Department of Book Reports: Blood's a Rover

I haven't quite finished the one massive book I'm reading, Blood's A Rover, by James Ellroy (Knopf $28.95) This is prime Ellroy, violent, twisted and so dazzlingly written. It's difficult to say I'm enjoying it, but it's certainly gripping and compelling. This is the third and final volume in Ellroy's Underworld USA Trilogy which began with American Tabloid, then The Cold Six Thousand and the election of JFK, and now we are in the Cold-War years just up to Watergate. There's plenty of hate crimes, racism, conspiracy plots, mafia, drugs and Haitian voodoo. The novel follows the three main characters Wayne Tedrow Jr the ex-Vegas cop from Cold Six Thousand who has gone on a murderous spree (which includes the MLK assasination) after his wife was killed by a black thug and is trying to redeem himself.
Dwight Holly, FBI agent and son of a KKK member whose dirty laundry has obligated him do "Gay Edgar" Hoover's top jobs. Donald Crutchfield is a low life working for Howard Hughes' interests in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Woven throughout these three exploits are their love interests and a mysterious woman with a gray streak in her hair.

I don't recommend this one for the faint of heart, but if you're an Ellroy fan this is a great read. Not as fast paced as the previous, it still has his trademark style using journal excepts, redacted FBI files and secret notes.

This weekend the dailykos convention, now known as Netroots Nation 2010, is taking place in Las Vegas this weekend. We'll be streaming some of the Keynote speeches into Second Life at Virtually Speaking Studios. If you can't run SL on your computer, you can still catch some of the streams via the intertubes. Montana's governor Swcheitzer's speech last night was great, Van Jones today was funny and wise. Hope we see you there!

Blood's a Rover is available from Jackson Street Books and other fine Independent bookstores.As always, books ordered here will have a freebie publishers Advance Reading Copy included as a thank you to our blogosphere friends.

Department of Book Reports: Moving Millions

Jeffrey Kaye has written an important, and exhaustive study in Moving Millions: How Coyote Capitalism Fuels Global Immigration (John Wiley and Sons $27.95). Kaye, the son of English immigrants himself, is a well-regarded independent journalist and Special Correspondent for the PBS News Hour. And for this examination, he has traveled extensively, including the Philippines, Senegal and Europe.

What he has found explodes many of the myths that surround immigration and its attendant mythologies. It is not so much that immigrants fuel immigration. It is the practice of businesses and government to import labor. Kaye looks at how the machinery of immigration interlocks into a greater global economy that answers the needs of those businesses and governments.

A coyote in this context is a human smuggler. The smuggler trades in a needed commodity without regard to the wants and desires of that commodity. And, in so doing, Kaye reminds us: “Global and local businesses rely on human mobility and on ready, vulnerable pools of labor often available at bargain basement prices. The migrant-dependent industries are the same across the globe. Many of the world’s farm fields, hospitals, nursing homes, and construction sites would be losing enterprises if not for the work of foreign laborers. Ditto for hotels and restaurants, labor-intensive manufacturing, and low-skilled services.” Often these are the same people who tell us that illegal immigrants are the scourge of our nation. Their hatred is palpably hypocritical. (And in my humble opinion, when you hear these folks talk about English only, or English first, they ignore the fact that in the history of American immigration, unless the immigrants came from an English-speaking nation, the first generation always retained their native language and learned enough English to get along. My great-grandparents spoke German around the house and with their neighbors. It is the next generation that learns English; my grandfather was bi-lingual. I see it where I live where the Latino children speak English to each other and Spanish to their parents. English-first is code for Latino bashing.)

Kaye calls into question our current policies regarding immigration, quite rightly observing that if you build a 50 foot wall, someone will bring a 51 foot ladder. And he explains the connections between globalization, growth and the overarching and on-going debate on immigration in a clear, lucid style, with anecdotes, interviews and keen observation. For now, this book is the one to go to if one wants to understand the complexities of our times.

In full disclosure, the author is an old friend of mine. And the publisher was kind enough to send me a review copy gratis. For those of you in Second Life, Jeffrey will be the guest at the Virtually Speaking forum on Thursday, July 1st at 6:00 PDT. If you can't join us in Second Life, tune in here to listen live or catch the podcast later. As always, Moving Millions is availabe at Jackson Street Books and other fine Independent bookstores. And, as always, books ordered here will have a freebie publishers Advance Reading Copy included as a thank you to our blogosphere friends.

