Cover Story
Ethnic Studies Myths
In Arizona, we have firsthand experience with the power of myth—for example, think of Gov. Jan Brewer’s claim of an endless stream of headless corpses in the desert. It’s that kind of storytelling that has helped our state become a top exporter of anti-Mexican sentiment, first with SB 1070, and then with HB 2281, Arizona’s…
‘Feeding Ground’ Hardback Out with Foreword from Luis Urrea
The last time we wrote about Swifty Lang, Chris Mangun and Michael Lapinsky’s graphic horror series, Feeding Ground — a project that delves into border politics with werewolves instead of Sheriff Joe and tea baggers — we mentioned a great interview with Lang in which he referenced novelist and scholar Luis Urrea as an influence…
Nickelback Try Humor to Help You Forget About Their Music
Nickelback responds to NFL Petition from Nickelback Ha, Chad Kroeger and the other three have a bit of a sense of humor, appearing in a Funny or Die video with Paul Scheer. However, they are still the band that made this song, so it’s going to take a slightly more aggressive charm offensive, I think:
Thanks, DPS, For Making My Pre-Thanksgiving Commute Longer
As if trying to drive on the freeways the day before Thanksgiving wasn’t frustrating enough, the Arizona Department of Public Safety has decided to slow things down a bit. To the speed limit, to be precise. Operation Safe Passage, as it’s been dubbed, will put a truckload of extra DPS officers on interstates 8, 10,…
Barbecue (and Turkey) for Thanksgiving
If you are looking for a place that’s open on Thanksgiving and serves something in addition to turkey, check out Mr. K’s Barbeque at 4911 N. Stone Ave. (It’s on the southwest corner of River and Stone.) They will be serving their regular menu and a holiday menu. Check out the regular menu here. But…
Other Things I’m Thankful For: Another Tucson Food-Truck Roundup
Organizers of the Tucson Food-Truck Roundup say they’ll hold the next event on Monday, Dec. 5. It will be at the same place, Dinnerware Artspace at 119 E. Toole Ave., from 5 to 9 p.m. MaFooCo will be back with kimchi quesadillas and Korean tacos, and Jamie’s Bitchin’ Kitchen will be on hand with Cuban…
Ideas for Your Thanksgiving Weekend
Dan Gibson and Fook talk Thanksgiving by TucsonWeekly As part of my weekly appearance on Fook’s KFMA morning show, we discuss some ways to get away from the family this weekend.
ABC Soaps Die a Second Death
I wasn’t entirely sure how the online saviors of All My Children and One Life to Live were going to manage to produce the shows profitable without the help of some sort of traditional television partner, but it turns out they weren’t sure either: “After five months of negotiations with various guilds, hundreds of presentations…
Required Viewing: ‘Just Put the F**king Turkey in the Oven’
Mary Risley is something of a culinary phenomenon in that she’s been teaching culinary-arts classes for 40 years while running a program that feeds the hungry in the San Francisco area. This has not gone unnoticed. She’s been awarded the James Beard Humanitarian Award and was named cooking teacher of the year by Bon Appetit.…
Let’s Watch Little Penguins Run and Swim
Related to absolutely nothing other than my general love for adorable things, here’s a video of blue penguins being released on a New Zealand beach. These penguins were lucky to survive the Rena oil spill last month, were cleaned and treated, and should be heading back to their home on Rabbit Island. Good luck, penguins.…
What I’m Thankful For: Alcohol-Infused Whipping Cream
I am thankful for many things, and alcohol-infused aerosol whipped cream is one of them. I’m sure it’s available at a number of locations around Tucson, but I discovered it at Westside Liquors at 1310 W. Speedway Blvd. It’s more of a novelty than anything—one would have to put away a lot of 30 proof…
Wash Post: Kyl, aka “Walking Napalm,” Killed Super Committee’s Ability To Make Deal
Dana Milbank of the Washington Post places the blame for the Super Committee’s failure squarely on Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl: So when the Arizonan was named as one of six Republicans on the debt supercommittee, Democrats feared the worst — and they got what they feared. It exaggerates little to say that Kyl thwarted agreement…
Enjoy the Larry David Thankgiving Special
Larry David’s Thanksgiving Special from Larry David Spoiler alert: Larry David finds some aspects of Thanksgiving irritating. Also, his mother was obsessed with dark meat.
