Lysistrata” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2, in the St. Scholastica Theatre on campus.

The play is directed by Nathan Carlblom, a local writer, actor, director and producer. He is co-executive producer of Working Class Theater in Duluth and has worked with the Renegade Comedy Theatre and on various local productions.

First performed in 411 B.C., “Lysistrata” is one of the most well-known Greek plays. Written by Aristophanes 21 years into the Peloponnesian War, the play revolves around the women of Athens who, tired of losing their sons to battle, conspire to deny their husbands sexual favors until they make peace with the Spartans.

“This is a new translation of the play by Jeffrey Henderson,” said Merry Vaughan, director of the St. Scholastica Theatre. “He tried to go back to Aristophanes’ original intent – which was pretty shocking.” Because of its adult language and content, Vaughan warns that the performance may not suitable for all audiences.

The play also has a strong anti-war message. “Although the same tactics will probably not work for ending the war with Iraq,” writes St. Scholastica student Tess Gallagher in her bio notes for the play (she portrays “Spartan Woman”), I hope it “will give people food for thought on how to peacefully end the [war].”

Playgoers are encouraged to read the study guide – which includes a primer on the Greek theater and “fun factoids’ – on the St. Scholastica Theatre Web site, www.css.edu/theatre.xml.

Other performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 3, 8, 9 and 10 – as well as at 2 p.m. Nov. 4 and 11. Tickets are $10 general admission, $8 for senior citizens and non-St. Scholastica students (with identification) and $5 for St. Scholastica students.

For more information, call the box office at 723-5900.

Other performances in the 2007-2008 St. Scholastica Theatre season

Student Directing Class Project
“Months on End” by Craig Pospisil
7:30 p.m. Dec. 6, 7 and 8
2 p.m. Dec. 9

“The Joy of Going Somewhere Definite” by Quincy Long
Directed by Tammy Ostrander
7:30 p.m. Feb. 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9
2 p.m. Feb. 3 and 10

“Ah, Wilderness!” by Eugene O’Neil
Directed by Scott Smith
7:30 p.m. April 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19
2 p.m. April 13 and 20

Sunday, October 28, 2007

First impressions of ... Gorillaz's 'D-Sides'

For the two-disc "D-Sides," the boys in Gorillaz have assembled a spectacular array of B-sides, demos and unreleased gems -- their very own "Odds & Sods," if you will.

The album won't be released until Nov. 20, but the Budgeteer recently got its grubby li'l paws on a copy* -- and here's how the story unfolds:

(Disc One)

1. "68 State"
("Feel Good Inc." B-side)
Pretty useless and boring ... in fact, I'm surprised this was even released as a B-side -- let alone used to lead off a much-hyped compilation.

2. "People"
(early version of "Dare")
Pretty similar to "Dare" (obviously), so the first worthy track on this here album.

3. "Hongkongaton"
("Dirty Harry" B-side)
Another throwaway track ... maybe B-sides aren't this group's bag?

4. "We are Happy Landfill"
(Web site-only download)
Goofy fun. Would've fit in nicely on the "Yellow Submarine" soundtrack.

5. "Hong Kong" (new vers.)
("Warchild" contribution)
Some strings were added to this lush -- albeit sleepy -- "Warchild" track/live staple. Definitely out of step for the group behind such fantastical numbers as "Dare" and "Feel Good Inc."

6. "Highway (Under Construction)"
("Dare" B-side)
Another sleepy B-side. Nothing to write home about.

7. "Rockit"
(demo from "Demon Days" sessions)
This demo shows a lot of potential. It's really a shame this wasn't tweaked a little more in the studio and included on "Demon Days."

8. "Bill Murray" (feat. the Bees)
("Feel Good Inc." B-side)
OK, I was wrong earlier: Gorillaz can release decent B-sides. While not upbeat, it's quirky enough to land on a mix tape someday.

9. "The Swagga"
(limited-edition "Demon Days" bonus track)
Things are definitely picking up.

10. "Murdoc is God"
("Dirty Harry" B-side)
Or are they? If "Murdoc is God" is good for anything, it's insufferable noise.

11. "Spitting Out the Demons"
("Feel Good Inc." B-side)
Lush, cinematic and ... funky? This one's all over the place (in a good way).

12. "Don't Get Lost in Heaven" (demo)
Hey, it's like Gorillaz on Mountain Dew! A HA HA

13. "Stop the Dams" (feat. the Sugarcubes' Einar Orn)
("Kids with Guns/El Manana" B-side)
Lo and behold, the lone essential track on "D-Sides." If Radiohead's "No Surprises" (or the Melvins' "Skin Horse," for that matter) has always held a special place in your heart, get ready to run down to your local record store: This is simply a magnificent composition that no collection should be without.

(Disc Two)

1. "Dare" (DFA remix)
When DFA remixes work, they really work (Fischerspooner's "Emerge"); but, when "more cowbell" fails to impress, you get something like this. And, at 12-plus minutes, who do these self-indulgent jokers think they are? Iron Butterfly?!

2. "Feel Good Inc." (Stanton Warriors remix)
Another lengthy, unnecessary (re-)version of a Gorillaz classic....

3. "El Manana" (TTC remix)
This track wasn't on the version of "D-Sides" I received, so I apologize for having nothing to say about it.

4. "Kids with Guns" (Jamie T's "Turns to Monsters" mix)
Almost a complete departure from the original -- actually, it almost sounds as if the ad wizards in Radiohead remixed this thing. (Hint: Not a good thing.)

5. "Dare" (Soulwax remix)
Soulwax delivers the first decent remix of this whole set, with a Felix da Housecat/early Nine Inch Nails vibe.

6. "Kids with Guns" (Hot Chip remix)
Another decent remix. In fact, Hot Chip almost makes you forget about the original for awhile. In its place? A dreamy soundscape that conjures up the end of the night ... right before the lights are flipped back on.

7. "El Manana" (Metronomy remix)
Strange, but its "old world charm" deserves at least one spin.

