AltWeeklies Wire
Porn Industry After $5 Billion Federal Bailoutnew
As the 2009 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo opens in Las Vegas this week, Girls Gone Wild CEO Joe Francis and HUSTLER magazine publisher Larry Flynt are hoping to get a financial bailout for the adult entertainment industry, a spokesperson for Francis announced today.
Las Vegas Weekly |
Staff |
01-08-2009 |
Economy
An Insider's View of the Gaza Conflictnew

Eva Bartlett is a Canadian activist with the International Solidarity Movement, a group that opposes Israeli policy in Gaza, and despite damaged cell phone towers and infrastructure in the area, she was able to talk us about what is happening in Gaza.
VUE Weekly |
Bryan Birtles |
01-08-2009 |
International
There's Not Much Hand-Wringing in San Diego GOP Circlesnew
Beneath the hullabaloo of the upcoming presidential inauguration can be heard a hearty debate over the direction of the Republican Party -- just not in San Diego.
San Diego CityBeat |
Eric Wolff |
01-07-2009 |
Politics
How 'Douchebag' Became Everyone's Favorite Insultnew
James Matisoff, an emeritus professor in UC Berkeley's linguistics department, concurs that douchebag's pejoration -- its change from neutral to negative meaning -- has snowballed in recent years. The culprits: Jon Stewart and his comedic brethren.
SF Weekly |
Joe Eskenazi |
01-07-2009 |
Commentary
San Fran's Plastic Bag Ban Has Left the City with More Pollution and Costnew

It has become apparent that many of the rationales used to justify the ban -- such as its benefiting the environment and alleviating the city's litter problems -- are not playing out in the real world.
SF Weekly |
Joe Eskenazi |
01-07-2009 |
Environment
How Al Lucchesi Built the Biggest Incubator in Bay Area Musicnew
Over the course of twenty-plus years, Lucchesi's Soundwave Studio and its predecessors have been home to virtually all of the East Bay's biggest names in music.
East Bay Express |
Rachel Swan |
01-07-2009 |
Music
What's God Got To Do with It?: Ron Aronson and the Politics of Religionnew

The author of books on Marxism and the French existentialists now turns to the idea of an America that's been cowed by the religious right, but that is not, in fact, so religious as most of us have been led to believe.
Metro Times |
W. Kim Heron and Curt Guyette |
01-07-2009 |
Author Profiles & Interviews
Darren Aronofsky Talks About Mickey Rourke's Comeback in 'The Wrestler'new
In the 1980s, Rourke was one of his generation's best actors, but he ditched the movies to try to make it as a pro boxer. When he discovered he needed Hollywood, it no longer needed him. Even director Darren Aronofsky was initially skeptical.
San Diego CityBeat |
Anders Wright |
01-07-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
The Year Ahead: A Comic Essaynew

2009? Really? Wasn't it just 1999? Oh, all right. Fine. Here's a look at the year ahead.
C-Ville Weekly |
Jen Sorensen |
01-07-2009 |
Commentary
The Delayed Gratification of 2009's Movie Awards Seasonnew
Surveying a couple hundred year-end lists by movie reviewers and entertainment writers can be a soul-squishing thing, particularly if you read the reasoning and rationales, the dithers, the doubts, the demurrals, the dishing and dashing to and fro, recurring, recurring.
Chicago Newcity |
Ray Pride |
01-07-2009 |
Movies
Austin Activist Admits He Infiltrated RNC Protest Groupnew

Brandon Darby has acknowledged that he provided information to the FBI leading to the arrest and felony indictment of two Austin men who participated in protests last September at the Republican National Convention.
The Texas Observer |
Renee Feltz |
01-07-2009 |
Politics
Enviros Urge Michigan to Stop New Coal Plantsnew
A coalition of citizens and environmental groups urged Gov. Jennifer Granholm at a press conference this morning to "Stop the Coal Rush" and place a moratorium on the construction of new coal-fired power plants.
City Pulse |
Angela Vasquez-Giroux |
01-07-2009 |
Environment
People Who Died: Our Annual Alt-Obitsnew
Death took its usual toll this year, and seemingly then some. Genocide, war, terrorist attacks, disease -- yikes. But for the purposes of City Paper's annual tribute to influential cultural notables whose deaths deserve a little extra note, it was a terrible harvest.
Baltimore City Paper |
Staff |
01-06-2009 |
Commentary
Cancer Doctor Sees Himself as a Crusading Research, Not a Quacknew

Stanislaw Burzynski has treated thousands of people from all over the world, so why can't he get FDA approval?
Houston Press |
Craig Malisow |
01-06-2009 |
Science
Country Music Rediscovers Its Whiskied Small-Town Rootsnew

Taylor Swift's recent album, Fearless, is such a triumph, both artistically and commercially, that you'd think it would be the answer to all of country music's problems. But it's not -- because it's not really a country record.
Baltimore City Paper |
Geoffrey Himes |
01-06-2009 |
Music