Dave Moore * Shooting stars * 'Overloaded liberal' * BILL'S COFFEESHOP NEWSLETTER * Vol. 12 * July 18, 2011
PICK A NIGHT FOR
SHOOTING STARS
THERE IS a good reason to stay up after midnight during the next few weeks. This is the best time of year to see shooting stars.
Chances are you'll see one just about any night if you wait long enough. But during the first two weeks of August, the number of shooting stars can be as many as 40-50 an hour. So get out your calendar and pick the night you're going to go out and watch for these "stars" streaking across the night sky.
Officially, these shooting stars are called the Perseids. You can find out more about these and other star "showers" at the website of the Minnesota Institute of Astrophysics at the University of Minnesota:www.astro.unm.edu. Earth Sky also has lots of information about the August meteor showers: www.earthsky.org.
This year, the best time to view these is during the first week of August. That's because there is a full moon around Aug. 13 which will make it hard to see the stars.
The best places for viewing are away from street lights and other light sources. One recent year, some friends and I camped out on a school soccer field from 1 am to 3 am. We even persuaded the school to turn off the sprinklers for that one night. We took lawn chairs and sleeping bags out onto the middle of the field and were rewarded with a great show.
I would guess there are some good spots for viewing down by the river or maybe in one of the county parks. I'd love to hear from readers who have done stargazing in past years in either place.
Of course, if you're outside the city – camping or at the lake – the show will be even better because there is less light to contend with. But this is an amazing display every year – even if you're in the middle of the city.
MEET THE AUTHOR OF
"OVERLOADED LIBERAL"
Fair trade? Organic? Paper or plastic? Cloth diapers or not? Fran Hawthorne explores these questions and dozens of others in her new book "The Overloaded Liberal: Shopping, investing, parenting and other dilemmas in an age of political activism." Fran will be at Uptown Bill's on Saturday, July 30 to talk about her book. Her talk is at 2 pm. Autographed copies will be available. Join us for this interesting discussion.
Saturday, July 30
2 pm: Meet the author: Fran Hawthorne, author of "The Overloaded Liberal."
7 pm. Saturday Night Music: Sara Pray and Thomas Kivi
Monday, Aug. 1
7 pm: Chris Bell, singer/songwriter
Wednesday, Aug. 3
6 pm Readers and Writers Group. 7 pm Open Mic (Spoken Word).
Thursday, Aug. 4
6 pm Art & Music Night. 7 pm. Open Mic (Singer/Songwriter)
Saturday, Aug. 6
4:30 pm. Irish Sessions.
FOLLOW THE COFFEESHOP
'WALK ACROSS IOWA'
Dale Hankins is walking across Iowa to spread abilities awareness and tell the continuing story of Bill's Coffeeshops. You can follow the walk on the Facebook page for "Bill's Coffeeshop Walk Across Iowa."
Read about the walk in a Daily Iowan story by Chastity Dillard: http://www.dailyiowan.com/2011/07/11/Metro/24081.html
FEATURED BOOKS IN
SACKTER HOUSE MEDIA
Books by and about individuals with disabilities are featured in the Sackter House Media display at Uptown Bill's. Come by and see our selection.
CIRCLE LABOR DAY
ON THE CALENDAR
Uptown Bill's hosts the annual Ralston Creek Fair and Flea Market on Monday, Sept. 5. This event is so big that we'll take over the parking lot across the street to make room for antique dealers and other vendors. Plus, it's the 10th anniversary of Uptown Bill's. It will be a great day with lots o live music and other activities. Hope to see you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bill's Coffeeshop Newsletter is a virtual extension of Wild Bill's Coffeeshop and Uptown Bill's Coffee House. Published since 2000, the Newsletter is written by Tom Gilsenan, a former manager of Wild Bill's and now director of Uptown Bill's. You can write to him at tomgilsenan@gmail.com
Wild Bill's Coffeeshop is a project of the School of Social Work at the University of Iowa. It has been a part of campus life in Iowa City for more than 35 years. Located in North Hall, the coffeeshop is open weekdays from 8:30 am during the summer. For more information, check the Friends of Bill's Coffeeshop page on Facebook. You can call the coffeeshop at (319) 335-1281. Donations to support the work of the coffeeshop may be sent to: Bill's Coffeeshop Fund, University of Iowa Foundation, P.O. Box 4550, Iowa City, IA 52244. Contributions are tax deductible.
