new music from modpez & syntax available on epicaricacy!

epicaricacy is a non-profit, asheville-based netlabel run by artists for artists, specializing in experimental music ranging from electronica, electro-acoustic, turntablism, ambient, noise, and anything in between. working in conjunction with the internet archive, we are dedicated to offering quality music that doesn't necessarily fit into any niche - or, for that matter, any radio format - free of charge. all artists retain all rights to their own music, and are encouraged to physically distribute these recordings as they see fit. and, most importantly, anyone is welcome to create derivative works using anything available on epicaricacy as raw material, as long as it is done on a non-commercial basis and credit is given where it is due. (who knows - if we like it enough we may ask if we could release it!)

the actual epicaricacy website is still under construction, but our entire catalog is available for free download here.

what we have so far:
1) the former yugoslavia, "discard (expanded edition)": ambient music that strikes a balance between organic and isolationist, now a 2-cd set that also includes a remix of "discard" elements and a live recording from 2003.

2) dminja - gesundheit (2002: the menace of innocence): downtempo groove meets avant-garde; one of our favorite dj mix albums of all time.

3) modern peasant, "silk rope": beautiful soundtracks to films that haven't been made yet.

4) modern peasant, "hit and run": seventeen tracks of eclectic, sometimes angular and random electric/electronic/acoustic experimentation.

5) the syntax of things, "run rotunda": a 35-minute ambient/noise piece dedicated to the genius and tenacity of composer/producer jim steinman. difficult but worthwhile listening.

if you're a musician that specializes in the experimental, esoteric, and left-of-center and you think your work might be a good fit for epicaricacy, feel free to contact e. estlin @ epicaricacy.org at gmail.com.

thanks!

The Feral Chihuahuas

Feral Chihuahuas present Kwanz-mas-chuka telethon for needy children!

Kumquat: Sketch Comedy Extravaganza!

Okay. So I lied, we're not really raising $ for needy children. But we are having our last show of our season in the shed and we are always taking donations. We will use those donations and the next month to prepare for the FRINGE FESTIVAL. We will update you as to when and where that will be for us.

But for now come see the last FREE show in the shed.

Oh and we will be featuring some fun acts in addition to us. Our regular patron Karl Strayhorn will be Juggling! And all the way from Greenville, SC we will have the band Aubergine playing in the basement! They are self-described indie rockish. So come a little early to see them!

As always, the show is on Friday at 8pm and 9pm.
If you've never been to our Woodfin house and are in need of directions, call us at:
253-8019.
Or you could just email us here.
As per our usual schtick, we will party afterward. So, BYOB!

Thank you all for enjoying it and making the shed possible.
The Feral Chihuahuas.

This troupe has been making well-rehearsed, well-timed, terribly professional and terrifically funny sketch comedy for years. DEMRadio has partnered with the Chihuahuas for our upcoming radio show on 880AM, and I want all of you to get to know them too.

Come out to the shed in Woodfin. No, there'll be no diaper wearing sheriffs or crab walking gimp incest children. It really is free, and you really ought to bring your drink of choice. The same show is performed at 8pm and at 9pm. Please, please come out and support this hard working band performing the best sketch comedy I've had the pleasure of seeing anywhere.

Email me at scrutinyhooligans@yahoo.com for directions, or just call Little Billy Jongerson at 253-8019.

Manly Dancing

I'm definitely checking this out. "Confusing Choreography"? I'm compelled to attend. There are a lot of things that confuse me, and I like that. But, outside of some contortionist breakdancing I saw once through a haze of recreational substances, I haven't yet been confused by choreography. Also, this is a great chance to support the local arts scene. Come one, come all!

Here's the link to the Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre.

Buy Blue

I heard about this on WPVM last week ... there's a Web site called BuyBlue.org which recommends retailers based on the political giving of the companies. Why buy from companies that support politics you detest?



Companies are also screened for fair labor practices, environmental consciousness, and other social factors.

Check it out!