8. "Dare" (Junior Sanchez remix)
This one is pretty fun. "Dance Dance Revolution," here it comes!

9. "Dirty Harry" (Schtung Chinese New Years remix)

Pass.

10. "Kids with Guns" (Quiet Village remix)

Militant a la the Clash's "Straight to Hell." Very cool.

THE VERDICT? Save for "Stop the Dams" and a handful of others, "D-Sides" is a release for only the most hardcore of Gorillaz completists. Not what their record label hoped for, I'm sure, but "the suits" perhaps should've seen it coming.

*Mahalo, Virgin!

Friday, October 26, 2007

Today's Moment of Zen: "Kids Against Abstinence!" (Courtesy of FunnyOrDie.com)

This Week's Shameless Budgeteer Plug: Brian Barber, the Buffali, Hartley Park and more!

The countdown to the Giljunko reunion at Pizza Luce on Halloween is on, so ... what to do, what to do ... oh, I know: Take a break from staring at your clocks and read the Budgeteer!

Or at least my stories:

"'B' is for Brian Barber, Illustrator Extraordinaire" -- This guy really is making us look bad. When he's not illustrating children's books, he's directing art (?) at WestmorelandFlint and playing drums/making sweet posters for Duluth's preeminent lounge act, Tangier 57.

"The Buffali are coming! The Buffali are coming!"
-- I had a lot of fun writing this column, I really did. p.s. Did you hear that the Buffali are coming?!

"Discover Duluth: Hartley Park, Vol. II"
-- It's the return. I know you heard it coming.

I also contributed photos to two fantastical Matt Suoja creations, "The King of All the Kernels" (check the supersweet recipe from the missus) and "Now's Your Chance to Throw Rocks at the House."

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

A&E FYI: The Mr. Nice for Mayor Campaign Rally/Performance/Community Art Show/Beer Tasting

Mere days before the Duluth mayoral election (Nov. 3, to be more specific), a campaign rally for Mr. Nice will be held at the Washington Studios Galleries, 315 N. Lake Ave., from 7 to 11 p.m.

The event, which is open to the public, will feature a speech and performance by mayoral candidate Mr. Nice, a community art show opening of two dozen local artists, a human buffet table, the Free Duluth Muppets, a jazz band and a beer tasting sponsored by Lake Superior Brewing Company.

Come hear this inspiring speaker articulate his “New Freshness” Plan for Duluth.

For more information, visit www.myspace.com/mrniceformayor or dial 724-4926 for the Mr. Nice for Mayor campaign headquarters. (I’m sure Jim Richardson, Mr. Nice’s “campaign manager,” would be happy to hear from you.)

(Image courtesy of Mr. Nice's "handlers.")



FURTHER READING: "Mayoral Roundup No. 3," in which puppet extraordinaire Mr. Nice enters the Duluth mayoral race.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Lost Gem of the Moment: Zubaz (are back!!!)

I don't know what's more bizarre: The fact that Zubaz are back* in the first place, or that the state responsible is Minnesota. (They're produced in Little Canada.)

*And, as a sign of the times, Zubaz.com has links to promotional pages on both MySpace and Facebook.

(Image courtesy of Zubaz.)

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Don't Tell a Soul, Vol. 49

Good evening.

What you're about to witness -- the latest installment of "Don't Tell a Soul" -- is a mix tape of the most awesomest caliber ... I only wish I were kidding.

ANYWAY, to encourage the consumption of music that doesn't
suck, I have provided -- wherever available -- links to free, artist-sanctioned MP3s of the songs.

Free Hawai'i!
Matt

(Questions or comments? E-mail mperrine [at] duluthbudgeteer [dot] com.)


1. Slow Runner - "Lower Your Standards"
Just something to remember when more than a month passes between each and every awesome mix tape!

2. Baboon - "Airplane"
Baboon is an enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in mystery ... I mean, their songs are as beautiful as anything offered up by ever-popular Nada Surf -- yet they never seem to get any R-E-S-P-E-C-T and/or G-R-O-U-P-I-E-S outside of their native Texas? For shame, America! (Super-secret p.s. The group's last album, "Something Good is Going to Happen," is available for only $5.99 here. It's a plain shame if you don't own that one, because it's easily one of the most rewarding records ever produced.)

3. Matthew Good Band - "Truffle Pigs"
Similarly, I have yet to run into a Matthew Good fan in these here "nifty 50." As far as earnest, enjoyable rock 'n' roll goes, Canada has got it made.

4. Weezer - "Love Explosion"
Lyrics that demand attention: "Take a listen around you / All the people that crowd around in your house / They've been wanting / To kill you in your sleep."

5. Rick Springfield - "Love is Alright Tonite"
In case I haven't said so before ... Netflix NOW: "Wet Hot American Summer."

6. Rick Henrickson - "Cool Dry Place" (listen here)
The best power pop I've heard in some time -- and I listen to a lot of power pop!

7. Super Furry Animals - "Run-Away" (listen here)
Recommended if you like Frank Black when he does his best to ape David Bowie and the Beach Boys (at the same time), with a slight hint of Roy Orbison's Grade A crooning.

8. The Bigger Lovers - "Slice of Life"
Remember what I just said about Rick Henrickson? Well, that statement also applies to this infectious track from the Bigger Lovers.

9. The New Pornographers - "Fortune"
What A.C. Newman had to say about this gem of a "Challengers" B-side on Matador's "Buy Early, Get Now" Web site: "It was a shocker when this one ended up getting cut, like when Melinda Doolittle got voted off 'American Idol.' This song is about my old neighborhood, Carroll Gardens, and the girl that I fell in love with there, much like the songs 'Challengers,' 'Unguided' and 'Go Places.' Actually the song starts off in Greenwood Cemetery and then ends up in Carroll Gardens. Same difference."

