AltWeeklies Wire
In Praise of Ultimate Fightingnew
This is a dangerous year for America. Next year will be worse. Can it be a coincidence, I ask rhetorically, that we have all of a sudden become very interested in watching highly trained men smack the shit out of each other? In choke-outs, elbow strikes, and roundhouse kicks to the head?
Boston Phoenix |
James Parker |
06-26-2008 |
Sports
John Howard is Climbing the Ranks of Mixed Martial Arts, One Chokehold at a Timenew
While MMA is bogged down by the confusing number of competing organizations that govern it, John "Doomsday" Howard remains Boston’s brightest hope in a brutal sport that, of late, has earned unprecedented levels of attention.
Boston Phoenix |
Jonathan Seitz |
06-26-2008 |
Sports
Island Mighty: A Brief History of Tiki Drinksnew

You might have had some vague notion that fruity rum drinks and kitschy island decor originated in some long-ago era, like the '60s. Try 1934. Includes recipe for a Shrunken Skull.
Dig Boston |
Barbara West, Hanky Panky and Pinky Gonzales |
06-26-2008 |
Food+Drink
Meet the Folks Behind the San Diego County Fair Foodnew
Fair food is famous. "Notorious" is probably a better word. As if deep-fried Twinkies and frybread weren't enough, this year, Koolickles (Kool-Aid-marinated pickles), deep-fried SPAM and deep-fried frog legs were added to the menu.
San Diego CityBeat |
Kinsee Morlan |
06-25-2008 |
Food+Drink
Corkscrew: Frankly Frenchnew
Don't be fooled by the German trappings
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
Taylor Eason |
06-25-2008 |
Food+Drink
'Ninja Gaiden II' Dials Down the Difficultynew
Ryu Harubasa's not the only one dialing down the difficulty a notch or two these days, embracing the zen of a somewhat easier path. Hell, some games even give you the option of switching to the kiddie table in the middle of dinner.
San Antonio Current |
Aaron R. Conklin |
06-25-2008 |
Video Games
Pair that Burger with Winenew

The notion of promoting wines as burger partners had its almost-perverse appeal.
San Antonio Current |
Ron Bechtol |
06-25-2008 |
Food+Drink
Did Hannah Bea's Close Because of Gentrification?new

When the restaurant does shut down, owner Anita Smith will owe taxpayers $143,000. But don't expect contrition from Smith; she's far too angry at the Portland Development Commission and gentrification for the uncertainty she says is driving the closure.
Willamette Week |
Beth Slovic |
06-25-2008 |
Food+Drink
Southern Bon Mots From Leslie Jordannew

Not only has he written books since Will & Grace wrapped, he's also appeared onstage and on TV shows (Ugly Betty) and will soon star in the Logo network's Sordid Lives with Olivia Newtown-John and The Golden Girls' Rue McClanahan.
Willamette Week |
Byron Beck |
06-25-2008 |
Theater
Tags: gay, homosexuality, comedy, Cowboys, theater, LOGO, My Trip Down the Pink Carpet, Will & Grace
An Afternoon in Napa: Your Plan for 'Adult Disneyland'new
Napa Valley's scenery, and more importantly its wines, can be truly transporting. I suggest going on a weekday afternoon (come on, you can play hooky for a few hours this summer, can't you?) and visiting two wineries at most.
East Bay Express |
Blair Campbell |
06-25-2008 |
Food+Drink
Charo Spills the Cuchinew
The singing, dancing, and "cuchi-cuchi!" spouting Castilian sex kitten that pratfalled with the best of 1970s television, the Vegas institution who wound up in that sub-A list purgatory The Surreal Life, is the Charo America knows and loves. But according to this 40-year show biz veteran, the other Charo -- a classically trained musician with serious Spanish guitar chops -- is just getting warmed up.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Matt Sussman |
06-25-2008 |
Performance
Inside the Murky Legal World of Cyber-Snoopingnew
Law enforcement agencies have a number of legal tools at their disposal, recently broadened with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act amendment bill that lets telecoms off the hook. They have made so many requests of Comcast, in fact, that last year the company decided to distribute a document called Comcast Cable Law Enforcement Handbook, which details how the fuzz can get your stuff.
Charleston City Paper |
Joshua Curry |
06-25-2008 |
Tech
Trendzilla: You Sexy Mothertuckersnew
Chances are, if you're a guy, your parents have hounded you your whole life to tuck your shirt in.
Friendship Brings One of the Largest Mose Tolliver Collections to Colorado Springsnew

Mary Allen, a leisure-time art collector in her late 40s, resolved to track down and meet Mose T., the name by which the artist signed his works and became affectionately referred. Her quest, and her resultant foray into folk art collecting, would inspire an unlikely, enduring friendship.
Colorado Springs Independent |
Matthew Schniper |
06-24-2008 |
Art
Tags: visual arts
Could Cubs Catcher Geovany Soto be the Key to a World Championship?new
Manager Lou Piniella, trying to end the Cubs' century-long title drought, is relying on a rookie catcher who happens to be a key reason why, for the first time since 1908, the Cubs entered June of a season with the best record in baseball.
Chicago Reader |
Ted Cox |
06-24-2008 |
Sports