AltWeeklies Wire
Is Obama Overdoing the 'Just Folks' Thing?new
Obama's taking this availability thing too far. An appearance on ESPN to discuss his bracket picks in the upcoming NCAA tournament, exchanging high fives with one of the Wizards' rowdy fans, and appearing on a late-night TV talk show. What can we look forward to next week, Mr. President, an appearance on American Idol maybe?
The Memphis Flyer |
Marty Aussenberg |
03-23-2009 |
Commentary
Tags: Barack Obama, publicity
Did the University of Oregon Fire a Professor for Alleging Racism?new
University of Oregon professor Paula Rogers filed a grievance alleging racism on the part of another faculty member, and she says it cost her the job in 2005. Now she has filed a $500,000 lawsuit in state and federal courts alleging racism and retaliation by the UO.
Eugene Weekly |
Camilla Mortensen |
03-22-2009 |
Education
The Right To Breathe Free: A School Nurse Speaks Outnew
A nurse at a school for homeless children in Long Beach opposes development projects that are likely to have a negative effect on local air quality.
Random Lengths News |
Suzanne Arnold |
03-21-2009 |
Environment
International Rights Forum Addresses Free Speechnew
The ability to articulate how a society should be ordered, in response to such world-changing struggles, rests not just on the struggles themselves, but also on the public's access to the literary, and visual forms, as vehicles for addressing and digesting such transformative events.
Random Lengths News |
Slobodan Dimitrov |
03-21-2009 |
Commentary
Crisis, Corruptions and Incompetencenew
No matter which way government tries to solve its budget deficit spending these days, they are damned if they do and damned if they don’t.
Random Lengths News |
James Preston Allen |
03-21-2009 |
Commentary
J.B. Beverley and His Country Journeynew
J.B. Beverley certainly lacks that studio cliche. Sure, some of his songs involve a broken heart. Those songs aren't about the woman that broke his heart, though. They are about the experience he gained through each of those stepping stones on his journey.
Metro Spirit |
Brett P. Hall |
03-20-2009 |
Reviews
The Dream Is a Hit Machinenew
Thank goodness for The Dream's (nee Terius Nash) ability to write and produce some of the most hypnotic smashes ever known to mainstream radio.
Metro Spirit |
Frazia Lee |
03-20-2009 |
Reviews
Mic in Tracks Magicnew

Privately recorded "mic in tracks" snippets washed through the Net during Napster's heyday and these marvelous oddities are too good to keep private.
North Bay Bohemian |
Gabe Meline |
03-20-2009 |
Music
NASCAR Memories and Friendsnew
A writer looks back on racing as he covers the 2009 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Metro Spirit |
Doug Allan |
03-20-2009 |
Sports
Tags: NASCAR, Atlanta Motor Speedway
An Argument for Legalizing Medical Marijuananew
After an 80-year-old woman was arrested for marijuana possession, AIDS patient Joshua McCracken argues that medical marijuana is needed in those 37 states that have not yet exacted laws to allow it.
Metro Spirit |
Joshua McCracken |
03-20-2009 |
Drugs
'Amphibian' Showcases the Danforths' Experiments with Answering-Machine Tapes and Microcassette Recordersnew
Found sounds create unusual texture in a compelling new album.
City Pages (Twin Cities) |
Andrea Swensson |
03-20-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Iso Rabins: Out of the Wildnew

Iso Rabins' foraged food is the toast of San Francisco's gourmet set. Health inspectors and environmentalists aren't so thrilled.
SF Weekly |
Peter Jamison |
03-20-2009 |
Food+Drink
Arrests Cast Doubt on the Prosecution of a San Francisco Mannew
Arrests in Palm Springs cast doubt on the prosecution of a San Francisco man in a sex tourism case.
SF Weekly |
Matt Smith |
03-20-2009 |
Crime & Justice
Despite a Spate of Murders, the Tennessee Legislature Rushes to Liberalize Gun Lawsnew
Less than 24 hours after an Alabama killing spree, Tennessee's House Judiciary Committee passed a bill allowing handgun permit holders to ride around with loaded rifles and shotguns in their vehicles.
Nashville Scene |
Jeff Woods |
03-20-2009 |
Policy Issues
Tags: gun control, Tennessee
A Power Shift Within Nashville's Musicians Union Signals Changing Timesnew

To onlookers, Local 257 became a battleground far larger than Nashville's city limits, in a sort of proxy grudge match for control. At stake was leadership of the fourth largest local in the world's largest trade organization for professional musicians.
Nashville Scene |
Brantley Hargrove |
03-20-2009 |
Music