Alice in Wonderland

The new movie production of Alice in Wonderland produced by Tim Burton is sure to introduce a whole new generation to this classic and favorite fairy tale by Lewis Carroll. If you are anywhere near me in age -- yes, I know, older than the hills -- you will remember the golden-haired Alice made popular by Disney Studios and the wonderful illustrations of Tenniel.

But, what do you know about the real Alice. There are a couple of new books out that introduce us to Alice Pleasance Liddell, the muse behind Carroll's Alice.

For the lover of everything Victorian, The Real Alice in Wonderland, a Role Model for the Ages by C. M. Rubin is a beautiful book. Filled with cut-out vignettes, the book has the impression of a tenderly and lovingly created scrapbook. There are photos of the Liddell sisters taken by Charles Dodgson, the shy Oxford professor of mathematics and amateur photographer, snippets of letters and journals, as well as sketches and watercolors by Alice. The book is a celebration of the complete Alice story, real and imagined.

The "Real Alice in Wonderland" book is dedicated to all those who inspire the minds and souls of human beings. What does it mean to inspire? In the Victorian age, when few children escaped tradition, Alice Pleasance Liddell inspired the greatest children's story of all time, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." This book brought Alice and Lewis Carroll together for their lifetimes and forever. The story behind the story is a rich history of a very creative, curious, and magnetic young girl who grew up to become a cultural icon and one of the most celebrated women of the last 100 years. It is a story of love, tragedy, duty, courage and loyalty to family and country - that will surprise and deeply move you. It will make you think again about what it means to inspire.

But, as beautiful as this book is, there are many unanswered questions about the relationship between Charles Dodgson and Alice Liddell. The Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas hosted A Lewis Carroll Centenary exhibit, in the Ransom Center’s Leeds Gallery in the fall of 1998 and the website has a wealth of information about Dodgson, his photography, and Alice Liddell. If you are interested in the story this is a great resource.

In an 1877 letter, Carroll tells his correspondent that he considers himself "an amateur-photographer whose special line is ‘children’." He then encourages the recipient to bring the children by to meet him "not [to] be photographed then and there (I never succeed with strangers), but to make acquaintance with the place and the artist, and to see how they relished the idea of coming, another day, to be photographed."

Carroll’s photographic style evolved from the straightforward work of his early family albums into a more adventurous and interpretive one. In an almost magical fashion, Carroll’s photography allowed the natural child and the fanciful artist to combine in the production of memorable images. In fact, Carroll has left us with some of the most profound portraits of children ever created.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the work for which Lewis Carroll is best remembered, grew out of a river outing by Carroll, his friend Robinson Duckworth, and the three young daughters of Dean Liddell - Lorina, Alice and Edith. Carroll first told the girls the story of Alice during that memorable day, July 4, 1862, and, upon their urging, expanded it into a manuscript version shortly thereafter. In November 1864 he presented his manuscript tale, "Alice’s Adventures Under Ground," to Alice Liddell.



The new historical novel by Melanie Benjamin, Alice, I Have Been, gives the reader a more nuanced view of the life of Alice, as the young girl immortalized in the classic tale, and then follows her into adulthood. Benjamin was intrigued by a photo showing the young Alice as a scantily clad "wild gypsy child" and her eyes which expressed innocence combined with a seductive quality well beyond her years.

The relationship between Liddell and Dodgson has been the source of much controversy. Many biographers have supposed that Dodgson was romantically or sexually attached to her as a child, though there has never been any direct proof for this and more benign accounts assume merely a platonic fondness.

The relationship between the Liddells and Dodgson suffered a sudden break in June 1863. There was no record of why the rift occurred, since the Liddells never openly spoke of it, and the single page in Dodgson's diary recording 27-29 June 1863 (which seems to cover the period in which it began) was missing. The only source for what happened on that day has been speculation, and generally centers on the idea that Alice Liddell was, somehow, the cause of the break. It has long been suspected that her mother disapproved of Dodgson's interest in her, seeing him as an unfit companion for an 11-year-old girl.

