Wednesday, April 28, 2010

SMILE, HON: Country Mice and City Rats!

TOWSON, Md.Smile, Hon, You’re in Baltimore! Editor William P. Tandy will sign copies of the award-winning zine (or any other non-biohazardous object) from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. this Saturday, May 1, 2010, at the Ukazoo Books booth at the Towson Town Festival. Regular Smile, Hon contributor Davida Gypsy Breier will also be on hand signing copies of Ninety-Five: Meeting America's Farmed Animals in Stories and Photographs.

From the harbor to the hills, the award-winning Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore! collects the tales of those on whom Mobtown has left her indelible mark. Polished, professional essays; barroom sermons delivered from the sanctity of a favorite stool; the poet's fleeting sentiment, captured in both word and snapshot – Smile, Hon offers a slice of Baltimore as told by Baltimore, presented with the time-honored DIY accessibility of a limited-run, handcrafted zine. A two-time Utne Independent Press Award nominee, Smile, Hon has also been dubbed "Best Zine" by Baltimore Magazine (2008) and Baltimore City Paper (2004).

An Eight-Stone Press production, Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore! is distributed by Atomic Books (Baltimore, MD); City Lights Books (San Francisco, CA); Cyclops Books & Music (Baltimore, MD); Microcosm Publishing (Bloomington, IN, and Portland, OR); Quimby's (Chicago, IL); Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse (Baltimore, MD) and Ukazoo Books (Towson, MD). For more information, contact:

William P. Tandy, Editor
Eight-Stone Press
P.O. Box 11064
Baltimore, Maryland 21212
E-mail: Wpt@eightstonepress.com
Website: http://www.eightstonepress.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/eightstonepress
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wptandy
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/eightstonepress


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Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Copy cat

I was quietly minding my own this morning when the middle-aged man seated across from me in the waiting room leaned over and asked, "Are they here to clone you?"

"Excuse me?" I replied.

"Are they here to clone you?"

"Not that I know of."

"Ah," he mumbled, settling back into his chair. And with that the doc opened the door and ushered me into the back.

I'm still wondering what was behind Door #2.

Monday, April 19, 2010

REVIEW: The Lost Patrol/"Dark Matter"

THE LOST PATROLDark Matter
Self-Produced; http://www.thelostpatrol.com

As its title implies, the seventh album from New York's Lost Patrol (and second with singer Mollie Israel) finds the band characteristically digging ever-deeper into the darker recesses of the human psyche via reverb-soaked surf guitar, lonesome 12-string rhythm and haunting female vocals.

The great potential Israel demonstrated on the band's last album, 2008's Midnight Matinée, has blossomed considerably on Dark Matter. Here, her lilting voice fully inhabits the melodic twilight of tracks such as "These Days", "Nobody There" and "Ever After".

But looks can be deceiving; indeed, beneath Israel's wan exterior lurks latent, predatory muscle. "Now you keep me / Like a disease" she wails over the menacing groove of "In Your Blood", like an obsessively crazed ex capable of a whole lot more than flattening your tires. This incarnation resurfaces later within the majestic gloom of "Justine" (based on the de Sade character of the same name), wherein Israel admits, "I love the way they tortured you, Justine". Even the yé-yé-inspired bubblegum of "Before I Go" has a decidedly dark cast about it.

On Dark Matter, the band has evidently found common footing given Israel's underscored presence and the supporting roles in which bandmates Stephen Masucci and Michael Williams have seemingly cast themselves. And while this is most assuredly a good thing overall, the band's ardent long-time fans may find themselves lamenting the absence of the soaring and mournful instrumentals that Masucci and Williams brought to the Lost Patrol's earlier work.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Dr. Stanley Walker of the Oncology Center of Central Baltimore - "Never Give Up"

SMILE, HON deadline, upcoming events and more

BALTIMORE, Md. – From the bathroom to the boardroom, local literary zine Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore! seeks your waste-related stories, essays, poetry, photography and other artwork for an upcoming special "theme" issue!

Potential topics might include, but are not limited to, biological, fiscal or environmental waste, waste-handling or wasted potential. Creative non-fiction is preferred, though all submissions will be considered. Articles (100 – 2,000 words) are preferably received via e-mail (wpt@eightstonepress.com) as attached Word documents. Image files should be approximately 5" x 7", 300+ dpi (.JPG or .TIF format). All contributors will receive a byline/artist credit for their work as well as two (2) complimentary copies of the issue in which their work appears. The deadline for submissions is this Thursday, April 15, 2010.

