Thursday Mashup: Ideas Worth Chewing On

"His story is an odd one. It’ll be worth telling one day."--Winesburg, Ohio

Stories of Note for 7 March 2019

On March 5 in 1616, the book De Revolutoinibus Orbium Coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres) was banned by the Catholic Church.

Written by Nicolaus Copernicus in 1543, the book revealed a theory that we now know to be true: that the Earth revolves around the Sun.

Copernicus postulated that the Sun was the center of the universe — a theory that directly challenged the religious philosophy that man was the center of all creation.

(Today, we know that both of these claims are false. Neither the Earth nor the Sun is the center of the universe… but the Earth does revolve around the Sun.)
--The above originally opened a story on The Mission eNewsletter Tuesday

* * * *

Arts Sector Contributed $763.6 Billion to U.S. Economy—More Than Agriculture or Transportation, New Data Shows
Most people are unaware of the economic impact of the arts. Isaac Kaplan's article offers up stats that will surprise you.

* * * *
The Ad Contrarian Bob Hoffman zeroes in on the deceptive way online advertisers gain support for violating our privacy. The piece is title More Elephant Advertising. He can be pretty scathing at times, but his straightforwardness is refreshing. He does not pull punches.

* * * *

This AEON article about Maslow's Hierarchy is interesting. 
It's titled Do you have a self-actualised personality? Maslow revisited

The first paragraph reminds readers of Maslow's "needs hierarchy" and then digs into what contemporary psychology has to say on the matter of self-actualization. Despite being short on actual data for his theories, Maslow was amazingly perceptive.

* * * *

My story about clickbait got published in The Writing Cooperative. Read it here:

Personally I Find Clickbait Headlines More Than Just A Little Annoying

Here are 7 examples (And I especially hate #3)

 * * * * 
Probably the scariest story here today:
Nebraska county owes $28M for wrongful convictions

No DNA tests, covered up testimony, and forced confessions. 

The taxpayers will pay the damages.

Here's the story: Six people were arrested and wrongly convicted for the rape and murder of a Nebraska woman. After serving a combined 75 year behind bars it was learned through DNA evidence that they were innocent and had been railroaded in an effort to get the case resolved. Once proven innocent they sued Gage County and won a settlement of $28 million. The Supreme Court refused to overturn the decision and now the county must pay up.

The lawsuit alleged that law enforcement officials recklessly strove to close the case despite contradictory evidence and coerced false confessions. The three people who gave false confessions all had histories of psychological problems. One of the six, Joseph White, died in a workplace accident in Alabama in 2011.

* * * *
Meantime, life goes on... all around you.

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Food Stuff

Olive oil poached halibut, cavatelli, fermented tomato, fennel & saffron.

Chef Micah.

Scallops, home-made pasta, safron, etc. (Chef Micah)

On Saturdays I like to make a one egg omelet with various fixings.

On occasion I break down and have a two egg omelet.

Here are a pictures of my weekend breakfast fare.

When all is said and done, the proof of the pudding

is in the eating.

A Rewarding Visit with Writer-Musician Jeff Slate, Author of the Liner Notes for More Blood More Tracks

"I think hustle is highly underrated. If you work really, really hard, good things will come to you."--Jeff Slate

Jeff Slate. Photo: Rachel Naomi.

Last fall was a pretty dramatic time here in Minnesota Dylan circles. The Bootleg Series Vol. 14: More Blood More Tracks was almost here. Rumors of this vindication for the Minnesota musicians who contributed to half the songs on Blood on the Tracks, via detailed session notes and corrected credits, were about to be validated. I must have heard rumblings since early spring, always with the accompanying whisper, “Don’t put it on your blog yet.”

In October, by the time I saw Jeff Slate’s article in The New Yorker, I’d already pre-ordered my copy, like every other Dylan fan, no doubt. Slate’s piece, titled Bob Dylan’s First Day with “Tangled Up in Blue,” did what it was supposed to do: It whet the appetite.

Slate, who had been tapped to write the liner notes for More Blood, More Tracks, was the perfect choice to write this Culture Desk intro to Dylan’s latest Bootleg Series set. This wasn’t Slate’s first high level byline, though. He’s been producing strong copy for Esquire, the Wall Street Journal and other high profile publications for quite some time. As a musician himself—selected to appear at Tulsa’s Bob Dylan Symposium in June—he also has an insider’s edge in writing about the music scene.

This past week I caught up with Jeff in order to learn more about his story. For young people with a passion and a dream, there are some real takeaways here.

EN: Every fan has an entry point into Dylan. What was yours?

Jeff Slate: My brother-in-law was a jazz musician, and a Dylan fan, too. I inherited a number of records from my brother and sister, and him. He had the Great White Wonder and a lot of the lesser known work, but he gave up on Dylan around Slow Train Coming, so I ended up with his collection. I was 12. I didn’t come to Slow Train with any baggage, and I loved it, along with everything else. At that age you’re listening to the record more than the words. At that same time I was discovering The Clash, Small Faces and The Who, I was discovering Dylan. It was an amazing time and a real education.

