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uVu has a weekly new webepisode called Words on the Street where we ask random questions to South Florida residents on the streets of Miami. You can submit your questions with your name and we will pick one question each week.
You can go to the link below to see the segment from last week.
Words on the Street
Leave your questions in the comment section.
Continuing to share highlights from our crew’s trip to Colombia last year for the documentary “Colombia: Música de Mi Tierra” (Colombia: Music from My Land) … From the steamy hot climate of Barranquilla we flew south and over the Andes Mountains to rainy Bogotá, Colombia’s capital. This busy metropolis of 8 million people is located on the Eastern Andes at 8,861 feet above sea level. Here in the Andean region, traditional music is played mostly with guitars and two other string instruments: the tiple and the bandola. Romantic and melancholic musical styles like the bambuco prevail, with sentimental descriptions of the region’s women and lush landscape.
We first interviewed composer Jorge Villamil, who shared anecdotes behind some of his most popular ballads like “Espumas” and “Los Guaduales”. Mr. Villamil, now in his twilight years and in failing health, cheerfully proclaims himself a “musical illiterate” who can’t read a note. Despite that, he has written some of the most beloved tunes of the region, inspired by the rivers and hills of his native Santander, northeast of Bogota. That night, we had a chance to attend a tribute in his honor, where the musical duet the Tejada Brothers played some of his works as Dr. Villamil happily sang along from his front-row seat.
We also had a chance to meet with Jaime and Mario Martínez, better known as “The Martinez Brothers.” This duet has been performing Colombian bambucos and pasillos for nearly 50 years. They do it beautifully, with the older Mario singing pitch-perfect harmony to Jaime’s expressive melody as they strum their tiple and guitar. The two are so in sync with each other that during our interview they often completed each other’s sentences. I’d heard recordings they made during their heyday. Now listening to them perform the bambuco “Campesina Santandereana” in front of us, I was impressed to find that they play as well as they did back then and with the same feeling in their voices. Years ago, men from Bogota were known as “cachacos”-- a term now used to describe anyone who lives in the Andean region. Cachacos had a reputation for dressing impeccably and acting very gallantly. Even though they’re not originally from Bogota, the Martinez’s made me think of a cachaco. Not only were they dressed in perfectly tailored suits and ties, they were very kind and wonderful hosts (they even treated us to some Colombian coffee).
Another “cachaco” we met is Jaime Llano Gonzalez, a long-time interpreter of bambucos and pasillos who introduced the expressive sounds of the organ to this music. (Mr. Gonzalez would take issue with my calling him a “cachaco.” He comes from Medellin, another major city in the region. Thus, he is a proud “paisa.”) He told us how when as a young man he first tried to play bambucos on the organ, the clergy banned him from attending mass, claiming that he had committed sacrilege by taking a holy instrument used by the church and applying it to “frivolous” bambucos. But his renditions were so popular that eventually the priests came around. After our interview, the maestro was reluctant to play the organ for us because, he explained, no one had been able to make a good audio recording of the organ at his house. But after Allan told him he likes a challenge, he accepted. Al worked his magic setting up mics strategically around the instrument, and when we played back the tape to Mr. Gonzalez, he proclaimed it was the first time this had been accomplished successfully.
One of the most memorable experiences of our trip took place at the home of the Hernandez family. This is a musical family if there ever was one. The parents have been teaching their six kids to sing and to love traditional Colombian music from the time they were toddlers. We interviewed the two oldest, Diana and Fabián (now in their 20s), who’ve been performing as a very successful duet since they were kids. Afterwards, the family got out their guitar, tiple and percussion, and harmonized to some of their favorite bambucos. Though we’d really enjoyed hearing talented older artists perform, it was also great to witness a new generation of Colombians singing the traditional tunes as beautifully and with such enthusiasm.
BENISE: NIGHTS OF FIRE
SIX DAYS IN JUNE
INDEPENDENT LENS
ELLA FITZGERALD
12 GIRLS BAND: LIVE FROM SHANGHAI
ANNE OF GREEN GABLES
THE LONG WAY HOME & SOUTH OF BROOKLYN
WINGED MIGRATION
MY MUSIC: COUNTRY POP LEGENDS
BENISE: NIGHTS OF FIRE
Guitarist Roni Benise and the 50 musicians and dancers who join him throughout this program take viewers on spectacular journey of Spanish music and dance, from Cuban salsa to Spanish flamenco to Brazilian samba. Traditional Flamenco dancers, De La Guarda performers, Broadway dancers and featured soloists all join forces to create a new vocabulary of Spanish dance that reflects Benise's musical invention and artistry.
Be sure to watch and see our special in studio guest and find out how you can see Benise live.
BENISE: NIGHTS OF FIRE, airs on Monday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m. (90 minutes)
SIX DAYS IN JUNE
Based on new research and newly declassified documents, this program chronicles the Six Day War between Israel and its Arab neighbors in 1967 and explores how those events shaped the contemporary Middle East.
SIX DAYS IN JUNE, airs on Monday, June 4 at 9:00 p.m. (120 minutes)
INDEPENDENT LENS
 La Lupe: Queen of Latin Soul
Legendary Afro-Cuban pop singer Lupe Victoria Yoli, "The Queen of Latin Soul Music," aka La Lupe or La Yiyiyi, rose to fame in the 1960's and died in 1992 virtually unknown. Beautiful, sexual and the epitome of Afro-Cuban 60âs sophistication, La Lupe remains the quintessential bad girl and perpetual outsider, renowned for emotional performances and as the embodiment of female narcissism who stopped at nothing in the name of love and passion. Produced and Directed by Ela Troyano, La Lupe was presented at this year's Miami International Film Festival. For additional information on this film visit uVu and Impromp2 (the Channel 2 Blog).
