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12B Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Bulletin, Progressive, Record, Reporter
!
Plumas County is invited to
experience the Japanese art of
taiko when Plumas Arts pre-
sents Shasta Taiko at two pub-
lic performances: Wednesday,
April 20, at the Town Hall
Theatre at 7 p.m. and Friday,
April 22, at 7:15 p.m. at The
Feather Community Art Cen-
ter in Portola.
For Jeanne Mercer and her
husband, Russel Baba, who
founded the renowned Shasta
Taiko group in 1985, the thun-
dering rhythms of the taiko
drum are more than just mu-
sic -- they're an affirmation
of life.
"The first time I saw a taiko
performance, it just blew me
away because it was so power-
ful and physical," recalls Mer-
cer, who is generally recog-
nized as having the most
years of experience among
American women taiko play-
ers. "I thought it was wonder-
ful, especially for the women,
because it made them yell,
shout and really express
themselves in a very powerful
way."
"Taiko has helped me gain
confidence in myself and
build self-esteem as a Japan-
ese American," says Russel
Baba. "I was born right after
World War II and the attitude
toward anything Japanese at
that time had negative conno-
tations."
"But teaching taiko to non-
Asians has shown me that
something like taiko is sorely
needed everywhere," Baba
adds. "There are basic life
lessons that everyone could
experience by active partici-
pation in taiko or other arts
or cultural activities. There is
nothing like playing drums
with others and playing a big
taiko is a very unique and
powerful experience."
"Almost all of my composi-
tions, I would say, come from
the connection with nature,,
says Mercer.
"The material itself that we
play-on is natural," Baba
notes. "I really enjoy that feel-
ing of the drum -- just of the
wood and the skin. Then, liv-
ing in nature, I just absorb it.
I don't know if I consciously
come out with compositions
that way, but I feel that it does
affect me. The presence of that
mountain is there. And I also
think of the connections to
Mount Fuji in some ways, be-
cause my grandfather was
from Yamanashi-ken, which
is at the base of Mount Fuji."
Baba has also used the
rhythms and instruments of
taiko for experimentation. A
versatile musician who also
plays saxophone and flute, Ba-
ba has incorporated taiko
with jazz for many years.
Finding a balance between the
two sharply contrasting musi-
cal styles continues to be an
exciting challenge for him.
"Japanese seem to always
have a very formal approach
to anything, especially the
arts," Baba says. "So for me, I
feel like I'm between two
worlds. Basically, taiko is for-
mal. Everything is planned be-
fore -- rehearsed and polished.
The type of jazz I learned and
love to play is more sponta-
neous, freer, looser."
"I'm just beginning to feel
more comfortable about being
uncomfortable, realizing it is
healthy and reflects where I
am -- as an artist and as a per-
son -- in so-called conflict,"•
Baba says. "Walking in two
worlds -- traditional/modern,
East/West, form/freedom,
mind/heart. And that may re-
flect where we all are living
today."
He expresses optimism for
what music may reflect to-
morrow. Baba and Mercer's
son, Masato Baba, is also an
accomplished musician who
has had a lifelong passion for
taiko and has toured as a
member of the Kenny Endo
Taiko Ensemble.
"It is really a blessing to see
Masato develop as an artist
and into an outstanding per-
son," says Baba. "He is my in-
spiration and a teacher."
"American taiko and the
modern taiko movement is a
relatively new, growing art
form," Baba observes. "Taiko
is more than simply playing a
drum. Playing music is more
than hitting the right note or
being on time. It may be more
about centering and balance
and maintaining tension,
presence and effort with re-
laxation. It is a life experience
and a nurturing experience.
The act of playing and partici-
pating is life."
Admission to the Shasta
Taiko performances will be a
$5 donation per person at the
door, but greater amounts
would be appreciated from
those who are able to pay. No
one will be denied access to
the performance for an inabil-
ity to pay. Guests are encour-
aged to arrive at least 15 min-
utes early as capacity crowds
are anticipated.
