On 23rd April London Metropolitan University announced it was reducing the number of courses it offers from 557 to 160, a 70 per cent cut, and that it would offer the remaining courses at some of the lowest fees in the country. Contrary to the Vice-Chancellor’s claims that this had been done with full consultation, it has resulted in the forced resignation of one of his Deans and has been condemned for its “illegitimate process” by staff from the Humanities Faculty Forum.

Ultimately, the proposal represents an unprecedented attack on the right of poorer students to study arts and humanities subjects, even though the university has high enrolment figures and a good reputation.

All subject areas of the university will be affected but Arts and Humanities are being decimated. At the Sir John Cass Faculty of Arts Media and Design, of five hundred modules only seventy will survive. At the Faculty of Humanities, Arts & Languages, (HALE), only six courses will remain. Amongst those withdrawn for offer to students in 2012/13 are: History, Philosophy, Theatre Studies, Modern Languages, Caribbean Studies and Performing Arts.

London Metropolitan University is often dismissed as a post-92, polytechnic-turned-university clinging to the end of the academic League Tables, with high drop-out rates. This prejudice fails to recognise the university’s record, which stands for the right of those who are less advantaged to achieve in higher education. In 2010, Oxford was at the top and London Metropolitan at the bottom of the League Tables for academic achievement. This was reversed in the table recording the percentage of undergraduates coming from poorer backgrounds: London Met, top; Oxford, bottom.

Currently, poorer students represent over 57% of the University’s intake, the highest of any university in the country, yet last year the number of students failing to complete was just below average for the sector. The students are often the first from their families to become graduates and have been ill-served by their secondary education. Furthermore, London Metropolitan educates more black students than all 20 of the elite Russell Group of Universities put together - it is really representative of this country’s hugely diverse, cultural population.

A student speaking at an emergency meeting of the Humanities’ Faculty Forum put the case precisely: "With my school results, I would never have got to study history at other universities but I’ve had excellent teaching here and good results. So is the government saying that people like me don’t deserve to study history?" The withdrawal of history goes against both its popularity and its academic rating. The subject has an intake of about 40 a year and was recommended as excellent in the last review by the Quality Assurance Agency. With only four full-time staff it is placed 48th out of 93 UK departments in the Guardian League Table scoring above competitors such as Reading as well as Manchester which is in the Russell Group.

Other subjects in HALE ‘s execution list score equally highly. In the same League Tables, Philosophy is placed 29 out of 47 UK departments, even though it only has 2.6 members of staff, and is far smaller than all those departments below it, such as Leeds, Nottingham and Edinburgh, all in the Russell Group. Equally, Performing Arts enjoys an excellent reputation amongst competitors such as the Royal Colleges, has extensive professional links and recruits about 70 students a year. A mother of one of the first-year students recently wrote to the Vice-Chancellor:

“This course is extremely important for my daughter, and for all other students with little money to obtain a degree in this essential field, which on account of it’s unique and exceptional nature, opens up a wide range of employment  and career opportunities for those working class people who would otherwise have little chance of success in this world. The Arts are a vital component of the world we all live in and …..this particular course (unique to L.M.U), allows and enables graduates to become valuable contributors to society, in so many areas, not just as performing artists.”

It’s ironic that the gratuitous axing of these courses is being delivered by a Vice-Chancellor, Michael Gillies, educated in classics and music, and formerly President of the Australian Academy of the Humanities, and Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. In a Higher Education Policy Report published last month, “University Governance – Questions for a new era”, Gillies criticizes board members who protect their own interests at times of crisis rather than those of the institutions they serve. So why has this package of cuts, amounting to the radical restructuring of the university, been voted on by a sub-committee of three Board members rather than being properly presented to a full Board meeting?

Professor Gillies’ response to the Coalition Government’s onslaught on universities, and the humanities in particular, effectively buys into their policy of restructuring higher education according to competitive, market principles. London Metropolitan’s internal funding structure has been changed to a “Resource Allocation Model” which has effectively undermined the Faculty of Humanities. Previously, more profitable sectors supported less profitable sectors in order to sustain the diversity of the university’s offering, a practice common in many businesses. Under the new regime however, individual faculties are forced to tailor their offerings in order to stand alone, to balance their books and to maximize profit. Effectively, faculties now stand in competition with each other. Not all subjects in the arts and humanities are profitable in terms of student (customer) enrolment and overheads can be high, so according to this logic they must be cut, where previously they have been sustained. No matter that with these cuts go longer term, cultural aims; higher education is to be subjected to the same market logic as cars, computers or any other production-line commodity.

The Vice-Chancellor and his new Board of Governors are taking a unique position in response to Government agendas. At both ends of the spectrum, whether Oxford or Cambridge, with their huge assets and endowments to draw on, or Middlesex and East London, London Metropolitan’s closer, competitor universities, it has been recognized that £9,000 a year, the maximum tuition fee allowed by Government, reflects the degree of investment “required to deliver the quality of teaching and facilities that our students expect and deserve” (Vice-Chancellor, East London).

Professor Gillies has himself criticized the basis of Lord  Browne’s plans to reform higher education funding as ‘deeply flawed” and “poor policy with a minimal chance of orderly, consistent application” . Yet, almost alone in the country, he is endorsing the Government’s ill-informed expectation that a quality, graduate education can be delivered for around £6,000.  He has proposed that students enrolling for 2012/13 pay an average of £6843 for their university education with the cheapest courses on offer at £4,500. As a direct consequence, teaching workloads will increase, and the diversity of subjects, and in particular arts and humanities subjects, will no longer be on offer.

It is only two years since an incompetent board and top management delivered London Metropolitan into an acrimonious dispute with the Higher Education Funding Council which resulted in a penalty of £35 million for the misrepresentation of student numbers. Like the bankers, none of those responsible suffered economically though many slipped into the benefits of early retirement on full pension, and the Board of Governors was replaced. Over 300 staff, however, were forced into redundancy, many on minimal terms, and those who remained were undermined by the notoriety which blackwashed high levels of commitment and much excellent work.

Then as now, and in spite of this Vice-Chancellor’s professed support for a culture of open communication, there has been little meaningful consultation with either lecturers or students, the principal resource of any university. There continues to be a style of management summed up by Maurice Glaswell, Lecturer in Politics and recently-appointed Labour peer: “As an academic at LMU I lost count of the number of line managers that were assigned to supervise and assess me, but I do know that departmental meetings were abolished and academics had no decision-making power.”

At the Humanities Faculty it started with a review of undergraduate courses, whose operational guidelines were so unintelligible that neither the Dean nor senior management could reiterate them for course leaders to follow. When the decision was taken to axe 13 out of 19 programmes, the information was leaked to teaching and administrative staff days before the Academic Board which would endorse it. It went ahead in spite of a lobby by students and lecturers, and the presentation of a unanimous vote of no confidence taken at the Humanities’ Faculty Forum. This condemned not only the Dean, and his senior management team, but also the figures used to justify the proposals.

Once again, London Metropolitan is making inglorious history, with a combination of farcical incompetence and ruthless manipulation. There will be hundreds of redundancies across the university and the dispersal of teams skilled in their delivery of humanities and arts subjects. At a confrontational meeting between HALE staff and the Vice-Chancellor this week, demands were made for a review of decisions taken and a suspension of the redundancy programme on grounds of unfair and illegitimate process. When asked what his vision was for the future of the university Professor Gillies replied evasively, “2012/13 will tell the answer to that”. Do the Vice-Chancellor and Board of Governors not know the value of the portfolios they are carrying in taking such calculated risks?  Or is there another agenda? Is the university being downsized, the fees set and the faculties made self-standing ready for privatization? £6,000 fees is the limit which the Government will loan to students applying to private universities.

Those who would deride London Metropolitan University would be wise to take note. What is happening exemplifies the changes which this government intends to make in higher education generally: changes which threaten to reduce education, for some, to short term, utilitarian goals of “employability”, which widen the divide between rich and poor in this country, and which remove resources vitally needed by the next generation to play an informed role in creating a thriving, diverse future society. As for the Vice-Chancellor, once the restructuring is done, he will be well placed to move on into supra-management of this Government’s Higher Education policy. For his staff and students, however, the demise of arts and humanities education will be irreversible.

Summer camps still accepting registration

There is still space available in Hawaii Learning Resource's summer 2011 Academic Enrichment Camps. The academic camps, held in partnership with Honolulu-based Assets School, are held in Waimea at Hawaii Preparatory Academy's Village Campus.

The first two-week camp, the Summer Spy Academy, will be held from June 13 through 24 and targets incoming second- through sixth-grade students. The Summer Spy Academy focuses on building learning skills with an emphasis on observation, focus and listening.

The second two-week camp, the Game of Life, will be held from June 27 through July 8 and targets incoming sixth- through eighth-graders with a focus on project-based life lessons designed to build learning, team and life skills.

The camps run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Camp tuition is $400 per student for each two-week session, including lunch and snacks. Financial assistance is available. Each camp session is limited to 20 students. Applications will be accepted through May 27 and are available by visiting hawaiilearningresource.org or calling 885-9318.

May Day celebration slated for Saturday

Honaunau School will be holding its annual May Day Celebration at 8:30 a.m. Saturday. Back by popular demand, this year's event will include all of the traditional elements of days gone by. Come enjoy the royal court, student performances, country store, mango pickles, sushi, baked goods, plants, food booths, lei contest, rummage sale, silent auction and live auction.

The fifth-grade students will be representing the royal court, and the keiki in preschool through fourth grade will perform with their class. The public is invited. For more information, call Rena Grace at 328-2727.

Hookena School celebrates May Day Hoolaulea

Hookena Elementary School will celebrate its May Day Hoolaulea at 9 a.m. Friday. The May Day program will feature a royal court and hula performances from students and staff, followed by food, games and local entertainment provided by the PTO.

The event is open to the public. Proceeds from the Hoolaulea will go toward purchasing new computers for the school. For more information, call the school at 328-2710 or email Wryen Kiwaha at council@hookenapto.org.

WHEA End of Year Bash happening Friday

End of Year Bash, a fundraiser for West Hawaii Explorations Academy, will be held from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Friday in the parking lot behind Ceviche Dave's (above Costco) in Kailua-Kona. There will be live music by Leche de Tigre, vendors, raffle, a movie, food, silent auction and more. Those attending are asked to bring beach chairs for seating; no coolers.

Konawaena Elementary School announces third quarter GLO awards

GLO 1 Self-Directed Learner: Rodeo Denis, Alexander DeAhuiar, Mikaela La Marco, Carlos Garza-Malagon, Eli-Anthony Uemura, Maria Gutierrez-Valdovinos, Hunter Prior, Lacey Young, Keoki Matsuyama, Colby Cunningham, Natalia Magana Quezada, Susana Magana Garza, Ruth Kattil, D'Marco Mireles, Maria Ruiz jimenez, Michelle Tam, Jessica Transfiguracion, Pikake Keohuloa Kuanoni, Kyrin Young, Felipe Magana Zavala, Chris Ibarra, Donnia Kamram, Eunika Duque, Yadhira Ortiz Malagon, Shanessa Alves, Sydney Suzuki.

GLO 2 Community Contributor: Josiah Medeiros-Salvador, Noelani Kawaihoa, Logan Citron. Kekai Yamaguchi, Gustavo Magana, Ikaika Pelekane, Malakai Esperanza, Kassaiah Vidal Ganir, Taylor Lee Wana, Mersaydeez Rocha, Judah Halemano, Leina'ala Gonsales, Taylie Oshiro, Kaweo Lai, Manica Debrum, Keoni Aiona-Watan, Shayla Sayphone, Kira Kuanoni Fernandez, Jessica Magana Moreno, Anthony Magana, Bryson Navarro, CJ Yoshikawa, Lily Cho, Jorjah Losalio-Watson, Steven Texeira.

GLO 3 Complex Thinker: Shevy Landis Ku, Kaelon Beech, Heather Ikeda, Nyzea Kainoa, Kaiah Uchida, Makanaonalani Manuel, Payton Kim, Jayla Medeiros, Ka'ano'i Yglesias, Dylinn Burough, Megan Baguso, David Basa, Timothy Duffy, Riley Wilson, Jarvis Kalili, Makana Thomas, Leina Ann Garana-Takizawa, Riley Nakamura, Everett Bettencourt.

GLO 4 Quality Producer: Kiara Behrendt, Tamatasi Faafia Akeo, Kamomi Alu Kau, Kahiau Mainaaupo-Reilly, Cody Kashiwabara, Georgina Queja, Torrance Satta-Ellis, Willy Mongkeya, Delilah Cruz, PJ Palokoa Joe, Xandria Libarios Antolin, Shannel Romualdo, Jade Perez, Robert Fujimori, Alona Kaluau Taetuna, Jasmine Lerback, Chantel Espiritu, Kauionalani Navas-Colburn, Jeneral Lim, Nalani Wall.

GLO 5 Effective Communicator: Emilio Gutierrez-Valdovinos, Nainoa Nakano, Makamua Paris, Sabrina Michelle Gencono, Kimberly Garza Magana, Jannie Caravalho, Jenna Oyama, Jennifer Transfiguracion, Ka'i Kunitomo, Isami Mark Mongkeya, Zachary Vermeulen, Ivan Barido, Caysie Calpito, A.J. Allred.

GLO 6 Effective and Ethical User of Technology: Micah "Tema" Wong, Hiilei Tiqui, Alex Gandalera, Leilani Ruiz Jimenez, Joverson Joe, Makayla Abril Butters, Tiare Quintal, Forrest Lewi, Tyson Acacio, Stacey Maghanoy, Faith Johnson, James Clark, Liam Brent.

DOE pushes Step Up diploma

Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education, the Hawaii State Board of Education and the Department of Education is coordinating a statewide drive to encourage public school eighth- and ninth-graders to "step up," by opting in to earn the Hawaii State Board of Education's "Step Up" Recognition Diploma. This rigorous program includes more challenging classes in math, science and writing, and it also includes the completion of a senior project. The diploma is available to all Hawaii public school students beginning with the class of 2013 (current sophomores). The program now hopes to enroll as many eighth- and ninth-graders by May 31 as possible.

Students, parents and caregivers interested in learning more about the Step Up campaign or to enroll in program can visit stepuphawaii.org. For more information, visit p20hawaii.org.

HPA presents seventh-grade performance

The seventh-grade class at Hawaii Preparatory Academy will present "Cyber-Mare," a one-act play, at 7 p.m. Friday at the school's Gates Performing Arts Center. The event is free and open to the public.

In a series of true-to-life vignettes, "Cyber-Mare" explores various scenarios that can lead to trouble on the Internet.

Following the performance, the students will present a musical revue of popular Broadway hits, including songs from "Grease," "Hairspray" and "Rent." The production will highlight the talents of every member of the seventh-grade class.

For more information, call 885-2500 or 885-2500.

Waikoloa student wins Letters About Literature contest

Waikoloa reader Bruce Risley's letter to an author was selected as a Level I winner for Hawaii in the national Letters About Literature contest.

The public is invited to an awards ceremony honoring Risley at 2 p.m. May 11 at Thelma Parker Memorial Public/School Library in Waimea. He will read his winning entry and receive several cash awards and a Library of Congress Center for the Book certificate.

Risley wrote a letter to Richard and Florence Atwater about "Mr. Popper's Penguins." His letter now goes to the national competition to be judged by the Library of Congress Center for the Book. The program, open to fourth- through 12th-graders, is sponsored by the Library of Congress Center for the Book in partnership with Target stores.

For more information, call 887-6067.

Adrienne Kress is a Toronto born actor and author who loves to play make-believe.  She also loves hot chocolate.  And cheese.  And her cat Atticus.

She is the author of two middle grade books: Alex and the Ironic Gentleman and Timothy and the Dragon's Gate (Weinstein Books) as well as a theatre graduate of the University of Toronto and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in the UK.  Published around the world, Alex was featured in the New York Post as a "Post Potter Pick", as well as on the CBS Early Show. It won the Heart of Hawick Children's Book Award in the UK and was nominated for the Red Cedar. The sequel, Timothy, was nominated for the Audie and Manitoba Young Readers Choice Awards, and was recently optioned for film. 