This latest call for submissions from Baltimore-based imprint Eight-Stone Press (ESP) comes hot on the heels of the February 2010 release of Smile, Hon, You're in Flagrante!, an adults-only collection of sex-centered writing, poetry, photography and other artwork. Other previous theme issues of Smile, Hon have tackled such topics as rats, scars, crime, tattoos, transit and the supernatural.

In related news, visit the CityLit Festival from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. this Saturday, April 17, 2010, at the main branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in downtown Baltimore. Stop by the Eight-Stone Press table in the Literary Marketplace for copies of Smile, Hon, t-shirts and more. Smile, Hon Editor William P. Tandy will also join Neal Shaffer and Christopher Casamassima for a panel discussion, moderated by The Urbanite's Marianne Amoss, on "DIY Comics, Zines and Chapbooks" beginning at 11:00 a.m. in the library’s Fine Arts Department.

From the harbor to the hills, the award-winning Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore! collects the tales of those on whom Mobtown has left her indelible mark. Polished, professional essays; barroom sermons delivered from the sanctity of a favorite stool; the poet's fleeting sentiment, captured in both word and snapshot – Smile, Hon offers a slice of Baltimore as told by Baltimore, presented with the time-honored DIY accessibility of a limited-run, handcrafted zine. A two-time Utne Independent Press Award nominee, Smile, Hon has also been dubbed "Best Zine" by Baltimore Magazine (2008) and Baltimore City Paper (2004).

An Eight-Stone Press production, Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore! is distributed by Atomic Books (Baltimore, MD); City Lights Books (San Francisco, CA); Cyclops Books & Music (Baltimore, MD); Microcosm Publishing (Bloomington, IN, and Portland, OR); Quimby's (Chicago, IL); Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse (Baltimore, MD) and Ukazoo Books (Towson, MD). For more information, contact:

William P. Tandy, Editor
Eight-Stone Press
P.O. Box 11064
Baltimore, Maryland 21212
E-mail: Wpt@eightstonepress.com
Website: http://www.eightstonepress.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/eightstonepress
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wptandy
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/eightstonepress


RELATED NEWS

Smile, Hon contributor’s work featured in new book
No Voice Unheard, a non-profit, independent publisher dedicated to providing animals a unique voice through beautiful, creative and cutting-edge books, announces the May 1 release of Ninety-Five: Meeting America’s Farmed Animals in Stories and Photographs. This collection of stories and full-color photographs by rescuers, caregivers and animal lovers (including many by regular Smile, Hon, You’re in Baltimore! contributor Davida Gypsy Breier) gives readers a glimpse of these animals you may not have thought possible; from Justice, the steer who broke out of a truck on the way to the slaughterhouse who is now the self-appointed "greeter" at his sanctuary to Gilly, a small white hen rescued from a factory egg farm who found quiet happiness in a loving home, each animal offers a compelling, captivating story. Pre-order your copy of Ninety-Five here.

***

Benefit for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Support Dr. Stanley Walker of the Oncology Center of Central Baltimore in his bid for the title of Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Man of the Year at the "It’s All Baltimore" Benefit Dinner beginning at 7:00 p.m. this Wednesday, April 14, 2010, at Miss Shirley’s Café, 513 West Cold Spring Lane, in Baltimore’s Roland Park neighborhood. Celebrity guests include Cam Cameron and Matt Stover. Your $100 donation/person includes full-course dinner and wine, with 100 percent of all donations directly benefiting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. For tickets, call (410) 662-6222.

You can also help support Dr. Walker in his bid for the title of Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Man of the Year at the Benefit Dinner and Silent Auction beginning at 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 20, 2010, at Pazza Luna, 1401 E. Clement Street, Baltimore, MD 21230. Further details forthcoming.

Dr. Walker’s "Never Give Up" video (which includes a link to his fundraising page at the bottom) is now available on YouTube.