Photo: Rachel Naomi.

EN: When did you see Dylan for the first time?

JS: In the mid-80s I was in school in New York City and Bob was coming through with Tom Petty. I couldn’t get anyone to go with me so I went by myself; scalped tickets. So the first time seeing him was July 1986. When he performed alone with an acoustic guitar it felt like you could hear a pin drop, and it was like he was speaking directly to me.

This was something completely different for me. So I poured through the used record bins and picked up everything I didn’t have.

EN: What sets Dylan apart from everyone else?

JS: Dylan was one of the people who more than any other people – outside Lennon – seems to be an endless well of inspiration. But I don’t care about the details of his biography. I am a real believer in accepting the person that he wants to present to us. That character is such a unique and special artistic creation. The depth of those characters… he’s ever changing, ever morphing. In 200 years all the other contemporaries will be forgotten, except Dylan and The Beatles. We have had the rare opportunity to have this first-hand experience.

When the 90s came along, the Bootleg Series and the explosion of CD and DVD bootlegs made it possible for us all to have this endless treasure trove of inspiration. That wealth of information has set him apart, too, and he stands apart from almost all the other icons of the past 100 years. This isn’t like some small cultural character. His music speaks to everyone, from my kids to my mom.

EN: Do you have any favorite Dylan albums?

JS: I go through spurts where I might be listening to everything by The Clash or Cream. But if you listen to Dylan, in different eras it’s as though he’s a different artist. From the start Dylan re-created himself in all these different eras. John Wesley Harding is extremely timely in 2019. It is an album that resonates right now in this crazy political world. But it’s also completely unlike anything he did before or after. He’s gone through so many characters and evolutions. Then he re-created himself as a torch singer in this decade. Any artist would give their right lung to be able to reinterpret someone else’s music in that way.

EN: What are you listening to now?

JS: I’ve been listening to bootlegs from the Never Ending Tour, but mostly 1988-2003. Some fans deride the early days of the Never Ending Tour, but there’s a lot that is worth digging into. I have a theory that when Bob plays with a really great band, he lays back a bit, and when the band isn’t great, Bob really is.

Earl Slick (L) from Bowie's band, who played with Lennon.
Jeff Slate in the red light district. Photo: Joe Del Tufo

EN: You’re both a writer and a musician yourself. How do these two passions play out?

JS: It’s a challenge, only because they’re parallel lives in many respects. But I don’t work on assignment. So I am interviewing people that I’m passionate about because I’m interested. So selfishly it deepens my own knowledge of the artists I interview and often gives me inspiration. Also, as a musician, I think I bring something different to the conversation than other journalists.

EN: When did you begin writing?

JS: When I was teenager I would write for our high school newspaper. I would call artists coming through town (New London CT) – like The Clash and the Kinks – and interview them. I later went to NYU where I continued writing, but then I took a long break from writing.

Around the time the bottom dropped out of the music business, I needed other income. I always loved writing, so I dug into my Rolodex and started interviewing musicians that I’d crossed paths with. I called publications that would potentially print me. I had a good agent who helped get me on the right track, too.

(On one occasion) I wrote a review for The New York Times that was not used. I was able to get it into Esquire. Then they asked, “What else have you got?” I replied, “How about interview with Ringo?” My Ringo connection opened doors.

I have to say that I do work 24/7, whether it’s on my own music or writing about music. I think hustle is highly underrated. If you work really, really hard, good things will come to you.

Once you get to a certain level of competence and are hustling you can make your own opportunities, one of them being my relationship with Dylan’s team, which came from a few reviews. I got on the radar and, when I had coffee with the team, we hit it off. If we didn’t like each the rest would not have happened.

EN: Let’s talk about the liner notes for More Blood, More Tracks.

With (L) Mark Bosch, of Ian Hunter's Rant Band &
Mott the Hoople. Photo: Rachel Naomi.

JS: Very early on everyone on the Sony team and the Dylan team made it clear that they wanted to get it accurate. It was also important to get this story right for history, because as part of the Bootleg Series the narrative becomes Dylan’s official story.

By and large I was allowed to write whatever I wanted to. Bob’s team was very supportive. I was driven by a desire to tell the story as completely and empathetically as able.

They (the Minnesota musicians) have always been denigrated as an afterthought. That needed to be rectified. It was a passion of Kevin’s (Odegard) to get the story right, too, and I felt it was important to tell the story that he wanted to tell. Also, the New York story is an interesting one. Ratso Sloman interviewed the NY musicians right around the time of the sessions and they were happy to be a part of them. It only became sour grapes later, over time… They felt they never got their due, so over many years a narrative developed, I think, based on a lot of hurt feelings.

Everyone loves to give their viewpoint on Bob Dylan, especially people who have played with him. But Dylan’s mission is to create his art… After listening to the Cutting Edge box set, and the Blood On The Tacks sessions, it’s clear, I think, that when Bob is in the studio, he’s not lackadaisical. He is focused. He is fully there.

