AltWeeklies Wire
Shit Jobs: We Look Back at the Work That Made Us What We Are Todaynew

Even if political regime change does bring about real-world change, the shit job will still be with us in all its glory. In this spirit, we present our editors and writers' nearly repressed memories of their absolutely worst jobs.
Colorado Springs Independent |
Staff |
02-17-2009 |
Culture
Tags: journalism, work
The Old Catholic Church Ordains Four, Including Three Openly Gay Mennew
“We walked away from the papacy in 1870,” explains Michael Seneco, the Archbishop of the North American Old Catholic Church. He and his colleagues believe it isn’t accepting papal infallibility that makes someone Catholic or not.
New Haven Advocate |
Vivian Nereim |
02-17-2009 |
Religion
Connecticut Gov.'s State Budget Is a Real Tear-Jerker, Especially for the Sick and Poornew
There is a fatal flaw in Gov. Jodi Rell's state budget proposal: She promises cuts that'll make you cry but didn't budget any extra for tissues.
New Haven Advocate |
Andy Bromage |
02-17-2009 |
Economy
Men in Prison, and the Women Who Love to Date Themnew
Women find true love writing letters to prisoners, dating and sometimes marrying them, too.
New Haven Advocate |
Brianna Snyder |
02-17-2009 |
Culture
Tags: prisoners, relationships
Can 'Trouble the Water' Wrangle an Oscar from 'Man on Wire'?new

Regardless of who takes the gold on Sunday, Carl Deal feels his film's influence on the discussion about Katrina -- specifically, its first-person commentary on how governments prioritize and interact with the people they are supposed to serve -- is victory enough.
The Return of the Mardi Gras Baby Dollsnew
Separated by a generation -- and 2,000 miles -- friends Antoinette K-Doe and Miriam Batiste Reed have joined teamed up to bring the Baby Doll tradition back to New Orleans Mardi Gras.
Gambit |
Noah Bonaparte Pais |
02-17-2009 |
Recreation
Celebrity Fragrances: Fumes of Greatnessnew
Miami might be ground zero for the celebrity fragrance industry. After all, nothing says image-conscious excess — our national specialty — like paying $49 for a sleek three-ounce bottle of star-blessed ferret piss.
Miami New Times |
Gus Garcia-Roberts |
02-17-2009 |
Culture
Tags: Miami, P. Diddy, celebrities, cologne, Daddy Yankee, Enrique Iglesias, J.Lo, Julio Iglesias, perfume
Lance Armstrong Tells Us Why He's Back in the Racenew

Now in the early stages of his comeback, after three and a half years of retirement, Armstrong is back after retiring from the sport in 2005 -- pitching his message of cancer awareness. Beginning Saturday in Sacramento, he will pedal much of the length of the state in the Amgen Tour of California.
Sacramento News & Review |
James Raia |
02-17-2009 |
Sports
The 'Third Wave' of Theatrical 3-D is in Full Swing ... But it May Be The Last
Super Bowl Sunday was a glimpse of the future of 3-D: the studio made it as easy as possible for the theatrical 3-D experience to be duplicated on your TV screen.
Salt Lake City Weekly |
Scott Renshaw |
02-17-2009 |
Movies
Musicians are Hardly Immune to the Twitter Bugnew
Is the "microblog" Internet phenomenon the next leap forward for musicians or just a tweeting waste of time?
Houston Press |
Chris Gray |
02-17-2009 |
Music
Seven Unsexy Songs About Sexnew
With apologies to Big Black, here are seven songs about fucking that are unlikely to inspire any actual fucking.
Tags: Sex, sexy songs
Conservative States Push Abstinence Education, to Questionable Resultsnew
What happens when the behavior doesn't match the lesson plan? A professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City is co-writing a book that attempts to come up with an answer.
Why Right Now May be Your Best Chance to Eat Oysters for Years to Comenew

Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike have limited the Gulf oyster harvest and damaged oyster reefs. And failures in West Coast hatcheries may be the result of an even more disturbing problem.
Houston Press |
Robb Walsh |
02-17-2009 |
Food+Drink
Protect Workers' Rights -- Enact the Employee Free Choice Actnew
It's time to level the economic playing field by encouraging workers to organize and enacting the Employee Free Choice Act.
Jackson Free Press |
Bill Chandler |
02-13-2009 |
Commentary
Karl Rove Sleight of Handnew

In a recent speech, the architect of two Bush election victories uses fear and misdirection to duck responsibility for the mess we're in.
Pasadena Weekly |
Joe Piasecki |
02-13-2009 |
Politics