Uptown Bill's is the crosstown cousin of Wild Bill's. Now in its 10th year, it includes a bookstore, performance venue and other businesses in addition to a coffeeshop. Located at 730 S. Dubuque, Uptown Bill's is open Monday through Saturday from 7 am. For more information, check the Uptown Bill's website or Facebook page. You can call Uptown Bill's at (319) 339-0401. Donations to support the work of Uptown Bill's may be sent to: Extend the Dream Foundation, Uptown Bill's, 730 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City, IA 52240. Contributions are tax deductible.
THERE IS a good reason to stay up after midnight during the next few weeks. This is the best time of year to see shooting stars.
Chances are you'll see one just about any night if you wait long enough. But during the first two weeks of August, the number of shooting stars can be as many as 40-50 an hour. So get out your calendar and pick the night you're going to go out and watch for these "stars" streaking across the night sky.
Officially, these shooting stars are called the Perseids. You can find out more about these and other star "showers" at the website of the Minnesota Institute of Astrophysics at the University of Minnesota:www.astro.unm.edu. Earth Sky also has lots of information about the August meteor showers: www.earthsky.org.
This year, the best time to view these is during the first week of August. That's because there is a full moon around Aug. 13 which will make it hard to see the stars.
The best places for viewing are away from street lights and other light sources. One recent year, some friends and I camped out on a school soccer field from 1 am to 3 am. We even persuaded the school to turn off the sprinklers for that one night. We took lawn chairs and sleeping bags out onto the middle of the field and were rewarded with a great show.
I would guess there are some good spots for viewing down by the river or maybe in one of the county parks. I'd love to hear from readers who have done stargazing in past years in either place.
Of course, if you're outside the city – camping or at the lake – the show will be even better because there is less light to contend with. But this is an amazing display every year – even if you're in the middle of the city.
MEET THE AUTHOR OF
"OVERLOADED LIBERAL"
Fair trade? Organic? Paper or plastic? Cloth diapers or not? Fran Hawthorne explores these questions and dozens of others in her new book "The Overloaded Liberal: Shopping, investing, parenting and other dilemmas in an age of political activism." Fran will be at Uptown Bill's on Saturday, July 30 to talk about her book. Her talk is at 2 pm. Autographed copies will be available. Join us for this interesting discussion.
MORE ABOUT
FRAN'S BOOK
Here's an excerpt from a review of Fran Hawthorne's book by Stuart Shiffman (www.bookreporter.com):
"Whole Foods and its competitor, Costco, exemplify the quandary created by principled shopping. By classic definition, Costco is the big-box behemoth that progressive shoppers should avoid. Through pricing and size, it has destroyed many small independent merchants. Whole Foods labels products by country of origin. The produce is organic, additive-free and clearly marked for consumers. Yet Costco is a more labor-friendly organization than Whole Foods. Therein lies the rub: Do you buy at Costco, the more labor-friendly store, or do you support the smaller merchant where prices may be higher? No one said that politically active shopping was easy.
"The Overloaded Liberal" is honest enough to recognize that strict application of progressive values might paralyze shoppers altogether. It is difficult to purchase clothing that was not manufactured in a country where workers are treated in a fashion that Americans would consider deplorable. But one person's sweatshop is another's desirable job that, by local standards, produces a more than adequate standard of living. Do you protest the poor working conditions by boycotting the merchandise? If you do, then your wardrobe will be very limited.
