Help a local family battle cancer

Social media offers the ability to connect people throughout cyberspace to the degree where anyone can help “a local family.” 

An acquaintance’s post on Facebook caught my eye. It mentioned David Mendoza was fighting Stage IV liver cancer and that his family is without health insurance. The post also stated that the Dawes School community was rallying to support his family. 

I knew of a Dori Mendoza as a volunteer with the 9^th Ward Outreach Committee. After reading the support link, it became apparent that this is Dori’s husband and her family needs help. 

This “local family” lives in Evanston but similar scenarios are fought all across the U.S. and the world. Again, thanks to social media, people can lend a hand no matter where they live. We are all neighbors…everyone is part of the global local community.

David and Dori Mendoza with their girls. Photo courtesy of Todd Hochberg

To support the Mendozas, please visit the Give Forward page set up for David. This fundraiser has earned 47 percent of its goal and will end March 30, 2012. Give as much as you can…the amount doesn’t have to be huge. Spread the word and, collectively, this local family can reach its goal. 

According to Dori Mendoza, your generous donations will help them pay medical bills associated with a clinical trial. It is their hope that David will respond well to the treatment.

Spring, less than a week away, is a time for rebirth and renewal…our support can help a local family renew its spirit to fight this battle.

The Talking Pictures Festival Fades to Black

The four-day Talking Pictures Festival hosted at three Evanston venues concluded Sunday evening with a wrap party at the Orrington Hotel’s Indigo Lounge.  Film lovers sampled from 13 feature and documentary titles and 6 short-film complications including the Oscar-nominated shorts for live action and animation.

Though official numbers have yet to be released, some festival committee members speculated that at least half-dozen films either sold out or came very close to selling out. 

The first film I saw was Fambul Tok, which refers to tradition-based truth-telling and forgiveness ceremonies held in post-conflict Sierra Leone. Though many of the tales were grim, the participants’ capacity for healing and community re-building was inspiring. Much can be learned from these fireside discussions between perpetrators and their victims. Actions that incorporate Fambul Tok could become models for peace-keeping throughout the world.

As one who has enjoyed ballet for many years, it was delightful to watch Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance directed by Evanston’s Bob Hercules. From meager beginnings to world-renown status, the film tells the story of co-founders Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino and their dance company. Interviews with some of the star dancers were a highlight. It also poignantly reminded viewers of the vast artistic talent lost to AIDS. 

Saturday afternoon I saw Miss Representation and believe that school districts throughout the country should invest in this educational treasure. Filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsome trains her camera on mainstream media and discovers how poorly women are portrayed. Perceptions about gender roles can affect how young girls and boys treat one another. Mentoring from adult role models can illustrate the many options available to women beyond youth, beauty and sexuality.

Animation’s rising popularity was evidenced by a nearly sold out Sunday afternoon screening of the five Oscar-nominated animated shorts. A 15-minute entry titled The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore (U.S.A.) could serve as a PSA for books, libraries and literacy in general. While the titular Mr. Lessmore had the lead role, he was supported wonderfully by an expressively drawn Humpty Dumpty.

Director Jasmine McGlade Chazelle’s Maria My Love provided two widely different characters whose unlikely friendship reveals they have more in common than appears on the surface. Ana is a solemn young woman mourning the loss of her mother and resentful of her father’s past mistakes. Maria, who much older, is a reclusive hoarder and her compulsive behavior has alienated her family. Both have used shutting people out as a survival tool. 

In a world where quicker seems to be better, a film titled Fast Talk underscores how quality may be lost to accommodate quantity. Northwestern University film professor Debra Tolchinsky followed the debate team for a year as it pursued another championship. I had pre-screened this film and found the second viewing more enjoyable as I wasn’t straining to understand the team’s breathless speech. The post discussion was enlivened by comments from audience members who were former college debaters.   

Join the conversation at the Talking Pictures Festival

A silent movie titled The Artist won the Oscar for best picture at the 2012 Academy Awards ceremony last month, but the films at the Talking Pictures Festival are anything but silent.