10. Ten seconds of crowd noise
Don't ask....

11. Imperial Teen - "Everyone Wants to Know"
For some reason, I really wasn't excited when I found out there was going to be another Imperial Teen album -- and this is weird, because I've celebrated each and every I.T. release like most would with the arrival of a new child or puppy -- but, after just 30 seconds of this gem, you'll realize what a dumbass I was being.

12. Christian Erickson - "Your Stupid Car"
Sweet title, no? It should come as no surprise from a member of the group Astronaut Wife.

13. Pilot - "She Sits in Sunlight" (listen here)
Can you believe this is the same group that released the delicious ELO ripoff track "Magic" in 1974? Well, I can't ... and it's not. Common misconception, really -- and an unfortunate one. (This Pilot features the talents of the Dharmu Bums' Jeremy Wilson.)

14. Fleetwood Mac - "Think About Me"
Man, classics like this just make me want to sell all of my earthly possessions (save for my record collection, that is) and move out into the vast Wisconsin Outback.

15. Minus the Bear - "Pachuca Sunrise"
Someone took a few too many Modest Mouse pills....

16. Fluf - "The Chooser" (listen here)
I know, I know; "Don't Tell a Soul" isn't supposed to rock but, dammit, robot voices calling me an "ass-munching pig" is just too funny to resist.

17. Grayskul - "Scarecrow"
Are you, like me, nostalgic for the very recent past? I just can't shake that recent Luckyiam/Grayskul/Mac Lethal/Atmosphere quadruple whammy at Pizza Luce ... I'm afraid I'll never be able to witness another hip-hop bill quite like that ever again.

18. Edsel - "Empire" (unrelated Google results here)
One of the many nameless, faceless indie rock groups from the mid-'90s inhabiting my record collection. I love 'em, but I couldn't tell you a single thing about them.

19. Motion City Soundtrack - "Broken Heart"
(listen here)
It's getting harder and harder to defend this band ... especially after Friday's show St. Scholastica, where they played with the OK Mae, the shitty Anberlin and the even shittier Metro(sexual) Station.

But, hey, MCS put on a great show!

20. Gaunt - "Maybe in the Next World"
Some light, mindless quasi-punk before ...

21. David Mead - "Girl on the Roof"
The one good thing to come out of "Van Wilder."

22. Medication - "Kool Kid"
This deserves to be in a TV commercial -> "Hey, wanna buy this blazer?!"

23. Fair-Weather Friend - "Elegy for Crash Perfecto"
Duluth perfection. (p.s. Some Fair-Weather Friend MP3s available here.)

24. Ed Harcourt - "All of Your Days will be Blessed"
(watch the video here)
For better or worse, Harcourt's beautiful songs evoke those very few memories I have of Bismarck, N.D.

Discuss.

25. Bob Mould - "See a Little Light"
This guy just never stops making music, does he? Here's one from way back when (1989).

Friday, October 19, 2007

This Week's Shameless Budgeteer Plug: Haunted Shack, Lookdown Moon and Storyhill

We here at Fly High, Duluth!* appreciate the goodwill nature of Morgan Park's Haunted Shack enterprise, and all of the charitable contributions it -- and its creator, Pat Stojevich, of course -- makes throughout the community. All together now, a hefty CHEERS!

In that spirit, it was an honor to be able to tour this year's event and snap a few photos. Check out "Discover Duluth: Haunted Shack" to see what we/I came up with.

Also this week, I had the opportunity to sit down with Ann Loop, frontwoman of the eclectic Duluth rock group Lookdown Moon. Hear what she had to say in "Lookdown Moon Readies Full-Length Debut."

Finally, this week's pride and joy, "Storyhill Does Duluth, or: Weber's $10M Price Tag Finally Pays Off" -- a concert review, of course! (Set list available here.)**

*OK, it's really just me, but I thought that sounded better....
**A special thanks to the group's unauthorized fan site for its near-complete Storyhill lyric database, which allowed me to figure out the set list a lot quicker than I would've been able to on my own.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Renegade Radio to broadcast live with Mayor Bergson

Renegade Comedy Theatre returns to the airwaves with the next edition of “The Renegade Radio Hour.”

This locally produced sketch comedy show will be broadcast live on KUWS 91.3 FM from 7 to 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 29.

The show will be staged at the Pickwick Restaurant in downtown Duluth.

Admission is free, but audience members are asked to be seated by 6:55 p.m. before the show goes on the air live at 7. (Those famous Pickwick onion rings will be able to be ordered during the show, however.)

“The Renegade Radio Hour” is the only locally produced, originally written sketch comedy show on Twin Ports radio, and it is all performed live in front of a studio audience.

This Halloween-themed show is ready to have some fun with a wide variety of topics, including Sen. Larry Craig doing his "wide-stance dance," Mayor Herb Bergson contemplating his last Halloween in office and "the great debate" between Duluth mayoral candidates Charlie Bell and Don Ness.

The celebrity guest is Mayor Herb Bergson, and the musical guest is singer/songwriter Jerree Small.

For more information on “The Renegade Radio Hour,” call 722-6775 or visit www.renegadecomedy.org.

(Photo and text courtesy of Renegade Comedy Theatre. Photo info: This is a scene from the last “Renegade Radio Hour,” which was broadcast live during the Homegrown Music Festival. Pictured left to right are performers Tom Martinson, Cathy Berggren, Crystal Pelkey, Cheri Tesarek and Cheryl Skafte, singing about the Bluesfest possibly moving to the Buffalo House while musical guests Charlie Parr and Jamie Ness -- far right -- accompany the sketch. Technical Director John Munson -- center stage -- reacts to Tom Martinson’s singing.)

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Are you doing your part for the Aloha State?

A&E FYI: Packa celebrates new book with Spirit Lake reading

Duluth’s own Sheila Packa will read from her new book, “The Mother Tongue,” on Saturday, Nov. 10, at 7:30 p.m. in Somers Lounge at the College of St. Scholastica. The event is part of the 11th season of the Spirit Lake Poetry Series.

