Peoples' Voice Cafe - upcoming schedule

The Peoples' Voice Cafe is an alternative coffeehouse offering quality entertainment.
We provide a space for the artistic expression of a wide variety of humanitarian issues and concerns.
The cafe is run as a not-for-profit collective, and is not affiliated with any political organization.

NOTE NEW LOCATION!!

PEOPLES' VOICE CAFE
The Community Church of New York Unitarian Universalist
40 East 35th St. (between Madison & Park)
Wheelchair-accessible!
For info call 212-787-3903

All performances Saturdays 8 pm to 10:30 pm.

Suggested Donation: $15 or TDF; $10 PVC Members;
More if you choose; Less if you can't; No one turned away
(This sliding scale replaces the senior/student/hardship rate)

ONE MORE IN JANUARY!

JANUARY 31

STEVE SUFFET

(Steve Suffet is best described as an old-fashioned folksinger in the People's Music tradition. His repertoire is a mixture of railroad songs, trucker songs, miner songs, cowboy songs, union songs, old time country music, ballads, blues, ragtime, Gospel, bluegrass, topical-political songs, and whatever else tickles his fancy, including many songs he has written himself in traditional folk styles. Come celebrate the release of Steve's newest CD, "Low Rent District.")


ANNE PRICE

(Anne Price, who has been performing in the New York City area since the 1970s, has often been compared to Joan Baez. She sings songs of labor, peace and other issues, traditional folk songs and songs by such writers as Peggy Seeger, Jean Ritchie, Charlie King and Woody Guthrie. Peggy Seeger said to Anne: "The richness of your voice astounded me."


FEBRUARY 7

BROOKLYN WOMEN'S CHORUS

(In a lively, impassioned and jam-packed program, the Brooklyn Women's Chorus will first perform a multi-media presentation of "We Were There!", a women's labor history celebration, followed by a second set full of old favorites and new soon-to-be favorites, all to celebrate the possibility of a new era. They hope you'll join them.)

Please visit our website!: http://www.peoplesvoicecafe.org

If you'd like to volunteer one (or more) of these nights contact Sally Campbell at 212 787-3903 or scampfriend@earthlink.net

Jan. 28: Rally to STOP THE FARE HIKE!

STOP THE FARE HIKE!
ROCK THE MTA’S BROOKLYN “PUBLIC HEARING”

BAIL OUT RIDERS, NOT THE BANKS!

Wednesday, January 28 – 5 PM
New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge
333 Adams Street between Fulton & Johnson

DEMONSTRATE OUTSIDE
THEN DEMONSTRATE INSIDE

The MTA is bringing its panel of bankers and billionaires
to Brooklyn -- its very own Farehike-apolooza -- next
Wednesday night for another so-called public hearing.

Like last week, the Bail Out the People Movement will be
there to confront the Wall Street executives and rally the
people who come out to the hearing. On January 14, BOPM
turned the sidewalk in front of the Hilton into a
“People’s Public Hearing,” where transit workers, students
and activists rallied 100 people against the MTA. The
entire demonstration then marched en masse into the
hearing (see YouTube coverage below).

On Wednesday, the demonstration will also continue inside
the hearing, with dozens of placards demanding that the
MTA scrap its plans to make workers bear the brunt of its
debt crisis.

2009 Screen Actors Guild Awards - 1/25/2009

I'm going to try to live blog the Screen Actors Guild awards: (I can't promise the awards will be prresented in the order they're listed here - so you may have to search around a little bit):

Screen Actors Guild awards 2009
Continuing our tracking of the awards season, here's the Screen Actors Guild Awards: Remember actors are the largest segment of the Oscar voters.

