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Saturday, October 27, 2007

Gay Talese wants to go to Iraq. “It so happens there is someone that’s working on such a thing right now for me,” the 75-year-old legendary journalist and author told David Shankbone. “Even if I was on Al-Jazeera with a gun to my head, I wouldn’t be pleading with those bastards! I’d say, ‘Go ahead. Make my day.'”

Few reporters will ever reach the stature of Talese. His 1966 profile of Frank Sinatra, Frank Sinatra Has a Cold, was not only cited by The Economist as the greatest profile of Sinatra ever written, but is considered the greatest of any celebrity profile ever written. In the 70th anniversary issue of Esquire in October 2003, the editors declared the piece the “Best Story Esquire Ever Published.”

Talese helped create and define a new style of literary reporting called New Journalism. Talese himself told National Public Radio he rejects this label (“The term new journalism became very fashionable on college campuses in the 1970s and some of its practitioners tended to be a little loose with the facts. And that’s where I wanted to part company.”)

He is not bothered by the Bancrofts selling The Wall Street Journal—”It’s not like we should lament the passing of some noble dynasty!”—to Rupert Murdoch, but he is bothered by how the press supported and sold the Iraq War to the American people. “The press in Washington got us into this war as much as the people that are controlling it,” said Talese. “They took information that was second-hand information, and they went along with it.” He wants to see the Washington press corp disbanded and sent around the country to get back in touch with the people it covers; that the press should not be so focused on–and in bed with–the federal government.

Augusten Burroughs once said that writers are experience junkies, and Talese fits the bill. Talese–who has been married to Nan Talese (she edited James Frey‘s Million Little Piece) for fifty years–can be found at baseball games in Cuba or the gay bars of Beijing, wanting to see humanity in all its experience.

Below is Wikinews reporter David Shankbone’s interview with Gay Talese.

Saturday, April 2, 2005 Mid-Atlantic Coastal Region,USA

While residents of the northeast U,S, may doubt that Spring is really here judging from the recent cool, damp and rainy weather March has afforded the region, local flora are now springing forth from the winter chill. Throughout the region, outdoor life has begun to burst forth with buds on trees and shrubs alike.

Area forsythia are in full bloom. This common and sturdy shrub can be found all around the region and is used as a source for seasonal flower cuttings suitable for various floral arrangements. The dormant stems of forsythia may be cut and brought inside before they bloom, where they will later flower when placed in a vase filled with water. Once spent, the yellow pedals fall off fairly quickly, usually within a few days.

After months of wintry nakedness, Bradford pears also are entering their blooming season. In summer months while in full foliage, the trees are used as shade trees along city streets. But during spring bloom the resulting mess of dropping flower petals coupled with a spring rain can cover cars parked under such a tree with a sticky mess.

Regional rain fall accumulations for 2005 for January and February were 2 inches less than normal. That deficit was made up during March as the region was repeatedly soaked by rain. As a result, the total accumulation of rainfall for the year now is an inch above normal.

A compilation of brief news reports for Thursday, December 4, 2008.

On December 2, the Toronto city council voted in favor of banning the sales and distribution of bottled water on city property. The council also agreed to provide public drinking fountains on their properties, as well as on a measure that would make shoppers pay at least five Canadian cents for plastic grocery bags and force business owners to offer reusable bags and carry-out containers.

“Toronto’s decision to ban the bottle and turn on the tap sends a clear message that bottled water’s 15 minutes are up,” said Polaris Institute’s campaign coordinator, Joe Cressy.

All of the city’s facilities should be following the water ban by 2011, while businesses will have to implement their bag fees by 2010. Toronto has become the largest city in the world to ban bottled water on government property.

Related news

• “Calls for bottled water bans grow in Canada” — Wikinews, August 23, 2008

Sources

• “Toronto Bans Bottled Water” — CNW Group, December 3, 2008
• “Toronto council approves plastic bag charge, bottle ban” — CBC News, December 3, 2008

On Tuesday, American actor, Patrick Swayze, who suffers from pancreatic cancer, denied reports that he was near death. American tabloid National Inquirer reported on November 28 that Swayze’s cancer had spread to his liver and that he was preparing for his death.

“The only thorn in my side being that many tabloids have been consistently reporting lies and false information about me and those close to me,” said Swayze in a statement to the press who also added that he knows he is in “the fight for his life,” but that it is a fight that he “is winning.”

“I’m one of the lucky few that responds well to treatment,” added Swayze.

Swayze has starred in over a dozen films, including the 1987 hit film Dirty Dancing.

Related news

• “Wikinews Shorts: November 28, 2008” — Wikinews, November 28, 2008

Sources

• “Swayze denies ‘deathbed’ rumours” — BBC News Online, December 3, 2008
• “Patrick Swayze denies reports he is near death” — Reuters, December 2, 2008

Saturday, September 10, 2005

On Saturday 10, 2005, the world record for the largest performance of the Siege of Ennis, an Irish folk dance, was set in Cork, Ireland. It was organised by the Triskel Arts Centre and the local newspaper Evening Echo, and was part of the city’s tenure as European Capital of Culture.

It beat the previous record set in Dublin, Ohio. This attempt was sponsored by Michael Flatley.

The record breaking attempt was immediately followed by an actual dance.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Southern Cross Stadium, Canberra — Saturday night in Roller Derby at Canberra, Australia’s Southern Cross Stadium, the Black and Blue Belles defeated the Surly Griffins in a 243–136 blow out.

In honour of Star Wars Day, the skaters were introduced wearing Jedi-style hooded cloaks and carrying light sabres. Princess Leia hairstyles were also popular amongst the crowd.

The sport has become very popular, and the bout was sold out. Nine new skaters have joined the four Canberra teams this year, and another fifteen are in training for their debut next year.

The bout got off to a fast start with a power jam enabling Short Stop to run up thirty points. This helped the Black and Blue Belles skate to a lead of almost 100 points by half time. Instead of playing Short Stop as jammer, she became a pivot. An aggressive defence allowed the Black and Blue Belles to add points to their score line. The final result was a 107 point victory.

This was the two teams’ first bout of the year. It was the second bout on the Canberra Roller Derby League calendar. The Brindabelters met the Red Bellied Black Hearts on March 23 in a close contest. It was also their first bout played under the new rules. The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association changed the rules earlier in the year.

Half time entertainment was a exhibition of pole dancing. The dancers were joined on the poles by Short Stop, who is also in the running for Miss Pole this year, joined in, still wearing skates. In February, she was voted Australia’s greatest female athlete in an online poll, after an extensive eight month long social media campaign on Facebook and Twitter.

A trivia night in April raised funds for a Roller Derby Tournament to be held in Canberra on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend on June 8–9.