Packa has published poems, short stories and essays in numerous literary magazines and anthologies. “The Mother Tongue” is her first full-length poetry book, and the latest release from Calyx Press of Duluth.

Her first chapbook, “Always Saying Good-bye,” was published by Poetry Harbor. She has also published a chapbook and collaborative poetry/music CD with cellist Kathy McTavish called “Dear Bird.” McTavish will perform with Packa at the reading.

Packa grew up on the Iron Range and is the granddaughter of Finnish immigrants. She has an MFA in creative writing, and is an adjunct instructor at Lake Superior College. She has received two Arrowhead Regional Arts Council fellowships for poetry and two
Loft-McKnight Awards.

Admission to the event is free, and complimentary refreshments will be served. Packa will sign books following her performance.

Funding for the Spirit Lake Poetry Series is provided by grants from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, the College of St. Scholastica, Northern Lights Books and Gifts and the Lee and Rose Warner Foundation.

(Text courtesy of Paul Lundgren.)

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Minnesota’s first online(ish) daily launches Nov. 8

No word yet on whether or not the paper will have a Duluth bureau...

MinnPost.com (and a paper version known as MinnPost in Print) will launch November 8, it was announced today by Joel Kramer, CEO and editor of the not-for-profit startup.

Kramer also said that in addition to the $1.1 million of previously announced major gifts, MinnPost has now raised more than $107,000 from 220 member-donors. This surpasses MinnPost’s projection of $75,000 for all of 2007, Kramer said. The smallest of these donations is $10. The largest is $36,000 – received recently from the Martin and Brown Foundation, a local family foundation.

“MinnPost will be about great journalists doing great journalism,” Kramer said. Six editors will oversee contributions from more than four dozen journalists, including two Pulitzer Prize winners. (See Web site for a complete list contributing journalists.)

“We’ll also have some fun,” Kramer said. “Al Sicherman has agreed to host a regular contest inviting MinnPost.com readers to submit humorous creative entries on a topic and in a form selected by Al, accompanied by Al’s own entry. Readers will later vote for a winner from finalists selected by Al. He submitted a sample this week, asking for limericks about Sen. Larry Craig’s induction into the Idaho Hall of Fame.”

Two others have joined the more than 50 journalists who have signed on with MinnPost.com:

* Catherine Watson, former Star Tribune travel editor, will report on travel trends.

* Adam Graham-Silverman, reporter for Congressional Quarterly in Washington, will cover the Minnesota congressional delegation.

Five days a week, MinnPost.com will offer news stories of interest to Minnesotans, an analysis of a national or global story, numerous informal posts by experienced reporters, a commentary by someone in the community and a number of other features.

“The site will emphasize quality and uniqueness over quantity,” Kramer said. “Our aim is to ensure that everything you see at MinnPost.com involves solid reporting, thought-provoking insights and excellent story-telling.”

The site will include audio and video stories, as well as writing and photography. It will also include reader comment and other forms of reader participation.

In addition to the Web site, MinnPost in Print will be a small-format newspaper published every weekday, containing highlights of the Web site’s content. Readers can download it at the Web site and print it at home or office, or they can find a copy at selected high-traffic locations around town over the lunch hour. The locations will be announced at a later date.

Starting this week, we will publish at www.minnpost.com several editors’ notes a week, previewing the kinds of content that will be found at the site and giving a real example of each format. By the time of the launch, readers will have a good idea what MinnPost.com and MinnPost in Print will offer, and how readers can engage with the site.

“These previews offer a side benefit,” said Roger Buoen, MinnPost managing editor. “Our journalists have started reporting, and they’re producing some really good work that won’t stay fresh for a month, so we’ll publish some of that work as we explain what each kind of content will be like.”

MinnPost has also begun selling sponsorships and advertising, both on MinnPost.com and in MinnPost in Print. Contact Sally Waterman, director of advertising, at (612) 455-6953, or Lynn Benson, director of community sponsorships, at (612) 455-6960.

MinnPost was started in August with gifts totaling $850,000 from four founding families and soon received a grant commitment of $250,000 from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in Miami. MinnPost has applied for 501c3 not-for-profit status, and expects its application to be approved by the IRS sometime next year.

(Text and logo courtesy of MinnPost.com.)

Monday, October 15, 2007

First impressions of ... Cliff Eberhardt's 'The High Above and the Down Below'

In honor of Cliff Eberhardt's show tomorrow night at Amazing Grace in Canal Park (7:30 p.m., Kim Curtis-Monson of the Fish Heads opens), I thought I'd bump the singer/songwriter's new album -- his fourth for Red House Records, seventh overall -- up the CD-review queue and give you a "sneak peek."

1. "The High Above and the Down Below" (listen here)
A slice of Eberhardt's liner notes for the album: "This is the recording that I always wanted to make. It is my wish that you enjoy it half as much as I enjoyed making it."

I do.

While I was led to believe that Eberhardt is the second coming of Randy Newman -- he's not (not talent-wise, but vocal-wise) -- his after-midnight blues vibe is definitely something you wouldn't want to take lightly.

2. "Missing You"
Even better is this slightly vulnerable slow burner, which seems tailor-made for the most isolating of late-autumn evenings. (Pack your slivovitz!)

3. "It's Home Everywhere I Go"
Like Bob Seger in his 1976 prime, I could see myself driving a rig* cross-country and keeping this smoke-filled gem on repeat.

4. "The Next Big Thing"
(listen here)
On the other hand, this one's more along the lines of "Face the Promise" -- decent enough, but possesses somewhat of a getting-late-in-the-ballgame quality.

5. "The Right Words"
Ah, yes, here's where all those Randy Newman comparisons come into the picture: This here singer/songwriter sure knows how to get the most out of his players. (According to Eberhardt's online bio, "High Above" was recorded in Minneapolis with three noted jazz men.)

6. "After the Rain Falls"
Ed Ved in 20 more years? Perhaps.