Her debut YA, The Friday Society (Dial), comes out in the fall of 2012.

Find out more about Adrienne at Adriennekress.com and on Twitter at @adriennekress.

Which came first, acting or writing?

I've been creating stories my whole life. I would play make believe with my friends and we'd create little plays to perform. And I would dictate stories to my dad who would then type them up on the Commodore 64. But as far as a profession goes, acting was my first goal.

I became a drama major at the age of 11 at an arts school in Toronto, and continued as such through highschool and then majored in it at University. I moved to London England to study it. All along the way, however, I was writing: taking writing courses, entering contests, and then eventually writing plays which I would then direct.

It wasn't until after university, though, that I considered writing a viable career path to follow as well. So technically you could say acting first, but both passions have been around since before I can remember.  

What was your first writing sale?

Alex and the Ironic Gentleman (though I did produce my own play "A Weekend in the Country" at both the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Toronto Summerworks Theatre Festivals prior to that sale)

Did you or do you have a writing mentor?

My father has always been my writing mentor. He taught high school creative writing, in fact it was such a popular course that students would stay an extra semester to attend it. It was one of those wonderful rare cases where someone taking his work home with him was a wonderful treat for his daughter.

He taught me how to write poetry (and would always write me and my mother poems for special occasions), encouraged me to write any kind of fiction and was extremely supportive and proud of what I did, and importantly introduced me to many different and interesting authors by reading to me every night before bed.

After that I suppose my other mentor would have had to be Canadian playwright Djanet Sears who taught my playwrighting course in my last year of University. She was great.

What I admired most of all was that she was able to be critical of a work and at the same time respect the genre and vision of the student, never imposing her own personal tastes onto our work. She was also the first person who ever told me that writing was something I could do as a profession.

She said that she knew how focused I was on acting, but that she hoped I would return to writing someday because I was very good at it. It was the first time I'd ever considered writing as anything more than a hobby. It was a turning point for me.  

What's your typical work day?

I don't really have one. I have tried numerous times to create a schedule to stick to, but it always falls to the side.

What I do do is set a writing goal to reach. That way it doesn't matter what I do with my day, I have to have finished my writing goal by the end of it. So if I decide I want to sleep in, that's awesome, but it means I'm staying up late to finish my writing.

Typically when I'm working on something it's a 2000 words a day goal. Sometimes as a deadline looms that can go up to 5000. I also do a lot of school visits and presentations, so that can also be a very full day.

Being an actor also means that on occasion I have to drop everything and go to an audition, which is always last minute. I suppose the closest thing I have to a schedule is I try to write during the day and go out at night.

Working from home can be very lonely and isolating, so I try to make sure I see my friends and family as often as possible. Since most of them work 9 - 5, I try to do the same. It doesn't always work though, there are times I'm still at my computer at midnight.

Could you tell us about your new book, The Friday Society?

Sure!  It's my first foray into young adult (teen) fiction.  I like to call it Steampunk Charlie's Angels without the Charlie (because it's very important to me that these girls are in charge of themselves, not taking orders from some faceless dude).  It's set in London, 1900, and is about three female assistants to three very powerful men in London society:  Cora Bell - personal/lab assistant to a Member of Parliament and genius inventor; Michiko Takeda - fight assistant to a self-defense guru; Nellie Harrison - magician's assistant to the very popular Great Raheem.  They find themselves drawn together through a series of mysterious events (murder, thievery and whatnot) happening around London and eventually decide to team up to solve what's going on together as The Friday Society.   Lots of action, comedy, cool costumes and inventions, along with some pretty fun characters.  I'm very excited about it.  It comes out Fall 2012, from Dial.

What about the two short stories you have in upcoming anthologies?

Well technically it's one short story and one essay.  The short story is called "The Clockwork Corset" and appears in the YA Steampunk Romance Anthology CORSETS & CLOCKWORK.  It's about a wealthy 16 year old girl, Imogen, who falls in love with Rafe, the son of the clock winder on her father's estate. When Rafe is sent off to war, she fears for his safety and so follows . . . disguised as a boy.  I call it a mini-novel because it's really structured more like one than a short story, despite the low word count, and a lot of stuff happens in it.  It's a rollicking adventure you could say :) .

The essay is called "The Inevitable Decline of Decadence" and is in the HUNGER GAMES essay anthology THE GIRL WHO WAS ON FIRE.  The anthology consists of essays analysing the awesome that is the young adult series the Hunger Games, and as a pretty big fan of the books I was really thrilled to be asked to contribute to it.  My essay is pretty much about what its title suggests: the decline of decadence, how a decadent society is doomed to fail.  I explain why, and cite examples the from the books themselves as well as throughout history.  

Both books are available right now in bookstores and online actually, which is really exciting!

-------------

Find out more about Adrienne at Adriennekress.com and on Twitter at @adriennekress.

Congratulations to all of the winners of the SharePoint Awards 2011. There were some tough choices in almost all categories this year. While I may have been a bit biased in wanting SharePoint Daily to win, I can say I was beaten by some great sites. So, is it too early to start the trash-talk for next year?   --Chris

Top News Stories
SharePoint, Get It Right the First Time: 7 Strategic & Tactical Steps (CMS Wire)
In my last post, I spent some time giving advice on how to get SharePoint right the first time at your organization. In this post, I want to roll up my sleeves and dig in to the details on how to get SharePoint right the first time and step you all through the kinds of activities you need to do to adhere to the six things we discussed in the last post. To be successful with SharePoint the first time, you need to address the following mix of strategic and tactical concerns.

IE9 Can't Stop Microsoft's Browser Slump (ComputerWorld)
The March launches of Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) and Firefox 4 failed to stop Microsoft's and Mozilla's decline in browser share, new Web usage data published Sunday showed. According to California-based Net Applications, one of a handful of companies that regularly publishes browser usage data, IE lost eight-tenths of a percentage point of share in April, falling to 55.1%, a new low for Microsoft.

How to Keep Local Access to Data During Cloud Outages (PCWorld)
The Amazon cloud services outage that knocked out several popular Websites last week raised questions about the reliability of the cloud, but the general consensus is that it works if you plan for failure. Like any good business plan, a good cloud plan should include provisions for failure, including plans B and C, and plenty of backups.

Here Are 10 Amazing Windows 8 Rumors That Make Apple Nervous (Business Insider)
It could be almost a year before we finally get our hands on Windows 8. In the meantime, early release versions of the operating system have been seeded to developers, and a ton of hidden feature have been discovered in the code. While a lot of these aren't confirmed, it seems like Microsoft is turning Windows 8 into an OS on the go.

Stop the Cloud, I Want to Get Off! (ComputerWorld)
Remember when the "cloud" was just called the "Internet?" This absurd fascination with naming online services after suspended atmospheric condensation is kind of driving me nuts. For around 14 years, millions of people have used Hotmail, but they didn't use a "cloud email solution." When we were all ripping our CDs a decade ago and looking up track information on the CDDB, we weren't using a "cloud music information service." Look, it's just the Internet, people. We don't need a new word to say that data is stored on a central server. I can't wait for the day when "cloud" joins the dustbin of overused and meaningless technology marketing words, along with push, virtual reality, and multimedia.

Around the Blogosphere
Association Columns (Microsoft SharePoint Designer Team Blog)
Hello, there. I’m JongHwa Lim, a PM in the SharePoint Designer team. Long time no see. Some people might have considered this site dead because there have been no new posts since April of last year but we are back. We will keep this site alive and will post new blogs at least every month and try to keep connected to readers and customers. To warm this site up (and also warm my team up for upcoming posts), let’s start with a small but very useful feature new in SharePoint Designer 2010 (aka. SPD).

Retrieving and Configuring the SharePoint 2010 Developer Dashboard Using PowerShell (SharePoint Automation)
It’s been almost a year to the day since I’ve released my SharePoint 2010 cmdlets and, despite many good intentions to get them documented on my blog, things have just fallen by the wayside; this was primarily due to me going out on my own and writing my first book – but now that the book is done and I’ve begun to establish myself as an independent consultant, I believe it’s about time I start blogging about all these hidden cmdlets that I’ve created. So, to start I’m going to take a couple of cmdlets that I originally developed for some conference presentations; specifically Get-SPDeveloperDashboard and Set-SPDeveloperDashboard.

Building Small Apps in SharePoint (SharePoint Joel's SharePoint Land)
An interesting change is happening where I work. Ruby on Rails agile development is now moving to agile development on SharePoint. The research and justify to use SharePoint as the platform for building apps was very telling and very impressive. I hope to share more of this research in the next post.

Using MVVM with Office365 and SharePoint 2010 REST API (Winsmarts)
I love JavaScript – people had pronounced this language dead a long time ago. But just like a chicken – which you eat before it’s born and after it’s dead, JavaScript – is being eaten all over the technical world, long after it’s dead! How nice! The coolest thing about JavaScript is that, •There is no need for separate ActiveX controls, it is part of HTML/Browser •It can interact with other DOM elements very, very naturally •It’s safe. •And  it’s backwards and future compliant. It is no surprise thus that a number of libraries have emerged helping us work with JavaScript.

Using SharePoint for Certification Support (SharePoint and Assessment Blog)
I recently attended a Brandon Hall webinar (see here for slides) about social media for learning, where they used three interesting case studies: Chrysler have a social media site, the Chrysler Academy aimed at providing a community for dealer personnel who take certification programs. They’ve found it a faster way to get information to the dealers and helpful to build a community. Hewlett Packard built an Enterprise Sales Fitness Center aimed at sales professionals with discussion boards, surveys and more. HP used SharePoint and saved US$7,500 per learner vs. formal training and got better reaction from their users. Cisco have a social media site, the Cisco Learning Network, which gives study tools, blogs, learning resources and a community for people studying for Cisco certifications (see screenshot below). It aims to increase the number of successful certification takers.

Around Bamboo Nation
SharePoint 2010 Cookbook: Creating Connections Between Web Parts (SharePoint 2010)
This article will guide you through how to create a connection between Web Parts. You can create connections between Web Parts so that when you want to perform an action in one Web Part, it changes the contents of another Web Part. Challenge: How can I create connections between Web Parts in SharePoint 2010?

Discussing the BambooCRM for Sales Teams and Managers (The Bamboo Team Blog)
At the forefront of BambooCRM is its full-featured Dashboard page. It's from here that sales teams and managers can view key information via customizable graphs, charts, and more. Below, we'll call out a few of the key features in each of these components.

SharePoint Job Listings*
SharePoint Business Analyst - Boston, MA
As a SharePoint Business Analyst, you will be responsible for consulting with clients regarding site organization (information architecture) and the best use of SharePoint's features and functionality to meet clients' business requirements. You will also be responsible for developing wireframes and documentation, and configuration and testing of our hosted SharePoint HR portal and knowledgebase solutions.   Strong knowledge of SharePoint and familiarity with human resources is required.  Analytical skills and the ability to effectively communicate with the client and internal team members is critical to success in this role.

SharePoint Developer - Dallas, TX
We are looking for a SharePoint developer to help architect a new portal for our client. We are looking for someone with a consulting mentality to handle both he UI and backbend development. This includes building constructs to import data into Dashboards. Skills required include SharePoint Enterprise 2010, MOSS 2007, SQL 2005, and strong experience with application and web part development. Experience with Silverlight is a plus. Apply now for immediate consideration!

Microsoft Updates
Deploy a Client Tool for Taking SharePoint Content Offline (Video) (Microsoft TechNet)
This video shows how to deploy Microsoft SharePoint Workspace 2010 to SharePoint client machines so that end users can efficiently synchronize offline work with SharePoint sites. In order to benefit from this video, you should have expertise in the following areas: Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 administration; SharePoint site administration; Microsoft Office 2010 policy deployment.

SharePoint Events*

• May 2-4, San Diego, California - SharePoint Connections Coast to Coast Tour + Microsoft Bootcamp
• May 4, Online - Bamboo SharePoint Project Management Central Webinar
• May 4, Online - Bamboo SharePoint Essentials Webinar
• May 4, Online - Bamboo SharePoint Workflow Conductor Webinar
• May 4, Online - Accelerate Your SharePoint Adoption ROI: Ford Foundation and Forrester Make the Case for Smartlogic, Semantics & Semaphore Webinar
• May 5, Online - Bamboo SharePoint Project Management Central Webinar
• May 7, Houston, Texas - SharePoint Saturday
• May 7, Atlanta, Georgia - SharePoint Saturday
• May 9-11, San Francisco, California - SharePoint Connections Coast to Coast Tour + Microsoft Bootcamp
• May 10, Online - Bamboo SharePoint Essentials Webinar
• May 10, Online - Bamboo SharePoint Calendar and Scheduling Workshop
• May 10, Birmingham, Alabama - Birmingham SharePoint Users Group
• May 11, Online - The Shape of Collaboration to Come
• May 11, Cambridge, Massachusetts - Boston Area SharePoint Users Group
• May 12, Online - Bamboo SharePoint Data Visualization and Dashboarding Workshop
• May 12, Online - Bamboo SharePoint Lists Workshop
• May 14, Troy, Michigan - SharePoint Saturday
• May 16, Washington, D.C. - Department of State 2011 SharePoint Conference: Share the Power!
• May 17, Online - Bamboo SharePoint Project Management Central Webinar
• May 17, Las Vegas, Nevada - Leverage Microsoft Project 2010 with SharePoint 2010 for Project Management Success @ NACSTech
• May 18, Online - Bamboo SharePoint Project Management Central Webinar
• May 18, Online - Success is Spelled with U: You should get Users Involved Webinar
• May 18, Online - Bamboo SharePoint Workflow Conductor Webinar
• May 18, Online - Bamboo SharePoint Administration Webinar
• May 19, Online - Bamboo SharePoint Project Management Central Webinar
• May 19-20, Denver, Colorado - SharePoint Fest
• May 23-25, San Antonio, Texas - SharePoint Connections Coast to Coast Tour + Microsoft Bootcamp
• May 24, Online - Bamboo SharePoint Data Visualization and Dashboarding Workshop
• May 24, Online - Bamboo SharePoint Lists Workshop
• May 25, Online - Bamboo SharePoint Essentials Webinar
• May 25, Annapolis, MD - Effectively Leveraging Project 2010 with SharePoint 2010 for Project Management Success
• May 25, Online - Q&A with the SharePoint MVP Experts
• May 26, Online - Bamboo SharePoint Essentials Webinar
• May 26, Online - Bamboo SharePoint Calendar and Scheduling Workshop
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• June 1-3, Boston, Massachusetts - SPTechCon
• June 8-9, Vienna, Austria - SharePoint Konferenz 2011
• June 11, Sri Lanka - SharePoint Saturday
• June 11, Tampa, Florida - SharePoint Saturday
• June 15, Online - Secure and Accessible: Records Management Done Right Webinar
• June 18, Sacramento, California - SharePoint Saturday
• June 20-21, Ullesthorpe, Leicestershire, UK - Delivering SharePoint Success Exclusive Mentoring Workshop
• June 22, Online - Q&A with the SharePoint MVP Experts
• 
  
  
• July 27, Chicago, Illinois - SharePoint Fest
• July 30, New York, New York - SharePoint Saturday
• 
  
  
• August 8-10, Chicago, Illinois - SharePoint Connections Coast to Coast Tour + Microsoft Bootcamp
• 
  
  
• September 24, Manchester, New Hampshire - SharePoint Saturday
• 
  
  
• October 3-6, Anaheim, California - Microsoft SharePoint Conference 2011

SharePoint Training*

• May 2-13, Winchester, Virginia - SharePoint 2010 Immersion - SusQtech
• May 10, Online - SharePoint PM Central Application Administrative Training - Bamboo
• May 17, Online - SharePoint 2010 End User Training - SusQtech
• May 17, Online - SharePoint 2010 Site Administrator Training - SusQtech
• May 17, Dallas, Texas - Introduction to SharePoint 2010 - Using SharePoint Foundation 2010 - SharePoint Solutions
• May 17, Dallas, Texas - Introduction to SharePoint 2010 - Using SharePoint Server 2010 - SharePoint Solutions
• May 23-25, Winchester, Virginia - SharePoint Designer 2010 - SusQtech
• May 24, Online - SharePoint PM Central End User Training - Bamboo
• May 24, Nashville, Tennessee - Exploring SharePoint 2010 - New Features - SharePoint Solutions
• May 24, Nashville, Tennessee - SharePoint 2010 Upgrade and Planning - SharePoint Solutions
• May 26-27, Winchester, Virginia - Styling & Branding in SharePoint 2010 - SusQtech
• 
  
  
• June 7, Online - SharePoint PM Central Application Administrative Training - Bamboo
• June 21, Online - SharePoint PM Central End User Training - Bamboo
• June 22, Online - SharePoint 2010 End User Training - SusQtech
• June 22, Online - SharePoint 2010 Site Administrator Training - SusQtech

* Please contact Chris Dooley (chris.dooley@bamboosolutions.com) to be included in SharePoint Daily™.

