Cover Story
Project Censored
People who get their information exclusively from mainstream media sources may have been surprised by the lack of enthusiasm on the left for President Barack Obama during the election. But that’s probably because those people weren’t exposed to the full online furor sparked by Obama’s continuation of his predecessor’s overreaching approach to national security, such…
Kansas City Reporters Told To Decide Among Themselves Who Gets Fired
Apparently, management at the Kansas City Star doesn’t want to have the blood on their hands regarding the firing of one of two reporters. According to a report from media-watchdog Jim Romenesko’s blog, reporters Karen Dillon and Dawn Bormann have been told that one of them has to go, and that they have to make…
You Bought the New Big Boi Album Yesterday, Right?
Seriously, if you care about contemporary music at all, you should probably pick up the second Big Boi solo album (well, third, if you count his half of Speakerboxx/Love Below) Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors, which hit stores and digital outlets yesterday. There’s always some debate about which member of Outkast was the real genius…
Get Out of Town: A Few More Reader Submissions
Later today, we’ll reveal the final Get Out of Town! roster—including a healthy, if at times unhinged, dose of reader submissions. We were only able to run a fraction of the reader submissions in the package, so to whet your figurative whistle, here are a few more submissions. People Who Text While DrivingI want everyone…
‘Flying High’: A Wrap-Up of Last Night’s TUSD Votes Regarding MAS and the Deseg Plan
Last night, the Range talked with Sylvia Campoy, the Mendoza representative for the district’s decades old desegregation complaint (Fisher-Mendoza v.Tucson Unified School District) after last night’s TUSD governing board meeting, where she said she was floating and even turned around to say thank you to the board as she left the board room. Why, you…
Talking Comics: Avengers Arena
This week, Cynthia and Bobby review Avengers Arena, a book wherein Marvel’s youngest heroes are forced to fight each other to the death on a planet called “Murder World.” Man, Marvel has really toned down their stories since that Disney merger. What’s next? Tea parties? Check out the video and the cover below the jump!
Go Loco for Local Day
Make plans to go grab a bite to eat out today, get a smoking deal and support restaurants close to home. Many local places are doing some sweet $12 specials today on 12/12/12. TucsonNightOut.com has a list of the participating locally owned eateries here. Looking at the list there is something for all tastes, and…
‘The Day That an Imposition Was Legitimized’
The day Enrique Peña Nieto took power as president of Mexico, there were actions throughout Mexico that turned violent. News reports of what took place that day were, at best, mixed; at worst, clueless. However, here’s a report from Waging Violence’s Martha Molina that explains what occurred that day and who was involved. You can…
No Illegal at ‘Arizona Daily Wildcat’
It seemed like it started last year, when the Society of Professional Journalists passed a resolution recommending newsrooms stop using “illegal alien,” and even questioned the term “illegal immigrant,” in stories on immigration when describing undocumented immigrants. This year, the Associated Press stuck by “illegal immigrant,” as did the New York Times. Last week, on…
Last Day to Vote for TRA’s Open Spot at the Rialto Theatre
Tucson Rock Alliance is going to have one lucky band play at the “Tucson’s Best” Showcase at the Rialto Theatre January 27th, 2013. This is a good opportunity to see some smaller local bands play at this great venue. To vote, just like the photo of the band you would like to see. There are…
You Bastards Killed Michelob With Your Craft Beer Purchases
24/7 Wall St., which seems somewhat like a legitimate news source, I guess, has a survey of the nine mass-market beers that have suffered the largest decline in sales since 2006 and it turns out that times have been tough for the Michelob brand, which takes up the top two spots in the list: American…
Josh Ritter Is Coming to Tucson
The Rialto announced today that Josh Ritter, super-critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter, is returning to Tucson (as far as I can tell, he hasn’t played here since 2007 at Plush?) on March 16. Tickets are $20 in advance, but that includes a digital copy of Ritter’s new album The Beast In Its Tracks upon its release on March…
So Who Runs For Grijalva’s Seat?