These performances are
funded in part by a music-in-
dustry antitrust settlement;
the California Arts Council, a
state agency; and the National
Endowment for the Arts, a
federal agency.
Events Around
Wed, April 20
Quincy:
Plumas County Museum volunteer orientation meeting, 10 - 11 a.m.,
volunteer opportunities. For information: 283-6320.
500 Jackson St. Participants can find out about
Earth Day festivities, starting 6:30 p.m., Town Hall Theatre. Community Sustainability Awards at 6:30 p.m., Shasta
Taiko Drum Group performs at 7 p.m. Admission $5.
Thu, April 21
Quincy:
Scientific research seminar, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Quincy Town Hall Theatre. Presentations will cover ecosystem man-
agement effects on the Plumas, Lassen, Tahoe national forests. For information: Colin Dillingham, 283-7881, cdilling-
ham@fs.fed.us.
Crescent Mills:
Adult Easter egg hunt, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.,
prize; golden egg worth a special prize.
Fri, April 22
Crescent Country. Hunt continues until all eggs are found. Each egg worth a
Portola:
Words & Music, 7 p.m., Feather River Community Center.
$3, tea and coffee available. For information: 832-4518.
Student Night, sign up at the door for open stage Admission
Quincy:
Free Good Friday concert, 7 p.m., Springs of Hope Christian Fellowship at 59 Bell Lane. "Vintage Grace" worship band
and choir will provide an audio-visual walk through the life of Christ.
Sat, April 23
Chester:
Easter egg hunt, 9:30 a.m., Chester Park. Sponsored by Rotary Club of Chester. Easter Bunny arrives 9:30; hunt at 10 a.m.
Easter egg hunt, 10 a.m., fire station on County Road A13. Hosted by Hamilton Branch Fire Department Volunteers
and Firebelles. Includes Easter Bunny visit, candy, prizes.
Bowl-a-thon for ARPD, 1 p.m., Almanor Bowling Center at 376 Main Street. Sponsorships benefit Almanor Recreation
and Park District. Cost $9 per bowler. For information: Ruth, 258-6097.
Greenhorn:
Zumba for Rochelle Parratt, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Greenhorn Creek Guest Ranch. Feel-good workout for $10; pro-
ceeds benefit young morn battling Hodgkin's lymphoma. For information: Christie, 283-1588, quincyzum-
ba@hotmail.com.
Opening day, starts 1 p.m., Greenhorn Creek Guest Ranch at 2116 Greenhorn Ranch Road. Free family activities in-
clude hot air balloon rides, Forest Service and fire department presentations, bounce house, live music, fishing,
games, giveaways. Dinner $12.99 for those over 12; under 12 eat for free. For information: 283-0930, greenhorn-
ranch.com.
Greenville:
Easter egg-coloring contest, egg hunt, Easter bonnet contest; start 8 a.m.; Evergreen Market. Drop off decorated eggs
for contest between April 19 and April 22. Child, high school, adult categories: winners receive $25 gift card.
Annual Easter egg hunt, 11 a.m., Greenville Elementary School. Babies - 10-year-olds. Drop off donations of boiled
colored eggs Fri, April 22, at Nellz Towne Pump, Waystation, Sierra Sunrise• For information: 284-6633.
Lake Almanor:
Peninsula Firemen'sAssociation lasagna dinner, 5 p.m., Peninsula Fire District at 801 Golf Club Road. Fundraiser for
fire and medical equipment. For information: Holly, 259-2306.
Quincy:
Sustainability Saturday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Plumas-Sierra County Fairgrounds. Workshops offered in Mineral Building as
part of Earth Day celebrations. "Communication for Community Building," 9 a.m. - noon, $10. "Graywater Systems
Design," 1 - 2 p.m., free. "Home Brewing 101," 2 - 4 p.m., free. Kids Zone provided.