EN: Can you share a little about your own band?

Photo: Rachel Naomi

JS: In the 80s, I co-founded a punky band, the Mindless Thinkers. Then I worked solo, and did some work that Pete Townshend helped with. Then, in the late-90s, I founded the band The Badge… I’ve released a bunch of records, both solo and with The Badge.

I dug back into music around 2010. After returning, I took it more seriously. I used connections, licensed music for TV, film, advertising, and own it all. Though not super lucrative, I’m very lucky to have a small, loyal following.

It’s incredibly humbling to go out to Tulsa and see the archives and perform as an artist because of my connection writing the liner notes. I can’t believe I’ve monetized my obsessions.

* * * *

Jeff offered up some additional advice for musicians. He spoke of quality and reliability as critical. He also warned against trying to be the next Neil Young or Bob Dylan. “It’s not necessarily about being great. It’s about being good and reliable. If you commit yourself to doing it all the time, if you do it 24/7, you will be able to make a living at it.”

“Spend time after the show with the people,” he added.

Thanks, Jeff. Keep it going.

Related Links
Jeff Slate HQ
The World of Bob Dylan Symposium
First Thoughts on More Blood More Tracks
Slick & Slate

Articles by Jeff Slate
The Music in Ken Burns' The Vietnam War Is Remarkable. Here's How It Was Chosen. (Esquire)
When Bob Dylan Saw God (Esquire)
The Best Rock Album You've Never Heard (Esquire)
Bob Dylan Is the Greatest American Singer of All Time (Esquire)

Dylan's Masters Of War Didn't Just Apply to the Cold War

"War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today." ~ John F. Kennedy, Letter to Navy friend

Photo by Mariusz Prusaczyk on Unsplash

The above quote reveals an interesting observation by former president John F. Kennedy, especially on the heels of President Eisenhower’s parting remarks expressing concern about the growing power of the military-industrial complex. What I find especially interesting regarding the Sixties protestors who took a stand against the "military-industrial complex" is that the phrase itself originated in the mouth of a U.S. president who once was a general.

A conscientious objector is someone who, for matters of conscience, must decline from military service. Usually it is for religious reasons, but some there are who simply refuse to do harm to others of the human family. In the past conscientious objectors have been imprisoned or even killed for their adherence to conscience. It's a stain on our history.

* * * *

According to BobDylan.com Dylan first played "Masters of War" in February 1963. He was still performing it in 2016 and has played it live 884 times in all. In 1998, at Bob Dylan's first concert in Duluth, "Masters of War" was presented acoustically, the eighth song in the show. As he sang it I thought about the messages he sings, the prophetic challenges, the put downs, the biting insightful commentary on our culture, and how out of character it would be for him to smile while singing this material. His harsh, pointed words were perfectly released, the tone corresponding with the intent.

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan was his second album, released three days after his 22nd birthday in May 1963.  Surfin' USA was #1 single that year. Other hits of '63 included Blue Velvet, He's So Fine, Da Doo Ron Ron, Go Away Little Girl, Ring of Fire, Surf City. There were no songs anywhere on the charts like Blowin' in the Wind, Oxford Town, Talkin' World War III Blues or Masters of War.

These kinds of themes, however, were quite familiar in the folk movement. Joan Baez, Pete Seger and others maintained this protest sensibility that had for generations provided sustenance for the common man and downtrodden. The Vietnam War had not yet escalated but massive arms buildup in response to the Red Scare seemed to smother the nation, hence a line like "fear to bring babies into the world."

There's no question song is visceral, a scorched earth response to advocates of scorched earth policies. It's the kind of finger-pointing song that he claimed to later abandon. Yet he continued to sing the song for more than 50 years.

* * * *

Here is the speech in which President Eisenhower first made reference to what he called the "military-industrial complex." President Eisenhower gave this speech just days before stepping down,  yielding power to the newly elected JFK.

After the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson proceeded to step up the war effort in Southeast Asia, and this song quickly grew in importance, providing fuel for those who were opposed to the direction their government was taking. I've highlighted below the passages that spoke to me at that time. The one line that especially makes me sad is the statement, "fear to bring children into the world." The song has been sung for more than a half century and, sadly, to this day I have occasionally run into young couples who have decided not to bring children into a world this broken. How different things were in 1900 when optimism reigned.

Ironically, it was a false optimism based on false ideas about the great progress humanity had made in every field of endeavor. Instead of a century of sunshine the world was shredded by wars, holocausts and genocides. The fear of bringing children into the world is probably the strongest evidence of the loss of hope.  Hope is one of the three great needs of our time, along with love and courage.

