As proud as I am of Playhouse on the Square for defying conventional wisdom and building an extraordinary new theater in the heart of Midtown I’ve got to make a confession. I’m no great fan of the show that’s been chosen to open the new space. I understand why Playhouse’s Executive Producer Jackie Nichols has described Pippin as “the right play at the right time.” Its themes mesh perfectly with the theater’s mission and the anti-war sentiments expressed in the first act are consistent with a company that has roots in the 1960’s and the balls to open Hair in the aftermath of 9/11. It’s also technically ideal, perfect for showing off the new theaters capabilities but minimal enough to give the technical staff some breathing room as they transition into the new space. So I’m not going to complain. Well, not much.
Month: February 2010
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Jersey Boys Rendezvous
The “Jersey Boys” munch on barbecue while talking about music, their fans, and life on the road in “the Cadillac” of tours.
Chris Davis caught it all on video. See it yourself at Intermission Impossible.
JB
DLC chairmanFord (right)with RNC chairman Steele after the debate.
Former Memphis congressman Harold Ford Jr., now apparently an official New Yorker, came close to home Thursday night, appearing in a debate at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele. Ford was there in his capacity as chairman of the Democratic Leadership Conference. The two agreed that more dialogue should be occurring between the two major parties in Congress.
Among other things, Ford defended TARP, called for health care legislation that included both a public option and tort reform, and pronounced himself solidly pro-choice on abortion, although, in making an assertion on this point, Ford spliced it onto the same statement of religious background that he employed in 2006 when seeming to embrace the pro-life viewpoint. (See video.) The audience seemed divided fairly equally between Republicans and Democrats, but Ford appeared to get the lion’s share of the cheers. He got his biggest hand when he mentioned the fact that he was considering a run for the Senate in New York.
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Considering Consolidation
Mary Cashiola gives six reasons to consolidate the city and county governments at In the Bluff.
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Six Reasons To Consolidate
Jacksonville, Florida, consolidated in 1968 after a period of widespread public corruption, problems with the school system, and an inferiority complex.
Sound familiar?
And in the 40 plus years since then, Jacksonville has thrived. They now have an NFL team; their citizens have fewer taxes than in other large Florida cities; and they’re not dependent on tourism.
“Our darkest hour became our finest,” Richard Mullaney, Jacksonville’s general counsel, told the metro charter commission Thursday afternoon. “In my opinion, some forms are local government are better than others. Some provide a competitive structural advantage over others.”
With charter commission members in attendance, as well as sheriff Mark Luttrell, County Commissioner Mike Carpenter, MLGW head Jerry Collins, and Memphis City Council member Shea Flinn, Mullaney gave an overview of Jacksonville before the merger and after.
“What we’ve seen … is a remarkable change in Jacksonville over the past 40 years, and that change has been consolidated government,” he said.
Pre-1968, for instance, different branches of government each had their own legal counsel.
“That model was good for lawyers,” Mullaney said. “It slowed things down, it was very expensive, and it was very difficult to get anything done.”
But getting rid of lawyers isn’t the only reason to consolidate. Mullaney laid out six benefits of the transition for the commission:
Sister Myotis has a few things to say about Satanic messages in pop music. And speaking of Sister Myotis it seems that Memphis’ queen of Evangeletainment has made quite an impression on Flyer columnist John Branston.
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Tasty Links
- swathipradeepkitchen.blogspot.com
A couple of Memphis food blogs for you to check out:
The IAM Food Blog, maintained by members of the India Association of Memphis, includes mouth-watering recipes and photos.
Lunchbrag from Jen-sized.net is a Tumblr page devoted to lunch.
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Rebecca Skloot: She’s Everywhere
The New Times, NPR … Rebecca Skloot, assistant professor in the creative writing department at the University of Memphis, is getting a lot of press for her newly released book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.
Leonard Gill has the details in &tcetera.
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Media Notes: Winners and Losers
Blogs are fading. Newspapers are dying. Or they’re not dying. Or there is renewed hope for them.
The news about blogs comes from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, via the Associated Press. Only 14 percent of Internet youths, whatever they are, blog, which is down from over 25 percent in 2006. Apparently texting and Facebook are faster and more engaging. Bloggers are trending older, and may soon look like the AARP crowd at University of Memphis basketball games.
This is no surprise. As newspaper columnist Mike Royko used to say, the first 20 are easy.
Meanwhile, are you looking for an investment in which you could have tripled your money in the last year? That would be newspaper stocks, including E. W. Scripps, parent company of The Commercial Appeal. The stock (symbol: SSP) is up 305 percent, rising from $2 to $6.48. If you want a ten-bagger, try Lee Enterprises, parent of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, up 1145 percent, now selling at $3.84. No guts no glory.
Did you know that, in Shelby County, 87 percent of men living with HIV/AIDS and 92 percent of women with the disease are African American?
Yep, it’s true. Those numbers come from the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department. As millions of Americans gnaw on hot wings and celery during SuperBowl XLIV (go Saints!) this Sunday, February 7th, they should take a moment to reflect on the AIDS epidemic on National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.
In recognition of the day, Planned Parenthood of Memphis is offering several days of free testing for anyone, regardless of race.
Monday, February 8th – Memphis Towers Community Room – 4pm – 6pm
Tuesday, February 9th – LeMoyne Owen College Student Center -12pm – 3pm
Wednesday, February 10th – University of Memphis Student Union – 10am – 2pm
Wednesday, February 10th – Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center – 6pm – 9pm