"Hawthorne does not provide readers with an easy answer to shopping in an age of political activism. But that was not her intention in this book. Pointing out that these decisions are not easy and often have wide-ranging implications open the reader's eyes to the difficulty of consumerism in this era. As another example, joining food co-ops with volunteer workers may mean that grocery stores will cut jobs and workers will lose salaries. Selecting foreign organic products over chemically produced domestic items may seem beneficial, but those foreign items come at the cost of carbon emissions from shipping them around the globe. There is a cost for everything, often measured in something beyond dollars.
"This is a thoughtful and provocative book. By the way, the issues raised here are not solely for those on the left side of the political spectrum. Many conservatives confront similar moral dilemmas as they purchase food, clothing and appliances. But finding common ground on this issue has become as difficult as every other political debate. Regardless of your political views, 'The Overloaded Liberal' will help you address consumerism in the era of politically active shopping."
ALSO COMING
UP IN JULY
Wednesday, July 20
6 pm Readers & Writers Group. 7 pm Open Mic (Spoken Word).
Thursday, July 21
6 pm. Art & Music Night. 7 pm. Open Mic (Singer/Songwriter)
Saturday, July 23
Saturday Night Music, 7 pm. Dave Moore (Opening: Garrin Jost, Lauren Bevineau)
Tuesday, July 26
6m. Live broadcast of Tom's Guitar Show from the coffee house.
Wednesday, July 27
6 pm. Readers & Writers Group. 7 pm. Open Mic (Spoken Word).
Thursday, July 28
6 pm. Art & Music Night. 7 pm. Open Mic (Singer/Songwriter)
7:30 pm – Gwendolyn Countryman, singer/songwriter
She writes:
"My vintage Lo Ducca Bros. accordion, rebuilt it New Hampshire (reeds) and Italy (bellows) has arrived. She sounds and plays fabulously. What a joy and inspiration. I hope to share her at my upcoming show at Uptown Bill's."
Here's an excerpt from a review of Fran Hawthorne's book by Stuart Shiffman (www.bookreporter.com):
"Whole Foods and its competitor, Costco, exemplify the quandary created by principled shopping. By classic definition, Costco is the big-box behemoth that progressive shoppers should avoid. Through pricing and size, it has destroyed many small independent merchants. Whole Foods labels products by country of origin. The produce is organic, additive-free and clearly marked for consumers. Yet Costco is a more labor-friendly organization than Whole Foods. Therein lies the rub: Do you buy at Costco, the more labor-friendly store, or do you support the smaller merchant where prices may be higher? No one said that politically active shopping was easy.
"The Overloaded Liberal" is honest enough to recognize that strict application of progressive values might paralyze shoppers altogether. It is difficult to purchase clothing that was not manufactured in a country where workers are treated in a fashion that Americans would consider deplorable. But one person's sweatshop is another's desirable job that, by local standards, produces a more than adequate standard of living. Do you protest the poor working conditions by boycotting the merchandise? If you do, then your wardrobe will be very limited.
"Hawthorne does not provide readers with an easy answer to shopping in an age of political activism. But that was not her intention in this book. Pointing out that these decisions are not easy and often have wide-ranging implications open the reader's eyes to the difficulty of consumerism in this era. As another example, joining food co-ops with volunteer workers may mean that grocery stores will cut jobs and workers will lose salaries. Selecting foreign organic products over chemically produced domestic items may seem beneficial, but those foreign items come at the cost of carbon emissions from shipping them around the globe. There is a cost for everything, often measured in something beyond dollars.
"This is a thoughtful and provocative book. By the way, the issues raised here are not solely for those on the left side of the political spectrum. Many conservatives confront similar moral dilemmas as they purchase food, clothing and appliances. But finding common ground on this issue has become as difficult as every other political debate. Regardless of your political views, 'The Overloaded Liberal' will help you address consumerism in the era of politically active shopping."
ALSO COMING
UP IN JULY
Wednesday, July 20
6 pm Readers & Writers Group. 7 pm Open Mic (Spoken Word).