This mystery sets the backdrop for Benjamin's story. She explains:

As I was researching Alice's life, three major aspects seemed to speak to me—the childhood, obviously, which remains so fascinating to fans of Lewis Carroll; the possibility of romance with Prince Leopold; the fact she had three sons who fought in World War I. So concentrating on these three distinct time periods—which really span most of the Victorian era—made the most sense, and I knew that thematically, the link between them all was always going to be Wonderland, or rather—the impossibility of Wonderland, after all.

The first section was probably easiest to write, however; the third, the most difficult. This was where there were so many gaps in Alice's story; she simply went away to Cuffnells for years and years, only re-emerging near the end of her life with the auction of the book. Yet during these years, she raised three sons whom she would have to send to war; this intrusion of bigger events sometimes made it more challenging to keep Wonderland and Dodgson still in the center of the story in that third section.

To hear more from Melanie Benjamin listen to the interview at NPR Weekend edition or Fresh Air

Ladybug Girl at the Beach

I am looking forward to the release of this wonderful new picture book which is one of several books scheduled to be published this summer as part of Penguin's "Catch the Reading Wave" promotion.

Jacky Davis - author
David Soman - illustrator
ISBN 9780803734166
available May 2010


Lulu loves the beach. Well, she’s never been there before, but she knows she will love it. And then she sees the ocean and it is big and loud and rough.

That’s okay—Lulu wanted to build sand castles and fly her kite with Bingo anyway. But while they are building their sand castle, the sneaky ocean comes in and tries to steal Lulu’s favorite pail. This is a job for Ladybug Girl!

Lulu conquers her fear of the ocean when she remembers that Ladybug Girl can do anything, in this gorgeously illustrated companion to the popular series.

Who Pays When You Buy Tax-Free Online?

While economists nationwide argue over whether we have begun to recover from the Great Recession, one financial reality is beyond dispute. Our state is facing the biggest budget challenge in decades. Even in a slowly rebounding economy, Texas is faced with a projected mid-year budget shortfall of $10 billion. Without a state income tax, our sales tax revenues are a primary source of funding for public services.

The enormous irony in this troubling story is that Texas is allowing hundreds of millions of dollars in sales tax to go uncollected by allowing remote online retailers with a significant business presence in our state to ignore their obligation to collect sales tax.

Given the sums involved, you would think there would be many in the state calling for this situation to be remedied. There are not. Perhaps it's because opponents of sales tax equity have, so far, managed to obfuscate the issue through a combination of misinformation and scapegoating.

Under current sales tax law, any out-of-state retailer is required to collect and remit sales tax for purchases made by residents in Texas if the retailer has a physical presence in our state. Current sales tax laws dictate that an out-of-state retailer has a physical presence in a state if they have a store, warehouse, office, or sales agent in the state.

Amazon.com and other online giants have thousands of affiliates in Texas, and they are actively promoting products sold by these out-of-state businesses. When this promotion results in a sale of said product, the affiliate earns a commission. That, by any definition, makes the affiliate a sales agent, and that means that these online mega-retailers have the legal presence in our state that requires them to collect sales tax.

The Amazons of the world and online affiliates are naturally opposed to any steps that states might take to enforce existing sales tax laws. Strategically, their stance makes a lot of sense because it gives them a significant competitive advantage over our in-state businesses that must add the additional cost of sales tax.

Furthermore, there is no doubt that consumers enjoy this so-called advantage. Many people will shop at out-of-state e-tailers just to avoid paying sales tax. That sounds fine, but we need to ask ourselves, in the long run, who really is footing the bill for these duty-free purchases?

Well, I can tell you who is not paying the bill: Neither online affiliates nor remote retailers. We are not talking about just a few dollars here and there flowing out-of-state. The reality is that hundreds of millions of dollars are lost each year, and the figure is growing.

This is money that should be going to first responders, to local communities, and to lessen our tax burden. Instead, this money is flying out-of-state to remote retailers and the affiliates that pocket the cash while taxpayers subsidize their use of our in-state services, our roads, and their very business.

Taking advantage of our state's unwillingness to enforce sales tax laws during the best of times is egregious enough. However, during a recession that has hit our state and local economy so hard, it's an affront to every business and citizen in the state. And what's worse, on an economic level, it makes no sense.

