AltWeeklies Wire
Introducing Sir John Hargrave, Professional Pranksternew
Sir John Hargrave is no nobleman. He's a lifelong mischief maker who legally changed his name to punk the entire British royal family — and in the process got himself barred from the Queen's digs.
Boston Phoenix |
Ian Sands |
07-09-2009 |
Author Profiles & Interviews
Help Is On the Way For Student Borrowersnew
Each month, with miserable certitude, the snail-mailboxes of middle-class twenty- and thirtysomethings are stuffed with student-loan bills, from both federal and private lenders. The balance seems to remain stagnant, even as we mail in check after check. But a new federal program that went into effect on July 1 aims to help overburdened student borrowers.
Boston Phoenix |
Deirdre Fulton |
07-09-2009 |
Education
The Twelfth Annual 'Boston Phoenix' Muzzle Awardsnew
Every year around our nation's birthday, the Boston Phoenix honors the dishonorable — those people and institutions who did the most to trample free speech in New England.
Boston Phoenix |
Dan Kennedy |
07-09-2009 |
Civil Liberties
The Movie-to-Game Transition Is Improvingnew
Ghostbusters and The Chronicles of Riddick prove we've come a long way since E.T.
Fast Forward Weekly |
Blaine Kyllo |
07-09-2009 |
Video Games
Calgary Landscaper Would Like to See Excess City Land Put to Better Usenew
Paul Hughes, a well-entrenched local landscaper and the founder and chair of the Calgary Food Policy Council, would like to see excess city land put to better use; preferably growing food.
Fast Forward Weekly |
Julie Van Rosendaal |
07-09-2009 |
Environment
Can a City Really Tell You When and Where You Can or Can't Play Music?new
As it turns out, a license for busking in Santa Fe costs $35 per calendar year. The license comes with a host of guidelines that include when buskers can play, where they can play and how long they can play there; it also specifies that there can be no amplification. All this raises somewhat existential questions.
Santa Fe Reporter |
Alex De Vore |
07-09-2009 |
Music
Homo Panic! at the Cinemanew
Quasi-queer movies such as Bruno and Humpday are late to the game, while Nia Vardalos' rom-com, I Hate Valentine's Day, provides better gay imagery.
New York Press |
Armond White |
07-09-2009 |
Movies
Son Volt's Brand-New Album Gets Back to the Basicsnew
With American Central Dust, Jay Farrar returns to familiar musical territory -- pedal-steel moans and shimmers, fiddle flights and trills, percussion passing time or skipping a beat, all surrounding Farrar's guitar in his signature melange of folk, country, blues and ballad pop.
Tucson Weekly |
Linda Ray |
07-08-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
David Wain Talks 'The State' and His Futurenew
A founding member of The State, whose comedy show aired on MTV from 1993 to 1995, Wain is also a member of the comedy troupe Stella (with fellow The State alums Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black) and the director of the cult classic Wet Hot American Summer.
Tucson Weekly |
Bob Grimm |
07-08-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tensions Between Humanitarians and Federal Officials Rise Along the Bordernew
The humanitarians provide assistance, food and water to migrants. The feds mostly leave them alone to do so -- until recently, that is. Over the past couple of years, federal agencies have been putting more activists under the gun.
Tucson Weekly |
Tim Vanderpool |
07-08-2009 |
Immigration
Why Can't Obama See He's the New Robert McNamara?
Like McNamara, Obama doesn't understand a basic truth: you can't successfully manage an inherently doomed premise. Colonialism is dead. Occupiers will never enjoy peace. Neither the Afghans nor the Iraqis nor the Pakistanis will rest until we withdraw our forces.
Eyes Wide Open: Blind Pilot Really Sees the Roadnew
For touring bands, a bicycle may not be the optimal form of transportation, but for Blind Pilot, riding velos and seeking adventure along the West Coast sent them soaring down the fast track to success.
Boise Weekly |
Mathias Morache |
07-08-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
What the Cluck? Urban Chicken Raising Gets Hipnew
Does simplifying agricultural traditions -- and contracting out the unpleasant aspects of rural life -- make the desire for a slice of the country in the city any less genuine? Most would say no and that it takes more than Google to learn how to properly kill a chicken.
Boise Weekly |
Tara Morgan |
07-08-2009 |
Gardening
Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden Defends His Health Plannew
Wyden has taken a lot of heat over his proposal to resolve the health care crisis from unions and others on the left, who want a public option in any reform. But Wyden's Healthy Americans Act focuses instead on blowing up the link between health insurance and employment. The bill would give workers their health benefits in the form of a pay raise (along with a tax cut for most on that pay increase), making them responsible for going out and buying their own insurance.
Willamette Week |
Henry Stern and Mark Zusman |
07-08-2009 |
Politics
Beyonce: How Much is Enough?new
Entertain a morbid thought: If Knowles were to crash and burn her Thierry Mugler motorcycle breastplate during her current "I Am ... Tour" -- said to out-razzle-dazzle all predecessors with its aerial flips and 70-some costumes -- would she be revered like Michael Jackson?
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Kimberly Chun |
07-08-2009 |
Music
