Redding’s Cultural Cruise is TODAY, and great art will be on display at eight different venues around town. Go here for details and a map of locations.
Kelly and I are looking forward to the reception at City Hall, where members of North State Songwriters will perform original music while visitors roam the lobby and halls, enjoying art by Jan Cameron, Gene and Gwen Knaebel, Jim Coats and more. The musicians include Still Married, David Thompson, Nick Ciampi, Paul Howell and Pine Dogz.
The Cultural Cruise runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- High school students from all over Northern California will descend upon Shasta College next week for a Future Farmers of America Leadership Contest. Students will compete on Feb. 5 in areas such as public speaking, parliamentary procedure, job interviewing and cow-tipping. (Just kidding about that last one.) For more info, call 570-3690 or 242-2209.
- Bill and Melinda Gates announced today their foundation will spend $10 billion over the next decade on vaccines for needy children around the world. That’s double their previous commitment. Wow. Full story here.
- Pants on the Ground: If you haven’t heard “American Idol” reject Larry Platt’s song, “Pants on the Ground,” then you haven’t been paying attention. I never, ever watch “American Idol,” but I can’t get the song out of my head because it’s all over the Internet. Anyhow, the latest news: Platt will perform on the red carpet outside the Grammy Awards. TMZ.com has the story here. Watch the video of the song (if you dare) here.
- DVD I Watched on the Dreadmill: “Le Trou (or, The Hole),” the last film by the great Jacques Becker is a documentary-style, black-and-white potboiler about a prison escape. Sorry, Jacques, but it plods.
- Rules for Successful Living #28: A lawyer is like a live grenade. Handle with care.
A journalist since 1975, Steve Brewer is the author of 16 books, most recently the thriller “Cutthroat.” He moved to Redding from New Mexico in 2003.