INDEPENDENT LENS: La Lupe: Queen of Latin Soul, airs on Tuesday, June 5 at 10:00 p.m. (60 minutes)
GREAT PERFORMANCES
We Love Ella! A Tribute to the First Lady of Song
Distinctive, innovative and beloved around the world, Ella Fitzgerald sang sultry ballads and swinging pop standards, earning 13 Grammy Awards and selling more than 40 million albums. It would be impossible to overestimate her influence on the next generation of performers. Many of them - including Patti Austin, Natalie Cole, Quincy Jones, Ruben Studdard, Nancy Wilson and Stevie Wonder  - are commemorating what would have been Ella's 90th birthday (April 25, 2007) with an all-star tribute concert.
JAZZ ICONS: ELLA FITZGERALD LIVE IN '57 AND '63
JAZZ ICONS: ELLA FITZGERALD LIVE IN '57 AND '63 features "The First Lady of Song" in two classic performances. The first is her earliest known complete concert to be captured on film. Shot in Belgium, this 1957 concert has Ella performing with jazz greats Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, Jo Jones and the legendary Oscar Peterson on classics such as "Lullaby of Birdland" and "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)." The second show is an intimate in-studio performance from 1963, taped in Sweden, featuring Ella backed by a quartet including pianist Tommy Flanagan. Highlights include stellar versions of "Mack
the Knife" and "Just One of those Things.
GREAT PERFORMANCES: We Love Ella! A Tribute to the First Lady of Song, airs on Wednesday, June 6 at 8:00 p.m. (120 minutes)
JAZZ ICONS: ELLA FITZGERALD LIVE IN '57 AND '63, airs on Wednesday, June 6 at 10:00 p.m. (90 minutes)
12 GIRLS BAND: LIVE FROM SHANGHAI
During the 13th century in China, the emperor was usually entertained by a band of 12 young women playing a variety of stringed instruments. Those same instruments are used today by Chinaâs foremost world music ensemble, 12 Girls Band, who perform beneath the famous Pearl Tower in Shanghaiâs skyscraper district, electrifying the city with their high-energy orchestral arrangements. The young women treat their audience to arrangements of their best-selling world music albums, as well as unique arrangements of classical crossover favorites such as "Nessun Dorma" and selections from Handel, Mozart and Bach.
Tune in to find out how you can see these unique performers live in the first South Florida visit.
12 GIRLS BAND: LIVE FROM SHANGHAI, airs on Saturday, June 9 at 5:00 p.m. (90 minutes)
ANNE OF GREEN GABLES
Precocious yet lovable Anne Shirley returns to public television during an encore presentation of ANNE OF GREEN GABLES, a classic television series that chronicles the trials and tribulations of a young orphan girl navigating her way through life. Based on the 1908 novel by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery, the story's fairytale charm, emotional power and endless wit has made it a fixture in children's libraries around the world for nearly a century.
ANNE OF GREEN GABLES (101-104), airs on Sunday, June 10 at 1:30 p.m. (300 minutes)
THE LONG WAY HOME
THE LONG WAY HOME examines the critical post-World War II period from 1945 -1948 and the plight of tens of thousands of refugees who survived the Nazi Holocaust. It depicts their often illegal attempts to get to the Jewish homeland and explores how much of the world turned its back on the tragedy of these forgotten people and the world events that led to the creation of the State of Israel.
SOUTH OF BROOKLYN
South of Brooklyn recalls a time when Florida was a sleepy southern state without air conditioning or a tourist industry, when prejudice and the small number of Jewish people made the state an unlikely destination for the coming Jewish migration. This documentary tells the story of Florida's Jewish presence by looking at the lives of the Jewish pioneers who settled in Miami, Jacksonville, Pensacola and Key West through memories of their descendants. Narrated by Judd Hirsh, this heart-warming documentary paints a portrait of a strong community bound by its determination to build a future in Florida and keep traditions alive.
Watch a clips from South of Brooklyn (pt1) (pt2) (pt3)
THE LONG WAY HOME, airs on Sunday, June 10 at 6:30 p.m. (150 minutes)
SOUTH OF BROOKLYN, airs on Sunday, June 10 at 9:00 p.m. (90 minutes)
 WINGED MIGRATION
WINGED MIGRATION is a documentary directed by one of France's most respected actors and producers, Jacques Perrin. Presented with almost no narration and filmed primarily from a bird's perspective, this study of the lives and habits of migrating birds
re-creates as nearly as possible, the experiences of the birds themselves.
WINGED MIGRATION, airs on Tuesday, June 12 at 8:00 p.m. (120 minutes)
MY MUSIC: COUNTRY POP LEGENDS
Country pop legends unite to perform their biggest and most-loved hit recordings from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s in an all-new entry in the MY MUSIC series of specials. County music legend Roy Clark hosts this emotional trip down three decades of memory lane. New performances from Glenn Campbell, Crystal Gayle, Hank Locklin, Bill Anderson, BJ Thomas, the Bellamy Brothers, the Browns and more are intermixed with full-length vintage archival gems from the vaults.
MY MUSIC: COUNTRY POP LEGENDS, airs on Thursday, June 14 at 8:00 p.m. (120 minutes)
CRAFT IN AMERICA
 Three programs, airing Wednesday, May 30th from 8-11pm, explore the vitality, history and significance of the craft movement in the United States and its impact on the nation’s rich cultural heritage. “Memory,” “Landscape” and “Community” feature stories of prominent craft artisans set against the larger historical context of craft itself. “Memory” focuses on the historical relevance of craft through the eyes of several contemporary pioneers in the field. “Landscape” examines the interdependent relationship of craft artists to their media and the natural world. The final installment, “Community,” highlights the social and emotional connections that crafts embody.
