“About This Morning: Cliff Fest 2009 - KERA” plus 4 more

---

• About This Morning: Cliff Fest 2009 - KERA
• JFK and Elvis on the wall - CNN
• Hispanic appointee breaks ground as state appeals judge - Toledo Blade
• MPR aims to become bigger player in news market - Minneapolis Star Tribune
• Binghamton University blocka Caribbean Student Association's annual ... - Press & Sun-Bulletin

About This Morning: Cliff Fest 2009 - KERA Posted: 15 Nov 2009 05:27 PM PST There's something about Oak Cliff that makes me want to paint something or sculpt something or plant something. I always begin to feel the creative vibe about the time that I hit Davis and Jefferson. Today I ventured into Cliff Fest 2009 and had such a lovely time that I almost leased an apartment in the Bishop Arts district and considered never looking back. Again, I'll let the video speak for itself. This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

JFK and Elvis on the wall - CNN Posted: 15 Nov 2009 06:17 PM PST Editor's note: CNN Contributor Bob Greene is a best selling author whose new book is "Late Edition: A Love Story." (CNN) -- At an auction at a gallery in New York recently, a piece of artwork sold for a higher price than had been anticipated by the auctioneers: $4,080. It wasn't a very big piece of art -- just 8-by-10 inches. Technically, it wasn't even art. It was a glossy black-and-white photograph. It had a slight imperfection: there were staple holes in the upper left-hand corner. Someone had written all over the front of the photograph. The person who had scrawled on it was, in fact, the subject of the photograph. He had written: "To Patricia Keating, with very best wishes, John Kennedy" That is what made the photo so valuable to someone: Kennedy had held it in his hands, had run his pen over it. The owners of Swann Galleries, where the signed photo was auctioned, believe that Kennedy had autographed the picture in 1956, when he was a United States senator. The picture itself wasn't worth much; but his signature, personalized to Patricia Keating. ... "As far as we know, she wasn't anyone famous," Rebecca Weiss, a Swann Galleries employee, told me on the day after the auction. "There's no particular significance to her name." Then why would someone pay more than $4,000 for the photo? Weiss told me that the identities of the buyers and sellers at Swann auctions are kept confidential, so she could not disclose who had consigned the photo for sale, or who had purchased it. But she said there is a pretty safe rule of thumb about the sale of autographs of renowned men and women: "What people are buying is the mystique. They are taking home the autograph knowing that this person once actually touched this item, this person once actually left this imprint, this signature." She clearly knows what she is talking about; just this weekend, it was announced that another auctioneer had sold what is purported to be perhaps the last autograph Kennedy ever signed: a copy of the Dallas Morning News that he reportedly signed for a woman upon his arrival in that city on November 22, 1963. A man in California purchased it for $39,000. In our digital age, in which images and data are transferred from person to person with the tap of a key, it would seem to be an anachronism: the idea of placing enormous monetary value on pieces of paper upon which prominent individuals once wrote their names. But that personal touch seems to have remained precious; Weiss said that many, if not most, purchasers of autographed items display them as if they were rare paintings: framed and mounted in places of honor. She didn't have to convince me. I have only two pieces of art hanging in my home, and neither would qualify as art in the conventional sense. But I wouldn't trade them for Picassos or Van Goghs. The first is an original theater lobby poster for the greatest movie about newspapers ever made: 1952's "Deadline -- U.S.A.", starring Humphrey Bogart. The other piece of art is an autograph -- actually, an entire (if brief) handwritten letter. It is a thank-you note. A thank-you note written to a laundry. At the top of the piece of paper, embossed in the italics/script font style of 1950s suburban-housewife stationery, are the words: "From the home of ... Elvis Presley" And beneath it, in blue ballpoint pen: "I should like to commend your Laundry for doing a fantastic job on my clothes, you show esceptional care. Sincerely E.P." That's just how, while living in a house on Audubon Drive in Memphis, Tennessee, in the years before he moved to Graceland, he wrote it. "Laundry" capitalized in the middle of the sentence; a comma instead of a period after "clothes"; "esceptional" instead of "exceptional." I can't imagine a more wonderful or telling artifact from Presley's life. Who writes thank-you notes to their laundries? The young Elvis, that's who. There's such an essential sweetness to it -- to the very fact of the letter, to the formality of his introduction ("I should like to commend..."), to the adjective he chose ("a fantastic job on my clothes"). I purchased the letter from a gallery two decades ago (for a price that made me bite the inside of my mouth), and I would rather own it than the Mona Lisa. I was about to say that I would never part with it, but in fact I once did, for several months. An exhibit called "American Originals: Treasures from the National Archives" was touring the country, and was scheduled to make a long stop at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum of the Chicago Academy of Sciences. Included in the exhibit were the original Louisiana Purchase Treaty, Thomas Edison's 1879 patent application for the electric lamp and the instrument of surrender of the German High Command during World War II. I thought Elvis belonged there, and persuaded the curators of the museum to accept his thank-you letter on loan. The National Archives said they would not object, so long as Elvis' note was not in the same room with the more austere documents. It worked out fine; I thought Elvis would like it that way. He always was proud to be an outsider. In the hallway adjacent to the entrance to the main exhibit -- visitors saw it right as they walked in -- was Elvis' handwritten letter, in a display case, with a plaque that read: "This note, written by Elvis Presley when he was on the verge of becoming a star, provides an example of how seemingly trivial documents can increase in value and cultural significance as a result of historic events. It also shows that despite his growing fame in the early 1950s, Presley cared about the feelings of others." Brings a tear to your eye, doesn't it? I can fully understand why someone in New York the other day would purchase the photograph that John Kennedy once signed for Patricia Keating, whoever she may have been. You don't have to be Patricia Keating to comprehend the value of that picture, just as you don't have to be Elvis' laundry to comprehend the value of that thank-you note. Great art, like great beauty, is where you find it. It is, as they say, in the eye -- or the laundry bag -- of the beholder. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Bob Greene. This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

