Broadcast from Interlochen, Michigan (Weekly Radio Variety - Music program) - July 7, 2012

as announced by way of Michigan LIVE! -- www.mlive.com/

In Radio Personality (American Public Media) Garrison Keillor’s Lake Wobegon, the women are strong, the men are good looking, and all the children are above average.

At Interlochen Fine Arts Camp (state of Michigan), it goes without saying that Keillor’s observation about children is as true as anywhere else.

Sage DeAgro-Ruopp, a vocalist from Traverse City and an Interlochen Arts Academy student, will perform along with Academy alumnus, trumpeter Theo Van Dyck, sharing the microphone on July 7, 2012 with Guy Noir, Private Eye, and Dusty and Lefty in The Lives of the Cowboys.

A string octet of four Interlochen faculty – violinists Susanna Perry Gilmore and Timothy Shiu, violist Leonard Schranze and cellist Astrid Schween – and four students – violinists Rachel Gravels and Andrew Cheshire, violist Anders Cornell, and cellist Harry Wilde Greer.

A Prairie Home Companion

The 6-foot, 3-inch tall Keillor has appeared frequently in Michigan, most recently in January in Saginaw’s Temple Theatre, though that show was just for locals, featuring Keillor by himself.
Keillor, who turns 70 in August 2012 , toyed with the idea of retiring in 2013, but in January he said his plans are on hold. debuted in 1974, and, apart from a short hiatus in the late 1980s, Keillor has been delivering the news from Lake Wobegon , the little town that time forgot.
http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2012/06/garrison_keillors_a_prairie_ho.html#incart_more_entertainment

Nora Ephron (who died June 26, 2012) -- Family's Memorial Service plans

from CBS "Celebrity Circuit" posting at www.cbsnews.com/ (posted as of Wednesday June 27th):

Nora Ephron's son, Jacob Bernstein, said Wednesday that details about the Monday July 9, 2012  service are still being determined.

Ephron died on Tuesday in New York - Presbyterian Hospital at age 71. The author and Oscar-nominated filmmaker had been battling leukemia.

Ephron was one of Hollywood's most prominent figures and was known for movies including "Heartburn," "You've Got Mail," "Sleepless in Seattle" and her last, "Julie & Julia." As a screenwriter, she was nominated three times for Academy Awards.

She also was an acclaimed author.

FURTHER INFORMATION =

In addition to her son Jacob Bernstein, a journalist who writes frequently for the Styles section of The New York Times, Ms. Ephron is survived by her third husband, Mr.Nicholas Pileggi; another son, Max Bernstein, a rock musician; and her sisters Delia Ephron; Amy Ephron, who is also a screenwriter; and Hallie Ephron, a journalist and novelist.

NOTE: Her NY TIMES obituary written by Charles McGrath (June 26) is found at --
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/27/movies/nora-ephron-essayist-screenwriter-and-director-dies-at-71.html?pagewanted=all

Federal Transportation Legislation (2012) - passed by House -- Upton (R - 6th District) comments

as posted in M LIVE dot-com (Kalamazoo Gazette online posting) Friday June 29, 2012 afternoon:

Congress approved a new highway bill today without a Keystone XL pipeline provision championed by Sixth District Congressman Fred Upton (R - St. Joseph, MI).

And the St. Joseph Republican said he doesn't see the 1,500-mile pipeline becoming a reality while Barack Obama is president.

"They've done a good job in the last three-plus years of slowing us down," Upton said in an interview with MLive/Kalamazoo from the House floor before the vote. "It will probably take a change in November to see the project go forward."

Upton said language to approve Keystone XL was ultimately not included in the highway bill because the White House said it would veto the bill.

Environmentalists have raised safety concerns over the pipeline, which would carry 500,000 barrels a day of Canadian diluted bitumen to the Gulf of Mexico. Republicans have tried to get the pipeline approved by tacking it on to different bills, but none have passed. Obama said he would veto a bill, citing that more time is needed to study the enviormental impact of the pipeline.