Do you have a story about a favorite craft or relevant memory connected with it? Tell us about it and leaving a comment.
Independent Lens: The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
Airs Tuesday, May 29th at 10:00pm
 
In a celebration of urban wildness, THE WILD PARROTS OF TELEGRAPH HILL follows formerly homeless street musician Mark Bittner into San Francisco’s avian subculture, where a remarkable flock of wild green-and-red parrots live and work to survive. Dubbed the “Bohemian St. Francis,” Bittner falls in with the flock as he searches for his path through life, unaware that the wild parrots will do more for him than eat his sunflower seeds.
The film reveals moving relationships between Bittner and the birds and explores passionate dynamics among the parrots, often linking their antics to human behavior. (Watch a clip)
Although he is no scientist, Bittner becomes something of an avian expert as he consults local birders and as he feeds, names, studies and protects the cherry-headed conures—escaped pets who have begun to breed in the wilds of the city.
Parrot “stars” include Connor, the lonely blue-crowned conure, ostracized by the cherry-heads; Picasso and Sophie, an affectionate couple who love to cuddle; Pushkin, a single father who raises three babies on his own; and Mingus, a cherry-headed conure who tries to join the flock, but, hobbled by a crippled leg, comes to live with Mark Bittner in his house instead.
The film culminates with Bittner’s race to save the parrots when his home (and that of some of the parrots) is threatened. Meanwhile, his own quest for survival and companionship uncannily parallels that of his birds. In the film’s climactic ending Bittner does find the meaning he sought—though no one could have predicted the surprising form in which it comes.
A SPECIAL OFFER FOR Imprompt2 Readers
On the tails of its world premiere at the 2007 Miami International Film Festival, WPBT Channel 2 invites you to a FREE screening of the Independent Lens program LA LUPE: QUEEN OF LATIN SOUL
Thursday, May 31 7:30 p.m. at The Wolfsonian
 Legendary Afro-Cuban pop singer Lupe Victoria Yoli, “La Lupe: The Queen of Latin Soul Music,” rose to fame in the 1960s and died in 1992 virtually unknown. Beautiful, sexual and the epitome of Afro-Cuban 60s sophistication, La Lupe remains the quintessential bad girl and perpetual outsider, renowned for her emotional performances and as the embodiment of female narcissism who stopped at nothing in the name of love and passion.
The Wolfsonian is located at 1001 Washington Avenue · South Beach · 305.535.2644
Discounted parking available at the Pelican Garage (1041 Collins Avenue) with museum validation
Seating is limited so please send an RSVP to jennifer_berman-diaz@wpbt.org by May 29. Please note only two seats per reservation.
 Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna are two acclaimed actors who have also dedicated themselves to veterans’ causes. In the following interview, Joe and Gary share their thoughts on the Memorial Day holiday and the wounded as they reunite again to co-host this year’s concert. The nation’s premier memorial event will be broadcast live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol on Sunday, May 27, 2007 from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. on Channel 2
Q: Although you have both been involved in the National Memorial Day Concert in years past, this is your second time co-hosting. How do you think you complement each other in this show?
Sinise: I think it’s a perfect combination because Joe and I have a history together. We’re both from Chicago and we also both have veterans in our families so this particular day means something to both of us. The concert is some thing we look forward to all year.
Q: Gary, did playing the role of a disabled veteran “Lt. Dan” in Forrest Gump give you any insight that you use when you meet with wounded soldiers today?
Sinise: Service members still call me “Lt. Dan.” People seem to recognize that character and feel that they have an understanding of him, especially disabled veterans. But the “Lt. Dan” character is only one aspect of it. I’ve been out there supporting our vets for many years. I go over to Iraq and I’ve done more than fifty concerts for the USO with my Lt. Dan Band in the last three years. In fact, I’ll be coming straight from Iraq to the National Memorial Day Concert that weekend.
Q: Do you have any suggestions for Americans who have not been directly impacted by the war but who want to do something to support the troops?
Mantegna: I think all Americans have a moral obligation to do something because we live in a country that’s based on independence. You can’t expect those who have made that commitment to defend our liberties to carry the full burden. Whether it’s volunteering at a local VA hospital or if you’re an employer, maybe you hire one of these wounded guys. Watching the concert helps because it’s a good place to raise people’s consciousness to what we’re talking about.
Sinise: I would point people to several web sites and organizations. One is www.americasupportsyou.mil. They can go there and see dozens of organizations that have been started by average American citizens who want to do something.
Other organizations include:
Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes,
The Wounded Warrior Project,
The Disabled American Veterans,
Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund,
The Fisher House, among many others.
One group started a project where they put together care packages for the troop while another group donated their frequent flier mileage. Three years ago, I started a program called Operation Iraqi Children where we send school supplies over the to the troops and they take them out and give them to the kids. We send pens and pencils, soccer balls, teddy bears and things like that. Hundreds of thousands of these supplies have been distributed all over Iraq to the kids. It’s a real morale builder for the troops and it’s a great thing for the kids who don’t have access to a lot of these simple supplies that we do.
Q: How do you feel that this year’s concert will help provide healing and strength both to the people who are in the audience attending as well as all the millions of people watching at home?
Mantegna: I would like to think that each year we’re making the concert better and more meaningful. Down the line sometime in the future, if we’re still doing this concert, I hope we’re doing it as remembrance of people many years past not so relevant to the current day. But that’s not this year. So until that day comes, we have to do all we can to call attention to memories of those who passed and those currently serving and the wounded and hope that there’s not going to be a lot more in the future.
