This is not an official blog of the City. It is the work of Mark Kapel who is solely responsible for content.

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Saturday, April 30, 2016

Logan's Run at age 40 and the more intelligent options of Today's Boomer Summit..

Forty years ago the big and much talked  about movie at  a poor but humble military  base near the Fulda Gap in West Germany was Logan's Run. Logan was a Sandman whose job it was to track down and catch runners.  Logan lived in the  23 Century where aside from the ever busy sandmen, life was one of  youth, perpetual  amusement, and leisure before the tell tale crystal in the palm of one's hand began flashing at age 30. That meant you were then too old for the world of Logan and your only options were to take your chances on the Carousel which offered a dubious  promise  of a renewed life or to run. Escape the Sandmen, and chance life in an unprotected, unknown world referred to as "outside". Logan's claim to fame is that in a society where Sandmen never run, he runs.






Today Medical Science has given those of us nearing or crossing the threshold of retirement  30, 40, or maybe even more years relative leisure undreamed of  four decades ago. Looking for a blue print ? Try today's half day  Boomer Summit sponsored in Part by the Baldwin Library.


Friday, April 22, 2016

New Books and DVDs at Baldwin Library 4/20/2016. Quick, Excellent. Baldacci. The Revevant and Norm.

Cover art for 'Til death do us part  by Quick, Amanda, author.BOOKS:

Calista Langley operates an exclusive "introduction" agency in Victorian London, catering to respectable ladies and gentlemen who find themselves alone in the world. But now, a dangerously obsessed individual has begun sending her trinkets and gifts suitable only for those in deepest mourning--a black mirror, a funeral wreath, a ring set with black jet stone. Each is engraved with her initials.
Cover art for The excellent Lombards  by Hamilton, Jane, 1957 July 13- author.Mary Frances "Frankie" Lombard is fiercely in love with her family's sprawling apple orchard and the tangled web of family members who inhabit it. Content to spend her days planning capers with her brother William, competing with her brainy cousin Amanda, and expertly tending the orchard with her father, Frankie desires nothing more than for the rhythm of life to continue undisturbed. But she cannot help being haunted by the historical fact that some family members end up staying on the farm and others must leave. Change is inevitable, and threats of urbanization, disinheritance, and college applications shake the foundation of Frankie's roots. As Frankie is forced to shed her childhood fantasies and face the possibility of losing the idyllic future she had envisioned for her family, she must decide whether loving something means clinging tightly or letting go.

Convicted murderer Melvin Mars is counting down the last hours before his execution--for the violent killing of his parents twenty years earlier--when he's granted an unexpected reprieve. Another man has confessed to the crime.

Cover art for The last mile  by Baldacci, David, author.Amos Decker, newly hired on an FBI special task force, takes an interest in Mars's case after discovering the striking similarities to his own life: Both men were talented football players with promising careers cut short by tragedy. Both men's families were brutally murdered. And in both cases, another suspect came forward, years after the killing, to confess to the crime. A suspect who may or may not have been telling the truth.

The confession has the potential to make Melvin Mars--guilty or not--a free man. Who wants Mars out of prison? And why now?


DVD'S/BLU-RAYS

A polar bear of many words, Norm's greatest gripe is simple: there is no room for tourists in the Arctic. But when a maniacal developer threatens to build luxury condos in his own backyard, Norm does what all normal polar bears would do: he heads to New York City to stop it. With a cast of ragtag lemmings at his side, Norm takes on the Big Apple, big business, and a big identity crisis to save the day.

Inspired by true events, an expedition of the uncharted American wilderness, legendary explorer Hugh Glass is brutally attacked by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team. In a quest to survive, Glass endures unimaginable grief as well as the betrayal of his confidant John Fitzgerald. Guided by sheer will and the love of his family, Glass must navigate a vicious winter in a relentless pursuit to live and find redemption.

Editors note:. The Above PICTURE WAS A 2016   Best Picture Nominee.

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Comcast Watchathon Day 2 4/19/2016


The Watchathon as promised started promptly on at the stroke of Midnight on Sunday April  17th. Regrettably in the euphoria of the moment there  were a couple of things  we neglected to tell you. 
The First is that not everything is available  all at once on Watchathon.  A little  orange key beneath the program icon on  tablets from  Amazon or Apple  indicates what is available for watching now.
Clicking on a keyed  not as yet available program will produce the prompt "available to subscribers only." 
Before you conclude that the Watchathon is a crock consider the wise advice of not looking a gift horse  in the mouth. meaning the Watchathon provides plenty free content to satisfy anyone willing to look for it.
 Examples include 311 movies from Cinemax including 
Heaven Help Us  a little gem gem I completely missed in the theater, video stores, or  the multitude of movie channels that cropped up on cable  and  over the air sub channels since the arrival of High definition channel splits. The Language is not appropriate for 2016 but pitch perfect for  1965 the year in which the movie is  set.  Then every word said in the vocabulary of  students at  an all boys Catholic High School  seemed to begin  appropriately enough with the letter "F". Fail, Flunk, Flame out and Forgetaboutit all come readily to mind.




Monday, April 18, 2016

Comcast /Infinity Watchathon Week is set for APRIL 18TH through Sunday April 24th 2016.

The  Return of WATCHATHON  Begins at Midnight


. This will be the fourth watchathon which justifiably bills its self as the biggest event in television. Over the years however the date has shifted from late march/ early April to mid month in April. If you are consulting the internet  for more  Watchathon info or reviews  be sure the entry you are reading  is current and refers to the 2016 Watchathon April 18th-24th. Otherwise you might think you have missed it which would be devastating.