U.S. Military Attorneys to Hold Virtual Town Hall on Guantanamo Bay

I first heard the story of GITMO detainee, Fayiz Al Kandari from GottaLaff of thepoliticalcarnival.com. She had been in contact with his military attorney, Lt. Col. Barry Wingard. In her first post, she told how he had despaired of getting any traction with the American press.
Lt. Col. Wingard is a Judge Advocate General (JAG) in the Air Force representing Fayiz al-Kandari. He began his career in the Army as an enlisted infantryman and then an infantry officer, has served 26 years and is a veteran of both Bosnia and Iraq conflicts.

Here is Fayiz's story:

He comes from a well to do family in Kuwait. He has studied law in the United Arab Emirates, and was on a charity mission to Afganistan when he was grabbed by bounty hunters and sold to the American authorities.

While in U.S. custody in Kabul in December 2001, Al-Kandari was shackled in various stress positions for as long as 36 hours at a time. He was beaten with a chain and water hose. Photographs documenting his condition have not been released.
In early 2002, Al-Kandari was transferred to Bagram and held in a roofed tent with no sides where overnight temperatures typically reached below freezing. Photographs again documented his condition, but they have never been released. […] He was transferred to Kandahar in early 2002, … [where] his entire body was shaved (except for a cross on his chest, which was later shaved off) and he was initially kept awake in solitary confinement for five straight days. The abuse continued and resulted in broken ribs and severe bruising documented by medical exams performed months later.
Before being placed on the plane out of Kandahar, his sound-proof headgear was lifted and a female voice whispered, “You are going to hell in GTMO.” At the time, he was also drugged, sandbagged, and placed into a head harness for the 24 hour trip. At Guantanamo, he was again shackled into stress positions for extended periods of time. He was also urinated on and subjected to sleep deprivation, strobe lights, ear piercing music, cell extractions, and extreme heat and cold conditions in his cell via temperature controls. All told, Al-Kandari has been interrogated approximately 400 times and abused throughout the time he was in U.S. custody.
A Department of Defense legal review of Al-Kandari’s case found the evidence against him “is made up almost entirely of hearsay evidence recorded by unidentified individuals with no first hand knowledge of the events they describe.”
In short, the U.S. learned nothing of value from its abusive treatment of Al-Kandari and in all likelihood exculpatory materials confirming Al-Kandari’s whereabouts and accounts of abuse will be classified and withheld from public view.

-the PoliticalCarnival.com
That quote is a bit out of date. It has now been Eight Years.

And, despite the recent admission by former Colin Powell aide, Lawrence Wilkerson that George W. Bush 'knew Guantánamo prisoners were innocent', it seems the Obama administration is not going to act quickly to release these detainees.

Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Bogucki was the defense council for

Fouad Mahmoud Hasan Al Rabiah, a fifty-year-old father of four children. Prior to his detention by U.S. forces in 2001, Mr. Al Rabiah was gainfully employed by Kuwait Airways, where he was responsible for managing aircraft parts. He is an international graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University but is neither a licensed pilot nor trained in aircraft operation.


As a peaceful and devout Muslim, Mr. Al Rabiah has an established history of international relief work. For example, in 1988, he worked on a Red Crescent rescue campaign in Kosovo. Similarly, in 2000, he delivered a consignment of medicine to Bangladesh for patients suffering from kidney disease.

In 2001, Mr. Al Rabiah made two trips to Afghanistan to observe and document the refugee crisis and to provide whatever immediate relief he could. During his second visit, the United States invaded Afghanistan and Mr. Al Rabiah was sold by Afghan villagers to the Northern Alliance

-Project Kuwaiti Freedom
Sounds awfully familiar, doesn't it? Fouad was released in December '09, and Lt. Cmdr. Bogucki has joined the Fayiz defense team.

Lt. Cmdr. Bogucki also has a impressive record of service:
He received his JD (magna cum laude 1990) from Notre Dame Law School. He received direct appointment into the United States Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps in 1995. He has served two deployments aboard USS TARAWA and the USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT. In Aug '08, he reported to the Office of Military Commissions-Defense, where he is currently serving as counsel for Guantanamo Bay detainees.
Lt. Cmdr. Bogucki's awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (4 awards), Navy Achievement Medal (2), Navy Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Citation, National Defense Service Medal (2), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2) Global War on Terrorism Medal & Service Medal, Sea Service Ribbon (2), and Expert Pistol Shot Medal.

