Lots of great (or intriguing) DVDs coming out this week: Pan’s Labyrinth, Army of Shadows, La Revue des Revues, something freaky called Woodenhead, and Darren Aronofsky’s baffling Fountain, which I walked out on because it was so incomprehensive. And stupid. But today marks the 102nd birthday of the great Joseph Cheshire Cotten (thanks to Steve … Read more
BOOKS & AUTHORS Nonfiction, Neoliberal Globalization, and Social Change David Bacon spent 20 years as a factory worker and union organizer before becoming a photo journalist in the mid-80s. Since then, he has published numerous essays and photo essays documenting farm labor, immigration, and the impact of the global economy on workers. Bacon represents American … Read more
Being a fellow of modest dreams some days all I want to be is the Readers’ Representative for a big city newspaper, like the Star Tribune. If my dream came true I’d write something like this: . . . Hi, everyone. By now you’ve probably heard of big changes at this paper you’re reading. It … Read more
FILM Get Ready to Make Your Own The secret is out. Anyone can make a “film” these days. Granted, many of them bore the pants right off me after only ten seconds; but then as long as the pants are off, who cares? Have you tried your hand at video yet? Be brave and see … Read more
First of all, let me say this: the new radio home of the Twins sucks. I spent much of the weekend driving. I left Friday night with the game underway, and before I was even properly out of the Twin Cities I had lost KSTP’s signal, and spent the next two hours –headed south along … Read more
28 Weeks Later, 2007. Directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, written by Fresnadillo, Rowan Joffe and Jesus Olmo. Starring Robert Carlyle, Mackintosh Muggleton (a J. K. Rowling creation?), Imogen Poots, Amanda Walker, Rose Byrne, Catherine McCormack, Jeremy Renner, Idris Elba, Emily Beecham, and Harold Perrineau. Now showing in theaters around town. Writing about the movies can … Read more
“Barkers.” This is an old-school term for the girls (and yes, they are girls of a kind) that pimp cars at the Auto Shows. Depending upon your neck of the woods in the automotive world these “car show girls” (I struggle with this lexicon) can be found in all stages of dress and undress. I … Read more
There’s nothing culinary about cold, smeared toast and rubbery scrambled eggs thrust towards my sleeping head. But that kind of meal isn’t for filling the stomach, it’s for filling the heart. On Mother’s Day, I think less about what I deserve to get and more about what I still hope to give. There’s so much … Read more
NATURE AND GARDENING Get Your Hands Dirty and Your Air Clean Quick, go plant a tree this morning! Celebrate Arbor Day and bring new life to Powderhorn Park. The Home Depot and the National Arbor Day Foundation are heading up a 1,000 trees in 10 cities campaign to increase awareness of the importance of trees … Read more
The most emailed story of yesterday’s New York Times was a story about how doctors, particularly psychiatrists, were receiving payment from manufacturers of various drugs used to treat various psychiatric conditions. It detailed, in particular, how children were being prescribed powerful drugs, for non-indicated uses, and how the receipt of honoraria by the doctors was … Read more