Berry

Hydraulic

Fluff

A Great Guide to Asheville

The folks at Finding Asheville put together a wonderful book about Asheville, those things to do, those things to avoid. Here's what they have to say about the book:

"This guide is based on the way real people really visit a city, or at least the way we think real people should really visit a city. Going to eight different places in distal parts of town in one day not only wastes nonrenewable resources and generates air pollution, it fritters your valuable tourist time. There is more to life than driving and parking. Walking, particularly in a city of Asheville’s walkable scale, generates memories of gargoyles and trees and flowers and bricks and faces and sounds and smells. Real stuff. Driving generates memories of your dashboard and your windshield and your rear-view mirror and that irritating grinding metallic noise somewhere under the hood that you are praying isn’t going to be as expensive as it sounds."

You can pick up this wonderful resource by clicking on this link!

New Digs

Mrs. Sweet Tea and I were looking through some templates and thought how nice it would be to give BlogAsheville a new look, complete with mountains in the background! Hope you like it, we are learning HTML as we go and experiment on many levels. More HTML news as it comes.

UPDATE: Sweet Tea's gotta brand new template too!

Documents tie Taylor to lobbyist in ethics case

Crossposted from Scrutiny Hooligans:

The Associated Press reports "More than a dozen members of Congress intervened to help Indian tribes win federal school construction money while accepting political donations from the tribes, their lobbyist Jack Abramoff or his firm..."

"...in 2002, Taylor received $1,000 from the Cherokee tribe (which won funding this year) a few months after he sent a letter urging funding for an Abramoff-backed tribe. He also received $2,000 from an Abramoff tribe in 2002 just before signing a letter..."

Read the rest of the article.

Gobble Gobble!

Wednesday Morning, Asheville

By Tom Williams

Free School

I promised Chall, aka Theseus, that I'd post something about the new Free School starting at the Asheville Community Resource Center, 135 Hilliard Street.

Although I'm a bit dubious. I mean, how do I know I'm getting my money's worth if I ain't paying? And why don't these people have last names? Okay, that's all I'm going to say. Here's the information:

Classes are starting immediately. One signs up simply by showing up. All classes are free. You can also contact Michael Loeffler at 336-575-0575 with questions.

The classes are:

• Creative Writing, Chall, 8-9:30 PM Mondays
• Spanish, Joseph, 4-5:00 PM Sundays
• ASL, Robert, 3-5:00 PM Wednsdays
• Art Class, different facilitators, 2-3:00 PM Wednesdays

Classes soon to be offered include:

• Radical Art movements class, Michael and Lydia
• Primitive fire making workshop, Cole and Will
• Tree Climbing, Nable
• Urban Plant Identification, Ryan or the Animal
• Radical study group, Texas

Against Widening I-26? Thank Charlie Taylor's Fear of Mexicans

Of course you'll have to thank him for punting the promise of Ellis Island too...

AC-T: "U.S. Rep. Charles Taylor says he wants immigration reform.

The Brevard Republican is among a group of congressman who drafted a letter to President George W. Bush asking for a comprehensive approach to stop illegal immigration across the country’s southern border.

The letter, along with constituent signatures, will be hand-delivered to the president in December.

Taylor also banded with four other Republican congressmen from North Carolina to file legislation threatening to halt federal highway money to the state unless the state makes it harder for illegal immigrants to get a driver license.

Some Western North Carolina lawmakers were baffled by the move. The General Assembly already took steps to tighten driver licensing laws before they adjourned in September.

The state budget also includes money for computer equipment to allow DMV workers to access national databases and verify identification for driver license applicants.

If the federal legislation is enacted, North Carolina would lose $890 million from its annual $3.6 billion transportation budget. That means that WNC road projects such as widening parts of Interstate 26 and adding two lanes on Interstate 240 could be delayed or halted."

Charles Taylor is a'feared of the mexican hordes swarming the mountains stealing our burrito stands and theme restaurants, living several families to a dwelling in order to save money and buy a home, building buck-pimpity auto detailing stations, and wooing Charlie's white women. But if you can stomach all that xenophobia and you're against the proposed widening of the I-26 corridor, you may be in luck. Taylor's brown-skinned bogeymen might get the funding cut out for the project. This is going to create a snakepit of cognitive dissonance for so many of us.

