December 5, 2005 Archive

Tastes

• Does Price Determine Quality for Cigars?

  Opinion in Tastes — by Matthew Rosen — on Dec 05, 2005

Music

• Single Review: Spandau Ballet "Gold"

  Tony Hadley revels in his ex-girlfriend's regrets in the sarcastic ballad "Gold."

  Review in Music — by Pam Avoledo — on Dec 05, 2005

• CD Review: Gilles Peterson Digs America: Brownswood USA

  Do you have an unquenchable thirst for (very) obscure vintage jazz/soul/funk/etc. tracks? Look no further...

  Review in Music — by SVF — on Dec 05, 2005

• CD Review: Merry Mixmas & Christmas Remixed 2

  Battle of the Christmas remixers... will either of these collections have you hip-hopping around the tree?

  Review in Music — by SVF — on Dec 05, 2005

• CD Review: Cast King - Saw Mill Man

  Yes, it sounds "old." But in subject matter, Saw Mill Man is startlingly modern.

  Review in Music — by Modern Pea Pod — on Dec 05, 2005

• ASCAP's 25 Most-Performed Holiday Songs for 2000-05

  News in Music — by Eric Olsen — on Dec 05, 2005

• New Minus 5 and The Daily Music and Tech News

  News in Music — by Katharine Donelson — on Dec 05, 2005

• CD Review: Triptych Myth - The Beautiful

  Review in Music — by Todd A. Price — on Dec 05, 2005

• CD Review: Deerhoof - The Runners Four

  Quite simply, this is a brilliant, dynamic, and insane listen. Now, one could argue about what band came first and who influenced who 'til the cows come home, but it would be far more satisfying to try and determine just what the hell this is.

  Review in Music — by Cian Traynor — on Dec 05, 2005

• CD Reviews: Diana Krall, Jane Monheit - Battle of the Christmas Jazz Divas

  Who emerges victorious in this holiday battle of the "it girls" of vocal jazz... Diana Krall or Jane Monheit?

  Review in Music — by SVF — on Dec 05, 2005

• Sitting In With Trey Anastasio

  Former Phish front man plays with Grateful Dead friends

  Review in Music — by Justin Kreutzmann — on Dec 05, 2005

• CD Review: In Flames - The Jester Race

  This album represents the divine peak of a band whose career has since gone askew into the realms of banality.

  Review in Music — by Aaron Fleming — on Dec 05, 2005

• CD Review: Béla Fleck - Crossing the Tracks

  Review in Music — by Mat Brewster — on Dec 05, 2005

• CD Review: Oxcart's Sasquatch

  This is a monumental musical misstep that has sat festering in some musicians' minds for far too long.

  Review in Music — by Jackson Smith — on Dec 05, 2005

Sports

• Wrestling Recap: WWE: Raw 12/5/05

  Review in Sports — by Chris Beaumont — on Dec 05, 2005

• Can a College Football Team Beat an NFL Team?

  Opinion in Sports — by Craig Lyndall — on Dec 05, 2005

• A Sports Fan's Regrets

  Nothing turns me off more than having to listen to somebody going on and on because they like the sound of their voice

  Opinion in Sports — by Richard Marcus — on Dec 05, 2005

Gaming

• Xbox Review: Serious Sam II

  Review in Gaming — by Aaman Lamba — on Dec 05, 2005

• GameCube Review: Timesplitters 2

  Under-appreciated classic.

  Review in Gaming — by Matt Paprocki — on Dec 05, 2005

• Real Money For Virtual Goods in Online Games?

  An examination of the phenomenon known as real-money trade.

  News in Gaming — by Alisha Karabinus — on Dec 05, 2005

• PSP Review: Infected

  Innovative online play doesn't stop cheaters from taking over.

  Review in Gaming — by Matt Paprocki — on Dec 05, 2005

• Nintendo DS Review: Mario Kart DS

  Disapointing and limited online play doesn't destroy the charm this series will always retain.

  Review in Gaming — by Matt Paprocki — on Dec 05, 2005

Video

• Region 1 DVD Releases For 6th December 2005

  This week, you have another chance to overlook Cinderella Man in favor of The Fantastic Four. Will you make Russell cry?

  News in Video — by David Dylan Thomas — on Dec 05, 2005

• DVD Review: Cinderella Man

  Ron Howard's latest film is a rousing, inspiring tale.

  Review in Video — by Bill Wallo — on Dec 05, 2005

• TV Review: Curb Your Enthusiasm - "The End"

  ‘The End’ is the final episode of the fifth season of Curb Your Enthusiasm, shown just last night (Sunday 4th Dec).

  Review in Video — by Aaron Fleming — on Dec 05, 2005

• A Television Viewer's Diary: 11/27-12/3: Bones

  The best and worst shows of the week

  Review in Video — by Chris Beaumont — on Dec 05, 2005

• Movie Review: Rent

  Some of it's good, some bad. Too bad the guy directing it had no idea what to do.

  Review in Video — by Don Baiocchi — on Dec 05, 2005

• DVD Review: Tripping the Rift - The Complete First Season

  Sci-Fi Channel's original TV series on DVD

  Review in Video — by Chris Beaumont — on Dec 05, 2005

• Movie Review: The Rapture

  The Rapture is a daring amalgamation of sexuality, faith, and a resilient fundamentalist viewpoint of the End of Days.