And, now here is why I have told you all this:

U.S. Military Attorneys to Hold Virtual Town Hall on Guantanamo Bay

Lt. Col. Barry Wingard and Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Bogucki to Share Their Client’s Story Via Second Life

Lt. Col. Barry Wingard and Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Bogucki, the U.S. military attorneys for Kuwaiti Guantanamo Bay detainee Fayiz Al Kandari, will hold a virtual town hall meeting at Virtually Speaking Studios at 6:00 PM PST on Monday, April 26, 2010. The attorneys will share Fayiz’s story, discuss legal developments in his case, provide their views on the Obama administration’s detention policies and take questions from the audience, consisting of citizens from across the country.

You can be part of this audience. You could sign up for an account and create your own Second Life avatar, or you can tune into the Virtually Speaking BlogTalkRadio show and call in with your question. I am honored that these gentlemen will come talk to us and report the latest news from Guantanamo, where they have spent the past week.

You can follow Barry's mom on Twitter or search on #FreeFayiz to see the twitter brigade that GottaLaff assembled.

I would also like to thank Jay Ackroyd & the Virtually Speaking crew for his generous offer of hosting our discussion, and their help in getting it all arranged.

I'll close by asking you to read Jane Mayer's The Dark Side as Gottalaff recommends.As always, a book ordered here will have an extra freebie: a publisher's Advance Reading Copy of something cool included.

Department of Book Reports: Once a Spy

Once a Spy by Keith Thomson (Doubleday, $25.95) This delightful satirical thriller is written by Huffington Post columnist, Keith Thomson. I'm enjoying the characters and the action-packed pace. You can get a taste of the book by reading the early chapter excerpts at HuffPo.

What happens when a spy develops Alzheimer's? Pair him with his mid-thirties son who owes the Russian mafia for his pony debts, who still thinks Dad was just an appliance salesman...

“Utterly original, it is an adrenaline-fueled concoction of sidesplitting humor and genuine suspense. Think Carl Hiassen taking on John Le Carré and the winner is the reader. What a find! I can't imagine not loving this gem of a novel!”
—Christopher Reich :: New York Times Bestselling Author

Keith will be reading and discussing his work in Second Life at Lacamas Reading Hall on Monday, March 22nd at 6pm (PDT). Stick around for some great music from Klipe Wirefly afterwards. Second Life events are, as always, over at Cafe Wellstone's ning.

Our dear Second Life friend Lelani Carver introduced us to Keith, and helped twist his arm and get him to agree to be pixilated for this reading. She really did twist his arm, she's responsible for getting his avatar all fixed up. She's old friends with Keith, having followed him since 2004 from before the publication of his first book, “Gus Openshaw’s Whale-Killing Journal”.

I'm tickled pink that Keith lists the reading in his website Events. Thanks, Keith! And be sure to follow Keith on twitter: @kqthomson

The book is available for purchase at our shopping cart, and I'll be adding a freebie in each package: a publisher's Advance Reading Copy.

Monday night will also be the debut of a new feature at our bookstore. We'll be opening a coffee cart serving Raven's Brew Coffee from Alaska. Not only can you enjoy a virtual cup of the finest espresso in Second Life, and get an exclusive tee shirt, you'll also be order coffee directly for delivery to your Real Life home.

Raven's Brew Coffee is a small, family-owned company dedicated to sourcing the world’s best coffee. Each batch of coffee is air roasted resulting in a distinct and superior flavor development, notably clean taste and an intense sweet, perfumey fragrance.

We started roasting coffee in Alaska in a garage over 17 years ago and now have roasteries in Alaska and Washington. Our green coffee buying strategy focuses mainly on heirloom varieties grown in shade-forest conditions and without the use of agrichemicals. We strive to offer only coffees that will be an enlightening experience for the customer, and fair and just for the small producers of our unique coffees. We roast certified organic as well as conventional specialty coffees.

Our label art is by world-famous Alaskan artist, Ray Troll. Ray’s designs adorn our coffee packaging as well as T-shirts, mugs, posters and postcards.

And, there is some good news from last week: Idella/Alicia has come out swinging. Go read all about it.