Q: Last year you brought your Uncles with you to the concert. Was it emotional to be performing in front of them, honoring their service and the service that so many others have given to this country?
Sinise: It was great last year because I not only had my Uncle Jack who was a B-17 Navigator in World War II and there was a special segment in the show last year all about the B-17s, so it was a perfect time for him to come, but I also had my brother-in-law Jack who is a Vietnam Veteran in the Army and his son is now a Marine. My dad, who was in the Navy, was also there along with my sister-in-law who retired as a Captain in the Army after serving for twelve years. They’ll all be there again this year. It was great to be able to share that event with family members who have served because it’s such a significant and special day for them.
Mantegna: I brought my Uncle Willy and my Uncle Jack. It was very emotional for me to be able to introduce my uncles to General Pace who’s head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff because my uncle Willy fought with Patton’s Army and was wounded and my Uncle Jack was an aide to Admiral Halsey on the USS Enterprise. And they were representing other military members of my family such as my wife’s father who had fought in World War II. My uncle Willy only thought of himself as a regular G.I. and so being able to meet the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who shook his hand and gave him one of his medallion medals, that meant more to him than a million dollars. My uncles never talked much about their war experience and now doing something like this brings it out of them a little bit more and it’s just phenomenal.
The Museum of Contemporary Art is calling all artists and filmmakers out there. MOCA is seeking submissions for an upcoming film and video showcase called “Optic Nerve IX.” The showcase will highlight the work of emerging South Florida artists and filmmakers.
MOCA is currently accepting submissions (on VHS or DVD), no longer than 6 minutes a piece. All work must also contain original material made within the last 2 years.
Submissions have to be postmarked by June 22nd, and can be on any subject of interest to the filmmaker. Each person can submit up to 2 entries. Artists whose work has been selected for the July 28th screening will be notified in early July.
The MOCA website has much more information about the showcase: http://www.mocanomi.org, or those interested can also contact Esther Park, Programs Manager, at 305-893-6211 ext. 29 (e-mail: epark@mocanomi.org)
- Vitra in A&P
On Memorial Day weekend, WPBT presents 2 special programs from the series Bill Moyers Journal.
On Friday May 25th at 9pm, Bill Moyers Journal presents an illuminating interview with Maxine Hong Kingston, acclaimed author of many books including the award-winning The Woman Warrior and her latest book Veterans of War, Veterans of Peace. For the past 15 years, Kingston has been working with veterans - more than 500 soldiers from World War II, from Vietnam, and  now, from Iraq - as well as other survivors of war to convert the horrors they experienced into the words and stories that Kingston believes will help them cope and survive.
Then on Sunday at 10pm, following the National Memrial Day Concert, as America honors heroes who have fought and fallen for their nation, Bill Moyers Journal presents "D-Day Revisited," a special one-hour broadcast which follows a group of World War II veterans back to Europe to speak about their wartime experiences-some of them unlocking memories they had been keeping inside for nearly 50 years. Featuring excerpts from the Bill Moyers' 1990 documentary From D-Day to the Rhine, "D-Day Revisited" includes the latest information about the veterans featured in the film who talked with Bill Moyers about their memories, their values, and their commitment to America.
Tonight at 9:00 pm
The Blair Decade
 Through eyewitness and insider accounts, this program tells the inside story of Tony Blair’s rise to Number 10 Downing, providing a new view of the Labour Party’s most successful leader — a man who is ruthless, never compromises, is supremely confident of his judgment and may have sacrificed part of his domestic agenda for a foreign policy that almost destroyed him. In a period when U.S. and British policy and politics have never been more entwined, the inside story of Britain’s prime minister is revelatory, gripping and directly relevant to American viewers.
Watch it tonight and let us know what you think. Where do you rank Tony Blair in the history of British Prime Ministers and why?
Tonight at 11:00 p.m. on Independent Lens
KNOCKING
They are moral conservatives who stay out of politics, but they won a record number of court cases, expanding freedom for everyone. They refuse blood transfusions on religious grounds, but they embrace the science behind bloodless surgery. In Nazi Germany, they could fight for Hitler or go to the concentration camps. They chose the camps. Following two families who stand firm in their controversial and misunderstood Christian faith, “Knocking” reveals how Jehovah’s Witnesses have helped shape history beyond the doorstep. By Joel P. Engardio and Tom Shepard.
Every year around this time PBS holds a meeting so that the many member stations can get together to share ideas and have a look at the programs we will be broadcasting over the next year. Our new season will begin in September with the continuing episodes of some of our regular series and special programming as well.
 The most special of all the new programs is of course Ken Burns' THE WAR. If you haven't heard about this series yet, you surely will by the fall. It will be the major event in our September schedule and we are looking for South Floridians with stories about WWII to come forward and help us tell the local version of this television epic (you can read more about that by clicking on this link).
I'll tell you about some of the other programs in subsequent entries, but I'd like to give you the biggest "take away" from this conference, for me at least. The highlight of this year's meeting is a renewed feeling that PBS as an organization is on the right track, especially as we head toward the 2008 elections. Series like FRONTLINE, Wide Angle and P.O.V. will continue to challenge our conventions and explore worlds of ideas we may miss in the course of our daily lives. There was an incredible sense of optimism about the naming of a new President of PBS, Paula Kerger (well that was a year ago, but many of her new ideas are just starting to take root). There are several new players in the senior management of PBS and both Interactive Media and Education will play greater roles in PBS's strategic plan as we move towards the eventual end of analog broacasting (watch this blog for more information you can use on that front as well).
