Dear Friends,

My family and I have fallen into fall. My father has been diagnosed with brain cancer. Leonard Shlain is the much loved patriarch of a big family that adores and admires him tremendously. We have set up a website at www.leonardshlain.com for his friends, readers of his books, and family to get updates on his health, share thoughts and good wishes.

In light of this, I have decided to postpone my new performance that was scheduled for Oct 23-25th at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. I will keep you posted on new dates. I hope you can check out some of the great shows they have coming up listed below.

My team at The Moxie Institute and I are working steadily on our new film. Last month we launched an experiment on Facebook called, “What’s Your Issue?”. Ken and I also contributed to creating a Facebook application geared towards getting college students in swing states to commit to friends to vote called "My Barack for Your Obama." It just launched. Please help spread the word.

In times like these, we need to laugh. My good friend Ari Wallach was behind the hilarious video thegreatschlep.com with Sarah Silverman. Inspiration is also key, like Pam Boll's great film, "Who Does She Think She Is?" a powerful film about women who are artists and mothers and includes an insightful interview with my father talking about the history of women and art. It premieres in NYC at the Agelika Film Center on Oct 17th. Those of you in NYC, Hope you can see it.

In the Bay Area on Oct 17th & 18th, there will be a rousing discussion on the future of film, the Internet, and distribution, called The Conversation. And on Oct 25th, Cal Performances hosts Laurie Anderson on stage for a conversation with Ken that will be free and open to the public.

All details and links in the "update" section below, as well as many other books, films, causes, websites, and happenings to explore. If you would like to share this with a friend, point them to: www.tiffanyshlain.com/Blog.html

To Life and a New Year,

Tiffany
www.tiffanyshlain.com
Odessa campaigning in kindergarten:

Table of Contents (Full Details Below) UPDATES - Yerba Buena Center for the Arts postponed from October 23-25 - The Conversation October 17-18 Gathering on the future of film & distribution - What's Your Issue? identifying the most important issues of the 21st century - The Tribe featured on YouTube THE ELECTIONS - My Barack for Your Obama Facebook app. to get swing state college students to vote. - One Stop Voter Registration at my.barackobama.com/vfc - (CA) No on Prop 8 to protect gay marriage in California - (CA) No on Prop 4 to protect teens and women's rights - The Great Schlep the hilarious Sarah Silverman video/movement for Obama EVENTS - SF: Bay Area Now at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, now through November - SF: Litquake, October 3-11 - NY: Capacitor's performance of Biome, October 9-12 - SF: Ken interviews Laurie Anderson, free, open to public, October 25 - SF: Mystery Ball at The Headlands Center for the Arts, October 25 - SF: Web 2.0 Summit with Al Gore, Lance Armstrong....November 5-7 - SF: Human Rights Watch Annual Dinner November 20 - SF: Oneironauticum monthly overnight gatherings focused on dream technique. FILMS - Who Does She Think She Is? by Pamela Tanner Boll Premieres in NYC on Oct 17th - Trouble the Water by Tia Lessin and Carl Deal - Call and Response by Justin Dillon WEBSITES - autismandactivism.com my aunt and uncle have devoted their lives to this cause. - The Teacher's Salary Project with Vanessa Roth, Nineve Calegari, and Dave Eggers BOOKS - Dreaming Green: Eco-Fabulous Homes Designed to Inspire by Lisa Sharkey - Inventing the Movies: A Technological History of Hollywood by Scott Kirsner - Ultimate Small Business Resource Guide by Sarah Leah Gootnick - Letters to a Bullied Girl by Olivia Gardner ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UPDATES

The Conversation, October 17th and 18th at UC Berkeley Calling all filmmakers: an invite to a conversation about the future of film, the Internet, and distribution. Speakers include CEO and Founder of Netflix, Reed Hastings, Indie Film Producer, Ted Hope, pioneers in indie film, Youtube, JibJab and much more. Sign up today, it's almost sold out. www.theconversationspot.com Our hunch is that we're at an important moment in the history of technology and visual storytelling — a broad term that encompasses filmmaking, TV, online video, and narrative-driven games. New software is making incredible things possible in visual effects and animation, and also democratizing those fields. Web sites offer to help finance film projects, or share ad revenue with video-makers. Marketing and release strategies are shifting by the minute. High-end high-def cameras are plummeting in price. The connection with the audience is changing. Established ways of doing things just don't seem to be working anymore, and the once-powerful power brokers seem to be losing steam. The Conversation is a grass-roots gathering, developed by a group of filmmakers, investors, entrepreneurs, journalists, and consultants interested in the new creative and business opportunities — and new ways of connecting with audiences — that new technologies are presenting. Running into each other at film festivals and conferences, we began hatching this idea. The Conversation delves into all these issues and more. UC Berkeley's Pacific Film Archive, Co-Sponsored by The Berkeley Center for New Media Oct 17-18, 2008 You can register today with a special friends Discount offer: www.theconversationspot.com