BlogAsheville, of course, never advocates for or against a particular candidate, nor will we ever endorse one candidate over another. I will be sending this post via email to Congressman's Taylor's office with an invitation for him to reply. Should he choose to do so, his reply will be reprinted in full without accompanying commentary.

Giblets, gravy, and guzzling revisited

I was honored to host several local (and one Greensboro) bloggas and their families at my humble abode/posh North Asheville villa last night. We had a Thanksgiving feast of magnificent proportions. Given that my entire family has blown us off for Thanksgiving, last night may turn out to be our holiday celebration (Okay, E-spouse, I'll roast a turkey. After all I have enough leftover cornbread/sausage dressing to feed a busload of hungry Hungarians).

There were many moments to savor throughout the night, in addition to the grub and libations. I was awed, in particular, by blogaphile Jim's gift to me: a CD entitled "A Little Night Music: an eclectic assortment for the Edgiest of Mamas." The CD holds 120 songs! We've listened to it for much of the past 24, and it is wonderful. I have yet to not like a song on this compilation. Thanks, Jim!

The highlight of the night for me was hearing the erotic confession of my dear friend, Rio. Rio is a member of my book club and was at the beach with us when Ashvegas was guestblogging and wreaking havoc here on Edgy Mama.

Soooooo, Rio's big confession: after much beach talk and speculation about the true identity of Ashvegas (I am, as always, pledged to silence), Rio had a dream about our fab blogger friend. In the dream, she and Ash were having a torrid, yes, smoking, affair. AND he looked just like Clive Owen. Mmmmmmm, yes. So, last night, in a moment of bravery, she came face-to-face with the infamous Ash and told him about her dream. No, he doesn't much resemble Clive, at least in countenance, though he does have that rough and wry sense of humor that we so admire in the sexy Brit. Was Rio disappointed? Was she thrilled? We'll see what further dreams bring to Rio. Which leads me to my wild blogger dreams of last night...

Nope, not going there.

We neglected to take photos of this blogger meetup, though it was, as always, colorful. Thanks to Syntax, Uptown, Sweet Tea, Screwy, Huw, Vespere, Theseus, Ash, Corky, Walker, Rio, and you other blogger-related souls who were brave enough to attend. For food, drink, and fellowship. Til we meet again.

And Ash says:
Ashvegas bloggas owe you and E-Spouse a debt of gratitude for opening up your home. Thank you!

A few other highlights:

syntax and his invisible airplane. syntax's s.o.: "how do you know where you parked it?"

klutzy mama dropping utensils in the kitchen, then licking them clean (not true, says EM!).

E-Spouse's screeching impersonation of Fergie: "Let's get it staaar-ted!"

kluty mama forgetting to put out her homemade cranberry sauce. o-k. YUM! I didn't know it got better than the stuff out of the can...

syntax and s.o.'s confession of the birds-and-bees books their parents gave them. suffice to say we're all glad neither are the worse for it. that, combined with klutzy mama's reading of her sex book, which she had suprisingly handy on the bookshelf - complete with pictures of dog genitals.

jim's party mix present. we were all jealous AND super-in awe.

rio's soul-baring reveal to me. and hey, she didn't seem TOO disappointed in the real Mr. Vegas...

some kind of fortified yeast gravy, tasty pumpkin cheesecake, some awesome greens, a wonderfully apply salad, dressing upon dressing, on and on...

the inaugural game of the giblet toss olympics, in which bloggas used their discerning palates to guess the not-so-secret ingredients of the new Cold Mountain Winter Ale. medals to klutzy mama (cinnamon); syntax (raspberry) and everyone who came oh so close to guessing the super-hard butter pecan flavoring.

Dr. Paul as Johnny Depp. if only the lights had been a little dimmer...

Thanks to all!

cheesecake tease

come get a piece @ the guzzler!

Look Ma! I'm a Journalismist Now!

