Cover Story
It Never Ends
Lots of sad, tragic, scary, mystifying things happened in 2011. A tsunami decimated Japan. Steve Jobs, the lead singer from Warrant, various terrorist leaders and dictators, Duke Snider and Col. Potter all died. Both Mitt Romney and Rick Perry, on occasion, said things in public. And quite horrifically, the much-anticipated The Hangover Part II turned…
Win Tickets to See Brad Garrett at Casino Del Sol!
Tickets go on sale Saturday for Brad Garrett’s show at Casino Del Sol Feb. 19, but we have a pair of tickets to give away to one lucky comedy fan. Just go to our contest page and enter before Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 5 pm. The winner will be notified via email. For more information…
You All Like Hall & Oates, Right?
Hall & Oates – I Can’t Go For That 45 rpm rip at 33 rpm. by WEED NIRVANA After the traffic success of my post mentioning the Hall & Oates hotline (sorry, I mean Call & Oates), The Range will probably eventually just turn into a Daryl and John-themed news aggregation site. Gotta give the…
Hey, It’s a New Fun. Song!
I still miss Nate Ruess’ previous band, The Format, so the announcement of new music from Fun. is generally a little bittersweet, but it is a positive for society that young people today hear as much dramatic power-pop that recalls both the Beach Boys and Harry Nilsson. Promoting their forthcoming album, Some Nights, which includes…
Here’s Jonathan Paton’s Announcement
It’s not too difficult to see why former CD8 candidate Jonathan Paton would duck out of the crowded quadruple election process to replace Gabrielle Giffords, instead focusing his attention on the future CD1, which includes Marana, Oro Valley, Saddlebrook, and a bunch of eastern and northern Arizona, even though he still owns a home in…
TucsonWeeklyTV.com – The Voicebox Battles
Though battle rap, a showcase of brags, boasts and brutal insults, has existed as long as rap itself has, it exploded into public consciousness with the 2002 film “8 Mile,” and has drifted in and out ever since. But the development of rap battle leagues such as Grind Time in the US and Canada’s King…
Yes, Virginia, the TUSD Board Did Approve Three of the Banned Books
Tucson Unified School District president Mark Stegeman’s letter to constituents finally got forwarded to me. The letter was e-mailed to “constituents” over the weekend along with a copy of the Hicks resolution that the board approved 4-1 to dismantle Mexican American Studies. By the time I read Stegeman’s letter today I had already read a…
Gabrielle Giffords Resigns From Congress
From MSNBC, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz reads Gabrielle Giffords’ resignation letter as Rep. Jeff Flake holds her hand, and then Giffords delivers her letter to Speaker Boehner.
Rep. Giffords’ Resignation Letter
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords resignation letter to Congress, Governor [HT: Producer Matthew]
Mitch Daniels Doesn’t Read the New York Times
Oh, Mitch Daniels, you didn’t quite do enough research, did you? The late Steve Jobs — what a fitting name he had — created more of them than all of those stimulus dollars the President borrowed and blew. Of course, this weekend the New York Times ran a story entirely about how Apple ships a…
Enjoy One Great Moment, on a Loop
As an aficionado of animated GIFs, this is probably my favorite ever.
CD8 Special: Antenori vs. Kelly in the Race to Replace Giffords?
Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ decision to step down from Congress this week has set up a great deal of buzz and speculation in political circles. We’re sure the final line-up is far from set, but we hear that both state Sen. Frank Antenori and Jesse Kelly, the 2010 GOP nominee who lost to Giffords, are oiling…
Jonathan Paton to Announce Something
Hmmm. Wonder what this could be about, and if Frank Antenori feels like Paton is infringing on his media turf?
