AltWeeklies Wire
High-tech High Jinx Under the Treenew
Anybody can give electronics that do something useful, it takes imagination to air-condition a dog.
Boston Phoenix |
Mike Miliard |
12-12-2008 |
Shopping
The Nutcracker + Burlesque = The Slutcrackernew
"Later, Drosselmeyer returns with the vibrator. Lo and behold, it grows bigger and becomes the Slutcracker Prince. The Slutcracker courts Clara and convinces her with his wily ways to come to the land of sexual fantasy." Slideshow attached.
Boston Phoenix |
Jim Sullivan |
12-12-2008 |
Performance
Clever Invention by Kodak Takes Aim at Fraudulent Goodsnew
Traceless uses a colorless, odorless powder infused in an ink. A covert security marker is deposited on each item through thermal transfer, a process commonly used to print barcode labels. Kodak's proprietary reader can then scan a product and determine if the ink has been applied, letting the retailer know if the product is authentic.
NOW Magazine |
David Silverberg |
12-12-2008 |
Tech
A Handful of Designers Ignite Nashville's Underground Fashion Scenenew
A city where trends arrive two years too late and stick around for three years too long doesn't make anyone's short list of scenes to watch. But Nashville's underground designers are thriving despite that, mainly because they've managed to tap into a niche audience.
Nashville Scene |
Tracy Moore |
12-12-2008 |
Fashion
SantaCon 2008's Rein(deer) of Terrornew
The gathering of the Santas at the boathouse was on a comedy level somewhere closer to the Firesign Theatre, as nearly 300 crowded the park. There were hippie, hipster and biker Santas; Santas in Lucha Libre and green gorilla masks; and some tall St. Nick with a star on his eye like Paul Stanley from KISS. All moved in cheery circles around red-suited and tinsel-daubed ladies, some of them too slinky and sexed-up for lap-sitting shifts at any department store.
Los Angeles CityBeat |
Ron Garmon |
12-12-2008 |
Culture
Ecoholic: Gifting Green Handbagsnew
"What's a greener present: a vegan handbag made with fake leather or a real leather one?"
NOW Magazine |
Adria Vasil |
12-12-2008 |
Advice
Critic-o-Meter: Grading, or Degrading?new

On Friday, theater critic-mavens Isaac Butler and Rob Weinert-Kendt officially launched their ambitious labor of love, Critic-o-Meter, a blog ratings system inspired directly by Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, and philosophically by Zagat.
L.A. Weekly |
Steven Leigh Morris |
12-12-2008 |
Theater
The End of the Hipsternew
Dragged into the daylight, the youth culture that would not be named has finally been named, branded, marketed, and sold. Time to move on? Whatever.
NOW Magazine |
Joshua Errett |
12-12-2008 |
Culture
Fantasy, Firepower and Fretwork for Xmas: A Gift Guide for Gamersnew

It's a great year to be a gamer. I've already written about some of the big games of the fall, including Guitar Hero World Tour, Rock Band 2, Gears of War 2 and Resistance 2. Here are some other great titles to consider gifting to the gamer on your list.
Fast Forward Weekly |
Blaine Kyllo |
12-11-2008 |
Video Games
How I Ended Up Taking My Cat in for Acupuncturenew

I've long been someone who sings popular songs to his cat, rewriting the lyrics around "kitty." But now I'm someone whose cat gets acupuncture, which I feel is an order of magnitude more ridiculous.
Willamette Week |
Ethan Smith |
12-10-2008 |
Culture
Gift Guide: Coffee Table Books Galorenew
Here is a selection of books we found particularly creative or interesting, most of them new this year. While choosing, we kept one particular criterion in mind: The books couldn't just be beautiful dust collectors -- they had to be actually worth reading.
Creative Loafing (Charlotte) |
John Grooms |
12-10-2008 |
Shopping
Gift Guide: Books for Cooksnew
For the people in your life who love food, here are some picks for what to leave them under the Christmas tree.
Creative Loafing (Charlotte) |
Tricia Childress |
12-10-2008 |
Food+Drink
Gay Porn Star Michael Brandon Vows Comebacknew
To the fans of the beloved San Franciscan gay porn star with a 10-inch cock named Monster, a stubborn crystal meth addiction, and pending drug charges against him: Fear not. If all goes well, he could avoid prison and be back in porn by next year.
High-End Jean Maker Sues Boise Shop in Counterfeit Investigationnew
A high-priced, global jean manufacturer is suing a Boise boutique for carrying allegedly counterfeit and knock off jeans. The tip-off in Boise led to a large counterfeit jean bust in Los Angeles earlier this year.
Boise Weekly |
Nathaniel Hoffman |
12-10-2008 |
Fashion
If Only 'Mirror's Edge' Played to its Many First-Person-Player Strengthsnew
The bulk of the experience works very well and is fun. The combat sections are laborious and can become frustrating, but you are motivated to push through them, so that you can get back to the excellent running and acrobatic portions.
Charleston City Paper |
Kyle Hilliard |
12-10-2008 |
Video Games