Great news for the pajamahadeen via dKos:

"This morning, the Federal Election Commission unanimously approved Advisory Opinion 2005-16, agreeing that the Fired Up! sites were entitled to the same press exception from campaign finance laws as are the New York Times, National Review and Sean Hannity."

There has been much talk about regulating internet speech under Federal Election Guidelines. That is, some net-shy legislators who don't like a media they can't control want to require sites that advocate for specific candidates or parties to register with the FEC and meet a number of strict guidelines. Any measure like this would effectively end bloggers' rights to talk about Candidate A or Candidate X in any positive light without paying through the nose and tunneling through a pre-web tangle of red tape.

So the FEC's ruling has set a precedent in favor of citizen media. Raise your glass to the future, and get your journalisming on!

Behold

Last call for Asheville Area bloggers who'd like to attend the GOGG.

Get your info here!

Ready for the weekend? It's ready for you...

Everybody knows the weekend starts on Thursday, right? Right. With a big wine tasting, Santa parading into town, some big country acts downtown and a little giblet tossing, this weekend is shaping up to be one of the biggest on Ashvegas' social calendar.

Just in time for the holidays. So let's take a look:

Noveau night

Hundreds will gather downtown at the Haywood Park Hotel tonight to celebrate the first pressing of the grapes. The beaujolais noveau wines will be on full display, as will many Ashvegas movers and shakers. I went to one of these a few years ago, and it was actually a bit disgusting.

It's a bunch of mostly business types rushing to get off to work so they can jam their pie holes full of cheese and crackers and down as many glasses of cheap wine as they can before the wife notices how late it is. People get drunk and bump into other drunk wine guzzlers, crumbs and grape juice flying.

So there you have it. Still a lot of fun.

Santa comes to town
Old St. Nick will roll his sleigh into town during the annual Christmas parade through downtown. It starts about 2 p.m., I think. There's a new parade route taht will take the floats and marchers down Biltmore Avenue for the first time. You can't go wrong with marching bands, 4-H floats and big ballons on a bright, crisp November day in Ashvegas. Check it out.

Motorists, beware - everyone will be lining up on the Smoky Park Bridge starting in the morning, so be careful out there.

Later Saturday, Ashvegas will hold it's the "Light Up the Holidays" kickoff on Pack Square. I think they turn on a bunch of Christmas lights or something.

Country comes to town, too

For the capper, the Ashvegas Civic Center will be rocking Saturday night as Brad Paisley, Sara Evans and Sugerland all come to town for some mainstream country sangin'. Those are some hot names in country music these days. Look for 'em to be comin' down from the mountains for this.

Don't forget the posh N. Ashvegas villa
All this, and I haven't even mentioned Friday night's First Annual Grazy Guzzler and Blogger Beajolais Olympics. Here for details.

What a weekend. I can't wait.

Changes in the weather...

...make for beautiful sunsets.

Fun Facts About Giblets

While the pronunciation war rages on between the "J-j-jiblet" army of fun and the "G-g-giblet" battalion of purists, I thought it important to unstuff this mysterious edible...

Food Safety and Inspection Service: "Giblets (pronounced JIBB-letz; also GIBB-letz) are the heart, liver and gizzard of poultry. The word comes from Middle English "gibelet," which in turn came from "gibier" -- Old French for "game." The English altered the word to "giberet," and it formerly meant "a game stew." Today many cooks use giblets to make gravy; others broil or fry them to make appetizers or main dishes."
[...]
"the neck of the bird is not a giblet."
[...]
"In a poultry slaughter plant, giblets must be chilled to 40° F or below within two hours of slaughtering the birds."
[...]
"inspection is mandatory but grading is voluntary. There are no grading standards for giblets"
[...]
"If a bird is labeled "with giblets," it will contain at least half of each giblet. Parts of the giblets may have broken off during handling or may be missing due to trimming."
[...]
"USDA allows poultry processors to use labels stating that giblets may be missing -- or, "without giblets" (commonly known as "wogs" in the poultry industry)."
[...]
"At home, immediately place giblets (or poultry containing giblets) in a refrigerator that maintains 40° F or below, and use within 1 or 2 days; or freeze at 0° F or below. If kept frozen continuously, they will be safe indefinitely. For best quality, use giblets within 3-4 months of freezing."
[...]
"There are three safe ways to defrost giblets and poultry containing them: in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave oven. Never defrost giblets on the kitchen counter."
[...]
"Cooked giblets should have a firm texture. Casseroles containing giblets should be cooked to 160°F. Stuffing should be cooked to 165°F. Chicken giblets are commonly fried or broiled. Leftovers should be refrigerated within 2 hours."

