Cover Story
The Birth of the Pac-12
Sports fans and Tucson Weekly readers: Be it known that henceforth, 12 is the new 10. It’s been a third of a century since the University of Arizona and Arizona State joined with two schools each in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Oregon and Washington to form the Pac-10 Conference, the most successful…
Water on Mars–>Life on Mars–>Pen Pals?
The UA Lunar and Planetary Lab’s HiRISE camera got some major coverage last week on this here blog via our very own Jim Nintzel with the latest findings that there’s strong evidence of flowing water on Mars. And, they say, where there is liquid water, there could be life. And where there’s life, there’s pen…
Court Rules: Legislature Does Not Have To Fund AHCCCS for Poor Arizonans
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Mark H. Brain has ruled in favor of the state in the lawsuit over whether state lawmakers are obligated to fund the state’s AHCCCS program to provide health care for low-income Arizonans. As we’ve reported before, attorney Tim Hogan of the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest, had…
Bravo, Why Do You Ruin Shows I Love?
I like Top Chef. I enjoyed the first season, and I think I’ve watched every episode since. I was given a Top Chef cookbook as a gift from which I’ve made a few delicious meals. The show seems quite successful. People talk about it. In the midst of a glut of cooking competition shows, Top…
Tonight on PBS: “Big Dreams, Cosmic Journeys”
From 8 p.m. to midnight, Arizona Public Media will present four programs about space exploration featuring UA scientists and missions. More from Arizona Public Media: The evening begins with Phoenix Mars Mission: Ashes to Ice at 8 p.m. Phoenix Mars Mission, led by Principal Investigator Peter Smith of the University of Arizona, is the latest…
There Isn’t an Umbrella Worth Getting Hit by Lightning Over
There are times when I think about mistakes I’ve made…foolish errors that I now regret. Next time I go to that emotional place, I’ll just consider the guy who went outside to get his umbrella out of a lightning storm: A 61-YEAR-old man has survived after being struck by lightning at his East Lancashire home.…
Season Three of Community: More Chang
You might not feel a distinct need for more information about Community, TV’s critically acclaimed (if you don’t count Emmy nominations) but barely watched Thursday night comedy. Too bad. It’s a great show and I’m going to keep blogging about it until everyone watches/loves it. I’m already really excited about the next season, considering the…
Night of Seashell Radio: G’Bye Esmé
The Seashell Radio gig at Che’s Lounge (350 N 4th Ave.) Saturday night (Aug. 13) is more than just a chance to get what I call a Seashell fix. The band’s cellist Esmé Schwall is leaving the desert for the Pacific Northwest, and this is her last show with her fellow ‘Shells — at least…
Send a Little Lloyd Dobler to Someone
For a certain generation, the moment when Lloyd Dobler stood outside Diane Court’s window and played Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” on a boombox held over his head. Now you can corrupt that touching moment of cinematic history with LloydTube, a site that allows you to express your deepest sentiments via a Lloyd Dobler illustration…
iGrijalva: Congressman Releases iPhone App
Congressman Raul Grijalva has released an iPhone app to make it easier to keep track of his activities. We think it would be cooler if it you had some way of catapulting mustaches to crush the heads of tea-bag-protected Eric Cantors and Jon Kyls, but maybe that’s coming in 2.0. The press release: Rep. Raúl…
Thank You, Loft Cinema, for Bringing “Being Elmo” to Town
With absolute sincerity, I can say that seeing Tucson, Arizona, on the list of cities on the schedule for Being Elmo just made my day. It’s almost like my blog post in January willed the movie to town. According to Awards Season, Being Elmo opens at the Loft Cinema on November 25. A long time…
The New York Post Captures the Stock Drama as Only They Can
I don’t know if the cover of today’s New York Post is helping me understand what’s going on with the stock market, but at least the headline is funny, and humor might be our last resort against the impending economic doom. Speaking of which, the Dow is tumbling again today as the markets prepare for…
Padres: One-Buck Hot Dogs, One-Buck Beers, $4 Tickets Tonight!