  Review in Video — by Brandon Valentine — on Dec 05, 2005

• Movie Review: Say Amen, Somebody

  Say Amen, Somebody is not only a production worth clapping for in rhythm, but also a picture worth applauding for in approval.

  Review in Video — by Brandon Valentine — on Dec 05, 2005

• Why Going to the Movies Sucks So Bad

  I’m just tired of dealing with all the other people who insist on going. Those who drive me bonkers. Totally ruining the movies for me.

  Opinion in Video — by Jenifer Gonzales — on Dec 05, 2005

• Movie Review: One Bright Shining Moment

  An insightful documentary that examines the candidacy of Senator George McGovern sans gonzo journalism.

  Review in Video — by Gordon S. Miller — on Dec 05, 2005

• Movie Review: Walk the Line

  Johnny Cash was a man of many sides, many lives and at least one death and one resurrection. The recently released movie of his life, "Walk the Line," somehow manages to capture all of this and more in a fast-paced movie that gets up close and personal without getting at all sentimental.

  Review in Video — by Bird of Paradise — on Dec 05, 2005

• Movie Review: Aeon Flux (2005)

  Review in Video — by 10Clubs — on Dec 05, 2005

Books

• Book Review: Which Is More Round, The World Or Your Tummy? by Leslie Miklosy

  Offbeat reflections on serious living.

  Review in Books — by Diana Hartman — on Dec 05, 2005

• Pre-Trib Porn And Left Behind

  Left Behind is "pre-trib porn" for the fundy masses.

  Opinion in Books — by Trish Wilson — on Dec 05, 2005

• Book Review: Bar Mitzvah Disco

  Review in Books — by Meryl — on Dec 05, 2005

• Mind Tricks - Astrology In Real Life: Dating Cancer

  Opinion in Books — by Elsa — on Dec 05, 2005

• Bestsellers: Patterson, Carter, Friedman, Grisham

  News in Books — by DrPat — on Dec 05, 2005

• Book Review: Bibliotopia

  Book nerds—make that bibliophiles—take note: Steven Gilbar is a man after your own hearts.

  Review in Books — by Pete Blackwell — on Dec 05, 2005

Politics

• 9/11 Commission Gives Bush Administration Dismal Grades On Homeland Security

  "We shouldn't need another wakeup call," says former commission chairman Thomas Kean.

  Opinion in Politics — by David R. Mark — on Dec 05, 2005

• Should the Government Subsidize Wal-Mart Employees?

  There is nothing wrong with the government subsidizing Wal-Mart's workers.

  Opinion in Politics — by Mike Valdman — on Dec 05, 2005

• In The Middle: John Murtha

  Is there blood in the water, with sharks circling? Or is this solely an honest difference of opinion?

  Opinion in Politics — by Phillip Winn — on Dec 05, 2005

• Notable/Quotables 12/5/05

  Bolton lays it on the line to the UN. Coulter zaps the Murtha lovefest. Governor Richardson's "conclusion".

  Opinion in Politics — by Patfish — on Dec 05, 2005

• Cooking Crank for Allah

  First Al Qaeda had suicide bombers stoned on opium. Now the Sadrists have terrorist martyrs amped up on Crank. Seems it's a lot easier to die for Allah if you're high.

  Opinion in Politics — by Dave Nalle — on Dec 05, 2005

• Black Candle, Meat Puppet, Insane Dancers

  .. as you are impaled by more sursurreal news of The Ventriloquist of Vice and his Meat Puppet, George Bush.

  Satire in Politics — by pogblog — on Dec 05, 2005

• Oh My God! Bush Appoints Religious Zealot To Key USAID Post

  Paul Bonicelli may not have the media cache of Harriet Miers or Michael Brown, but he's an unqualified crony nonetheless.

  Opinion in Politics — by David R. Mark — on Dec 05, 2005

• Can The U.S. Spin Insurgents? The Pentagon Is Trying, Paying For Happy News In Iraqi Press

  Stories are planted in the Iraqi press, which (oh by the way) "bleed" into Western media.

  Opinion in Politics — by David R. Mark — on Dec 05, 2005

Culture

• On the Advent of this Holiday Formerly Known as Christmas

  Opinion in Culture — by S L Cunningham — on Dec 05, 2005

• "Holiday Wars" Highlight Need for School Choice

  Opinion in Culture — by Thomas M. Sipos — on Dec 05, 2005

• "Elite Affluent" Doing Their Part to Keep Holiday Shopping Humming

  News in Culture — by Eric Olsen — on Dec 05, 2005

• The Not-Quite-Sunday Funnies: This week: Holiday Tips, and The Geek Popularity Test

  Satire in Culture — by Annie — on Dec 05, 2005

• The Five People You Meet in the Office

  What you should know about the usual office subjects.

  Opinion in Culture — by T Stoddart — on Dec 05, 2005

• Day By Day for December 05, 2005

  Chris Muir's excellent Day By Day cartoon, for December 05, 2005

  Satire in Culture — by Chris Muir — on Dec 05, 2005