Raúl Grijalva: Investigate Attack on Mexican American Studies
In a press release sent out by Rep. Raúl Grijalva’s office today, as chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus the U.S. congressman sent a letter yesterday to the feds asking for an investigation into the anti-Mexican American Studies Law: Grijalva Leads Hispanic Caucus Letter to Dept. of Education Calling for Mexican-American Studies Support, Civil Rights…
Earth Walk Performance Series Begins Tonight at Club Congress
The Earth Walk Performance Series kicks off tonight, at 6 p.m., at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St. $12 to $22. Storyteller, drummer and healing arts practitioner Brian Rohr will talk, drum and tell stories from the oral traditions of the world in his performance, “Stoking the Fire, Stringing the Harp.” “It is our time…
AZ Presidential Candidates React To Newt’s Win in South Carolina
We challenged the Project White House candidates to respond to the results of the South Carolina primary. Their responses—a bit delayed by some other breaking news in these parts—follow. Green Richard Grayson: Pinal County Greens Co-Chair & Presidential Candidate Richard Grayson Hails South Carolina Primary Results as a Victory for the Afro-Punk Movement Apache Junction,…
Giffords to Cast a Vote Wednesday Before Resigning
According to Politico, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords will be given the opportunity to vote on the vote she championed cracking down on ultralight aircraft used in cross-border trafficking. The bill, which failed in the last Congress due to rules issues, was introduced last night, with Rep. Jeff Flake and Rep. Giffords as co-sponsors. Giffords, who has…
UNIDOS’ School of Ethnic Studies
The day after several hundred students from Tucson, Pueblo and Cholla high schools walked out in protest of the Tucson Unified School District’s dismantling of Mexican American Studies, the student-led group UNIDOS held a School of Ethnic Studies today at the El Casino Ballroom, 437 East 26th St. until 2:45 p.m. live streaming on Upstream…
MarchFourth Marching Band to Play the Rialto
The MarchFourth Marching Band brings together a lively mix of bold costumes, trumpets, horns, guitars, fire and flag dancers, stliltwalkers, acrobats to the Rialto Theatre this Thursday. Here’s what Erika Fredrickson with the Missoula Independent says about the instrumental brass band, “M4”: M4’s versatility and boldness is one thing, but part of the fun is…
It is Time to Prune your Roses!
Photo by Martha from The Contained Gardener Growing Roses It’s Time to Prune your Roses! Pruners: Bypass pruners that work similar to scissors. Anvil type pruners will crush your rose stems. Pruning: • Remove the top 1/2 to 2/3 of the rose bush. • Remove any dead canes and small twiggy growth. • Remove any…
If Your Dad’s a Great Athlete, That Automatically Makes You One, Right?
So, Arizona has apparently made a splash by getting a verbal commitment from the son of one of the greatest baseball players of all time. To play football. Trey Griffey, son of baseball great Ken Griffey, Jr. — and, yes, grandson of Ken Griffey Sr. — is a standout wide receiver from Florida, and plans…
Curtis Acosta: ‘We Have Not Lost Faith’
The editors of Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Year’s (one of the seven books taken out of the Tucson Unified School District Mexican American Studies classrooms) ran a letter yesterday from Tucson High Magnet School’s (former) Chicano literature teacher Curtis Acosta with an update on the district’s continuing dismantling of Mexican American Studies: To my…
The Best (Sad) Thing You’ll Read Today
The New York Review of Books’ blog has a short, but quite moving piece about the Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster in Italy, mostly focusing on the sociology of what people do when everything goes wrong: Captain Schettino’s decision to ignore the cruise’s prescribed route and steer his floating behemoth close to shore was only…
Coming Soon: Chocolate Fox Chocolatier
We’re hearing that the Tucson location of the Chocolate Fox Chocolatier is expected to open in early February. You can read more about the place over here. The Tucson location is currently under construction in a small spot right next to the new bar and lounge Playground on the corner of Congress and Fifth. Speaking…
Words I Never Thought I’d See on a Disney Site
“Inspired by the iconic sleeve of Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures album…” I imagine Ian Curtis was probably a big fan of jovial American cartoons, even if he happened to be the suicidal frontman of one of the most depressing bands of all time. Why wouldn’t he have been?
Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords Makes Final Public Appearance in CD8
Jim Nintzel Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords visits the new family assistance center named in her honor at Tucson’s Community Food Bank in her final public appearance in Congressional District 8. Giffords announced on Sunday, Jan. 22, that she would be resigning from Congress later this week to concentrate on her recovery from being shot in the…
Grijalva: Giffords “Will Continue To Serve as a Beacon of How Politics Should Be and How They Shouldn’t Be”
Congressman Raul Grijalva discussed Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ decision to step down on MSNBC this morning: The decision that Gabby made is to fully recover, and it’s a good decision. For her family and the people that love her, it’s the right decision. . . Her presence will continue to serve as a beacon of how…
Let’s Agree That Rand Paul Probably Wasn’t “Detained”
While dealing with the TSA at the airport can certainly be a hassle, and there are a number of legitimate complaints to be made about the process, it doesn’t really help the cause when a senator gets fussy about a hourly employee doing what they’re supposed to? Yes, “detain” can mean to “hold back from…
The Comedy Stylings of Frank Antenori
Sen. Antenori just wants to eat his Egg McMuffin in peace while sitting in the cab of his giant truck, gun in his lap. Is that so wrong, Food Police and other straw men created for the sake of argument?