Samantha Sais The Tucson Padres wrap up their latest homestand tonight—and since there’s no chance for a Thirsty Thursday this week, they’re moving it to Wednesday, which is traditionally Wiener Wednesday. So you get hot dogs for a buck, beers for a buck and sodas for a buck, which is quite a deal as…
Battle of the Old Music Themed Beer Ads
Two-day-old Downtown coffee shop Sparkroot posted the Commodores ad for Schlitz seen above on their Facebook page this morning, and while it’s definitely a great ad, I couldn’t help but think that there might be better music themed ads for alcoholic beverages out there. My vote, the “showdown” ads for Schlitz’s malt liquor line, available…
Sarah Palin Is a Grandma Again
Sarah Palin’s oldest son, Track Palin, and his wife, Britta, welcomed a baby girl named Kyla Grace Palin on Sunday night. This makes grandchild numero dos for Sarah Palin. When asked which bedtime stories she would be reading to her grandkids, she said, “All of ’em, any of ’em that have been in front of…
“So You Think You Can Dance”: An Endorsement
Tune in this Wednesday, 8/7 central for the two-hour long Season Finale of Fox’s big hit So You Think You Can Dance, or SYTYCD for all you savvy folks who like to abbreviate out there. Watch the top four—Melanie, Sasha, Marko, and Tadd—dance for their lives for the final time this season. Then we, America,…
This Is the Last Week to Eat at Montana Avenue
If you want one last taste of Montana Avenue at 6390 E. Grant Road, you’d better hurry. A spokeswoman for the restaurant tells us it will be closing Saturday, Aug. 13, and reopening as another Zinburger location on Friday, Aug. 19. This will be the second local Zinburger location. The restaurant – which is part…
The Less Than Astute Political Positions of London Looters
Leana Hosea speaks to Croydon looters on @bbcworldservice (mp3) There’s certainly some complicated issues at work going on with the English riots (the best coverage I’ve seen is from the BBC and their stellar multimedia page), but then there are some stupid, selfish people looking to get some free stuff and live out some destructive…
Karamargin Named Pima’s Vice Chancellor for Public Info
Pima Community College just announced that C.J. Karamargin, communications director for U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, was selected Vice Chancellor for Public Information and Government Relations. Karamargin was one of four candidates interviewed last month for this new position. From PCC’s press release: Pima Community College Chancellor Dr. Roy Flores has named veteran journalist and communications…
Team McCain Bans Tucson Weekly From Town Hall Event
While other media were allowed through the door, the Tucson Weekly was prevented from entering Sen. John McCain’s town hall today. McCain’s town hall drew so many people to St. Mark’s United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall this morning that several dozen people were prevented from entering the room, which had a total capacity of 150,…
New Music From a Young Mother
While I’m still a little bitter than Young Mothers’ frontman Zach Toporek bolted for Phoenix a while ago, I just have to forgive any guy who can write beautiful little pop songs like this one, which he posted to YouTube last night. Come back to Tucson, Zach! They don’t love you like we do!
Bring Man V. Food Back to Tucson
We just got an e-mail from Jessica Stephens of the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitor’s Bureau about an effort currently underway to bring the show Man v. Food back to Tucson: You might recall that MAN VS. FOOD came to Tucson in September 2009 to film a segment where host Adam Richman was shown tackling…
City Hall Brawl: Flores Campaign Upset By Democratic Party Assault
We told you last week that the Pima County Democratic Party was funding an independent committee that was hitting Democratic City Council candidate Joe Flores for his links to the payday-loan industry. Flores, who hopes to unseat Ward 1 Councilwoman Regina Romero, is planning to speak out against the campaign at a press conference in…
Cory Booker, Still Cooler Than Our Mayor
Referencing Jay-Z (or somewhat less likely, crossing coasts to reference Ice-T circa 1993) while dismissing a somewhat petty request from a constituent? Mayoral gold. Not that Bob Walkup was ever going to “get” Twitter (his feed serves largely as a feed of mildly interesting announcements), but if you want to know the big difference between…
Stump the Historian, Win a Birthday Comp and Other Fun Tonight on KXCI
It’s your Tucson Weekly calendar girl, here, in my Tucson’s Birthday hat, inviting you to listen in for fun, foolishness and some Tucson facts from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight on Starr Tracks with Laurie Starr, 91.3FM KXCI Community Radio. You’ll hear a crazy range of musical birthday wishes, from Sufjan Stevens and the Soft…
City Hall Brawl: Joe Flores’ Simulated Support
http://www.joefloresforcouncil.com/supporters/ This is what Joe Flores supporters would look like Democrat Joe Flores, who is trying to unseat City Councilwoman Regina Romero in the Ward 1 primary on Aug. 30, isn’t exactly trumpeting his support on his Web site. His “Supporters” Web page simply says that a list of supporters is “Coming soon!” The Web…
Man Exercises Second Amendment Rights Against His Own Junk