Just because we haven’t had enough campaigning over the last year: Suppose Congressman Raul Grijalva does get appointed to Secretary of the Interior. Who runs for his seat in a special election? The comment section is open to irresponsible speculation. We’ll start with three obvious ones: Tucson City Councilwoman Regina Romero, Pima County Supervisor Richard…
Grijalva Spox on Interior Post: “He Is Not Considering a Career Change”
Noelle Haro-Gomez Congressman Raul Grijalva addresses the crowd at the 2012 Election Night Victory Party Congressman Raul Grijalva is downplaying the possibility that he’ll be the next Secretary of the Interior, according to Khara Persad of Cronkite News Service. By Khara PersadCronkite News WASHINGTON — A coalition of 238 groups urged President Barack Obama on…
Only Two More Days Until The Great Cover-Up Begins!
I mentioned yesterday in a post here that there were only four more days until the start of The Great Cover-Up, the annual music-for-charity event for which local acts cover the songs of acts better-known than themselves. Well, I’m not very good at math. The 14th annual Great Cover-Up begins at Plush on Thursday, Dec.…
If You Had ‘Get to Impact My Councilperson’s Compensation’ on Your Christmas List, Your Wish Has Come True
Seven lucky Tucson residents will get a chance to review the salaries paid to the Mayor and City Council, an opportunity afforded to those appointed to the Citizen’s Commision on Public Service and Compensation. The panel will spend two months analyzing what the city pays its six council members and Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, a term…
Yoko Ono Does ‘Firework’
Yoko Ono covers Katy Perry’s “Firework,” and after you watch you’ll ask yourself, “Are those people really clapping at the end because they enjoyed the song … or ….?”
This Week’s Mystery VFYW: Sierra Vista Municipal-Libby AAF Airport
Daily Dish Andrew Sullivan has a weekly “View From Your Window” contest wherein his readers guess the location of photos from exotic spots across the globe. This week’s landscape: Sierra Vista Municipal-Libby AAF Airport, Sierra Vista, Arizona. The guesses from readers range from Mongolia to Area 51.
Feeling Low? eHug It Out at The Nicest Place on the Internet
http://thenicestplaceontheinter.net That man on the left doesn’t want to eat you, I swear. Not everyone is having the same kind of extremely awesome day that we here at Weekly World Central are having, but that’s okay! We sympathize, and offer the kind of solution that only works if you aren’t within arms reach of someone…
Tucson Craigslister Wants To Plant Magic Beanstalk on Sublet Property
Apparently, a person searching for temporary housing on tucson.craigslist.org only needs your yard, it seems. This person, whose name was not signed at the bottom of his/her space wanted ad, appears to have come across a rather, uh, “magical” windfall, and needs your land to make his/her dreams come true. They want to grow a…
The New Patio at Café Poca Cosa
Walking Downtown I passed a sweet looking, artistic, metal fenced patio. This space, on the corner of Scott and Pennington, belongs to Café Poca Cosa and is shaping up nicely. I spoke with Chef Suzana Davila and she is expecting it to be finished and ready for al fresco dining shortly after the New Year.…
The Conspiracy To Capture Macho B
The Arizona Republic’s Dennis Wagner examines how state wildlife officials colluded with private biologists to capture Macho B, the last known jaguar in the United States. The big cat had to be euthanized after he was collared: Although Game and Fish officials claimed Macho B’s capture was accidental, McCain actually set the snare along a…
On the Off-Chance the World Ends Due to Climate Change, ‘Mother Jones’ Will Continue Printing Alarmist Headlines
No, really. They’ve made sure of it. motherjones.com Those clever folks over at Mother Jones have ensured, with this bot filled with alarmist climate buzzwords, that they’ll be scaring MoJo readers long into the future, so long as the species that takes hold of the planet after our demise gains the ability to read English.…
You Can Pretend to Kill Zombies in a More Realistic Fashion Now
The Slaughterhouse haunted house seems to find new ways to make some money outside of the actual Halloween season all the time, whether that’s a celebrity ghost tour (still no idea what that means) or the occasional concert, but their newest off-season event might be the most inventive: the opportunity to shoot pretend zombies with…
Pima County Librarians Have Posted a ‘List of Lists’ for 2012’s Best Books
If you’re among those good, kind, literary folks that are still interested in reading books in both paper and electronic formats, the good folks at the Pima County Public Library have a treat for you. They’ve put together a list of the best books published this year, sourcing 32 separate lists that’s sure to stir…
South Carolina Voters Seem to Have This ‘Politics’ Thing Figured Out, Would Prefer Comedian to Replace Politician
Great news out of South Carolina, as a poll shows that comedian and host of Comedy Central’s “Colbert Report,” Stephen Colbert, is the most popular choice among voters to replace retiring Senator Jim DeMint. According to a list of potential appointees given to poll participants by Public Policy Polling, Colbert was the most popular choice…
Countdown to The Great Cover-Up!