Among the more exciting developments for our local audience was the unveiling of Channel 2's video sharing portal, uVu, to the rest of the Public Television system. For many, it was a first look at the potential for broadband and Public Television content to come together in a meaningful and entertaining fashion. Take a look for yourself if you haven't yet, we've added some of our own feature stories about Riddle Field during WWII just in time for the Memorial Day weekend, I urge you to share those links.
- Neal in programming
Historical Series Chronicles the Early Years of Britain’s Royal Monarchy
“This is not another picture book story of kings and queens, instead, it is a real grown-up
history of how a monarchy created a nation.” – David Starkey
 MONARCHY WITH DAVID STARKEY is a six-part series focusing on the evolution of English kingship. From the Norman Conquests of 1066 through the British Civil War and the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, this striking series analyzes the gradual emergence of a unique form of government – a constitutional monarchy. This comprehensive and informative documentary airs on Channel 2 and Digital 2.1 in two parts, beginning Thursday, May 17 from 8:00pm-11:00pm and concludes next Thursday at the same time.
Renowned British historian and public television host David Starkey (The Six Wives of Henry VIII) brings this prolific tale of England’s royal rulers to life with his compelling narrative style. As MONARCHY WITH DAVID STARKEY begins with the fall of the Roman Empire, Starkey illustrates how waves of invaders (Anglo Saxons, Vikings and Normans) shaped the cultural and political identity of England. Interspersed throughout the rich historical facts are specific stories of greed, lust, treason and murder that illuminate the power struggles, political developments and religious convictions that ultimately produced the British monarchy.
In his writings on the monarchy, Starkey discusses why this type of ruling institution is unique. “…In Britain – or, rather, in England – monarchy takes on a special meaning because we still have our monarchy. It is over 1,500 years old, which means it is the oldest functioning political institution in Europe. It is also unique because, right from the beginning, the English monarchy had a strong popular element.”
MONARCHY WITH DAVID STARKEY moves from the ages of invasion through to the times of the Great Plantagenets, the Century of Edwards, The Shakespearean Kings, the Wars of the Roses, The Tudor Dynasty – including Henry VIII and Elizabeth I – as well as the Reign of the Stuarts
IRISH ESCAPE
 It has been called the most outrageous escape story in the history of the high seas. In 1876, after eight years of incarceration at Fremantle Prison in Western Australia, six Irish political prisoners escaped to America on board the American whaler Catalpa. Under the pretext of a whaling voyage, the Catalpa and its unassuming captain, George Smith Anthony, had sailed from New Bedford to liberate the prisoners. SECRETS OF THE DEAD tracks down descendents of Anthony and the prisoners and explores the swashbuckling details of the dramatic rescue through re-enactments of key events, including a fierce confrontation between the Catalpa and the HMS Georgette, the British steamer that pursued the whaler once the escapees were on board.
SECRETS OF THE DEAD: Irish Escape airs Wednesday, May 16 at 8:00 p.m. on Channel 2 and Digital 2.1
A few months ago, I had a chance to meet Rolando Llanes at lunch. I was introduced to him by Joe Cardona, a filmmaker who has worked with WPBT often in the past. The meeting was to discuss their current project called "White Elephant."
Llanes, a local architect, who was teaching at UM 11 years ago when he began the project had enlisted Cardona and his KIDS IN EXILE FILMS Team, Mario De Varona and Gabriel Mena, to turn this idea into a film.
I won't get into too much detail about the film's premise, there is a terrific article from the Miami Herald this week which does that. But I can now tell you about what I witnessed on the screen last night at the Tower Theater for the film's World Premiere and about the results of their efforts.
The KIE team, along with Llanes' production company, CANTILEVER Productions, has taken a sprawling and complex story about the intersection of the Old Miami Stadium, the Cuban Revolution, Minor League Baseball, Urban Renewal, Civil Rights and one family's personal tragedies and turned them into a fascinating and curious story. Spanning roughly the entire second half of the 20th Century, "White Elephant" manages to tie all these disparate pieces together. Much to their credit, when we originally discussed the film, I couldn't imagine how Cardona would get this all to fit in a tight, 90 minute package, but he has.
I hope that WPBT has a chance to bring this film to a wider audience. Even though the Tower was standing room only, it represented a small portion of the potential reach "White Elephant" deserves.
Llanes said it best in his opening remarks before the film calling it "a labor of love turned into a work of art."
One footnote on the evening, before the film, we got a chance to see a trailer for KIE's next release, a long awaited bio-pic of Celia Cruz complete with a reminder that the Bass Museum of Art will have a new exhibition called ¡Azúcar! THE LIFE
AND MUSIC OF CELIA CRUZ opening next week. We hope to have a piece on that exhibition on uVu shortly.
- Neal in programming
On Saturday we had a terrific turnout at the Young At Art's Children's Festival of the Arts. This annual event has grown too big for the parking lot outside the Museum (which if you've never been to, you simply must) off of SR84 and Hiatus in Davie.
Despite the heat and more than faint hint of smoke in the air, hundreds of our youngest viewers turned out to make paper flowers for their Moms.
Again, thanks to all the great volunteers who turn out to help at these events, we really can't manage without them.
And of course to Maya and Miguel for showing up as well.
We plan to have the KidVision team at many more events so keep checking this space if you'd like to find out where we will be next.
For an upcoming episode of Wild Florida, we loaded up the van and headed to North and Central Florida for a week to explore the beautiful freshwater springs that are common in those parts of the state. Like many Florida Gators, I fondly recall hot summer days spent tubing down the Ichetucknee River or swimming at Ginnie Springs – both just a short drive away from Gainesville.
I also vividly remember covering the controversies surrounding these natural gems during my days as a public radio news reporter. Pollution, over-pumping, and excessive recreational uses all pose serious threats to the future of the springs. Needless to say, I knew this was a story that needed to be told on Wild Florida, which explores the sunshine state’s native animals and habitats.