This is a song that it took courage to sing. Years later Dylan would write another song that perhaps echoed some of this sentiment. "I seen the kingdoms of this world and it's making me feel afraid." (Shot of Love)

Masters Of War

Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build the big bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks

You that never done nothin’
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it’s your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly

Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain

You fasten the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansions
As young people’s blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud

You’ve thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain’t worth the blood
That runs in your veins

How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I’m young
You might say I’m unlearned
But there’s one thing I know
Though I’m younger than you
Even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul

And I hope that you die
And your death’ll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I’ll watch while you’re lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I’ll stand o’er your grave
’Til I’m sure that you’re dead

© 1963 by Warner Bros. Inc.; renewed 1991 by Special Rider Music

* * * *
When the Watergate scandal dethroned Richard Nixon, the journalists Woodward and Bernstein sleuthed out the necessary evidence by means of a simple credo: "Follow the money." Where it came from and where it lead illuminated what had been previously hidden from the public eye.

This past month I finished reading Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee, which detailed the tragic history of our country's abuse of power and destruction of Native culture. One of the recurring themes in the many stories told was how corruption, mismanagement and profiteering was a major driver in the motivations of those in power, or their agents. There were very few whose motivation was to do what was in the best interest of the people. This was the great tragedy.

This is what makes Masters of War relevant in such an ongoing way. Was anyone ever really asking "What is in the best interest of the civilians of Viet Nam." The war had been interpreted through the lens of a Cold War power play rather than as an internal effort to be freed from colonialists (which had happened nearly everywhere else in the world post-WWII.)

Much more could be said, but for now I have to turn the page.

Can Duluth Become the Next Sundance? Red Herring Meeting Showed How It Could Be Done

Everything starts somewhere. Ideas are planted, and if the soil is good and conditions right, the garden will bear fruit. It begins with a seed, which must be nurtured.

Saturday afternoon Katie Strand and Philip Gilpin of ITVFest. the Independent Television Festival, hosted an informational meeting at the Red Herring Lounge for the purpose of planting a seed in the hearts of a cross section of influential Duluthians with media connections. The concept makes sense, actually: to create a Mecca for independent television producers.

According to Philip Gilpin, "There are thousands of film festivals out there, but there is only one festival that focuses exclusively on independently produced episodic programming, and that’s ITVFest."

Viktoria Capek from Fox21

The first Duluth ITV Festival is already inked, so Gilpin and Strand were not selling the October event. Rather, their aim is to awaken Duluth to the possibility of becoming to independent television what Park City has become to independent film. There are seemingly countless film festivals, but since 1978 Sundance has become the most prestigious. The aim was to enable creative film makers to gain support outside of the stifling Hollywood film industry. The goal of Sundance was to showcase strictly American-made films and highlight the potential of independent film. Indirectly, the festival increased visibility for filmmaking in Utah.

In the same way, there are creative people working on television projects that just can't get past the "suits" in their Hollywood screening rooms. Having just finished reading a book about the Seinfeld show and how it nearly got the axe because the decision makers did not understand it, it's easy to see why there is a need for a system outside the system. (The book is called Seinfeldia: How a Show About Nothing Changed Everything.)

I've been to Park City a few times on business, and what you see there is a town that feels both quiet and quaint, un-sullied by the success of its film festival. Sundance may be internationally known, but it has not altered the character of the town. A lot of wealth has been generated, but no visible scars to the community.

* * * *

Katie Strand (L) and Philip Gilpin, Jr.

The "Aha" moment for me during this presentation was when Philip Gilpin noted the sea change that has occurred in media. Hollywood once held all the cards because they had the distribution channels nailed down. This is how they once controlled the movie industry. With the emergence ofYouTube, that has all changed.

All this has been turned on its head with the advent of the Internet. This is why Netflix has budgeted 7 billion dollars to produce movies in 2019, not just distribute them.

Just as Craigslist killed classified advertising in local newspapers (the damage from this revenue drain has been enormous), so has YouTube altered the media landscape. "There are currently 3 TV festivals in the U.S.," Gilpin stated. "YouTube has been a Hollywood disruptor in a very real way.

Major names are now creating innovative work, outside the Studio system. It’s a new era in television. If Duluth wants it, they can be what Park City is," he said, adding, "A major agency wants to invest a million dollars toward this."

At this point, Katie Strand presented,  beginning with a brief overview of her career. Strand noted that she is originally from Duluth and has spent the last 15 years in L.A. in television production, with production manager credits for Trading Spouses (2004) and producer for the show Nanking (2007). She's has a half dozen other impressive credits for various roles in the production of other programming including producer of the Ella Fitzgerald documentary for the Universal Music Group.

As a Hollywood insider, she began to notice that more and more work was being outsourced. Because of the competitive nature of the business, she reiterated a point that Gilpin said was being addressed in St. Paul. "Tax incentives are needed."

Duluth has much to offer. We have the talent and we have that invaluable Midwest work ethic.

Interested parties were scattered throughout the Red Herring from 2-4.

"Television is essentially about telling stories," she said. "Duluth will become the vetting system for television."

One of the first needs will be to create a resource guide so that television producers can use for calling in talent. Movies and television are created not by stars but by the 97% who are working behind the scenes.

Another facet of the project will be the creation of a Television Training Institute. Key pieces for implementing the vision include an infrastructure census and funding.