Percolator Films, a 501c3 media arts organization founded by independent filmmakers Ines Sommer and Kathy Berger, produces the Talking Pictures Festival. As its name suggests, screenings are regularly followed by discussions with filmmakers, guest speakers and community groups. 

The festival runs March 8-11 at three Evanston venues and advance tickets may be purchased by clicking here. Film fanatics are encouraged to purchase ‘5-PACK’ discount cards for $40, which may be purchased during the festival at all festival venues.

The event kicks off Thursday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the Next Theatre with Pink Ribbons, Inc. Directed by Léa Pool, the film looks at the breast cancer movement’s evolution from meaningful civic participation to ‘pink’ product saturation.

Friday’s offerings include 2012 Oscar Shorts – Live Action; Fambul Tok, a harrowing tale about post-conflict Sierra Leone; Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance; and Andrew Bird: Fever Year, about the celebrated singer-songwriter.

More short films are scheduled for Saturday as well as features and documentaries: Artists in Residence, directed by Kelly Luchtman; Fully Loaded, directed by Evanston’s Shira Piven; Miss Representation, directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom and The City Dark, from director Ian Cheney. 

NU’s Medill – McCormick Tribune Center hosts two free events: Chicago: Up Close and Personal and Refugee Lives and the Evanston Public Library hosts two free events: My So-Called Enemy and Short Film Spotlight.

Sunday serves up 2012 Oscar Shorts – Animation and Shorts from the Windy City; Maria My Love, directed by Jasmine McGlade Chazelle; Granito: How to Nail a Dictator, from director Pamela Yates; and Fast Talk, directed by NU professor Debra Tolchinsky.

After the final film screening, drop by the Indigo Lounge at Hilton Orrington Hotel in downtown Evanston. The wrap party starts at 7 p.m. and gives filmgoers another chance to talk about movies seen at the Talking Pictures Festival.

All film festival venues are accessible by public transportation via CTA’s Purple Line stations at Davis, Foster and Noyes streets. Central/Ridge #201 buses operate Friday afternoon and evening until about 8 p.m. and Saturday afternoon and evening until about 7:30 p.m. There is no CTA bus service on Sundays. Additionally, bike racks are available at all film festival locations.

Riders for Better Transit’s Leap Day call to action

Some Chicago area gasoline prices surpassed $4 per gallon and a local group of public transit supporters held a rally on Leap Day. Those two actions were not intertwined, but the fluctuating cost of gas has some rethinking their daily commutes.

Volunteers with Riders for Better Transit gathered at Pritzker Park, adjacent to the State and Van Buren L stop, to get handouts to give to transit riders during the morning rush. 

As an avid supporter of public transit, I was among the volunteers who showed up on that mild, yet windy, Wednesday morning.  Accepted the request to give out flyers at Union Station and started the eight-block walk. Another volunteer was already stationed near the northeast exit of the terminal, so I moved to Canal Street side. Waves of commuters burst through the exit doors, some headed to bus stops for transport to a final destination while others walked to their offices. 

It appeared that a few companies located near north Michigan Avenue, charted buses to shuttle employees from the station to their offices.  No freeloaders were allowed. Riders had to show an I.D. to a guard before boarding the bus. Whether the transportation was subsidized partially or wholly by the employers, it’s a nice perk.

Discovered that people waiting in line for various CTA buses to be the most receptive to taking a flyer. I approached an über-green guy who was unfolding his bicycle for the balance of his commute. He explained that full-sized bikes are restricted from trains during morning/afternoon rush-hour schedules. 

After roughly 45-minutes of flyer distribution, I headed back to Pritzker Park for the morning’s main event…the press conference. A group of volunteers, transit officials and news reporters were gathered. ABC’s Channel 7 was the only local television station represented. A second video camera was set up for an unfamiliar news outlet.

Ron Burke speaks at event in Pritzker Park. Participants hold 'Riders for Better Transit' signs. © 2012 GridChicago.com.

Ron Burke, executive director of the Active Transportation Alliance spoke first. “A lot of us who ride transit are more and more fed up with higher fares and worse service,’’ he said. “Unfortunately, transit has been derailed by chronic underfunding.’’