The 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards Will be Simulcast on TNT and TBS

LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD:

*James Earl Jones






Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: (This is the SAG equivalent of Best Picture)

DOUBT (Miramax)
FROST/NIXON (Universal Pictures)
MILK (Focus Features)
*SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (Paramount Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading [film] Role:

RICHARD JENKINS /THE VISITOR
FRANK LANGELLA /FROST/NIXON
*SEAN PENN /MILK
BRAD PITT /THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
MICKEY ROURKE /THE WRESTLER

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading [ film] Role:

ANNE HATHAWAY /RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
ANGELINA JOLIE /CHANGELING
MELISSA LEO /FROZEN RIVER
*MERYL STREEP/ DOUBT
KATE WINSLET /REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting [Film] Role:

AMY ADAMS/DOUBT
PENÉLOPE CRUZ/VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
VIOLA DAVIS/DOUBT
TARAJI P. HENSON/THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
*KATE WINSLET/THE READER

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting [film] Role:

JOSH BROLIN/MILK
ROBERT DOWNEY, JR./TROPIC THUNDER
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN/DOUBT
*HEATH LEDGER/THE DARK KNIGHT
DEV PATEL/SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE


Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series:

CHRISTINA APPLEGATE/SAMANTHA WHO?
AMERICA FERRERA/UGLY BETTY
*TINA FEY/30 ROCK
MARY-LOUISE PARKER/WEEDS
TRACEY ULLMAN/TRACEY ULLMAN'S STATE OF THE UNION

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series:

*ALEC BALDWIN/30 ROCK
STEVE CARELL/THE OFFICE
DAVID DUCHOVNY/CALIFORNICATION
JEREMY PIVEN/ENTOURAGE
TONY SHALHOUB/MONK

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

*30 ROCK
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
ENTOURAGE
THE OFFICE
WEEDS

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series:

MICHAEL C. HALL/DEXTERJ
JON HAMM/MAD MEN
*HUGH LAURIE/HOUSE
WILLIAM SHATNER/BOSTON LEGAL
JAMES SPADER/BOSTON LEGAL

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series:

*SALLY FIELD/BROTHERS & SISTERS
MARISKA HARGITAY/LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
HOLLY HUNTER/SAVING GRACE
ELISABETH MOSS/MAD MEN
KYRA SEDGWICK/THE CLOSER

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series:

BOSTON LEGAL
DEXTER
HOUSE
*MAD MEN
THE CLOSER

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:

LAURA DERN/RECOUNT
*LAURA LINNEY/JOHN ADAMS
SHIRLEY MacLAINE/COCO CHANEL
PHYLICIA RASHAD/A RAISIN IN THE SUN
SUSAN SARANDON/BERNARD AND DORIS

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:

RALPH FIENNES/BERNARD AND DORIS
*PAUL GIAMATTI/JOHN ADAMS
KEVIN SPACEY/RECOUNT
KIEFER SUTHERLAND/24:REDEMPTION
TOM WILKINSON/JOHN ADAMS


SAG HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture:

THE DARK KNIGHT
HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY
INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL
IRON MAN
WANTED

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series:

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
HEROES
PRISON BREAK
THE UNIT
THE CLOSER

2009 Oscar nominations

Well we've had most of the 2009 movie awards (or at least the nominations). Here's the Big Gold One - the Oscar - nominations (announced today - 1/22 - postponed from the 20th, because there was something else going on on Tues.):

Who do you think should win?


From Slumdog Millionaire


BEST PICTURE
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"Frost/Nixon"
"Milk"
"The Reader"
"Slumdog Millionaire"




BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, "Rachel Getting Married"
Angelina Jolie, "Changeling"
Melissa Leo, "Frozen River"
Meryl Streep, "Doubt"
Kate Winslet, "The Reader"

BEST ACTOR
Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon"
Sean Penn, "Milk"
Brad Pitt, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler"
Richard Jenkins, "The Visitor"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, "Doubt"
Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Viola Davis, "Doubt"
Taraji P. Henson, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Marisa Tomei, "The Wrestler"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, "Milk"
Robert Downey Jr., "Tropic Thunder"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Doubt"
Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"
Michael Shannon, "Revolutionary Road"

BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire"
Stephen Daldry, "The Reader"
David Fincher, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Ron Howard, "Frost/Nixon"
Gus Van Sant, "Milk"

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Dustin Lance Black, "Milk"
Courtney Hunt, "Frozen River"
Mike Leigh, "Happy-Go-Lucky"
Marttin McDonagh, "In Bruges"
Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, "WALL-E"