The first stop on our journey was Wakulla Springs near Tallahassee, where we marveled at the seemingly unspoiled beauty of the place. Other springs we visited, though still beautiful, more clearly showed signs of the unstoppable growth that is occurring all around them. At Wekiwa Springs near Orlando, the Army Corps of Engineers had built a not-so-scenic concrete wall around the swimming hole to avoid erosion, and on a dive in Blue Spring we were taken aback by the large number of non-native armored catfish that had invaded the spring run – not to mention the water clarity was not what one would expect in a spring. The visibility was only about 10 feet or so, clouded by an excessive growth of algae caused by too many nitrates in the water.
But there are still places where the water resembles glass – a dive at the famous Ginnie Springs allowed us to shoot footage that shows Florida’s springs at their best. Another highlight of our trip was a chance to canoe down the primeval Ichetucknee River with former Chairman of the Florida Springs Task Force Jim Stevenson, who is considered a leading expert on the springs and the threats to their survival. Jim guided us past ancient cypress stands and hammocks, showing us the river in a whole new light. It was like a trip back in time – to a Florida that is rapidly disappearing.
Join us on our journey to explore Florida’s magical springs – tune in to Wild Florida on Channel 2, June 13th at 7:30 PM.
Alexa in Production
Driving to work this morning I (along with much of South Florida) listened to Rick Shaw for the last time on Majic 102.7 http://www.wmxj.com/ radio. Today is the "official" retirement bash for Rick. Listening to Donna, Joe, Mindy and all of the other folks talk about their memories of Rick reminded me of the fun I have had over the years listening to Rick on the radio and feeling like he is an old friend.
And indeed Rick has been a great friend to Channel 2 - - From the old days of the Channel 2 Auction - where he first wore his trademark hat - to recent years working with the station for the Auction and during our on-air pledge campaigns. In fact one of the greatest parts of our most recent Channel 2 Auction was when Rick decided he would auction off his hat to the highest bidder. It was a tremendous success and lots of fun that night
Thanks for the memories and good times Rick. You are THE BEST. And we will miss you.
- David Mullins (on behalf of the Channel 2 staff)
On the drive in to work the other morning, I happened to hear an interview on a local news program featuring the two girls behind the “Chongalicious phenomenon.” What caught my attention was that they are High School teenagers who live just up the road from WPBT. I was probably just a few blocks from their school at the time I heard the story.
The following is courtesy of NBC6.net:
Teens 'Chonga' Their Way To Stardom
'Chongalicious' Becomes Hit On YouTube
AVENTURA, Fla. -- Two South Florida teenagers produced a video that's one of the hottest on YouTube right now. Laura Dilorenzo and Mimi Davila have become known as the "Chongas" thanks to their Internet music video "Chongalicious." It's a spoof of Fergie's "Fergalicious."…
… Dilorenzo and Davila, who are both 17-year-old drama students at Dr. Michael Kropp High School, said they didn't expect the notoriety they've received.
… Dilorenzo and Davila said they are not Chongas. Once the makeup and jewelry come off, they are typical teenagers from Aventura.
But they will continue to build on their Chonga success. They're already working on their second parody, "I'm In Love With A Chonga."
The girls said the video will be posted on YouTube over the weekend. I’ll be honest, I had never heard of Chongalicious until that morning. As much as I try to stay engaged with internet video trends it is difficult to “be everywhere.” I also imagine that if “Chongalicious” has caught the attention of traditional news outlets, Di Lorenzo and Davila’s fifteen minutes of fame may regrettably be near the end. This blog entry isn’t an endorsement of the video, but rather a show of support for the inventiveness that new media allows for those who are willing to put themselves “out there.”
If you haven’t already seen the video, you can search for it on YouTube.com. I’m not including the link because the video may not be suitable for all viewers and if you are easily offended, I suggest you watch with discretion. However, it’s almost impossible not to hear the song as soon as you turn on your radio as it is being played constantly on commercial radio in South Florida.
It isn’t this “Chongalicious” video that has me writing this entry, but rather the spirit of creativity and individual expression that fueled it. Such creative freedom is the reason we have tried to become more interactive at WPBT. We want to plug into the amazing sense of imaginative energy and social engagement that the South Florida region has to offer. With projects like uVu, and even this blog, we are inviting all of our viewers (and readers and “streamies”) to become a part of the process.
How many times have you watched a television program or read an article and thought “Boy, did they miss the point or what?”
Well, that is exactly my point! Now you can add your voice to the public record, enhance the discussion, and create a fuller and richer world of ideas.
I encourage you to participate at any level which you feel comfortable. Leave a comment, upload a video, or add a blog entry.
As for Di Lorenzo and Davila, I hope you two will consider adding your future work to our uVu site. We welcome your energy and ideas!
-Neal in Programming
Next week, the WILD FLORIDA field crew will embark on what should be a memorable, exciting, spectacular adventure into the great outdoors: a 3-day visit to one of the most inaccessible and least-visited national parks in the United States - The Dry Tortugas.
That's right, this self-proclaimed a/c-loving, bubble-bath-needing, cappuccino-drinking camping-wimp will find herself on an island with no running water, no public restrooms, no gas cooking appliances, but apparently plenty of rats -- and no, I'm not speaking of my fellow crew members. The website clearly warns visitors about the park's impressive rodent population!
The Dry Tortugas is a cluster of small islands 70 miles west of Key West, accessible only by ferry, seaplane, or private yacht. While I would prefer the latter, most of the crew (including myself) will be lugging over our camping gear, production equipment, food, water, and ice on the two-hour ferry ride, and then setting up camp on this nearly uninhabited island for three days.