“I think of Derrick Rose from the Chicago Bulls. He recently released a new shoe with a map of the CTA system inside the liner, which is kind of cool. If only our transit system was more like Derrick Rose. They talk about how Derrick is too big, too fast, too strong, too good. Unfortunately our transit system is increasingly too slow, too infrequent and too expensive, with too few routes. We need to change that and we can, with a modest increase in funding for transit.”

Burke urged supported for Transit Fast Forward (SB 3236), which would provide a new, dedicated source of funding for transit that will grow over time. An estimated $11.6 million would be generated in 2013, and a projected $168 million over the first five years. It indexes the state gas tax with inflation, a move that will dedicate an additional fraction of a penny per gallon to public transportation. The end result will be better commutes for drivers and transit riders alike.

He introduced Jennifer Henry of the National Resources Defense Council. “Transit reduces congestion and air pollution, gets people to work affordably and efficiently, attracts jobs and is vital to the Chicago region’s economy,” she said. “Transit Fast Forward is an important step toward solidifying our region’s investment in transit.”

Burke speculated that Metra’s fare hike in February, which raised ticket prices as much as 35 percent, could have been avoided or minimized if the legislation had been in place. A Metra official disagreed. “… I don’t believe that necessarily would have unburdened that (fare hike). It it might have had some effect,’’ said Sam Smith, Metra’s government relations chief.

Another speaker was Steve Schlickman, executive director of the Urban Transportation Center at the University of Illinois-Chicago. “We are falling way behind in terms of being competitive on transportation as it serves our economy,’’ he said. “We can’t just rely on fare increases to solve our transit needs. Fares will never pay for the infrastructure.’’

When the press conference concluded, the crowd dispersed and I took the Red Line train back to Howard Street and switched to a Purple Line train. 

My day’s action on behalf of better transit had one more step. At a 9^th Ward meeting that evening, Alderman Coleen Burrus introduced me so I could urge attendees to pick up a flyer and contact their state legislators about supporting the bill.

Mitsubishi’s EV is something to smile about

It’s likely that the first car regarded as “cute” by consumers was the Volkswagen Beetle. One didn’t have to be an entomologist to appreciate the nickname it acquired – “bug.”

Over the years other small sized cars have attained cutedom with the most recent brands being BMW’s Mini Cooper, Daimler AG’s Smart Car and Chrysler’s Fiat 500. Indeed, those car brands are appealing but they can’t hold a spark to the newest brand on the block – Mitsubishi’s i-MiEV.

Not only is the i-MiEV cute as a button, it’s also a plug-in electric vehicle with a range of about 62 miles. For 2012, it was ranked #1 on the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) annual Greenest Cars List. The new i-MIEV bested the Honda Civic Natural Gas, which held the number one spot for eight straight years.

Say goodbye to carbon and hello to electrons with three charging options for the i-MiEV. Plug into a 120V/15-amp dedicated household outlet, use an optional super-fast Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) home charging dock (240V), or grab an 80 percent charge in 30 minutes at a public quick-charge station.

A smiling i-MiEV; photo by Mayre Press.

Looking at the vehicle head on, there appears to be a smile between the two headlights. That’s apropos for a car that has zero-percent emissions and a projected annual fuel cost of $550.

As displayed on the floor at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show, the i-MiEV had a MSRP of $30,125 and the federal tax credit of $7,500 makes the deal even sweeter. 

Can a “cute” car be safe? This one is constructed using Mitsubishi i’s Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution (RISE) to minimize crumpling and disperse impact energy in the event of an accident. Couple this with a six-airbag system with advanced frontal airbags and occupants are protected beyond federal safety standards.

If you’re an early adopter or a cuteness fanatic, visit a local dealer to check it out. According to a sales rep at Napleton Mitsubishi in Park Ridge, the first orders for the i-MiEV will be filled in late April 2012.

This is the first of several posts about the 2012 Chicago Auto Show. A special "shout-out" to John Roman of State Farm Insurance for the discount coupon.