Here’s Why I Love “Community”
Over three seasons, the people behind Community set up one joke in the background of an episode based on a reference from a movie that came out in 1988. In other news, I’m now going to be a little sadder when the show disappears from the Thursday night lineup. [Reddit]
Should We Laugh When Someone Calls Bachmann a Bitch?
My former boss (and generally super-smart person) Maura Johnston chimed in on The Roots’ choice of intro music for Michele Bachmann Monday night on Jimmy Fallon on the Village Voice’s music blog this morning. I have to say, while I have a number of issues with Bachmann [1, 2, 3], it does feel wrong to…
Poll: Giffords Popularity Up
Public Policy Polling released a second batch of data on Arizona voter attitudes yesterday. Among the key takeaways: Brewer’s popularity is dropping, McCain is very unpopular, Giffords is popular (but voters are unsure if she should seek reelection), voters didn’t like the way that Brewer removed Colleen Mathis from the chairmanship of the Independent Redistricting…
Look Like You’re About to Have Sex With a Vampire
I thought brides were supposed to want a dress that didn’t look like anyone else’s, but then again, who doesn’t dream of being just like Bella Swan? An official replica of the Carolina Herrera-designed wedding dress that Kristen Stewart wears in “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1” hit stores on Tuesday. It was…
Cover-Up Conjecture: Wings Edition
I’ve said this before, but The Great Cover Up is absolutely one of my favorite events on the Tucson calendar (and I’m not just saying that because [FULL DISCLOSURE] I know nearly everyone involved in organizing it). The money goes to a great cause (the Tucson Artists and Musicians Healthcare Alliance) and this year, the…
Tucsonan Occupies YouTube with Occupy God
Brian Taraz is a local actor, parent and musician with a penchant for what he calls scripture rock inspired by all faiths. He’s also a great storyteller you can catch once in a while as part of Odyssey Storytelling. Taraz, unemployed (if you need some tile laid give him a call) was inspired by the…
Newtmentum: Can Gingrich Maintain His Surge?
As long as we’re talking about Newt’s profound conquering of Arizona, Nate Silver looked at Gingrich’s odds of winning the GOP nomination earlier this month. The takeaway: Overall, I would read three of these factors, establishment support, personal liabilities, and (especially) fund-raising, as being clearly negative for Mr. Gingrich. This contrasts against one, ideological positioning,…
Mitt Romney’s Surprising Change of Heart
Related: “Obama’s ‘lazy’ comment taken out of context,” USA Today; “Romney takes Obama out of context again,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution. [Buzzfeed]
One Sign That the Economy Sucks
Metal thievery isn’t a new idea, and the number of city parks that have gone dark due to copper wire disappearing is evidence, but it seems like there must be some bad ju-ju that goes with stealing from cemeteries: “It’s definitely a new low,” says Lan Price, assistant manager of Ridge Crest Memorial Park in…
Our Comment Section: Now More Interactive and Stuff!
You might have noticed that there have been a few changes to the Weekly Wide Web recently, some design stuff to make the site a little cleaner, but also some actual changes to the comment section. You probably can figure this stuff out yourself, but here’s a summary of this round of changes: 1. Now…
Kohl’s Hates You
Clearly, the general strategy for any retailer is to give potential shoppers some sort of positive feeling about their establishment, whether that’s the feeling of getting a bargain, that making a purchases conveys some sort of cool factor, or general convenience. However, that-store-that-reminds-me-of-Mervyn’s Kohl’s seems to be going a different route: running an ad using…
AZ Poll: Newt Leads GOP Presidential Pack
The Gingrich surge is alive in Arizona: Newt now leads the GOP pack here, with the support of 28 percent of GOP voters, compared to 23 percent for Mitt Romney, 17 percent for Herman Cain, 8 percent for Ron Paul, 5 percent for Jon Huntsman, 3 percent for Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry and Rick Santorum…
The End of Grill and Red Room
It turns out Grill didn’t make it to their planned Tuesday night closing, running out of food last night and closing, seemingly permanently. Tucson Weekly contributor Mel Mason was there for the end of the Red Room, and allowed us to share her photos of the night. From their Facebook page: Yes, it’s true. Grill…
Rich Rodriguez as New Wildcat Head Coach?
