The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

Seniors warned about Medicare scam; info session on Oct. 25

Police report that scammers have been calling older residents in towns in the region saying they are from Medicare and trying to set up home visits. If you get such a call, try to get a phone number and report it to the Lincoln Police. Medicare does not call beneficiaries to set up home visits.

Learn more about Medicare and supplemental insurance coverage for 2014 at a Council on Aging informational session on October 25 at 10 a.m. in Bemis Hall with Don Milan and Anne Meade, Lincoln’s counselors from the Minuteman Senior Services SHINE health benefits counseling program. This is an especially important time to be sure you understand and are satisfied with your benefits. This year’s Medicare open enrollment period from October 15 to December 7, 2013 is your primary opportunity to change your plans, effective January 1, 2014. Representatives from the major supplemental health insurance plans serving Lincoln (Harvard Pilgrim, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Tufts, Humana, Fallon, and AARP/United Health Care) will give 2014 information. It’s a unique opportunity for you to learn about their products and get answers to questions. Also present will be representatives of Prescription Advantage (the state’s secondary prescription assistance program) and Priscilla Leach (Lincoln’s Veterans Service Officer). This program was very helpful to many Lincoln residents last year.

Seniors should also note that there will be a free flu shot clinic on Saturday, November 2  from 9-11 a.m. at Bemis Hall. In accordance with federal CDC and state Department of Public Health guidelines, this clinic is for those 60 and over. Please wear a short-sleeved shirt. Vaccine supplies may be limited, so come early. A $2 donation to the Friends of the Lincoln Council on Aging is requested. Those who attend are also invited to bring non-perishable food that is not past its shelf life expiration date for the St. Vincent de Paul Grocery Distribution Program at St. Joseph Church.

Council on Aging announces October activities

bemisFor more information on any of these events, visit the Council on Aging website.

Save the Date: Flu Shot Clinic at Bemis Hall on November 2

Come to the Board of Health/COA flu clinic at Bemis Hall on Saturday, November 2 from 9-11 a.m. In accordance with federal CDC and state Department of Public Health guidelines, this clinic is for those 60 and over. Please wear a short-sleeved shirt. Vaccine supplies may be limited, so come early. A $2 donation to the Friends of the Lincoln Council on Aging is requested. Those who attend are also invited to bring non-perishable food that is not past its shelf life expiration date for the St. Vincent de Paul Grocery Distribution Program at St. Joseph Church.

October 4 at 10 a.m.
Coffee with Lincoln’s Town Administrator

Come to Bemis Hall on Friday, October 4 at 10 a.m. for coffee with Town Administrator Tim Higgins. Tim will update you on some of the projects going on around town and news, especially related to this fall’s “State of the Town” meeting, and answer your questions about town services and initiatives. He would also like to know your ideas and suggestions. Get to know Tim in an informal setting and chat about those aspects of the town that are most important to you.

October 7 at 9 a.m.
Watercolors with Jane

Rediscover the joyful soul within you through art and nature in Jane Cooper’s watercolor class. Jane will offer fun dabbling in watercolor painting of scenes of nature, landscapes or perhaps some favorite sky. Two sessions of four classes will be offered each Monday and Friday beginning October 7 (first session) and October 28 (second session) from 9-11 a.m. The cost is $15. Call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up.

October 7 at 12:30 p.m.
Lincoln Academy—
Dr. Arthur Siegel and Chief Kevin Mooney on the Boston Marathon Disaster

Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, October 7 at 12:30 to hear Dr. Arthur Siegel and Chief Kevin Mooney discuss the Boston Marathon disaster. Bring a bag lunch. The Council on Aging will provide beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion. 

October 9 at 10 a.m.
Discuss Civil Rights at our Fireside Chat

If you enjoy a lively, but respectful discussion of topics in the news, come to the COA’s next “Fireside Chat” with Sharon Antia, who will facilitate an exploration of civil rights on Wednesday, October 9 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall. The chat’s rules are simple: No one is right and no one is wrong. Ask questions to understand and spend little to no time arguing your point. Questioning and answering, it’s a great way to explore issues, don’t you think? 