Friends, only four days until the most awesome music-for-charity event in Tucson! That’s right, The Great Cover-Up begins on Thursday, Dec. 13, at Plush; continues at Club Congress on the night of Friday, Dec.14, and during the day on Saturday, Dec. 15, at Hotel Congress’ outdoor patio; and finishes up that night, Saturday, Dec. 15,…
The Two Most-Looked Up Words of the Year Are Exactly What You Think They Are
In a revelation this is shocking to absolutely no one at all, dictionary-makers Merriam-Webster have determined that the most looked-up words of the year happen to be “socialism” and “capitalism.” Of course, those are the two words that were thrown about most by politicians on the campaign trail during the seemingly-interminable 2012 campaign season. From…
RIP, Jenni Rivera
s_bukley / Shutterstock.com Jenni Rivera, who played a few shows in Tucson, most recently at AVA in 2010 and 2011, died yesterday when a plane she was riding on crashed near Monterrey, Mexico, where she had just performed. I can’t possibly pretend to be an expert on the regional music of Mexico, but I always…
If You Feel Like Not Ever Eating Beef Again, Here’s Your Chance
If you haven’t eaten recently, it might be worth setting aside some time to read an amazingly assembled three part series (the third part runs tomorrow on the changing of federal dietary guidelines to promote the eating of more beef) in the Kansas City Star. The stories aren’t shocking on an Upton Sinclair level, but…
FCC Calls For FAA to Lighten Restrictions on Wireless Devices Mid-Flight
Here’s some potentially good news for all those frequent fliers who can’t put down their electronic devices during flights: the Federal Communications Commission has got your back. From The Hill: FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski called on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to “enable greater use of tablets, e-readers, and other portable devices” during flights in…
Cancel All of Your Plans, Purple Reign Is Coming to Town
Purple Reign, the Prince tribute act that once appeared on David Letterman’s show, is coming to the Casino del Sol Event Center, which is monumentally amazing news. Sure, December 29 seems like a terrible time for the casual concert-goer to plan to see a show, with the biggest going-out night of the year a few…
The Best of Beans in Tucson
Free food! OK, now that I have your attention, Native Seed/Search is teaming up with some local chefs to explore the many flavors, and uses, of beans. Free samples of bean dishes crated by great folks such as Janos Wilder of Downtown Kitchen + Cocktails, Doug Levy of Feast, Rocco’s Little Chicago Pizzeria, and The…
Political Roundtable: What’s On Tap at the Legislature?
On tonight’s Political Roundtable: Tucson City Councilman Steve Kozachik, state Sen. Frank Antenori, state Rep. Bruce Wheeler and Tucson Tea Party founder Trent Humphries look ahead to the upcoming session of Arizona Legislature, including whether lawmakers will expand health-care coverage to 130 percent of the federal poverty level or introduce more immigration legislation. I also…
Pima Community College Students Throw Holiday Celebration for Kids in Foster Care
Hey folks, if you’re looking to celebrate a good cause this weekend, consider heading to Donn R. Liggons Recreation Center to join PCC students in celebrating the holidays with children and staff from the Devereux and Vision Quest group homes. From the event’s press release: The Social Services Students in the Community Organization & Development…
Beer-Centric Webseries ‘Hopped Up’ Visits Dragoon Brewing
The excellent (and occasionally quite silly) local webseries Hopped Up has been featured here before, taking a look at Best of Tucson staff pick Empire Pizza & Pub, but the gentlemen behind the show have moved their focus to one of Tucson’s many stellar microbreweries, Dragoon Brewing Co. Take a look as they chat with…
Bitcoins, the Web’s Digital-Only Currency, Will Soon Have Its Own Bank
Bitcoins, if you’re not familiar, are a digital currency that have been established by those on the internet become, in some circles, the currency of the internet, due in part to its largely untraceable nature—and the fact that they’re not backed by a government whose economy is unstable is a plus (we’re looking at you,…
No One Is As Pumped For ‘The Hobbit’ As Unicycle Gandalf With Bagpipes
This may not shock you, but the man responsible for this video lives in Portland. I know, right? “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” comes out next week, and my expectations for who will be at the midnight showings have now skyrocketed.