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Simon Beaufoy, "Slumdog Millionaire"
David Hare, "The Reader"
Peter Morgan, "Frost/Nixon"
John Patrick Shanley, "Doubt"
Eric Roth, Robin Swicord, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
"The Baader-Meinhof Complex" (Germany)
"The Class" (France)
"Departures" (Japan)
Revanche" (Austria)
"Waltz with Bashir" (Israel)

BEST ANIMATED FILM
"Bolt"
"Kung Fu Panda"
"Wall-E"

BEST ART DIRECTION
"Changeling"
"The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button"
"Dark Knight"
"The Duchess"
"Revolutionary Road"

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
"Changeling" Tom Stern
"Slumdog Millionaire," Anthony Dod Mantle
"The Reader," Chris Menges
"The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button," Claudio Miranda
"The Dark Knight," Wally Pfister

BEST FILM EDITING
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Kirk Baxter, Angus Wall
"The Dark Knight," Lee Smith
"Frost/Nixon," Daniel P. Hanley, Mike Hill
"Milk," Elliot Graham
"Slumdog Millionaire," Chris Dickens

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
"Australia," Catherine Martin
"The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button," Jacqueline West
"The Duchess," Michael O'Conner
"Milk", Danny Glicker
"Revolutionary Road," Albert Wolsky

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
"The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)"
"Encounters at the End of the World"
"The Garden"
"Man on Wire"
"Trouble the Water"

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
"Slumdog Millionaire," "Jai Ho," A.R. Rahman
"Slumdog Millionaire," "O Saya," A.R. Rahman & M.I.A.
"Wall-E," "Down To Earth," Peter Gabriel & Thomas Newman

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
"The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button," Alexandre Desplat
"Defiance," James Newton Howard
"Milk," Danny Elfman
"Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman
"WALL-E," Thomas Newman

BEST MAKEUP
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Colleen Callaghan, Fionagh Cush
"The Dark Knight," Peter Robb-King, John Caglione Jr.
"Hellboy II: The Golden Army," Mike Elizalde, Thom Floutz

BEST SOUND EDITING
"The Dark Knight," Richard King
"Iron Man," Frank Eulner, Christopher Boyes
"Slumdog Millionaire," Tom Sayers
"Wall-E," Ben Burtt, Matthew Wood
"Wanted," Wylie Stateman

BEST SOUND MIXING
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Mark Weingarten, David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce
"The Dark Knight," Ed Novick, Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo
"Slumdog Millionaire," Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
"Wall-E," Ben Burtt, Tom Myers, Michael Semanick
"Wanted," Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño and Petr Forejt

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Eric Barba
"The Dark Knight," Chris Corbould, Nick Davis, Paul Franklin, Tim Webber
"Iron Man," John Nelson

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
"Auf der Strecke (On the Line)"
"Manon on the Asphalt"
"New Boy"
"The Pig"
"Spielzeugland (Toyland)"

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM
"La Maison en Petits Cubes"
"Lavatory - Lovestory"
"Oktapodi"
"Presto"
"This Way Up"

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM
"The Conscience of Nhem En"
"The Final Inch"
"Smile Pinki"
"The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306"

Today is a real break with the past; let's look forward to the future

No matter what one may think about the future and the role the President-elect (for about another 11 hrs and 40 min) will play in it, it seems impossible not to get caught up in the inauguration celebrations going on in Washington and around the nation, The absolute appropriateness of the inauguration of the first president-of-color coming one day after the birthday of Martin Luther king, who must be smiling today, links the present to the past. (In 1964, Dr. King predicted that there would be a Black president "within 40 years".)

Beginning Sunday with the We Are One, the Obama inaugural celebration, and all it meant to see Pete Seeger there emotions have been very close to the surface. This can't be anything but a thrill to people who have been fighting against racism all our adult lives. But I think above all the faces of people of color in Washington, particularly the kids, speak loudly about what today's events mean, not just here, but around the world.

I think that today we will witness the inauguration of the first people's president in my lifetime. As I said at the beginning, no one knows what the future holds, but today (with the exception of the Bigoted Rev. Rick Warren) is all for the good. Let's hope the administration lives up to its first moments.

Power to the people!