Looks like Arizona football has a new head coach. If you stick to his record at West Virginia, that’s something to be excited about. His more recentl 15-22 stint at Michigan is somewhat less impressive, however. The Arizona Wildcats have found their next head coach. According to multiple reports, Rich Rodriguez will be announced as…
Shop Local This Season
I love the idea of shopping local but sometimes during the mad-rush of the Holidays getting sucked into buying corporate, lets be honest, is easier and less time consuming. But this holiday season Yelp.com is asking Tucsonans to take a pledge to shop locally and they’re making it easy. From Nov. 25 through Dec. 24,…
Montini: Giffords Can Still Serve Constituents in Congress
Arizona Republic columnist E.J. Montini weighs in Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ ability to represent Southern Arizona: The problems on Giffords’ right side mean only that she is a woman who now moves cautiously, aware of each step. What better practice for an elected official? And while the limitations of her eyesight mean that she cannot rely…
People Don’t Seem to Like the New 92.9
While I was no particular fan of the Mountain (as much as I did enjoy the music of Adele before hearing “Rolling in the Deep” every hour or so), the response to Clear Channel’s firing of the station’s morning show hosts recently and this weekend’s format change (which John Schuster referenced in this week’s Media…
Stay Classy, NASCAR Fans (and Jon Justice)
Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden were the grand marshalls of the last race of the NASCAR season yesterday at Homestead Speedway in Miami and in a super appropriate move, a significant amount of the audience booed. However, they were with a veteran and his family as part of an initiative called Joining Forces which…
Super Committee As Super Distraction for the Tea Party
Jonathan Chait explains why the Super Committee actually succeeded—as a way of distracting the Tea Party: The whole plan was to start talking about something other than the debt ceiling, in hopes that the tea party would find some different shiny object to pick up and try to smash with a rock. And it worked!…
Give a Gift and Help Save Asian Moon Bears
Nina It’s shopping —er holiday season again. With all the stuff you can buy, why not help animals at the same time? There are plenty of local rescues that need your support. But if you want your gift to have an international flair, check out www.animalsasia.org. Gift giving for a good cause. Animals Asia Foundation…
Is the Rio Nuevo Board Lying About Paperwork?
Our sister paper, Inside Tucson Business, has an interesting story this week about the Rio Nuevo Board and their seemingly neverending quest for financial paperwork to decipher exactly how much money they have. While Jodi Bain and the rest of the board seem to keep passing the blame to everyone else, Wells Fargo and the…
The Grill and Red Room Set to Close Tuesday Night
A down note tonight as the Grill, which was downtown next to Wig-o-rama before downtown became cool again, announced on their Facebook page that they plan to shut down on Tuesday at midnight. Rory O’Rear of the adjacent Red Room, which also looks to be closing in the process, posted a note regarding the closing…
Kyl: “Hope Springs Eternal” As Super Committee Lunges Toward Failure
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Sen. Jon Kyl says that “hope springs eternal,” but it appears the Super Committee is lunging toward failure this weekend. Republicans simply cannot get their heads around any kind of tax reform that raises taxes for anyone. So now: How do they go…
Idiot Boksen – “Community”‘s Potential Death Knell
First, some good news: 30 Rock is returning to NBC’s Thursday night comedy lineup for a sixth season! And it’ll feature a parade of guest stars this year, like Kelsey Grammar, Kristen Schaal and James Marsden, because, as everyone knows, the best part of 30 Rock isn’t whip-smart writing or the brilliance of Tina Fey…
Creativity on Display at the UA
In December of last year, I wrote about Victor Shamas, a UA prof in the psychology department. Read it here. He is the author of The Way of Play: Reclaiming Divine Fun and Celebration. This semester, he is co-teaching an honors seminar at the university entitled, “Innovation and the Creative Process.” Students in this seminar…
I Don’t Suspect Ayn Rand Was a Yoga Fan
Turns out when you buy expensive yoga clothing from Casas Adobes retailer Lululemon, you’re also making a statement about those who rely on their own self-interests: You might be wondering why a company that makes yoga clothing has chosen a legendary literary character’s name to adorn the side of our bags. lululemon’s founder, Chip Wilson,…
Political Roundtable: Gabby Giffords, Redistricting, Occupy Tucson & More
