Wednesday, May 16, 2012
The Washington D.C. music scene lost a titan today. How did Brown's music impact your life?
Update: 6:30 p.m. - Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker has issued a press release expressing his condolences over the passing of local music legend Chuck Brown. The statement reads in full: “My thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends and countless fans of Chuck Brown. It is a sad day for so many in Prince George’s County, the Washington region, and throughout the world. Chuck Brown left an indelible mark on our hearts and minds with his very distinctive voice and incredible genre of music that he created, Go-Go. He was an icon whose music inspired so many and become the sound that defined modern-day Washington, DC and Prince George’s County. He will be missed, but we are so fortunate that his music will be with …
Friday, May 11, 2012
Thirteen-year old Casper Alex is a young singer to keep an eye on.
Squeezed in between a flurry of tasks, I stopped by the New Deal Café Wednesday night to catch 13-year old Casper Alex woo Greenbelters with his version of Top 40 songs. He has a unique tone that could take him far. His voice and soul soared high above any momentary growing pains of a growing voice. So I'm featuring Casper this week in my blog as someone to keep an eye on. My cell phone video does not do him justice. The continuous concentration on his face juxtaposed against his ability to maintain "cool" was as much of a show as the music. He's starting out by putting a lot of heart into it. I'm give Casper two thumbs up and then some. How about you?
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Casper Alex performs R&B and acoustic pop rock at 7 p.m. Listen to his YouTube video and prepare to be impressed.
Catch Casper at the New Deal Café in Greenbelt, MD, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 9.
Greenbelt mom Gretchen Schock says the nonprofit Music for Autism, enabled her family to enjoy a concert for the first time!
Children on the Autism Spectrum often find it difficult to process information gathered through their senses to appropriately react to them. My oldest son, who is on the Autism Spectrum, has such a Sensory Processing Disorder and struggles with a sensitivity to noise that usually prevents him from enjoying music. Last year he wore noise-reducing headphones in his mainstream music class. A classmate made fun of his headphones and now he refuses to wear them. He then grew his hair long to cover his ears to muffle the sound around him. My son looks "normal"; he acts "normal" most of the time. He doesn't flap his hands or have other behaviors that are red flags for children on the Autism Spectrum. Many people don't realize he's on the spectrum…
Saturday, April 28, 2012
The real problem with cell phones is the people using them. It empowers them with abysmal manners.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
A NY Times article explores the era of the $250 baseball bat
Have you bought a baseball glove for your little leaguer lately? Did you pay more than $100 for it? How about $250 for a bat? A New York Times story headlined "Big Price Tags Attached to Even the Littlest Leagues," looks at the big business of equipping youngsters for participation in youth baseball and softball leagues, quoting those costs and more. "A batting helmet protects tiny heads for $39.99," the Times reports. "A pair of Nike Jordan Black Cat cleats will make your child fast and fashionable at $51.99 until he or she outgrows them." So what do you think? Has the cost of bats and gloves taken kids too far from the simpler days of sandlot and playground ballgames? Or have you had better luck finding more modestly-priced equipment for…
Two soldiers from Greenbelt, MD, and two from Lanham, MD, are listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Now organizers seek to put faces to names.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) is on a mission to collect photos for every person whose name is listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The memorial, also called The Wall, is dedicated to those who died in the Vietnam War. The names of two soldiers from Greenbelt, MD, and two from Lanham, MD, are inscribed on Vietnam Veterans Memorial (their information is listed below). In all, The Wall contains the names of 58,272 who fell or went missing during the war. Around 1,200 of them are listed as missing — MIAs, POWs and others. Photographs will be displayed in an exhibit at the future Education Center at The Wall, an underground visitors center to be built near the Vietnam Veterans and the Lincoln memorials. VVMF …
A week-long cruise for four is in store for the winner.
NBC's ivillage.com contacted Greenbelt Patch to say they and NBC's Today show want to know, "Who is the hottest dad in Greenbelt." The 2012 Hot Dads Contest has officially begun. At stake is a week-long cruise for four from Royal Caribbean — and the title of being the hottest dad in America. Get a peek at the competition. See all the men who have already entered. Hot dads can apply — and wives who think their guy is the hottest dad in America can enter his photograph as well. The competition has 11 categories (listed below) - from dads with facial hair to policeman/fireman dads to newbie dads. Enter in one of the categories before 11:59 p.m. EST on May 21, 2012. Share your photos with Greenbelt Patch readers too, so they'll know how to …
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Greenbelt mom, Gretchen Schock, talks about April—Autism Awareness Month—being the time to learn more about the disorder.
I am a huge advocate for both my children; my oldest is on the Autism Spectrum. I believe many people are scared of the diagnosis. I was in the beginning as well. Though I also was searching for answers. Why won’t my son talk to me like the other children his age? Why does he sit and stare off into space for long amounts of time? When my oldest son, L, was diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum it was because I was determined to have someone help me learn how to parent my child. The diagnosis gave me the ability to understand Autism and it opened a window into my child’s mind. One day a parent confided in me that her child was recently diagnosed being on the Autism Spectrum. I told her to treat the diagnosis the same way you would if your doctor…
Friday, April 13, 2012
Doug Love and a friend consider the death of a goose on Ora Glen Drive.
As related to Doug Love at 11:30 p.m. on April 11, 2012. A visitor related the following story to me a few minutes ago: "As I was approaching the post office at about 7 this evening, I saw a pile of feathers in the street behind a fast moving car — and a single goose on the sidewalk staring bewildered at another goose staggering in the middle of Ora Glen Drive. When I came out of the post office, several geese were holding a vigil near the unmoving body of the injured goose." We drove to the post office at 11:30 p.m. and found the lifeless body of the goose, now on the side of the road, and took a picture. We are wondering how sentient geese are, and if they mate for life. We are also wondering if this was an accident, or if the driver …
Reggie Smith
12:36 pm on Thursday, May 17, 2012
Big Reg May god bless his family and relatives, for what Chuck has done over the years with his music he could never be replaced. (you wiil truly be missed)!!!!! more ›