John Stewart on the shoah (holocaust) in Gaza

(If you are seeing this on FaceBook, click here to watch video)

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Strip Maul

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

(

Jan 15: Call Congress today support Single Payer Healthcare

NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY
Thursday, January 15

Call Congress today support HR 676 -- Single Payer Healthcare

United For Peace and Justice encourages you to join this nationwide Congressional call-in day. This is the second such call-in day, organized by the Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Healthcare-National Single Payer Coalition. The first call-in day on December 22 was a tremendous success, and thousands of calls were made. In fact, by 11:00 AM that morning, Senator Kennedy's office reported to have already received over 1,000 phone calls in support of HR 676 which calls for more than the Massachusetts-style healthcare reform.

Now is the time to expand this effort. Everyone is being asked to make their calls to the Washington, D.C. offices of the House of Representatives.

HR 676 has been reintroduced in the 111th Congress -- there are 86 cosponsors in the House from the 110th Congress who have been sworn into the 111th session. The goal set by the National Single Payer Coalition is to double those sponsors through this massive call-in on Thursday and other efforts.

Openly gay Episcopal bishop to appear at inaugural inauguration event

Although it doesn't in any way balance out or compensate for the utterly stupid selection of homophobic and anti-woman Rev. Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at the inauguration, it is worth noting that, according to Politico, openly gay bishop The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson the Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire will deliver the invocation at Sunday's (Jan. 18) first inaugural event on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. But we should note that the TV audience for this "inaugural inauguration event" will not even touch the audience at the inauguration itself. But the real problem with the selection of a bigot like Warren is that it diminishes and degrades the inauguration itself.

2009 Golden Globe Awards (live blog)

Tonight we have the Golden Globe awards, The Hollywood Foreign Press awards have always been questionable. But it's fun anyway. I will try to live blog it as it goes along:

It will start in about 10 min

Best Supporting Actress -Film

Amy Adams - Doubt
Penelope Cruz - Vicki Christina Barcelona
Viola Davis - Doubt
Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler
Kate Winslet - The Reader

Winner: Kate Winslet - The Reader

Best Original Song - Film

"Down to Earth" (Wall-E)
"Gran Turino" (Gran Turino)
"I Thought I Lost You" (Bolt)
"Once in a Lifetime" (Cadillac Records)
"The Wrestler" (The Wrestler)

Winner: Bruce Springsteen "The Wrestler"

Best Supporting Actor - TV

Neil Patrick Harris - How I Met Your Mother
Denis Leary - Recount
Jeremy Piven - Entourage
Blair Underwood - In Treatment
Tom Wilkinson - John Adams

Winner: Tom Wilkinson

Best Supporting Actress - TV
Eileen Atkins - Cranford
Laura Dern - Recount
Melissa Geosrge - In Treatment
Rachel Griffiths - Brother & Sisters
Dianne Wiest - In Treatment

Winner: Laura Dern - Recount

8:30PM

Best Actor in a TV Series

Gabriel Byrne - In Treatment
Michael C. Hall - Dexter
Jin Hamm - Mad Men
Hugh Laurie - House
Jonathan Rhys Meyers - The Tudors

Winner: Gabriel Byrne (Dexter)

Best Actress in a TV series:

sally Field - Brothers & Sisters
Mariska Hargitay - Law & Order
January Jones - Mad Men
Anna Paquin - True Blood
Kyra Sedgwick - The Closer

Winner: Anna Paquin (True Blood)

Best Animated Film

Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
Wall-E

Winner: Wall-E

Best Actress in Musical or Comedy Film:

Rebecca Hall - Vicki Christina Barcelona
Sally Hawkins - Happy Go Lucky
Frances McDormand - Burn after Reading
Meryl Streep - Mamma Mia
Emma Thompson - Last Chance Harvey

Winner: Sally Hawkins

8:55 PM

Best Mini-series or TV movie

Bernard and Doris
Cranford
John Adams
A Raisin in the Sun
Recount

Winner: John Adams

Best Supporting Actor - Film

Tom Cruise - Tropic Thunder
Robert Downey Jr. - Tropic Thunder
Ralph Fiennes - The Duchess
Phillip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight

Winner: Heath Ledger (Dark Knight) [surprise!]

