Pat Boas opens Record Record this week at the Marylhurst Art Gym. She is our guest for the 15th of September.

Postscript: (September 18th)

I am sorry the audiofile is not up yet. Hopefully the new site will have the kinks worked out soon and I can post it!

- Eva

Forbidden Lies (Documentary, Australia 2007)
Director: Anna Broinowski

A few years ago, I interviewed James Frey when he was touring for the paperback of “A Million Little Pieces.”  I knew the guy was wrong, but it wasn’t my job to challenge him, although I wish I had, because I would have been the first.  He claimed to have woken from a stupor aboard a commercial airliner, covered in blood, filth and body fluids, and not knowing how he got there.
In the post-9/11 world, or even before, no one could board a plane in that condition without intervention.  But, I just did the interview.  Eventually, the truth emerged.

Whiteout
Director: Dominic Sena
With: Kate Beckinsale, Tom Skerrit, Gabriel Macht, Alex O’Loughlin, Columbus Short

I am an acquaintance of Greg Rucka, a Portland writer whom I have interviewed a few times for KBOO on his fine work as a thriller writer.  He is also well-known for his graphic novels, from which this bad movie is adapted.  I hope he got paid a lot for this, because they ruined it.
Okay, I never read the books from which this came, but I can’t imagine Greg writing anything this bad.

 Here is a link to my review of the new R. Crumb comic book, his adaptation of Genesis, the first book of the Bible. The review appears here in the Vancouver Voice. Or, if you want to read a review with italics and illustrations, it is also to be found at my blog. 

Big Fan
Director: Robert Siegel
With: Patton Oswalt, Kevin Corrigan, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Michael Rappaport

The best thing about this movie, among a lot of good things, is that a viewer can project her/his own prejudices on to the main characters.  No matter what you think about sports mania, you can find something to seize on.
Paul (Oswalt) is a stunted man-child from Staten Island with a crummy job who lives and dies with the fortunes of his favorite pro football team, the NY Giants.  He has no other life beyond his fealty to the team. 

Forbidden Lies

Directed by Anna Broinowski

Shows: Sept 11-13 at the Hollywood Theatre

We are saddened by the sudden loss of long-time friend and volunteer Jim Braun, 79, who passed away August 24, after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage from a bad fall.

Jim was a native of Portland and was dedicated to community radio. He was not on the air very often but you would recognize his rich, deep voice on early morning classical shows in the 1990’s, a monthly Brazilian show, and occasional jazz substitutions.

Jim did a huge amount of behind-the-scenes production and news work. He recorded literally thousands of hours of public affairs programming off the satellite system, engineered morning Radiozines, and was co-producer of the monthly Indian show, “Mandala,” for over ten years.

Like many music junkies, Jim had one of the largest and most eclectic record collections on Earth.  He constantly dazzled KBOO programmers with historic vinyl rarities that he had acquired.  We have learned that Jim has donated his body for medical research. A memorial service was held on September 6th.  More thoughts on Jim can be found in Barbara LaMorticella's blog

Sept. 10,2009

Here's the letter from Ted Kennedy to President Obama, written shortly after the Senator learned his cancer was terminal.

Dear Mr. President,

I wanted to write a few final words to you to express my gratitude for your repeated personal kindnesses to me – and one last time, to salute your leadership in giving our country back its future and its truth.

On a personal level, you and Michelle reached out to Vicki, to our family and me in so many different ways. You helped to make these difficult months a happy time in my life.

You also made it a time of hope for me and for our country.

When I thought of all the years, all the battles, and all the memories of my long public life, I felt confident in these closing days that while I will not be there when it happens, you will be the President who at long last signs into law the health care reform that is the great unfinished business of our society. For me, this cause stretched across decades; it has been disappointed, but never finally defeated. It was the cause of my life. And in the past year, the prospect of victory sustained me-and the work of achieving it summoned my energy and determination.

There will be struggles – there always have been – and they are already underway again. But as we moved forward in these months, I learned that you will not yield to calls to retreat - that you will stay with the cause until it is won. I saw your conviction that the time is now and witnessed your unwavering commitment and understanding that health care is a decisive issue for our future prosperity. But you have also reminded all of us that it concerns more than material things; that what we face is above all a moral issue; that at stake are not just the details of policy, but fundamental principles of social justice and the character of our country.

And so because of your vision and resolve, I came to believe that soon, very soon, affordable health coverage will be available to all, in an America where the state of a family’s health will never again depend on the amount of a family’s wealth. And while I will not see the victory, I was able to look forward and know that we will – yes, we will – fulfill the promise of health care in America as a right and not a privilege.

In closing, let me say again how proud I was to be part of your campaign- and proud as well to play a part in the early months of a new era of high purpose and achievement. I entered public life with a young President who inspired a generation and the world. It gives me great hope that as I leave, another young President inspires another generation and once more on America’s behalf inspires the entire world.

So, I wrote this to thank you one last time as a friend- and to stand with you one last time for change and the America we can become.

At the Denver Convention where you were nominated, I said the dream lives on.

And I finished this letter with unshakable faith that the dream will be fulfilled for this generation, and preserved and enlarged for generations to come.

With deep respect and abiding affection,

[Ted]

(NOTE: I originally posted this on my personal blog last week and intended it for those who might not necessarily be familiar with KBOO or its programming, hence the  preamble that might seem superflous (and perhaps inaccurate - Sorry!) to those closer to the subject.)

As I started writing this, Richard Francis, host of A Different Nature, was in a medically-induced coma after suffering a heart attack on the eve of his last show. He didn't show up before the broadcast, which alarmed those that knew him well; Richard was a meticulous planner and was always early for his shows, often polishing up the details to the last minute. When he failed to show up - most of the show being pre-prepared by other participants, no one had to be told that the show must go on while a friend traced his route back to his apartment and finally calling area emergency rooms. Her worst fears were realized when she learned that he was indeed in Emmanuel Hospital's ICU, having collapsed in a market. As of this writing, he's unresponsive to any stimuli and shows no brain activity. The plan was to slowly take him out of the coma to assess the damage while his family descended on Portland from the Midwest.