You Should Read This Story About “Fairytale of New York”
Truly, there is no greater opening line to a Christmas song than “It’s Christmas Eve in the drunk tank,” so why not spend a few moments today reading about the history of “Fairytale of New York,” the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl classic celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The entire article is great, but this…
Wild Garlic Grill Opening Delayed
Well the opening has been pushed back till Wednesday, December 12th for Wild Garlic Grill, which was talked about here. I’ve been told it is due to a delay in a delivery of some necessary kitchen equipment. I guess you need such things to run a restaurant, or so I’ve been told. Just think, it…
The Nogales-to-Tucson Commute Just (Legally) Got a Little Faster
In case you hadn’t noticed — and since no one is as attentive toward such minutiae as I, you hadn’t — a small facet of a road sign replacement project on Interstate 19 has actually slightly altered the speeds at which you can legally travel. Since May the Arizona Department of Transportation has been using…
Press Conference on Possible Closure of Three Westside TUSD Schools
Sal Baldenegro Jr. has put together a coalition of community leaders, parents and elected officials for a press conference today at 12:30 p.m. at Joaquin Murrieta Park, 1400 N. Silverbell Road. From the press release: Tucson, AZ — There is a press conference scheduled for Friday, Dec. 7th, 12:30pm, at Joaquin Murrieta Park, to address…
This Week in Tucson Bicycling
Ever wonder what cyclocross is? Watch the video above and check out the photos from the race. One of the middle schools with the biggest bicycling investment is on TUSD’s closure list. Check out what the school has been up to. Once again the BICAS Art Auction was a huge success. Check out how much…
Sorry Guys, But THIS is the Christmas Video You’ll Wish You Didn’t See
Yesterday on We Got Cactus, Dan posted what he considered to be the worst Christmas/Holiday-related video. Well, the WWE has that John Travolta-related abortion beat. I’d apologize for what you’re about to watch, but let’s face it: if you click play, you’ve brought it upon yourself. May God (or whatever entity you choose to share…
LGBT Community Group Wingspan Names Carol Grimsby Executive Director
Big news from Wingspan: Tucson and Southern Arizona’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community center has named Carol Grimsby to be their new Executive Director. From Wingspan: Courtesy of Wingspan Carol Grimsby “This is a milestone in Wingspan’s development,” said Kara Jones, Wingspan’s Board President. For three years, Wingspan’s Board has been operated by program…
You Should Go To TEDx Tucson This Weekend
If you aren’t familiar with TED, you should be. Using the slogan “Ideas Worth Spreading,” the organization that originally began to bring together minds from technology, entertaiment and design fields (get it? TED?) has since branched out into accepting lectures and discussions from all subjects, featuring nearly 1,400 talks on their website. TEDx began as…
Why the Streetcar Might Not Be So Terrible: Pedestrians and Bicyclists Spend More Than Drivers
A survey out of Portland, the northwest’s urban bicycling mecca and what Tucson seems to aspire to be at times, shows a fascinating trend: pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users tend to visit bars, restaurants and shops more often and spent more than motorists. From The Atlantic Cities blog: This finding is logical: It’s a…
How Long Can You Watch These Two People Perform Their Break-Up Song?