(p.s. This track features conga playing by Wild Sound's Matthew Zimmerman ... any relation to Bobby Dylan?)

7. "Assembly Line"
Fact: Eberhardt likes the night, and he likes it real late. (It seems that at least half of his lyrics were penned well beyond the midnight hour.)

8. "Dug Your Own Grave"
This one's kinda funny, kinda tragic ... you know how that goes.

9. "Let This Whole Thing Burn"
If The Boss fronted Santana's band before Carlos really started to suck, the world could've had tracks like this instead of the craptastic, all-the-way-to-No. 1 collaborations we ended up with.

Listen, I don't care if Santana deserved a blockbuster like "Supernatural" ... because that was so not what the world needed.


10. "New is What's Come Over You"
A sleeper (with a decidedly funny title) before ...

11. "I'm All Right"
(listen here)
A midtempo gem that, I must say, is probably the first one I would play for someone who's never heard Eberhardt before -- it is quite approachable.

12. "Goodbye Again"
Enjoyable enough, but a little too anticlimactic to do the songs before it any justice.

*Fully furnished, of course.

A&E FYI: My boss’s new career as a JFK impersonator

Guess who’s celebrating the holidays dressed as JFK? None other than Superior Telegram publisher/Bostonian extraordinaire Ken Browall!

Read on…

A cast of unlikely characters will haunt Fairlawn Mansion for two performances of “An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe” Friday and Saturday, Oct. 26 and 27, beginning at 7 pm.

Written and directed by Judith Liebaert, this comedic farce invites guest to sit back and enjoy the fun while ghostly celebrities roast the master of the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe.

Thinking her séance just an innocent parlor game, the mistress of the manor seems to have summoned forth a host of dead celebrities intent on having a good time while they can.

The cast of “celebrities” includes Dean Martin (played by Gary Banker), Groucho Marx (Dale Botten), Foster Brooks ( Matt Cetnar), William Braveheart Wallace (Roger Morris), Kate Hepburn (Kate Horvath), Snow White (Debbie Anderson), John F. Kennedy (Browall), Marilyn Monroe (Judith Liebaert, the play’s writer), Truman Capote (Charlie Glazman), Sarah Good (Stacy Reuille Dupont), Bridget Bishop (Bridget Markwood) and, of course, Poe himself (John Munson).

To once again put to rest these ill-behaved spirits which have overrun his beloved Fairlawn, Poe agrees to subject himself to their cutting commentary and reclaim his beloved Fairlawn forevermore.

Tickets are $18 and must be purchased in advance by calling Fairlawn at (715) 378-4550. Dessert and coffee will be served after the performance.

(Text courtesy of Fairlawn Mansion.)

Set List: Storyhill @ Weber Music Hall 10.11.07

When Storyhill launched the current leg of its national tour last Thursday at UMD's Weber Music Hall, the results were awe-inspiring -- to say the least.

But that's now why we're here today (a full review of the folk rock duo's uncanny performance will appear in this weekend's edition of the Budgeteer*). No, we're here to rub it in with a set list from that night's performance ... take that, non-attendees!

1. "Somewhere in Between" (from 1995's "Clearing")
2. "New Year's" (from 1994's "Miles and Means")
3. "Good Rain" (from 1996's "This Side of Lost")
4. "Sacramento" (from 2006's "Storyhill")
5. "Ballad of Joe Snowboard" (from 2006's "Storyhill")
6. "Better Angels" (new John Hermanson song, I believe)
7. "Blazing Out of Sight" (from 2006's "Storyhill")
8. "Happy Man" (from 2006's "Storyhill")
9. "Highlight" (from 2006's "Storyhill")
10. "Old Sea Captain" (from 1996's "This Side of Lost")
11. "Mary on the Mountain" (from 1996's "This Side of Lost")
12. "What Was Wrong" (from 2002's "Dovetail")
13. "Full Circle" (Chris Cunningham song with group Sixth Sense)
14. "Love Will Find You" (from 2006's "Storyhill")
15. "Angel" (from 2002's "Dovetail")
16. "White Roses" (from 1996's "This Side of Lost")
17. "Paradise Lost" (from 2006's "Storyhill")

ENCORE BREAK

18. "If I Could"
(from 1994's "Miles and Means")
19. "Stillwater" (from 1995's "Clearing")
20. "Steady On"
(from 1995's "Clearing")

*If you can't wait that long, kill some time by reading my review of Storyhill's latest album.

Budgeteer piece becomes GOP fodder

This was somewhat unexpected...

They Said It!

Mike Ciresi On What Al Franken Has Delivered For Minnesotans

“Let me ask you, what has Al Franken delivered for Minnesotans? The answer is self-evident: He hasn’t. … I have got things done for Minnesotans my entire career, and Al hasn’t.” (Matthew R. Perrine and Matt Suoja, “Minneapolis Lawyer Mike Ciresi Discusses His Bid For U.S. Senate,” Budgeteer News, October 12, 2007)

- 30 -

Prepared and paid for by Republican Party of Minnesota » Ron Carey Chairman » www.mngop.com

Friday, October 12, 2007

This Week's Shameless Budgeteer Plug: Mary Plaster, Hartley Park, book reviews and Mike Ciresi

If you missed Storyhill's sparkling performance at UMD last night, do me a favor and kick yourself. But, just to show there's no hard feelings, I've decided to share some excellent reading material with you ... no, no; thank you:

"Jim Henson's Puppets Never Got This Involved" -- Spirit Mountain artist Mary Plaster is a fascinating lady, and you won't be disappointed by her work -- whether it's the Dancing Icons or trusty ol' Green Man, her larger-than-life papier-mache puppets are guaranteed to dazzle.

"Book Reviews: The North Shore's State Parks and Some Funny-Lookin' 'Pig Boats'" -
Reviewed (nay, enjoyed) this week: Ron Morton and Steve Morse's “Gooseberry Falls to Grand Portage: A Walking Guide to the Hiking Trails in Minnesota’s North Shore State Parks” and Neel R. Zoss’ “McDougall’s Great Lakes Whalebacks."