Thanks freinds, be excellent to one anotherz!





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Department of Book Reports: A Twisted Faith

A Twisted Faith, By Gregg Olsen (St. Martin's Press $25.99)
Using actual interviews with the community, Gregg Olsen has written a True Crime book that reads like a novel. The town of Bainbridge and its residents across the Sound from Seattle are honestly portrayed here.

Nick Hacheney is the up-and-coming Youth Pastor at Christ Community Assembly when his wife tragically dies, in a day after Christmas fire at their home. The police and fire departments rely on the local coroner's office verdict that a crushed larnyx caused Dawn to die with no smoke in her lungs. Other troubling clues that were overlooked initially won't surface for several years. The church rallies around him, but soon rumors of inappropriate contact with a woman going through his Marriage Counseling surface. And then, another rumor. As the church shifts and begins to set out on it's own Apostolic journey, these hints are dismissed and simply not linked up.

Amazingly, it takes several years for this to finally come to light. By that time Nick has seduced 5 members of the congregation and manipulates these women for his own sexual quest. Justice will come to town, but it will take a long time.

Gregg Olsen has been a prolific author, documenting the Stella Nickells' Excederin capsule poisoning, Mary Kay Letourneaus' quest for true love, to the turn of the century Health Spa that starved its clients to death in Starvation Heights. He isn't flashy or gratuitous of his subjects, but treats them with respect and a critical eye.
A Twisted Faith is a fascinating look inside a church undone by murder and sexual obsession.

Thanks again to Gregg and St Martin's for my copy! It was a great read. I'm hoping he'll join us soon in Second Life and compare what we've learned of other Apostolic churches.

And today, at Noon Pacific Time, Peter May will be reading and discussing Virtually Dead, at Lacamas Hall in SL. Hope you can join us!



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Department of Book Reports: Virtually Dead

Virtually Dead, by Peter May (Poisoned Pen Press $14.95)

Michael Kapinsky has returned to his old job as a Crime Scene photographer with the LAPD after the death of his wealthy wife, Mora. Unable to come to terms with her loss, he is now being targeted by Mora's first husbands family who want a larger share of the inheritance. The bank has smelled the troubles brewing and foreclosed on his $3 million dollar mortgage.

As he goes through the motions of letting go of the groundskeepers and others, his therapist proposes a unique way to continue his therapy sessions without cost. Join a group session in Second Life. A surprise party thrown by the cops from work in Real Life nicely sets the reader up for more surprises in Second Life. I liked the way Peter kept the tension during Michael's initial dis-orientation in Second Life.

When Michael confides in his co-worker, Janey of his sessions in SL, she invites him to become an investigator at her SL Detective Agency. (Peter actually hung a shingle out in SL himself and ran the Flick Fauld's Detective Agency while researching this novel.) Investigations from RL and SL begin to blur as Michael realizes the hand/eye icon on recent murder victims computer screens is actually the SL logo. Murdered in RL, but also in SL, with the rumored "super gun" which can kill avatars and steal all the Linden dollars in their accounts.

A Second Life glitch has dropped an amount of Lindens that would cash out to over 3 million US into Michael's account and when the bank threatens again, he cashes out and pays off the house note. That triumph is short lived, when it is uncovered that the murdered avatars had been involved in a Mafia plot to launder cash through the Linden banking system.

Michael has to dodge bullets and bad guys in both Second and Real Life, while trying to ensure his friends aren't the ones who wind up dead.

I appreciated that Peter was able to craft an exciting story using the frame of SL, with insight from having experienced the virtual worlds himself. Too many writers have set out to write "about" SL and completely miss the point. I've rarely seen anything rise above the level of FanFic and this is a welcome raising of that bar.

If you'd like to meet Peter May in the pixel, he'll be reading and discussing Virtually Dead at Lacamas Reading Hall at Noon PST/SLT, February 6th. Download the free software and create your avatar. Use the search to find people and send an IM to BookemJackson Streeter and I'll help you find good free stuff to get you started. We're very happy to have welcomed Cricket and Hedera in recent weeks.
Last Sunday's interview at Off the Shelf is posted now. I had great fun chatting with Kghia & Simeon.


Virtually Dead is available at Jackson Street Books, and includes the special offer of a freebie surprise ARC with every order.