What's Your Issue? Facebook application - in Beta We recently launched a new experiment on Facebook called "What's Your Issue?" -- a project that engages people on facebook in an online video dialogue about the most important issues of the 21st century. With the elections around the corner, everyone is talking about the hot button issues - war, health care, education, religion, global warming, immigration, taxes....the list goes on. But if you had to choose five issues that are most important to YOU, what would they be? With "What's Your Issue?" Facebook users are asked to upload brief, webcam videos where they state their 5 most important issues. The application then sorts the videos according to the phrases, and groups the videos (and their creators) together with others that state the same issues. What develops is a new kind of political and social dialogue -- a democratic online video conversation where important issues are highlighted, and where unexpected links and communities are created across traditional political lines. If you're already on Facebook, participate by logging in and adding the application here. For more information, visit www.moxieinstitute/whatsyourissue.html To join facebook, go to www.facebook.com This project by The Moxie Institute was commissioned by The San Francisco Foundation Grants for the Arts/San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund through support from The Wallace Foundation. Tiffany was selected with 50 thinkers to tackle the subject of diversifying participation with evolving technologies. To learn more visit The Wallace Commissions. The application was developed by SocialMedia.com, the leading independent social advertising network and provider of social platform services.

The Tribe featured on YouTube The Tribe hits the small screen! YouTube recently asked us to show it in their new curated screening room, and on YouTube's main homepage. 360,000 people watched it, with thousands of comments that ranged from glaringly anti-semitic to truly wonderful. The film will be up in the archived section of the screening room for a couple more weeks, so if you or anyone you know have yet to see The Tribe, now's your chance. It's free, and will only be available for the next couple of weeks. Find it in the screening room archives here The Tribe's Screening Room Channel You can also check out the video that YouTube made to launch The Screening Room that includes Moby, Tiffany and others. Screening Room Launch video

THE ELECTIONS

My Barack for Your Obama Help us get Obama in office. This is a Facebook application I worked on with a team of great people to get college students in swing states to commit to friends to vote. It just launched. Text from the Facebook application: "What is My Barack for Your Obama? You want to vote for Barack Obama. And you want your friends to vote for Barack Obama. Here's how a simple slow dance, mustache, or even a keg of beer can make sure this happens. Think of it as "If you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours." You make a small promise to one of your friends and, in return, they promise to show up on election day and vote for Obama. That's it. And why spread the word? 537 Votes! Just 537 more votes in Florida in 2000 and we all would have been spared the last 8 years of the "W" debacle. Don't let this happen again. Who knew that your body shaving, spooning, or moonwalking skills could choose our next president?!" http://apps.facebook.com/mybarack/

One Stop Voter Registration! at my.barackobama.com/vfc Go to this site and in about 3 minutes you can: 1. Register to vote. 2. Request to vote absentee. 3. Find your polling location. www.barackobama.com/vfc

No On Prop 8 (California) the proposition that would eliminate gay marriage in California If passed, Proposition 8 would eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry by rewriting the California Constitution. A new section would be added stating "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." To stop it, please participate in any way you can. www.noonprop8.com/

No on Prop 4 is a vote for teen safety and women's rights Prop 4 threatens teen safety by mandating parental notification prior to a minor terminating a pregnancy. Parents rightfully want to be involved in their teenagers' lives and we want our daughters to come to us if they become pregnant, and most do. But in the real world, laws like this don’t work. Prop 4 can't force teens to talk to their parents, but it may force them to do something desperate and dangerous.