Comcast/Infinity is the the only Cable Provider in the City of Bloomfield Hills, So if you have a Cable TV hook up in the City  you have the capability for a  defacto Watchathon (with a few exeptions) whenever you want. The exceptions are pay channels like HBO, Showtime, Starz,  Cinemax and others. During the Watchaton those subscription channels will be available to Comcast subscribers free of charge. Those entertainment options may appear as un blocked items on  the cable box or the TV.
If you don't watch cable TV but have Comcast for your High Speed internet  You may be able to enjoy the Watchathon by using a  free Infinity on demand app on Your tablet or computer. To do so you will need your Comcast high speed internet passwords to connect. 
The Comcast app checks your bonafides and connects you where  ever wifi is available virtually nation wide.

Saturday, April 16, 2016

BALDWIN LIBRARY NEW ACQUISITIONS Sisters and thrillers dominate

Book
Christine Nilsson and her husband, Marcus, are desperate for a baby. Unable to conceive, they find themselves facing a difficult choice they had never anticipated. After many appointments with specialists, endless research, and countless conversations, they make the decision to use a donor.

Two months pass, and Christine is happily pregnant. But one day, she is shocked to see a young blond man on the TV news being arrested for a series of brutal murders―and the blond man bears an undeniable and uncanny resemblance to her donor.

Delving deeper to uncover the truth, Christine must confront a terrifying reality and face her worst fears. Most Wanted poses an ethical and moral dilemma: What would you do if the biological father of your unborn child was a killer?










DVD'S/BLU-RAYS
TheForest-Bloody
A young woman's hunt for her missing sister leads to horror and madness in this terrifying supernatural thriller starring Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones and The Hunger Games franchise). When her troubled twin sister mysteriously disappears, Sara Price (Dormer) discovers she vanished in Japan's infamous Suicide Forest. Searching its eerie dark woods, Sara plunges into a tormented world where angry spirits lie in wait for those who ignore the warning: never stray from the path.






Tina Fey and Amy Poehler reunite for Sisters, a new film from Pitch Perfect director Jason Moore about two disconnected sisters summoned home to clean out their childhood bedroom before their parents sell the family house. Looking to recapture their glory days, they throw one final high-school-style party for their classmates, which turns into the cathartic rager that a bunch of ground-down adults really need. 

Friday, April 15, 2016

Friends of the Baldwin Public Library Spring Used Book Sale

The Friends of the Baldwin Public Library spring book sale will take place from April 29 to May 2 at the Baldwin Public Library. The public is invited to browse thousands of books and media in great condition. Items for sale include paperbacks, hard covers, DVDs, music CDs, audiobooks, children’s books, and gift-quality items. Items are presented by category to make it easy for shoppers to browse. All proceeds from the sale will benefit the Library’s programs and services.

The breakdown of dates, times, and sale specials are listed below:
Friday, April 29 from 7 pm – 9 pm: Member Preview Night
Reserved for Members of the Friends of the Baldwin Public Library
Memberships will be available at the door
Saturday, April 30 from 9:30 am - 4:30 pm
Sunday, May 1 from 12 noon – 4 pm: Half Price Day 
Monday, May 2 from 10 am – 2 pm: Bag Day
Buy a bag for $5 and stuff it to the brim with books
Established in 1950, Friends of the Baldwin Public Library is a non-profit association supporting and enhancing the goals of the Library. More information about the Friends of the Baldwin Public Library can be found at: http://www.baldwinlib.org/friends/.

Photos from the Fall 2015 Friends of the Baldwin Public Library Used Book Sale can be found here.

The Baldwin Public Library is located in downtown Birmingham at 300 W. Merrill Street. The Library’s hours are 9:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. The Library’s website (www.baldwinlib.org) has information on how to register for a Library Card and access all of the Library’s services.
Future Friends of the Baldwin Library Book Sales


Book Sales

The Friends of Baldwin Public Library hold Book Sales twice yearly, in May and November. Over 10,000 books, sorted by category, are offered for sale. Members of the Friends are invited to the Friday evening preview night where they get first choice of the items on sale.
2016 Book Sales
April 29-May 2, 2016
November 4-7, 2016

Upcoming Spring Used Book Sale:

The public is invited to browse thousands of books and media in great condition. Items for sale include paperbacks, hard covers, DVDs, music CDs, audiobooks, children’s books, and gift-quality items. Items are presented by category to make it easy for shoppers to browse. All proceeds from the sale will benefit the Library’s programs and services.
Friday, April 29 from 7 to 9 p.m.
  • Member Preview Night
Saturday, April 30 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 1 from noon to 4 p.m.
  • Half Price Day
Monday, May 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Bag Day - buy a bag for $5 and stuff it to the brim with books

Donate your Used Books to the Friends:

The Friends of BPL accept donations on a small cart in the lobby whenever the Library is open. If you have a larger donation, please call the Circulation Desk at 248-554-4630 to request assistance. Pull your vehicle into the Library's loading dock on Chester Street. Library staff will help you unload your materials.
Friends of the Baldwin Public Library do not accept the following:
  • Magazines
  • Records
  • VHS tapes
  • Condensed Books
  • Encyclopedias
  • Self-taped videos, audios
  • Textbooks
  • Sets, such as Time-Life or American Heritage