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Department of Book Reports: This.. and then there's That

I heard yesterday that Garth Stein would be on KUOW's Weekday with a couple other authors to discuss The Future of Indie Bookstores. We decided to stream the radio at Lacamas Reading Hall and invite folks over for discussion. I really only had time to twitter and send a couple notices. Still, there's good proof that our social medias do work. The book discussion starts at 24 minutes and Garth gives a shout out to virtual Jackson Street Books at 48m. You can't see it in the picture, but w00ts filled the air!


University Bookstore is celebrating 110 years by asking 110 authors to write 110 word essays. You can see a sneak peek pdf at their website and attend the party on Sunday to get a copy of the book with the purchase of a contributor's book.

My favorite is from Maria Dahvana Headley, one of Garth's co-panelists today

Pulp Romance

He saw her across a crowded shelf.

Her deckle-edge was seductively deep, her endpapers velvety. She was a first edition, probably autographed. Any man would want to write his name in a book like her.

She noticed him perusing her pages, and blushed. He had a hard spine, and a crisp dust jacket. His eyes were capitalized, and in an obscure font designed in Amsterdam in 1768. She caught herself glancing at his flyleaf, and looked away, mortified.

They were in the YA section, and she was acting like a common galley.

"Can I have your ISBN?" he whispered. He could nearly see her addendum.

"Yes," she cooed, helpless. "Yes."

The 2010 Pacific Northwest Book Awards have been announced, and they are fine books this year! The Big Burn topped the list, and I will be telling you about the others soon.

My pledge for the new year is to figure out a plug-in for you folks who can't do SL, so that you can listen to the authors at Lacamas. Stay tuned.

Kinda cross-posted from Jackson Street Books. You can order books 24 hours a day!




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Department of Book Reports: Interfictions 2

Second Life truly is an amazing place that has reinforced my belief it is indeed a Small World. I've had the pleasure of meeting a couple authors I know in Real Life, and one of them, Ray Vukcevich, has been most gracious in helping set up an author salon for Lacamas Reading Hall. I met Ray back in the day at Seattle Mystery, when we had the signing for his delightful novel The Man of Maybe Half-a-Dozen Faces.

Monday night, Dec 7th at 6pm PST/SLT, five of the authors of Interfictions 2 will gather to discuss their Intersticial Fictions from the short story collection Interfictions 2 (Small Beer Press, $16.00).
Delia Yorfle (Delia Sherman) is the co-editor of this volume and explains Intersticial Fiction:

What is interstitial art? It is art made in the interstices between genres and categories. It is art that flourishes in the borderlands between different disciplines, mediums, and cultures. It is art that crosses borders, made by artists who refuse to be constrained by category labels.

Erin Terrawing (Erin Underwood) is the Vice President of the Intersticial Arts Foundation, who sponsored this project.

Cecil Soup (Cecil Castellucci) will discuss her story The Long and Short of Long-Term Memory. Mason Leitner (F. Brett Cox)brings us Nylon Seam and its accompaniment music. Capricorn Brewster (Carlos Hernandez)has the delightfully titled The Assimilated Cuban’s Guide to Quantum Santeria. Sardonicus Optera (Will Ludwigsen)has Remembrance is Something Like a House. Ookami Moonwall (Ray Vukcevich)rounds out the evening with The Two of Me.

Each copy of Interfictions 2 ordered through our store will receive a special signed bookplate, that I will send later. The bookplates are being mailed from one author to the next and I will drop them in the mail as soon as they are available.I have a special offer for orders placed here: enter the code FOG (stands for Friends Of the General) in the ask the bookseller a question tab, and I'll include a free Advance Reading Copy of something delightful.



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Department of Book Reports: Marijuana is SAFER

Alcohol causes 35,000 deaths in America each year. No-one has ever died from effects of marijuana. Domestic abuse and violence often has it's origins in alcohol consumption. Marijuana has not had this effect. So, why are we driving people to drink?