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Was it really the Academy of Country Music that recently named Miranda Lambert Female Vocalist of the Year? I'm only asking because she and her dynamite band had no trouble rocking the house Friday at City Bank Coliseum.

The Mondavi Center at UC Davis will host renowned performer and choreographer Lucinda Childs’ 2009 revival of her 1979 production of “DANCE,” the widely known and controversial score she created with composer Philip Glass and filmmaker Sol LeWitt. It will be shown on Tuesday in Jackson Hall at 8 p.m..

The original premiere of “DANCE” at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in ‘79, and its revival in 2009 are two memorable experiences. According to Childs, that’s for two very different reasons, both having to do with audience reception.

“The reaction to the revival of the tour has been quite different than that of the premiere,” said Ruth Rosenberg, artist engagement coordinator of the Mondavi Center. “During that first performance, many people walked out. Minimalist music and dance was shocking to audiences back then, but we embrace it now.”

Rosenberg said it is a wonderful opportunity to be able to show Childs’ “DANCE” revival, and to be able to see the original dancers. Childs was also in the original 1979 performance. The black-and-white Sol LeWitt film of “DANCE” will be projected, and the audience will be able to watch the 11 current dancers performing the same material live on stage next to projected figures of the 11 original dancers on film.

“It looks fantastic,” Rosenberg said. “The film images are around 20 feet tall and look quite otherworldly,” she said.

For both Childs and Rosenberg, the film is what truly makes this performance special. It is not only a revival of the dance itself, but of the film and its filmmaker, LeWitt, who passed away in 2007. This film is his legacy, and it was revived to honor his name, according to Childs.

“Dance is an ephemeral art form. It happens, and it is gone. You can’t rewind and watch an exact performance again – it can only live in one’s memory,” Rosenberg said. “Reviving this piece is a rare chance to see the original work, even as we also see a new version of it. I understand that the original film was deteriorating, and if this revival had not been undertaken, it would have been lost.”

The Mondavi Center is also working with the dance coordinator to make a master class with the visiting artist available to UC Davis, Sacramento State and local high schools, according to Rosenberg. Childs will also be doing a post-performance question and answer session.

Childs took a few minutes to answer questions from The Sacramento Press.

Why was this specific composition chosen to be revived?

That was the choice of the Bard Summer Dance Festival. They have a festival every summer, and they invite a choreographer to be a part of their festival.

I was invited in 2009, 30 years after our premiere to revive “DANCE” because they felt that it was a work that could be interesting to see again. At the time, Sol LeWitt, the visual artist, had just passed away, and they felt concerned about wanting to honor him also with the revival.

What was your inspiration for the original DANCE?

“I had just worked with Philip Glass and Robert Wilson on "Einstein on the Beach", which is also going to be revived next year, and that will be coming to the West Coast soon. It was my first time to work with Philip Glass.

It was a very involved rehearsal period and touring. We got to know each other very well and wanted to continue working together. We decided in that time that we wanted to do a new project together.”

What do you want people to get out of the show and what is the message of “DANCE”?

“There’s no message specifically. There’s no narrative, and there’s no story. It’s completely abstract, but there’s a tension between the choreography and the music – a dialogue.

I feel that hopefully in this day and age when dance is to some extent liberated from the modern dance tradition of always having to tell a story, people can just enjoy it for what it is, which is a simple abstract piece with a great deal of passion to the execution.”

What has been the feedback on the revival? Is it different from the original feedback?

“Initially (with the original), there was some reaction to it. People had not seen this sort of work before, heard this kind of music before, seen this choreography before, and they reacted in a way as if we were breaking away from a tradition in a way that they didn’t understand.

But we’ve had pretty much enthusiastic responses, and just the fact that we’ve continued to tour this piece since 2009, which is almost two and a half years. This is the first time that this has happened with any of my work, so I’m really thrilled – not only just to keep the group together, but to have success in being able to tour this season, in this country and in Europe.”

You didn’t use music before “DANCE”, why? How did using music evolve your work and choreography?

“I was very interested in working together with dancers that was kind of a discipline, because if there’s no music there, they have to be very interdependent and very aware of each other in order to keep a pulse going, a common pulse.

Shifting into working with Philip Glass, the first time was with the opera, and I felt that that was interesting to have to come up with how I was going to put these structures together. I felt that that was how I came up with the idea that we don’t just illustrate the music, and we don’t just ignore the music, but we come up with a kind of style of the music which creates a tension that I found very exciting to explore and develop.”

Why were you inspired by the minimalist movement? What about it inspires you?

“I like the idea that we use materials that are essential. Nothing is there that doesn’t have to be there. It’s very simple in terms of the content, but what we do with the material – we do a lot with a little – and I like that point of view. I like that attitude.

I find that you make a lot of discoveries by not just jumping to something new all the time, and by sticking with the material that you have and staying within the restrictions of that material. It opens up your mind to all the possibilities that are there.”

How does the dancing differ from the original and the revival?

“The dancers from way back in ‘79 was my old group, but even within my old group in that day and age there was a lot of difference between the dancers, because they came from different backgrounds. Some of them came from ballet backgrounds, some of them came from a modern dance background, and some of them came from other kinds of dance backgrounds, so there’s a lot of diversity in the original group.

Whereas, in this group today, they’re more versatile. They’ve worked with different companies, and they have a more uniformed training, so there’s a more uniformed look, I would say.”

What was the most memorable thing about the original, and in the past two and a half years with the revival?

“The most memorable thing about the original I would have to say would be the premiere in Brooklyn. We were surprised by the fact that there was a group of enthusiastic people who always followed us, and then a group of people who were shocked and very surprised by the piece.

The most memorable thing about now is the feeling we had in Philadelphia when we got a standing ovation, which we definitely didn’t expect. It was very satisfying, very gratifying, and I’m very happy for the dancers that they are having that type of response and reception.”

For more information and for tickets, visit the Mondavi Center website.  

Miranda Lambert’s The House That Built Me video was Miranda’s first number one single and was awarded Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Video of the Year at the 2011 Academy of Country Music Awards, a Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, and Music Video of the Year at the 2010 CMA Awards.  The House That Built Me is nominated for Video of the Year and Female Video of the Year at the 2011 CMT Music Awards.

Our critics pick the season's highlights: From Lady Gaga to Harry Potter, Coppélia to Tony Cragg, this summer has something for all

MAY

4 FILM The Tree of Life
The much-delayed fifth feature from director Terrence Malick, snapped up by Icon for UK release ahead of its Cannes showing, is a multi-generational drama featuring Brad Pitt, Sean Penn – and, reportedly, dinosaurs.

5 CLASSICAL From the House of the Dead
Opera North's production of Janáek's final work, directed by John Fulljames and conducted by Richard Farnes. Stars Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts, Alan Oke and Roderick Williams. Leeds and touring

DANCE By Singing Light/Romance Inverse
National Dance Company of Wales bring Stephen Petronio and Itzik Galili's arresting double bill to Dance City in Newcastle, with the former set to the poetry of Dylan Thomas.

6 THEATRE Shrek
Nigel Lindsay plays the lime-coloured, lovelorn ogre, with Amanda Holden as Princess Fiona and Nigel Harman as Lord Farquaad, in this Anglo-American production at Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

CLASSICAL The Damnation of Faust
Ex-Python Terry Gilliam takes on the devil as director of this ENO staging of Berlioz's masterpiece, conducted by Edward Gardner and starring Peter Hoare, Christine Rice and Christopher Purves.

7 CLASSICAL Steve Reich at 75
UK premiere of Steve Reich's WTC 9/11, part of the two-day Reverberations festival at the Barbican. Then toured by the Kronos Quartet in Glasgow (13 May) and Norwich (17 May).

10 THEATRE The Cherry Orchard
Zoe Wanamaker stars; Howard Davies, who has excelled in the staging of Russian drama, directs in the National's Olivier, with a design by Bunny Christie and a translation by Andrew Upton.

11 FILM Cannes film festival
Robert De Niro heads the jury at Cannes this year, casting his eye over eagerly awaited films by Lars von Trier, Pedro Almodóvar, Lynne Ramsay and Woody Allen, whose Midnight in Paris opens the competition.

13 DANCE Royal Ballet
The season's penultimate triple bill at the ROH includes the Royal Ballet premiere of Balanchine's Ballo della regina and a new work, Live Fire Exercise, from Wayne McGregor, set to a score by Sir Michael Tippett.

FILM Attack the Block
The debut feature from Joe Cornish, of Adam and Joe fame. A "hoodie horror" about aliens landing in south London and teenage gangs uniting to fight them.

14 ART Tate St Ives
Treats at the Cornish gallery's Summer Exhibition include late paintings by Agnes Martin, installations by Martin Creed and sculpture by Naum Gabo.

16 POP Kate Bush: Director's Cut
While fans await an album of new material, the fabulously eccentric Bush has chosen to rework a selection of older songs: "The Sensual World" gains a new title and lyrics from Ulysses.

THEATRE Much Ado About Nothing
Hotly anticipated. David Tennant and Catherine Tate play the sparring lovers at Wyndham's in London. They are directed by Josie Rourke, who takes over as artistic director of the Donmar next year.

18 ART Tracey Emin: Love is What You Want
Tracey Emin needs no introduction, and quite possibly no huge solo retrospective, but this show of sculptures, photographs, films and drawings at the South Bank's Hayward Gallery will no doubt thrill her fans and infuriate her detractors alike.

19 THEATRE Lord of the Flies
William Golding's savage fable, adapted by Nigel Williams, plays in the open air until 18 June at Regent's Park theatre, which is enjoying its most imaginative era for decades.

21 ARCHITECTURE The Hepworth Gallery
The second David Chipperfield-designed gallery in two months. The Hepworth promises to be as good as the first, the Turner Contemporary in Margate. No beach in Wakefield, but a fine permanent collection of Barbara Hepworth's sculpture.

23 POP Lady Gaga: Born This Way
Two taster tracks have overtly recalled Madonna, both musically ("Born This Way") and irreligiously ("Judas"). But the proper follow-up to Monster remains this year's most eagerly awaited pop release.

27 POP Take That
Britain's best-loved manband have sold out 27 nights at the UK's vastest stadiums, with the Pet Shop Boys supporting.

JUNE

2 DANCE Un peu de tendresse bordel de merde!
Dave St-Pierre is the enfant terrible of Canadian dance and has provoked comparisons with Pina Bausch. In this production at Sadler's Wells, his 20 performers are literally and figuratively stripped naked.

3 ART The Government Art Collection
Discover which works of art your government owns; which Lowrys, Turners and Bridget Rileys hang in Downing Street. All is revealed at the Whitechapel Gallery.

4 ART Venice Biennale
Quite simply the most important international art event in the world; 82 artists in the official Giardini pavilions, with many more off site at the Arsenale. Until 27 November.

7 ARCHITECTURE Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
Usually less stuffy than its art counterpart; curated this year by a stylistic odd couple of the flamboyant postmodernist Piers Gough and the more restrained Alan Stanton.

8 DANCE Coppélia
Peter Wright's production of Coppélia with the Birmingham Royal Ballet is a funny, occasionally spooky, family ballet, set to Delibes's irresistible score. At the Lowry, Manchester, and touring.

10 POP Meltdown
Former Kink Ray Davies is this year's curator at the South Bank, recreating 60s TV show Ready Steady Go!, and springing surprises such as the Fugs. But will the Kinks reform?

CLASSICAL Aldeburgh festival
Opens with Simon Rattle and the CBSO. Premieres by Elliott Carter and Harrison Birtwistle , as well as Netia Jones's site-specific Everlasting Light, set in Sizewell. Runs until 26 June.

15 FILM Edinburgh film festival
Instead of an artistic director, EIFF has appointed guest curators, including Isabella Rossellini and Gus van Sant, who should make this year's event particularly interesting.

21 ARCHITECTURE Transport Museum Glasgow
Zaha Hadid now has several UK works to her name, but this will be her biggest public work to date, pending completion of the Olympic aquatic centre.

22 THEATRE Ghost: the musical
Matthew Warchus's production of the 1990 movie moves from Manchester to London's Piccadilly, with music by Dave Stewart. Stars Richard Fleeshman.

POP Glastonbury festival
Barring any mishaps, U2 finally lead the charge at Worthy Farm, with Beyoncé, Coldplay, the Chemical Brothers and Morrissey providing backup. NB: Dengue Fever are a band on the bill, not this year's health scare.

24 CLASSICAL Two Boys
ENO premiere of Nico Muhly's co-production with the New York Metropolitan Opera about a teenage stabbing. With a libretto by Craig Lucas, directed by Bartlett Sher and conducted by Rumon Gamba.

FILM The First Grader
When the Kenyan government introduces free primary schooling, a former Mau Mau fighter, now in his 80s, applies for an education. Justin Chadwick (The Other Boleyn Girl) directs, Naomie Harris co-stars in this British film which won an audience award at Tribeca.

ART Magritte: The Pleasure Principle
Still the best of the surrealists, with this first show in a generation focusing on eroticism, visual revelation and the influence of commercial design. More than 100 paintings at Tate Liverpool.

FILM Bridesmaids
In this female riposte to the stag-party-gone-wrong subgenre, produced by Judd Apatow, Saturday Night Live regular Kristen Wiig (who co-wrote the script) plays a lovelorn maid of honour ill-equipped to organise her best friend's pre-wedding rituals.

29 POP Arcade Fire
First, the Texan/Haitian/Canadian indie wunderkinder took London's O2 Arena. Now, they are taking Hyde Park, with help from Mumford & Sons, Beirut and the Vaccines.

30 ART Eyewitness: Hungarian Photography
Brassaï, Robert Capa, André Kertész, László Moholy-Nagy: more than 200 works showing the astonishing impact of this single country on photojournalism, documentary, fashion and art photography. At the Royal Academy until 2 October.

THEATRE Manchester international festival
The flourishing festival will include Robert Wilson's The Life and Death of Marina Abramović and Victoria Wood's The Day We Sang, inspired by Manchester Children's Choir. Runs until 17 July.

JULY

1 ARCHITECTURE Serpentine Gallery Pavilion
Every year the Serpentine asks a famous architect to design the gallery a temporary pavilion. This year it has lured Peter Zumthor out of his Alpine lair.

3 POP Ke$ha
America's second-most outrageous starlet is back on our shores. Ke$ha's Get $leazy world tour is oversexed and over here until 13 July.

5 DANCE Sylvie Guillem
New contemporary works by William Forsythe, Mats Ek and Jiří Kylián performed by the celebrated ballerina. Essential. To 9 July at Sadler's Wells.

6 ART Thomas Struth
One of Germany's most praised photo artists comes to Whitechapel Art Gallery. Includes the celebrated Museum series and recent installations of Cape Canavarel and the Korean shipyards.