"Discover Duluth: Hartley Park, Vol. I" -- Yes, it's true: I dropped the hate and learned to love the vast expanse that is Hartley. (Don't get sick of it, though, because coming at you in a couple weeks is this installment's sequel!)

I also helped out with "Minneapolis Lawyer Mike Ciresi Discusses His Bid for U.S. Senate" ... first Franken, then Ciresi? I feel like such a professional journalist. LOL

p.s. As an added bonus, the standalone photo "The Awesome Power of Miller Creek" -- taken at Lincoln Park during the Monday flood warning in Duluth -- is also floating around the Budgeteer's corner of cyberspace. (Hint: It looks a lot like this week's "poster.")

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

A&E FYI: Native American ceremony and feast at St. Scholastica today

A feast and ceremony honoring a drum handcrafted by master drum maker Patrick Legarde will be held at 11 a.m. today in Somers Lounge on the College of St. Scholastica campus. The event is open to the public.

Schedule of events:

11 to 11:30 a.m. – Welcome and brief history of the drum
11:30 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. – Drum songs and prayers
12:10 to 12:15 p.m. – Remarks from Larry Goodwin, St. Scholastica
president
12:15 to 12:30 p.m. – Honor song
12:30 to 1 p.m. – Feast
1 p.m. – Closing and traveling song

Legarde, a member of the Pic Mobert Ojibwe community in northern Ontario, Canada, worked with students to craft the large frame drum for the college. He began his work Sept. 17 and was hosted by the Scholastica’s Ojibwe Language and Culture Education Program in conjunction with its School of Education.

“Having Patrick Legarde handcraft this drum at St. Scholastica has been a gift of creativity and generosity that is deeply appreciated by all,” said Al Hunter, program coordinator for Native Teachers for the Seventh Generation Program.

“We are proud to be a part of the honoring of American Indian culture signified in the drum,” said Larry Goodwin, St. Scholastica president. “We support ongoing efforts by American Indian students to demonstrate pride in their culture. We want American Indian students to know that they have a place here at The College of St. Scholastica.”

For more information, contact Al Hunter at 723-6109 or ahunter@css.edu.

(Text courtesy of the College of St. Scholastica.)

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Today's Moment of Zen: The Onion's Take on the Duluth RIAA Verdict

File Sharer Fined $222,000

A Minnesota woman was fined $222,000 for illegally downloading and distributing 24 songs via the file-sharing network Kazaa. What do you think?

Young Man

Pete Carson,
Furniture Mover
"Wow, is that how much music costs now? Honestly, I have no idea, I haven't paid for music in years."

Old Man

Shelley Birney,
Painter
"A stiff fine, yes, but it's hardly as bad as when I was punched in the stomach for humming 'Hollaback Girl' on the elevator."

Black Man

Hans Hoerzl,
Curtain Installer
"To avoid any problems, I'll just start stealing from the record store again."

(Courtesy of The Onion.)


A&E FYI: Cool show 'opens' at Blue Iris tonight!

A&E FYI: Little Treasures Boo Hoo Ball to help save preschool

Imagine being a child who is continually moving because your mom is single and homeless. You stay with relatives or friends sometimes, other times you stay in a shelter.

Now imagine going to a childcare center every day where you are lovingly greeted, where the caregivers understand you and your mom, where your environment is stable and you can count on everything being the same, every day.

Imagine this place also helping your mom with basic needs and with referrals to community services that can help her continue her education or find a job.

Imagine them also helping her learn how to parent you more effectively.

To many area children and families this wonderful, stable place is Little Treasures Childcare and Family Center – the same place that has been looking for an affordable building to house its infants, toddlers and preschoolers in one place since January.

Little Treasures currently serves 18 infants and toddlers at its main site in the Human Development Center at 1401 E. First St. and 12 preschoolers at its preschool located in an apartment across the street. The lease on the preschool apartment was to end this month, leaving Little Treasures with no space for its preschoolers. However, that lease has been extended through November. Arrangements are currently being made to move Little Treasures’ preschoolers to a temporary location while grants and the fund-raising needed to rent or purchase a suitable space are collected.

Enter Little Treasures’ board of directors, a group that has been holding fund-raisers, knocking on doors and brainstorming ways to raise the funds needed to save the preschool and find a new home for Little Treasures.

Little Treasures’ board is currently in a big push to organize and sell tickets for a fund-raiser benefiting Little Treasures called the Boo Hoo Ball.

The Boo Hoo Ball will be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 20 at the Duluth Art Institute’s Lincoln Center, 2229 W. Second St.

The evening will include live music from Taconite, hors d’ oeuvres from New Scenic Café and spirits from Last Chance Liquor.

A costume contest and a silent auction will round out the evening’s festivities. Tickets are $65 and can be purchased by calling (218) 348-3517.

“We are hoping the Boo Hoo Ball will become our annual fundraiser,” said Peg Johnson, executive director of Little Treasures Childcare and Family Center. “Our wish is that every family be given the tools and the opportunity to stabilize, grow and thrive. We’d like to thank everyone who has worked so hard to help us continue our mission and to get the Boo Hoo Ball off the ground.”

The Boo Hoo Ball is being made possible by Republic Bank and through a grant from the Northland Foundation. Additional sponsors currently include Stolat Partners, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, New York Life-Jim Johnson, SMDC Health System, GPM, Inc., Lake Superior Medical Society Alliance, Monaco Air, KTM Paving and Hansen House Company.

Little Treasures Childcare and Family Center seeks to strengthen families and the community by integrating family support, parent education and enriched childcare services. Little Treasures is located at 1401 E. First St. The nonprofit center has been serving families in the community since 2000.

(Image and text courtesy of Little Treasures.)

Sunday, October 7, 2007

Don't Tell a Soul, Vol. 48: Run, run, run these yards

It's baaaaaaaaaaaaack!