October 10 (leave Lincoln Station Mall at 9 a.m.)
Trip to Historic Saugus Iron Works

Travel to the banks of the Saugus River on Thursday, October 10 to explore the birthplace of the American iron and steel industry. Discover where European iron makers brought their skills in the 17th century to a young Massachusetts colony at the site of the archaeological excavations done by Lincoln native Roland W. Robbins. Enjoy morning options of a guided tour, orientation film, museum visit and nature trails at this nine-acre national park. You will depart from the Lincoln Mall at 9 a.m. by Doherty school bus. After a morning at the site, you ‘ll travel to Marblehead for lunch at a seafood restaurant at your own expense with the group. The bus will depart Marblehead by 2 p.m., arriving back at the Lincoln Mall by 3 p.m.

The non-refundable cost of the trip is $8 made payable by check to FLCOA Trips and mailed with your email or phone number to Rob Todd, 126 Old Concord Rd., Lincoln, MA 01773. Payment must be made by Saturday, October 5. Questions? Email Rob at hmbt@comcast.net or call 781-259-8820.

October 11 at 10 a.m.
Ayurveda, Part II: Living According to Nature’s Rhythms

Ayurveda, a 5,000-year-old holistic health care system still in practice all over the world, focuses on keeping our body, mind, and spirit in balance in order to maintain health and well being. Come join Tracey Cornogg, an Ayurvedic educator and consultant, on Friday, October 11 at 10 a.m., when she continues the very well-received discussion she began this past summer. This talk will focus on making changes in diet and daily practices based on Ayurvedic principles that are life enhancing as well as energizing to both body and mind. You do not need to have come to the first program to attend, though you may wish to stop by the COA to pick up the introductory handout.

October 11 at 1 p.m.
Check your Medication at a Brown Bag Pharmacy

Prescription and non-prescription medications, herbal remedies, and vitamin supplements can all interact with dangerous consequences. Come bring all your medications, herbs, and supplements to a “Brown Bag Pharmacy” on Friday, October 11 at 1 p.m. at Bemis Hall and have Christine McLellan, a pharmacist from Emerson Hospital, review them to check for possible interactions, side effects, or other problems. Please call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up for a 15-minute appointment.

October 15 at 11:30 a.m. – St. Anne’s Church
Enjoy “Senior Dining”

Lincoln seniors are invited to a gourmet meal in an elegant setting at 11:30 on Tuesday, October 15 at St. Anne’s Church. You must reserve by calling the COA at 781-259-8811 at least a week ahead. The cost is $5. Caregivers are welcome to come with those for whom they are caring. Let the COA know if you need transportation or a seating partner. The lunch is co-sponsored by the COA, the Friends of the COA, Minuteman Senior Services, and St. Anne’s.

October 16 at 10 a.m.
Are you Interested in Joining a Chorale?

If you would be interested in joining a chorale, with weekly rehearsals culminating in performances, come to Bemis Hall on Wednesday, October 16 at 10 a.m. Mezzo-soprano and choral director Letitia Stevens will discuss her plans to initiate a chorale for older adults under the auspices of Encore Chorales, an organization that supports chorales for older adults throughout the country. Letitia will share her ideas about repertoire and scheduling and answer your questions; she looks forward to meeting you.

October 17 at 10 a.m.

The World in your Pocket: Smartphones

So you received a smartphone as a gift from your children. What now? For many people, their smartphone is their phone, their computer, their GPS, their information on shops and restaurants, the weather, and more, all-in-one and traveling with them wherever they go. What is a smartphone? What can they do and why would you want to have one? How much do they cost and where do you buy the phone and sign up for service? Find out when Avram Kalisky comes to Bemis Hall on Thursday, October 17 at 10 am! Bring your questions, concerns, and, if you have one, your smartphone!