The Great Schlep -- the hilarious Sarah Silverman video/movement for Obama A brilliant concept with awesome humor -- The Great Schlep (and Sarah Silverman) asks Jewish grandchildren to visit their grandparents in Florida, educate them about Obama, and therefore swing the crucial Florida vote in his favor. www.thegreatschlep.com

EVENTS

Bay Area Now at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, through November I was incredibly honored to be part of this art triennial, but have decided to postpone my performance, A Declaration of Interdependence. I'll let you know when the dates are reset. In the meantime, there are other wonderful performances happening through November. Some highlights: Oct 10-12: Sara Kraft's HyperReal. HyperREAL investigates the profoundly ambivalent & conflicted ways we inhabit our bodies, our relationships and our world, and the paradox of physical, psychological and spiritual dislocation—and transcendence—in the digital age. Nov 6-8: The Builders Association's Continuous City, directed by Marianne Weems. Information about all Bay Area Now 5 events: www.ban5.org/YBCA

Litquake, October 3-11 The annual Liquake Mission crawl opens October 3 with an evening at the Herbst Theater. Over the next 9 days, more than 11,000 San Franciscans and visitors attend readings, literature-oriented dance, theater, and other cross-genre literary happenings. And all in venues ranging from library auditoriums, museums, theaters, bars, galleries, bookstores, retail spaces, and more bars. And did we mention we’re closing off an alley? Well we are, as part of the closing night Lit Crawl in the Mission. www.litquake.org

Capacitor's "Biome" in New York, October 9-12 From the movement of the human diaphragm to the story of evolution, from the behavior of electricity to genetic manipulation, from the birth of the moon to the cycles of digestion - natural and synthetic processes form the basis for Capacitor’s study of performance. Obsessed with the mechanics of the human body as well as machines that propel the body through space, Capacitor artists have become masters of rigging systems, designers of wearable sculpture couture, and engineers of large-scale props designed to stretch the limits of physical poetry. Upcoming performances in NY, California, and Seattle. www.capacitor.org .

Laurie Anderson and Ken Goldberg on "Free Speech: New Media, Performance and Democracy," October 25 Ken Goldberg hosts a conversation and audience Q&A with acclaimed multi-media artist Laurie Anderson on topics ranging from privacy and politics to art and technology. This event is planned in conjunction with Anderson's newest performance, Homeland, which includes songs and stories that create a poetic and political portrait of contemporary American culture. Conceived as one long piece of music, Homeland moves through many worlds, from Greek tragedy to American business models, addressing the current obsession with fear, violence, and security. Conversation: Free & open to the public, tickets not required Sat, Oct 25, 2-3:30 pm, Wheeler Auditorium More information here Homeland consists of a series of songs and stories that create a poetic and political portrait of contemporary American culture. Conceived as one long piece of music, Homeland moves through many worlds while addressing the current obsession with fear, violence, and security. Performances: Fri-Sat, Oct 24-25, 8pm, Zellerbach Hall Tickets: $28/$38/$56; For tickets call 510.642.9988.

Annual Halloween Mystery Ball at Headlands Center for the Arts October 25 This is our favorite bash of the year:) Plus it supports the Headland Center for the Arts. Come join us for a great night and support art! Saturday October 25, 2008 from 7:30 pm to Midnight Includes cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, dessert, music, performances, dancing and art installations. All proceeds benefit Headlands' Programs for Artists and the Public. www.mysteryball.headlands.org

Web 2.0 Summit: Al Gore and Lance Armstrong Headline November 5-7 Former Vice President Al Gore and seven-time Tour de France champion and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong will be among the long list of visionaries heading the line up at Web 2.0 Summit. Other speakers include Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook; Chris DeWolfe of MySpace; Arianna Huffington, of The Huffington Post; and many more. For a full list check out the 2008 Web 2.0 Summit speaker lineup.

Human Rights Watch Annual Dinner November 20 The Annual Dinner in San Francisco will honor Bo Kyi of Burma and Umida Niyazova of Uzbekistan for their extraordinary contributions to the human rights movement. Cocktail reception at 6:30 PM. The dinner program paying tribute to Bo Kyi and Umida Niyazova begins at 7:30 PM in the Grand Ballroom. The Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco You can buy tickets online here.

Oneironauticum, a dream group meeting monthly The Oneironauticum is a monthly overnight gathering, a focused slumber party centered around the exploration of a dream enhancement technique. Deriving from the Greek oneiro, or dream, the Oneironauticum brings together like minded dreamers to explore the universal phenomenon of dreams. A group gathers each month in the Bay Area to sleep and dream in the same space. Remote participants from around the world join us in our oneironic pursuits. www.urbandreamscape.com

FILMS

Who Does She Think She Is? by Pamela Tanner Boll In a half-changed world, women often feel they have to choose: your children's well-being or your own? Who Does She Think She Is?, a documentary by Academy Award winning filmmaker Pamela Tanner Boll, features five fierce women who refuse to choose. Through their lives, we explore some of the most problematic intersections of our time: mothering and creativity, partnering and independence, economics and art. Opening in New York at the Angelika Oct 17-19. Q&A with the director Oct 17-18 Advance purchase tickets available next week. http://www.whodoesshethinksheis.net/