Jonathan Mann is a singer-songwriter who produces one song (with accompanying video) per day. Ivory King was his girlfriend. As of this song, they are officially broken up. Which is cool, I guess, since it appears that they’ve come to a mature decision and chosen to remain cordial about it. Good for them. Unfortunately, this…
No DeConcini at ABOR for Fuerza (And Only a Dash of Democracy)
Chris Summitt American Friends Service Committee Matthew Löewen At today’s Arizona Board of Regents meeting in the UA student union, those in charge of the state’s three universities decided democracy should only go so far. On his tumblr page, Protesting Arizona, photographer Chris Summitt, said members of Fuerza, the coalition of local organizations calling for…
A Clubhouse for Yeti? Lodge Sasquatch Kitchen Details Are Fuzzy
A new place, with an odd name, looks to be hiring in preparation to open soon. The Lodge Sasquatch Kitchen is moving into 7265 N. La Cholla Blvd., near the Foothills Mall. The space was previously occupied by My Big Fat Greek Restaurant. No contact information is listed, but I will be following up to…
Rally to Call on DeConcini to Resign From CCA Today on UA Campus
Press release from Fuerza on rally outside Arizona Board of Regents meeting today at the University of Arizona student union: On Thursday, December 6, 2012, community members and students from the University of Arizona will speak out before the Arizona Board of Regents. This is an effort to heighten public pressure for Board of Regents…
So, We’re Having an Animated GIF Contest
Every human being with a computer enjoys animated GIFs (there’s a report out there somewhere, I swear), but at the Tucson Weekly, we don’t think we’ve seen enough of these simple online animations that are Tucson themed…whether that’s some sort of evocative capture of a Tucson sunset or a frantic animation of someone falling down…
ZZ Ward: Til the Casket Drops (Hollywood)
Like an Adele, Aretha or Amy who had gravitated to rap MCs, this talented singer from rural Oregon (by way of Los Angeles) wails convincingly at the crossroads of vintage R&B and blues, with more than a dash of hip-hop for contemporary street cred. Although she roughens it up here and there, Ward still has…
More Manzo?
Of the 14 schools up for possible closure to help eliminate a projected $17 million deficit in the Tucson Unified School District, at least one school has hopes of surviving. That’s because Manzo Elementary School has chickens. The school, in the Barrio Hollywood neighborhood, has developed a nationally recognized ecology program that provides students with…
Now Showing at Home
ParaNorman (Blu-ray) UNIVERSAL MOVIE B+ SPECIAL FEATURES B+ BLU-RAY GEEK FACTOR 7.75 (OUT OF 10) As of right now, this is my pick for Best Animated Film of the Year, over Pixar’s Brave. I’m not a Brave hater … I actually find that film quite enchanting. But this one feels like a greater achievement. For…
Gadget Throwbacks
This year featured a presidential challenger portrayed as an animatronic Ward Cleaver with robber-baron tendencies—an anachronism offering outdated ideas. You may have disagreed with or even ignored this narrative, one of many during the campaign, but I noticed it so much that it got me thinking about throwbacks more generally. And suddenly, like the Star…
Noshing Around
Borderlands’s reopening delayed … Tucson Originals has a roster shakeup … Garden Kitchen teaches you where your food is from … and Jerry says “hello!”
Media Watch
A list of local media charity drives … KXCI’s Winter Wonders auction … Journal Broadcast Group has a pair of new hires … WWE doesn’t care about Tucson
Killer at Large
The plans most people make for New Year’s Eve involve celebrating the year that was, and looking forward to a fresh start in the next one. Yesenia Campos and her family haven’t had an occasion to enjoy the turning of the calendar for some time. Instead, Dec. 31 has served as a reminder of a…
Editor’s Note
Some pertinent news and, um, rants this week: • In our Dec. 27 issue, we’ll feature our annual Southern Arizona New Year’s Guide. We want to make the guide as comprehensive as possible—and in order to so do, we need your information. If you are involved in an event taking place on New Year’s Eve…
Danehy
Let’s imagine there is a state government agency that, by definition, is operating on taxpayer money. The head of the department is Sam, who seems to be a decent-enough fellow, efficient and all. That is, until an investigation shows that when Sam’s department needs widgets, he sees to it that they’re only bought (at taxpayer…
Strangers No Longer
See how connected you are to downtown at 3 Degrees of Strangers: Connections in Downtown this Saturday, Dec. 8.