The Arizona Republic reports that a Chandler man shot himself in the dick with his girlfriend’s pink handgun: As Chandler residents Joshua Seto, 27, and his fiancée, Cara Christopher, walked over to a Fry’s Food Store for refreshments, he tried securing her pink handgun in the front waistband of his pants. The gun fired, striking…
Sprint to See “The Robber” at The Loft
Run, don’t walk, to see this flick. One show only! Come out to The Loft this Wednesday, August 10, at 7:30 p.m. to see The Robber, part of The Loft Film Fest Showcase. This fast-paced thriller—about a marathon runner who also leads a double life as a serial bank robber—is not to be missed. Check…
Divine Intervention for Lobsters
Even the most devoted seafood lover has to admit, there is something oddly touching about 30 bald Buddhist monks dropping what must have been some serious cash to rescue 534 temperamental, snapping creatures from a boiling, watery grave with butter. A group of Tibetan Buddhists flanked the sides of a whale-watching boat at dusk on…
Comic Stripping of the Economy
Here’s what New York Times comic artist, Brian McFadden, had to say about the recent debt-ceiling decision: To check out more of McFadden’s comic strips, click here.
Great, Now There’s Weird Orange Stuff in the Ocean
Maybe I’m paranoid, but I’m not a big fan of mysterious substances floating in the water and I can only assume it’s some sort of sign that we’re all doomed. I see no other possible conclusion to draw. An unidentified orange substance is washing up on the shores of an isolated village in northwestern Alaska,…
Metro Restaurants Gift Certificate Sale
The restaurants in the Metro Restaurants family are offering half-off gift certificates today, Monday, Aug. 8, through Wednesday, Aug. 10. It occurs to me that this may not be the most smoking deal out there, what with Groupon and all of the other online coupon programs that keep popping up, but it’s still a good…
A Sad Waste of Speaker Power
As a long time fan of the musical sub-genre Miami Bass, I respect the endless quest to provide more and more internal-organ rattling bass, but if you’re going to crack your house’s foundation with your speaker setup, wouldn’t you pick something other than the music of the Black Eyed Peas to do so? I get…
Sparkroot Is Open
Long-awaited downtown cafe Sparkroot opened its doors this morning. It’s located at 245 E. Congress St. and has an ultra-cool mezzanine dining area overlooking the street. The cafe – which is owned by Ari Shapiro of local Xoom Juice fame – also has a vintage juke box, places to hang your bike and take a…
The Useless World of Yelp
There are thoughtful, intelligent reviewers using Yelp (including our TV-writer-who-writes-stuff-when-he-feels-like-it-I-guess Jordan Green, who is “Yelp Elite ’11”, whatever that means), offering their opinions on places they go to, giving others a sense of the options available in their community. On the other hand, there are a bunch of dimwits who give arbitrary grades and have…
Rep. Proud Attacks Independent Redistricting Commission Members as “Underhanded.” Fellow Republican Pete Hershberger Calls Her Comments “Vicious” and “Politics of Intimidation”
Most of the citizens who turned out to comment at today’s Independent Redistricting Commission meeting expressed their concerns over keeping communities of interest together in new congressional and legislative districts or creating more competition between the Democratic and Republican parties. But state Rep. Terri Proud used her time addressing the commission to launch a blistering…
TV’s New Low: Sarah Palin’s Salon
The good news: The reality show that goes “inside a busy hair salon in Wasilla, Alaska, where the personalities of the owner and her staff are as big as the hairstyles they create” will only consist of two episodes (for now). The bad news: There will actually be a reality show (titled Big Hair Alaska…sigh)…
You Might Consider Having This For Breakfast on Sunday
What’s that? You like breakfast dishes made with native foods and supporting the development of the very cool Mission Gardens going in downtown? Then you might consider attending this breakfast event at the Mercado San Agustin Sunday. From the menu for the event: Torta de Huevo, Sonoran style Tepary Beans, Home-made tortillas,Pistachio Nut/Mesquite Muffins,Fruit Salad,Pan…
Outback: Eat a Steak, Lose Your Soul
2 Man Chain Gang #3 – Outback Steakhouse from Eater NY on Vimeo. Rich Juzwiak, who is a very funny human being with a great blog, and Max Silvestri, who I am entirely unfamiliar with, eat at chain restaurants for the food blog Eater. The first two were alright and tolerable, but their meal at…
This Week in “Saved by the Bell” Nostalgia
While by any reasonable standard, Saved by the Bell was a terrible television program, especially since the show’s run means that we still have to be reminded of Dustin Diamond’s existence every few months, it was one of the last shows that nearly everyone of a certain generation has seen. Now, with a million channels…
Nature is Gross: Whale Genitalia Edition
WARNING: There’s a lot of gross stuff in this video, including a cut-open whale, guts and whatnot. That’s not even including the extensive discussion of sperm whale sex. I wouldn’t watch this video if were you, mostly because I’m not sure my life is better for knowing that sperm whales have prehensile penises. I only…
TucsonWeeklyTV.com – Let’s Talk About Bucky
I’m not sure I can ever get really excited about a comic book character named “Bucky”, but when Arnie and Eric discuss how the Marvel comic universe seems to hate teenage sidekicks, it gets a lot more interesting.
