Bad design is all around us, but there’s no bad design like bad election year design. Let’s take a moment here to catalog some notable atrocities from recent election cycles, and then hang our heads in bipartisan shame. Offender number one is Bush/Cheney’s militantly mindless logo from 2004; you can almost hear the designer making … Read more
ART The Throw Up Vol. 4 Release Party Elusive Minneapolis art duo, Pop Vomit, celebrates a number of things tonight! Not only can you get a last glimpse of a very cool exhibit at the closing reception for the Altered Esthetics Resident Artists show, featuring Pop Vomit’s installation entitled "Operation: Vomit Boy," but they’ll also … Read more
The first time I visited Gandhi Mahal, the new Indian restaurant at 27th and E. Lake St., was before it was actually open for business. I introduced myself to the owner, which seemed like the right thing to do at the time, since I wasn’t reviewing the place, and I wanted to ask a lot … Read more
I absolutely loves me some Facebook. And I know what you’re thinking: What the hell is Todd Smith, the Spazz Dad, doing on Facebook? Isn’t he the guy with the Vagina Eye (Chop It Off) and the overactive colon? You are totally right. I have about as much right of being on the hip social … Read more
I’ve been taught to trust blurbs about as far as I can throw them, which is roughly about as far as I can throw a book, which is not very far, because I am quite weak, my muscles haveing been described as sauce-like. In fact, the word blurb seems related, if only alliteratively, to the … Read more
SPECIAL EVENT IFP 20th Anniversary Party I don’t know about you, but I can peg a film geek from a mile away. It’s kind of like gaydar, except for filmmakers. The look often entails square framed glasses, a ratty baseball cap, possibly a beard, and if you get close enough, an air of over-confidence along … Read more
Okay, so the above pic is not Bruno, but is the same (Morkie) breed. Could be a cousin. Or future ladyfriend? Yes it’s true: I am obsessed with Bruno the new family dog but not for the reasons you may think…At first the house seemed calm and picture-like. Well that was last week. Now….not so … Read more
Thirty seconds is my guess. The generation of 20-something over-stimulated technophiles has notoriously short attention spans, fitting snugly within the confines of rapidly flashing images in 30-second commercials, mind-numbing YouTube videos, maniacal iPod shuffling and ever shifting favoritism to "bands of the hour." But some musicians have managed to cash in on our generational ADD. … Read more
Prelude: A friend–and faithful supporter of this blog–recently told me to consider taking more risks online. So, following this piece of advice, I offer you an essay about cars, hoping not to step on fellow blogger and serious car enthusiast Chris Birt‘s toes. A disclaimer: apart from driving them, I am not "into" cars. I … Read more
FESTIVALSMidsummer FestivalCome party with The Center for Independent Artists at this creativity-fueled neighborhood festival tonight! Fun for kids and adults alike, the Midsummer Festival is not your average art fair; with Afro-Cuban art and drumming performances, welding demos, a creative invention exhibit, a make-your-own-t-shirt studio, fire dancing, live MC’s from Hope’s Art of the MC, … Read more