Dear fellow musicians, colleagues, music lovers, and friends, I want to let you know about a very special event that I hope you all will consider participating in. In addition to being a highly regarded and talented journalist, Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter who was abducted and murdered in Pakistan two and a half years ago, was an avid musician.
As some of you know, he was also a good friend of mine. Every year since this tragedy, the Daniel Pearl Foundation has been organizing a wonderful event in honor of Danny's birthday called Daniel Pearl Music Day. The goal of Music Day is to recognize the ideals of cross cultural understanding & respect for which Danny stood, and to promote global harmony through music - the universal language.
Now in its third year, Daniel Pearl Music Day proves to be far more expansive than ever. From October 8-17, musicians the world over, both professional and amateur, will be dedicating their performances to Danny and these ideals.
I am writing to invite and encourage you to participate in this year's Daniel Pearl Music Day. There are many ways in which you can do so. If you are a musician performing during this time, you can dedicate your performance(s) to Danny and the ideals for which he stood, either in a written program or from the stage. I encourage you to think outside the box.
If you will be in the recording studio during that time, dedicate a session or song. If you are a venue or radio DJ, dedicate a show. The Daniel Pearl Foundation has requested that all participants register their events at www.danielpearl.org. This will help keep a running tally of the sheer numbers of like minded artists across the globe who believe that music is a more powerful force than hate based violence.
If you are not a musician, you can still participate in Music Day by doing something musical, especially on Danny's birthday - October 10. Go see a concert, hang out with some friends and listen to music, bang on a pot, sing in the shower. You get the idea. Just do something, and help deliver the message to the world that hate and violence based on cultural differences is not something we will tolerate.
For those of you in southwestern Massachusetts, northwest Connecticut, and the mid-Hudson Valley of New York, I hope that you will join me on Wednesday October 13 from 7-9PM and again on Friday October 15 from 10PM 'til midnight as I will be hosting a very special edition of the Off the Beat-n-Track Radio Show on WKZE 98.1FM. This will be my third Music Day edition of the show, and for the first hour, as I have done every year, I will be spinning recordings that features Danny's fiddle and mandolin playing.
Because much of this music was never officially released and much of what was released is now out of print, this will be a rare opportunity to hear Danny's playing. During the second hour of the show, I will spin music by some of Danny's favorite indie bands.
Danny's taste in music was very eclectic, and he had a knack for discovering great bands that most people had never heard of. It promises to be a show not to be missed, and I do hope you'll join me.
And finally, perhaps the single biggest contribution you can all make to Daniel Music Day is to pass this message onto friends, family, and fans to help us spread the word. Feel free to contact me for additional information and be sure to check out the Daniel Pearl Foundation website at www.danielpearl.org for daily updates.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
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It still goes on in Taipei, 2007. Thanks Danny.
Slim
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The state's on an air quality alert through midnight Thursday because of the smoke from wildfires in Canada.
Berkshire residents woke up to smoky, hazy skies and a red glowing sun on Wednesday morning, but with less oppressive heat.
The Department of Environmental Protection issued an air quality alert for elevated levels of fine particles (PM2.5). This refers to microscopic airborne particles measuring 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter — about 30 times smaller than a human hair. These particles come in many sizes and shapes and can be made up of hundreds of different chemicals.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says the size of these particles can cause serious health problems because they can get deep into your lungs and even into bloodstreams. Particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter pose the greatest risk to health.
The air quality statewide is expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups. These include people with heart or lung disease such as asthma, older adults, children, teenagers, and people who are active outdoors. People with either lung disease or heart disease are at greater risk from exposure to air pollution.
MassDEP advises people in sensitive groups to reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion, take more breaks, do less intense activities, follow asthma action plans, and keep quick relief medicine handy. Watch for symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath.
EPA's air quality index rates levels from "good" at 0-50 and "very unhealthy" from 201 to 300. Residents of Williamstown can track the AQI through PurpleAir, which displays results from monitors in five sections of town.
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