August II, 2010
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Page 9
Arts
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Entertainer Shares Vision for Haiti
Returns to his
birthplace to
run for president
(AP) - After the hip-hop party
was over, the cheering supporters
back in their tents and the speaker
trucks parked for the night, newly
m inted p resid en tia l can d id ate
W yclef Jean sat down to talk busi
ness — promoting Haiti's and de
fending his own.
The potential front-runner in
Haiti's Nov. 28 election told The As
sociated Press that he supports the
U.S. and U.N. vision for rebuilding
Haiti's economy after its magnitude-
7 earthquake — a plan that encour
ages private investment in factories,
agriculture and other areas.
He also hit back at critics of his
own personal finances, including
allegations over his use of post
quake charity funds and the revela
tion he personally owes $2.1 million
in back taxes to the United States.
"We can provide a way to get
( Haitians) out of the mess they're in.
And the way that that's going to
happen (is) education, job creation
and investment for Haiti," Jean said
in the wide-ranging interview.
He spoke Thursday in a Port-au-
Prince hotel room as aides, his wife
and 5-year-old daughter looked on.
The H aitian-born, Brooklyn-
W yclef Jean
raised singer is attempting a diffi
cult and potentially dicey transfor
mation: From multimillionaire inter
national recording artist to leader of
one of the world's poorest and most
dysfunctional countries — and
doing so through a pivotal and dif
ficult election.
Among the best known figures in
his native country, Jean — who left
as a child — speaks American-ac
cented Creole to crowds and New
York-accented English at home. His
estimated annual income of up to
$18millionismorethan 13,000times
more than the average Haitian sees
in a year — assuming that person
even has a job.
If he wins the presidency, the ex-
Fugee frontman said he would en
courage donors to invest heavily in
education. He also endorsed the
economic vision promoted by former
U.S. President Bill Clinton, the U.N.
special envoy for Haiti. Those plans
include creating jobs in the garment
export industry, boosting tourism
and building the capacity of Haitian
farmers to reduce the both nation's
chronic dependence on imports.
"President Clinton is focusing
on the garment industry and all that.
I think that's great. But also agricul
ture is involved," Jean said. "We
can work components at the same
time."
Before campaigning can begin,
Jean must be cleared to run by Haiti's
eight-member provisional electoral
council. Among the requirements
he must fulfill are proving he has
never renounced his Haitian citi
zenship by holding another —
namely, U.S. — passport; and that
he has been a resident o f Haiti for
the last five years — which by most
accounts he has not.
The campaign will argue that
Jean's status as a Haitian ambassa
dor-at-large, a post he was awarded .
in 2007, exempts him from having
not spent more time in the country
of late.
Summer Fun at
Esther Short Park
A community event with activities for the whole family will take
place Saturday, Aug. 14, when the Vancouver Fire Fighters Union
takes over Esther Short Park in Vancouver to raise money for Share,
a location organization that helps the hungry and homeless.
Fire in the Park II will run all day and is free and open to the public.
Activities will include fire fighter competitions, a chili cook-off,
entertainment by regional pipe and drum bands, and a beer garden.
A children's event area will include an obstacle course, face painting,
free ice cream, and carnival games.
A free concert from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. will feature the local group 5
Guys Named Moe. Fighters will be "passing the fire helmet" for
voluntary donations to support Share. Concert tickets for a prime
viewing area are $35 and include dinner and a drink; call 360-695-7658.
extension 3301.
OMSI Brings Einstein to Life
Exploring the
man and his
science
curved geom etry— while at
the same time revealing his
passion for social justice and
his speaking out against seg
re g a tio n , a n ti-S e m itism ,
M cCarthyism , and nuclear
Explore the m ysteries of
arm am ent.
space and time and journey
T hrough several in flu
inside the mind o f Albert
e n tia l s c ie n tific p a p e rs,
Einstein, one o f the greatest
Einstein changed the w orld
scientists the world has ever
and our u nderstanding o f
known, in the new exhibit
it. H is Special T heory o f
Einstein, at the Oregon M u
R elativity paved the way
seum o f Science and Indus
to unleashing atom ic e n
try (OM SI).
ergy; his w ork on the p h o
Einstein is the m ost com
to e le c tric e ffe c t led d i
prehensive exhibit ever pre
rectly to the d ev elo p m en t
sented on Einstein and brings
o f vacuum tubes and in te
to life his m ost revolution
grated circuits, and e v e n
ary theories through hands- The g e n iu s o f Albert E instein is captured
tu a lly to th e c o m p u te r
on interactive displays, vid in a n ew exhibit a t OMSI.
revolution; and his e x p la
eos about his life, science,
nation o f B row nian m o
and legacy; facsim iles o f his Einstein's m ost astonishing vi tion created a new u n d erstan d
m anuscripts and personal letters sions o f the U niverse— light's ing o f the size and shape o f
to his loved ones, and more.
constant speed, time as the fourth m olecules that ultim ately helped
The exhibit explores m any of dim ension, and space-tim e as a to unlock the secrets o f D N A .
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