Another Competition I’ll Never Win
I had no idea that there was a world championship of Microsoft Excel, but if there’s some 15 year kid (who seems to have some strange resentment towards “Asians”) from England winning the thing, it’s probably too late for me to develop mad Excel skills, win $5000, and finally feel good about myself for once.…
You Can Have Johnny Depp’s Car (Sorta)
It feels like the car used in the film version of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas should be selling for more than $3,050, but then again, there are still three days left in the auction, so there’s plenty of time for you to pawn all of your personal belongings* to purchase this 1971 Cadillac…
In Case You Missed Jason Jones’ Scrotum Last Night
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c Uncensored – I Survived www.thedailyshow.com Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog The Daily Show on Facebook Probably not safe for work, if the word “scrotum” in the title of the post didn’t tip you off. No joke, hearing the sound…
Barack Obama’s Birthday Party Offends the Fox Nation
If the article itself weren’t ridiculous enough (largely focused on the fact that Barack Obama enjoys some cultural elements that some African-Americans also enjoy), the URL is really charming: “obama-parties-chris-rock-jay-z-and-whoopi-while-rome-burns”. For some reason, noted urban celebrities Tom Hanks, DNC Chair Tim Kaine, and Chief of Staff Pete Rouse aren’t mentioned in that list, but maybe…
V Fine Thai: “If You Find All Nine Buddhas, You Get a Drink On The House”
Did you know if you find all nine Buddhas in the dining room at the swanky V Fine Thai Dining you get a free drink on the house? I love little gimmicks like that, and my hat’s off to owner Vila Jarrell for keeping it fun. Jarrell has been busy down at the restaurant, adding…
An Internet Sucker Born Every Minute: Falling Victim to the Latest Online Scam
Photo Ryn Gargulinski Internet scams are getting sneakier by the minute. Now that people have become wise to Nigerian money scam e-mails and “click here” buttons that infect computers with the latest virus, deceptive online practices are getting sneakier. One sucked me in the other day, promising I could win $1,000 if I submitted a…
The New Budweiser Cans Suck
I guess this new Budweiser can is supposed to play up the iconic Budweiser “bowtie.” I have consumed many metric tons of Budweiser, and never even noticed there was a Budweiser bowtie. Real iconic.
Water on Mars?
NASA/JPL/University of Arizona Our friends at the UA Lunar and Planetary Lab’s HiRISE camera are in the headlines today: “I’m going to hear from my colleagues: ‘So, you’ve discovered water on Mars for the thousandth time?’ ” says planetary scientist Alfred McEwen of the University of Arizona in Tucson. Actually, it’s much better than that.…
Artistic Range: Narca Moore Craig at Tohono Chul Park
“Blue Throated Hummingbird,” by Narca Moore Craig, is on display in Hummingbirds, through Sept. 12, at Tohono Chul Park, 7366 N. Paseo del Norte.
It’s Buck Beer Night! Go See the Padres!