Hispanic appointee breaks ground as state appeals judge - Toledo Blade Posted: 15 Nov 2009 05:56 PM PST When Keila Cosme's parents gave her their blessing to leave her home and family in Puerto Rico to attend Boston University, she knew she had to do well. Tomorrow, the 41-year-old will leave her Toledo law practice to join the 6th District Court of Appeals, and she's once again planning to hit the books hard. The first Hispanic named to an Ohio appellate court, Ms. Cosme has specialized in civil litigation for 15 years. She has not been a judge, prosecutor, or criminal defense lawyer, but she doesn't consider that an obstacle. "What makes a good lawyer a great lawyer, and I'm sure what will make a good judge a great judge, is the dedication to crack open the books and to learn what the issues are and to read the briefs," Ms. Cosme said. "In law school, you're taught to learn where to find the law and how to read the law and … knowing one's own limitations, knowing the limited experience in that area would only make me study or review or become that much more familiar with an issue that I don't feel comfortable with or that I haven't necessarily practiced in depth." She plans to spend the next seven weeks assembling her staff and preparing to hear appellate cases with the four other appeals judges beginning Jan. 4. In addition, the Democrat plans to be on the November, 2010, ballot to retain the judgeship to which Gov. Ted Strickland appointed her on Oct. 30. Reaching out Judges on the 6th District Court of Appeals are elected by voters in Lucas, Wood, Fulton, Ottawa, Erie, Huron, Sandusky, and Williams counties. Ms. Cosme of Sylvania Township said she hopes to make herself known to area voters as a person, not just a name. "My job is to reach out to those people in those counties," Ms. Cosme said. "Whether it will be my driving and meeting with them, whatever it takes to bring that human element, because in the end, they are the ones who will be electing their judge for office on the Court of Appeals. I am fueled by the excitement I have seen by just regular people like you and me, just excited to have a fresh face." She also is counting on support from Democratic and Hispanic organizations along with businesses and labor unions that her former firm, Cosme, D'Angelo & Szollosi, has represented. Phones at the North Erie Street law practice are now answered "D'Angelo and Szollosi." After accepting the judgeship, Ms. Cosme severed her ties with the firm she started in 2001 with her husband, Joseph D'Angelo, and state Rep. Matt Szollosi (D., Oregon). Settling in Toledo Ms. Cosme and Mr. D'Angelo, a Youngstown native who specializes in labor law, met at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. They moved to Toledo in 1997 when Mr. D'Angelo took a job with a local law firm. Ms. Cosme started her own practice in a second-floor office above Urbanski Funeral Home on Lagrange Street. Mr. Szollosi has known the couple ever since. "Keila is highly intelligent and is deeply principled and has overcome a lot over the course of her life," he said. "She's a very hard worker and really loves to be challenged. Her move from private practice to the bench will certainly be challenging, but I anticipate she'll be an excellent judge." The mother of two sons - Roberto, 10, and Diego, 6 - Ms. Cosme said she is a private person who prefers to spend her free time with her husband and children. She said she joined the Toledo Bar Association when she moved to town but apparently let her membership lapse - something the bar president pointed out after her appointment. "There actually is no reason why. It's just that life happens," she said. "This is one of those things that I find myself now in a political light and people are asking why am I not part of the Toledo bar. I have the utmost respect for them. I think that one day it expired and it wasn't renewed." Mr. Szollosi said Ms. Cosme's family is her priority. Her parents and two sisters still live in Puerto Rico, and she visits them as often as she can. "She lives for her family and she takes tremendous pride in raising her boys," Mr. Szollosi said. "She's a great mom, and I think she's well-rounded in terms of intellectual capacity, ability to adapt and learn and process information in very short order, and balance the workload with family." First-time judge Besides Ms. Cosme, Judge Mark Pietrykowski is the only current member of the 6th District Court of Appeals who was not a judge in a trial court before his election to the appellate bench. A former Lucas County commissioner, he said being part of a three-member body that made decisions together helped him assimilate into his new role as judge. "The appellate court sits in panels of three, so I think it's valuable to have different backgrounds for each of the judges," he said. "When you're discussing cases and conferring, you're bringing a little different perspective." Ms. Cosme confessed that she never wanted to be a judge before the governor's office solicited applications for the vacancy created when Judge William Skow died in June. Giving back "Looking at my life and how fortunate I have been up to this point - I have a lovely family, I have been very successful in my career - and understanding that where I am today could not have been possible but for all the sacrifices of so many people that came before me, there's a sense that this was a great opportunity to give back. It's just that simple," Ms. Cosme said. "I never thought of becoming a judge, but I think that I could contribute to the court by bringing diversity of experience, diversity of culture, and I also may be able to contribute to society at large through inspiring younger minds to know that through hard work, the American dream is possible." Her comments draw parallels to the success story of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who was born in the South Bronx to Puerto Rican parents and was a prosecutor and corporate lawyer before being named a federal district court judge, U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judge, and, this summer, a Supreme Court justice. Ms. Cosme said she considers Justice Sotomayor an inspiration for her and for all people. "I have the utmost admiration for her, but I think she's a role model and I think she should be a role model for anybody regardless of race, religion, gender," Ms. Cosme said. "I think she should be a role model for anyone who believes in hard work, dedication, and that anything is possible." Margarita De Leon, a friend who is working as an adviser for Ms. Cosme's 2010 campaign, said Ms. Cosme is now recognized as a leader in the Hispanic community. "We are ecstatic and we are elated across the state of Ohio to have such a wonderful, qualified individual appointed as the first Hispanic to the 6th District Court of Appeals," Ms. De Leon said. "Her appointment was celebrated throughout the state and in Puerto Rico and in other parts of the country, so it is, for our community, a huge deal." Contact Jennifer Feehan at: jfeehan@theblade.com or 419-724-6129. This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

