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'Un Secret' Exposes One Family's Wartime Mythsnew

Un Secret could be a companion film to The Reader in its exploration of sexuality and World War II survivors' guilt. Instead of focusing on German culpability, Un Secret explores a family's repressed memories and ambivalent feelings toward its own Jewishness.

Creative Loafing (Atlanta) | Curt Holman | 04-10-2009 | Reviews

Tags: Un Secret, drama films, Claude Miller

Update: What Is the U.S. Mission in Afghanistan?new

I'm nostalgic for focused anger and healthy skepticism directed at the White House. I'm concerned that some of President Obama's Bush-like policy initiatives are getting a free pass from the press and public simply because Obama isn't Bush.

Creative Loafing (Atlanta) | Andisheh Nouraee | 04-10-2009 | Commentary

Tags: Barack Obama, War on terror, Afghanistan

The Story of Chicago's Parking Meter Lease Dealnew

How Mayor Daley and his crew hid their process from the public, ignored their own rules, railroaded the City Council, and screwed the taxpayers on the parking meter lease deal.

Chicago Reader | Ben Joravsky and Mick Dumke | 04-10-2009 | Policy Issues

Tags: parking meters, Chicago, ethics, public policy, privatization, Richard Daley

Twitter Novels Include 140 Characters at a Timenew

Fast on the thumbs of cell-phone-novel-writing Japanese schoolgirls, Twitter novels beg the question: Why?

North Bay Bohemian | Hannah Smith | 04-09-2009 | Books

Tags: Nick Belardes, Small Places, Twitter novels, fiction

Learning to Changenew

Making changes in life begins in the heart. Whether you want to lose weight, start exercising or finish that degree, here are a few tips for making it happen.

Jackson Free Press | Jessica Kinnison | 04-09-2009 | Culture

Tags: behavior change, advice

Evaluating a Five-Star Albumnew

Time was, a Rolling Stone magazine five-star "classic" rating meant something. Here are the criteria for making those stars relevant again.

Jackson Free Press | Rob Hamilton | 04-09-2009 | Commentary

Tags: music reviews, Rolling Stone

Veering Out of the Fast Lane: 'See You in a Hundred Years'new

Logan Ward and his family left Manhattan for rural Virginia, where they lived without electricity, phones or laptops for a year. To heal our planet, we can all use a little of what they learned, even without giving up our reading lamps.

Jackson Free Press | Kelly Bryan Smith | 04-09-2009 | Nonfiction

Tags: Logan Ward, See You in a Hundred Years, nonfiction

'Adventureland': The Best Worst Job Evernew

Adventureland is only part comedy. The laughs are there, though subtler and gentler than you might expect, but Greg Mottola's new film has a surprising sweetness.

Eugene Weekly | Molly Templeton | 04-09-2009 | Reviews

Tags: Adventureland, Greg Mottola, comedy films

'Gomorrah': 'Goodfellas' These Are Notnew

Gomorrah is a bleak, unrepentant crime drama that never stylizes the violence it depicts. It is at once tender and vicious.

Eugene Weekly | Jason Blair | 04-09-2009 | Reviews

Tags: drama films, Gomorrah, Matteo Garrone

Building a Better Easter Basketnew

This year, skip the chocolate bunnies with the disturbing neon eyes and go for a more practical and eco-friendly Easter basket.

Jackson Free Press | Kelly Bryan Smith | 04-09-2009 | Culture

Tags: green living, Easter

What's in Your Cleaning Agents?new

The EPA says indoor air is often worse than the air outside, even in the "cleanest" homes. A lot of that is due to the toxic chemicals in common cleaning products. Here's how to go green when you clean.

Jackson Free Press | Sophie McNeil | 04-09-2009 | Culture

Tags: green living, cleaning agents, chemicals