What's New: Issue 8

Opinion8ed, Issue #8

First Posted:October 13, 2009

Hey Folks, Welcome to the early autumn (can you believe it's October already?) edition of Opinion8ed Issue #8. Here's a summary of what you'll find:

· NEWS FLASH!! After going to press with Issue #7, the web site host (Tripod.com) pulled a bait and switch: The software used to publish Opinion8ed is no longer available on their free site and in order to avoid completely reformatting the entire site I had to upgrade to a paid site. Not to worry, the monthly fees are fairly reasonable (less than the cost of two Starbucks Grande Half Caf Non-Fat Pumpkin Spice Lattes) and there are some collateral benefits including NO Site Hosted Ads (the ones that previously cluttered up the top and bottom of the site). The only ads that remain bring in a tiny bit of revenue if you click on them, which may help offset the cost of monthly site fees. So, no more need to worry about which are the “good” ads and which are the “bad” ones. Click away… Needless to say, the retirement dreams discussed on the Home Page are still a ways off.

· Since the Beatles went their separate ways in 1970 and half the band is no longer with us, it takes a bit of creative marketing to continue to capitalize on their genius in 2009. The latest scheme is the release of re-mastered original tracks to enhance the quality of the sound. For those who have yet to discover the Beatles, this set is a no-brainer. But what about those of us who grew up with the Beatles, bought their LPs and later replaced them with modern CDs - Could it possibly be worth replacing them all yet again? Read the Re-Masters of Rock to find the answer.

· On the related subject of old LPs and the power of music to influence our lives… in his one act, one-man Off Broadway production, A Boy and His Soul, Colman Domingo sets out to clean out the basement of his childhood home and rediscovers the music of his youth in the form of several crates of dusty LPs. These modern day musical classics are the catalyst for a powerful and emotional journey.

· A recent extraordinary dinner at a local seafood restaurant sparked a debate about memorable lobster dinners, especially those worthy of consideration for a Golden Crustacean Award.

· The movie, District 9 is both a morality tale and science fiction thriller, and according to guest contributor Andrew Stern is a must see. Check out his excellent review.

· Expanding the format a bit further, this issue includes a photo journal of pictures I took during the recent Long Island based Shinnecock Indian Nation Pow Wow, an international exhibition and competition of Native American music, dance, dress, crafts and foods.

· Writing and editing in the world of electronic publishing introduces some interesting issues… With the stroke of a key, words can be added, deleted, or changed. To Edit or Not to Edit reflects on the fact that now that we have the power to instantly access and modify what was previously published, where do we draw the line as to what was once said vs. what is being said now?

· On that note, in addition to a minor editorial change to a previously published article, I added some new bonus materials on several pages:

o My friend Amy sent me a link to a short video entitled Sick for Profit exposing the health insurance industry’s focus on bottom line profits at the expense of people’s health. The video complemented the issues discussed in The Health Care Debacle, so I added it to Page 2 of the article. I recommend taking a look at it.

o PBS broadcast part of the Pete Seeger 90^th Birthday Bash and, Opinion8ed has free copies of the DVD available for a limited time only – click on the link and see the offer at the bottom of the page.

· I know everyone is on the edge of their chairs waiting to find out who won the “Where Was I?” contest featured in Issue #7. May I have the envelope, please? …and THE WINNER IS… By the Time We ALMOST Got to Woodstock, Eileen Lloyd MacDougal’s tale of a very determined effort that was not to be. Congratulations to the winner and thanks for all those who responded.

Ciao and happy reading,

pdk