Legislators who oppose sales tax equity tout their belief in fiscal responsibility. But, in truth, how fiscally responsible is it to maintain a public policy that subsidizes out-of-state retailers while punishing in-state, tax-paying businesses and residents? Does fiscal responsibility demand that our state government burden residents and businesses with higher taxes and fewer services to placate out-of-state retailers that only take from our state and provide nothing in return? Yet that's the stance our state legislators and Governor are currently taking.

And so I ask one more question: How's that working out for us exactly? The current budget shortfall tells me the answer is not so good. Opponents also love to argue that folks like me are calling for a new tax. The idea that any struggling retailer in our state would demand a new tax on consumers just doesn't pass the giggle test.

In truth, if an out-of-state retailer does not have nexus in the state, shoppers are already required by law to submit the sales tax to the state. The real question is over who should collect this tax – you as a consumer or the out-of-state retailer. Now, granted, our state has not really done much to enforce the collection of use tax from residents, but trust me, as the budget situation worsens, it will. So either you're going to pay it or someone is going to collect it from you.

Finally, as for those who worry that sales tax equity would somehow harm online business in the state, let me stress that most online retailers, including Wal-Mart, Barnes & Noble, and Sears, already collect and remit sales tax for online purchases. Technological advances have greatly simplified and automated this task. Huge corporate retailers like Amazon.com and Overstock.com are the few remaining holdouts and the money they siphon from our local community and residents is significant and growing exponentially each year.

So please, when you go to the Internet for some tax-free shopping, I would only urge you to remember that your purchase isn't really free at all. In fact, that tax-free purchase costs all of us and our communities a lot more than you might think.

Laguna Madre Writer's Forum

I feel so honored that the poets of the Laguna Madre Writer's Forum have been willing to meet at Paragraphs for their monthly readings. Unfortunately, the Saturday morning time does not seem to work for members and others who may be interested since we have not had many attend. So, we are looking to find a better time and day on which to hold these readings.

If you have been interested in attending and just have not been able to make it on Saturday morning, please let me know if there would be a more convenient time. I really would like to see this succeed because we have some truly talented writers in Port Isabel, the Island and the Laguna Madre area.

This morning, I listened to Arturo Saldana read his poem about the a young man's search to discover himself and another celebrating a special friendship and was moved by the beauty of his language and by the depth of feeling expressed in the reading. The poet Rudy Holland Garcia writes the most exquisite love poems which bring tears to ones eyes. It is wonderful for me to have what comes close to being a private reading by these talented artists and I thoroughly enjoy the discussion which follows, but we really need to have more people to both read or listen if this is to be a successful program.

Please send me your suggestions for a better time and how we can reach an audience of both writers and those who enjoy listening to wonderful poetry. This is a great opportunity to experience the power of language and literature but we need your help to make it a success.

"Boundless" New Poetry Anthology

Don't forget to make your submission to the 2010 Rio Grande Valley International Poetry Festival Anthology and watch for more information about the 3rd Annual Rio Grande Valley International Poetry Festival (V.I.P.F.), April 22-25, 2010.

Boundless will be published this year as a perfect bound edition with an ISBN. Previous editons include poets from Texas, New York, and London. Be part of this exciting edition!

Poets do not have to attend our festival or register for our festival in order to submit for publication. (While this may change in the future, our open policy remains generous.)

Guidelines:

• Submit 1, 2, or 3 typewritten poems in a legible font.
• Poems may be of any topic, any language. (We ask for a translation if it is not in English, however.)
• 35-line limit per poem, not including title and spaces
• E-mail Submissions Only. Mailed Submissions Will NOT Be Accepted!
• E-mail submissinos to rgvipf@hotmail.com
• No previously published poems, please, except from self-published chapbooks with limited distribution.
• Do not place your name or other identifying information on the poems themselves.

Submit a cover letter that includes:

• Your Name
• Title of poem(s) or first line for an untitled poem
• E-mail address AND phone number
• A short bio – 50 words or less – focusing on your life as a writer

We strongly prefer to communicate by e-mail: rgvipf@hotmail.com
If you change your e-mail, let us know immediately.

