Wapsipinicon Almanac No. 19

The latest annual installment of the eclectic Wapsipinicon Almanac is now available. Published and letterpress printed since 1988 by Timothy Fay of Route 3 Press, the present issue, as with previous numbers, features an engaging mix of essays, reviews, fiction, poetry, art, wit and wisdom. For those in the Iowa City area, Fay and other contributors will be giving readings from the almanac at Prairie Lights bookstore at 7 pm on January 25, 2013.

Number 19 can be purchased at bookstores or directly by writing the publisher at Wapsipinicon Almanac, 19948 Shooting Star Road, Anamosa, Iowa 52205. Single copies are $8, plus $2.50 for postage; Iowa residents should also include 56-cents for sales tax.

The cover shown here is based on an linocut by artist Lindsay Whitmore. A brief history of the publication can be viewed at the Almanac's website.

Winter Solstice 2012: Of Beer and Bollocks

Well, time has run out for time to run out. The pseudo-Mayan apocalypse has not transpired, although that did not stop Stevens Point Brewery from manufacturing a novelty beer called 2012 Black Ale:

Thousands of years ago the ancient Mayans of Central America developed a "Long-Count" round calendar that ends ominously on December 21, 2012. Some predict this symbolizes the end of time as we know it. Inspired by this mystery, we offer Point 2012 Black Ale to help contemplate this 'end of time' or perhaps a 'new beginning.' Dark rich roasty and complex, Point 2012 Black Ale is hand-crafted with Pale, Munich, and Roasted Malts with Cluster, Saaz, and Cascade hops for the robust flavor and finish. Enjoy--while there's still time.

The brewery even recommended food pairings for its Long-Neck-cum-Long-Count libation:

Point 2012 Black Ale pairs well with steak tips, grilled salmon or pork chops. The mild burnt/roasty flavors and malty sweetness tends to complement grilled meats very well and are perfect for pairing up with dark chocolates.

While referencing the Mayan calendar was merely a clever marketing ploy for this particular company, the widespread gullibility of a scientifically illiterate public compelled NASA to publicly counter such misinformation. For reassurance, one can check out their end-time FAQ entitled, "Beyond 2012: Why the World Won't End." Cheers!

12.12.12

 
A One, A Two, A Cha Cha Cha! by Barbara Boylan & Bobby Burgess on the Lawrence Welk Show. Carpe diem!

Human Rights Day 2012

 
Human Rights Day is celebrated annually on December 10 to mark the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was adopted on this date in 1948. The Declaration was proclaimed through United Nations General Assembly Resolution 217 A (III):

. . . as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.

Although not itself a binding legal document, it has "inspired more than more than 60 human rights instruments which together constitute an international standard of human rights."

The Declaration has been translated into more than 300 languages and dialects, from Abkhaz to Zulu. The English version is available here, while other versions are available via an online database. A guide to UN Human Rights documentation as well as various related UN databases are also accessible on the UN Human Rights web site.

In the video above, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay presents her message for this year's Human Rights Day, December 10, 2012.

Plant Ahead! 2013 Seed Savers Exchange Catalog Now Available

Founded in 1975 by Diane Ott Whealy and Kent Whealy, Seed Savers Exchange (SSE) is now the largest non-governmental seed bank of its kind in the United States. With over 13,000 members, SSE conserves and maintains heirloom seeds for thousands of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers. Its mission is:

. . . to save North America's diverse, but endangered, garden heritage for future generations by building a network of people committed to collecting, conserving and sharing heirloom seeds and plants, while educating people about the value of genetic and cultural diversity.

Located on the 890-acre Heritage Farm in Decorah, Iowa, SSE is open to visitors from April to October, and sponsors special events such as seed starting, grafting, and gardening workshops. It also hosts an annual conference and campout. To learn more about Seed Savers Exchange and the benefits of membership, visit its website.

The amazing 2013 Catalog can be downloaded as a PDF, or a copy in print can be requested free of charge. Also of interest is the book authored by co-founder Diane Ott Whealy, Gathering: Memoir of a Seed Saver.

The Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa 2013

In 247 days, RAGBRAI XLI will commence its annual mass bicycle ride from Iowa's west coast, the Missouri River, to the east coast, the Mississippi River. Registration for the week-long event (July 21-27, 2013) begins today, November 15, 2012. For full details and registration forms, visit the RAGBRAI website. The Common Curator rode on the fortieth anniversary RAGBRAI last summer and is contemplating next year's ride.

Vote Early, Vote Mad

The Iowa City Song Project

As part of its year-long centennial celebration, the Englert Theatre in Iowa City, Iowa has collaborated with Maximum Ames Records to produce the Iowa City Song Project, commissioning 31 musicians and bands to craft new music inspired by the city of Iowa City. With a release date of November 6, 2012, the album can be pre-ordered through Maxiumum Ames Records. In addition, the Englert Theatre and The Mill Restaurant will be hosting record release shows on November 2 at 7pm and November 3 at 8pm, respectively.