Rep. Farnsworth Doesn’t Care About Public Health
I guess Rep. Eddie Farnsworth would just prefer one of Arizona’s universities or community colleges deal with a measles outbreak, so that the individual liberties of a group of people with very little medical evidence on their side are preserved. Welcome to the new session of the Arizona Legislature! From HB 2383: Be it enacted…
Rep. Giffords Finishing her Congress on Your Corner Event
From Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ Facebook page, an photo from her Congress on Your Corner event today with those who came to see her on January 8th, 2011.
Antenori Considering Run in Special Election for Giffords Seat
State Sen. Frank Antenori, who has been weighing a congressional run in the Southern Arizona district now represented by Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, was surprised by her announcement today that she would resign later this week. Antenori, who had been anticipating that Giffords would announce that she was not seeking reelection but would finish out her…
U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz: Giffords Resigned To Focus on Rehabilitation
Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz sheds some light on the timing of Giffords’ resignation: Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, the Democratic National Committee chair, told CNN that Giffords — a close friend — came to the conclusion that going back to her job this year would reduce the time and work she could put…
Obama: “Gabby and Her Husband Mark Have Taught Us the True Meaning of Hope in the Face of Despair”
The nation reacts to the resignation of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords: President Barack Obama: Gabby Giffords embodies the very best of what public service should be. She’s universally admired for qualities that transcend party or ideology — a dedication to fairness, a willingness to listen to different ideas, and a tireless commitment to the work of…
Pima County Democratic Party Chairman: Giffords’ Resignation “An Extraordinary Loss for Southern Arizona”
Pima County Democratic Party chairman Jeff Rogers calls Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ decision to step down “an extraordinary loss for Southern Arizona.” “She really was one of those unique congresspersons who had a lot of crossover appeal and could work across the aisle with a lot of different Republicans and there really aren’t that many in…
Giffords Will Attend State of the Union, Finish Her Congress On Your Corner Event
Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords will attend the State of the Union speech this week and will complete her Congress on Your Corner event that was interrupted by gunfire, according to a press release from her office: Before she leaves office, Giffords will finish her Congress On Your Corner event that was interrupted by a gunman on…
Giffords Resigns: What’s Next for Voters in CD8?
With Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords announcing her plans to resign this week, the next political question is: What’s next? Southern Arizona will have a special primary and a special general election. Here’s how it works: Once a vacancy is officially declared, Gov. Jan Brewer will have three days to set a date for a special partisan…
Giffords Announces Plan To Resign From Congress This Week
Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has announced via YouTube that she is resigning from Congress this week. Giffords narrates the video herself. “I don’t remember much from that horrible day, but I will never forget the trust you placed in me to be your voice,” Giffords says. “Thank you for your prayers and for giving me time…
Adventurers in Buying Elections With the Koch Brothers
David and Charles Koch love Arizona congressional representatives the best. In 2011, they gave our our representatives more money than those of any other state, and they gave money to more Arizona congressional representatives than those from any other state. Ben Quayle ($6,000), Trent Franks ($7,500), Dave Schweikert ($10,000) and Jeff Flake ($12,300) racked up…
Political Roundtable: TUSD’s Mexican-American Studies, Carmona’s Senate Run, Melvin’s Nukes-for-Schools Bill & More!
Arizona Illustrated’s Political Roundtable gathers for a discussion of TUSD’s Mexican-American Studies program, a look ahead at the ongoing legislative session, and a bit of arguing about Democrat Richard Carmona’s Senate campaign and President Barack Obama’s chances in Arizona in 2012.
You Can Subscribe to Comments Now!