"Why?" you ask. (I know I did.)
The Dry Tortugas is home not only to the historic Fort Jefferson, a behemoth pre-civil-war-era brick fort that is definitely worth exploring, but it is also a unique natural habitat with magnificent exotic birds and marinelife. Since 95% of the park is underwater, we'll snorkel some of the most pristine coral reefs in the country. On top of that, this happens to be the island's peak migratory bird season, when 100,000 noddy terns and sooty terns nest on Bush Key. We also expect to see Frigate birds, Double-crested cormorants, Boobies, and White Tailed Tropic birds.
The park is completely primitive - no hotels, no lodges, no 5-star dining...just a spot to pitch a tent next to a charcoal grill. So if you have some tips to help transform this city-girl into wilderness-woman (or better yet, if you have a luxury yacht that you'd like to offer), I'd love to hear from you. If you've visited the Tortugas and want to share your experience, please post a comment or drop me a line.
Oh, and check back in soon. I'll be blogging about our adventures and misadventures when we return. And while we're hoping to come back with an incredible new episode of WILD FLORIDA, we're confident that we'll at least have some eye-opening behind-the-scenes video diaries. Stay tuned!
Joyce in Production
Don’t miss the Young at Art Children’s Museum’s
 18th Children’s Festival of the Arts
Nation’s Largest Outdoor Children’s Art Festival
Saturday, MAY 12
10 am – 5 pm
Robbins Park 4005 Hiatus Road Davie, FL
Featuring Teen and Children’s Artwork for Show and Sale
http://www.youngatartmuseum.org/
Live Entertainment
Hands-on Art Activities
Bounce House
Face Painting
Games
and more!
***Stop by the WPBT KidVision booth to meet Maya & Miguel!
As I mentioned last time, in November Allan, Joe and I traveled to Colombia to film for the documentary “Colombia: Música de Mi Tierra.” Our first stop was the port city of Barranquilla, where the great Magdalena River flows into the Caribbean Sea. This is the largest industrial city in Colombia’s Atlantic coast and home to the world-famous Barranquilla Carnival, an enormous and colorful parade where thousands dance to the rhythm of the cumbia and other lively beats from the region. I can’t figure out how they do this for hours in Barranquilla’s hot and steamy climate. But Barranquillans are known for their easy-going, festive spirit, as we would learn for ourselves.
 Our first interview was with composer Efraín Mejía, director of the group Cumbia Soledeña, which plays and promotes a traditional, instrumental cumbia using drums and flutes. After we climbed five flights of stairs with our gear to his apartment (no AC), Mr. Mejía helped us cool off with fresh corozo juice (corozo is a palm fruit). A walking encyclopedia on coastal music, he reminisced about the days when his grandmother taught him to dance the cumbia to the beat of a tambora drum played by their neighbor “el viejo” Alejandro. After our interview, he gave me an impromptu cumbia dancing lesson in his balcony. As dusk fell, that spot made for the perfect place for Allan to shoot the city’s famous full moon rising over the skyline.
That night our crew had a chance to film a party, Barranquilla style. Lourdes and Guillermo Sánchez had their relatives and closest friends over along with a typical musical band known as a grupo de millo. Unfazed by the heat, everyone from toddlers to eighty-something grandmas swayed and spun for hours to the catchy beats of Yo me Llamo Cumbia, Cumbia Cienaguera, and other coastal favorites. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and rumor has it that one member of our crew couldn’t resist joining in right before we packed up our gear and returned to the hotel.
One of the city’s most beloved figures is singer/songwriter Esther Forero. Known as “Barranquilla’s bride,” this eighty-something year old has traveled all over Latin America singing Colombia’s coastal music (often for no pay) and has written dozens of cumbias honoring her beloved city. For the interview, we had to set up our camera right outside her front door to get the best shot of her living room. Unfortunately, we had several false starts when the neighbors started playing salsa on their front porch, we heard a grinding noise (we couldn’t figure out where the noise was coming from until we discovered an auto shop behind a ditch), and Forero’s microphone rubbed against her dress. Through it all and in stifling heat, Forero waited patiently for us to resolve these problems. Once we finally got going, she spoke with such energy and eloquence you would never know she’d answered our first question about the Magdalena River three times already.
On our last day in Barranquilla, we had agreed to meet with local dancers and the band Grupo Tambó at 10:00 am for their rendition of the famous cumbia La Pollera Colorá (The Red Skirt). We arrived at the quaint Parque de los Fundadores (Founders’ Park), set up our camera, and waited. After a while the musicians started trickling in, followed by the male dancer and some local children who were curious about our gear. Unfortunately, we were missing the female dancer and her red skirt. She never made it, and a replacement came in at around noon. Finally, the band happily started beating their drums and playing their flutes and the couple began to move, slowly, gracefully, close together without ever touching, while the woman held up a group of lit candles in one hand and lifted her red skirt in the other. They never stopped smiling at each other. As we shot under that hot Barranquilla sun against the backdrop of this beautiful little park and the children sitting behind us watching, we knew we were experiencing Barranquilla and its people at their finest.
- Marilu in Production
 A while back, WPBT Channel 2 created a television special called Miami Beach: Walking Tour.
Over the course of the program, Hunter Reno and Paul George explored the history and architecture of the beach, starting south of 5th street and continuing up to the luxury hotels that defined the beach in the 1950's. That program is now available in chapters on our companion site uVu.
Along the way, pointing out some little known points of interest, the tour gave even residents of the beach a different look at the life, history and structure of one of the greatest tourist destinations on earth. If you want to vist the Wolfsonian Museum, the Art Deco hotels, the Jackie Gleason Theater or Espanola Way, it is possible to get a taste of it all from the comfort of your desktop.