Mr. Gilpin indicated that ITV was created 14 years ago based on the conviction that television and the Internet would merge and become one. Hollywood became slow to adapt, hence the rise of independent television.

* * * *
The audience at Red Herring consisted of a virtual who's who of people involved in media in one capacity or another. Karen Sunderman, Brian Barber, Joellyn Rock, Blake Reistad, Andy Blessing, Bodhi Werver, for example. Emma Pardini (Great Lakes Aquarium) and Haley Hedstrom (Lake Superior Zoo) were among the many others with tangential interests. Richard Hansen, passionate founder of the DuSu Film Festival, SOLVE and original co-founder of the PROVE Gallery, helped promote this informational meeting on behalf of the community.

Viktoria Capek of Fox21 was on the scene early to capture footage on the event. (Trivia: Ms. Capek is new to our town, from our sister city Duluth, Georgia.) It's 22 below as I write this so that right now I've got Georgia on my mind.

The ITV Festival will be an interesting story to follow this year. One facet of this year's planned October event that wasn't mentioned, though alluded to, was the road construction taking place on Superior Street in front of the Zeitgeist. Mother Nature will have her say with regards to how complete the disruptive road project will be.

Certainly the other pieces look like they're in place. The community has much to offer. I will keep you posted.

Related Links
Duluth Snags National TV Festival
StoryWorld 3.0 : Topics, Talks & Titles — Philip Gilpin, Founder ITVFest

Twin Ports Art Scene... March Madness Is Here

50 years ago this March... Do you remember those first supersonic flights by the Concorde. I do. The windows of houses shook from the sonic booms. It was 50 years ago this week that Sgt. Pepper fell off the charts after an 88 week run. In March 1969 Glen Campbell won a Grammy for best record for "By the Time I Get to Phoenix." Which reminds me of another Glen Campbell song that I've been moved by, Wichita Lineman. In March 1969 John & Yoko had their first "bed-in for peace."

There were some other very memorable events in '69, actually. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon that summer. Woodstock happened, providing a big stage for a number of lesser known performers to get a career bump as a result. Dylan left Woodstock to do a concert at the Isle of Wight. And in September John Lennon notified the other Beatles that he was leaving the group. Paul made the official announcement in 1970. The world did not come to an end.

OK, enough nostalgia. Here we are in the present, hoping the longer days will bring more warmth to melt the chill of Jack Frost's emphatic embrace this winter. And here's some of what's happening in the Twin Ports art scene this month.

For starters, Thanks again to Esther Piszczek for assembling these monthly outlines of Twin Ports Arts activities. The Best way to outline each month is to bookmark and check out the Esther's Twin Ports Arts Blog.

HERE IS WHAT'S HAPPENING FOR THE FIRST THIRD OF THE MONTH.

Sunday, March 3, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
World Wildlife Day, Lake Superior Zoo, 7210 Fremont Street
"Join us for this global event that is dedicated to bringing awareness to endangered species around the world! Local artist Brad Vanderbrook will be showcasing his giant portraits of endangered species around the Zoo and will also be creating his newest work of art LIVE! $1 from every ticket sold will be donated to the World Wildlife Fund!"

Sunday, March 3, 1-3 p.m.
SunFUNdays! Art for Children of All Ages, Nordic Center, 23 N. Lake Avenue
Everyone is welcome to join together for art making workshops at the Nordic Center with art professor Alison Aune, her UMD art education students and special guests. Pre-registration is encouraged, please email: aaune@d.umn.edu. $5.00 suggested donation per workshop. Next Workshop: April 28 – Ojibwe & Nordic Beading

Sunday, March 3, 1-3 p.m.
Sunday Funday: Fun with Fruits & Veggies, Glensheen Mansion, 3300 London Road
"Glensheen continues its “Sunday Funday,” offering parents and their young children the chance to learn and be engaged with art, history and fun. Free activities and crafts for kids. We will be kicking off National Nutrition month with fun activities with fruits and veggies. We will be tasting different fruits and vegetables to find our favorites or try something new. We will be making fun smoothies recipes to try. Most importantly we will learn all about how to eat healthy and be healthy." RSVP required HERE

Sunday, March 3, 5-7 p.m.
Triple Moon Crafts, a painting experience, Lake Superior Zoo, 7210 Fremont Street
"In celebration of World Wildlife Day, Triple Moon Crafts is providing a painting experience at the Lake Superior Zoo: Tigers! You’ll be provided with an 11×14 canvas and all the supplies and materials you’ll need. Spots are limited. Adults only, please. Cost: $35; Register HERE."

Mondays, March 4, 11, 18, 25, 5:30 p.m.
Tangling Mondays, Mount Royal Library, 105 Mount Royal Shopping Circle
This group meets in the the old Yarn Harbor space, which was taken over by the library awhile back (on the left when you walk in). It is open to anyone, but primarily focused on pattern drawing. Bring your supplies and something you want to finish or start. No instruction, no fee, no organization. It's wonderful to tangle together, if schedules align, and lovely to tangle alone. If you find yourself alone, no worries, another Monday is right around the corner. Enjoy!