As always, we strive to improve the user experience for you, reader of TucsonWeekly.com, hopefully in a manner that involves as little extra work for our staff as possible. So, we’re thrilled to announce that you can now subscribe to comment threads! So, when you post a comment, this option will be presented: Click the…
Thai Feast Tomorrow
If you like big bubbling pots of curry, sticky rice and other homemade Thai dishes, you’ll want to head over to Wat Buddhametta at 1133 S. Swan Road tomorrow. The Buddhist temple and meditation center is holding another amazing all-you-can-eat Thai dinner, which will set you back a paltry $10 per person. I went to…
Jeff Smith at Temple Gallery
“Triple T, 7:50 pm, 2011,” by Jeff Smith, is on exhibit in Jeff Smith: Drivescapes through Feb. 21 at the Temple Gallery in the Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave. The show will have an opening reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20.
Liv Cafe and Bistro Is Open
We’re hearing really good things about the coffee and food up at the new Liv Cafe and Bistro, which opened recently at St. Philip’s Plaza. The place puts an emphasis on local and healthy food and is part of a sort of renaissance going on at the ages old shopping center. There’s more on the…
How To Make Hashish With A Turkey Roasting Bag
J.M. Smith Harold Potts made this batch of hashish from a small pile of kief in 30 minutes. If you’ve been smoking all the kief (powdery pollen and/or resin particles from marijuana plants) that collects in your MMJ grinder, stop right there. There’s a better use for it. You can make hashish in less than…
Political Roundtable Tonight: TUSD’s Ethnic Studies, AZ Legislature, Presidential Politics & More!
Tonight on Arizona Illustrated’s Political Roundtable: Jonathan Paton, Rodd McLeod and Andrea Kelly join me to talk about the legislative session, the latest in the GOP race for president, President Obama’s upcoming trip to Arizona and whether TUSD has banned books related to Mexican-American Studies. Tune in at 6:30 p.m. on Channel 6 or check…
Listen to This Electric Guest Song
Electric Guest are a group that seem poised to be a big deal. LA taste-maker station KCRW featured one of their songs as a “Top Tune”, their debut album (coming out on April 24) is on cool kids label Downtown Records and is produced by Danger Mouse. Also, Asa Taccone from the group is the…
Sublime with Rome at the Rialto
Sublime is coming to Tucson. Sort of. While Sublime is best known as the popular ska-punk band of the ‘late 90s, their name was changed to “Sublime with Rome” when Rome Ramirez took over as frontman after Bradley Nowell’s death. Though most die-hard fans (no pun intended) agree that Ramirez can’t take his place, many…
Nancy Young Wright Announces Campaign for Pima County Board of Supes
Democrat Nancy Young Wright has made it official: She’s running for the Pima County Board of Supervisors. Wright is seeking the seek of the retiring District 1 Supervisor Ann Day, who represents the Catalina Foothills and Oro Valley areas. The Republican-leaning district has drawn a crowd of potential GOP candidates, including former GOP national committeeman…
This Week in Tucson Bicycling
Check out Tucson’s sewing cyclist and help him fund a sewing bicycle tour. The victim of a bike jacking got his bike back when his friends spotted it at a grocery store. Read the story. Wonder what Arizona city has the most hipsters? Turns out we are tied with Phoenix in the ‘Fixie Index.’ Check…
Presidential Candidate Richard Grayson: Deport All Republicans—To the America They Really Love!
Presidential candidate Richard Grayson, who is running as a Green in Arizona’s Feb. 28 presidential primary, offers a new policy proposal: Deport all Republicans! Here’s Grayson’s statement: If by some fluke, I’m elected President, the first thing I will do is to take steps to make the United States great again by deporting all of…
Bohemia Closes
Jessica Canchola Unfortunate news today in the world of Tucson retail, as the owner of Bohemia, an “emporium” of largely local crafts and creations (and a Best of Tucson® winner for Best Art/Artisan Jewelry), announced the store closed permanently last night. From Facebook: I have been searching for the right words to say today, but…
Death of the Computer Help Desk: How to Screw up Your Computer System in Three Phone Calls or Less
Illustration Ryn Gargulinski Once upon time in a land as close as your nearest computer, you could call this thing called a help desk if you needed a fix with technical issues of one sort or another. Each manufacturer had its own help desk service, each stocked with people familiar with its products and issues…
I Can Fix the Arizona Economy With Porn
So, on Tuesday, by a 9-1 vote, the Los Angeles City Council voted to make condom use mandatory in the porn industry. The rule would require the porn studios, largely located in the San Fernando Valley portion of the city, to pay a fee when requesting a permit to shoot that would fund surprise inspections.…
Tucson Bands: Would You Like to Be on a CD?