And here are 105 recipes for giblets!

See you tomorrow at the GOGG.

Freecycle

The worldwide Freecycle Network is made up of many individual groups across the globe. It's an international grassroots movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. Put in your zipcode and check it out. I'm not as familiar with WNC Barter, but it appears just as helpful.

Best thing I've freecycled or bartered lately? The car I'm driving was bartered for my husband building someone a deck.

Locally, Hendersonville, (where I currently live) and Asheville both have busy groups.

Link

Giblet Olympics and Gravy Guzzler or Whatever

Two days to go. The place: my house. The time: 7:00 p.m. The date: Friday, November 18. The plan: eat, drink, engage in Olympics (Screwy--you are in charge of games, but no running in the house), make fun of blogging.

The attendees and their offerings (so far):

• EM and E-spouse: sausage and cornbread dressing, cranberry sauce
• Ash and possibly his S.O.: Turkey (and gravy, Ash?)
• Screwy and possibly his S.O.: Veggie dish (I’m guessing here)
• Uptown and Tea: Sweet potato delight and surprise dish
• Syntax and S.O.: Pumpkin Cheesecake and surprise dish
• Vespere: Bread or rolls
• Theseus: Bread or rolls (guess who are the two college students?)
• Corky: Salad
• Huw: Vegan stuffing
• Jim and Frank: green bean casserole

Wow, I’m getting hungry already.

If I’ve inadvertently left you off the list, let me know. Matt, will you and your girl be coming? ModPeas?

Further instructions: If your food needs to be served hot, bring it hot. Although I have a big oven, space for reheating food will be limited.

Bring whatever you would like to drink.

E-mail me, if you haven’t already, for directions or questions or just because: janus@annefittenglenn.com.

See you on Friday!

Is it journalism, or is it blogging?

An interesting report, from the AP:

New web site to meld journalism, blogs
By ANICK JESDANUN
AP Internet Writer

NEW YORK

A media Web site scheduled to debut Wednesday will seek to blend traditional journalism with the freeform commentary developed through the emerging Web format known as blogs.

Some 70 Web journalists, including Instapundit's Glenn Reynolds and David Corn, Washington editor of the Nation magazine, have agreed to participate in OSM _ short for Open Source Media.

OSM will link to individual blog postings and highlight the best contributions, chosen by OSM editors, in a special section. Bloggers will be paid undisclosed sums based on traffic they generate.

The ad-supported OSM site will also carry news feeds from Newstex, which in turn receives stories from The Associated Press, Knight- Ridder/Tribune News Service and other traditional media organizations.

"We're deliberately trying to do something new by affiliating blog and mainstream people," said Roger L. Simon, a blogger and the venture's co-founder.

According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, about 9 percent of adult Internet users in the United States have created their own blogs, and about 25 percent read them. The audience tends to be more influential: blog postings can affect what news organizations cover or politicians discuss.

Many details of OSM remain unsettled. For example, OSM wants to create a mechanism for citizen journalists, including bloggers, to submit original news during natural disasters, civil unrest and other newsworthy events. Simon said organizers still have to come up with ways to check submissions for accuracy.

Initially, OSM will create blog-like discussion panels surrounding major news events, with three or four bloggers and non-blogging experts chosen to contribute.

Although Simon and co-founder Charles Johnson are often described as conservative, Simon said the site will transcend labels and include bloggers of all political leanings.

OSM was founded last year as Pajamas Media, a play on bloggers' ability to opine from home at all hours, day or night. It has raised $3.5 million from venture capitalists.

