Documenting Bush -- You've gotta be doing something right if you're the kind of journalist who, according to Noam Chomsky, "upsets all of the right people." As a writer for the London Observer and the BBC, Greg Palast has blown the lid on everything from Enron's efforts to become a major energy monopoly to the 2000 election debacle in Florida. Palast was also one of the first reporters to uncover the deeply entrenched ties between the Bush family and the House of Saud, as outlined in Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11. (In fact, Palast's reporting helps form the backbone of Moore's cinematic thesis.) Not surprisingly, Palast's work for the BBC has been hard to find here in the States, but starting this weekend, Spokane audiences will have a chance to see the award-winning journalist in action when the Met airs his documentary debut, Bush Family Fortunes. With music by Moby and clips from Palast's most incisive interviews for the BBC, Bush Family Fortunes promises to be both eye-opening and entertaining. Best of all, the Spokane showings are part of a nationwide undertaking by the Democracy for America organization, which is also hosting viewings in New York, Cincinnati, Dallas and Jacksonville (among other cities). Palast's film is available on DVD on Sept. 28; the Spokane screenings take place on Sept. 11-14 at 3 pm, 5:30 pm and 8 pm. Call 227-7638.
Athletically Supported -- Here's a change at a Spokane institution: We just got word from our neighbors at the Spokane Club that, effective this month, they'd like to be known as "The Spokane Athletic Club."
"The name change is a reflection of our attempt to match the needs of the community with the needs of the club," says Jeff Thomas, director of marketing and member services for the Spokane Athletic Club. Thomas goes on to explain that in recent years, people are joining the club more for its fitness facilities than its social and networking possibilities. Although new members do still need to be recommended by two sponsors, the club is changing its focus for changing times. For more information, call Jeff Thomas at 459-4242.
On the Wall -- Here in the Bin, we dig the groovy magic that happens when Art Disciplines Meet. If you're going to Interplayers' season opener, Painting Churches, this weekend, be sure to check out the exhibit running concurrently in Interplayers' Gellhorn Gallery. Inspired by the show's narrative about a female artist who hopes to paint her aging parents one last time, various local artists, including Mel McCuddin, Melissa Lang and Lanny deVuono, interpret such themes as familial love, loss and memory.
Publication date: 09/09/04
