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Ghosts of Abu Ghraib

Rated TVMA: ADULT CONTENT, ADULT LANGUAGE, NUDITY

Running Time: 77 minutes

Genre: Documentary

Acclaimed filmmaker Rory Kennedy depicts the disturbing abuses that occurred at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq when the dire photos, which included detainees in simulated sexual positions, were leaked to the press in 2003. Through the perspective of perpetrators, witnesses and victims, the documentary explores the how and why these shameful events this took place and the effects of the abuses. This film ultimately depicts the significant role of U.S. policy and the chain of command in the Abu Ghraib abuses. It also shows that extreme factors can give rise to abusive behavior, and thus stretch the limit of evil even further.

Director(s): Rory Kennedy

NYTimes Review: http://movies2.nytimes.com/2007/02/22/arts/television/22stan.html

A bit of Distance for Revision

You can't adequately edit a story you poured your soul into without
first removing some of your ego. So get a bit of distance. Put the
manuscript away for at least a week--two weeks is better. Then, as you
read through the story from start to finish, pretend that someone else
wrote it.

~Laura Backes
The Writer, Feb 2007

Largest audience for Premio Lo Nuestro

Latinos and Latin Americans make up one of the largest populations in the U.S. Therefore, it is no surprise that Premio Lo Nuestro drew its largest naaudience ever last night (February 22, 2007) according to MediaWeek. This Univision televised awards show, which recognizes the elites of Latino music, has drawn 6.3 million viewers across the nation, and this statistic has broken several records among the U.S. awards shows. For example, in Los Angeles, Premio Lo Nuestro has outrated Grey's Anatomy 7.9 to 6.9 and American Idol 7.6 to 5.2. More impressively, more teens and adults have viewed this show than the the 2006 Academy Awards, the Emmy Awards and the VMAs (Video Music Awards), and the 2007 Golden Globes combined.

Hispanic Stereotypes

Here's a video that examines Hispanic stereotypes.

Dominican Independence Day Concert

WHAT: Dominican Independence Day Concert
The Museum’s sixth annual Dominican Independence Day Concert featuring Dominican poetry and performances. Presented in collaboration with the Association for Puerto Rican – Hispanic Culture as part of the Museum of the City of New York’s Uptown Sounds music series.
Free with museum admission.
Free museum admission between 10am and 12 noon Sundays.

WHEN: Sunday, Feb. 25 at 2pm

WHERE: Museum of the City of New York
1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street
New York, NY

The bad marksman

Samuel Johnson: A man who uses a great many words to express his meaning is like a bad marksman who, instead of aiming a single stone at an object, takes up a handful and throws at it in hopes he may hit.

Netflix for Books

I read at Publishing News that audiobooks can now be rented at audiobooksonline. I think many of you will agree with me when I say, "It's about time!" Audiobooks are too expensive for the average consumer to purchase at a regular basis, and they last only six to eight hours. As Rodney Burbeck explains, "Also, by their very nature they are a 'one listen-to product'. They are therefore an ideal product to rent." Similar to Netflix and other online DVD rental companies, the customer pays a monthly subscription fee and compiles a wish list of audiobooks. The first publishers to make this service available are Macmillan, Naxos, Smart Pass, Assembled Stories and Oakhill.

How does this affect writers? The audiobook rental company will exercise a universal royalties structure, which will have no limit or minimum on how much must be made. Since the more popular titles will be rented more, they will make more profit for publishers and writers. Furthermore, with this service, writers will be able to expand their readership. The head of Sales and Marketing at Naxos Audiobooks, Mark Scott, explains, "This is a great opportunity for us to bring our list to a wider audience and encourage people who may never have bought an audiobook to experiment with a broad range of titles.”

Big Apple Recognition of Hispanic Writers

Críticas Magazine has recently written that a new literary group, Café New York, has been started to recognize Hispanic writers who have lived in New York City. Its members include Mexican writer Naief Yehya, Spanish novelist Eduardo Lago, Argentine writer and literary critic Sylvia Molloy, Bolivian poet Eduardo Mitre, Cuban novelist José Manuel Prieto, and its mastermind Mexican writer Carmen Boullosa. Lago would like to see members from both Latin American and Spain, or as he says, from “both sides of the Atlantic Ocean” to take part of this literary recognition.

Café New York plans to:

• conduct readings and discussions at Librería Lectorum,
• host an exhibition of New York Hispanic culture, and
  
• place plaques in the New York homes of prominent Hispanic writers.

Café Nueva York will soon launch their website www.cafenuevayork.com, which will include blogs and information about their events.

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Chess on the Street

Scene from Season 1 of HBO's The Wire
This clip shows what chess and street-life have in common.

Caribbean "Love Drink" Launches in Time for Valentine's Day

Caribbean "Love Drink" Launches in Time for Valentine's Day

Today, Don Ramon Mamajuana announced the launch of it's Mamajuana liqueur drink mix in the U.S starting February 27th. This will be the first time that such a product from the Dominican Republic is available for the U.S. market starting.

(I-Newswire) - Miami, Florida- ( I-Newswire ) Jan 30, 2007 -
Dominican herbal liqueur mix manufacturer; Don Ramon Mamajuana, Corp. has announced the official United States pre-launch of its Dominican love drink: Don Ramon Mamajuana(tm) , beginning February 14th, 2007. Considered a natural Aphrodisiac, this special blend of 20 roots, herbs, and spices native to the Dominican Republic has been used for centuries as a powerful vitality drink. Tourists and natives of the islands have enjoyed this secret drink for years. Typically, the only way one can get a hold of an authentic bottle of Mamajuana is by traveling to the Dominican Republic. For the first time, it will now be available in the US.This herbal aphrodisiac beverage first came into existence hundreds of years before Christopher Columbus arrived on the island of Hispaniola. It was initially discovered by Taino Indians who inhabited the island of the Caribbean region and utilized it for its vitality and health advantages. Today, Mamajuana is considered by Dominican Republic natives as a National drink. It is referred to as; "The Baby Maker" and "The Male Member Enhancer's Drink"*. Many of the natural ingredients found in Mamajuana are widely used today in western herbal supplements such as Chamomile, Star Anis, Anamú, Brazilwood, Cat's Claw (Uña de Gato) among many others. Unlike many other traditional Mamajuana found on the islands, Don Ramon Mamajuana is specially prepared to comply with USDA and FDA regulations set for safety and cleanliness of product. Each bottle is tamper-proof sealed and includes mixing and preparation directions.The official product launch will start this February 27th to commemorate Dominican Republic's Independence day. "We are thrilled that finally American consumers will now have the opportunity to benefit from the ability to enjoy this traditional and long-awaited product," said Ray Payano, 26 year old Co-founder and V.P. of the company. "Mamajuana is an exciting do-it-yourself beverage, that can be custom prepared by the consumer according to their taste preference" said Steve Zabielinsky, Co-founder and President.Arriving just in time for Valentines Day, Don Ramon Mamajuana is the first product of its kind offering consumers a perfect passion liqueur mixer that will help set the mood for intimate moments and much more.

Source: http://i-newswire. com/pr88398. html