MPR aims to become bigger player in news market - Minneapolis Star Tribune Posted: 15 Nov 2009 06:10 PM PST Taxpayer money is indirectly paying for MPR to hire Ingrassia, another hire to handle distribution, and the whole Minnesota Today project. MPR is devoting $400,000 to the project from a $2.65 million, two-year grant it got from the Legacy Fund -- the state fund created by the three-eighths cent increase in the sales tax that voters approved to support wildlife and culture. Chris Worthington, managing director of news, has been championing higher-impact enterprise reporting since he joined MPR in 2006 from the Pioneer Press. Recent MPR exclusives, he said, include a story about the St. Paul housing authority misapplying federal housing dollars and how some H1N1 flu patients lack a fever, making it difficult to correctly diagnose swine flu. 'Beyond the pale' Mike Sweeney, the private equity pro who's now chairman of the Star Tribune, bristles at MPR's ambition. He said MPR has created "a sense of false crisis" with its regional news conference, and that it's wrong to question the Star Tribune's survivability. Including digital readers, the Star Tribune's audience has never been larger, he said. The newspaper is projected to generate significant operating cash flow next year and is in no danger of collapse, he said. The paper has undergone deep staff cuts over the past several years, but top editor Nancy Barnes said that newsroom restructuring has resulted in the paper having just 11 fewer reporters than in 2000. "MPR is making a blatant land grab by calling into question the viability of existing news organizations in Minnesota," Sweeney said. He also questioned the use of taxpayer dollars to help pay for MPR's nonunion newsroom to compete with the Star Tribune's unionized newsroom. "The fact that they're funded with government money and are now trying to extend their reach is, I think, beyond the pale," Sweeney said. MPR declined to respond to his remarks. Joel Kramer, editor of the two-year-old MinnPost.com, downplays MPR's news impact. MinnPost continues to grow despite MPR, he said, with membership up about 430 from a year ago to about 1,520. However, Kramer said he's been "extremely disappointed in [MPR's] unwillingness to cooperate with us or other nonprofit start-ups in town." This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