Marijuana is SAFER, by Steve Fox (MPP), Paul Armento (NORML), and Mason Tvert (SAFER) (Chelsea Green Publishing $14.95) Part history lesson and part activism handbook, this volume provides a full range of facts to counter the empty "just say No" prohibition arguments that have been given too much credence to date.
Broken down into 3 parts, the authors first cover The Choice: Marijuana vs. Alcohol, looking at the differences to both person and society from the effects of usage. Available studies and anecdotal stories of Frat Row and drunken brawls after sporting events have led to the realization that the continual promotion of alcohol to celebrate has had much more damage than promoting marijuana would have. Here is a great recap from their website.
Former Seattle Chief of Police, Norm Stamper has written the intro and (sadly after) his retirement has become a leading voice in the Legalization movement. Here is a short video from him.

Choice Interrupted examines covers the history of Reefer Madness and the consequences of following the zero tolerance policies. Last year SAFER published a "WANTED" poster that pointed out the fact that Cindy McCain's money came from alcohol and the hypocrisy of a major manufacturer of alcohol funding her husband's presidential run to further advocate for marijuana prohibition.
Freedom of Choice breaks down traditional arguments and shows that marijuana use could be an alternative and not an additional vice. This section gives you a good basis for advocating locally and enlarging the discussion.

Recently our local paper ran a story of a 15 year old boy who died of alcohol poisoning. I'm certainly not for encouraging children that young to partake of anything, but it can't be denied that our society's continued glamorization of alcohol contributed to the young man's death. And if you think 15 year olds can't get their hands on either substance, well, dream on.

On Monday night at 6pm, I'll be joined by Mason Tvert to discuss Marijuana is SAFER in Second Life. We have a new reading hall just down the street from the bookstore. Join us at Lacamas Hall for an eye-opening evening.

SAFER is on twitter



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Department of Book Reports: The Convention Hotel from Hell that suspects WiFi is Satanic.

Cause, we weren't allowed internets access.

I have lots of pictures for next week, until then, search twitter for #pnba09

I just have to show you Larkworthy's awesome video of Garth Steins reading at our bookstore.

oxo!
Bookem & Dano

Department of Book Reports: Garth Stein reads at Jackson Street Books

Jackson Street Books is proud to welcome Garth Stein to discuss his latest award winning novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain. Monday September 7, 6pm PDT.

I've been telling you about this book for over a year now, and now here's your chance to meet the author-virtually! It's really difficult to explain Second Life, we'll be making a machima of the event so that you can see for yourself what is going on when we talk about Cafe Wellstone. I'll add that video later in the week.

Heartbreaking and achingly perfect this book is really impossible to describe.Narrated by the big hearted Enzo, this story reminds us of the grace of everyday, the preciousness of each moment. Enzo is a dog who can explain what it is to be human.

You can see my earlier reports here and here. Or, check out my twitter entries in the "Where's Enzo?" contest.

We have copies available (or pre-order signed copies for 9/14 shipment, put a comment in the "questions for the bookseller" section to let us know how you want it signed.)

I always regretted not being able to have a signing while we were still in Seattle, but now we'll be able to have an event in Second Life!

Department of Book Reports: This and That

Seattle Tammy and I have been busy this week with NetRoots Nation in Second Life, of which, more anon.

But this exciting news! Thomas Pynchon has published a new novel, a stoner/noir novel set in LA during the seventies. It seems to be one of his more accessible novels. Here's a video clip explaining it all
We are enjoying the NetRoots Nation Convention this year via Second Life. Here's a short explanation of SL and how you can participate!

Pictures from Today
Here's real evidence that We Really Look Like Our Avatars.
Leandrah looking at LuLu looking at Linda. Or something like that.
CS Cappler looking at cskendrickTalin looking at Trouble.Look! Up in the air! It's RevPaperboy!
Hooterville!

Those Canadians! They want to Dominate us and explain Health Care.
Drop by Moody Loner's place to get yer WoW on.
Here's the intersection of Rainbow Mittens & The General.
Moody and I test the sit-n-spin before any big-time authors come over.
StormBear would like you to send a book to a soldier.

It's been a long day. Time to go dancing!
Griff & PbDocrailgun & ChurchMelzi & Harlequin

Saturday AUGUST 15 Schedule
All times on the schedule are SLT. All events marked with a * are EXCLUSIVE to Netroots Nation in Second Life and WILL NOT be seen at the real-life convention in Pittsburgh. All streamed events and films will be shown in the Netroots Nation arena unless otherwise noted.
6:00AM: “A Conversation with Valerie Jarrett.” Stand-up comic and blogger Baratunde Thurston of Jack & Jill Politics sits down for an exclusive conversation with one of President Obama’s most trusted advisors, Valerie Jarrett. Streamed live from Pittsburgh.