Tuesdays, March 5, 12, 19, 26, 12:30-3 p.m.
Open Studio at the Duluth Depot, 506 W. Michigan Street
The Duluth Art Institute offers a regular Tuesday open art-studio session at the Depot. People of all abilities practicing all artistic mediums are invited to bring their own supplies and join the weekly group. Cost: $5 plus a DAI membership (first session is free).

Thursday, March 7, 21, 4-7 p.m.
Winter Farmer's Market, Duluth Folk School, 1917 W. Superior Street
"Community Action Duluth’s Seeds of Success program is partnering with the Duluth Folk School to host the Lincoln Park Winter Farmer’s Market. Come down on the first and third Thursday of the month, from November through March!"

Thursday, March 7, 4-7 p.m.
Seussville Family Fun Night, UWS Jim Dan Hill Library, 907 N. 19th Street, Superior, WI
"The University of Wisconsin-Superior will host an evening of free family fun with the sixth annual Seussville Family Fun Night. Dr. Seuss’s birthday is in March and it’s also National Reading Month. The evening will include music and an assortment of classic books from Dr. Seuss and other childhood classics along with a visit from The Cat in the Hat and a couple Sneetches. Children will also receive a free Dr. Seuss book while supplies last. The event has several activities for children of all ages, including the opportunity to make and take home their own Seuss-themed crafts."

Friday, March, 8, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
The Art of Weaving ... Together, St. Scholastica Monastery, 1001 Kenwood Avenue
"Facilitators Marilyn Mayry and Ann Carlander teach participants about a variety of traditional weaving practices around the world. Each person will learn to warp an Inkle loom and will create his or her own colorful belt. A traditional story and dance related to weaving will be shared. Weavers will be led to reflect on how these art forms allowed them to connect more deeply to themselves, to one another, and to the Divine" Cost: $75, includes materials and lunch. RSVP required.

Friday, March 8, 7-10 p.m.
WTF! Art Exhibit, Prove Gallery, 21 N. Lake Avenue
"WTF! (What The Feminist!) is a community art exhibit focusing on feminism and equity for all. Artists are from Duluth and surrounding areas." On View: March 8-April 5
Note: My collaborative piece, May you live ..., created with calligrapher Brenna Jordan, has been accepted into this show! I will be out of town for the opening on 3/8, so if you attend, I'd love to hear about it! I will attend the closing reception on Friday, April 5. Save the Date!

Saturday, March 9, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Nice Girls of the North 2nd Saturday Marketplace, Lakeside Lester Park Community Center (the former Lakeside Library), 106 N. 54th Ave. East
"Free coffee, cookies, and a friendly atmosphere await while you browse a collection of handcrafted clothing and bags, pottery, jewelry, stained glass, photography, personal care products, baby items and much more. One central checkout, most major credit cards accepted."

Sunday, March 10, 1-4 p.m.
imagineAday, Creativity Retreat, The Duluth Women's Club, 2400 E. Superior Street
"Led by Artist Creativity Coach Clare Cooley, each retreat includes a creative presentation, 'Flowga' gentle movement & breath awareness for all levels, & examples of the retreat's creative project. Cost: $25 covers materials, tools, instructions, & light refreshments. Participants take their creations home with them. For questions contact ClareCooleyCollection@gmail.com." More information available at their FB Event page. Future Retreat Dates: April 14, May 12, June 9

Sunday, March 10, 7-9 p.m.
Gag Me With A Spoon - A Community Storyshare, Teatro Zuccone, 222 East Superior Street
"Adeline Wright hosts this evening of storytelling and open mic journal sharing in the style of the Moth and Mortified podcasts. There will be featured storytellers and a musical guest. Member of the audience are also welcome to sign-up on the night for an 8 minute open mic journal-sharing segment. Suggested Donation: $5 at the door."

Tuesday, March 12, 6 p.m.
Artist Talk: Vern Northrup: Akinomaage, George Morrison Gallery, Duluth Art Institute, The Depot, 506 W. Michigan Street
"Vern Northrup honors the land’s ability to act as a story teller, using his photography as an interpreter to communicate what is effectively described in Ojibwe as Akinomaage - to gain knowledge from the Earth." On View: January 17-May 5

Wednesday, March 13, 6:30-9:00 p.m.
Zentangle (R) & Wine with Esther Piszczek, CZT, Master Framing Gallery, 1431 London Road
Come experience the fun and relaxation of drawing simple, repetitive line patterns with pen and ink and pencil shading. No previous drawing experience necessary. Class Cost: $35; Supplies: $10 (or use supplies provided without additional cost). RSVP to episzczek@gmail.com. Seats are limited.

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There are some fine exhibitions still on display at the Tweed and the Duluth Art Institute. The Biennial will remain in the 4th floor John Steffl Gallery through April 15.

FWIW Dept.
March has been designated Youth Art Month, nationally coordinated by the Council for Art Education and is a tradition DAI is proud to continue with support from our local Whole Foods Co-op. This month the Co-op is displaying the works of area youth.