7 ART Glamour of the Gods
Hollywood portraiture from the industry's golden age, 1920-60. From Greta Garbo to Audrey Hepburn, James Dean and Marilyn Monroe: portraits that transformed actors into international style icons. At the National Portrait Gallery.

8 THEATRE Double Feature
Four new plays by Sam Holcroft, DC Moore, Prasanna Puwanarajah and Tom Basden - all writers new to the National Theatre - are staged by a new ensemble in the Cottesloe.

FILM Jack Goes Boating
Philip Seymour Hoffman makes his directorial debut and stars in this tale of lost souls and confused love lives in snow-bound New York. It's based on a 2007 play in which he also appeared.

12 THEATRE A Woman Killed With Kindness
In what promises to be a radical production, Katie Mitchell directs Thomas Heywood's celebrated but rarely seen play. The domestic tragedy, written in 1603, will be staged in the National's Lyttelton.

15 FILM The Deathly Hallows: Part Two
After 10 years the Harry Potter franchise reaches its denouement with a film set to keep box-offices busy.

CLASSICAL The Proms
The BBC Proms opening fortnight includes Havergal Brian's mammoth "Gothic" symphony, new conductor Juanjo Mena, soloist Steven Osborne and pianist Lang Lang. To 10 September.

POP POP Latitude
The headliners may be iffy – the National and Paolo Nutini – but Latitude in Suffolk is a sublime antidote to the mud and mayhem of other festivals. And Alan Hollinghurst is in the Lit Tent.

POP Snoop Dogg
The lazy drawl of Calvin Broadus has long been eclipsed by the rapper's multiplatform media career. It's worth savouring, as he performs 1993's Doggystyle at Manchester international festival and Lovebox Weekender.

20 DANCE Roland Petit
Triple bill of works by the French choreographer, Margot Fonteyn's lover and husband of Zizi Jeanmaire. Includes the sexy, existentialist Le Jeune Homme et la Mort. ENB at the Coliseum.

FILM Nader and Simin, A Separation
Winner of the Golden Bear award at Berlin in February, Asghar Farhadi's fine film explores class tensions in present-day Iran as a middle-class couple on the verge of separation battle over the care of an elderly relative.

26 CLASSICAL St Endellion festival
An ambitious festival in north Cornwall (stars perform for no fee). Includes Wagner's Die Walkure with Susan Bullock (30 July), which then goes to Truro's Hall for Cornwall (2 Aug).

POP Womad
Womad's organisers are on solid ground with headliners such as Baaba Maal and Rodrigo y Gabriela, but the splendour of Womad is always in the discovering.

29 FILM Horrid Henry
The popular series of children's books about a troublesome pre-teen gets the 3D treatment, with Theo Stevenson as Henry, and Anjelica Huston and Richard E Grant among the adults.

30 ART Tony Cragg
Huge retrospective for Tony Cragg, senior British sculptor, with an emphasis on the cast-art of the last decade. At the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art to 6 November.

To see a PDF of the page as it appeared in the print edition click here

Once scholars agonised for years over additions to language. Now, online dictionaries enable instant updates

The other week Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the South Park creators, told the audience of the Late Show With David Letterman about the time they decided to go to the Academy Awards in drag. They had gone to the trouble of getting copies made of Oscar gowns previously worn by Gwyneth Paltrow (for Stone) and Jennifer Lopez (for Parker). But when the day arrived, they got cold feet. "We had a limo and we had people doing our makeup and it was, 'Oh, let's not do this'," Parker told the Letterman audience. Yet later on the afternoon of the big day, history records them on the red carpet, hairy chests on display under knock-off Ralph Lauren and Versace. Somehow they had found the courage.

"We did some Charlie Sheening and we were fine," Parker explained.

"We were just sheening our heads off," agreed Stone.

It got a big laugh, and social media went to work. "Apparently sheening is a new verb," tweeted one viewer. "The new name for wasted," wrote another. In fact the new name for wasted had already been recorded three months earlier by Urban Dictionary: the online open source directory of slang phrases and neologisms. Sheening, it says, is ". . . an alcohol and blow extravaganza, sometimes ending in a hospital stay and/or death. Referencing the amazing behaviour of the actor Charlie Sheen."

"Sheening" was not the only example of slang to make the news recently. Days after the South Park pair appeared on TV, The Oxford English Dictionary published its latest online update. Included for the first time were the internet-era initialisms OMG, BFF and LOL. Sexting was in there; as were Wags and muffin top ("referring to a protuberance of flesh above the waistband of a tight pair of trousers cf spare tyre, love handle").

"Someone wrote that the OED finally thinking muffin top worthy of including was a bit disturbing," says Urban Dictionary's founder, Aaron Peckham, from his home in California. "Like your dad suddenly deciding that 'whassup!' was worthy of repeated, loud public use."

Now, you are unlikely ever to confuse the OED with Urban Dictionary – one is the definitive record of the English language, the other is a rambling free-for-all largely compiled by teenagers making stuff up – but the comparison remains. Until relatively recently a word wasn't recognised as such until it was recorded in a proper dictionary. Now neologisms are pouring into the language like never before; our vocabulary is being reshaped by texters, tweeters, bloggers, marketeers and have-a-go contributors. Slang used to take decades to cross the Atlantic; now it takes minutes. Before the latest edition of the Collins English Dictionary was published last October, its researchers analysed language trends among two billion words culled from websites, newspapers, celebrity magazines, radio and TV. Included among its 1,500 new entries were Cleggmania, tweetheart, fauxmance, BGT (for Britain's Got Talent) and simples – meaning "easy to do", from the meerkat ads.

But can a traditional dictionary ever hope to complete with an open-source one? Or, as one headline writer has already posited: does DIY spell RIP for the OED?

"By the time it is set down in hard covers, slang is already out of date," believes Henry Hitchings, author of Defining the World: The Extraordinary Story of Dr Johnson's Dictionary. "When you hear something and don't know what it means, you don't look it up in a book, you look it up on the internet; Urban Dictionary, places like that. The internet is the future of lexicography."

If traditional dictionaries are struggling to keep up, you have only to look at the way they are compiled to appreciate why. So far there have been two printed editions of the OED; one 12-volume edition in 1928 and one 20-volume edition in 1989. A third is on its way, but not anytime soon. By the end of last month, it had taken 300 scholars 22 years to work their way from M to Ryvita. (A previous editor had started at A, but that is now so out of date that they are going to have to go back and start again.) The new OED has a projected publication date of 2037, by which time it will have cost £34m. By then it seems unlikely anyone will still be sexting or saying OMG, if they still do now. Collins's entry for Cleggmania already reads like something from another era. It is an antiquated way of working, but then that is the point.

"The OED deals with hard evidence. With slang there's a strong element of ephemera," says Jonathon Green, author of more than a dozen books on slang, including the exhaustive three-volume, 6,000-page Green's Dictionary of Slang. (It contains 997 different words for penis, for example.) Green also serves as an adviser on the OED. "Words have to have been around for years, and the OED has to present an awful lot of evidence to back up each entry," he says. "They don't allow themselves to take gambles."

The OED is recognised by Guinness World Records as our longest official dictionary, with some 600,000 entries. Urban Dictionary has 5.7m. Anyone can contribute and plenty do: it receives 2,000 new submissions for potential inclusion every day and 15m unique visits every month. A ranking system means the best definitions rise to the top, while the least plausible fall to the bottom.

As an online linguistic resource its only real rival is Wikipedia. At its best, Urban Dictionary is a weathervane of our times, recording muffin top as far back as 2005. Douche bag, belieber and pram face were in there long before they entered wider parlance. Silvio Berlusconi's insistence that "bunga bunga" is simply an expression he uses when telling jokes may have even less credibility after Urban Dictionary defined the phrase as an "erotic ritual which involves a powerful leader and several naked women". Good old Nick Clegg made it into its pages before Christmas, as a verb. "To Nick Clegg, the act of promising something then not only breaking that promise but also going in the complete opposite direction." Example: "Johnny: Alex has been Nick Clegging again; he said he was cutting rent and now he's tripled it. Pete: I hate that clegger."

There are plenty of other occasions when you want to applaud its inventiveness. Store d'oeuvres are free food samples given out by supermarket staff. A brodak moment is like a Kodak moment but is "a picture with only the guys". Clutch oven is like a Dutch oven, but instead of breaking wind under the duvet you do so in a packed car. A treebook is "a predecessor to the ebook – a book made of paper".

Urban Dictionary has been used by the Royal Courts of Justice to help a judge who was adjudicating in a music copyright case to understand the meaning of fo shizzle my nizzle and mish mish man. In America, the Department of Motor Vehicles refers to it when deciding whether to grant certain requests for licence plates (a Las Vegas driver was eventually allowed to keep HOE after managing to argue it was the best he could do after finding TAHOE unavailable.)

It has also proved a useful resource for the entertainment industry. "The people at Fox use it to decide if a Simpsons or Family Guy episode is OK to air," Peckham says. "To figure out what the dialogue in those shows actually means." Then there are instances where you figure Urban Dictionary could have helped out, if only people had thought to consult it. Boris Johnson might be something of a words man but when he recently used the expression "blapping" – as in, "keep blapping ministers between the eyes until they understand that it would be utter madness to cut infrastructure projects" – he presumably imagined it meant slapping or bopping. The OED doesn't recognise the word, but Urban Dictionary does. "Blap, verb: the act of slapping someone across the face with your penis." Then again, maybe he knew exactly what he was saying.

Peckham started Urban Dictionary in 1999, during the first year of his computer science course at California State Polytechnic University. (Through advertising revenue, it is now successful enough to be his full-time job.) "I was talking with friends about how different our language was, depending on what part of the country we were from, and how there wasn't a dictionary that captured those differences," he says. "Most dictionaries are objective. Urban Dictionary is completely subjective. It's not presented as fact, [but] as opinions. I think that can be a lot more valuable."

There is little intellectual rigour about Urban Dictionary; it is often coarse, profane and offensive, and it goes unchecked for accuracy, even spelling – which for a dictionary must be a first. "I love the imperfections in it," says Peckham. "People's grammar or punctuation or spelling – it's just so raw. Straight from the heart of the person who's writing it, with no corrections made. Meaning is in the eye of the beholder, but maybe spelling and punctuation are as well."

Given that 80% of Urban Dictionary's users are under 25, a common wheeze is trying to submit hideously defamatory definitions for the names of their friends or teachers. "Yeah, that's not good for anybody," Peckham sighs. "Not for the kids 'cos they get caught, the teachers 'cos they show up on Google, or me 'cos I have to deal with it."

Volunteer editors select which submissions pass muster. In the past 30 days 67,000 people wrote 76,000 new definitions and 3,500 volunteer editors decided whether to publish them. For this, Peckham has devised 10 rules. Publish celebrity names, but reject "real life" names. Reject nonsense, inside jokes or anything submitted in capital letters. Racial and sexual slurs are allowed, racist and sexist entries are not. "Denying a word exists by removing it from the dictionary is not helping anybody. I remember being 12 and looking in a real dictionary for those types of words. It's frustrating, because you know they exist." (The Oxford Dictionaries omitted "fuck" until 1972.)

However, slang expert Green's problem with Urban Dictionary isn't that it contains offensive words. "It's amateur hour. They set themselves up as an authority and I don't believe they are. There aren't 2,000 new slang words a day – they don't exist. It undermines the whole point of a dictionary. If you want to have something called The Book Of Amusing Words That Young People Come Up With, then fine, let's have that. I'll stick with [Viz comic's] Roger's Profanisaurus."

Slang has been getting a bum rap, accused of cheapening the language, since before the earliest known slang dictionary, the 1699 Dictionary of the Canting Crew, a guide to the street talk of professional rogues. We know the Greeks and Romans used slang. It serves important sociological functions, bonding groups as disparate as bird-watchers, boys at Eton, prisoners, soldiers and (of course) teenagers, while excluding others. "My response to people saying slang destroys the language is: bollocks," says Green. "You always see the same themes: drugs, drink, sex, parts of the body and what people do with them, being nasty to each other, racist stuff. It doesn't do compassion very well. But slang is lively, exciting and very creative."

Slang helps keep a language alive. Above all, playing around with it is simply good fun. Naturally Urban Dictionary has a word for this. Neologasm. Or: "the intensely pleasurable sensations generated by using, hearing or coining a new word or phrase (that doesn't suck)".

South Korea's music industry is thriving – and Sweden's biggest hitmakers are keen to learn the tricks of their trade

For decades, songwriters have focused on getting their work covered by British and American artists. The three biggest music markets in the world have traditionally been the US, Japan and the UK (last year the UK was overtaken by Germany), and while British and American artists have traditionally had a hard time breaking Japan, they can usually count on selling in the rest of the world once they break their home territories. But for the past few years, major songwriters and producers such as Will.I.Am and Sean Garrett have been shuttling back and forth to South Korea – and it's all because of the K-Pop phenomenon.

K-Pop is a genre that sounds a bit like the Black Eyed Peas – only in Korean. A few English words are added to create meaningless song titles: Chocolate Love or Hurricane Venus, for example. Sometimes they even make up their own words, like Mirotic. Chances are you've never heard of BoA, Girls' Generation and TVXQ, yet they've outsold many major-label acts in the UK and US.

Universal Music Publishing's European A&R; executive, Pelle Lidell, started working with SM Entertainment (SME), one of the larger Korean indie labels, three years ago. He says pretty much every song he's delivered to the company – usually one or two a month – has become a hit. Lidell, who supervised the rise of Swedish pop factory Merlin in the 90s and early-00s, and has masterminded hits for Britney Spears, J-Lo and Jessica Simpson, says SME has taken the pop-factory concept to a whole new level. The company has buses travelling the country scouting for talent. Young teenagers who are deemed gifted and attractive enough are admitted to SME's talent academy, where they get regular education as well as singing and dancing lessons, and are trained in how to be an artist.

After a couple of years, some of them form groups and are launched into superstardom with the help of songs that are often written by Lidell's roster of British and Scandinavian writers. Every group represents one particular demographic. Girl bands rarely have only three or four members. SME's Girls' Generation have nine, Super Junior 12 – each with his or her own fan club. Minutes after Girls' Generation released their single Hoot, it was No 1 on all the country's downloading sites. Meanwhile, the video clocked up 2m hits on YouTube within 24 hours (it now has over 11m hits).

SME's biggest artist, BoA, has sold over 24m albums so far. She often sings in English, as seen here in her video I'll Eat You Up (written by Scandinavians Remee and Thomas Troelsen) and has even toured the US.

"They're in a Lady Gaga class of artists," says Lidell. "Meanwhile, artists like Gaga can't compete over there; they've got no relevance. I went to Seoul's Olympic stadium watching an SM Entertainment extravaganza – seven hours of their hit acts. The place was packed. It was like the Beatles, with young girls screaming consistently. The show itself was of the standard you see when Justin Timberlake or Madonna play live, when it came to the production. They even flew over the crowd from the top of the stadium on to the stage."

Part of the reason acts such as BoA and Girls' Generation, unlike most western artists, have managed to break the Japanese market is that they learned the language before going there. They often release a Japanese version of their singles, with new videos too. They also work hard. When Girls' Generation launched in Japan they did three shows in one day at a 12,000-capacity venue – 2pm, 5pm and 8pm – and all sold out.

Last year, Lidell organised an SME writing camp in Sweden called Camp Fantasia, which housed six studios and included some of Universal's best writers. One of SME's most senior bosses and the head of A&R; joined the writers for a week, going into the studios and making suggestions like "skip the pre-chorus", says Lidell.

Though having a hit with a K-Pop act may not rate as high in the cred-department as getting a cut with, say, Rihanna, the royalty payments more than make up for it. Chinese royalties are terrible, due to rampant piracy and bad collection, but Japan still pays 25% more in mechanical royalties (for sales) than the UK. In Korea it's 20% less, as the PPD price for records is lower. "But if you add it all up you're usually on a 103-104% mechanical royalty, compared to Europe," says Lidell.