Trouble the Water by Tia Lessin and Carl Deal Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, Trouble the Water is directed and produced by Fahrenheit 9/11 and Bowling for Columbine producers Tia Lessin and Carl Deal. The film tells the story of an aspiring rap artist and her streetwise husband, trapped in New Orleans by deadly floodwaters, who survive the storm and then seize a chance for a new beginning. It’s a redemptive tale of self-described street hustlers who become heroes that takes you inside Hurricane Katrina in a way never before seen on screen. www.troublethewaterfilm.com

Call and Response by Justin Dillon CALL+RESPONSE is a feature documentary film that reveals the world’s 27 million dirtiest secrets: there are more slaves today than ever before in human history. CALL+RESPONSE goes deep undercover where slavery is thriving from the child brothels of Cambodia to the slave brick kilns of rural India to reveal that in 2007, Slave Traders made more money than Google, Nike and Starbucks combined. Luminaries on the issue such as Cornel West, Madeleine Albright, Daryl Hannah, Julia Ormond, Ashley Judd, Nicholas Kristof, and many other prominent political and cultural figures offer first hand account of this 21st century trade. Performances from Grammy-winning and critically acclaimed artists including Moby, Natasha Bedingfield, Cold War Kids, Matisyahu, Imogen Heap, Talib Kweli, Five For Fighting, Switchfoot, members of Nickel Creek and Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers, Rocco Deluca move this chilling information into inspiration for stopping it. Music is part of the movement against human slavery. Dr. Cornel West connects the music of the American slave fields to the popular music we listen to today, and offers this connection as a rallying cry for the modern abolitionist movement currently brewing. www.callandresponsemovie.com

WEBSITES

autismandactivism.com My Aunt Connie and Uncle Harvey have devoted their lives to this cause, and my sister designed the website for them. When their son Shawn was diagnosed with autism in 1970, Connie and Harvey found there were virtually no services and almost no information available. Autism was still considered to be part of mental illness. The situation didn’t just create a family in crisis, it created two activists. Connie and Harvey have dedicated their lives to creating positive change for people and families with autism. For over 30 years, the Lapins have pushed the envelope for services, education and rights. www.autismandactivism.com

The Teachers' Salary Project by Vanessa Roth, Dave Eggers, and more The Teachers' Salary Project, currently a website, is the first step in what will become a new kind of documentary film. Through your stories, your contributions, and your outreach efforts, we will change how the best teachers are valued in our society. Join Academy Award–winning filmmaker Vanessa Roth, co-founder of 826 National Nínive Calegari, and writer Dave Eggers in the making, shaping, and distributing of this historic work. They're also looking for 3 more public school teachers who are making great personal sacrifices in order to continue teaching. http://www.theteachersalaryproject.org/

BOOKS

Dreaming Green: Eco-Fabulous Homes Designed to Inspire by Lisa Sharkey For anyone with eco-friendly ideals as well as a penchant for high style, Dreaming Green showcases seventeen inspiring homes that are at once luxurious, beautiful, and fashioned inside and out with green materials, design, and details. You can check it out on Amazon

Inventing the Movies: The Hidden echnological History of Hollywood by Scott Kirsner How is it that Hollywood has survived as an industry — even as it seems to fight every new idea that comes along, from sound to color to TV to the Internet? How have the movies endured as an art form — even as many of the most creative movie-makers have resisted adopting new tools and technologies? It’s the story of how new technologies and business models helped Hollywood survive and thrive, from the 1890s to the 21st century. It’s also an exploration of why individuals (and entire industries) can be so hostile to new ideas. http://www.scottkirsner.com/inventing/

Ultimate Small Business Resource Guide by Sarah Leah Gootnick The Ultimate Small Business Owner's Guide lists over 150 top-notch professionals and businesses in over 60 categories that can help you be more successful in running your small business. With listings that range from e-newsletter services to voicemail transcription services and more, this guide will help you save both time and money as you run your business each day.

Letter to a Bullied Girl by Olivia Gardner When news of the cruel bullying of a California teen spread, two sisters decided to respond. Emily and Sarah Buder initiated a letter-writing campaign to lift the spirits of Olivia Gardner, the bullied girl. Letters to a Bullied Girl compiles a selection of the most moving letters they received from parents, teachers, bullying targets, and bullies themselves. It is the first book of its kind to feature such intimate stories from all sides of the bullying equation. Visit the website here.