Thursday, July 21
6 pm. Art & Music Night. 7 pm. Open Mic (Singer/Songwriter)
Saturday, July 23
Saturday Night Music, 7 pm. Dave Moore (Opening: Garrin Jost, Lauren Bevineau)
Tuesday, July 26
6m. Live broadcast of Tom's Guitar Show from the coffee house.
Wednesday, July 27
6 pm. Readers & Writers Group. 7 pm. Open Mic (Spoken Word).
Thursday, July 28
6 pm. Art & Music Night. 7 pm. Open Mic (Singer/Songwriter)
7:30 pm – Gwendolyn Countryman, singer/songwriter
She writes:
"My vintage Lo Ducca Bros. accordion, rebuilt it New Hampshire (reeds) and Italy (bellows) has arrived. She sounds and plays fabulously. What a joy and inspiration. I hope to share her at my upcoming show at Uptown Bill's."
Saturday, July 30
2 pm: Meet the author: Fran Hawthorne, author of "The Overloaded Liberal."
7 pm. Saturday Night Music: Sara Pray and Thomas Kivi
Monday, Aug. 1
7 pm: Chris Bell, singer/songwriter
Tuesday, Aug. 2
6:30 pm. Mary Lucille Hays, author of the Midwestern newspaper column Birdland, will read from her work.
Wednesday, Aug. 3
6 pm Readers and Writers Group. 7 pm Open Mic (Spoken Word).
Thursday, Aug. 4
6 pm Art & Music Night. 7 pm. Open Mic (Singer/Songwriter)
Saturday, Aug. 6
4:30 pm. Irish Sessions.
FOLLOW THE COFFEESHOP
'WALK ACROSS IOWA'
Dale Hankins is walking across Iowa to spread abilities awareness and tell the continuing story of Bill's Coffeeshops. You can follow the walk on the Facebook page for "Bill's Coffeeshop Walk Across Iowa."
Read about the walk in a Daily Iowan story by Chastity Dillard: http://www.dailyiowan.com/2011/07/11/Metro/24081.html
FEATURED BOOKS IN
SACKTER HOUSE MEDIA
Books by and about individuals with disabilities are featured in the Sackter House Media display at Uptown Bill's. Come by and see our selection.
CIRCLE LABOR DAY
ON THE CALENDAR
Uptown Bill's hosts the annual Ralston Creek Fair and Flea Market on Monday, Sept. 5. This event is so big that we'll take over the parking lot across the street to make room for antique dealers and other vendors. Plus, it's the 10th anniversary of Uptown Bill's. It will be a great day with lots o live music and other activities. Hope to see you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bill's Coffeeshop Newsletter is a virtual extension of Wild Bill's Coffeeshop and Uptown Bill's Coffee House. Published since 2000, the Newsletter is written by Tom Gilsenan, a former manager of Wild Bill's and now director of Uptown Bill's. You can write to him at tomgilsenan@gmail.com
Wild Bill's Coffeeshop is a project of the School of Social Work at the University of Iowa. It has been a part of campus life in Iowa City for more than 35 years. Located in North Hall, the coffeeshop is open weekdays from 8:30 am during the summer. For more information, check the Friends of Bill's Coffeeshop page on Facebook. You can call the coffeeshop at (319) 335-1281. Donations to support the work of the coffeeshop may be sent to: Bill's Coffeeshop Fund, University of Iowa Foundation, P.O. Box 4550, Iowa City, IA 52244. Contributions are tax deductible.
Uptown Bill's is the crosstown cousin of Wild Bill's. Now in its 10th year, it includes a bookstore, performance venue and other businesses in addition to a coffeeshop. Located at 730 S. Dubuque, Uptown Bill's is open Monday through Saturday from 7 am. For more information, check the Uptown Bill's website or Facebook page. You can call Uptown Bill's at (319) 339-0401. Donations to support the work of Uptown Bill's may be sent to: Extend the Dream Foundation, Uptown Bill's, 730 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City, IA 52240. Contributions are tax deductible.
posted by Tom Gilsenan @ 7:42 PM
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