The latest installment of "Don't Tell a Soul" -- which I created nearly a month ago -- is a mix tape of the "most awesomest" caliber.I only wish I were kidding.


ANYWAY, to encourage the consumption of music that doesn't suck, I have provided -- wherever available -- links to free, artist-sanctioned MP3s of the songs.

Farewell!
Matt

(Questions or comments? E-mail mperrine [at] duluthbudgeteer [dot] com.)

1. Rex Aquarium - "Alicia"
If you like Kings of Leon, but kind of sort of wish they were much more indie -- and decidedly less southern (what's left, right?) -- here's the band for you.

2. Pollen - "Caramel"
Pop punk gets a bad rap when you consider songs like this. The rest of the time, though, that "rap" is 85 percent** accurate.

3. Atmosphere - "RFTC"
Hey, remember when Atmosphere opened its current nationwide tour with a two-night stand at Pizza Luce in Duluth? That was awesome. (p.s. Does anyone else hear a sample from the "Grand Theft Auto" series in this track -- perhaps the theme to "San Andreas" in its entirety?) (p.p.s. "Sunshine," another excellent track from the "Sad Clown Bad Summer" EP, is available for free at Rhymesayers.com.)

4. Aqualung - "Somebody to Love" (Queen cover)
Great song, fairly note-by-note reading. (p.s. "Baby Goodbye," a "Still Life" bonus track -- that wasn't actually on the album -- is available for free at Aqualung's official site.)

5. Rogue Wave - "Chicago X 12"
It's reassuring that Rogue Wave hasn't changed a bit from Album No. 1 -- few bands sacrifice growth for consistency ... while this isn't always a good thing (rarely, in fact), it just works. (p.s. Another new track, "Lake Michigan," available at Spin.com.)

6. Death in Vegas - "Ein for Die Damen (This One's for the Ladies)" (listen here)
The best example of a "wordless sound poem." Ha ha ha....

7. Beulah - "Waiting for Sunset"
Why was this cut from "The Coast is Never Clear"? Makes no sense: A perfect addition to an otherwise-perfect album (which was probably the only ray of sunshine on 9/11).

8. Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers - "4th Street Moon" (listen here)
Listen, if my wife likes this band, you probably will too.

9. Of Montreal - "She's My Best Friend" (Velvet Underground cover)
I miss the '60s ... oh, wait.

10. Matthew Good Band - "Everything is Automatic"
I love The Onion, but a recent A.V. Club feature on Canadian rock failed to mention the Matthew Good Band and all of its frontman's genius output.

11. Donovan - "Riki Tiki Tavi"
I like the silliness, I do.

12. Fleetwood Mac - "That's Enough for Me"
"Yeah-uh, yeah-uh, yeah-uh, yeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!"

13. Arcade Fire - "Headlights Look Like Diamonds" (live at First Avenue)
Excellent show. Wish I had been there....

Oh, well, we can all live vicariously through free MP3s and
How Was the Show's review.

14. Ashley MacIsaac - "The Devil in the Kitchen"
I don't know about the kitchen, but the devil* was certainly ... at Pawn America this weekend. (I really didn't have a joke to go here, so I'm linking to something I posted on Perfect Duluth Day. Copout, I know.)

15. Battershell - "Bee Song" (listen here)
For fans of the Kelley Deal 6000, a million-odd female-fronted mid-'90s "alternative" bands and, to a lesser extent, Syrup USA.

16. The Spitfires - "Hooligans"
I can't honestly remember where this song is from, but I will say fans of the Dropkick Murphys probably won't be disappointed.

17. The Enkindels - "Just Another Sell Out" (listen here)
Who, me? I will have you know that the Budgeteer's upcoming "Discover Duluth" ad campaign featuring yours truly was not my idea!

18. Spirit of the West - "Home for a Rest"
Forget what I said about the Spitfires -- this jubilant track sounds practically tailormade for DM fans worldwide.

19. The Blue Aeroplanes - "Anti-Pretty" (listen here)
A little dated, but enjoyable nonetheless.

20. Cole Marquis - "The Landing Lights are Always On"
America's answer to Sondre Lerche? Not quite, but you can do a lot worse than Cole Marquis.

21. The Candy Skins - "Black and Blue"
Hey, remember the early '90s? This one'll bring you right back!

*Or at least a few of those pesky gremlins....
**At least -- but I'm certainly no betting man.

Friday, October 5, 2007

This Week's Shameless Budgeteer Plug: Kyle Underwood, CD reviews and skater pics

Life is swell, is it not?

I recently found out that 24 hours after I biked down a volcano in Maui (on my much-belated honeymoon), someone died doing the exact same thing!

So, yeah, I'm just happy to be here ... well, the recently purchased Pearl Jam box set "Live at the Gorge 05/06" didn't hurt, if you know what I mean. (Not one but two covers of my favorite song, "Baba O'Riley"!)*

All right, on with this week's "masterworks":

"Kyle Underwood: More than a Meteorologist" -- The proof's in the photos, my friends.

"CD Reviews: Say Hello to Duluth Songstress Leane Perius, Breaking Benjamin and the Black Lips" -- On second thought, you might want to say "goodbye" to Breaking Benjamin. Local singer/songwriter Leane Perius and Atlanta garage-rock titans the Black Lips, on the other hand ... well, they just might have released the best records of their respective careers. (To clarify: There is no doubt that Perius has, as "Virginia Wakes" is her debut record!)

Finally, I took some shots for David Buckner's "Skaters Flock to Recently Reopened Encounter." Not my best work, but I'm much obliged to Cody Mjolsness for sacrificing his skate time to "pose" (though "blurringly whiz past my camera" is probably more accurate LOL).

*It certainly is an "!"-y day, innit?

