Northern Roots Traditional Music Festival Saturday

by Pam Lierle | Music

Southeastern Vermont’s Northern Roots Traditional Music Festival will take place on Saturday, January 25, 2014 in Brattleboro, Vermont.  Now in its 7th year, the Brattleboro Music Center’s annual festival brings together local and regional musicians representing the best of various northern musical traditions.  This year’s festival features over twenty musicians and the rich traditions of Ireland, Scotland, England, Scandinavia, New England and French Canada.

The annual Northern Roots Festival is a celebrated opportunity for Brattleboro’s vibrant community of traditional musicians to come together to share their music with each other and the community at large. The festival also draws on the richness of talent in the broader region, with players from throughout New England coming to perform, teach and participate in informal sessions.

Annual Brattleboro Film Festival Announces 2014 Festival Dates, Accomplishments and Goals for Year Ahead

by Not Signed In | Arts

Brattleboro Film Festival, Media Release
Contact: Lissa Weinmann (917) 239-8743

BRATTLEBORO, Vermont (January 20, 2014): On the heels of a very successful November 2013 event, the Brattleboro Film Festival (BFF) announced the 3rd Annual Brattleboro Film Festival will take place from Thursday October 31 to Sunday November 9, 2014 at the Latchis Theatre in downtown Brattleboro, Vermont.

BFF is a unique, all volunteer-led and -run festival. The 30 films and accompanying events of the 2013 festival were enthusiastically received by more than 2,200 festival-goers. Enough revenue was brought in by attendance to get a strong start to this year’s fundraising effort, which has already commenced.

Vermont Legislative Pay

by Norsehorse | State News

(originally posted to Vermont Watch, )

Received the following information from a legislative council staff member this morning in response to an inquiry of mine from earlier this month that included questions concerning legislative pay and the like for members of the :

Congressman Welch To Visit Brattleboro

by Not Signed In | Politics

Congressman Peter Welch,United States House of Representatives
Official Appearance Schedule, Tuesday, January 21st, 2014

10:00 a.m.
Business Visit: Sovernet
5 Rockingham Street, Bellows Falls

11:30 a.m.
Visit with Brattleboro Fire Department
103 Elliot Street, Brattleboro

Climate Woes

by tomaidh | Sci-Tech

According , the U.N. says that a lag in confronting climate woes will be costly. It suggests that nations have so dragged their feet in battling climate change that the situation has grown critical and the risk of severe economic disruption is rising.

Another 15 years of failure to limit carbon emissions could make the problem virtually impossible to solve with current technologies, the experts found.

But…there’s a solution! (Yay). The article goes on to say:

The Remorseful Demand Nuremberg Principles Trial of Americans for Genocide

by jay janson | Op/Ed

DESCRIPTION: 1/12/2014″Iraq: “Devastating” Dossier Alleging British War Crimes Lodged with the International Criminal Court.”  Americans reading this might be compelled to wonder when a headline will read: ‘Alleging US War Crimes.’ Nuremberg, Trial Chief Prosecutor Robert Jackson noted that the laws regarding genocide were not just for Germans  but for citizens of all nations. King held all Americans responsible not the gov. he dismissed 

BCTV Channel 8 & 10 Schedules for the Week of 1/20/14

by BCTVProg | Media

BCTV Ch.8 Schedule for the week of 1-20-14 

                   Monday January 20             

12:00 am      NECI Pastry Demonstration with Master Chef Francois Payard 11/9/13

1:00 am       Helping Seniors Understand Reverse Mortgages

2:00 am       FSTV Overnight

4:00 am       The Artful Word – CAMP TA KUM TA Santa Run

4:15 am       VT Works for Women Presents: Young Women and the VT Economy

Testing the Test Hypothesis

by spinoza | Education

Here’s a link to a that challenges the benefits and virtues of testing.

“I happen to believe that efforts to raise test scores dramatically and in mass, such as is called for by NCLB, is a fool’s errand that can only end in failure or (more likely) fraud.” 

As a parent who has sent two kids through the system, and former educator myself, I submit this article as one who no longer has ‘skin in the game’. However, I believe all of us have a flesh and blood investment in this issue, because the corporate mindset and methods that now so heavily dominate education, inform almost every aspect of our lives.

150 Years Ago (1864 1/18)

by BusyMom | History

Probably to Portus Baxter, M.C., Derby Line, Vt.

East Charleston Jan. 18, 1864.

Dear Friend –

I had intended to have gone to Washington, but the detachment did not go Friday, and learned that one of my children was very sick and came this way instead of the other. I got home Saturday, found my youngest child very sick. He appears to be better today. Think he will get along. It was a bad time to come, as I had just been relieved from duty, in order to study. Major Bartlett made an application to Major Austin to get me into the 9th Regt. But the Major could not send me there and thought it not necessary. My furlough is out next Monday. I shall then fit for an examination as quick as possible. All speak encouragingly. I am sometimes fearful. I do not know what I have got to go through. I wish that I could see you before I go on for an examination. I may have a chance to go out as a general.