Zia Records is gathering together music for their sixth annual “You Heard Us Back When” compilation, and frankly, most years there are far too many bands from Phoenix and Las Vegas. People in good bands here: please submit a track. The money goes to a great cause and who knows, maybe a song contributed to…
Humility Is Overrated
I don’t quite get it, but I think he wants to let us know that he’s the best. At Street Fighter, the SATs, target shooting, some other stuff…he’s the best. Hard to argue with a song of this quality, that’s for sure. [Daily What]
New: China Pasta House
Seriously? Just this morning I listed off the numerous Asian eateries blossoming across Tucson only to discover that yet another has opened: China Pasta House at 430 N. Park Ave. And while it is certainly of the Asian ilk – perhaps even more so than many Americanized Asian eateries in town – there is something…
The One Funny Thing You Missed on SNL Last Week
While most media types focused on how terrible Lana Del Rey was as the musical guest (and she was), the “You Can Do Anything” sketch was the actual highlight of the episode. I’d personally like to dedicate this post to the guy I know who has an extensive blog about the art of writing that…
A Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches Is Opening Where the Bagelry Used to Be
The building where the Bagelry once operated at 2575 N. Campbell Ave. will soon be a Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, or at least that’s what the construction workers doing the renovation told me this morning. I know, I know: It’s not exactly earth-shattering restaurant news, unless you’re a huge fan of the chain sandwich joint.…
Talking Comics: Scarlet Spider Edition
Clones have invaded the Spiderman universe, so Eric and Arnie discuss anti-hero Scarlet Spider, who fights human exploitation in Houston, Texas. Socio-political relevance!
Asian Restaurants Everywhere
We are in the midst of a particularly fertile period for local Asian eateries. Consider, if you will, how many have opened, or will open, in the very near future. Two U Like Buffet locations are opening this year, not to mention the Hibachi Super Buffet over on Speedway and Swan, which should be opening…
Presidential Candidate Al “Dick” Perry Outlasts Rick Perry!
Project White House contestant Al “Dick” Perry has outlasted Texas Gov. Rick Perry. Talking Points Memo reports: Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday morning announced he is suspending his campaign for president, saying at a press conference in North Charleston, South Carolina, “the mission is greater than the man.” Perry endorsed former House Speaker Newt…
Presidential Candidate Kip Dean: “The Least of All Evils”
Presidential candidate Kip Dean lays out his presidential platform: I. I will work to get the everyday citizen involved in the political process. I think that voting turn-out is at a critical low and the public is not involved in our political process. This has led to a stagnate government and an ownership of our…
Thirsty Tourists?
Tombstone’s history is the stuff of Wild West lore, with gunfights in the street and strong-arm robberies by masked men. But the “town too tough to die” has adapted to modern times—and, like the rest of us, now fights its battles in court. Last month, Tombstone officials filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service…
Charming Cottage
Polish food does not immediately come to mind when I’m trying to figure out where to go for dinner—but it must to plenty of other people, because on both of our visits to Polish Cottage, just about every table was filled with smiling, happy people—people who seemed like regulars at this midtown restaurant. The “cottage”…
Weekly Wide Web
There’s much about technology that’s truly amazing. This weekend, I was traveling back from California while playing videos on YouTube over a cell-phone connection in an attempt to entertain my kids for a few minutes—an idea that would have melted my 10-year-old brain, when the only option to see music videos on demand was to…
TQ&A
If you’re an attorney in town, chances are you’ve received an invitation from Chris Ward to show up at a local school to read to a child. Every August, Ward, a prosecutor in the Pima County Attorney’s Office, makes his pitch for attorneys and legal staff to get involved in Lawyers for Literacy, which is…
Noshing Around
Breakfast at Hacienda del Sol; More frozen custard comes to town; Citrus, citrus, citrus; Fat Tuesday for the Food Bank; and more!