Show and Shine, noon, Sports and Shorts at 1750 E. Main. Relay for Life fundraiser includes prize drawings, wood
bear carvings, live music. Cars and motorcycles welcome.
Taylorsville:
Mt Jura Gem and Museum annual Easter egg hunt, 10:30 a.m., Taylorsville campground or Indian Valley Museum (in
bad weather). Toddlers - 12-year-olds. Drop off egg donations at the museum April 22. For information: 284-7785.
Quincy:
Guest speaker Karen Linsley, Center for Spiritual
begins 10:30. For information: cslquincy.org.
Sun, April 24
Living at corner of Church
and Lawrence. Meditation 10 a.m., service
If" =-- .i. I i i ~ i i i i I i --- i i., .-- .i ~um~i ~1
SEI~TIOI~ I~I%TU Monday, April 25 Brussels sprouts, • n
"Drumming is one way:that people can find something so simple. It's just the beat -- a heartbeat
and rhythm of nature." --Russel Baba, Shasta Taiko Photo courtesy Plumas Arts
MEN, from page 11B
end of a continuum of behav-
iors that normalize men's sex-
ist treatment of women. What
about college guys hiring
strippers for private parties
and openly calling those
women "bitches and hoes"?
And let's not forget -- an en-
tire genre in pornography is
devoted to simulated scenes of
gang rape which in many
quarters is considered socially
acceptable entertainment for
men, who sometimes watch it
in groups.
One of the most disturbing
aspects of this gang rape (as in
others) is how often the al-
leged perpetrators videotape
the event. In the Cleveland,
Texas, assault, the police in-
vestigation was prompted, ac-
cording to the Times, when an
elementary school student
alerted a teacher to a cell-
phone video that included one
of her classmates. Why would
men videotape an incident
that literally documents their
commission of a first-degree
felony unless they thought 1)
there was absolutely no
chance of them being caught
or 2) they weren't doing any-
thing wrong?
It is this last possibility that
is most disturbing, because it
implicates not just the men
and boys who have been
charged with the crime, but
all of us. What role does each
• of us play in defining and per-
petuating social norms? More-
over, what is the responsibili-
ty of adult men not only to
girls, but to boys? What is the
responsibility that each of us
has to teach, mentor and mod-
el for younger men and boys
non-sexist attitudes and be-
haviors toward women?
It is important to emphasize
that we can primarily be con-
cerned about the actual victim
in this case and be empathetic
with the boys and young men
who are charged with this aw-
ful crime. How many of them
were coerced to participate by
older adolescents and young
adults? How many of the
younger boys acquiesced be-
cause they wanted to fit in and
be respected as "one of the
guys"?
Like other gang rapes, the
East Texas case furnishes a
powerful metaphor about si-
lence and complicity, because
gang rapes can often be pre-
vented if just one guy takes a
stand. Can it really be true
that there wasn't one guy-- or
more -- in the group who
knew this was terribly wrong?
If so, then what were the inter-
nal dynamics of the group that
prevented anyone from inter-
rupting or stopping the
process? Are men (and boys)
so scared of each other that no
one will speak out for fear that
other men will think less of
them, or worse, turn the vio-
lence on them?
April is Sexual Assault
Awareness Month. But while
awareness about sexual as-
sault is a crucial first step, it
is not enough. For men in par-
ticular, we need more of a
willingness to act -- both lo-
cally and globally. When men
speak out about rape and oth-
er forms of violence against
women, we make it clear to
other men that we do not tol-
erate or condone the mistreat-
ment of women. We also send
the message that men who
mistreat women will face seri-
ously negative social conse-
quences for doing so -- not
just legal consequences. Join
us and the women who have
been doing this work for
years. Stand upand speak out
for an end to sexual violence!