___

On the Net:

http://www.pajamasmedia.com

Political Protest Wednesday at Noon

I got this email from MoveOn (okay, so did you, as do we all, the ten million emails that they send out a day, but their hearts are in the right places; wait, that sounds like MoveOn members have more than one heart, which would make them creepy aliens! Or extremely nice people; you be the judge.) and so I am sharing. Any excuse to bother Charles Taylor, is what I always think, and this beastly budget is a good one. Personally? I'm going to try hard to be there, but a lot depends on the progress of the lovely cold I am hosting this week. Without further ado, here's the facts.

On Wednesday, MoveOn members in Asheville are organizing a "Speak Out" — one of over 100 events this week to stop the reverse Robin Hood budget. Local folks will gather to tell the public and the media their personal stories about Medicaid, food stamps and student loans.

We've invited the media. The success of the event depends on how many of us show up in support. Can you join us? Here are the details:

Speak out against budget cuts
in front of Congressman Charles Taylors office
Pack Square
Asheville, NC
Wednesday, 16 Nov 2005, 12:00 PM

The Republican proposal would cut over $50 billion from critical services including Medicaid, food stamps, and student loans. The same proposal calls for handing out $70 billion in tax breaks for the very wealthy. It's reverse Robin Hood economics, robbing the poor to pay back the rich.

MoveOn members have been instrumental in beating back this plan so far, by phoning in over 40,000 calls, writing over 140,000 personal letters to Congress and sending in more than 13,000 letters to the editor of local papers. Your work has helped put us within a hair's breadth of victory and now we've got to push it over the top.

In most places, we're holding these events during the day, to maximize media coverage because that's when government offices are open. But it's a tough time for many people—so if there's any way you can come, please do. A strong turnout will help save essential programs people in your community rely on to keep their families healthy, to keep food on the table, and to secure a better future for their kids.

Sign up here

Southeast Chapter of the National Cartoonist Society Invites You...

You are invited to the Southeast Chapter of the National Cartoonist Society meeting Tuesday, November 15th at 7 pm, Frank's Roman Pizza (across the road from the Lowe's Superstore on Tunnel Road, Asheville).

From cartoonist/illustrator James E. "Doodle" Lyle:

Jack "Cass" Cassady plans to be in attendance, and will be sharing a little about his career in cartooning and some from his famous insights on copyright issues. So plan to be there! Bring a little cash for good food. Bring your latest work to show to the gang, and plan on doing a little on the spot doodling for the nice folks at Frank's.

All local comikers, cartoonists, illustrators and/or those simply interested are invited!

Oh Hell Yes

Only 4 days until the Giblet Olympics and Gravy Guzzler...

l'automne à la maison de syntax

there are usually one or two days during the year when i don't like the tree in front of our house. today was one of them...

Q & A With Asheville's Mayor-elect

AC-T{heavily excerpted}: "The first African-American elected mayor in Asheville, Bellamy handily defeated challenger and fellow Council member Joe Dunn, taking 10,534 votes to Dunn’s 8,004. In the council election, incumbents Holly Jones and Carl Mumpower were re-elected, and newcomer Robin Cape took the third open seat. Council members will need to choose someone from the community to serve the remaining two years of Bellamy’s term."
[...]
Question: We know you may have a bent toward having Bryan Freeborn on Council as your replacement, but would you consider retaining the wisdom and reason of Dr. Joe Dunn? Asheville needs him to remain. It would be your first ‘historic’ act as mayor!

Terry Bellamy: I think I am leaning toward Bryan (Freeborn). He was the fourth-highest vote-getter, and there’s a thousand votes difference between him and the fifth person, so I just think that he’s worked really hard and the public has had an opportunity to look him through and see his opinions. And I believe Asheville (residents), through their votes, said they wanted to see council go in a new direction with new leadership, and that’s why I’m going to support Bryan Freeborn for that seat."
[...]
Q: Water bills in Asheville are $60 to $70 a month for each — water and sewer. That’s obscene. How did that happen and what are you going to do about it?