NOTE: You must still mail your check, or money order (MADE OUT TO ART THAT HEALS, INC.), along with a SASE to:

Boundless Editorial Committee
1413 Jay Ave.
McAllen, TX 78504

An e-mail address is required for contact. If you will not collect your anthology in person, you should include a self-addressed stamped envelope (payable for $1.50).

www.vipf.org

rgvipf@hotmail.com

Presented by Art That Heals, Inc. in conjunction with the McAllen Chamber of Commerce and The Raúl Tijerina, Jr. Foundation

The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris

The Unnamed

By Joshua Ferris
(Reagan Arthur Books, Hardcover, 9780316034012, 320pp.)

Publication Date: December 22, 2009

I read the advanced reader copy of this book several months ago and found myself strangely moved by the story of this family. It is not a warm story and certainly not a feel good book and I admit I found it somewhat disturbing. The reviews have been mixed but it is a book that I find myself thinking about, even now, several months after having read it.

Shortly after reading "The Unnamed" I was glancing through a publisher catalog and came across another title "The Dancing Plague - The Strange, True Story of an Extraordinary Illness" by John Waller. In this non-fiction book, Waller presents several ideas as to what could cause someone to dance, without stopping, in some cases so severe that the afflicted could actually be said to dance themselves to death.

While the time period and circumstances studied in the two books are very different and one is fiction and the other non-fiction, there are some definite similarities in the way the authors look at human nature and the effect of societal norms.

Here is a trailer for "The Unnamed":



Selected by Indie Booksellers for the January 2010 Indie Next List

“Tim Farnsworth, a respected litigation attorney for a high-powered Manhattan law firm, is seized by a bizarre illness: He cannot stop walking. Whether taken as a form of mental or physical illness or read as an allegorical tale, The Unnamed is an absolutely heartbreaking story of love, marriage, family, and what it means to be successful in today's society.”
-- Joni Montover, Paragraphs on Padre Boulevard, South Padre Island, TX

Publisher Description:

He was going to lose the house and everything in it.

The rare pleasure of a bath, the copper pots hanging above the kitchen island, his family-again he would lose his family. He stood inside the house and took stock. Everything in it had been taken for granted. How had that happened again? He had promised himself not to take anything for granted and now he couldn't recall the moment that promise had given way to the everyday.

Tim Farnsworth is a handsome, healthy man, aging with the grace of a matinee idol. His wife Jane still loves him, and for all its quiet trials, their marriage is still stronger than most. Despite long hours at the office, he remains passionate about his work, and his partnership at a prestigious Manhattan law firm means that the work he does is important. And, even as his daughter Becka retreats behind her guitar, her dreadlocks and her puppy fat, he offers her every one of a father's honest lies about her being the most beautiful girl in the world.

He loves his wife, his family, his work, his home. He loves his kitchen. And then one day he stands up and walks out. And keeps walking.

THE UNNAMED is a dazzling novel about a marriage and a family and the unseen forces of nature and desire that seem to threaten them both. It is the heartbreaking story of a life taken for granted and what happens when that life is abruptly and irrevocably taken away.

Atlantic Brass Quintet at SPI Convention Center

The Atlantic Brass Quintet

Thursday, January 28, 2010, El Paseo Arts Foundation will host the South Texas Premiere Performance of the Atlantic Brass Quintet. Their concerts have been described by critics as

“Less like a staid occasion where the music sits politely on stage and more like a party that wants you to come aboard.”

Widely acclaimed as one of the world's finest brass ensembles, the Atlantic Brass Quintet has been heard in 48 of the United States and more than a dozen countries across four continents. They perform a unique repertory spanning Praetorius, Bach and Stravinsky, and the brass music from the streets of Brazil, Cuba, the Balkans, and New Orleans.

Winner of six international chamber music competitions, the Quintet's distinctive sound, impeccable ensemble, stunning virtuosity and warm, inviting stage presence have won praise from scores of critics.

