AltWeeklies Wire
David Lineal Reaches Out to Illinois' Beleaguered Governor in Songnew
The frontman of the local pysch-pop band Bird Names recorded For the Love of Rod, a bizarre song cycle celebrating the governor, in 2005. He gave CD-Rs to a few friends, but the music never saw a proper release. Within hours of Blagojevich's arrest, though, he'd posted it as a free download on the Bird Names site.
Chicago Reader |
Liam Warfield |
12-22-2008 |
Music
A Cautionary Tale About Airports and Holiday Horrorsnew
We have all heard the horror stories, but up until last year I can't say I really believed them. All that changed last Christmas, when the forces of the friendly skies conspired against me for three days straight, eventually breaking me.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Ethan Stewart |
12-22-2008 |
Travel
Program for Fallen Soldiers' Families Feels the Economic Pinchnew
Debbie Busch founded the nonprofit Helping to Unite Gold Star Survivors in 2003 to provide the loved ones of slain soldiers with support groups, summer camps and phone calls during difficult times such as birthdays, holidays and anniversaries. Six years later, Busch worries she and her tiny staff may soon have to close because of lack of funding.
Dallas Observer |
Megan Feldman |
12-22-2008 |
War
'Yes Man' Repackages Jim Carrey's Greatest Hits ... It's a Small Packagenew
For so major a movie star -- at least, once upon a time -- Jim Carrey seems to make a lot of awfully minor films, several of them over and over again.
Dallas Observer |
Robert Wilonsky |
12-22-2008 |
Reviews
Navigating the Host of Holiday Music Releasesnew
From New Kids on the Block to Jim Jones & Skull Gang, we break down some notable holiday releases.
Tags: holiday music, holiday albums
Victims of a Bolivian Massacre Seek Justice in Miaminew
It has been five years since Bolivian soldiers killed Marlene Rojas Mamani in the village of Warisata. Today her parents have come to Miami seeking justice.
Miami New Times |
Tim Elfrink |
12-22-2008 |
International
Seattle's New Way to Fetishize Coffeenew
As a marketing strategy, "cupping" is straight from the wine-industry playbook. As a means of enjoying coffee, it's mostly hot air.
Seattle Weekly |
Jonathan Kauffman |
12-22-2008 |
Food+Drink
Bad Management of One Low-Income Florida Apartment Bldg. Leaves Residents in Limbonew
By all accounts, the elderly residents of Bethany Towers are suffering.
Creative Loafing (Tampa) |
Alex Pickett |
12-22-2008 |
Housing & Development
Don't Let the Holidays Trap You in Old Family Scriptsnew
Family. Merrymaking. Gift giving. It ought to be so cozy and fun, just like an old postcard. But making it through the next few weeks definitely has its challenges.
NOW Magazine |
Elizabeth Bromstein |
12-22-2008 |
Advice
Eco Hustle: You'll Tide Edition
Revisiting Dickens' A Christmas Carol brings up some uncomfortable comparisons to go with our holiday cheer.
Flagpole Magazine |
Alan Flurry |
12-22-2008 |
Commentary
Prophet of Boom (and Bust): Now Will They Listen to Ravi Batra?new
The 65-year-old academic has an amazing record of economic and social forecasting going back several decades, from the rise of Islam, which he predicted in the 1960s, to the mergers booms and soaring stock prices of the '90s, and the stock market crash of 2000.
Fort Worth Weekly |
Kendall Anderson |
12-22-2008 |
Economy
A Debate on Recyled Wastewaternew
Is reclaimed wastewater too contaminated to use, or is it too valuable to waste? Two PhDs argue two sides of the issue.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Edo McGowan and Barry Keller |
12-22-2008 |
Environment
The Old Thailand Returnsnew
The political crisis in Thailand is over, and so is the ten-year experiment with democracy. The rich and the comfortably off have risen in outraged revolt against equal treatment for the poor, and it's back to the bad old days of shaky coalitions and bought-and-paid-for politicians.
NOW Magazine |
Gwynne Dyer |
12-22-2008 |
International
The Dread Zone: It's the Only Thing We Have to Fearnew
Despite years of religious instruction by well-meaning priests, nuns, and lay ministers, as well as my own family, on that dark night of the soul long ago, it occurred to me that as nice a story as that made, it was a bit far-fetched. I realized that not only was death absolutely real and directly applicable to me, but that death most probably meant, well, death. As in lights out. Game over. It meant you no longer were.
Charleston City Paper |
Jason A. Zwiker |
12-21-2008 |
Books
'Death with Interruptions' Looks at the Cost of Immortalitynew
Descriptions of Jose Saramago's literary voice might sound dull and heavy-handed, and his pages might look more like a chore than a pleasure. Yet when you sit to read Death with Interruptions, you feel you are cutting through all the unnecessary formalities, and getting to the real meat of the story.
Charleston City Paper |
Michael Lucero |
12-21-2008 |
Fiction