 Take the virtual tour by visiting uVu and search: Walking Tour and see it for yourself.
-Neal in programming
On Thursday, April 26, 2007, “The NSU Glass Garden” by Dale Chihuly was unveiled in the atrium of the Alvin Sherman Library on the campus of NOVA Southeastern University. Everyone is invited to come to the Alvin Sherman Library to view and enjoy this beautiful one-of-a-kind glass sculpture.
"Glass Garden" is on permanent display at the library, which is open and free to the public. It is the only free Chihuly installation in the South Florida.
Watch the video on uVu for a look at the behind the scenes setup then go see it for yourself.
-Neal in programming
If you’re confused by the title of this entry, no worries. I’m about to explain it all. I’m NBR’s Webster. Basically, that’s just a cute (at least I think it’s cute) way of saying I’m Nightly Business Report’s Web Producer. Now, if you aren’t too familiar with Channel 2, you might be asking yourself why someone would be writing about Nightly Business Report in a blog focused on television and community events in South Florida. Well, Channel 2 produces Nightly Business Report – the nation’s most-watched evening business news program. We’ve got hard-working bureaus in New York, D.C., and Chicago, but the heart of NBR is in South Florida. That’s why, if you watch the program, you’ll see Paul Kangas (NBR’s long-time anchor and – to many fans – a stocks god) sitting in Miami. I’m not going into anymore details about NBR here because you can learn them by exploring the “About NBR” section of our website. What I am here to do is tell you more about NBR’s website itself. The site is a great resource for experienced investors, novice investors, and even folks who have never invested in anything. I’m going to use each Impromp2 blog entry I write to highlight one feature on the NBR website. This time, I’m going to tell you about “My Portfolio.” This feature requires registration, but that registration opens up the wonderful world of investment tracking to you. Once you register and login, you can build one or more investment portfolios that track specific stocks, bonds, stock options, and other investments you own. This will create a central place for you to see the value of your bundle of investments at any time. Yep, you can access the “My Portfolio” feature 24/7. Those of you who don’t have investments can use “My Portfolio” to track your wish list of investments. That’s right, you don’t have own the investments you put into your NBR portfolio. Maybe there are a couple of companies you like, and you simply want to see how well (or how poorly – though we hope not) you would have done if you had invested in them. You can do that in “My Portfolio.” Maybe you simply want to see if you could make some money by investing in a treasury note. You can do that in “My Portfolio.” Or, maybe you need to follow stocks for your economics class. You can do that in “My Portfolio.” Just one tip: You need to know the ticker symbol of the stocks you want to add to your NBR portfolio. Fortunately, the portfolio can help you look up those symbols if you know the name of the company. Just look for the “Symbol Lookup” link. So, go forth now and explore the NBR website (http://www.pbs.org/nbr). And, don’t forget to check out the “My Portfolio” feature. - Jaime
 On Sunday, April 29 Kidvision had a special event just for Kid Club Members at the Miami Metrozoo. Over 160 kids and adults enjoyed music, games, food and a fun filled day at the zoo. We had various activities which included coloring, dancing, parachute and balls throwing, and a special guest appearance from Curious George. Lastly, we had a live show of Delu African dancers. It was a wonderful cultural performance. 
Every year Kidvision hosts a special day just for its members.
If you joined us at the Metrozoo, please leave a comment and let us know how you enjoyed the day.
-Natalia in Community Events
Bravo, Bravo, Bravo.......to the
Metropolitan Opera and WPBT!
For three hours last Saturday afternoon
in a movie theater in South Beach, everything disappeared except for what was
before my eyes....the Metropolitan Opera simulcast Live on the big screen from New
York City’s Lincoln Center.
I was right in the middle of the action—
Puccini’s Il Trittico in high
definition and it was the most moving experience I have ever had at the movies.
Thank you Channel 2.
Arlyne Frankel
Call 2 Auction
Last
night I spoke with my good friend, Jo, in Virginia. She described
the amazing spirit of support and care within the Blacksburg community
in the aftermath of the VA Tech shootings.
Jo
told me that many people have expressed deep sorrow over the 23-year old Cho
Seung-Hui, and see him as a psychologically troubled young man filled with
tremendous rage who slipped through the system. She said it was
interesting that people were humanizing the killer, not typically the case. I
asked if she thought it would be the same if the killer had been a grown man
rather than a student, slightly over the legal age.
Interestingly,
next Tuesday, May 8 at 10 p.m., Channel 2 presents Frontline:
“When Kids Get Life.” The U.S. is one of very few countries in the
world that allows children under eighteen to be prosecuted as adults and
sentenced to life without parole. Human Rights Watch reports that more
than 2,200 inmates are currently serving life without parole in the U.S.
for having committed murder when in their teens, with only 12 serving the same
sentence in the rest of the world.
Colorado was an
early pioneer in juvenile justice, focusing on the rehabilitation of the child
rather than punishment. But in the late 1980s and 1990s, when a sharp increase
in violent crimes by young offenders attracted enormous press, legislators
nationwide found it easy to clamp down. In Colorado, between 1992 and 2005,
45 juveniles between fifteen and eighteen were sentenced to prison without the
hope of ever being released. Last spring, the state's legislature eased its
tough laws targeting juvenile offenders. The state passed a bill that made
parole possible after 40 years in prison, but the measure did not apply
retroactively to the 45 former juveniles now in Colorado's prison system.
Producer Ofra Bikel visits
five young men in Colorado sentenced to life without parole to
examine their crimes and punishment, the laws that sanctioned their
convictions, and the prospect of never being free again.
A
fascinating and complex subject, taken on only as Frontline can.
- Ellen
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