Kickstarting the Morbid Anatomy Anthology

Joanna Ebenstein of Morbid Anatomy is joining forces with author Colin Dickey to edit and produce the Morbid Anatomy Anthology, "a lavishly-illustrated book comprising a collection of articles based on some of the best of the Morbid Anatomy Presents lectures and presentation series." The Morbid Anatomy Library and Cabinet is located in Brooklyn, NY, and is dedicated to "surveying the interstices of art and medicine, death and culture." Numerous scholars, writers, museologists, morticians and scientists are signed up to contribute works to the anthology, and more on the project, including a short video, can be found at the Kickstarter project page 

The Past Re-Imagined As The Future

The Free Music Archive and the Prelinger Archives Collection are co-sponsoring  a video remix contest called "Sound for the Moving Image: The Past Re-imagined As The Future." The contest invites artists everywhere to mix video from the Prelinger Archives Collection on the Internet Archive with audio from the Free Music Archive to create new digital mashups for the public domain.

The Prelinger Archives was founded in 1983 by Rick Prelinger, and the Free Music Archive is directed by freeform station WFMU. A free public screening of winning entries will be held at Anthology Film Archives on November 29, 2012 at 8-10pm. More information on how to participate in the contest can be found online; the deadline for submissions is November 4, 2012. The video above describes the Prelinger Archives.

The World's First Color Films

The National Media Museum in Bradford, U.K. has recently discovered what it believes are the world's first color films, produced by a method patented by the photographer Edward Turner and his financial backer Frederick Marshall Lee in 1899. The technique involved photographing successive frames through blue, green, and red filters, and then recombining the images to produce full color moving pictures. Current staff at the museum utilized digital technology to reproduce the films for screening in a manner that has not been experienced in over 100 years. For a timeline of the Turner & Lee color process, visit the museum website.

"my eyes are not shut"

"my eyes are not shut," an exhibition of photographs by Sandra Louise Dyas, opens at the Anderson Gallery at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa on September 7 and runs through October 12, 2012. A reception will be held from 5 to 7 pm on Friday, September 7, and the artist will give an informal gallery walk beginning at 6:30 pm. The exhibition received great support through a recent Kickstarter campaign, and features a new body of work. In January, Dyas published a book of the same name through Blurb, which serves as the template for the upcoming show. An earlier book, Down to the River: Portraits of Iowa Musicians, was published in 2007, and is available from The University of Iowa Press. "Caroline Flies" is the title of Dyas' photograph shown above.

Vulnerable on the Open Road

"Vulnerable on the Open Road: Five Pro Cyclists Reflect on Bike Safety" is a new video produced by Peopleforbikes.org, an advocacy organization devoted to "mak[ing] bicycling safer, more convenient and appealing for everyone." Share the road!

"Growing It Here, Growing It Now" on YouTube

"Growing It Here, Growing It Now" is a documentary about real food and the people who make it happen in community gardens. It explores the knowledge, passion, and collaboration of gardeners, both young and old, who nurture and raise their own crops in an urban environment. Of interest to anyone who needs to eat well.

Filmed at the verdant site of two thriving, side-by-side gardens--the Carrboro Community Garden and the Growing Healthy Kids Garden in Carrboro, North Carolina--eight gardeners relate their unique connections to the soil and why it is important to produce one's own food. The youngest, five-year-old Liana, speaks perceptively of the growth cycle of plants, while Bob, who grew up with a Victory Garden in World War II, freely shares his abundant gardening experience and advice with newcomers.

"Growing It Here, Growing It Now" shows gardeners in action, whether turning under "green manure," conditioning seed beds for new crops, transplanting tomatoes, weeding chard beds, or pruning raspberry bushes. The challenges of pests such as deer, insects, and disease are described, as well as the need for participation, cooperation, and simple, hard labor at the height of summer heat. As Alice, a gardening veteran, observes: "It's an important part of life. It feeds the soul."

"Growing It Here, Growing It Now" is a Common Curator production, directed and produced in 2011 by Daniel Smith. The documentary is available on YouTube as well as on DVD for $5 postpaid; email the Common Curator (commoncurator @ gmail.com) for ordering details.

Livin' XL

RAGBRAI XL: The Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa 2012: from the Missouri to the Mississippi . . . did that, been there, got the patch:

Total Trip Mileage: circa 500

Top Daily Mileage: 88

Top Speed: 38 mph (momentarily)

Peak Temperature: 102 degrees Fahrenheit

Mountain Bikes: 1.6% (outliers all)

To view RAGBRAI XL videos, click here.