Dr. Drew's Infrequent Blog

07 January 2006

AIM or MAC Video Chat??

Aloha. I wonder if any of the many readers of my blog have either AIM or MAC accounts and would not mind trying to do a Webchat. Noriko got a webcam for her PC and I got i-Sight for my MAC, but we haven't been able to connect online. I am trying to see if the problem is at her end or mine. (The PC is usually to blame, but I suppose it could be my firewall). In any case, please drop me an e-mail with what time you might be able to try, along with your user name. Thanks much!

06 January 2006

Nick Basbanes on CSPAN

Those of you interested in the history of books might want to check out C-SPAN's Book TV to see Nicholas Basbanes. He just sent out an e-mail that it will air on Saturday at 8 p.m., twice on Sunday, 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. There also was an article on him -- and his new book in the Washington Post that might interest you.

Progress against the so-called Patriot Act

I am pasting below an e-mail from Erin Haggerty of the ALA Washington Office regarding the library section of the so-called USA PATRIOT Act:

The ALA Washington Office would like to thank all who have fought hard for reforms to the USA PATRIOT Act. On December 21, 2005, we had a terrific victory! Our Senate supporters held firm and refused to accept the House version of the PATRIOT reauthorization, instead convincing colleagues to extend the Act for another six months to ensure a thorough debate in the New Year. Thanks for your efforts and your continued communication with your Senators!

This month the Senate will reconsider the PATRIOT Act, and it will be important to maintain the support that your grassroots efforts have gained. If you have not done so already, please call your Senators (if they are listed below) to THANK them for their continued support and to ask them to stand firm in their support of privacy for library patrons in the coming weeks:

...Sen. Akaka, Daniel (D-HI)...
...Sen. Inouye, Daniel (D-HI)

Thanks to Lee Adams of HLA for passing this on.

UH Manoa Hamilton Library Sat. AM Authors Series

The University of Hawaii at Manoa Hamilton Library will host another Saturday Morning Authors series beginning on Saturday, January 21 and ending April 8. All talks will be held in the Eugene Yap Room, A153 Hamilton Library, beginning with refreshments and author signing (if applicable) at 10am followed by the talk and discussion from 10:30am-11:30am.

This free series is a Public Services Division initiative generously supported by the University Librarian. Working with me as the series coordinator this semester is Sarah Myhre, a senior at UH Manoa and library student worker in SciTech. For this semester's talks we decided to highlight the research and creative work of UH Manoa faculty.

Here is the line-up of speakers:

Saturday January 21, 2006
ROBERT SULLIVAN *Poetry of the Pacific
Robert Sullivan is an award-winning author of five books of poetry, a graphic novel, a children’s book, and co-editor of the online South Pacific journal of the arts, Trout. In 2001 he was the Distinguished Visiting Writer at the University of Hawaii at Manoa where he is now an Associate Professor of Creative Writing and Maori Literature in the English Department. His most recent book of poetry, Voice Carried My Family, from which he will be reading, draws upon his background as a member of the Maori tribes of Nga Puhi of Northland in New Zealand, Ngati Raukawa and Kai Tahu, and his Galway Irish ancestry.

Saturday February 11, 2006
WARREN NISHIMOTO *Oral History
Principal investigator for the University of Hawaii’s Center for Oral History, Warren Nishimoto documents Hawaii’s history, culture, and people. The Center for Oral History was established in 1976 by the Hawaii State Legislature to preserve the stories of Hawaii’s people through oral interviews. He holds degrees in American History and Asian Studies as well as a Ph.D in Education. He also serves as co-editor of Hanahana: An Oral History Anthology of Hawaii’s Working People. Warren Nishimoto will talk about some of the interesting people he has met through the Center for Oral History over the years.

Saturday February 18, 2006
KIRSTEN PAUKA *Dance and Martial Arts
Kirsten Pauka, Associate Professor of Theater and Dance, specializes in Randai theater and performance of Southeast Asia. She has produced and directed several Southeast Asian performances at the Kennedy Theater and for the past 10 years has performed locally, nationally, and internationally—performing also as a member of the Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble. She edited the Southeast Asian section of the recently published Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre and Performing Arts. Kirsten Pauka will be discussing the relationship between dance and martial arts training in West Sumatra.

Saturday April 1, 2006
KATHRYN HOFFMANN
Professor, Languages and Literatures of Europe and the Americas, French Division
Topic TO BE ANNOUNCED

Saturday April 8, 2006
RODNEY MORALES Associate Professor, English Department, Creative Writing Topic TO BE ANNOUNCED

If you have any questions please direct them to
Sarah Myhre, and to me, Sara Rutter.

Two Literary Event Series in Honolulu: A Common Book at Windward

I am pasting below two Press Release e-mails about upcoming literary event series in Honolulu. I might check one or two out:

A Common Book at Windward Community College

For Spring 2006, “Ka‘a‘awa,” the historical novel by O.A. Bushnell, will again be the focus of the community-wide Common Book project coordinated by Windward Community College in Käne‘ohe. The Spring 2006 schedule is as follows:

• Billy Sage, “Ka‘a‘awa as Theatre” - January 31, 2006, 7:00 p.m. at Hale Akoakoa, Room 101.

• Kiki Mookini, “Medicine, Anatomia, and Ka‘a‘awa” - February 21, 2006, 7:00 p.m. at Hale Akoakoa, Room 105.

• Floyd McCoy, “Building a Novel From the Ground Up: The Geological Basis for Bushnell’s Ka‘a‘awa” - March 14, 2006, 7:00 p.m. at Hale Akoakoa, Room 105.

• Noenoe Silva, “The Life and Work of J. H. Kanepuu, a Real Kanaka Maoli Writer in the Time of Ka‘a‘awa” - April 18, 2006, 7:00 p.m. at Paliku Theatre.

We expect to add other events to the schedule.

“‘Ka‘a‘awa’ is an exciting choice for us because it is set in Hawai‘i and most of it takes place on the windward side,” said Librarian Brian Richardson. The goal of the Common Book Program is to have everyone at the College as well as a wide range of community people read and discuss the same book for an entire semester.

For more information, including the most up-to-date schedule of events
and a list of resources, visit http://library.wcc.hawaii.edu/CommonBook. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Brian Richardson at the Windward Community College Library — phone: 235-7338, e-mail: .
Events are free and open to the public. The Common Book Program is sponsored in part by the Hawai‘i Council for the Humanities.