Highlights of their busy concert schedule include performances at Carnegie Hall, The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, the Fleet Boston Celebrity Series, and the White House. The quintet is also active on the international scene, with performances the last two seasons in Italy for Palladium Musicum, in South Korea for the Jeju Summer Band Festival, in Taiwan for the Hsing Tien Kong Culture & Education Development Foundation, and for the National Concert Association in Panama.

The individual members of the quintet bring a wealth of talent and experience to the ensemble.

Louis Hanzlik (trumpet) is based in New York City, where he is active as an orchestral player, chamber musician, and educator. Mr. Hanzlik performs with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and Orpheus. In addition, he serves as co-principal trumpet with the Riverside Symphony (New York), IRIS Chamber Orchestra (Memphis), and is a member of the orchestra for Broadway’s Mary Poppins. As an educator, Mr. Hanzlik is a trumpet instructor and chamber music coach at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Seth Orgel (French horn) is Assistant Professor of Horn Louisiana State University and has degrees from Northwestern University and Louisiana State University. After spending more than ten seasons with the Syracuse Symphony horn section, he moved to Boston to pursue and active freelance career including shows, jazz orchestras, orchestral, and chamber work. Orchestral credits include the Chicago Symphony, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Filarmonica de Caracas, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Rochester Philharmonic, Buffalo Philharmonic, Louisiana Philharmonic, and currently principal horn with the Baton Rouge Symphony.

Tim Albright (trombone) lives in New York City where he enjoys a diverse career as a sought-after chamber musician and a cutting-edge jazz artist. He is a regular member of many New York ensembles including Argento New Music Project, Paragon Ragtime Orchestra, and the Riverside Symphony. Mr. Albright is also a long-standing member of renowned saxophonist Steve Coleman’s group, Five Elements, widely considered one of the most challenging gigs in jazz. He can be heard on numerous recordings and has toured extensively throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and the U.S. He is also frequently heard in the orchestras of current Broadway shows.

John Manning (tuba) is a founding member of the Atlantic Brass Quintet and serves on the faculty of the University of Iowa. Mr. Manning received his music degrees from Boston University and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He has also served as principal tuba of Air Force Band of the Golden West, the Albany Symphony, the Vermont Symphony, and the Shirim Klezmer Orchestra. Professor Manning has served on the faculties of Boston University, Boston Conservatory, and the University of Massachusetts, and has performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Andrew Sorg (trumpet), a member of the Triton Brass Quintet, is filling in for Alex Holton for this performance. Mr. Sorg is an active freelancer in the Boston area and has performed with various orchestras such as the Tanglewood Festival Orchestra, the Indian Hill Symphony, Emmanuel Music of Boston, the New Bedford Symphony, the Berkshire Symphony, and The New Hampshire Symphony.

The Atlantic Brass Quintet can be heard on recordings from Summit Records, Solstice, and Crystal.Their website, www.atlanticbrassquintet.com features selections from their music.

The evening of art begins at 6:30 p.m, with complimentary hors d’oeuvres, cash bar and art exhibit by the Laguna Madre Art League. Lights go up on the concert stage at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the event are $25 per person and $20 for El Paseo members. Tickets are available at the SPI Visitors Center, Paragraphs Book Store, Designer Consigner, the Port Isabel Library (cash or check only), and online at www.elpaseoarts. For additional information, call 956-943-4700.

Don’t miss the opportunity to hear this incredible group.

"You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" in SPI

El Paseo Arts Foundation is bringing another evening of fun to South Padre Island by hosting the Camille Playhouse Production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. After the hectic pace of the holiday season take an evening off, and just sit back and enjoy this delightful musical comedy. It should be a wonderful evening to share with friends and family.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010, at the SPI Convention Center.

The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with complimentary hors d’oeuvres, cash bar and Laguna Madre Art League Exhibit.

Curtain goes up on the show at 7:30 p.m.

Charles Schultz tickled the funny bone and tugged at the heartstrings of America for decades.

His musical, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, is a delightful romp through the cartoon pages of “Peanuts”, tied together as a day in the life of Charlie Brown. This revised version, presented on Broadway in 1999, adds new songs to the wonderful original numbers such as “Happiness” and “Suppertime”.