10 a.m. Supreme Court announced 5 - 4 approval of the Constitutionality of Affordable Care Act

Some religious figures are acclaiming the opinion from the majority (Roberts, Breyer, Ginsberg, Kagan, Sotomejor):

In response to the June 28, 2012 U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding the Affordable Care Act, Faith in Public Life executive director Rev. Jennifer Butler issued the following statement:

The Supreme Court did the right thing for American families by upholding the Affordable Care Act. Faith leaders worked tirelessly to pass this legislation because ensuring that all Americans have quality, affordable healthcare is a moral responsibility. The religious right needs to halt their misguided campaign to repeal this law. Human life is too sacred to be jeopardized by partisan crusades.

http://www.faithinpubliclife.org/blog/

Who teaches the literature of memory and exile? Andre Aciman (CUNY dot-edu) does (2012 required author)

One of our Summer Semester required journalists - novelists - essayists is Comparative Literature Professor Andre Aciman of New York, NY.  He wrote for the NORTON READER an essay about "A Double Exile" and has a well-received memoir about growing up in Alexandria, Egypt.  Here's his faculty bio in part:

Andre Aciman

---

André Aciman received his Ph. D. and A.M. in Comparative Literature from Harvard University and a B.A. in English and Comparative Literature from Lehman College. Before coming to The Graduate Center, he taught at Princeton University and Bard College. Although his specialty is in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century English, French and Italian literature (he wrote his dissertation on Madame de LaFayette's La Princesse de Clèves), he is especially interested in the theory of the psychological novel (roman d'analyse) across boundaries and eras. In addition to teaching the history of literary theory, he teaches the work of Marcel Proust and the literature of memory and exile. André Aciman is the Executive Officer of the Doctoral Program in Comparative Literature and the Director of The Writers' Institute at the Graduate Center.

"Art for a Cause" Show & Sale (Second Annual in memory of Ira Clark, Niles, MI) - Saturday June 30, 1 p.m. LMC

A second annual "Art for a Cause" show -- in memory of WW II and POW veteran Ira Clark of Niles, Michigan -- features ten artists and their work (pottery, acrylics, fiber arts, jewelry, photography, mosaics) from Michigan, Indiana, and Texas.
It will be held at Bertrand Crossing Campus, 1905 Foundations Drive, LMC -- Niles, Michigan from 1 - 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 30, 2012.
From items sold that day 30 percent of proceeds will be earmarked for children's home ministry in India, "Men of Honor" in Elkhart, IN, and "Feeding the Nations" in South Bend, IN.
Phone Jim Ellis and the campus staff at (269)-695-1391 for further details and directions to the campus off Route 12 and the 31 Bypass.

Summer Olympic Games - "Olympic Day" (Global celebration) June 23 -- White House plans with First Lady

Ahead of “Olympic Day,” a global commemoration of the birth of the modern Olympic Games on June 23, 2012 President Barack Obama on Friday (June 22) announced that First Lady Michelle Obama will lead the Presidential Delegation to the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, England, U.K. She'll be accompanied by the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom and five U.S. medalists, including Phoenix Suns legend/Men's Basketball gold medalist Grant Hill and Brandi Chastain, two-time gold medalist in Women's Soccer.

Women's gymnastics gold medalist Dominique Dawes, two-time women's swimming gold medalist Summer Sanders, Paralympic javelin gold medalist Gabriel Diaz de Leon, and Ambassador Louis B. Susman have also been tapped to be part of Team Obama.

“This summer I’ll be cheering on Team U.S.A. at the Olympic Games in London with this distinguished group of champions who truly represent the best of our country,” Mrs. Obama said. “Olympians and Paralympians are true American heroes and role models for all of us, especially our young people."

The Presidential Delegation will attend the Opening Ceremony on July 27, meet with members of Team USA, and use the visit to promote Mrs. Obama's Let's Move! campaign, encouraging children to get more healthy and active.

"I know that this delegation will help inspire a generation of young people to get into the Olympic spirit by getting active and healthy so they can reach their fullest potential and reach their dreams," Mrs. Obama said.
from Obama Food-o-rama Blog story -
http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2012/06/president-obama-announces-presidential.html