Free Movies!

The Freer and Sackler galleries are hosting free movies as part of a taste of Portuguese cinema. The movies run from June 1 to July 1 in the Meyer Auditorium. Two tickets per person will be given out one hour before show time.

Personally, I'm hoping to catch Silvestre, and Colossal Youth. Will check back with a review. Don't you love a city so full of free events? It makes a cheap girl's heart sing.

Coke-a-cide

The Sudanese diplomat, John Ukec Lueth Ukec, done lost his mind! At a press conference yesterday Ukec stated that there was no genocide in Sudan, and that the United States was the only country to say genocide was occurring. While that may be largely true, it doesn't mean something isn't afoot at the Circle K. Four hundred thousand dead are very rarely wrong.

Now Ukec has resorted to overt threats in order to avoid US interjection. Ukec threatened to cut-off the exportation of gum arabic, an emulsifier used in Coca-Cola. Would the loss of coke bring Americans to their knees? I'm sure the Sudanese suffering under the current regime are shedding silent tears for us. Ukec did reference the effect sanctions would have on the masses:

"While millions in Darfur go hungry, he suggested that the U.S. sanctions would limit 'the sugar the Darfurians need seriously.' He explained: 'The people of Darfur, they need a lot of sugar and they are used to it.'"

Well, all this typing has really gotten me thirsty. Coke, anyone?

Shopping Carts For Charity

Isn't altruism even better when it's fun? We gathered to run the second annual Idiotarod with those great kids at SMASHED (Society of Mature Adults Seeking to Help, Entertain and Donate). Hev, Alethea, Joni, Mary, Megan and I all put on our animal finest and ran through the streets of DC pushing a shopping cart.

It was a three mile course all around the city, and we didn't come close to winning. Plenty of good fun, though, which is all you can really ask. This year the money went to the Arlington Food Assistance Center. Now the only problem is coming up with a theme for next year. I've heard some serious rooting for a conestoga wagon. Hmm . . .

Reading Is Fundamental

One-third of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.

58% of the US adult population never reads another book after high school.

42% of college graduates never read another book.

80% of US families did not buy or read a book last year.

70% of US adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years.

57% of new books are not read to completion.


--Jerrold Jenkins.
http://www.JenkinsGroup.com
(stolen from http://www.parapublishing.com/sites/para/resources/statistics.cfm)


Who knows if these statistics are accurate. Let’s assume that they’re way off, and only 30% of the US adult population never reads another book after high school. Thirty percent! That means roughly one in three people have never picked up a book after age eighteen.

What if their statistics are in the ballpark? That means almost two out of three people don’t read. Don’t read books. At all. Who are these mouth breathers? Who doesn’t read? Don’t they wonder what’s in these paper packets that everyone seems to be carrying on the subway?

I’m not asking for Ulysses here people (and anyone who got past the first 50 pages has me beat). I mean, Danielle Steel? Patricia Cromwell? This isn’t the Dead Sea Scrolls, surely most everyone could manage a grocery store paperback? This just makes my head hurt.