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Meantime, art goes on all around you. To plan the rest of your month, visit this page for Twin Ports Art in March. Again, special thanks to Esther P. The sun is out. Have a great weekend.

May Day 1971: Correcting the Narrative

For more than three decades Ken Burns has provided a remarkable look at American history by means of themed documentary film series. Some of his best known work includes The Civil War, Baseball, Jazz, Prohibition and The Vietnam War. The remarkable achievement of these histories, in my opinion, is the manner in which the American Negro experience is woven into the narratives.

It would have been so easy to tell the "white" story. Ken Burns' inclusiveness is wonderful, and completes these significantly American narratives.

In 2017 Burns released a ten-hour documentary about one of the most divisive events in our history, The Vietnam War. This series covered every aspect of the war, from the withdrawal of French colonialists to the abandonment of South Vietnam by American troops from Saigon.

I believe it was the 7th segment of this series that dealt with the anti-war movement, which included footage and details about the May Day protests of 1971 in Washington D.C., an event that I experienced first hand. I have spent decades desiring to write about this, not entirely sure how to approach it.

According to the documentary there were more people arrested in a single day than in any day in U.S. history, more than 7000. Though I was aware that there were more arrests that day than any other, the number of arrests that I recalled was over 14,000. This discrepancy interested me, and as I began researching, to write about what I saw and heard and felt, I discovered a whole range of discrepancies in some of these stories, many of which I found most bizarre, some of which were useful, though, correcting a narrative in my head based on rumors.

What surprised me was how little was written about the event in the aftermath. A few articles but little else. Did the government put the kibosh on the media lest there be a national uprising? Was the press ordered to downplay what they saw?

I plan to write my story, but here wished to pick apart one article that I found online while researching for my own narrative. The photos are accurate, and you should follow the link at the end to check them out. The HannahBHist390 Wordpress story has a useful opening quote by Jim Morrison: "Whoever controls the Media controls the mind."

My responses are in maroon.

1971 MAY DAY PROTESTS (RIOT) AGAINST THE VIETNAM WAR

The 1971 May Day Protests took place in Washington D.C and the Georgetown area. The people who took part in this three-day protest from May 1st through 3rd were members of the MayDay Tribe which were made up of “yippies” (radical youth-orientated anti-war individuals) .

I went because it was an anti-war protest. I was not part of any "tribe" or organization. To my knowledge the 64+ students from Ohio University were not members of this tribe and I am guessing that the majority of protesters were citizens and students who came out of a groundswell of interest in representing their viewpoints about the war. 

It is useful to keep in mind that the Kent State shooting had been just the previous spring. Many of us who went to college at Ohio U were aware that the 1970 school year ended early due to protests that erupted after that dark event. Several times during the following couple years I experienced a tense vibe from the campus police, stories for another time.

Starting on May 1st, 35,000 protestors camped out and gathered in West Potomac Park to listen to rock music and plan the protests.

This is a hilariously bogus number. When I was there my guess was 300,000 people were gathered in that park. The entire Washington Mall from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington monument was full of people. Wikipedia repeats this same absurdly low number. A New York times story stated that there were 200,000, which is probably closer to the truth. 

As for the "rock music and plan" ... There was indeed rock music. The Beach Boys were playing on stage when I arrived, perhaps around noon or shortly after noon. The Jefferson Airplane were slated to perform, but were a no show. (Rumor was that they were pressured to withdraw.) Phil Ochs did a set sometime after midnight. There were speeches, but I do not recall any planning. How do you "plan" with 200,000 people facing a stage? The planning took place on Sunday.

These protests aimed to shut down the nation’s capital to show that they were against the war in Vietnam.

OK, so we have two groups of people in this crowd. A portion of the crowd did indeed have this larger mission in mind, to shut down the government. The May Day organizers had actually orchestrated this over a period of two years. But many, if not most of us, were sheep. We were there on Saturday, May 1, to stand in alliance with the mission of letting our government know that there were citizens who did not approve of the war. 

On May second the U.S Park Police and Washington Metropolitan Police raided the park and fired tear gas to drive the protestors away.

Really? Total bunko. Here is what happened. As the speakers droned on into the wee hours, many if not most were falling asleep under the stars. At 4:00 a.m. there was an announcement made from the stage, followed by bullhorns from police, that we did not have a permit to remain in the park and we had to leave. 

I woke from my slumber to see the entire park surrounded by police, as many as four or five thousand, spaced to completely surround Washington Green/Potomac Park. Half awake we rolled up our sleeping bags and trudged through the dark following whoever was around us to wherever they were going. I ended up at Georgetown University. Some buildings were opened and I found a section of floor space to unroll my sleeping bag and return to my slumbers.

There was no tear gas required. I saw no tear gas and no pushback. It was a parade of half awake sleepwalkers who headed to three university campuses that welcomed the tired masses.

This stirred up violence and started a riot which caused many protestors to abandon this demonstration of civil disobedience.