British songwriter Alex James, who has had successes with Jason Derülo and Alexandra Burke, among others, has had mega-hits in Korea, including Hoot and Run Devil Run (which sounds a lot like his Burke hit Bad Boys). The latter has had 21m hits on YouTube. Lidell's Norwegian writing team DSign make hundreds of thousands of pounds from K-Pop each year. "Even streaming pays in Korea" he adds.

Filed under: Albums, Country News

Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon speak onstage at the 46th Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 3, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Women of Country

The Academy of Country Music is getting ready to honor some special women in country music on a CBS television special, Girls’ Night Out: Superstar Women of Country—The Concert of the Year, airing April 22. In this special cover section, Country Weekly profiles the honorees: The Judds, Miranda Lambert, Loretta Lynn, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland and Carrie Underwood. Take a look at their many achievements and their incredible contributions to country music.

To learn more, pick up the April 25, 2011 issue of Country Weekly

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Life Church

Life Church, a nondenominational Christian fellowship, meets at 9:30 a.m. Sundays in the space above Scandinavian Shave Ice in Kokonutz Restaurant on Alii Drive. The sermon title is "Forgive Yourself, Forgive Me, Forgive Others ... God."

A Wednesday home fellowship meets at 6:30 p.m.

For more information, visit konalifechurch.org.

Big Island Friends

The Big Island Friends, affiliated with the Society of Friends (Quakers), holds weekly meetings for worship in East and West Hawaii.

For location, directions and more information, call 322-3116.

Kona United Methodist

The English congregation will meet at 8:30 a.m. Sunday at the Kona United Methodist Church. The sermon will be "Beneath the Cross," given by the Rev. Dr. Richard Stinson. The scripture will be Matthew 21:1-11, 27:11:54. Sunday school follows the keiki moment.

The Tongan congregation will meet at 3 p.m. Sunday. The Tongan Men's Group meets every Sunday after worship. The Women's Unit Program meets on the second Sunday after worship. The last Sunday of each month is for youth activities. Choir rehearsals are at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Saturdays.

The men's group meets for breakfast at 8 a.m. Thursdays at U-Top-It and then proceeds to the church for cleaning and maintenance of the facility.

The church is at 74-4960 Palani Road. For more information, call 329-5842 or e-mail konaumc@hawaii.rr.com.

Calvary Chapel

A continuing verse-by-verse study of 2nd Corinithians, led by John Miller, pastor, will be held at 9 a.m. Sunday at Calvary Chapel-Kona Coast.

A verse-by-verse study of Genesis led by Miller meets at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Church members meet at the LEAD Center, the former Hualalai Theaters building at Kuakini Highway and Hualalai Road in Kailua-Kona.

Call 322-0033 for more information.

Church of Light

Ecumenical Church of Light services are held at 10 a.m. Sundays at a location just off Mamalahoa Highway. The speaker will be the Rev. Ursula Vietze. Her theme will be "Entering the Kingdom of God."

Services consist of a guided meditation, sermon, psychic messages and music.

For more information and directions to the meeting site, call 325-5268.

Kona Hongwanji

The Rev. Shoji Matsumoto will continue on to part II of his Dharma message on "Afterlife" at Sunday's 9 a.m. English family service at the Kona Hongwanji Mission.

The Buddhist temple is located in Kealakekua between Bank of Hawaii and First Hawaiian Bank. Call 323-2993 for more information.

Hoolokahi

The Rev. Philip Buenavista will be sharing his message, "Two Kinds of Shout of the Same People," Sunday at Hoolokahi Congregational Church, United Church of Christ. The scriptural passage is taken from Matthew 21:1-11.

The combined contemporary and traditional worship service is at 10:30 a.m. Refreshments and fellowship time follow the service.

The church meets in Kealakekua at the Hawaiian immersion school cafeteria below Konawaena High School. For more information, call 328-2365.

Kona Coast Chaplaincy

Brian Shioroma, associate pastor of Solid Rock Ministries, will speak Sunday at the Kona Coast Chaplaincy. Mary Katherine Trevithick is the featured musician and will lead worship.

The outdoor nondenominational Christian services begin at 10 a.m. each Sunday on the oceanfront lawn of Kona Inn Shopping Village on Alii Drive. In this informal setting, casual dress is welcomed and chairs will be provided.

Also offered are Tuesday night Bible studies, discipleship classes and fellowship.

Help is needed setting up and tearing down chairs and equipment before and after the service. Anyone able to help is urged to call the number below or meet at the church location at 8:45 a.m. Sunday.

For more information, call 329-3242.

Kona Baptist

The Children's Choir presents the Easter mini-musical, "Alive Forever," at 10:15 a.m. Sunday at Kona Baptist Church. Tullos Jones will share reflections on "The Lord's Table" and lead the congregation to observe the Lord's Supper following the program.

Small group Bible studies begin at 9 a.m. study God's Word.

Following the service, everyone is invited down to Keauhou Beach for a baptismal service and a time of celebration and fellowship.

The church is located two miles south of Keauhou Bay on the corner of Highway 11 and Puuloa Road, across from the fire station. For more information, call 322-3355 or visit konabaptist.org.

Cornerstone

Korey Buchanek preaches the message, "The Lord's Table," from Mark 14:12-26, during the 10:15 a.m. Sunday service at Cornerstone Christian Fellowship. The children also are giving a program titled "Looking for the Living." A nursery will be provided. A potluck lunch and fellowship immediately follow the service.

A New Believers class meets at 6 p.m. Sunday.

The youth group meets at 6 p.m. Thursday.

The church is located at 74-4972 Kealakaa St. Call 329-2688 or visit cornerstonekona.org for more information.

Waikoloa Community

This Sunday is Palm Sunday, and Al Harlow continues the countdown to Easter with a message from the parables of Jesus, "The King and the Kingdom" at Waikoloa Community Church.

The wiki wiki praise service begins at 8:30 a.m. and features ukulele music and a multimedia presentation. The traditional service at 10 a.m. includes hymns, the Sanctuary Choir and age-appropriate junior church for children. Fellowship and refreshments follow this service.

The interdenominational Christian church is at the end of Paniolo Avenue, across from the elementary school in Waikoloa Village. For more information, call 883-8944.

Grace Community

"The God of Transformation" is the current series being offered by Bruce Campbell at Grace Community Church. This week's message is "Who?" and is taken from Isaiah 40:12-21.

Sunday services are at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. A nursery and children's church are provided at both services.

The congregation meets at its ministry site next door to Kona Christian Academy, at 74-4889 Palani Road. For information on ministries and outreaches, call 326-9580 or visit gracekona.org.

Holy Trinity Lutheran

Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity holds services at 8 and 10:15 a.m. Sunday. The Passion of our Lord according to Matthew will be read this Sunday (Palm Sunday). Children are dismissed for keiki church during the 10:15 a.m. service.

A coffee fellowship and adult education are offered between Sunday services. The Wednesday Bible study meets at 10 a.m. Call the church for more information.

An Ash Wednesday service will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The church is at 77-165 Lako St. For more information, call 329-5733 or visit konalutheranchurch.com.

The Holy Week schedule is as follows: Palm Sunday services at 8 and 10:15 a.m. includes a procession with palms and a reading of the Passion Story; Maundy Thursday service of foot washing, Holy Communion and stripping of the altar; Good Friday, Shadows Tenebrae service; April 24, Easter services at 8 and 10:15 a.m. with an Easter egg hunt at 9:30 a.m.

The church is at 77-165 Lako St. For more information, call 329-5733 or visit konalutheranchurch.com.

Shakti Ma retreat

A Shakti Ma retreat, featuring healing meditation with Mirabai Devi and Roseann Buritz, will be held April 29 and 30 at the Aloha Center for Spiritual Living at Kohanaiki Business Park, 73-4080 Hulikoa Drive, Kailua-Kona.

The retreat begins April 29 with transmissions of divine light and love and devotional singing and chanting with Bernice and Manuel Roberto.

April 30 will be a day of immersion in spiritual light, love and healing. The group will explore its connection to divine grace and receive healing and illumination through deep silent empowerment meditation with Roseann Buritz, transmissions of divine light with Devi, questions and answers with the angelic guides, breathing and deep relaxation meditation will be taught by Bhagavan Buritz and mantra meditation. A vegetarian lunch and snacks will be served.

The retreat price is $250 all-inclusive. April 29 only is $30. Some karma yoga scholarships are available. For information and registration, visit theflowoflife.org or call 324-4425.

JOY Conference

The fourth annual JOY Women's Conference hosted by Abundant Life Ministries is set to get under way May 6 and 7 in Kailua-Kona.

This year's conference theme is "Women Inspiring Women." Among the topics to be presented are: inspiring women to know their past and dare to make their mark on history; connecting women to money, opportunities and dreams; informing and acting to end violence against women; educating today's young women to be leaders of tomorrow; investing in the empowerment of women entrepreneurs; and honoring remarkable women and remarkable legacies.

An opportunity is available for vendors to provide services or information for conference attendees. Contact Keahi Fernandez for more details at info@abundantlifewaikoloa.com or 987-9247.

The conference will take place at King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel on Alii Drive in Kailua-Kona. The registration fee is $150, which includes three buffet meals. Special hotel room rates are available at $109 for all conference attendees.

Registration is available online at abundantlifewaikoloa.com. For more information, call 883-9512.

Hokuloa

The Hokuloa United Church of Christ will begin the celebration of Holy Week with the pageantry of the procession of Jesus' final entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The service and children's Christian education program begins at 9 a.m. as the worshippers gather outside the sanctuary for the blessing of the palms. The congregation will proceed into the sanctuary for the annual reading of the Passion from the gospel according to Matthew. There will be a time of fellowship and refreshments following the service.

On Maundy Thursday, a worship service will be held at 7 p.m. Holy Communion and a service of Tenebrae will be celebrated.

The church, located in the historic church built by Lorenzo Lyons in 1858, is located on Puako Beach Drive. It is the white church on the right when entering Puako. There is ample parking. For more information or assistance, call 883-8295.

New Thought Center

New Thought Center of Hawaii will conduct an Earth Day celebration presented by Randyl Rupar and Ron Johnson with music by Joe Conti from 10 a.m. to noon Sunday at Keauhou Beach Park at the end of King Kamehameha III Road.

A potluck meal also is planned. Bring a potluck meal to share, beverage, serving utensils, a chair and swimming stuff is so inclined.

For more information, call 322-2232 or email SpiritOf@NewThoughtCenterofHawaii.com.

Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace Ministries International, or "Church on the Beach," meets Sunday at the north end of the Old Kona Airport Park in Kailua-Kona. A free breakfast is served at 8:30 a.m. with praise and worship beginning at 9 a.m. Isy Manzo will be teaching from Acts, Chapters 5 and 6. Nursery, elementary Sunday school and junior high/teen Bible studies are available during the service.

The nondenominational Christian fellowship also has a midweek Bible study focusing on 2nd Peter, Chapters 2 and 3, that meets at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Regency at Hualalai's chapel. Those attending should check in at the front desk.

For more information, call 329-1965.

Kahikolu

Kahu Wendell Davis continues his sermon series titled, "What Is God's Church?" with a message, "LAUNA: The Fellowship Of The Church," beginning at 9:30 a.m. Sunday at Kahikolu Congregational Church. His sermon is taken from Hebrews 12:4-6. Music will be shared by the Ohana and Na Opio Choir. Hymns, prayers and worship are conducted in Hawaiian and English. Following the service, refreshments and fellowship are held in the church hall, Hale Kapiolani.

Sunday school begins at 8:30 a.m. Children's church begins at 10 a.m.

The church embraces the final resting place of Henry Opukahaia, first Hawaiian Christian missionary, and is located near the bottom of Napoopoo Road. For more information, call 328-8110.

Christ Church

Christ Church (Episcopal) in Kealakekua has announced a full schedule of services for Holy Week and Easter.

c Palm Sunday services: 7:30 and 10 a.m. A dramatic reading of the Passion of Christ will be given at the 10 a.m. service .

c Morning prayer: 8 a.m. daily.

c Maundy Thursday: 6 p.m. Thursday, includes a homily and foot-washing. Following that, the congregation will meet at the community center for the Liturgy of the Table and an Agape meal.

c Good Friday: From noon until 3 p.m. is a service focusing on the Seven Last Words of Christ, including reflections on each of the final words offered by members of the congregation interspersed with periods of silence and musical pieces based on the words of the Lord; 6 p.m., traditional Good Friday service followed by an all-night vigil.

c April 23: 7 p.m., Holy Saturday service. Members will gather outside the historic church for the lighting of the Paschal Candle, then process in for the Great Vigil of Easter.

c Easter Sunday services: 7:30 a.m., traditional Holy Eucharist; 10 a.m., traditional Holy Eucharist with music; and 10:30 a.m., Easter egg hunt.

The church is located off Highway 11 on Konawaena School Road. For more information, call 323-3429.

Bahai Faith

Bahai Faith followers celebrate the Declaration of Bahaullah at 3 p.m. Thursday in the grassy Keauhou Heritage Corridor Park on the corner of Kamehameha III Raod Road and Alii Drive.

Followers of the teachings of Bahaullah invite the public to experience the historical importance of this meeting which is the first of 12 days known globally as the Ridvan Festival in every country, city, township, village and hamlet.

The prophet-founder of the faith lived in Baghdad on the banks of the Tigris River when He was exiled from His land of Iran on April 21, 1863. Many Jews, Christians, Sikhs, Muslims and government officials gathered to hear His address on that day.

There is never a charge for an attendance to a Bahai event. Light refreshments will be served at 4 p.m.

Pop star reveals that lucky fans can sit onstage at her upcoming tour.
By Kara Warner

Rihanna performs on "American Idol"
Photo: FOX

"American Idol" results nights have become quite the eclectic affairs. While the purpose of the broadcast is always to announce the next contestant to be sent home, host Ryan Seacrest and the rest of the "Idol" crew manage to drag out the inevitable with a combination of witty banter, group performances from the contestants and a few guest stars here and there.

Thursday night's (April 14) results episode featured visits from first-ever "Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson, who performed her hit single "Don't You Wanna Stay" with Jason Aldean; the debut of the latest "Cowboys & Aliens" movie trailer; music legends Chaka Khan and Anita Baker chilling in the audience; and a killer performance from Rihanna.

With her bright-red hair worn in loose waves and dressed in a floor-length, heavily textured rose-colored gown, the 23-year-old rocked the house with an ethereal performance of her ballad "California King Bed" (which she also recently performed as a duet with Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles at the Academy of Country Music Awards).

Rihanna began her song in the midst of several long white curtains, surrounded by a group of female dancers in the background. She started the ballad softly, almost hiding in the curtains but eventually emerged to take center stage and rock out with the guitarist during the most powerful part of the song.

After the performance, which brought the audience to its feet, Seacrest pressed Rihanna for details about her upcoming tour and the rumor that she was planning something special in order to fully incorporate her fans into the experience.

"You always know the inside scoop!" Rihanna protested, before opening up a bit about the plan. "Right now, we just designed the stage. I'm really not supposed to say this, but I want to get you excited," she told the crowd. "We're building two sections on the stage [for the fans. They'll be] closer than they've ever been. It's real VIP."

Don't miss "Idol Party Live" every Thursday at noon on MTV.com for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty! In the meantime, get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

• Watch 'Idol Party Live' With MTV News' Jim Cantiello

• 'American Idol' Season 10 Performances

• Rihanna

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The USA Film Festival announces the full schedule of events for the 41st Annual USA Film Festival, April 27 - May 1, 2011.  All programs will be held at the Angelika Film Center Dallas, 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, Texas.  Advance tickets are available exclusively through Ticketmaster beginning Friday, April 15, 2011.

The program includes special TRIBUTES to the following performing artists:

Barry Corbin
William Fichtner
Malcolm McDowell
[Editors Note: For additional information on the Tribute programs, please see the attached PDF of the program schedule.]