TB: I think looking at our water department and the fact that right now we’re about to refinance almost $40 million worth of bonds, that will help us create some cost savings we can put back into infrastructure and improvements.
[...]
And to be perfectly clear and honest, our water system is in such disrepair I don’t see how we can reduce rates in the next couple of years. I want to be honest and put that out to people. Right now, we’re holding the line on the rate. However, getting a good capital improvement plan is job one."
[...]
"Q: How much in campaign contributions did you receive from the Biltmore Estate, and has the Biltmore Estate bought Pisgah View Apartments to make them into condos?

TB: I received zero."

Go Read the Whole Article

BlogAsheville's Inaugural International Giblet Olympics and Gravy Guzzler

Abraham Lincoln, from his proclamation of a National Day of Thanksgiving, "It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union."

One Hundred and Forty Two years later a cabal of internet diarists in western North Carolina, known collectively as BlogAsheville, proclaimed the Friday before the last Thursday in November an International Giblet Olympics and Gravy Guzzler, "We've decided it's as fit and as proper as can be to gather bloggers into one comfortable place and create a holiday based around the creation of giblet sports, the crude imbibing of gravies, and the genuine celebration of community. We do therefore invite our fellow netizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the Friday before the last Thursday of November as a day of Giblet Olympics and Gravy Guzzler and praisins to that guy who invented the internets. With a humble appreciation of perverseness and disobedience and a robust bon vivance, BlogAsheville raises our glasses to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union."




Email Edgy Mama for directions - janus at annefittenglenn dot com

Autumn in Asheville

"wal-mart: the high cost of low price" - benefit screening sunday (11/13)

the fine arts theater and wpvm are having two benefit screenings of wal-mart: the high cost of low price, the latest documentary film by robert greenwald (outfoxed: rupert murdoch's war on journalism, uncovered: the war in iraq), this coming sunday @ 1:00 pm & 7:00 pm.

this film is already stirring up a ton of controversy - you can read more about that at the movie's web site. in the meantime, this could be one of your only chances to see this film on a big screen. plus all of the benefit's proceeds go directly to wpvm, so you're supporting true, grassroots, local media as well.

(hey, at the very least it's something to do before the lcd soundsystem show @ the peel sunday night!)

I Don't Know Who's Cooler Right Now

Terry Bellamy, Mayor-elect of Asheville



Or the most on-top-of-shit local political blogger in the history of the blogiverse, Ashvegas.

Go Read Now!

Vote, vote, vote, vote

I spent several minutes writing a silly poem to "Twas the Night Before Christmas" last night, entitled "Twas the Night Before Elections," but E-spouse said it was really dumb, so I'm not sharing.

However, I must do my patriotic duty and remind you all to vote today. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but my didactic Mom/school teacher shows her bossy face in these moments.

Although Blogasheville is non-partisan (sort of), I will share my endorsements (everyone else is endorsing away--and confusingly so--the progressives can't seem to all get on the same page).

Edgy Mama hereby endorses the following slate of candidates: Bellamy, Jones, Cape, and Freeborn. Taking a bow and walking off the stage to much applause and one catcall.

I've decided not to hit the party circuit tonight (the kids are cramping my style, again--good thing they're soooooo cute) but if any of you do, please tell me about it tomorrow.

Tea's Trees

River District Artists

They've got their own website, this vortex of creativity.

Check it out.

Artist list here.

And whether you're all over the whole Christmas/Holiday gift buying or you're the "I Love This Town" dandering Ashevillain, the Fall Studio Stroll is November 12th & 13th, 2005.

The High Lonesome Review

I’ve been tossing the idea around of putting together a Local Literary Review for the fall of 2006. The above image is just messing around. We can publish it on Lulu.com so it won’t cost us anything more than the time it takes to gather, sort, edit, and format. I was wondering a couple of things. Would any of you more literary types like to be involved? And what should we call it? I was thinking – The High Lonesome Review, but I’m open to anything that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Any takers?

asheville the movie update

From their website: "asheville the movie is a feature film. it's a comedy, a collection of short stories (short films) set in the new freak capital of the united states (rolling stone magazine), one of the top destinations for retirement (modern maturity magazine) and the happiest city in the U.S.A. (outdoor magazine): asheville, north carolina. the stories are loosely woven together and stitched shut by one confounding event."