Another edition of the Political Roundtable: Democratic strategist Rodd McLeod and Republican strategist Jonathan Paton talk about Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ recovery, the Arizona Supreme Court’s smackdown of Gov. Jan Brewer’s removal of Colleen Mathis from the Independent Redistricting Commission, the future of Occupy Tucson and other news of the week with Arizona Public Media reporter…
TUSD Board: Select a Fifth Member or Pay for a Special Election
I sat down with Tucson Unified School District board member Mark Stegeman on Wednesday, Nov. 16, for a lengthy interview. Stegeman discussed the TUSD board meeting the night before. The board was tasked with approving five board members to serve on the community advisory board to select a possible replacement for the late Judy Burns’…
What to Listen To: Friday Edition
Yesterday, we presented three songs for your enjoyment. Today, we have three more, this time from Judy Dyble, Other Lives and Centro-Matic. Eric SwedlundCentro-Matic, “Only In My Double Mind” A songwriter who fronts two bands, and a painter as well, Will Johnson has to hold his creativity in two different spheres. It’s an idea he…
Warren Ellis Film at the Screening Room Tonight
“A man who sees the future”—Warren Ellis—is the subject of tonight’s film at the Screening Room. Ellis is a comic-book writer and proclaimed cyberpunk philosopher. The film, Warren Ellis: Captured Ghosts, screens at 8 p.m. at 127 E. Congress St. Admission is $5. Money will be raised for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Ticket…
Janne E. Irvine at Barnes and Noble tonight
Local author Janne E. Irvine wears many hats. She is a pianist, piano teacher, composer/arranger, Austen scholar, singer and actress. Irvine also wears a scholar’s cap. She has a Bachelors from Sarah Lawrence College, a Masters from Yale University School of Music and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the UA. But what’s even more…
Hey, There’s an Opera This Weekend
I attended a few of the Arizona Opera’s performances last year—mostly to appease my wife, who has dubious taste in men, but high class in culture—but I think I’m actually a fan now. The performances are dramatic and interesting, the staging is cool, I actually enjoy the music, and I get to rise above my…
Not Just Any High School Musical
If you missed last night’s opening performance of Scarlet Pimpernel at Leo Rich Theatre (260 S. Church Ave.), you are in luck. The show, performed by Desert Christian High School students, continues tonight and tomorrow evening at 7:30 p.m. There are matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Deemed “Broadway’s Most Intriguing Musical,” the…
Occupy Wall Street Is Totally Screwed
It was fun while it lasted, people. Time to pack up the tents and go home. “You’re the one gettin’ played right now by the game they’re playin’/C’mon meet me down at Zuccotti Park”:
Music, Art and Words at Plush Saturday Night
Anything even adjacent to the Powhaus universe is a pretty good time, so the party at Plush tomorrow night launching The Destroyer, “an international online magazine of text, art, and public opinion”, should be something worth checking out. Where else can you get a tarot card reading and dance to music from Tucson Weekly-approved DJs…
Bacon Flavored Lube Probably Isn’t Kosher
Apparently, J&D’s, the company behind Bacon Salt, Baconnaise and a number of other bacon flavored products, initially floated the idea of bacon flavored/scented “massage oil” as an April Fool’s Joke, but apparently, they underestimated the unmet demand for water-based lubricants that remind people of pork, so they have a limited edition run of the product…
Tobin: Redistricting Commission Has Been “Hijacked by a Partisan Ploy To Demolish the Democratic Process”
Rep. Andy Tobin, speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives, responds to the Arizona Supreme Court’s decision to reinstate Colleen Mathis as head of the Independent Redistricting Commission: I am extremely disappointed that the Court has chosen to reinstate a biased czar to the Independent Redistricting Commission. By placing Ms. Mathis back at the helm…
Don’t Buy Your Kids Baby Swear-A-Lot
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Apparently, the doll on the right of this set of talking triplet toys says “crazy bitch”, sparking outrage among parents who just thought they were just teaching their daughters to be mini-Duggars. I don’t hear it, but I also generally suspect that these…
This Week in Tucson Bicycling
Michael McKisson/TucsonVelo.com Thousands turned out for what appears to be the final GABA Bike Swap on Fourth Avenue. Check out the the photos from the event and find out why they have to move it and where it is going. Friends and family of a local bike shop owner have launched a website devoted to…
V Protein Smoothies and Juice Bar Opens Today