Huh? I saw no riots. I smelled no tear gas. Not at this point in time. That would come later, on May 3 when there would be more than enough to tear gas go around, both on the streets of D.C. and on the Georgetown campus.

Those individuals that stayed took refuge at various churches and more specifically at Georgetown University, setting up tents on its athletic field.

It was a big crowd, and there were other places people went because I know they did not all go to Georgetown U.  

By Monday, May 3rd troops and police were prepared, filling up every traffic circle, park, monument and street in the DC area.

What I remember from Saturday May 1 were several speakers who late in the day were saying, "You didn't come here just for a party. You came to shut down the government." Those were pretty incendiary words, which on Sunday were presented in this manner: "We are shutting down the government for one day by blocking off the city. Government employees are on our side and will go home for the day." Well, hardy har har.

Sunday May 2 was a training day. We were trained in the rules of engagement for non-violent civil disobedience. Monday May 3 was to be the action day.

The training went down like this. The leaders broke us up into groups of 100. An instructor with a bullhorn would present the rules of non-violent protest. During the Q&A period, one question

that was asked had to do with "how do we respond if the cops start beating us." The bullhorn leader, for our group a young woman with dark har in her 20s, said, "Don't worry. This is a non-violent protest. They won't hit you."

To which someone else replied, "Yes, but what if they do start hitting us?" And the training seemed to fall apart at that point because she didn't give a satisfying answer.

What we were unaware of was how many National Guard troops were being flown into D.C. that day, a plane-load every three minutes at one point.

Another piece of this action included knowing where to go. All the key intersections and bridges were to be blocked so that there could be no traffic flow into D.C on Monday. The organizers had divided us up based on what state we were from. Everyone from Ohio was to block the Teddy Roosevelt Bridge.

On Monday morning, May 3, the day of the civil action, I overslept. I fell asleep on the basement floor of a room with more than 100 people. I woke by myself, hastily rolled up my sleeping bag and threw it in the corner. As I left the Georgetown campus I headed in the direction of the Mall and noticed that on all four corners of every single intersection there were four uniformed police standing, talking to one another or watching. I asked the first officer I encountered which way was the Teddy Roosevelt Bridge. He smiled and pointed. A few blocks later I asked another. I think they got a good laugh at my expense. Eventually I neared the bridge...  

When the protestors entered, the police attacked and started to arrest anyone and everyone that was protesting.

This sentence is confusing. "When the protesters entered..." Entered what? As I drew near, standing about a half block away, the bridge traffic was stopped because of the protesters seated and standing at the end of the bridge. In the distance I could hear sirens approaching. 36 squad cars came flying across the bridge at what looked like 60 miles per hour, coming in on the outbound lanes. As they approached the protesters they never slowed down. The hippies, students and others scattered.

The protesters rushed back into their positions, continuing to block traffic. Some were handing out leaflets to the cars backed up on the bridge. Meanwhile, the squad cars must have made a circular return because they were now coming back from the other way, once again dispersing the crowd by not slowing down. On their third passage the cop cars all stopped and began the engagement, striking protesters with clubs. Buses arrived and the rest of this morning would be officers clubbing people and throwing them onto buses, transporting them to a makeshift concentration camp at RFK Stadium because the jails were so quickly filled.

It was at this point tear gas began to fly. Helicopters flew about, shooting tear gas down into any crowd larger than 100 people.

The yippies engaged in hit and run tactics, causing more chaos in the streets. Tear gas was being fired everywhere and the riot continued to build. The city’s prisons were full and an emergency detention center had to be set up next to the RFK stadium.

This part is accurate, though disconcerting. Seeing protesters attacking police, and protesters throwing barricades in front of moving vehicles (See the Ling video below) so as to cause accidents seemed contrary to the purported intentions of the civil action. This is why to this day when I hear of a protest being organized somewhere I totally anticipate that there will also be violence or vandalism while some of the media interviews the naive in order to paint a totally innocent picture.

As the afternoon of the third day approached, many were drawn away from protesting. This was the largest mass arrest in US history, with arrests close to 12,614 people. Later the conspiracy charges against the MayDay tribe leaders were dismissed. Overall, this act of civil disobedience that led to a chaotic riot and mass arrests got the anti-war message across very clearly to Nixon and his administration.

It's hard to say what message was actually communicated. It's my understanding that the bombing in Southeast Asia accelerated, that tens of thousands of innocent civilians continued to become the "collateral damage" of our misguided policies.

Here is the link to the origin of the above account.

Here are a pair of YouTube videos with footage that captures a sense of the times. The sound track is odd on this first one but the footage is real. Looks like a lot more than 35,000 people to me. At 3:30 into this first one there is a guy with a red and black checked jacket that may have been me. That was the jacket I had worn as I hitchhiked to D.C. for the long weekend.

William Ling film (below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dTEzIBcHfo

No sound? Don't worry. The pictures tell the story.

https://hannahbhist390.wordpress.com/2014/09/13/1971-may-day-protests-riot-against-the-vietnam-war/