Binghamton University blocka Caribbean Student Association's annual ... - Press & Sun-Bulletin Posted: 15 Nov 2009 05:34 PM PST VESTAL -- Binghamton University's Caribbean Student Association did not hold its annual Carnival this weekend, after the university ruled it could not include its night show in the festivities. According to the CSA, the highlight of its Carnival festival was cancelled in the spring by school officials for dubious reasons. Proposals presented by CSA to make the event run more smoothly, including decreasing the number of off-campus individuals allowed entrance, were met with disapproval by BU administrators. "We were trying to work as best as we can to make it safe for the students that we cater to," said CSA Multimedia Administrator Latoya John Baptiste. Vestal Police and BU officials, however, said the actions of many concertgoers last November presented security problems. BU issued a press release but did not provide specifics on those problems. The Carnival grew from a small event, with most patrons coming from BU, to a large show with many off campus attendees, said Brian Rose, BU's vice president for administration. Vestal Police Chief John Butler said a crowd of up to 2,000 individuals crammed into the Quality Inn across from BU during last year's Carnival. "Conditions were such we had 12 officers on the scene and had to call in six other agencies, including K-9s," Butler said. "We had our entire police force there, including officers I had to hire on overtime." According to Butler, the scene included smoke-filled hallways packed with people listening to a deejay blasting music, a distinct whiff of marijuana and occasional fights. He said police did their best to try to keep hallways clear and occupants safe. "If we had someone seriously hurt, I doubt that we could find them," Butler said. "If they had a fast fire in that thing, you'd lose a lot of people, either by being trampled or by fire and smoke." The CSA, John Baptiste said, is not affiliated with the parties but offered to move the night show to earlier in the day so overnight stays were not necessary. The organization also offered to meet with local businesses, she said, adding BU's refusal to find a common ground is perplexing. "I don't think they realize the importance of the event," she said. "It's important to me because it's part of my culture." This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

You are subscribed to email updates from cultural - Bing News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610