Missing Ingredients
Once primarily existing in a realm of blue boxes and neon-orange “cheese” powder, macaroni and cheese today is ubiquitous on restaurant menus. And far too often, for some reason, that restaurant mac and cheese is mediocre. In order to elevate this dish, it takes proper quantities of high-quality ingredients, appropriate seasoning and competent preparation—and more…
Downing
Just kidding. The last thing you or I or anyone else wants to think about is the $6 billion, three-year presidential election that seemed to start a decade ago and finally, dear god, staggered to an exhausted, exhausting and completely predictable end on Nov. 6. The night before the election, my quilting circle met at…
City Week
A look at lowrider culture … parading for toys … the Arizona Historical Society’s Holiday Festival … The return of Ouroboros
Prison for Pot
Last winter, Kaleb Phillips stalked a man to a Maryland parking lot, then gunned him down for being in the wrong gang. Phillips and six of his friends plotted the murder of Arnold Fagans for several hours and abruptly ended his life outside of his apartment on Jan. 12. Last Thursday, Phillips, 20, took his…
Guest Commentary
For the past five years, the Tucson Unified School District—mirroring patterns at other urban public school districts throughout the nation—has experienced a demographic shift in its student population. In that time frame, the majority Latina/Latino student population has increased by 6.7 percent, while the minority white student population has decreased by 6.5 percent. Unfortunately, many…
T Q&A
Although Julie Gallego graduated from the UA with a degree in interior design, she eventually deferred to her heart—and decided to teach folklórico dance. The director of the Viva Performing Arts Center started in the cafeteria of St. John the Evangelist Catholic School before a series of moves led to the permanent home. Over the…
Ask a Mexican!
The Mexican tackles Mexican-Asian relations; a common-sense controversy; and a bit of an uppity gringo.
Shopping Help Is Here
Although many of us would like to hide under a rock this time of year, the holidays are unavoidable. So make the best of them, shopping and all. We understand a lot of you find gift-shopping to be an annoyance. Retail hatred is understandable when you don’t have a clue about where to go and…
Let Them Eat Cake
The phrases “the 99 percent” and “the 1 percent” have recently been invoked as shorthand for the disparity in our country between the rich and the poor. But rarely has the gap between the haves and have-nots been so clearly evident as in late 18th-century France, right before the French Revolution. The bloody 1789 revolt…
Top Ten in Music
1. Inoculara/Godhunter Split 7″ (self-released) 2. Fish Karma/Al Perry American 7″ (Sapient) 3. The Space Heaters The Blame 7″ (Detroit Vinyl) 4. Saint Maybe Things as They Are (Fort Lowell) 5. ACxDC He Had it Coming 7″ (To Live a Lie) 6. Hoax 2nd self-titled 7″ (Youth Attack) 7. The Dicks Hate the Police 7″…
Mailbag
A reader relates his election day troubles … reactions to an anti-smoking opinion
A Classic Recast
Sometimes, we have to be reminded that we have it pretty good. Oh, sure, for most of us, things could be better; for some of us, things could be much better. Yes, it’s all relative. When Darkness hauls us somewhere unfamiliar and scary, we sometimes need rescuing. And sometimes, that means having some caring soul…
Poetry Set to Music
The Mountain Goats’ 14th studio record began with one song about a man lost and helpless, fighting an urge to give up. And although John Darnielle could be recognized in that narrator’s voice, the song was describing themes he’d never really touched on in other songs. “Until I Am Whole” came to Darnielle out of…
Support Snafu
In Rosemont Copper’s alternate reality, a nature-adoring mine has already become fact, and big-money jobs lurk just over the hill—in this case, in the Santa Rita Mountains south of town. Within such mystical realms, appearance is everything. For instance, Canadian investment firm Augusta Resource Corp. must convince financial backers that its Rosemont Copper subsidiary is…
Paucity of Plot
Hard to Have Heroes is a novel with little literary merit. None of the characters have arcs, and the small amount of plot that seeps through doesn’t occur until the final third of the book. Even at that late juncture, tension is never bothered with, and the reader never feels any fear for our protagonist…
Live
Pleasant, to bland, to boring, to annoying, to horrible, to surreal, to oh-my-God-is-this-really-happening? Oh, what a night. Los Angeles’ current music scene was represented in a truly horrid way, starting with opening act Blondfire. Attempting some sort of fusion of early-’90s pop shoegaze and the early ’90s “Madchester” sound (a short-lived Manchester, England-based phenomenon of…
Blocked Exchange
It appears that the federal government will be creating Arizona’s health-insurance exchange. Gov. Jan Brewer announced last week that she would not pursue a state-run exchange, an online marketplace where Arizona consumers could compare and purchase various health-insurance plans. States have the option of creating exchanges, which are a key part of ensuring that people…
Scorched Earth
El Niño has been canceled, and the desert winter looms before us hot and dry. Forecasters had predicted a cool, wet winter, but a month ago, the National Weather Service gave up on El Niño. The drought will continue; Arizona’s December rains will not fall. To mourn this distressing development—and to meditate on climate change—you…
Nine Questions
Ryan P. Christie, 34, grew up in Tucson and graduated from the UA in 2001 with a degree in creative writing. Christie currently works as a rock-climbing instructor/guide at Rocks and Ropes and as a rigging specialist with Rhino Staging. From 2003 to 2005, he was a music writer for aznightbuzz.com. He also played guitar…
The Skinny
Jan Brewer isn’t helping with that new GOP Latino outreach … TUSD moves closer to closing 14 schools … Did Congressman Raúl Grijlava nearly crash the markets? … and so much, much more!