October 17 and 24 at 2:15 p.m.
Let the Scenes Begin! An Improvisation Workshop

Celebrate the “spirited” month of October with a lively improvisation workshop! Improvisation is a theatre technique in which participants create scenes without the use of a script or rehearsal. It is also a powerful tool for anyone who enjoys exercising their creativity, acting spontaneously, and working with others as they create both comic and thought-provoking scenes. Theatre games will be used as warmups. No acting experience is necessary! Led by Leslie Kilgore, “Let the Scenes Begin!” will be offered on two Thursdays, October 17 and 24, from 2:15 to 3:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall.

October 18 at 10 a.m.
Balancing Life Cycle Loss with Living: A Discussion

Our experiences, especially those of loss, constantly change us across the life cycle. Come join Niki Pugach, MSW, of Parmenter VNA and Hospice on Friday, October 18 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall when she briefly summarizes the presentation last month on life cycle changes and what we can do to adapt, yet still honor those losses, then leads a discussion of your experiences, thoughts and ideas, and concerns. 

October 18 at 1 p.m.
Lincoln Academy at the Movies—
Saptapadii with the film’s writer/actor and assistant director

The COA is proud to participate in the Discover India! Lincoln Cultural Festival 2013 with a special screening of the 2013 feature film Saptapadii and a discussion with writer/actor Chandu Shah and Assistant Director Eshani Shah on Friday, October 18 at 1 p.m. at Bemis Hall. Saptapadii is the story of how a wealthy Indian couple’s life and relationship is turned upside down when the husband learns that his wife’s attempts to cure a traumatized child while on vacation at a beautiful hill station can have disastrous consequences for his business and open up possibilities of independence for her.

October 21 at 12:30 p.m.
Lincoln Academy—
Mark Hopkins: Good Graffiti—A Sampling of Spanish Street Art

Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, October 21 at 12:30 to hear Mark Hopkins discuss “Good Graffiti: A Sampling of Spanish Street Art.” Bring a bag lunch. The Council on Aging will provide beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion.

October 21 at 1:45 p.m.
Enjoy an Afternoon of Bridge and Desserts

Enjoy a fun afternoon with desserts and bridge on Monday, October 21 at 1:45 p.m. at Bemis Hall. Play with old friends or find some new partners after enjoying a selection of homemade desserts. All skill levels are welcome. If there is enough interest, the COA will offer more bridge opportunities and Bridge Dessert afternoons. Please sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811!

October 25 at 10 a.m.
2014 Medicare Open Enrollment and Supplemental Insurance Update Session

Find out what changes could affect your Medicare coverage and how much you will pay in 2014 when Don Milan and Anne Meade, Lincoln’s counselors from the Minuteman Senior Services SHINE health benefits counseling program, come to Bemis Hall on Friday, October 25 at 10 am. This is an especially important time to be sure you understand and are satisfied with your benefits.

This year’s Medicare open enrollment period from October 15 to December 7, 2013 is your primary opportunity to change your plans, effective January 1, 2014. Representatives from the major supplemental health insurance plans serving Lincoln (Harvard Pilgrim, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Tufts, Humana, Fallon, and AARP/United Health Care) will give 2014 information. It’s a unique opportunity for you to learn about their products and get answers to questions. Also present will be representatives of Prescription Advantage (the state’s secondary prescription assistance program) and Priscilla Leach (Lincoln’s Veterans Service Officer). This program was very helpful to many Lincoln residents last year.