A new juice bar called V Protein Smoothies and Juice Bar opens today at the L.A. Fitness at 240 S. Wilmot Road. The juice bar is a project by Vila Jarrell, who also owns V Fine Thai Dining on the corner of Congress and Stone and Aspire Juice Bar inside the L.A. Fitness at 4240…
How Not to Get Arizona Home Insurance
Illustration Ryn Gargulinski If you ever want to feel like a mutilated corpse, simply put out word that you are searching for insurance. Then guard your intestines as agents, carriers and brokers rapidly descend like starving vultures. Although I’ve actually worked in the insurance industry, I don’t recall agents flocking so madly on prospects. I…
Brewer Responds to Supreme Court’s Smackdown: “In the Coming Days, I’ll Be Considering My Options As To How Best Proceed”
Gov. Jan Brewer responds to the Arizona Supreme Court’s decision to reverse her removal of Independent Redistricting Chairwoman Colleen Mathis: Today’s decision by the Arizona Supreme Court is deeply regrettable. I am disappointed, certainly. More important, this misguided ruling bodes ill for the integrity of redistricting in this state. Only after much deliberation did I…
Mathis Reinstated to Redistricting Commission by AZ Supreme Court
In a stunning rebuke to Gov. Jan Brewer and the GOP caucus in the Arizona Senate, the Arizona Supreme Court has ordered Colleen Mathis to be reinstated as chair of the Independent Redistricting Commission just hours after oral arguments this afternoon. The court order: Having considered the filings in this matter by the petitioner, the…
Divorce in the Facebook Age
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy I’m not sure the judge really thought out the idea of giving each spouse the other’s Facebook password as part of their divorce proceedings. I’ve seen what happens when someone leaves their account open on a screen somewhere, this could only be a…
Canada’s New $100 Bill Makes Our Money Seem Dumb
Harder to counterfeit, longer lasting, and recyclable, Canada’s new $100 bill totally punks our stupid looking green paper/cotton blend bills. I think Benjamin Franklin beats the seventh best Prime Minister in Canadian history in coolness points, but otherwise, our cousin to the north is embarrassing us, eh? [LAT]
What to Listen To: Thursday Edition
In part one of our twice-weekly collection of song recommendations from our music writers, tracks by 9th Wonder, Ace Frehley, and a mini-essay about filters by Linda Ray. Curtis McCrary9th Wonder, “Now I’m Being Cool” Feat. Mela Machinko & Mez Fucking killer sample of The Sylvers’ “Now I Want You.” I defy the anti-sampling dipshit…
Lee Lee International Supermarket’s Holiday Food Drive Starts Today (With Bonus Sake Photo!)
Lee Lee International Supermarket at 1990 W. Orange Grove Road is collecting donations for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona through Tuesday, Nov. 22. It occurs to me you might have more on your mind than donating food, so I am pasting in a picture of the sake selection at Lee Lee International Supermarket…
Who Wants To Take Over Chairmanship of the Redistricting Commission
Steve Muratore, the blogger has kept a close eye on redistricting for months, is now picking through the applicants for the new applicants for the chairmanship of the Independent Redistricting Commission, should the Arizona Supreme Court decide against taking action to reinstate Colleen Mathis. He’s found a number of Tea Party plants, including a registered…
Colors Food and Spirits Reopens Today
Colors Food and Spirits, the LGBT bar and restaurant at 5305 E. Speedway Blvd. reopens at 4 p.m. today, Thursday, Nov. 17. We’re not sure what caused the week-long closure it is emerging from – we sent an e-mail to management and haven’t heard back yet – but the establishment’s Facebook page says the lights…
14,852 MMJ Patients, Zero Wild-Eyed Fiends
Arizona edged closer to 15,000 medical marijuana patients in October, when the state Department of Health Services reported that 14,852 patients have been approved for MMJ cards and just seven denied. Thirty-five souls were in limbo while their applications were “in-review,” according to the state report released Oct. 27. The eastward trend among patients continues…
A Film About What Happens When Crossing the Border Goes Wrong
Former Tucson Weekly intern Austin Counts has directed a film about immigration and the repatriation of deceased migrants to Mexico filming at the Pima County Medical Examiner’s Office and Sonora, Mexico. The film is scheduled to be released in 2012, but the trailer is available now. A description of the film from Counts: Each year,…
Coming Soon: Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers
There’s a new burger and custard place going in on the corner of Thornydale and Orange Grove roads, in Marana. The sign outside says it’s called Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers and it looks like a fast-food gig akin to Culver’s or similar burger joints. There’s more information on the restaurant over here.