Editor’s Note
Several weeks ago, I drove up Interstate 10 to meet with a bunch of college friends at the Fiesta Bowl. The day was a blast. It was fantastic to catch up with old friends (who now live in New York City, Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh and the San Francisco Bay Area) I hadn’t seen in years.…
Rare Finds
Tucson is one of those towns where things don’t necessarily announce themselves, and a little sleuthing can reveal interesting and surprising artistic, cultural and entrepreneurial ventures—like, say, an independent, locally owned record label run by a father-and-son team dedicated to reissuing obscure psychedelic records. Such is the case with Lysergic Sound Distributors. Run by the…
Danehy
With the election year already in full stride, here are several things I absolutely know to be true (and a couple of things about which I am quite certain): • If Barack Obama wants to get re-elected, he is going to have to drop his Cool Breeze persona and go on the attack. The soul…
Soundbites
Celebrating Rich Hopkins; Mean Beans say goodbye; Ska!; and more!
Serraglio
I used to love politics. I was fatally attracted by the intrigue and unpredictability of it, the written and oral combat, the clash of ideas and ideologies, and the noble notion that one person could move millions and change society for the better. Conversely, I also was fascinated by the propaganda, lies and subterfuge that…
Top Ten in Music
1. Boogie Nazis Boogie Nazis (self-released) 2. Skinnerbox The Playhouse (Bobok/Toxic Shock) 3. The Fall Ersatz G.B. (Cherry Red) 4. The Chosen Few The Joke’s On Us! (Going Underground) 5. Scream Complete Control Sessions 10″ (Side One Dummy) 6. The Resonars Bright and Dark (Burger) 7. Zounds The Redemption of Zounds (Overground) 8. Grannies For…
Mailbag
DEA is unlikely to do anything about a marijuana schedule change; Appreciation for our Jan. 8 anniversary coverage; A correction
Nine Questions
In addition to singing for rock-band American Android, native Tucsonan Carlos Arzate is recording a solo project with guitarist Ryan Alfred and drummer Josh Harrison. Arzate, 35, works by day creating solar electric plans and as a freelance graphic designer. He and his wife, Beth, are the parents of three, including an 8-month-old daughter. You…
Guest Commentary
Celebrated television personality and animal-welfare activist Bob Barker is going to “come on down” for Connie and Shaba so that Tucson’s beloved elephants can remain together—but will the City Council join him? On a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, both the Reid Park Zoo and San Diego Zoo have refused to find…
Live
Just after Jan. 8, 2011, Tucson guitarist Mitzi Cowell wrote a song, “Shine From the Valley,” that Ron Barber believes captures his vision for the Fund for Civility, Respect and Understanding. Cowell opened Sunday’s concert with that song, with Sabra Faulk leading vocals, and members of the Carnivaleros, Odaiko Sonora and the Tucson Girls Chorus…
Kathleen Edwards: Voyageur (Zoe)
Kathleen Edwards’ fourth album, Voyageur, is a reinvention that scrapes away the alt-country traditions to reveal an even deeper and richer talent. Since her first record in 2003, the Canadian has been lauded for her poetic and introspective songwriting. Asking for Flowers, in 2008, had Edwards positioned as an heir to Lucinda Williams. But four…
Congenial Chuckles
Humorist Jeanne Robertson has spent most of her hilarious career—which is nearing the half-century mark—as a professional speaker for conventions. “Sometimes, the number of people at my speeches has depended on the weather at the convention that day,” she says. “If it rains, you pack the room.” Wherever she goes, this 68-year-old Methodist grandmother and…
MarchFourth Marching Band: Magnificent Beast (Self-Released)
Is there not something sublime about the best marching bands? Without irony, they deliver joyful melodies, inventive charts and the natural power of amassed brass—and for the last decade or so, Portland, Ore.’s MarchFourth Marching Band has taken the marching-band format in exciting new directions. Guided by producer Steve Berlin (of Los Lobos), MarchFourth has…
African Adventures
The Malagarasi River, Tanzania’s second-longest, originates in the mist-clad mountains of Burundi and takes a serpentine path southward before meandering west and merging with Lake Tanganyika. A few years back, Tucson writer and compulsive explorer Richard Grant learned from a Zimbabwean safari guide that the Malagarasi had never been navigated from beginning to end. The…
City Week
Turn the tables on the media; The Father Brown mysteries; Remembering Public Enemy #1; A rising star of classical guitar
The Big Pink: Future This (4AD)