The titles of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Man & Woman of the Year will be awarded at the Grand Finale Gala Celebration beginning at 6:30 p.m., Friday, April 30, 2010, at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center, 3800 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218. WJZ-TV’s Don Scott will act as Guest Master of Ceremonies, and the evening will include a silent auction, a live auction with Jonathan Melnick and dancing to the sounds of Kaos. Your $200/person (or $1,800/table of 10) donation includes hors d’oeuvres, dinner buffet, dessert and a free open bar all evening. Corporate partnership and program book advertisement are available, as will a complimentary shuttle service from the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute parking lot, located at 1400 W. Cold Spring Lane. For more information, call (410) 662-6222.

***

Benefit for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Enjoy a night out while help raise money to support blood cancer research from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. this Saturday, April 17, 2010, at the Gin Mill (upstairs bar), 2300 Boston Street, in Baltimore’s Canton neighborhood. Ten percent of all food and drink sales will directly benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The evening will also include a 50/50 and raffle prizes that include Ravens tickets; Orioles vs. Red Sox tickets; Hopkins vs. Towson tickets; Blast-signed ball, pennant and championship t-shirt; one-of-a-kind Ray Lewis photo by Ravens photographer Shawn Hubbard; REI Women’s Taku jacket; wine baskets; spa wellness packages; fitness packages; a diamond necklace and more. Five-dollar suggested donation at door.


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Friday, April 9, 2010

Suck on this

All those silly, uptight, bodily-repressed bastards who give women a hard time about breastfeeding in public should redirect their misguided attention to doing something about the people who SPIT in public...

[Source: "Breastfeeding rooms hidden in health care law", by Elizabeth Landau, CNN, April 9, 2010.]

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Let's talk about sex, baby / At expense of the R-N-C...

The letter went on to state that, for an extra $.99 a minute, Peggy Noonan would put a lot more than dirty words in your mouth, and that, contrary to popular belief, she's not really into "kinder" or "gentler"...

In all seriousness, however, I do hope Michael Steele considers a run against both Ehrlich and O'Malley on a platform of "A Two-Drink Minimum, and No Touching".

Waste not, write not!

BALTIMORE, Md. – From the bathroom to the boardroom, local literary zine Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore! seeks your waste-related stories, essays, poetry, photography and other artwork for an upcoming special "theme" issue!

Potential topics might include, but are not limited to, biological, fiscal or environmental waste, waste-handling or wasted potential. Creative non-fiction is preferred, though all submissions will be considered. Articles (100 – 2,000 words) are preferably received via e-mail (wpt@eightstonepress.com) as attached Word documents. Image files should be approximately 5" x 7", 300+ dpi (.JPG or .TIF format). All contributors will receive a byline/artist credit for their work as well as two (2) complimentary copies of the issue in which their work appears. The deadline for submissions is Thursday, April 15, 2010.

This latest call for submissions from Baltimore-based imprint Eight-Stone Press (ESP) comes hot on the heels of the February 2010 release of Smile, Hon, You're in Flagrante!, an adults-only collection of sex-centered writing, poetry, photography and other artwork. Other previous theme issues of Smile, Hon have tackled such topics as rats, scars, crime, tattoos, transit and the supernatural.

From the harbor to the hills, the award-winning Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore! collects the tales of those on whom Mobtown has left her indelible mark. Polished, professional essays; barroom sermons delivered from the sanctity of a favorite stool; the poet's fleeting sentiment, captured in both word and snapshot – Smile, Hon offers a slice of Baltimore as told by Baltimore, presented with the time-honored DIY accessibility of a limited-run, handcrafted zine. A two-time Utne Independent Press Award nominee, Smile, Hon has also been dubbed "Best Zine" by Baltimore Magazine (2008) and Baltimore City Paper (2004).

An Eight-Stone Press production, Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore! is distributed by Atomic Books (Baltimore, MD); City Lights Books (San Francisco, CA); Cyclops Books & Music (Baltimore, MD); Microcosm Publishing (Bloomington, IN, and Portland, OR); Quimby's (Chicago, IL); Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse (Baltimore, MD) and Ukazoo Books (Towson, MD). For more information, contact:

William P. Tandy, Editor
Eight-Stone Press
P.O. Box 11064
Baltimore, Maryland 21212
E-mail: Wpt@eightstonepress.com
Website: http://www.eightstonepress.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/eightstonepress
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wptandy
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/eightstonepress


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