Intriguing, isn't it? Although I can't figure out why these creative types eschew capitalization. But that's another rant for another day.

Here's some up-to-the-minute production news that director/producer/writer Chusy Jardine e-mailed me a few days ago:

• Filming was delayed when Jardine caught a nasty case of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever at the end of the summer (recconoitering location spots in the mountains, perhaps?). Jardine has recovered and filming started yesterday in locations around town.
• Because of the filming delay, Jardine lost his director of photography, Patrick Rousseau, who just had his first child, a son. All is well with him, his mother and father. Congrats, Patrick!
• However, the camera test by the new director of photography, Kenny Wilson looks phenomenal, according to Jardine. Wilson worked on a few local projects, namely ALL THE REAL GIRLS.
• The film's temporary trailer played at the opening of the Asheville Film Festival last weekend and went over well (or so they heard--anyone see it?). The trailer is fricking hilarious. It has been playing before the evening flicks at Asheville Pizza and Brew Company (for the best date night in Ashvegas: a pitcher of Roland's ISB, the Sheer Delight pizza, and a second-run film at APBC).
• One of asheville the movie's actors will appear in a play directed by British playwright David Mamet in London.
• Los Amigos Invisibles have been nominated for a Grammy. "This is the ass-shaking super suave band that will be working with us on some of the soundtrack for the film," says Jardine.
• They still need help with food, especially Friday lunches. A number of Asheville restaurants have stepped up (including my friend and neighbor, Tracy Taylor of Everyday Gourmet), but if you know anyone willing and able to feed 30-40 people lunch between now and January, let me know or e-mail Andy at andy@foundfilms.net.
• The Film Commission has stepped up to the plate and is helping them out considerably. As are a number of local businesses, individuals, and volunteers.

One of the reasons Asheville is soooooo cool is because many of us give time, $, and moral support to independent arts projects like asheville the movie. Having worked in independent production, I know how difficult it can be to pull off a project like this. Sending vibes and positive karma to offset the exhaustion, caffeine overconsumption, and stress that I know you all will be living through over the next few months.

I've wrangled an invitation to some of the filming, so on-location reports and stories will be coming soon. And edgy black t-shirts and bumper stickers with the slogan "Asheville: where normal is weird," are available for purchase here.

Time to Call Our Representative...

RedState.org: "Tomorrow the House will consider H.R. 1606, the online Freedom of Speech Act, which is identical to S. 678 introduced by Senate Democrat Leader Harry Reid. This bill will protect citizen journalists, known as bloggers, from the heavy hand of federal regulation.

The Online Freedom of Speech Act does not promote soft money or weaken any existing campaign finance regulations. Rather, it recognizes that online political dialogue enhances public debate and should be allowed to flourish. New technologies will continue to make it easier for Americans to be active in politics. In a country where only 60 percent of eligible adults vote, we cannot afford to allow Federal Election Commission (FEC) to burden political participants with arbitrary and cumbersome rules.

If the FEC imposes any regulatory scheme on the Internet, bloggers will be in legal jeopardy. Only those bloggers who can afford to hire lawyers will remain active, and our democracy will suffer. I urge you to defend First Amendment rights on the Internet and support H.R. 1606 on Wednesday."

This is a bipartisan efforts to establish and protect the right of internet users to freely use the internet. The above quote was written by Republican Congressman, Jeb Hensarling (R-TX).

Give Charles Taylor's office a call to let him know you'd like him to join with both parties to support this important bill.

Washington Office
Phone: (202) 225-6401

Asheville Office
Phone: (828) 251-1988

friendly nanowrimo reminder!

just a reminder that today is the first day of national novel writing month!

i dare you to participate. i triple dog dare you...

600 down, 49,400 to go...