Best Foreign Language Film

The Bader-Meinhoff Complex (Germany)
Everlasting Moments (Sweden)
Gommorah (Italy)
I've Loved You So Long (France)
Waltz With Bashir (Israel)

Winner: Waltz With Bashir (Israel)

Best actress in a TV Miniseries or Movie

Judi Dench (Cranford)
Catherine Keener (An American Crime)
Laura Linney (John Adams)
Shirley Mclaine (Coco Chanel)
Susan Sarandon (Bernard and Doris)

Winner: Laura Linney (John Adams)

Best Screenplay:

Eric Roth (The Curious Case of Benjamine Button)
John Patrick Shanley (Doubt)
Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon)
David Hare (The Reader)
Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire)

Winner: Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire)

Best actor TV miniseries or Comedy:

Alec Baldwin ( 30 Rock)
Steve Carell (The Office)
Kevin Connely (Entourage)
David Duchovny (Californication)
Tony Shalhoub (Monk)

Winner: Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)

Best actor in a miniseries or TV movie:

Ralph Fiennes (Bernard and Doris)
Paul Giamatti (John Adamas)
Kevin Spacey (Recount)
Kiefer Sutherland (24)
Tom Wilkinson (Recount)

Winner: Paul Giamatti (John Adams)

Best TV series - Musical or Comedy:

Californication
Entourage
The Office
30 Rock
Weeds

Winner: 30 Rock [another surprise!)

Best Original Score:

Changeling
Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Defiance
Frost/Nixon
Slumdog Millionaire

Winner: Slumdog Millionaire (A.R. Rahman)ctress

Best Actress in a TV series - musical or comedy:

Christina Applegate (Samantha Who)
America Ferrera (Ugly Betty)
Tina Fey (30 Rock)
Debra Messing (The Starter Wife)
Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds)

Winner: Tina Fey (30 Rock) [Tina Fey is one of the funniest people around, but any one who votes against Mary-Louise Parker isslightly addled.]

Special award: Steven Spielberg (presented by Martin Scorsese)

10:10PM

Best Director - Film

Danny Boyle (Slumdog Me of Benjamin Button)illionaire)
Stephen Daldry (TheReader)
David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon)
Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road)

Winner: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionare)

Best Actor - Musical or Cmedy Film:

Javier Barden (Vicki Christina Barcelona)
Colin Farrell (In Bruges)
James Franco Pineapple Express)
Brendan Gleason (In Bruges)
Dustin Hoffman (Last Chance Harvey)

Winner: Colin Farrell (In Bruges)

Best Picture - Musical or Comedy:

Burn After Reading
Happy Go Lucky
In Bruges
Mamma Mia
Vicki Christina Barcelona

Winner: Vicki Christina Barcelona



Best Actress Drama - Movie

Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married)
Angelina Jolie (Changeling)
Meryl Streep (Doubt)
Kristin Scott Thomas (I've Loved Youn So Long)
Kate Winslet (Revolutionsry Road)

Winner: Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road)

Best TV Series Drama

House
Dexter
In Treatment
Mad Men
True Blood

Winner: Mad Men

Best Actor - Drama Film:

Leonardo DiCaprio (Revolutionary Road)
Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon)
Sean Penn (Milk)
Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

Winner: Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

Best Picture - Movie Drama

The Curious case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire

Winner: Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire: A Review

Imagine a Dickens novel (Oliver Twist, for example) directed by Danny Boyle (Trainspotting) as it might be done by Bollywood. There you have Slumdog Millionaire. At its heart it's a love story. But a very imaginative love story.

Two orphaned brothers, Jamal and Salim Malik, grow up in poverty on the streets of Mumbai and hook up with a girl, Latika, with whom Jamal falls in love. We see how the children of Mumbai are exploited. They are, for example, recruited as street singers. But to make them more pathetic, they are blinded. This is the backdrop in front of which Jamal, Malik, and Latika grow up.

