***THE SIGNAL AIRS FRIDAYS AT NOON & 7 P.M. ON 88.1 WYPR***

(Click here for mp3’s of some recent stories from the show. And PODCASTERS, click here for a link to subscribe to The Signal’s weekly podcast.)

• Lena and KK Ludwig-Lapper lost their rental apartment when their landlord went into foreclosure. So they found a new place to live: a 1988 Winnebago. The young couple is about to take their new apartment-on-wheels for a spin around the country, and we check in with them on the eve of their adventure.
• We witness the odd intersection of two quintessential Charm City originals: Elaine Eff and Jeff Gordon share the story of legendary side-show performer Johnny Eck and the painted screens of East Baltimore.
• We explore the social appeal – and the economic reality – of buying and selling fair trade merchandise when we visit with local entrepreneurs Eva Korry at Earth Alley, Diane Standeven and Sheila Morrison at Original Souls, and Leslie Dungee at Ten Thousand Villages. We also get a perspective on the trend from WYPR economic analyst Anirban Basu.

HELPFUL LINKS:

Check out Lena and KK’s website and travel diary at: www.nodestination.org

Find out more about Johnny Eck at: www.johnnyeckmuseum.com

Find out more about screen painting at: www.paintedscreens.org

Here’s the site for the Internationl Fair Trade Association: www.ifat.org

Here’s the site for Earth Alley in Hampden: www.earthalley.com

Here’s the site for Original Souls in Ellicott City: www.originalsouls.net

Here’s the site for Ten Thousand Villages in Fells Point: www.tenthousandvillages.com

Saturday night (5.10.08), the Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center presents Eye Candy: A Tribute to Fashion, an evening of entertainment Las Vegas Style with Black Jack, roulette, slot machines, live music and high fashion. This gala fundraiser happens at the Eubie Blake Cultural Center at 847 North Howard Street from 6pm to midnight. Elegant attire is required, black-tie is optional. Tickets and information are at www.eyecandyevents.info.

Also on Saturday (05.10.08), Art-with-a-Heart will host its fourth annual fundraiser Art in the City: Com-Mix and Marvel. This comic-themed night of fun will feature a DJ, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a live auction. The event takes place from 7:30 to10:30 at Geppi’s Entertainment Museum at 301 West Camden Street. And the proceeds will help fund Art-with-a-Heart’s visual art programs. For tickets and information, go to www.artwithaheart.net.

Antipodes opens this weekend at Area 405. This show, curated by Baltimore artist Timothy Nohe, offers a rich scope of contemporary performance art and music videos from Australia. “Antipodes” features work by the Shangri-La Collective, Jacky Redgate and other prominent Australian artists. Area 405 is an artist-owned warehouse space at 405 East Oliver Street in Baltimore’s Station North Arts District. Videos will be screened Friday night (05.09.08) at 8pm and again on Sunday afternoon (05.11.08) at 3pm. For more information, go to www.area405.com.

Friday night (05.09.08) The Carriage House Theater presents The 2008 World Almanac! This short play-slash-motivational lecture starring Jackie Milad & Ric Royer kicks off at 8pm. The Carriage House is located at 2225 Hargrove Alley, between St. Paul and Calvert Streets. A canned good gets you in the door.

The Baltimore band Thrushes plays a CD release show Saturday night (05.10.08) at the Metro Gallery along with Blonde Acid Cult and other special guests. The show starts at 9pm and the Metro Gallery is located at 1700 North Charles Street.

UMBC presents the Paul Taylor Dance Company Friday (05.09.08) and Saturday (05.10.08) nights in the UMBC Theater. Over two evenings, the award-winning company will perform 6 works spanning the years 1962 to 2006. More information is at www.umbc.edu/arts.