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

First impressions of ... Jimmy Eat World's "Chase this Light"

"Chase this Light," album No. 5 for Arizona's kings of "girlfriend-safe" rock, Jimmy Eat World, won't be released until Oct. 16, but the Budgeteer got its grubby li'l paws on a copy this afternoon -- and here's how the story unfolds:

1. "Big Casino"
This song has a simple message: Sonically, Jimmy Eat World hasn't skipped a beat since its last effort, the underrated "Futures," and, melody-wise, the group is looking back to its pre-"Bleed American" roots.

Catchy, but not too catchy.

2. "Let it Happen"
"Let it Happen" just screams lead-off single ... am I wrong? I don't listen to radio, so I wouldn't know. (Anyway, before I forget, you can listen to tracks off "Chase this Light" at JimmyEatWorld.com, and pre-orders at select merchants will net you a bonus disc with the exclusive track "Open Bar Reception" -- which, unfortunately, I do not have access to.)

3. "Always Be"
Billy Joel? No, Matt, no. Sorry, the snapping of the fingers threw me....

Poppy, mindless fun nonetheless -- kinda like if the Postal Service intentionally went for a Top 40 hit. (But only only "kinda.")

4. "Carry You"
If you happened to catch Deepsky's intriguing remix of America's "Ventura Highway" for the "What is Hip?" project, you might be prepared for this tuneful tune. Yeah....

5. "Electable (Give it Up)"
Ooh, a rocker! While it doesn't sound as forced as Pearl Jam's recent attempts, it doesn't quite fit with the tracks that precede it. I have the distinct feeling this one was written for people that only know Jimmy Eat World for "Bleed American."

6. "Gotta be Somebody's Blues"
A slow builder, I like it. It's a little moody, but it shows a band becoming more mature in its songwriting approach.

7. "Feeling Lucky"
Upbeat, catchy = YES! YES!

8. "Here it Goes"
Butch Vig actually produced this!? Oh, he only served as "executive producer" ... whatever the [EXPLETIVE DELETED] that means. (Translation: This song is conspicuously missing any sort of "edge." In fact, it actually kind of sounds like a Christmas song in spirit....)

"Hey, hey, hey, hey."

9. "Chase this Light"
The title track is ... pretty. Not completely lame, but this will probably be single No. 2, and it will, as it should, sell millions of records for Jimmy Eat World.

10. "Firefight"
A driving rocker like much of the band's early output. Nice.

11. "Dizzy"
Unfortunately not a cover of Tommy Roe's classic of the same name (leave that to the unstoppable Self), but, it is, like so many songs in the Jimmy Eat World canon, the perfect mix-tape track for lovers on a cross-country roadtrip. (Or, at the very least, one for lovers returning home to Fargo's North Dakota State University after an event-filled weekend in Crosby, Minn.)

THE VERDICT? Good ... damn good. I'm not afraid to throw my full support behind Jimmy Eat World -- they've written way too many memorable songs ("Call it in the Air" and "Lucky Denver Mint" quickly come to mind) to be written off as a '90s one-album wonder. If you liked "Futures" as much as I did, you'll surely love "Chase this Light."

*A special thanks to the fine folks at Interscope Records for making all this possible -- especially for a humble little newspaper man like myself!

Today's (Unending) Moment of Zen: Blogger Play

It goes a little something like this: Every time an image is uploaded to a public Blogger blog, it will flash across your screen at http://play.blogger.com/.

It's utterly compelling -- just try and not be sucked in!

UMD film series opens this Sunday

The University of Minnesota Duluth recently announced the selections for this year’s School of Fine Arts International Film Series. All of the films, which are screened at Weber Music Hall, are free and open to the public. For more information, call 726-8561. (For information on the films, follow the links to their individual Internet Movie Database listings.)

“Tsotsi” (2005, South Africa) Oct. 7, 2007, 7:30 p.m.

Based on a novel by Athol Fugard, “Tsotsi” won the Academy Award for best foreign film in 2005. Set on the edges of Johannesburg, South Africa, 19-year-old Tsotsi (Presley Chweneyagae) has learned to fend for himself. One night, driven to the brink of desperation, he steals a woman’s car. As he drives off, he makes a shocking discovery in the backseat.

“Takva” (2007, Turkey) Nov. 11, 2007, 7:30 p.m.

In contemporary Istanbul, Muharrem, a 45-year-old single man living in one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods, lives an ascetic existence as a devout follower of Islam. The film, using a focus on Rumi, the 13th century mystic and poet, depicts Muharrem’s transformation when he acquires new duties with the leader of the religious sect he serves
selflessly. Soon he falls victim to the group’s hidden agenda, as his faith and their materialism collide.

“Himalaya” (1999, Tibet) Feb. 3, 2008, 7:30 p.m.

Filmed over seven months in the forbidding Dolpo region of Nepal, “Himalaya” tells the story of a generational struggle for the leadership of a tiny mountain village between its proud old chief and a headstrong young caravanner. The balance of power shifts uneasily as they make their annual salt trek across the Himalayas. A visually striking and spiritually captivating portrait of life in one of the world’s most extraordinary places, Himalaya is both an intense drama and a gorgeous tapestry of the fast-disappearing traditions of Tibetan life.

“The Lives of Others” (2006, Germany) (pictured) April 6, 2008, 7:30 p.m.

East Berlin, November 1984. Five years before its downfall, the former East German government ensured its claim to power with a ruthless system of control and surveillance. Party loyalist, Captain Gerd Wiesler, hopes to boost his career when given the job of collecting evidence against the playwright, Georg Dreyman, and his girlfriend, the celebrated theater actress, Christa-Maria Sieland. After all, the “operation” is backed by the highest political circles. What he doesn’t anticipate, however, is that submerging oneself into the world of the target also changes the surveillance agent. The immersion in the lives of others – in love, literature, free thinking and speech – makes Wiesler acutely aware of the meagerness of his own existence and opens to him a completely new way of life, which he has ever more trouble resisting. But the system, once started, cannot be stopped. A dangerous game has begun.

THE INTERNATIONAL FILM SERIES IS SPONSORED IN PART BY UMD CHANCELLOR KATHRYN A. MARTIN.