The Festival also salutes film, television and theater actors David Hyde Pierce, Peter Riegert and Karen Young with new films The Perfect Host (David Hyde Pierce), White Irish Drinkers (Peter Riegert) and The Green (Karen Young).

"People always ask if there is a "theme" to this year's festival and we always say no, because our selections for the spring program are never theme-based.  We screen new and classic films, shorts and features, and create programs (tributes, compilations, etc.) based on what we think will be interesting and provocative for that particular year." said Ann Alexander, Managing Director for the year-round USA Film Festival.

"Still, every year, certain common threads tend to emerge.  This year, we take more than a few "road trips," an ever-popular film theme, and there is a definite "elegance" to the films featured.  Not elegance as meant in the fashion sense - although Cary Grant is certainly a style icon for the ages - but rather the elegance that comes from keen intelligence and self assurance.  Filmmakers, like Alfred Hitchcock who's supremely elegant To Catch a Thief opens the festival on its 55th anniversary, with a clear voice and steady hand who take the time to tell their story, each with their own unique sense of confidence and style.  Each of this year's writers, directors and performing artists share that aplomb, that elegance."

"From the enigmatic and memorable debut features by women writer/directors Massy Tadjedin (Last Night), Kathy Lindboe (NoNames), Caroline Bottaro (Queen to Play); debut films from writer/directors Nick Tomnay (The Perfect Host) and Sam Jaeger (Take Me Home), as well as director Steven Williford and writer Nick Marcarelli (The Green); to veteran filmmakers Tamar Hoffs' take-no-prisoners Pound of Flesh, Michael Winterbottom's glorious The Trip, Justin Chadwick's inspiring The First Grader, Harry Thomason's contemplative The Last Ride, and John Gray's stunning White Irish Drinkers, these are masterful filmmakers who don't need special effects or tricks to bewitch audiences into coming along with them.  Great writing, shooting and performances are more than enough to hold us elegantly in their thrall."

LIST OF PROGRAMS (chronologically)

REMEMBERING CARY GRANT

AN EVENING WITH JENNIFER GRANT

On-stage conversation with Jennifer Grant, book-signing and 55th Anniversary screening of TO CATCH A THIEF (1956)

Wednesday, April 27 7:00pm

The sweeping vistas of the Riviera pale next to the sight of Cary Grant and Grace Kelly falling in love in this sprightly heist movie.  Grant stars as reformed cat-burglar John Robie, who comes out of retirement when a new jewel thief goes to work using his signature style of thievery. Kelly plays Frances, a proper debutante who discovers that larceny is an aphrodisiac - a theme Hitchcock would pursue more explicitly in Marnie - and tests Robie's resolve by throwing herself, and her priceless jewels, at him. With glorious costume design by Edith Head, a hilarious supporting turn by Jessie Royce Landis as Kelly's mother (she would play Grant's mother in Hitchcock's North by Northwest four years later) and unforgettable fireworks (both literal and figurative), To Catch a Thief remains one of the most charming and exciting films from the Master of Suspense. 106 mins.  The program will be hosted by historian and author Foster Hirsch.

Good Stuff: A Reminiscence of My Father, Cary Grant

Good Stuff is an enchanting portrait of the profound and loving relationship between a daughter and her father, who just happens to be one of America's most iconic male movie stars.  Jennifer Grant was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She graduated from Stanford University with a degree in history. Her first acting role was in Aaron Spelling's Beverly Hills, 90210, and she later appeared in Friends, Super Dave, and CSI, as well as several feature films. She lives with her son, Cary Benjamin, in Beverly Hills.

              Complimentary copies of Jennifer Grant's book, Good Stuff, will be distributed (limited supply).

THE PERFECT HOST

Wednesday, April 27 7:30pm

Warwick Wilson (David Hyde Pierce) is the consummate host.  He carefully prepares for a dinner party, the table impeccably set and the duck perfectly timed for 8:30pm.  John Taylor (Clayne Crawford) is a career criminal. He's just robbed a bank and needs to get off the streets.  He finds himself on Warwick's doorstep posing as a friend of a friend, new to Los Angeles, who's been mugged and lost his luggage.  As the wine flows and the evening progresses, we discover just how deceiving appearances can be.  Co-writer/director Nick Tomnay's dark-hearted comedy/drama is full of outrageous moments and suspenseful twists.  Audiences may never look at David Hyde Pierce the same way again after seeing this slippery psychological thriller that reveals just how far we're willing to go to satisfy our needs.  Also featuring Nathaniel Parker, Helen Reddy, Megahn Perry, Joseph Will and Tyrees Allen. 93 mins.  David Hyde Pierce and writer/director Nick Tomnay in attendance.

DAVID HYDE PIERCE

Emmy and Tony Award winner David Hyde Pierce made his professional and Broadway debut in 1982 as the waiter in Christopher Durang's "Beyond Therapy."  He went on to create roles in the off-Broadway productions of Mark O'Donnell's "That's it Folks!," Richard Greenberg's "The Author's Voice" and "The Maderati," Harry Kondoleon's "Zero Positive" and Jules Feiffer's "Elliot Loves" before returning to Broadway in Wendy Wasserstein's "The Heidi Chronicles."  In 2005 he originated the role of Sir Robin in the Broadway production of "Monty Python's Spamalot" for which he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical.  In 2007 he won the Tony Award and earned another Drama Desk Award nomination for his role as Lieutenant Frank Cioffi in the musical comedy "Curtains," before going on to appear in the Manhattan Theatre Club revival of the 1930's comedy "Accent on Youth," and most recently, in the acclaimed London and Broadway production of David Hirson's "La Bete. "  In addition to his work in new plays, Mr. Pierce has also appeared in numerous repertory theater across the country.  Mr. Pierce's film credits include Bright Lights, Big City, Crossing Delancey, Little Man Tate, Sleepless in Seattle, Wolf, Nixon, Isn't She Great, Wet, Hot, American Summer, Full Frontal, Down With Love, A Bug's Life, Osmosis Jones, Treasure Planet and The Perfect Host. His television credits include Norman Lear's political satire "The Powers That Be" and "Frasier," for which he earned four Emmy Awards and the American Comedy, Television Critics, Viewers for Quality Television and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

THE LAST RIDE

Thursday, April 28 7:00pm

Based on the tragic final days of legendary country crooner Hank Williams, The Last Ride stars Henry Thomas (E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, Legends of the Fall) as country music star Luke Wells and Jesse James as Silas, the young man hired to drive him from Alabama to a New Year's Eve concert in Canton, Ohio, circa 1952. But there's a catch to young Silas' seemingly simple job: he has to not only get Wells there on time, but sober enough to perform -- a task easier said than done.  Wells not only has a penchant for drinking, fighting, and general hard living, he's as haunted as he is talented, fighting against a chronic disease and determination to self-destruct. Two men from disparate backgrounds form an unlikely bond over the course of a fateful journey. Also featuring Kaley Cuoco, Fred Dalton Thompson, Stephen Tobolowsky and Ray McKinnon. 103 mins.

Director Harry Thomason, producer/composer Benjy Gaither in attendance.

Award-winning British film director Michael Winterbottom (Welcome to Sarajevo, 24 Hour Party People) turns his talents towards foodies and improvised comedy with this sublimely hilarious tale that sees veteran comedic actors Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon playing "loose versions" of themselves as they embark on a week long road trip across the North of England, visiting top restaurants for a series of reviews, exploring the countryside, and getting on each others nerves. The latter is manifest via witty impersonation face-offs (Brydon is a master impressionist) including a Michael Caine riff that is laugh-out-loud hilarious and a Sean Connery/James Bond "martini" parley that is sheer genius.  In between their misadventures, Steve struggles with his faltering relationship with his girlfriend and his stagnating Hollywood career, while Rob, miserable git that he is, enjoys being a happily married father. A cheeky combination of fact and (mostly) fiction with stunning views of England's Lake District, Lancashire, and the Yorkshire Dales, The Trip is destined to be devoured by smart audiences everywhere. 111 mins.

TAKE ME HOME

Thursday, April 28 7:15pm

Struggling would-be photographer Thom (Parenthood and Eli Stone's Sam Jaeger) is at the end of his rope: he's been turned down for a job for the umpteenth time, evicted from his apartment, and reduced to living in the illegal taxi cab that he uses to make ends meet during times like this.  High-strung executive Claire (Amber Jaeger) is also having a bad day after catching her husband making a pass at his new secretary and learning that her estranged father has suffered a massive heart attack. Partially out of necessity and largely out of desperation, she offers Thom several thousand dollars to drive her from New York to California, embarking on a journey that forces them both to do some serious self-evaluation and make some life-altering decisions. Funny, endearing, and uncompromising, writer-director Sam Jaeger's dramedy is a road trip worth the trip. Also featuring Victor Garber, Lin Shaye, Christine Rose and  Bree Turner. 97 mins.  Sam Jaeger and producer Jane Kosek in attendance.

LAST NIGHT

Friday, April 29 7:00pm

Writer/director Massy Tadjedin's sexy and evocative debut feature is set in New York City -- the story of a married couple that, while apart for one night, are each confronted by temptation that may decide the fate of their marriage. Joanna (Keira Knightley) and Michael Reed (Sam Worthington) are seven years into a successful and happy relationship.  They are moving along in their lives together until Joanna meets Laura (Eva Mendes) at a party, the stunningly beautiful work colleague whom Michael never mentioned.  While Michael is away with Laura on a business trip, Joanna runs into an old but never quite forgotten love, Alex (Guillaume Canet) and agrees to have drinks with him.  As the night progresses and temptation increases for the couple, each must confront who they are inside and outside of their relationship.  Last Night is ultimately a film about choices - the choice you make to be with someone, to give yourself physically and emotionally, and how to survive all three. 93 mins.  Filmmakers in attendance (pending).

NONAMES Tribute to BARRY CORBIN

The feature film will be preceded by a film clip compilation Tribute honoring Barry Corbin

Friday, April 29 7:00pm

Writer/director Kathy Lindboe's haunting feature debut drama is based on a true story about a young man, Kevin (James Badge Dale, Rubicon) and his relationships -- with the town he loves, his fractured family, his girlfriend (Gillian Jacobs, Community), his life-long friends -- and trying to find his place in a dying town with two bars, a cemetery and a mill that is closing.  This sharply observed film captures the free-wheeling 70s, fueled by drugs and alcohol, and the aimlessness and desperation brought about by hopelessness.  Dogged by unsettled scores, it becomes clear that Kevin must leave the town he loves if he is to save himself. Barry Corbin is Ed, Kevin's boss and long-time family friend who tries to counsel him out of a potentially volatile situation. 103 mins.  Kathy Lindboe, Barry Corbin and other cast/crew in attendance.

POUND OF FLESH Tribute to MALCOLM MCDOWELL

The feature film will be preceded by a film clip compilation Tribute honoring Malcolm McDowell

Friday, April 29 7:00pm

Barden College's most revered professor, Noah Melville (Malcolm McDowell) teaches the idyllic school's most popular Shakespeare class. His family, his students, and (most of) his colleagues adore him, yet few of them are aware of his extracurricular enterprise: Between lectures, the professor facilitates an escort service staffed by some of the gorgeous coeds, who finance their tuition through this unorthodox "scholarship" program.  When the corpse of a young woman is discovered near campus, Melville's complicated world begins to crumble as driven police sergeant Rebecca Ferraro (Elizabeth Rodriguez) and troubled detective Patrick Kelly (Angus Macfadyen) begin closing in.  Writer/director Tamar Hoffs' provocative, satirical, twist-driven thriller isn't afraid to push to, and sail over, the edge - tongue in cheek all the way. Also featuring great performances by Timothy Bottoms, Dee Wallace and a cast of young stars including Whitney Able (Monsters). 94 mins. Tamar Hoffs and Malcolm McDowell in attendance.

RADIO FREE ALBEMUTH

Friday, April 29 9:30pm

A witty adaptation of the novel by cult-favorite science fiction author Philip K. Dick (whose works have been the basis for the movies Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report, The Adjustment Bureau, and many others) by writer-director John Alan Simon. Set in an alternate reality circa the 1980s, it tells the story of Berkeley record store clerk Nick Brady (Jonathan Scarfe), who begins to experience strange visions from an entity he calls VALIS that cause him to uproot his family and move to Los Angeles, where he becomes a successful music company executive. Along with his best friend, science-fiction writer Phil (Shea Whigham), and a mysterious woman named Silvia (Alanis Morissette), Nick finds himself drawn into a dangerous political-mystical conspiracy of cosmic proportions as they attempt to overthrow the fascist president (Scott Wilson) of a dystopian United States. Combining generous amounts of paranoia, social commentary, and genre-bending speculative fiction, Radio Free Albemuth is a film-lovers delight and a PKD fan's dream come true. 119 mins.  Writer/director John Alan Simon and actress/producer Elizabeth Karr  in attendance.

THE LOCKER

Texas Filmmakers Showcase

Friday, April 29 9:45pm

At first glance, Emily (Natalie Dickinson) is a typical 20-something, but she's anything but.  For her, the line between reality and imagination has drastically begun to blur.  Constant paranoia and a feeling of being followed have led to her being institutionalized.  Emily insists that she and four other girls were kidnapped and held prisoner by a unknown masked assailant who tormented them for days before she alone managed to escape. Now she finds herself trapped between what is real, and what may be real, as her doctors tell her one thing, and her mind tells her another as she struggles to find the truth.  Written and directed by Robert Paschall, Jr. and shot in Dallas with a great local cast.  92 mins.  Bobby Paschall, cast and crew in attendance.

SHORT FILM COMPILATION CROSSROADS AND CROSS PURPOSES

Friday, April 29 9:15pm

This collection of dark comedic and dramatic short films feature some of life's messiest and most unexpected moments.  Included are TJ Thyne's RUN; Tom Lenk and Tara Karsian make a connection in the indescribably outrageous HELLO CALLER; a neurotic LA woman (Alex Dawson) challenges the sanity of her shrink (Stephen Tobolowsky) in CLARA'S CARMA; animated mayhem ensues in ENRIQUE WRECKS THE WORLD featuring a terrible chain reaction; and Fran Krause's NOSY BEAR takes on hunters and guns; TIME FREAK explores why you shouldn't do it over again even if you could; THE INTERVIEW shows how to get a job in a post-apocalyptic world; love and greed collide in SWEET SWEET BABY; life's unpredictable choices unfold in BEFORE WE GET TO SEATTLE; and a stunning double betrayal in HOW IT ENDED, featuring Debra Winger, Larry Pine and Halley Feiffer.  82 mins.  Filmmakers in attendance.

THE 48 HOUR FILM PROJECT

Texas Filmmakers Showcase

Group A - Saturday, April 30 5:00pm

Group B - Saturday, April 30 7:00pm

Group C - Saturday, April 30  9:00pm

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the 48 Hour Film Project's 2011 World Tour kicks off in Dallas this year with three dozen filmmaking teams competing for prizes and bragging rights. Dallas is one of 80 cities worldwide participating in the Project's expanded tour, with a record 3,200 filmmaking teams worldwide expected to take part in the planet's largest timed filmmaking competition.  The finished films will be screened during the Festival on Saturday, April 30th, and the Awards program will take place on Sunday, May 1st.  The race weekend takes place April 15-17.  Each team will be given a genre, a character, a prop and a line of dialogue to incorporate into their film.  Filmmakers supply the inspiration, adrenaline and caffeine needed to accomplish a completed work (between 4-7 minutes in length) in 48 hours.  The audience selects its favorite and a local panel of film professionals will select the Best Film and other category award winners.  For registration and other information, please visit www.48hourfilm.com/dallas

QUEEN TO PLAY

Saturday, April 30  5:00pm

Oscar-winning actor Kevin Kline and French star Sandrine Bonnaire star in this stylish, sophisticated comedy-drama set on the picturesque Mediterranean isle of Corsica. Bonnaire stars as Helene, an attractive, intelligent and very repressed chambermaid who discovers a latent love for the game of chess after witnessing a leisurely sexy match between a vacationing couple (Jennifer Beals and Dominic Gould).  Obsessed with the game (to the chagrin of her husband and daughter) she begins taking secret tutelage in its finer points from another of her cleaning clients, an expatriate American doctor (Kline) living in isolation, resulting in a series of events that radically transform both their lackluster lives.  Based on the novel "The Chess Player" by Bertina Heinrichs, Queen to Play marks the auspicious debut of French director and screenwriter Caroline Bottaro with one of the year's most utterly charming films.  96 mins.