Samantha Sais Big news: The Tucson Padres have worked out their lease at Kino Stadium for the 2012 season, so they’re gonna be around next year. And given the stadium trouble in Escondido, there’s a chance we could be fostering this scrappy orphan team for even longer—if Tucson baseball fans start getting out to the…
You Should Probably Just Mark September 4 on Your Calendar
Aleksa Brown Each year, the HoCo Fest lineup seems to expand a bit, bringing back some familiar acts and adding new ones. There is still one night of bands left to be announced, I think, but it’s generally safe to say that if you like the sort of music usually seen on Congress’ stage, you’ll…
What Arizona Really Needs Is an Official State Food
Why do some states have like three officials foods, and Arizona doesn’t even have one? This state is awesome. We deserve an official state food. My push to have one designated starts now. I’ve got some ideas, but I’m sure Tucson Weekly readers have even better ones. You can hit me up on Facebook with…
Streaking on Mars
Come on! Everybody’s doing it. Did you know that Mars has many slope streaks? These streaks are thought to form when dust cascades down a slope, according to our buddies over at HiRISE. Pretty cool, huh? HiRISE team member Anjani Polit explains: In some cases it is possible to pinpoint what destabilized the slope and…
Today in Terrible Ideas: Home Fission
I applaud the home science hobbyist, trying to understand the universe on his own, outside the bounds of fancy universities and their safety standards, but perhaps when you’re blogging about a mini-meltdown, that might be a sign that you’ve gone too far: A Swedish man who was arrested after trying to split atoms in his…
“Router? I Hardly Know Her” and Other Wi-Fi Names
In honor of Wi-Fi Day on Tuesday, Mashable asked its readers to submit the funniest network names they’ve seen. Some of these are a little lacking, but how can you not smile at “Pretty Fly for a Wi-Fi”?
TucsonWeeklyTV.com – Meet Fook
Clearly, you’ve been listening to Fook on the KFMA morning show to hear me discuss pop culture events at 8:10 Wednesday mornings, but have you felt like you just wanted to know a little more about the man behind the microphone. Thanks to intern Katie Cunningham, you know have your chance.
Tonight at the Loft: “A Streetcar Named Desire”
The Loft continues its series of films based on Tennessee Williams’ work with the 1951 classic A Streetcar Named Desire. More from the Loft website: “A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE” / Southern Discomfort: The Films of Tennessee WilliamsThursday, August 4th at 7:00 p.m.Regular admission pricesFeaturing a free prize raffle and Mint Julep drink specials! In acclaimed…
TQ&A
Betty Villegas’ new project with Pima County grew out of the foreclosure crisis. The project’s goal: to help residents save their homes and find out about affordable housing and fair financing. The housing program manager for the county’s new One-Stop Housing Assistance Center works with the Don’t Borrow Trouble program and nine local housing counseling…
Live
There didn’t seem to be any Somalis about, but there was a Capt. Jack Sparrow impersonator present when this San Diego pirate band returned to Tucson for a gig at the Surly Wench Pub. ‘Twas a full-on pirate party, with all sorts of buccaneer pants, buckled swashes, striped bandanas and peasant blouses adorning many of…
Applaud the Effort
There are many things to be learned from seeing Beowulf Alley Late Night’s production of Hamlet 1.0. First, and maybe most importantly, we learn that Shakespeare’s classic piece is intriguing and compelling to a new generation of theater-practitioners. These young actors and their director took on an extraordinary project and approached it with thoughtfulness and…
The Atomic Bitchwax: The Local Fuzz (Tee Pee)
If only it were possible to thrust a copy of New Jersey hard-rock trio The Atomic Bitchwax’s fifth and latest full-length album into the hands of every noodle-dancing, grilled-cheese-eating, Phish-bootlegging jam-band fan out there to show them that one needn’t play extended jams on electric guitars like a wimp. The Local Fuzz is packed high…
Editor’s Note
While that other newspaper is letting people go, we here at the Tucson Weekly are looking to add a few good journalists to our illustrious list of regular contributors: • We’re looking for a news/features freelancer. The great Dave Devine has other things he wants do, so we’re looking for someone to take his place…
Little Company, Huge Show
Kevin Johnson, founder and artistic director of Arizona Onstage Productions, sailed into the café where we were to meet for coffee and chat about Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. He is directing the Stephen Sondheim musical, which opens Friday. He greeted me warmly and said, “I’m going to get some coffee.” I…