ASU Law Prof: Redistricting Commission Cannot Freely Operate “If the Governor and the Senate Can Remove Commissioners Simply Because They Have Enough Votes To Do So”
ASU law professor Paul Bender, who applied for the independent chair position on the Independent Redistricting Commission but didn’t win the spot, turns to the Arizona Republic to lay down the fundamental issue at stake in today’s Arizona Supreme Court hearing on the removal of chair Colleen Mathis: The primary purpose of the 2000 amendment…
Trade Group Criticizes KMSB/KOLD Deal as Showing ‘Disdain for the Public Interest’
The head of the American Cable Association is saying that the deal for Raycom and KOLD Channel 13 to take over production of Belo-owned KMSB Channel 11’s newscasts is a violation of at least the spirit of Federal Communications Commission rules designed to protect the public interest. “With breathtaking disdain for the public interest, Raycom…
Feds Pick on Washington State Pot Purveyors
The DEA boot heel came down again on medical marijuana this week, when federal agents and local police collaborated to raid several MMJ establishments across western Washington state, which has had MMJ on the books since 1998. One man was arrested for a parole violation in the raids, which were aimed at shutting down shady…
‘Peeling an Onion’
It’s been more than a year since attorney Richard Martinez filed a federal lawsuit against the state on behalf of 11 Tucson Unified School District teachers in the Mexican-American Studies Department. Since then, Martinez has watched as some members of the community have rallied in support of the program, while others have fought it—despite an…
Top Ten in Music
1. Various Artists Luz de Vida: A Compilation to Benefit the Victims of the Tucson Tragedy (Fort Lowell) 2. Void Sessions 1981-83 (Dischord) 3. Bonnie Prince Billy Wolfroy Goes to Town (Drag City) 4. Faith Subject to Change Plus First Demo (Dischord) 5. Royal Trux Singles, Live, Unreleased (Drag City) 6. Monster Pussy Tails of…
Music Empowerment
In 2009, numerous arts programs were eliminated from Arizona public schools due to budget cuts—and Corey Ferrugia lost his job as a music teacher. Inspired to fill the music vacancy, the UA graduate collaborated with Eric Castillo, a former student, to establish MyTown Music, an organization that helps kids create and compose their own music.…
Nine Questions
Musical patriarch, actor and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III began his recording career in 1970 and has released 21 studio albums. One of the country’s preeminent folk musicians, Wainwright is renowned for both humorous and touching songs. His latest release, the career-spanning retrospective 40 Odd Years (Shout! Factory), has 91 songs on four CDs, plus…
City Week
A film about food; Audience participation theater; Dancing after abuse; Robot fight!
Live
JC Brooks’ trim, black suit bespoke his stylin’ moves and the influence of his sartorial soul forebears who populated Stax and Motown back in the day. But his is not your father’s soul music. His songs may revere the midcentury masters, but Brooks’ sensibility has also wrestled with punk and rap, and has been nuanced…
Editor’s Note
Another day, another round of media cutbacks. That’s the way it goes in Tucson (and most other U.S. communities) these days. The latest news: Belo announced on Tuesday, Nov. 15, that it was eliminating its in-house 9 p.m. newscast on KMSB Channel 11 as of Feb. 1, and would instead contract with KOLD Channel 13…
TQ&A
When couples go through a divorce, someone takes the china, and someone takes the dog. Well, Tucsonan Kevin Cotter got the wedding dress. Cotter started using the dress as everything from a jump rope to a coffee filter—and even a yoga mat. He started cataloging those uses on a website he launched in May 2010.…
Tom Russell: Mesabi (Shout! Factory)
The storytelling gifts that Tom Russell has brought to songs for 35 years have reached new peaks on Mesabi, another stunning album of Southwest-borderlands rock. Russell begins this wide-ranging collection with “Mesabi,” a song named for the Minnesota iron range of Bob Dylan’s childhood, imagining how strongly those early influences struck young ears. Singing of…
Danehy
In March, I wrote a cover story about how basketball has achieved near-religious status on Indian reservations around the United States. A couple of weeks later, I wrote a column about Sohaib Fellah, a young man who was on the coaching staff when Amphi High School won the state basketball championship on one day, and…