Weekend Concert Series: Donald Fagen Masterclass

by cgrotke | Entertainment

This one is for keyboard players, musicians in general, and Steely Dan fans.

I like to hear musicians talk about their craft. This week I’ve decided to feature a video in which Warren Bernhardt sits with Donald Fagen in Woodstock, NY to talk about songwriting techniques such as harmony and melody, and the blues.

It is a master class in piano playing, but it is also a look at Steely Dan’s songs Chain Lightning, Peg, and Josie, and shows how they were constructed. It’s an up close and personal demonstration of each song followed by a performance.

Sanders Statement on Obama’s Review of Intelligence Gathering

by Not Signed In | Politics

BURLINGTON, Vt., Jan. 17 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement after President Barack Obama announced new measures on the oversight of government surveillance programs.

“I appreciate the president’s willingness to examine this important issue but I think that his remarks did not go far enough. There is no question in my mind that the collection of data on every phone call made in the United States is unconstitutional and a violation of the Fourth Amendment and that the government has engaged in massive violations of civil liberties and privacy rights.

Representative Welch: The Steps Announced Today Fall Short of Reining in the NSA

by Not Signed In | Politics

WASHINGTON, DC (January 17th) – Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) made the following remarks after the President’s speech on intelligence surveillance reforms:

“While I appreciate the President’s effort to strike a better balance between the twin imperatives of protecting Americans from harm and ensuring their civil liberties, the steps he announced today fall short of reining in the NSA,” said Welch. “Under his plan, the unconstitutional bulk collection of Americans’ emails and phone records will continue. Congress should pass the Leahy-Sensenbrenner legislation so that the American people do not have to worry about the government monitoring their activities. And it should pass my legislation to shine a light on the taxpayer-financed budgets of America’s intelligence agencies.”

Comments Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Committee On The Judiciary, Following The President’s National Security Speech

by Not Signed In | Politics

[Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Friday responded to President Obama’s announcement that he will work with Congress to improve oversight of government surveillance programs. Leahy is the lead Democratic coauthor of the bipartisan USA FREEDOM Act, and earlier this week presided over a hearing featuring all five members of the President’s Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies to discuss their recent recommendations to overhaul the government’s surveillance authorities.]

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – January 21, 2014

by cgrotke | Town News

It is agenda setting time for the Brattleboro Selectboard, and Tuesday’s regular meeting will result in a slate of issues for Town Meeting and Representative Town Meeting to consider, including a 1% local option tax, transfer of skating rink funds not used, taking money from the Unassigned Fund Balance to apply toward tax relief for 2015, and repurposing of agricultural land protection funds to apply toward tax relief in 2015.

The board will get a request from SeVEDS for about $36,000. They will also approve a liquor license for Brattleboro’s newest pizza restaurant and sign off on an FY15 General Fund budget of $16,284,625 and a Capital plan budget of $1,380,475.

On Exhibit at the Brooks Library

by Brooks Memorial Library | Arts

ON EXHIBIT January/February Lita Judge Children’s Illustrators’ Book Cases, 2nd Floor Hallway Across Children’s Room. 

Lita Judge grew up immersed in all aspects of nature as she lived in remote areas of Oregon, Utah, Nevada, and Wisconsin. Since her grandparents were both wildlife biologists, the summers spent with them included banding hawks and rehabilitating falcons. Read more about Lita’s work HERE. 

ON EXHIBIT January Mia Scheffey’s work in oil paint. Main Room. .

Brooks Library Closed Monday January 20, 2014

by Brooks Memorial Library | Books

Brooks Memorial Library will be closed Monday, January 20, in observance of  the national Martin Luther King holiday. Make a virtual visit to the library that day as all databases and the online catalog will be available at www.brookslibraryvt.org. 

You may also check out and download eBooks, eAudio, and stream independent movies, with your library card. Click on the “Digital Media” button and follow the link. Book and non-print drops will be open for returns during the hours the library is closed. Contact the library at 802.254.5290, info@brookslibraryvt.org.

Sewage Smell in Brattleboro?

by TechFan | Questions & Answers

Has anyone else smelled raw sewage around the corner of Canal and Main St? The smell intermittently permeates the area, all the way down a little into Hinsdale on the way to Walmart, depending on which way the wind is blowing. 

Is it coming from Brattleboro’s new wastewater treatment plant? We shouldn’t be smelling that in town, especially the downtown area where there’s a relative high number of people. So disgusting, just another reason to move.

America Betrayed Rev. Dr. King, Gagged His Condemning US Wars for Predatory Investments

by jay janson | Op/Ed

DESCRIPTION:

On TV, the week-end before the MKJjr’ birthday holiday, see all the celebrities, black, white, asian, latino. They will come to praise King and bury again King’s condemnation of US atrocity “wars meant to maintain unjust predatory investments on three continents.” They will hail King to heaven, loudly, to drown out anyone whispering that King called their dirty government “the greatest purveyor of violence in the world.”