October 25 at 1 p.m.
Choosing the Right Home Contractor

Your home is your biggest investment, so you want to make sure that whoever makes renovations and repairs to it is qualified and will treat you fairly and in a business-like way. Find out how to choose and work with the right contractor when Dan Walsh, Lincoln’s Building Commissioner, comes to Bemis Hall on Friday, October 25 at 1 p.m. He’ll explain about the process for getting good estimates, determining if a contractor has the proper credentials and insurance, criteria for choosing a contractor, legal requirements for contracts and permits, inspecting the work when completed, and what to do if you have a problem or complaint. Come with your questions and concerns.

October 28 at 12:30 p.m.
Lincoln Academy—
Barbara Slayter: Unraveling the Complex Relationships Among Food Security, Health, and Livelihoods for Rural Women in Sub-Saharan Africa

Come to Bemis Hall on Mondays at 12:30 to hear Barbara Slayter discuss “Unraveling the Complex Relationships among Food Security, Health, and Livelihoods for Rural Women in Sub-Saharan Africa.” Bring a bag lunch. The Council on Aging will provide beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion.

October 31 at 10 a.m.
Fall Accessory Swap

Dress up your fall and winter wardrobe without spending a penny! Ria Vet will once again be facilitating an accessory swap on Thursday, October 31 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall. Just bring in a few accessories you no longer want and see if someone else has brought in the perfect accompaniment to your new dress or maybe a bit of bling for your holiday outfit that you would like to take home with you. Be sure to get here on time if you don’t want to miss getting the best stuff.

Saturday, November 16
Mark Twain & Harriet Beecher Stowe

Come join the COA on Saturday, November 16 to visit the fascinating homes of Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe. These two famous authors, who shared many interests, lived but a few yards apart in a section of Hartford known as Nook Farm. Twain wrote his most famous books while living in his ostentatious 19-room mansion. Stowe, the woman who wrote the book that started the Great War, lived by contrast in a modest Victorian next door. The trip will depart from the Lincoln Mall at 8:45 a.m. on a comfortable coach for this full-day excursion, with a delicious box lunch included. You’ll enjoy guided tours, and also have time to visit the small museums and view the short documentary films at each site. You will arrive back at the Lincoln Mall about 4:30 p.m. The non-refundable cost is $39, partially supported by the Hurff Fund. Send checks, payable to FLCOA Trips, to Virginia O’Brien, 4 Linway Road, Lincoln, MA 01773. Please include phone number and email address. Space is limited, and payment must be made by Friday, November 1. Questions? Contact Virginia O’Brien at vobrien39@yahoo.com or 781-259-1291.

Koutoujian opens Lincoln office; Sunday event set

koutoujianLincoln residents are  invited to join Democratic Congressional candidate Peter Koutoujian for a “meet and greet” opening reception in his Lincoln office at 146 Lincoln Road on Sunday, September 29 from noon to 1 p.m. (next to St. Joseph’s Church).

Koutoujian, the Middlesex County sheriff and a former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, is one of seven candidates running for former U.S. Rep. Ed Markey’s 5th District seat. The primary will be held on October 15, with the election on December 10.

Refreshments will be available. Parking is available across the street at Lincoln Station.

Nobel laureate David Hubel of Lincoln dies at 87

David Hubel

David Hubel

David Hubel of Lincoln, a Harvard scientist and Nobel Prize winner, died of kidney failure on September 22 at the age of 87.

Hubel and two other scientists won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1981 for discoveries in visual processing and development that ushered in the modern study of the cerebral cortex and changed the way childhood cataracts and strabismus (“cross-eye”) were treated, according to his obituary in the Harvard Crimson. A news release from Harvard Medical School discusses his work in more detail.

Obituaries for Hubel have also appeared in  newspapers including the Boston Globe (which has a 1981 photo of him with his wife Ruth and son Eric), the New York Times and the Washington Post. Ruth Hubel died earlier this year at the age of 83.

The Nobel Prize website includes Hubel’s autobiographical essay and a 2009 video interview with him.

Fire Department open house to teach fire prevention

fire engineThe Lincoln Fire Department welcomes families to a free open house on Saturday, October 12 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. that aims to teaching families fire safety and prevention practices.