9:00AM: “Building a 21st Century Economy.” New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, Change to Win Chair Anna Burger and economist Dean Baker will join us in Pittsburgh for a discussion about the economy and how it affects working Americans. The panel will be moderated by Kevin Drum of Mother Jones. Streamed live from Pittsburgh.

12:00PM: “Outside Getting In: Tying the Progressive Movement to Congress for Policymaking” This panel will discuss how the Netroots and progressive movement can have a greater impact on Congress. We’ll also discuss current Congressional processes and some of the innovations being pursued by the Progressive Caucus. Panelists include Joan McCarter, Darcy Burner, David Waldman, Jane Hamsher, and Shaunna Thomas. Streamed live from Pittsburgh.

4:00PM*: “Mountain Top Removal: A Documentary by Michael O’Connell.” Netroots Nation in Second Life is proud to present Machael O’Connell’s 2006 documentary about the coal industry in Appalachia, Mountain Top Removal, followed by a conversation with the filmmaker.

7:00PM*: NNSL Formal Ball Come dance with us at the Netroots Nation Formal Ball, held at the Netroots Nation Ballroom. DJ Dano hosts.

Department of Book Reports: A Better View of Paradise

Here's some more Hawaii! A Better View of Paradise by Randy Sue Coburn (Ballentine Books, $25.00) 36 year old landscape architect Stevie, has just completed a park in Chicago, but a broken pump has flooded the fountain and grounds and critics are ruthless in their reviews of the design. On the heels of this career set-back, her boyfriend dumps her and she decides a return to her childhood home on Kaua'i will put her back in tune with the nature she brings to her garden designs. Facing her argumentative father is the part she dreads, but learning he is dying forces Stevie to come to an understanding of her relationship with him and her stiff upper lip British mother. Family secrets are revealed and Stevie learns much as she finds a new life for herself among the natural splendor that is Hawaii.

If you can't get away for a vacation this summer, this is a book to make you feel you have spent the day at the beach. The legends of the islands are vividly drawn on here.

A Better View of Paradise is available at Jackson Street Books. The book's release date is Bastille Day, which coincidentally is Stevie's birthday. This fact tickles me to no end.


I'd like to invite everyone to attend the movie, A Soldier's Peace, tonight in Second Life. You can read much more about it in Progressive Witness' dailykos diary.
Netroots Nation in Second Life and Virtually Speaking are very proud to host the SL premiere of Marshall and Kristen Thompson's documentary A Soldier's Peace, the remarkable chronicle of one veteran's 500-mile journey into activism, which follows former Army journalist Marshall Thompson, an Iraq war veteran, as he walks the entire length of his home state of Utah, talking to people along the way about war and peace.

Please join us at Netroots Nation Arena for this simple yet powerful film, followed by an interview with Marshall Thompson.

Department of Book Reports: Grand Opening

We'll be having a big party on Sunday, to celebrate our new location next to the General's Cafe Wellstone. We have a lovely custom built store and I've been busy stocking the shelves with clickable books that take you to an order blank.



The party gets started at 6pm, with Nick Northman playing live from Boston. Then at 7:30, we switch over to L.A. and Idella Quandry will take the stage. At 9, Klipe Wirefly comes to us from Michigan with his piano jazz stylings. These are amazing musicians and you don't want to miss this fantastic line-up. Crap Mariner will be storytelling for his podcast isfullofcrap. We are also fortunate to be partnered with Jimbo Hoyer's Virtually Speaking and have the featured author's books for sale. Upcoming inworld events include the August NetrootsNationinSecondLife convention. Now is a great time to get started and we can help get you up to speed as an experienced avatar by then.

I'm working on making a limited edition book that will be available in-world and at the party for just this one evening. I'm not going to mention who the illustrator is, but let's just say he's now hugely successful and was pretty unknown when this volume was published in 1991.

It doesn't take long to download the free software of Second Life and if you send an IM to BookemJackson Streeter, I'll help you get the music going.






In real life news, Janet Brown, author of Tone Deaf in Bangkok (and other places) will be at Elliott Bay Bookstore next Friday, June 5th at 7:30pm. This promises to be a grand home coming as Janet was a bookseller there for several years. We'll be there, and you can order a signed copy from us.