Daniel Isaiah: High Twilight (Secret City)
We first find Montreal singer-songwriter Daniel Isaiah in contemplation. On his debut album’s opening track, “Anita on the Banks,” his light, high voice sounds a bit like Paul Simon’s, and the poetic flood falls out of him in a style not unlike that of Bob Dylan. The tune starts out with the line, “The nights…
Danehy
If someone wants to lose weight, they can choose to cut back on eating or increase exercise. However, the best and quickest way would be to do both at the same time. But don’t tell that to the Republicans in Congress. Or to their bitch, Barack Obama. As I am writing this, there are four…
Camera Classics
By the time Richard Misrach arrived in the Sonoran Desert in the 1970s and made his luminous photos of saguaros, plenty of other photographers had been there, done that. Masters of American Photography, the masterly summer show at Etherton Gallery, exhibits not only Misrach’s cacti, shining in the nighttime desert of 40 years ago; it…
Gillian Welch: The Harrow and the Harvest (Acory)
The Harrow and the Harvest, Gillian Welch’s first album in eight years, is 10 folk songs in the classic sense: tales of travelers, of everyday comforts and concerns—songs that work as still-life portraits of quiet, thoughtful moments. The album is Welch’s true successor to Time (The Revelator), and though it has nothing as epic as…
Mailbag
A voice supporting airplane noise; Dead or alive; Following up on the roadrunner sex story; Poor people should rethink having children; Anti-mining poetry
Note to Self
Rudolfo Anaya’s new book is a brief, wandering, philosophically inclined and often humorous exploration of what it means to be oneself in a world that expects conformity—and how experience in the world changes one’s inner and outer beings. In Anaya’s note to the reader at the end of the book, he explains that the genesis…
Ask a Mexican!
Dear Mexican: A few years back when I was in high school, my social-studies teacher and the leader of our high school M.E.Ch.A. club expressed deep resentment toward the Spaniards/conquistadors who killed hundreds—probably thousands—of Aztecs. He went so far as to deny that his own heritage comes partly from Spain, and hated it when people…
Police Dispatch
Getting wasted prior to rehab; No free drinks
Top Ten in Books
1. Go the Fuck to Sleep Adam Mansbach, Akashic ($14.95) 2. State of Wonder Ann Patchett, Harper ($26.99) 3. Hand Wash Cold: Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life Karen Maezen Miller, New World ($14.95) 4. The Glass Rainbow: A Dave Robicheaux Novel James Lee Burke, Pocket ($9.99) 5. The Griff: A Graphic Novel Christopher Moore…
Serraglio
I used to love to fly. In the good old days—before box-cutters, underwear bombers and death-ray body scanners—I’d show up at the airport 30 minutes before takeoff, slip into the bathroom for a quick toke, and shuffle onto the plane with an illegal smile. In the air, I’d gaze out the window for hours, tracking…
Western Invasion
Director John Favreau goes nuts with Cowboys and Aliens, taking two genres (Westerns and alien-invasion films) and mashing them together. Somehow, he gets the crazy thing to work. It doesn’t hurt that Favreau populated the cast with one major talent after another. In what is surely one of the year’s greater casts, the film features…
Admissions Obstacles
Anyone can currently attend Pima Community College and take for-credit classes—with no GED or high school diploma necessary. However, Pima Chancellor Roy Flores wants to change the school’s policy to require that anyone who wants to take for-credit college-level classes has a GED or a high school diploma, and take an entrance exam. At a…
Top Ten in Movies
1. Limitless Relativity 2. Rango Paramount 3. Source Code Summit 4. The Lincoln Lawyer Lionsgate 5. Arthur Warner 6. Insidious Sony 7. Sucker Punch Warner 8. Dylan Dog: Dead of Night 20th Century Fox 9. Trust Millenium 10. 13 Assassins Magnolia
Moving Pictures
Once upon a time, you could wander Old Tucson, narrow your eyes, and get a sense of film history. Built in 1939 for the picture Arizona, starring Jean Arthur and William Holden, the faux-frontier town became an iconic Western backdrop, putting this stretch of desert forever on the celluloid map. Locals made loads of money…
Not the Same
Lisa See’s 2005 novel, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, is a work of historical fiction, a journey through the 19th century featuring two friends from different social castes. They are bound together by laotong, a kind of personal contract that is more powerful than the vows of the arranged marriages each will take years…
The Skinny
Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords makes a brief return to Washington … Congressman Raul Grijalva doesn’t like the debt-ceiling deal … Sen. John McCain doesn’t like hobbits … and more!