The open house, which is sponsored by Papa Gino’s, commemorates National Fire Safety Month in October. Participants will learn about safety tips such as “stop, drop and roll”  and how to plan escape routes, as well as extinguishing simple kitchen fires and other fire-related demonstrations. In addition, Dedham-based Papa Gino’s will provide free pizza and fire safety coloring sheets and certificates for kids.

“This event allows us to reach out to the community and arm local families with fire safety tips and procedures,” said Lincoln Fire Chief Steve Carter. “Our open house allows families to get together and better prepares them to react if a fire does start.”

For the past 19 years, Papa Gino’s has sponsored open houses throughout New England, helping to educate more and 1 million people about fire prevention and safety. Fire department open houses are being hosted throughout Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island in October.

For more information about the open house, call Lincoln Fire Department Lt. Ben Juhola at 781-259-2675.

Apply for a Lincoln Cultural Council grant by Oct. 15

muralThe Lincoln Cultural Council (LCC) has announced that the postmark deadline for organizations, schools and individuals to apply for grants that support community-oriented arts, humanities, and science projects is October 15, 2013. This year the LCC intends to award about $4,250 in grants to multiple recipients.

These grants support a variety of artistic projects and activities, including exhibits, festivals, short-term artist residencies or performances, workshops and lectures. Grant recipients need not be residents of Lincoln, but a Lincoln tie-in is a plus and a Lincoln venue is preferred. All events should be open and easily accessible to the general public and should be events that Lincoln residents will likely attend.

The LCC strives to support a wide variety of cultural activities and is particularly interested in proposals that combine the interests and resources of several different culturally oriented entities so that all of our respective resources can be leveraged. Cultural projects are intended to represent in the broadest sense the study, pursuit, performance, exhibition, and/or appreciation of the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences.

The LCC is part of a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils serving all 351 Massachusetts cities and towns. The program is the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation, supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, sciences and humanities every year. The state legislature provides nearly $2 million each year to the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), a state agency. The National Endowment for the Arts also contributes funds to the MCC which then allocates funds to each community. The MCC distributes more than $3.3 million to over 5,000 projects across the state.

Projects previously funded by the Lincoln Cultural Council include:

  • Travis Roy’s motivational talk on Living with Disability (sponsored with others)
  • Buccaneers of Buzz: Celebrating the Honey Bee, a multimedia event and concert was presented by Rialto Arts (awarded a 2009 Gold Star Award from the Massachusetts Cultural Council)
  • A new mural celebrating language and culture at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High (sponsored with others)
  • Historic New England lectures and presentations at Gropius House and Codman Estates
  • Various concerts, poetry, and theatre performances, and even an edible wild plants educational session
  • Startup funding for an after0school Printshop at Lincoln Public Schools
  • Design and development of an interpretive wetlands walk through Lincoln’s conservation land

More information:

…or contact co-chairs Melinda Abraham (mkabraham@att.net, 781-257-5353) or Lisa Putukian (lputukian@verizon.net, 781-259-0885.

Volunteers needed for seniors and ZBA

drivingCould you drive seniors to essential appointments?

The Lincoln Council on Aging needs people drive seniors to local medical appointments, the COA, or shopping in Lincoln on one or more days per month. You may be a regular driver assigned to a specific day once a month or a substitute that we would call occasionally.  Whether to accept an assignment or not is up to you.  The rides are absolutely essential to those who receive them and we would be so grateful if you could help! For more information, please talk to Carolyn or Pam at the Council on Aging at 781-259-8811.

Join the Zoning Board of Appeals

The Lincoln Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) is seeking new members for open seats on the board. The ZBA is a land use board that interprets and applies the town’s Zoning Bylaw.  It acts on a case-by-case basis on requests for variances, special permits, and appeals of decisions by the Building Inspector, considering the impact on the town and neighborhoods and the requirements of the Bylaws. The Board, which has five regular members and three associate members, generally meets one evening a month. For information or an application, please visit the town website at www.lincolntown.org or call the Selectmen’s Office at 781-259-2601.