It’s the start of a new year—a time to give things second chances. I hated The Big Pink’s debut, A Brief History of Love, which was mushy cock-schlock in a rind of new-wave-flavored dance. But Future This, the band’s second record for 4AD (they still seem like a weird fit for the label), feels both…
Top Ten in Books
1. The Hunger Games Suzanne Collins, Scholastic ($8.99) 2. Cooking With All Things Trader Joe’s Deana Gunn and Wona Miniati, Brown Bag ($18.95) 3. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption Laura Hillenbrand, Random House ($21.60, sale) 4. 1984 George Orwell, Signet ($9.99) 5. Catching Fire Suzanne Collins, Scholastic ($17.99) 6.…
Justice Is Served
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. This might as well be the mantra of Tucson’s wildly successful Gaslight Theatre, a one-stop shop for over-the-top silliness masquerading as a play; the happy rhythms of a rambunctious band; bottomless baskets of free popcorn (subtly symbolic of the corn that is Gaslight’s onstage fare?); the nonstop energy…
Open for Business
A couple of months back, I decided Tucson was beginning to suck a little more than Phoenix, at least by one measure, because we didn’t have any fun and exciting medical-marijuana clubs or pot superstores or other places to celebrate our newfound MMJ-ness. (See “Phoenix Doesn’t Suck,” Nov. 3.) All we had were a few…
Media Watch
The American Advertising Federation of Tucson revealed its 2012 Golden Mic Award winner last week—and he’s a big talent, both literally and figuratively. Allen Kath, known to radio and television audiences as “Big Al,” said he has the market cornered for older, larger men on TV. Cornering the market—whether in a facetious or a practical…
Despite the Hardships
Seven years ago, when hundreds of thousands of Mexicans were pouring into Arizona, American photographer Paul Turounet walked the borderlands. Unlike the migrants, he stayed on the Sonoran side of the international line. His mission was to photograph the travelers on one of the most important days of their lives—the day they would leave their…
Ask a Mexican!
Dear readers: I usually save reruns of my columna for when I have to smuggle in the latest cousin from the rancho, but the ascendancy of Republic presidential candidate Mitt Romney must be addressed—namely, that he’s half-Mexican. The lamestream media is treating this as a revelation—never mind that I addressed this issue during the last…
In the Works
After Arizona’s Independent Redistricting Commission wrapped up the work of drawing new boundaries for the state’s 30 legislative districts, lawmakers started scrambling. Here’s a quick look at how the new map affects Southern Arizona—and how the plans of the Southern Arizona delegation are shaking out. Legislative District 2: This area includes parts of what’s now…
Disingenuous Journey
Like everything else, enough time passes, and we can look back at the events of Sept. 11 through film and literature without focusing squarely on that day. It becomes understood that planes were flown into the World Trade Center, into the Pentagon, and into the earth in western Pennsylvania—and to the degree that we can,…
Police Dispatch
Watch where you point that finger; The problem with “Migs”
The Skinny
Jan Brewer’s new budget sets lofty goals for education in Arizona; Republicans won’t have Jon Huntsman to kick around anymore; Your Project White House 2012 update!
Top Ten in Movies
1. Moneyball Sony 2. Contagion Warner Bros. 3. Killer Elite Universal 4. Midnight in Paris Sony 5. Margin Call Roadside 6. Colombiana Sony 7. Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark Sony 8. What’s Your Number? 20th Century Fox 9. Dolphin Tale Warner Bros. 10. Apollo 18 Weinstein
Pro or Con?
Chris Wilke stands in an upstairs apartment, amid a clay press, whimsical molds and rows of terra cotta tiles elegantly imprinted with leaves and flowers. Those tiles will eventually be fitted onto benches, to adorn a bucolic pocket park in the UA-area Rincon Heights Neighborhood. Life in the shadows of an ever-expanding educational behemoth offers…
Smuggle Bungle
Mark Wahlberg can be cool in a movie. In fact, he’s cool in most of his movies, and the right director can make the man look like a pro. But, oh boy, when Mark Wahlberg stinks, he stinks. (See The Happening.) Wahlberg looks clueless and tired in Contraband, and who can blame him? Director Baltasar…
What Now?
Several days after the Tucson Unified School District’s governing board voted on Jan. 10 to dismantle its Mexican-American studies classes, a confusing picture emerged from teachers and supporters. Chicano-literature teacher Curtis Acosta—a finalist for the UA Circle K Teacher of the Year award—talked about how the changes were affecting his classes, his students and how…
Now Showing at Home
Belle de Jour; Boardwalk Empire: The Complete First Season (Blu-ray); Moneyball (Blu-ray)
K. Rat
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