Now Showing at Home
Source Code (Blu-ray); Trust; Dylan Dog: Dead of Night
Media Watch
KGUN eliminates overtime; A new face as part of the Sports Force
Obstacles to Success
The Greek diet has been touted as a life-lengthening, heart-healthy cure-all that makes your skin smooth and your hair shiny; in general, it supposedly gets you one step closer to looking like Jennifer Aniston. It’s also supposed to be delicious—full of fresh vegetables and lean, flavorful meats. Unfortunately, at The Greek Patio, the food doesn’t…
Weekly Wide Web
Twitter at Its Worst; The week on The Range; and more!
Noshing Around
Culver’s is open; Two restaurants where you assemble your own meal open; Get your farm-fresh fruit and vegetables direct
Judging Democracy
Arizona statehood appeared imminent as August dawned 100 years ago. But because of a progressive draft constitution—labeled as “ultra radicalism” and “a dangerous demagogic document”—it would take six more months before Arizona became the 48th state. The Arizona and New Mexico territories both received permission in June 1910 to prepare constitutions prior to joining the…
Evolution of a Dream
For Mike Olson, guitarist, songwriter and percussionist for Key Ingredients of African Soul, this is the culmination of several dreams come true. A veteran of many local bands, jam sessions and drum circles, not to mention countless spirited discussions pertaining to African rhythms and music, he has finally fostered a musical family that is supporting…
Soundbites
Gaza Strip’s second album; The Good Medicine Show and Folk Revival comes to town; The Rialto goes cabaret; and more!
Nuclear Perils
This Saturday, Aug. 6, will be the 66th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan. A group of Tucson organizations have banded together to hold a special memorial event that commemorates the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki—while calling attention to current problems. The nuclear crisis at the Fukushima power plant in Japan after March’s…
Top Ten in Music
1. The Distortionists The Mark Side of the Dune (Tu-Lo) 2. The Fallen: Life In and Out of Britain’s Most Insane Group (book) Dave Simpson (Canongate) 3. La Cerca Rock ‘n’ Roll to the Rescue (self-released) 4. Thurston Moore Demolished Thoughts (Matador) 5. Citizen Fish Goods (Alternative Tentacles) 6. The Art of Touring (book) Edited…
City Week
Wine for a good cause; John Wayne Film Festival; Preseason roller derby; Bryan Dean Trio in concert
Nine Questions
Cannon Daughtrey, 28, grew up on a tobacco and peanut farm in the Deep South (Lenox, Ga., with a population of less than 1,000). She currently lives in Tucson and works in cultural resource management as an archaeologist. She once shoveled more than 1,000 pounds of dirt to clear a Late Archaic period site near…
Add “Plagiarist” to Russell Pearce’s Titles
I’m not sure whether it makes me feel better or worse that Russell Pearce doesn’t seem to have that many original ideas, directly lifting quite a bit of his writings online, including large chunks of his website, from other people: For several years, media outlets in Arizona and at the national level have explored links…
Salsa, Tequila, Takamatsu, Barbeque, Classy Italian Food, Hot Pots and Much More!
Typically things slow down dining-wise during the summer, but not this year. Let’s jump right in, shall we? We said it yesterday, but it bears repeating: Takamatsu reopens tomorrow. Owner Peter Koga basically rebuilt the place from scratch, despite thieves who kept breaking in and stealing tools and wiring during the reconstruction. The teppan yaki…
We Have to Do Something About This Summer Jam Thing
Last time we checked in on VH1’s analytical approach the determining the song of the summer, Adele was on top with “Rolling in the Deep”. While that song barely qualifies as being fun enough to be a summer jam, it’s only gone way downhill from then, with Katy Perry’s tribute to black-out-drinking/difficult-conversations-with-my-kids-when-it-comes-on-the-radio, “TGIF” taking over…
Win Tickets to See Wallpaper With AWOLNATION!
My favorite line written about Wallpaper, the 80’s influenced party rap group coming to The Rock on August 8th, was in an profile in the SF Weekly: “If Justin Timberlake were broke and had a sense of humor, he’d probably sound like this.” That describes the weird space Wallpaper occupies well: they make white-guy-rapping party…