Film society presents “Beyond Bollywood” series

india movie compositeBy the Lincoln Library Film Society

To coincide with the Desai Foundation’s Discover India! festival in Lincoln next month, the Lincoln Library Film Society will present “Beyond Bollywood: The Many Faces of Indian Art Cinema.” Every Tuesday in October, the LLFS will screen works from Indian filmmakers that showcase a taste of the country’s output outside mainstream and commercial production. The free screenings will take place at 7 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room. Coffee and snacks will be provided.

Normally when we think of Indian movies, Bollywood is the first thing that comes to mind—dashing heroes, glamorous starlets, romance sprinkled with action and melodrama, with elaborate musical numbers every few minutes. But away from Mumbai’s multibillion-dollar Hindi film industry (the world’s largest), India has a vibrant independent film movement just waiting to be explored. Last year’s “Beyond Bollywood” celebration brought a number of interesting screenings, including documentaries, dramas, and experimental short films from various regions and time periods. This year welcomes a similar mixture showing some of the highlights from the lesser-known points on the map of Indian cinema.

2013 marks an important anniversary for the movies in India—the first Indian feature film, Dadasaheb Phalke’s Raja Harishchandra, was released in 1913. To celebrate this milestone, we will be screening the existing portion of that film (the first and last reels, since the middle two are now lost), along with the best and brightest of India’s independent film movements. Contemporary luminaries will rub shoulders with excellent discoveries from the past, and it’s all “beyond Bollywood.”

The films and dates:

Tuesday, October 1

King Harishchandra (Raja Harishchandra)

India / 1913 / silent with English intertitles / 53 minutes

Just outside the Indian holy city of Nashik stands a memorial to the so-called “father” of Indian cinema, D.G. Phalke, who released this, the first Indian feature film, on May 3, 1913. At once a starting point for popular blockbusters to come (as a religious/historical epic), a nationalist inspiration for the Marathi-language film industry, and a valiant trumpet of the 20th-Century swadeshi (Indian-made) movement, King Harishchandra represents the genesis of Indian film. Working with an all-Indian crew, Phalke depicted the story, from the Ramayana, of a noble king who lets go of all of his wealth, and even his own family, only to be rewarded by the gods for his sacrifice. What remains of this film has been restored by the National Film Archive of India.

Joyce

India / 1980 / in English / 17 minutes

In this student thesis film by Jill Misquitta, a young woman leaves her home to wander the streets at night. She takes shelter in a Catholic church, and the strange rituals, arcane chanting, and darkness of her religious upbringing come flooding back to her.

A Day with the Builders

India / 1973 / no dialogue / 13 minutes

Each morning, they awaken in the cracks between Mumbai’s high-rises. Slowly they set to work making the bricks that will form future high-rises. And so it goes, for this lifetime—and for many more lifetimes to come.

Tuesday, October 8

Frozen

India / 2007 / in Ladakhi & Hindi with English subtitles / 109 minutes

Filmed against the snow-covered deserts and ancient stone villages of Ladakh (a Tibetan kingdom that is now a part of Kashmir), and with a Ladakhi cast, Shivajee Chandrabhushan’s Frozen is a haunting story that unfolds through entrancing cinematography and icy, razor-sharp sound design. Its chiaroscuro style, sifting through glacier white and inky black tones, matches the breathtaking landscapes that surround the mise-en-scène. Karma, a Ladakhi man who makes apricot jam for a living, struggles through financial debts and a harsh existence in the desolate high Himalayas to support his eccentric teenage daughter Lasya. Meanwhile the army is literally at their doorstep, as the family home has the misfortune of being located near the line of control between India and Pakistan, with helicopters and jeeps circling in the eternal glare of floodlights.