TOREY'S DISTRACTION

Saturday, April 30  5:00pm

What if your child had a rare genetic defect -- one that if left unchecked, would take their life prematurely? Tisha Blood's intimate film follows the amazing Torey Harrah and two other young girls with craniofacial anomalies over the course of 10 years through dozens of surgeries, introducing us to their families and the medical professionals who become part of their extended family.  Recent medical advances are saving the lives of children born with Apert Syndrome, and Dr. Jeffrey Fearon and his team at Medical City Dallas are at the forefront of those advances.  The Festival is proud to salute Jeff Fearon and his team for their commitment to craniofacial research and treatment on behalf of children everywhere.  94 mins.  Tisha Blood, Torey Harrah and other guests in attendance.

DRIVE ANGRY Tribute to WILLIAM FICHTNER

The feature film will be preceded by a film clip compilation Tribute honoring William Fichtner

Saturday, April 30  7:00pm

If you missed this outrageously over the top movie in theaters, now's your second chance to experience its gleefully self-obsessed wonders with one of the screen's greatest hoodlums -- William Fichtner.  Drive Angry stars Nicolas Cage as John Milton, a dead man who escapes from Hell (in a Buick Riviera, no less) to seek vengeance on the self-styled Satanic messiah (Billy Burke), who brutally murdered his daughter, before he can sacrifice Milton's infant granddaughter during the next full moon.  Along the way, Milton acquires a plucky sidekick (Amber Heard) and are in turn pursued by a mysterious infernal bounty hunter known as The Accountant (USAFF honoree William Fichtner).  Shoot-outs, fist-fights, car chases, explosions, nudity, one-liners, and special effects ensue. A throwback to the good ol' days of grindhouse cinema, Drive Angry offers a tongue-in-cheek good time, with no holds barred and no apologies offered.  104 mins.  William Fichtner in attendance. The tribute program will be introduced by producer Garry Brown.

THE GREEN

Saturday, April 30  7:30pm

Having left behind the concrete and steel jungle of New York City for the idyllic shores of Connecticut, high school drama teacher Michael Gavin (Jason Butler Harner) enjoys a quieter domestic existence with his partner, Daniel (Cheyenne Jackson), living by a simple, unspoken code: don't speak up, don't make trouble. His hard-earned peace is turned upside down when he is accused of engaging in inappropriate behavior with one of his high school students. The boy runs away from home, leaving his recovering addict mother (the fantastic Karen Young) and her mercenary boyfriend (Bill Sage in another great performance) to capitalize on the alleged affair. In the wake of it all, Michael fights a lonely battle against the suspicions, mistrust, and latent homophobia of his friends and neighbors, as well as an ugly secret from his past.  The top notch cast also features Julia Ormond and Illeana Douglas.  91 mins.  Director Steven Williford, writer Paul Marcarelli ("The Verizon Guy"), Karen Young and other cast in attendance.

WARRIORS OF THE DISCOTHEQUE: THE STARCK CLUB DOCUMENTARY

Texas Filmmakers Showcase Saturday, April 30  9:30pm

Filmmaker Joe Alexandre's short film about the notorious Starck Club screened at the USAFF two years ago on the occasion of the landmark's club's 25th anniversary.  The screening was wildly popular and Joe collected even more interviews and footage, so that now the project is a feature film filled with all the material that could not be included in the short work.  Aside from being ground zero for the popularization of the designer drug MDMA (legal at the time), the Starck Club was so much more.  Philippe Starck is now a world renowned designer, but prior to the Dallas club, he was an up and coming Parisian designer who was virtually unknown outside of France.  After the club, he went on to design the Hotel Royalton in New York as well as the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills.   Warriors of the Discotheque explores the legacy and influence the Starck Club has had on everything from design, music, and fashion to acceptance and tolerance of different sexual orientations. Incorporating interviews with those that were there including former employees, managers, performers, and key influential patrons, the party that was 1984 in Dallas lives on. 89 mins. Writer/director Joseph Alexandre in attendance.

HURRY UP AND WAIT

Saturday, April 30  9:45pm

In 2009, filmmaker Justin Malone and producer Lior Spirer followed the Atlanta-based band Gringo Star (Nick and Peter Furgiuele, Peter DeLorenzo and Matt McCalvin) on a six week journey through fourteen countries as they embarked on a tour of Europe. Playing at large and lavish venues each night, the shows attracted hundreds of eager new fans, and the positive vibe is everywhere.  Energized by this newfound exposure, sleeping on park benches and showering with cologne each day is part of the deal, and the headliners boast of Gringo Star's determination and talent.  Success is just around the corner, but the stand-offish music scene they encounter in the UK leaves them with smaller audiences and fading hopes.  Playing tiny clubs with no promotion that draw miniscule crowds proves to be the true test of drive for success.  A raw behind-thescenes look at what it takes to make a name for one's self in the dog-eat-dog world of rock and roll, Hurry Up and Wait is a must see for Gringo fans and music lovers in general. 78 mins. Director/Editor Justin Malone, producer Lior Spirer and Gringo Star (Nick and Peter Furgiuele, Peter DeLorenzo and Matt McCalvin) in attendance.

THE FIRST GRADER

Sunday, May 1  7:15pm

Set in a mountain village in Kenya, Director Justin Chadwick and screenwriter Ann Peacock present the remarkable and uplifting true story of an Maruge (Oliver Litondo), an 84-year-old farmer and veteran of the Mau Mau uprising of the 1950s who decided to go to school when the country introduced universal education. A man who has suffered a lifetime of loss and degradation, Maruge is determined to seize his last chance to learn to read and write by enrolling in a class populated by six-year-olds.  The school's authorities are reluctant to admit Maruge, partly due to limited resources, but also partly due to tribal rivalries that continue to haunt the young nation.  Moved by Maruge's unyielding determination to learn, young teacher Jane Obinchu (Naomie Harris) becomes his ally in a fight to overcome threats, bureaucratic red tape and the burdens of the colonial past.  A stirring tale of dignity, survival, and reconciliation, Chadwick's film is certain to stir the hearts of viewers. 103 mins.  Justin Chadwick and producer Richard Harding in attendance.

WHITE IRISH DRINKERS

Sunday, May 1  7:00pm

It's early autumn of 1975 in Brooklyn and 18-year-old Brian Leary (Nick Thurston) is killing time in his mostly Irish neighborhood, pulling off petty crimes with his street tough older brother Danny (Geoff Wigdor), whom he both idolizes and fears.  He doesn't really want to be a criminal, but he doesn't share the dreams of his friends from their working class neighborhood either. They all yearn for socially acceptable 9-to-5 civil service jobs with benefit packages that will carry them through weekends of boozing it up until retirement rolls around. A talented self-taught artist, Brian escapes his frustrations and the never-ending shouting matches between his hot-tempered father (Stephen Lang) and world-weary mother (Karen Allen) by putting on headphones and painting in the basement.  Even though Brian's best bet is an offer to attend a prestigious art school and escape a dead-end future, he doesn't want to betray his blue-collar roots by accepting a scholarship to college. Peter Riegert is Brian's boss at the local movie theater,  trying to make ends meet with one big Rolling Stones concert. A stirring coming-of age drama with great resonance, White Irish Drinkers boasts terrific writing and a remarkable cast of established veterans and up-and coming young actors.  109 mins. Writer/director John Gray and Peter Riegert in attendance.

PETER RIEGERT

Peter Riegert has been acting, writing, directing and producing for the past 40 years.  His movies include National Lampoon's Animal House, Local Hero, Crossing Delancey, Chilly Scenes of Winter, Coldblooded, Utz, Oscar, Passed Away, The Mask, Traffic, and the short film The Response, which received the ABA Silver Gavel and was short listed for an Academy nomination for live-action short. Television credits include "The Sopranos," "Gypsy," "Barbarians at the Gate," "Concealed Enemies," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and "Damages." On Broadway he was in "The Old Neighborhood," "An American Daughter," "The  Nerd" and "Dance With Me." His Off-Broadway credits include "Sexual Perversity in  Chicago," "The Birthday Party," "Mountain Language," "Isn't It Romantic" and "A Rosen  By Any Other Name."  His directorial film debut was the Academy Award-nominated short By Courier, which was followed by his first feature, King of the Corner, starring Isabella Rossellini, Eli Wallach, Rita Moreno, Beverly D'Angelo, Eric Bogosian and Dominic Chianese.  He is currently preparing to shoot his next feature, based on the novel "A Field of Darkness" by Cornelia Read.

SHORT FILM AWARDS PROGRAM

Sunday, May 1  7:30pm

Join our National Jurors for announcements and screening presentations of this year's (33rd Annual National Short film & Video Competition) winning films as well as the winners announcements for the 48 Hour Film Project. Awards are given to the best in Animation, Fiction, Non-Fiction and Experimental categories as well as awards for Texas ties, student achievement, and more.  Meet the First Prize Winners (who are notified the day prior and flown to Dallas for the show) as he or she presents the winning entries and receives the cash awards. USAFF prize winners who were recognized early in their careers include Alexander Payne, Todd Haynes, Jessica Yu, Wes Anderson, Bill Plympton, Michael Almereyda, John Lasseter, and many more. The USAFF is an Academy-qualified program and many films recognized here have gone on to be nominated for the Academy Award.  Recent Competition-winning films that were qualified for Academy consideration include 2007s Academy Award winner West Bank Story and 2010s nominated Kavi.

Despite its position out on Europe’s eastern flank, Belarus has historically and culturally been at the heart of European civilisation. Sooner or later, its time will come to rejoin the family of democratic nations, writes Uladzimir Arlou

For some of my compatriots the title of a book of translations from the Belarusian recently published in Poland was unexpected and even somewhat outrageous.  It was called “Belarus: a country surrounded by high mountains” and there are no mountains, either inside Belarus or on its borders. Yet the metaphorical title was not devoid of meaning.  How many Europeans would, for example, be able to pinpoint Belarus on a map without hesitation; how many could recall anything of its history?  Perhaps only Swedish hockey fans, who will gloomily remind you of the sensational defeat of their team by Belarus in the Winter Olympics of 2002. 

I should like to think I am wrong when I say I fear that for most Europeans our country is a kind of “lost world” lying somewhere outside Europe.  But for many centuries Belarus was the eastern outpost of European civilisation and very much part of it.

In the 10th century a large part of what is now the Republic of Belarus was occupied by the Principality of Polatsk.  This was a strong state, similar in size to its contemporaries, the Duchy of Bavaria or the Kingdom of Portugal.  The capital, Polatsk, is mentioned in the Russian Primary Chronicle in 862 and there were another 15 or so towns, including the current capital of Belarus, Minsk.  The Principality had access to the Baltic Sea, where it traded with Scandinavia and the German cities of the Hanseatic League.  From the 10th to the 13th centuries Polatsk was ruled over by the princely house of the Rogvolodovichy: in 1157 Sophia, the daughter of Prince Volodar, married the illustrious Danish king, Valdemar I.  Their children would ascend the thrones of Denmark, Sweden and France.

The Statutes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, passed in 1588, were the most progressive code of laws in Europe at the time. Litanus.org 

Christianity spread to Belarus in the 10th century. It was not forcibly imposed, but accepted voluntarily and this lies at the root of centuries of religious and national tolerance.  Belarus is the only European country where Christmas and Easter are officially celebrated according to both the Gregorian (Catholics and Protestants) and the Julian (Orthodox) Calendars.  Uniquely, the official state calendar also includes holidays of pre-Christian origin, originating from the cult of ancestors: Radaunica in the spring and Dzyady in the autumn.

The ancient Belarusian principalities were no less developed than their neighbours. Saints Euphrosyne of Polatsk and Kirill of Turaw were stars of the first magnitude in the Eastern European cultural firmament and were later canonised.  Euphrosyne founded schools where music, rhetoric, Latin and Greek were taught as well as writing and arithmetic.  The magnificent Cathedral of Holy Wisdom in Polatsk, floating like a white ship above the river Dvina, dates from that time and is one of the symbols of Belarus today.  The Church of the Saviour was erected in Polatsk in the 12th century: its unique frescoes are more than 800 years old and it is the pearl of old Belarusian architectural monuments.

The thousand-year old tradition of Belarusian statehood was continued during the period of unification with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which started in the 13th century at the time of the union between the old Belarusian Principality of Nowogrodek and the Lithuanian prince Mindaugas.  He was acknowledged as king by Pope Innocent IV in 1253.  The unification of the Slav and Baltic lands in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania enabled them to avoid a humiliating dependence on the Tatar-Mongols.  The Russian principalities were crushed and, therefore, not able to escape this fate.  One of the suggestions for the etymology of Belarus is indeed connected with this independence: “belaya” [white] means pure and free.

The invitation to Grand Duke Vytautas (Witold) to ascend the Czech throne at the beginning of the 15th century is an indication of the Grand Duchy's significance in the geopolitical situation of the time.  This was during the period of the Czech national liberation movements known as the Hussite Wars.  Responding to the invitation, Witold managed to avoid confrontation with the Catholic world by sending a military force of 5,000 to help the Hussites.

Belarusian lands were dominant in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, or Lithuania tout court: Old Belarusian was the state language until the end of the 18th century.  At the same time our ancestors, at the behest of the state, called themselves Litvins, which is what their neighbours called them too.  The names Belarus and Belarusians to designate the territory and people of our country today only became current at the end of the 19th century.  The fact that today's Belarusians were for a long time called by a name which was subsequently used to designate a neighbouring people has given rise to a multiplicity of confusions and historical mishaps.

In the Middle Ages and the Modern Age Belarus was the eastern border of a united European world, as today's travellers can see from art and architecture in all the artistic styles Europe has known.  The life of our towns was based on the Magdeburg Law of self-government.  Craftsmen and merchants formed workshops and guilds to protect their interests, as did their colleagues in England or Spain.  Thousand of young Belarusians were sent to acquire knowledge in the universities of the Czech lands, Germany, Poland, Italy, Switzerland and France.  In 1579 Vilnius, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, opened its own academy with the status of a university.

Mosque, Minsk. Unlike its Eastern neighbours, The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a model of tolerance, building mosques and synagogues alongside Orthodox and Catholic churches 

The Statutes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were passed in 1588. They were, in the opinion of today's specialists, the most progressive code of laws in Europe at that time.  They promoted the idea of a state governed by the rule of law and religious tolerance, introduced the concept of the presumption of innocence and protected the country's natural riches.  These days first year law students at the Sorbonne spend a whole semester on a special course dedicated to studying the Statutes.

The Grand Duchy was the most tolerant country in Europe.  In Belarusian towns and villages Orthodox and Catholic churches sit peacefully side by side and opposite synagogues, sometimes even mosques.  Our ancestors knew nothing of the horrors of the Inquisition: an attempt to introduce it in the 15th century ended in failure. The Union of Brest (1596) meant that most of the population of Belarus became members of the Uniate Church, which combined traditional Eastern ritual with Catholic dogmas. 

Belarus was the Eastern border of the European Renaissance.  Evidence of this is to be found in the castles at Mir and Nesvizh, which are on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.  At that time our country produced some giants, including Francisk Skaryna, the first Belarusian printer, a translator and publisher, who was educated at the universities of Krakow and Padua.  His work in 1517-20 ensured that Belarus became the fourth country in Europe to have a printed bible in the vernacular. 