A Musical Mess
Something may look dead, but it might just be biding its time. That philosophical musing is stated at least twice in The Secret Garden, the award-winning musical now onstage at Arizona Repertory Theatre, so it’s bound to be important. But considering the story, it’s stating the obvious. I guess it doesn’t hurt to be reminded.…
Dub Trio: IV (ROIR)
Progressive hard rock/heavy metal has come a long way from its mind-expanding origins. When classic ’70s bands like Rainbow, Rush and King Crimson broke boundaries with serious sci-fi/fantasy lyrics and atom-splitting guitar techniques, they made (eternally awesome, sure) ’60s psych-rock masters Cream and Hendrix sound comparatively tame. Today, on the cusp of 2012, innovations don’t…
Messina
At CrossFit Works gym at 204 S. Tucson Blvd., I’m struck by the absence of a typical gym atmosphere. There are no mirrors and no blaring televisions. Even the people are unpredictable—there are no made-up and coiffed women, and no pushy plastic sales … er, training staffers. Instead, I find a gym where people get…
Weighty Comedy
The opening scene of Neil LaBute’s Fat Pig is straight out of a romantic comedy: A man and a woman meet, and a tentative connection is formed. But anyone who’s seen previous LaBute plays and movies—In the Company of Men, The Shape of Things—knows that he writes about the dark potential of emotional connections, and…
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: Hysterical (Self-Released)
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah was once able to inspire both praise and derision in ample quantities, but it’s telling that most listeners will find themselves unable to feel strongly about the band’s middling third album, Hysterical. Those swept away by the quirky charms of the group’s debut, or the sinewy pleasure of its overlooked…
Mailbag
Vote-by-mail sucks!; Hemingway, explained; A correction
Wartime Terror
A rare print by artist Marc Chagall has found its way to Tucson. On the surface, the lithograph has all of the artist’s usual cheeriness and folk charm. Blue, red and green passages brighten up a drawing of a young female nude. Beside her, charming village houses and a farm animal stand under a crescent…
Clinical Carelessness
When I left you last week, I was driving home from the pot clinic, thinking that in a week or so, I would be shopping for 5-gallon buckets, grow lights and clones. My bad. It took longer than that. A lot longer, in fact. Because doctors are busy, and I didn’t see the need for…
Guest Commentary
I think it’s fair to say that most of the Washington, D.C., politicians attacking clean-air safeguards don’t have the same view out their front windows as the families in my small community of 300 people. We look out on four polluting smokestacks, a small mountain of coal ash and seeping wastewater ponds. All are part…
On Buffalo Wings
Every city has parts of its heritage that earn it recognition throughout the country. They can include historical attractions, natural landmarks, political figures, educational institutions … and retail establishments. Buffalo Exchange, now sparking trends at 42 outlets in hip neighborhoods across the country, is proof of that. Think about it: The last time you walked…
Ask a Mexican!
Dear Mexican: Why is Mexico such a dump? Just to name a few of the problems: stray dogs running all over the place, piles of trash burning in the street, blown-out tires hanging from cactus by the side of the road, shredded plastic shopping bags plastering every fence in sight, rampant corruption in government, and…
Supreme Showdown
Attorney Thomas Zlaket did not mince words when he filed a legal brief in support of Colleen Mathis, the chairwoman of the Independent Redistricting Commission who was removed from her job by Gov. Jan Brewer and the state Senate on Nov. 1. “For what it may be worth, in more than 46 years at the…
Top Ten in Books
1. Inheritance Christopher Paolini, Knopf ($22.39, sale) 2. The Hunger Games Suzanne Collins, Scholastic ($8.99) 3. Steve Jobs Walter Isaacson, Simon and Schuster ($35) 4. Damned Chuck Palahniuk, Doubleday ($24.95) 5. Meow: I Love Cats Rachael Hale McKenna, Catherine Ledner and Gandee Vasan, Chronicle ($14.95) 6. Wonderstruck Brian Selznick, Scholastic ($29.99) 7. A Game of…
The Skinny
Richard Carmona’s entry into the U.S. Senate race puts Arizona on the 2012 map … Crunching numbers in the wake of the Democratic sweep of city elections … The fall of Senate President Russell Pearce … and more!