Tuesday, October 15

Nainsukh

India & Switzerland / 2010 / in Dogri & Kangri with English subtitles / 82 minutes

Moments from the life of the 18th-Century miniaturist painter Nainsukh of Guler appear in picaresque fragments and rigorous, stately tableau. Here Nainsukh’s own work forms the basis of director Amit Dutta’s compositions, which he assembles harmoniously with natural sound and beautifully-rendered locations, to create unique paintings of movement and light.

Tuesday, October 22

Video Game

India / 2005 / in Malayalam with English subtitles. 29 minutes

Part road movie, part rumination on cinema and memory, Video Game plies the rutted dirt roads of backcountry India, using an old black Ambassador car as a symbol of identity and obsolescence. In revisiting past footage that he shot, experimental Keralan filmmaker Vipin Vijay also revisits the shooting locations, where jungle encroaches on ruins, just as digital video overtakes celluloid.

John & Jane

India / 2005 / in English and Hindi with English subtitles / 78 minutes

Capping off an evening of experimental documentary work, this is an astonishing look into the surreal underside of working in a call center. Filmmaker Ashim Ahluwalia’s mesmerizing and disconcerting John and Jane follows a handful of young men and women who are themselves chasing the dream of modern, urban India. While its denizens are drawn continually towards the flashy apartment buildings just on the horizon, the film itself dwells in the ghostly, neon-lit outskirts of sprawling Mumbai. Comforted by their delusions, these characters assimilate a dream version of American affluence in order to transcend their difficult surroundings.

Tuesday, October 29

27 Down

India / 1973 / in Hindi with English subtitles / 113 minutes

Well ahead of its time in its plain-spoken realism, unscripted approach, and reliance on available light, 27 Down is still a strikingly beautiful, remarkably fresh film, a good forty years after it was made. It tells the story of a young man named Sanjay, fascinated as a child by trains, who inherits his father’s job as a railway conductor. His nomadic existence, traveling around the country, comes to represent his imprisonment by duty to his family, responsibility to his work, and his settling into an unhappy, arranged marriage. The high-contrast black-and-white imagery of the film bristles with the rhythms of everyday life in a way seldom seen in Indian cinema, while the tightly-focused lenses study the actors’ subtle yet spontaneous performances as though through an emotional microscope. A marvelous discovery from the past, 27 Down feels connected to the present through its naturalism, since rail travel is still so integral to the ordinary lives people across the subcontinent. Millions every day, in fact.

Join in Trail Improvment Day

boardwalkThe Lincoln conservation groups are organizing a trail and land improvement day on Saturday, October 5 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Even if you can only stop by for an hour or two, it would be a huge help. If you can stay longer or even all day, that would be fabulous. We will gather at the Codman North field, past the entrance to the Codman house  along Codman Road before you get to Rte. 126. Light snacks will be provided.

Work will be along field edges and trails in the woods. Dress accordingly. Please bring gloves, loppers, rakes or shovels. For more information, call Angela Kearney at the Conservation Commission office 781-259-8942.

Letter to the editor: Vote for Koutoukian

letter

Editor’s note: The Lincoln Squirrel is happy to publish letters to the editor. Letters must be signed and sent to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com by a verifiable Lincoln resident. Letters containing personal attacks, profanity, gross distortions of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published. The editor reserves the right to correct spelling, grammar, capitalization and punctuation, etc.

To the Editor:

On October 15, voters will elect Democratic and Republican candidates in a special primary election to fill Ed Markey’s seat from Massachusetts’ Fifth Congressional District.

We need progressive Democrat Peter Koutoujian to be our next representative to Congress. Whether it may be women’s rights in health care and the workplace, responsible gun violence prevention, public safety, protecting the environment and addressing climate change, education from preschool through adulthood, and building a strong 21st-century middle-class economy, Peter is hands-down the right person for the job.

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