DARK, from page 11B
finding a 50 percent higher
risk of cancer of the parotid,
a salivary gland near the
ear, among habitual cell-
phone users. A Swedish
analysis of 16 studies in the
journal Occupational and
Environmental Medicine
showed a doubling of risk
for acoustic neuroma, a tu-
mor that occurs where the
ear meets the brain, after 10
years of heavy cellphone
use.
People who use cellphones
for hours are basically heat-
ing their brains to dangerous
levels (cell phone radiation
is the same as found in mi-
crowave ovens, used to cook
your food). Even a one-time,
two-minute use of a cell-
phone damages blood vessels
in the brain, according to a
Swedish study by neurosur-
geon Leif Salford. He warns
that prolonged, years-long
exposure to cellphone radia-
tion, cellphone towers and
other wireless technologies
can increase the likelihood
of Alzheimer's or dementia,
even in middle life.
Scientists note that many
studies used as proof by the
industry of cellphone safety
II
Martini
Mojito
argarita
Mai Tai
Friday Night • April 22 • 5-$pm
Rockin" Bowlin" 8 - i I pm
Karaoke starts at 9pm
s2 Draft Beer • Kids" arcade
Saturday • April 23'
Almanor Recreation & Park District
Bowl-a-thon 2-5pm
are flawed from the begin-
ning. For these studies, a
cell phone "user" is anyone
who made at least one call a
week for six months or
more, says George Carlo.
For more on cellphones,
see next week's paper.
LETTERS, from page 11B
American Dream is a national
ethos of the United States in
which freedom includes a
promise of the possibility of
prosperity and success. Notice
"freedom" and "possibility,"
not government guarantees.
We in the United States en-
joy relative safety and abun-
dance; our homes, water, food,
roads, parks, etc. are among
the best. Our abundant society
is the result of decades of am-
bitious and productive people
building wealth, which in turn
funds government. Inequality
is essential for a country to
have a good future because of
implied freedoms. Those who
reject education and .are lazy
dominate the least affluent lev-
el of society, and why should
they enjoy a standard of living
equal to those who are produc-
tive?
Shelters writes we have
"more income disparity than
Egypt, Tunisia, Nicaragua,
Venezuela and Guyana." Are
those examples of what she
wishes for us?
The metaphor of "equality"
underlies Karl Marx's theory
of communism: that to achieve
equality in a society, private
property must be banned to
avoid certain people from ac-
cumulating more than an
equal share. Property must be
owned by government, food,
shelter and clothing doled out
in equal measures. All jobs
pay the same (except bureau-
I Hot turkey sandwich, tossed mufffm, chilled apricots I Rockin" Bowlin'8-11pm
i For the nutrition site in your green salad, mixed vegetables,
area call: Chester, 394-7636; strawberries/frozen yogurt Thursday, April 28 I "Relax... it's A/manof -lime"TM J |
Tomato soup, tuna sandwich, _
IQuincy, 283"0643; Tuesday, April 26 t°ssed green salad' fresh fruit' l I Alman°r B°wling I
I Greenville, 284"6608; Beef fajita, peppers, black cook ie,*highsodiumday 'I c ~~4_ I
I Portola, 832-4173; beans, lettuce, tomatoes, enter
" Blairsden, 836-0446, 832-4173. steamed corn, brown rice, Friday, April 29 •
"| priceSUggestedis $2.50.1unChone guestd°nati°nmay orange sections Juice, pork chops, mashed | I 370 Main St., Chester ~1
I accompany each senior, Wednesday, AprU27 potatoes, steamed spinach, • I z58,4300
$6 mandatory charge. Meat loaf, baked potato, whole grain roll, applesauce I www.aImanorbowlingcenter.com ~~
mmmm m m m m m m m m m m m m Im m m mm m m mmm ~
crats become super-rich).
Communism (equality) has
never had good results. Russia
(later USSR), mainland China,
Cambodia, Zimbabwe, Cuba,
Yemen and others have tried
communism -- with'horrid re-
• suits. Pursuit of equality is a
disastrous course.
Gene Kailing
Portola
j
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