Author Archive
Potter”'s Field Tales no less rich and fascinating! Generosity doesn”'t tell it all!
By Sue Hunter Weir There are 350 people buried in the cemetery”'s Potters Field whose remains were used as research subjects in anatomy courses at the University of Minnesota during the years 1914-1916. They were, to the say the least, a colorful lot: homeless men, prison inmates, men who were both the instigators and victims of crime. If they had one characteristic that they share was their social isolation; when they died, their bodies went unclaimed by friends or family. Other traits that many, though not all of them, shared, were alcoholism, mental illness and the effects of poverty. In the early part of the last century, state law required the county coroner to turn over the remains of anyone whose body went unclaimed to medical schools. Because so many people believed that their bodies and souls were to be reunited on Judgment Day, the idea of dissection was, for the majority of people, unthinkable. As a result, there was a shortage of cadavers which [...]
Winter Solstice celebrated in stories, dance, and runes
By Carsten Smith The winter solstice marks the time when the days slowly begin to lengthen and the light returns to the world. Celebrated as “Jul” (yule) in Scandinavian countries, Nordic Roots storyteller and singer Kari Tauring and folk dancer Carol Sersland, along with Tapestry Folk Dance Center, bring the joy of this festival of light to the Tapestry Folkdance Center on Sunday, December 18 from 6 to 8 pm. “This Jultid Celebration will be an interactive performance, suitable for all ages and all activity levels,” says Kari Tauring. Kari received a 2011 Minnesota State Arts Board Folk and Traditional Arts Grant to develop a series of workshops and two celebrations. The Jultid Celebration is the first and in March, there will be the Ostara, a holiday that merges into our contemporary Easter celebration. The Jultid celebration is open to everyone. While some of the participants will have attended the story hours and dance workshops that Carol and Kari [...]
The Descendants
“ The Descendants”(2011) *****     An Hominem Enterprises Drama/Comedy Cast: George Clooney (Matt or Matthew King), Shailene Woodley (Alexandra or Alexis King), Amara Miller (Scottie King), Patricia Hastie (Elizabeth King),Beau Bridges (Cousin Hugh), Matthew Lillard (Brian Speer), Judy Greer (Julie Speer).Running time: 115 minutes. Director:Alexander Payne. Heartfelt film that presses the drama pushing what”'s deemed a comedy too, to the back burner. As such, it”'s just as well the drama takes center stage because in my view--in this film--it”'s a better movie. All of the breathtaking cinematography by Phedon Papamichael takes place in Honolulu, O”'ahu, Hawaii or nearby islands. Standing on what is one of the world”'s stunning paradises is George Clooney, as Matthew King in an unfortunate dilemma: a wife Liz (Patricia Hastie) in a coma from a water-skiing accident and either selling or keeping a [...]