A Real Drag
J Edgar, the first—and probably last—pairing of director Clint Eastwood and Leonardo DiCaprio, is a sloppy, drawn-out, lumbering failure. It’s one of the movie year’s hugest disappointments. Most of the blame goes to Eastwood, who utilizes droning voiceovers and a washed-out visual approach that bores. The subject matter calls for something epic, but Eastwood’s dreary…
Police Dispatch
Chewing gum, not shooting guns; School is hard, drinking is easier
Top Ten in Movies
1. Crazy, Stupid, Love. Warner Bros. 2. The Change-Up Universal 3. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Disney 4. Water for Elephants 20th Century Fox 5. Captain America: The First Avenger Paramount 6. Cars 2 Disney/Pixar 7. Bad Teacher Sony 8. Trespass Millennium 9. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 Warner Bros.…
Weekly Wide Web
I spend far too much time thinking about TV. There was a time when obsessing over the low-culture medium of television wasn’t terribly cool, but at some point, it became acceptable to create animated GIFs from the latest episode of Community. (OK, maybe not, but that’s what I tell myself.) As part of that minor…
For the Sake of Love
Like Crazy is a terrible title for a romantic film you’re supposed to take seriously, yet the film is so good where it really matters that the sin is ultimately forgivable. The movie doesn’t have a bouncy soundtrack, a quirky best friend for the female lead, or that stupid scene at the end where the…
Made Here
In our gift guide each year, the Tucson Weekly profiles awesome, independently owned Tucson businesses where we encourage you to buy some great holiday presents for your loved ones—while also supporting the local culture and economy. But even the most community-centered businesses usually carry some things that aren’t manufactured locally. And let’s face it: If…
Protecting Pets
With a plea deal on Monday, Nov. 7, in the courtroom of City Magistrate T. Jay Cranshaw, Teresa Wuterich ended a cat-hoarding case that county investigators have ranked among the worst ever recorded. A stack of criminal misdemeanors—for such things as unsanitary conditions, animal cruelty and a lack of ventilation—were abruptly winnowed down to eight…
Now Showing at Home
Beginners (Blu-ray); Little Big Man (Blu-ray); The Change-Up: Unrated (Blu-ray); Larry Crowne (Blu-ray)
Collect These!
The perennial enthusiasm for musical box sets—whether as gifts for loved ones or for ourselves—seems to continue unabated this year, partly because the format allows record companies to repackage and market material that already has been recorded; partly because these totemic items remain coveted by collectors and fans; and partly because milestones requiring retail recognition…
Media Watch
KMSB hands news over to KOLD; Dave Sitton on TV and the ballot?; KNST moves to FM
Noshing Around
Introducing The Parish; A film about food; Bacon & Craeggs throws down a gauntlet; and more!
Beautiful Books
I finally broke down and started buying eBooks this year for the Kindle my mom gifted me two Christmases ago. As a result, I’ve enjoyed great reads I would never have discovered in indie bookshops, much less in the last corporate chain standing (Barnes and Noble). Still, I catch myself perusing the unvirtual shelves of…
Expect Delays
To all those commuters and Interstate 10 regulars cursing the onset of the latest round of construction headaches, take solace: Your vehicular brethren who frequent Interstate 19 will soon be in the same boat. The Arizona Department of Transportation is moving forward with a wide-reaching, time-consuming overhaul of about seven miles of I-19, from where…
Dual Identities
Will Johnson is a songwriter who works in bursts. He’s also a songwriter who keeps multiple bands and projects alive at the same time. So what makes a song a Centro-Matic song? “I will get into certain sounds or certain type of songs for a stretch,” he says. “These days, I’m writing more hard-driving music.”…
Soundbites
Thanksgiving means benefit shows; A home for the Musicians Museum; and more!
Chimichanga for Arizona State Food: New York Times Edition
I’ve been beating this drum for months now and finally we’re getting somewhere. The push to get an official state food for Arizona has hit the front page of the New York Times: PHOENIX — Florida has its key lime pie, Idaho its potatoes and Georgia favors grits as its official state food. Arizona, hungry…