Eventually Jamal and Latika are separated. Jamal and Malik travel different paths. As adults Salim (Madhur Mittal) turns to a life of crime and Jamal (Dev Patel) earns a straight but modest living. But he never forgets Latika (Freida Pinto). He comes up with an ingenious way of letting her know where he is. He applies to be a contestant on the Indian version of So You Want to be a Millionaire. He is accepted and to everyone's surprise this "slumdog" knows most of the answers. The host, a brilliantly sleazy Anil Kapoor, doesn't believe it's possible and has Jamal arrested for cheating. And there in lies the ingenuity of the film. As they watch a tape of the program, the police inspector (Irfan Khan) gives Jamal a chance to explain how he knew the answer to each question. And we learn much of what we know about their early lives through his explanations. Each answer is coincidentally tied to a specific incident in Jamal's life. As he gets close to the million, Jamal becomes a national hero and his plan to use his appearance on the show works. Latika recognizes her old friend.

The determination of these three young people to live full lives against the poverty they experienced in Mumbai which is exposed through the framework of So You Want to be a Millionaire make up the most extraordinary film in recent years. Although every year I have an Oscar favorite, but not since Lord of the Rings have I rooted so enthusiastically for one film. The four Slumdog Golden Globes Sunday night (Best Film-Drama, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Score) should be a real boost.

Jan 14: Candlelight Vigil and Protest

Wed, Jan. 14, 4:30 -- 5:30 pm

Candlelight Vigil and Protest:
To protest Israeli Massacre in Gaza

Brooklyn Borough Hall

Court and Joralemon Street, Downtown Brooklyn

(Train: A/C/F to Jay St/Borough Hall;
M/R to Court St/Borough Hall; 2,3,4,5 to Borough Hall)

Sponsored by Brooklyn For Peace

Questions? Call 718-624-5921 or e-mail bfp@brooklynpeace.org

Jan. 11: Rally: Stop Israeli Massacre in Gaza

Break the Siege on Gaza Coalition - NY

Mass Rally:
Stop Massacres in Gaza & Break the siege

SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 1PM
Times Square, 42nd and 7th ave.

(Trains: N,Q,R,S,W,1,2,3,7 to Times Square (42nd st.)
Followed by a march to the CNN)

Since December 27, Israel, with U.S.-made and paid for weaponry, has been committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. More than 765 have been murdered. These cold-blooded killings come on top of a siege on Gaza that has killed hundreds by depriving them of medical care, deprived Gazans of electricity, power and fuel and attempted to strangle the life of the Palestinian people in Gaza.

2009 Independent Spirit Award nominations

The 2009 Indipendent Spirit nominations were announced. Frozen River and Ballast lead with six nominations each, followed by Rachel Getting Married with five nominations, The Wrestler, Milk, Vicky Cristina Barcelona and The Visitor with three each.

Below is the full list of the nominees: (The awards presentation will take place on Feb. 21, 5pm - the day before the Oscars are handed out - and will be broadcast live and uncut on IFC

Best Feature:
Ballast
Frozen River
Rachel Getting Married
Wendy and Lucy
The Wrestler

Best First Feature:
Afterschool
Medicine for Melancholy
Sangre De Mi Sangre
Sleep Dealer
Synecdoche, New York

Best Director:
Ramin Bahrani - Chop Shop
Jonathan Demme - Rachel Getting Married
Lance Hammer - Ballast
Courtney Hunt - Frozen River
Tom McCarthy - The Visitor

Best Male Lead:
Javier Bardem - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
Sean Penn - Milk
Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

Best Female Lead:
Summer Bishil - Towelhead
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Melissa Leo - Frozen River
Tarra Riggs - Ballast
Michelle Williams - Wendy and Lucy

Best Supporting Male:
James Franco - Milk
Anthony Mackie - The Hurt Locker
Charlie McDermott - Frozen River
JimMyron Ross - Ballast
Haaz Sleiman - The Visitor

Best Supporting Female:
Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Rosemarie DeWitt - Rachel Getting Married
Rosie Perez - The Take
Misty Upham - Frozen River
Debra Winger - Rachel Getting Married

Best Screenplay:
Woody Allen - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck - Sugar
Charlie Kaufman - Synecdoche, New York
Howard A. Rodman - Savage Grace
Christopher Zalla - Sangre De Mi Sangre


Best Cinematography:
Maryse Alberti - The Wrestler
Lol Crawley - Ballast
James Laxton - Medicine for Melancholy
Harris Savides - Milk
Michael Simmonds - Chop Shop

