Michael Janairo

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Author: Michael Janairo

  • Watch: Million Puppet March in D.C.



    Live broadcast by Ustream

    The march is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, and will end sometime around 2 p.m., after the 1 p.m. rally ends.

  • You can get to Middle-earth: Here’s the inflight safety video

  • Meat Loaf concert postponed

    The Meat Loaf concert scheduled for Saturday night in Albany has been postponed, the Palace Theatre announced this morning on its Facebook page.

    The postponement is blamed on the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, which has forced the postponement of several of Meat Loaf’s concert dates, such as shows that had been scheduled for tonight at the Beacon Theater in New York City and on Nov. 5 at the State Theater in Ithaca.

    Meanwhile, Times Union reporter Paul Grondahl spotted a Meat Loaf concert tour bus at the Marriott on Wolf Road on Tuesday, after the singer and his band had to evacuate hotel in New Jersey.

    A new concert date will be announced at a later time, the Palace said.

    Call the Palace box office at 465-4663 for updated information.

  • Joy Harjo to speak at New York State Writers Institute

    Growing up wasn’t so joyous for Joy Harjo.

    Joy Harjo

    The noted American Indian poet and musician chronicles her troubled childhood and teenage motherhood in her new book, “Crazy Brave.”

    In the book, Harjo talks about how dealing with her alcoholic father, an abusive stepfather and being a teen mom nearly pushed her over the edge. It was through poetry that Harjo passed through the turmoil.

    Harjo will read from her memoir at the University at Albany this week as part of the New York State Writers Institute’s Visiting Writers Series.

    4:15 p.m. seminar, 8 p.m. reading; Thursday. Free. Room 375, UAlbany Campus Center, Uptown campus, 1400 Washington Ave., Albany. 442-5620; http://www.albany.edu/writers-inst
    A reception will be held following the evening event.

  • Arts Center of the Capital Region announces new hire

    Royah Ansari

    The Arts Center of the Capital Region announced today that Royah Ansari is the new Director of Arts in the Community.

    In her new role she will work to create community programming and administer the regrants and scholarship programs.

    An RPI graduate and a fan of Troy, Ansari touted up the city and its arts scene in a 2008 Times Union article about young professionals. In response to the question “Where do you go in the area to see beauty?” She said, “The Troy Night Out After Party. It’s a perfect example of why I love the area. It’s all different types of people, all ages having a great time, socializing, smiling. It’s something beautiful happening organically.”

    Here are more details from the Arts Center:

    Ansari received her BS in Management and Marketing and her MBA with a concentration in Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She has most recently worked as a business consultant for a number of local businesses, including Dark Sky Company, the Troy BID, and Agora Games. Ansari was also a Project Manager and Producer at Agora Games in Troy; a Marketing and Sales Director for Groff Networks in Troy; Manager of the electronic arts series “iEAR presents!” at RPI; and the Founder and Co-Owner of the Shake Shake Mamas Café, also in Troy.

    Ansari will be an integral part in growing The Arts Center’s community arts programming and expanding the organization’s presence in the region. She will manage all contract service and arts in education programming with community groups and schools. In addition, she will lead the upcoming design and creative thinking programs and oversee the re-grants and scholarship programs.

  • What is the greatest horror story ever?

    [nggallery id=8192]

    Publisher’s Weekly has an article making the case that Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein — a story written 200 years ago by a 19-year-old — takes the title.

    For me, The Amityville Horror remains one of the scariest books I’ve ever read, perhaps because I read it when I was 11-years-old the images of red eyes staring through a window in the middle of the night have stayed burned in my mind.

    I’d suggest Peter Straub’s Ghost Story to be another contender. Others would be Bram Stoker’s Dracula, William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist and a slew of books by Stephen King, including Carrie, Salem’s Lot and The Shining.

    Most of these stories have to do with death (or the non-death of things that should be dead), and in a way play with or pervert what is often considered the greatest story ever told, that is the resurrection of Jesus.

    What’s the scariest book you ever read?

  • Green Day + Twilight = new video

    Green Day may be on hiatus, but here’s its video, related to the upcoming Twilight movie (and the thankfully final Twilight movie).

  • Disney buying ‘Star Wars’ maker Lucasfilm

    The Death Star

    It’s a small Death Star, after all.

    The AP is reporting that George Lucas is calling it quits and cashing in, for more than $4 billion.

    The news brings with it some ominous news: Star Wars Episode 7, slated for release in 2015, with plans to follow it with Episodes 8 and 9 and then one new movie every two or three years.

  • Location changed for tonight’s Binnekill Chamber Orchestra concert

    The Schenectady County Community College Binnekill Chamber Orchestra concert scheduled at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, Oct. 30, has been moved to St. Luke’s, 1241 State St., Schenectady, NY 12304.