In Belarus the Renaissance was closely linked to the Reformation, as it was in other European countries.  Calvinism was the most widespread theological system.  In the 16th century our Protestants had 10 printing houses, so Belarusian readers had access to the works of Erasmus of Rotterdam, Michel Montaigne and Francis Bacon, to name but a few.

The castles at Mir and Nesvizh: evidence of Belarus' enlightened European past

The situation to the east of Belarus was, unfortunately, very different.  There was no religious tolerance in Muscovy and the despotic Tsar was an autocrat, ruling with a rod of iron.  Moscow declared itself the Third Rome and the saviour of true Christians.  Her closest neighbours were the first to experience the aggressive nature of this doctrine 

The history of the relations between Muscovy and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania is one of endless armed conflict and war, which was concluded at the end of the 18th century when the Belarusian lands were occupied.  The most terrible war was in 1654-67, when Belarus lost half its population and endured a series of crises - demographic, economic and cultural.  After the annexation our cities lost the Magdeburg Rights and their ancient coats of arms.  The Tsarist authorities destroyed the Uniate Church, which was such an important part of the Belarusian DNA.  Belarus lost its professional army, which was replaced by levies.  The Belarusians were no longer recognised as a separate people with their own language.  Our ancestors even lost the right to their own names and surnames, which were re-fashioned Russian-style.  Russia's new citizens lost the right they had enjoyed for many centuries to study in Western universities.  To run ahead, I should point out that during the whole 150 years of Russian domination, the authorities did not permit a single Belarusian school to be opened.

Discontent with the new order led 25,000 soldiers to fight in the Belarusian regiments of Napoleon's Grande Armée in 1812.  They focused their hopes of regaining their independence on him.

The situation of dependence in the region, together with the ban on the Belarusian language and publishing, compelled many talented Belarusians to leave their homeland and serve other cultures and peoples.  One such was Tadeusz Kosciuszko, hero of the American War of Independence, who headed an uprising against the Tsar in 1794.  The outstanding Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz, who in his youth wrote in the language of his forebears, was another.  Scions of Belarusian noble families include Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Dmitry Shostakovich and the famous French poet Guillaume Apollinaire, whose ancestors had fought for freedom in the national liberation revolt of 1863.

The Belarusian National Republic was declared in 1918 after the collapse of the Russian Empire.  It was crushed by the Bolsheviks and for 70 years Belarus was behind the Iron Curtain, but no amount of repression could succeed in uprooting the dream of an independent state.  In 1991 a new state appeared on the map: the Republic of Belarus.  The historic end of the USSR was negotiated in Belarus' Bialowiesza Forest, one of the most ancient protected forests in Europe, where Russian Tsars and Soviet leaders used to hunt.

The reader will already have concluded that the history of Belarus is European history, which is our passport to a European future.  Belarus lies on the EU border, but the return to the family of democratic nations has turned out to be more difficult than was supposed.  With Lukashenka as President, time has not just stopped – it has gone backwards.  But this is for another conversation. I am sure we eventually we shall return to Europe’s fold, at what time Belarusians will pleasantly surprise their neighbours far and wide, as they once did with their Bible and their Statutes.

The English bac and schools' response to it will create more anxiety and pressure for pupils and parents

When I was 18, I went to America for a gap year. It was the dark ages in terms of modern technology and I spent 10 months without speaking to my parents, corresponding intermittently by post. True, I had left school, but this followed teenage years punctuated by equally rare moments of parental involvement. The occasional school meeting maybe, but nothing like the intense engagement parents today have with their children's lives.

I pity today's parents. They seem to feel judged more than ever by their children's achievements. Sites like Mumsnet suggest this starts from birth, when subtle pressure over the "right" sleeping and feeding routines kicks in, followed by fretfulness over how many numbers or words their toddlers know, which primary reading scheme levels they are on, the range of extra-curricular activities they do, school, and even university choice. I can't think of a time when parents seemed so anxious and unconfident in their own instincts or their children's abilities.

Does the government understand this? Public statements invariably focus on supporting and informing parents, but these seem to mask a subliminal desire to pile on the pressure, in the secret knowledge that this will help smooth the path for more extreme reform.

Why else would ministers laud the educational success of other countries, then introduce the diametric opposite here? We must be like Finland, yet we devise ever more impenetrable league tables, when Finland has none, and phonics tests at an age when Finnish children have barely started formal education.

Singapore is held up as a beacon. Yet life skills lie at the heart of its broad curriculum, while our children are now judged on a handful of exam passes in a limited range of subjects. This is laughingly called a "baccalaureate" even though it has nothing in common with other international qualifications bearing the same name, most of which offer varied pathways and stimulate personal growth and civic engagement.

The English baccalaureate (Ebacc) and the response to it threaten to become the most deadly new development parents must wrestle with. Like so many proposals, it is superficially attractive, carrying in its wake the promise that schools will no longer play the league tables using GCSE-equivalent qualifications and that all children can be swept into high-status universities and academic degrees.

In fact, it is already encouraging a different sort of game; schools all over the country are changing GCSE options in the middle of key stage 4, which means forcing pupils into twilight sessions in subjects they hadn't chosen to study and downgrading subjects they may want to. One parent emailed me in despair to say his daughter was being forced to take English baccalaureate subjects as her year 9 options against her wishes. "We feel this is bullying on behalf of the school, using my daughter for their selfish ends to boost their statistics," he wrote.

Professional organisations and even grammar school heads are now predicting where this might end, with the diminution of RE, creative arts and music, a reduced offer at A-level and possible redundancies. Some schools, like the Archbishop Sentamu academy in Hull, are refusing to make precipitous changes and are developing a "suite" of different baccalaureates, backed by an excellent new campaign, the Better Bac, which is trying to define what a more inclusive baccalaureate might look like.

But others, like the government's flagship West London Free School, have headteachers who cheerfully boast that their curriculum may not be appropriate for all children. An honest appraisal, but unlikely to reassure parents choosing schools for 10-year-olds who may not have a clue about where their interests or aptitudes lie. And what about the children – should they have a say in what they might want to learn? Seemingly not.

It could all be different. We could offer a measure of school accountability that embraces the full range of what schools do well, and demands a breadth of high-quality options so that no parent or pupil feels bullied or disadvantaged. Changes in education over the last 30 years mean that most schools are good enough and most children, if they are well supported, can flourish. We should be worrying less, not more, but that needs to be led from the top, and the signs aren't good at the moment.

The 46th Academy of Country Music awards, which honor and showcase big names and emerging ones in the country music industry, took to the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 3—and a swirl of related events took over town on its heels. Aptly, the special event programming was known as "The Week Vegas Goes Country."

For the second consecutive year, the Academy of Country Music partnered with the U.S.O. to bring a free, private concert to troops and their families stationed at Nellis Air Force Base just outside of Las Vegas. Luke Bryan, Brett Eldredge, Little Big Town, Blake Shelton (who was also co-host of the big award show), Sunny Sweeney, and U.S.O. Tour vets Montgomery Gentry and Craig Morgan performed. Storme Warren, host of GAC’s Headline Country, returned to M.C. the day.

Filed under: Albums, Country News

Joan Rivers deciphers the strange facial expressions of Naomi and Wynonna Judd at the Academy of Country Music Awards.

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From the red carpet of the Kids" Choice and the Academy of Country Music Awards, to the city streets of Los Angeles, New York, Milan and London, Hollywood's hottest stars were dressed to rock and shock over the past seven days‹and RadarOnline.com has all the photos in our weekly fashion feature.

PHOTOS: The Best, Worst & Wackiest Fashions Of The Week

Fresh from her breakup with Bradley Cooper, Renee Zellweger jetted over to Milan to introduce her handbag collaboration with Tommy Hilfiger to the world.  The big screen babe, who is usually photographed in casual outfits and workout wear, looked better than ever in a variety of the All-American designer's duds. Her best look?  An emerald green strapless cocktail dress (which flattered her petite figure to the max) paired with Christian Louboutin Pigalle heels.  Eat your heart out, Bradley!

PHOTOS: Sexy Celebs Who Have Good Taste In Bikinis And Bad Taste In Boys

Ashley Judd dropped a bunch of bombshells this week, releasing her tell-all memoir All That Is Bitter & Sweet.  The star shocked her fans even more, hitting a promotional book signing event in NYC, experiencing a severe make-up malfunction. Dressed in a frumpy floral dress and orange Mary Jane style heels, Ashley's fabulous face was drenched white powder.  Time to hire a new makeup artist!

PHOTOS: Bikini Bad Girls!  Trouble Makers Strip Down

And the wacky winner of the week by a landslide was sassy singer Nicki Minaj, who sported two equally eccentric looks, which could best be described as Marge Simpson-meets-Avril Lavigne circa 1981.

PHOTOS: The Best, Worst & Wackiest Fashions Of The 2011 Academy Of Country Music Awards

At the Academy of Country Music Awards, Taylor Swift took home the top fashion honors, wearing a gorgeous, mellow yellow Elie Saab gown and Neil Lane jewels, while Carrie Underwood looked powerful in Jean Fares Couture purple and Julianne Hough brightened up the nigh in a coral colored Randi Rahm halter gown.

PHOTOS: The Best, Worst & Wackiest Fashions Of The Kids Choice Awards

Over at the Kids' Choice Awards Miley Cyrus scored in a Dolce & Gabbana gown, while Taylor Momsen got grotesquely goth in Pretty Reckless attire.

Saoirse Ronan celebrated the release of Hanna, dazzling in a Chanel Pre-Fall 2011 frock, while Helen Mirren dominated the red carpet at the NYC premiere of Arthur, wearing a stunning look from the Lanvin Resort 2011 collection.

PHOTOS: The Best, Worst & Wackiest Fashions Of The Weekend

And Gwen Stefani and Kim Kardashian both experienced fashion flops in unflattering jumpsuits.

What other stars rocked and shocked on the fashion front this week?  Click here to find out.

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EXCLUSIVE DETAILS: Ashley Judd¹s Painful Past: Rape & Drug Ordeal Revealed In Shocking Memoir

This week we had three award shows, the Academy of Country Music Awards, the Kids' Choice Awards, and LOGO's NewNowNext Awards, more royal wedding excitement, and some extravagant hat toppers at the Grand National. Catch up on what you might have missed these past seven days with our week in pictures!

Filed under: ACMs, Exclusive, Country News

Last weekend's ACM Celebrity Shoot at Nellis Air Force Base (outside of Las Vegas, Nevada) was covered by The Boot:

Gary LeVox Team Wins NRA Celebrity Shoot

Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts helped drive his team to victory Saturday (April 2) at the NRA/ACM Celebrity Shoot, held at Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas, Nevada. The event was just one of several activities leading up to Sunday's 46th annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

"I love the outdoors. I like to hunt, plus this is a great way to get out and show support for our soldiers," said Gary, who is a lifetime member of the NRA. "It's a thrill and honor to be here with these guys, and I feel blessed to be able to be a part of this shoot."

Blake Shelton, who was the host for the Celebrity Shoot, brought in his team to second place. Former Washington Redskins player Dave Butz had the third place team.

Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry was the top country celebrity shooter, and Butz was the top celebrity shooter.

"I've always been involved with the ACM motorcycle ride before, but this year they didn't have it so I'm here with Blake," Troy said when asked what brought him out so early in the morning. "My dad taught me to hunt and fish and taught me firearm safety. I shot trap in high school. It's an activity the whole family can enjoy. I bought my eight-year-old daughter, Kaylee, a pink camouflage rifle and we're going to teach her to use it. We have friends in Alabama who are members of the NRA, and the whole family goes down there and shoots."

Troy sites another reason to be at the event. "It's just a lot of fun to get out and hang out with my friends. We're all out on the road so much that we don't always have time to see each other and visit for awhile."

Read all about the NRA/ACM Celebrity Shoot here.

Filed under: Country News

Interest in Joe Rose's music grows after Radio 4 show, with Plain Song becoming internet-assisted mini hit

When Nick Park, creator of Wallace and Gromit, chose a song by the son of his oldest friends for Desert Island Discs, some said he was using his platform to give the young man a leg-up in his career.

But Park, who became a national treasure after creating the two Academy Award-winning animated figures, swears this was not the case. The proof, he says, is in the explosion of interest in Joe Rose, a singer and musician, since the Radio 4 programme was broadcast.

"Even Kirsty Young [the presenter of Desert Island Discs] said she thought the song should be the Christmas No 1 when she heard Plain Song," he said yesterday. "Joe's parents are old friends of mine and I have followed his music for years. But it was a great honour to be on Desert Island Discs and I would not have used it to make a conscious promotion of someone's music. Apart from anything else, I know so many musicians that if I did that for one of them, I'd be in trouble with all the others!"

Since his music selection was broadcast on Sunday 19 December, then repeated on Christmas Eve, there have been more than 2,650 visitors to Rose's YouTube page – 10 times more than had logged on after its launch two months' earlier. Sales on his iTunes site have also soared, although the site has not yet released figures.

Moments after the first broadcast, one new fan wrote on Rose's YouTube noticeboard: "Just heard this on Desert Island Discs: the song's brilliant and I can't believe [Rose] doesn't appear to have got a recording contract yet. It would be a perfect Christmas song – just a pity it's probably too late for this year."

During a Christmas Eve repeat broadcast, Rose's music became the soundtrack for cooks preparing festive fare across the country. "Also just heard this on Desert Island Discs, had been listening with half an ear but this song made me stop in my tracks in the kitchen – how beautiful!" posted thefoggiest.

Rose's music has been described as a cross between Arcade Fire, Sigur Ros and Neil Young; it soon became a small internet hit, with fans pasting links to the song's YouTube page on their Facebook pages.

Lyrics and gig dates were demanded. Park himself was effusively thanked for bringing Rose to public attention. "Good old Nick Park! I'm hoping that he's brought Joe Rose's Plain Song the audience it deserves," said StillHeather. "Hurry, go viral!" Urged DaisyandTess. "This could and should be the Christmas No 1 rather than X Factor or John Cage."

Park, whose selection included songs by Neil Young, Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan and Van Morrison, said that he has been delighted by the response. "It's nice to see I have done Joe some kind of favour," he said. "All the kind comments people have made, thanking me, make me feel like I'm basking in his reflected glory. The music industry is so hard to break into that I feel quite overwhelmed that I might have managed to help Joe."

Rose, who sometimes performs with his siblings, Esther and Jack, said Park's recommendation was not only a complete surprise but the best Christmas present he could have wished for.

"I have been sending Nick my music since I was 17 because I value his opinion as a family friend, but I never expected anything more than a bit of advice. I was totally surprised when I got a call from Radio 4, asking for the track."

Rose, a musician for the past eight years, had record deals with two major labels fall through at the last moment.

"The music industry is a hard, hard place," he said. "They're only now really interested in musicians who already have a fanbase, so the most important – but most difficult – thing is to get a platform so people can hear your music. I'm just massively grateful to Nick for giving me that."

Park met Rose's parents, Martin and Kate, at art school in Sheffield in the late 1970s. The film-maker holidays every year with the Rose family at the same Pembrokeshire cottage.

"The first thing we had to ask, when Nick's PA rang and told us he had done this, was whether he was just doing Joe a favour," said Martin. "But she said Nick doesn't do that sort of thing: that he sincerely likes Joe's music.

"Then Nick rang, and told us how hard it had been to pick just eight songs for the programme, but how Joe's song had lasted every cut he'd done. He's a very dear friend and a lovely man."

Unsurprisingly, Rose's manager, Joel Harrison, was also delighted with Park's gesture. "It's incredibly unusual for a young, unsigned musician to get such a primetime slice of airtime," he said. "Nick's really lovely and restores your faith in 'celebrity'; someone who is talented and humble and in no way out for self-glory or self-gratification," he said. "He is a true breath of fresh air, especially when you've worked in the music industry for 10 years!"

Exclusive: Native and the Name, a new Joe Rose song