Best Documentary:
The Betrayal
Encounters at the End of the World
Man on Wire
The Order of Myths
Up the Yangtze

Best Foreign Film:
The Class (France)
Gomorra (Italy)
Hunger (U.K./Ireland)
Secret of the Grain (France)
Silent Light (Mexico/France/Netherlands/Germany)

The Spirit Awards Nominating Committee applies the following guidelines in making its selections. Final interpretation of all rules and regulations and eligibility of submissions shall be made by the Spirit Awards Nominating Committee:
1. Uniqueness of vision
2. Original, provocative subject matter
3. Economy of means
4. Percentage of financing from independent sources

Fiesta Bowl: Texas 24, Ohio State 21

Texas 24, Ohio State 21 in the Fiesta Bowl

Quarterback Colt McCoy hit Quan Cosby on a 26-yard pass for a touchdown with 16 seconds to go, giving #3 Texas a Fiesta Bowl win over #10 Ohio State. The Texas drive came after Ohio State scored 15 straight points to take the lead.

This is important for two reasons.

The most important is that Ann graduated from The University of Texas.

The second is that the closeness of the final score and that Texas pulled it out with 16 seconds to go, questions #3 Texas's claim to a piece of the national championship (which will be decided between #1 Florida and #2 Oklahoma Thursday evening). For the record, that did not prevent the Texas fans from holding up the symbolic #1 finger after the game or the coach's claim: "I don't think there's anybody in the country who can beat us at this point."

Colt McCoy in what was not his best game of the season, still demonstrated why he was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy.

Bloomberg and the Israeli vote

Well, if there was any doubt that Michael Bloomberg intends to run again (despite the expressed will of the people), we need no longer wonder. If anyone plans to run for office in New York City (or even state-wide) the first thing to do is run as fast as you can to Israel and stick your nose up the Israeli ass. That is what our mayor did yesterday.

Now it's our turn to tell Bloomberg what we think:

Stand with Gaza:
SHOES to Bloomberg

Wednesday, January 7, 4:30-6:30 pm
NYC-City Hall

Bring your old shoes to City Hall.

How dare billionaire Mayor Bloomberg rush to Israel to back crimes against the people of Gaza and to support sending billions of dollars more to fund Israeli war crimes, while cutting city services, slashing school and health programs, and laying off workers right here in New York City!

Bring your old shoes and show the Mayor a message of our outrage and anger.

Stand with Palestine!

Franken defeats Coleman in Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (Jan. 4) -- A state election board on Monday will announce Democrat Al Franken has defeated Republican incumbent Norm Coleman in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race, state officials told CNN Sunday.
The canvassing board on Monday will say a recount determined Franken won by 225 votes, Secretary of State Mark Ritchie told CNN.

All Jews should be ashamed of Israel's genocide in Gaza

If I believed that Israel was a Jewish state, I would be ashamed to be a Jew.

The current holocaust in Gaza is not what Jews would do. But I have always believed that Israel is a Zionist state and there are Jewish Zionists and Christian Zionists - all Zionists are not Jewish. Convincing American Jews that they have a special relationship with Israel was the greatest public relations coup of the 20th Century and it was pulled off by the Israeli public relations aparatus. Israel has used Jews to support its genocide against the Palestinian people - currently it's happening in Gaza.

But ultimately the Zionist state is out to prove its motto, "a land without a people, for a people without a land." The Palestinians are the people of that land.

Every Jew should be out every day protesting this latest holocaust.

Jan 3: Stop Massacre in Gaza & Break the Siege

More than 30 Palestinians were murdered in two days, 1,600 wounded.

Saturday, Jan.3, 1PM

Times Square, 42St. & 7th Ave.

Followed by a march to the Isreali Mission

Act Now before it's too late.

Protest the Israeli genocide of Palestinins

Stop U.S. support of Israel


PROTEST GAZA ASSAULT

Rally & March in Washington, DC

Friday, Jan 2, 3:30 pm

Rally at the Israeli Embassy
3514 International Dr., NW

Followed by march to

Egyptian Embassy
3521 International Ct., NW