This is a rare gem of a show for all ages!

For youngsters and teens, watching You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown provides a chance to see the beloved cartoon characters come to life. For adults, watching the show is like running into the old gang, the kids we haven't seen for years. They haven't changed much since the late '60s. They're still obsessed with all the insecurities, doubts, and outright paranoia that childhood is heir to, and watching them brings back familiar, funny memories.

The Camille’s director, Ben Agresti has assembled a wonderful cast to portray Charles Schultz’s famous characters: there’s poor Charlie Brown and his sister Sally, Snoopy battling the Red Baron, Lucy in all her regal splendor, Linus and his blanket, Schroeder and his piano, and the Little Red Haired Girl.

Tickets are available at the SPI Visitors Center, Paragraphs Bookstore, Designer Consigner, and the Port Isabel Library or you can purchase tickets with a credit card online.

For additional information, call 956-943-4700.
Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy this charming musical with friends and family.

The End of an Idea

Thanks to Seth Patterson for the below post and video. It puts the implosion of the OTSPI in perspective with the bigger issues of coastal development and does so beautifully:

Developer's insatiable need to build bigger and taller has finally caught up with them on South Padre Island. On Saturday December 12, 2009, Ocean Tower Condominiums was imploded.

This thin strip of barrier island simply could not support a 31 floor tower such as this. During construction, when the clay bed on which it sat began to shift under its weight, the building's foundation cracked, causing the tower to lean. Irreparable, this marked the tallest concrete building, to date, to ever be imploded.

The Implosion of Ocean Tower from Seth Patterson on Vimeo.

Leonardo Nierman’s “Labyrinth of Dreams”

I know that many of us that move to South Padre Island mourn what we perceive as a loss of the availability of "art" and "culture". What I am continually reminded of when I receive updates from www.artsRGV.com is the vast quantity of great events, exhibits and performances that take place within an hour or two of the Island. Unfortunately, I have yet found time to take advantage of much that is available, but the opportunity is there.

So today when I received this in my email inbox I thought I would share. It sounds like a fantastic art exhibit and it will be at the International Museum of Art and Science until April, 2010 so we have plenty of time to make the trek to McAllen.

The International Museum of Art & Science is pleased to introduce the upcoming exhibit, Labyrinth of Dreams by artist Leonardo Nierman on display at IMAS from December 10, 2009 to April 11, 2010. This exhibit will host a compilation of paintings, tapestries and several immaculate sculptures in a prominent collection of contemporary Mexican Art.

Celebrated artist and sculptor Leonardo Nierman grew a deep appreciation for painting in the 1950s after his short lived calling as a violinist in his early years.

"Labyrinth of Dreams represents a lifetime adventure I have experienced during my whole life trying to solve the puzzles represented by fantasies and memories of my dreams. I hope that every painting, sculpture and tapestry will become a window through which the viewer can penetrate and hopefully share my world and dreams,” states Leonardo Nierman.

This rhythmic collection of sculptures and paintings speaks volumes of Nierman’s musical passion. Nierman attributes his studies of the Psychology of Color and the Harmony of Form in Space as playing an instrumental role in shaping his artistic voice and interpretation.

“I feel that music is a perfect vehicle to liberate the soul from the anxieties of life, experiencing the joy of enjoying the memories, colors and sounds floating in the universe. The work of many artists deals with the conflicts of the human race in everyday life. I personally prefer that my art will stimulate the relation of man with the stars and with the poetic elements that may give us the appreciation of the great miracle of having being born,” states Leonardo Nierman.

Leonardo Nierman, by the late 1950s had set an impressive platform of exhibits both domestically and internationally at a time when the art of Mexico was undergoing a period of drastic change. Like many leading Mexican artists, Nierman consolidated his international reputation before receiving full recognition in Mexico.

The International Museum of Art & Science acknowledges Tele-mundo and the Mexican Consulate in McAllen for their invaluable support in helping increase cultural awareness of the work of renowned Mexican artists.

For more information, please call IMAS at (956) 682-1564