Top Ten in Books
1. Flight Behavior: A Novel Barbara Kingsolver, HarperCollins ($28.99) 2. Mousetronaut Mark Kelly, Simon and Schuster/Paula Wiseman ($16.99) 3. Life of Pi Yann Martel, Mariner ($15.95) 4. The Third Wheel (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 7) Jeff Kinney, Harry N. Abrams ($13.95) 5. The Mark of Athena: The Heroes of Olympus, Book 3 Rick…
Soundbites
Kicking off the Great Cover-Up … Celebrating the El Casino Ballroom … a reappearance of the Galactic Federation of Love … and more!
Delights On Disc
It’s the holidays, a time for giving people movies, because you love movies, and you want them to love movies, too. You are bullish and pushy by nature, and this needs to stop. This guide assembles some of the best releases from the past year. Let it assist you in the art of handing over…
Stringing Along
It could be about any profession—construction, the law, advertising; a story about a leader retiring offers wide-open avenues for exploration. There are the emotions of the outgoing boss, others on the team looking to rise, members of that same team who will feel lost without their captain, and so on. A Late Quartet brings music…
The Babies: Our House on the Hill (Woodsist)
Our House on the Hill is the crispest garage record this year. The Babies still have the market cornered on autumnal pop that eschews grit for grace. But all of the album’s warmth comes with a nice bratty edge. On “Mess Me Around,” the final verse consists of a string of insults. It has all…
Weekly Wide Web
Last week, the principal of Mesa’s Westwood High School gave two students, in trouble for fighting, a difficult choice: They could either each accept a suspension, or they could face the public shame of being forced to hold hands with each other in the school’s courtyard. The students, not wanting to take suspensions, chose the…
Patience Required
As I watched Brad Pitt’s Killing Them Softly, from director Andrew Dominik, I sat in a virtually empty theater with a few friends and several other patrons. The movie is a slow, meditative and strangely beautiful examination of bad people, and I could sense it was testing people’s patience. I kept hearing the relentless “tap,…
Fish Karma: Lethal Fairy Tales (Alternative Tentacles)
“I am a moron, I am an American,” goes the chorus on “American,” one of the finest examples of folk-punk satire that Fish Karma has ever created. It’s at the center of longtime Tucson singer-songwriter and provocateur Karma’s latest album, and his third for Jello Biafra’s Alternative Tentacles. With its Red Bull-swigging, iPad-toting, Muslim-hating, football-loving…
Police Dispatch
A drunken man tries to headbutt his way out of a patrol car … never bring a fork to a pipe fight?
Top Ten in Cinema
1. Savages Universal 2. Men in Black 3 Sony 3. Lawless Starz/Anchor Bay 4. Brave Disney/Pixar 5. The Watch 20th Century Fox 6. ParaNorman Universal 7. The Expendables 2 Lionsgate 8. The Amazing Spider-Man Sony 9. Step Up Revolution Summit 10. 360 Magnolia
Here’s the Christmas Video You’ll Wish You Could Unsee
I’m sorry. I’M SO SORRY.
