December 29, 2005 Archive

Sports

• NFL Picks of a Thoughtful Fool, Week 17

  Wherein I clean out the junk drawer of my fevered mind.

  News in Sports — by David Mazzotta — on Dec 29, 2005

• RJ's NFL Picks - Week 17

  Who dares challenge me?

  News in Sports — by RJ Elliott — on Dec 29, 2005

Video

• DVD Review: Konga

  "King Kong? No, never heard of him, we swear. See, there's an "a" at the end of the title, which shows how original our idea is."

  Review in Video — by Matt Paprocki — on Dec 29, 2005

• Movie Review: King Kong

  207 million dollars of budget. Giant Monkey. Peter Jackson. What could possibly go wrong?

  Review in Video — by David Desjardins — on Dec 29, 2005

• DVD Review: America’s Funniest Home Videos - The Best of Kids & Animals

  To paraphrase W.C. Fields, "Anyone who hates children and animals should enjoy AFV's The Best of Kids and Animals.

  Review in Video — by El Bicho — on Dec 29, 2005

• Danny Provenzano: Life Imitates The Sopranos

  Opinion in Video — by Steven Hart — on Dec 29, 2005

• Movie Review: The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

  One gets the sense that The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the wrong movie at the wrong time.

  Review in Video — by Modern Pea Pod — on Dec 29, 2005

• Movie Review: The Ringer

  Review in Video — by Chris Beaumont — on Dec 29, 2005

• Movie Review: Brokeback Mountain and Breakfast On Pluto

  What the protagonists of these new movies say about each other.

  Review in Video — by Don Baiocchi — on Dec 29, 2005

• DVD Review: Night Creatures (1962)

  A rare film from the classic Hammer Horror studios finally gets released, hidden away in a DVD box set.

  Review in Video — by Maximillian — on Dec 29, 2005

• Movie Review: The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe

  That Darn Cat: A godless screenwriter on the problems with the new Chronicles of Narnia film.

  Review in Video — by Jody Wheeler — on Dec 29, 2005

• Icey Spoon's Canning

  Night of the Hunter was a possessed masterwork in a dozen different directions, including several freaky psychosexual themes.

  Opinion in Video — by Al Barger — on Dec 29, 2005

• Movie Awards Update 2005

  All those year-end accolades in one handy place.

  News in Video — by Randy Reichardt — on Dec 29, 2005

Culture

• Backstabber's Office Rules #9 & #10- Learn from the Best

  The Confucius of the Cubicle is back, only fatter from too much turkey.

  Opinion in Culture — by T Stoddart — on Dec 29, 2005

• Rabbis Spreading Herpes To Babies

  Besides being disgusting, this religious practice is dangerous...

  News in Culture — by RJ Elliott — on Dec 29, 2005

• Analysis of Futile-Making Features Of Human Actions

  The concept of futility might be that concept that holds the key to a wide range of philosophical puzzles.

  Satire in Culture — by Brian Sorrell — on Dec 29, 2005

• Lacking Experience in Relationship: Astrology-Based Advice

  Opinion in Culture — by Elsa — on Dec 29, 2005

• Day By Day for December 29, 2005

  Chris Muir's excellent Day By Day cartoon, for December 29, 2005

  Satire in Culture — by Chris Muir — on Dec 29, 2005

• Naming Conventions

  Opinion in Culture — by Murphy — on Dec 29, 2005

Books

• Next YEAR in the Bookstore: Numbers, Napa Valley and Not Being a Victim

  Make a New Year's Resolution to include some of these publications on your reading list!

  News in Books — by DrPat — on Dec 29, 2005

• Book Review: The Case for Democracy: The Power of Freedom to Overcome Tyranny and Terror by Natan Sharansky with Ron Dermer

  Review in Books — by Damian Penny — on Dec 29, 2005

• Book Review: The Myth of You & Me by Leah Stewart

  The Myth of You & Me is a well-told story that will likely resonate with every woman who has ever had, and lost, a friend.

  Review in Books — by Bonnie — on Dec 29, 2005

• Where Have All The Voices Gone?

  If he listens very carefully these days he's able to hear the sound of voices in his head that were silent for far too long.

  Opinion in Books — by Richard Marcus — on Dec 29, 2005

• Book Review: One Man's Wilderness

  Review in Books — by Richard J. Radcliffe — on Dec 29, 2005

• Book Review: That Old Ace In The Hole by Annie Proulx

  Texas Panhandle survival takes someone "half cow and half mesquite and all crazy." But maybe that's just what Bob Dollar wants you to think...

  Review in Books — by Gordon Hauptfleisch — on Dec 29, 2005

• Book Review: Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (33 1/3 Series) by Kim Cooper

  If you're a fan, this is essential reading ... if you're not convinced by Aeroplane, this might help you understand why it's so beloved.

  Review in Books — by Modern Pea Pod — on Dec 29, 2005

Music

• EP Review: Mike Holden - Level

  Level is a nice little collection of quality songs that I'm sure would be enjoyed by those who enjoy classic rock or the power country genre of music.

  Review in Music — by Connie Phillips — on Dec 29, 2005

• Indie Round-Up for Dec 29 2005: Brianna Lane, Mark Tolstrup, Best of 2005

  Another grown-up woman singing in a little-girl voice about her dreams and disappointments: sounds pretty bleak, I know.

  Review in Music — by Jon Sobel — on Dec 29, 2005

• Single Review: Ray J "One Wish"

  Ray J can't accept that he and his grade school sweetheart have drifted apart in the screechy "One Wish."

  Review in Music — by Pam Avoledo — on Dec 29, 2005

• Music with "Universal Appeal" Does Not Exist

  A response to a comment on Blogcritics.

  Opinion in Music — by Michael J. West — on Dec 29, 2005

• Top 10 Albums of 2005

  As 2005 draws to close, it's time for that insufferable ritual -- Top 10's. Why do we do it? To justify re-reviewing our insufferable reviews? Or to see whose list contains the most obscure albums?

  Review in Music — by Thrasher — on Dec 29, 2005

• CD Review: Waltham - S/T

  The newly self-titled release by Waltham is a re-recording and repackaging of 2003's Permission to Build.

  Review in Music — by George Dionne — on Dec 29, 2005

• CD Review: Fear Before the March of Flames - Art Damage

  Great for hardcore kids. For anyone else, though, this is truly exhausting.

  Review in Music — by Jackson Smith — on Dec 29, 2005

• CD Review: Scott Stapp – The Great Divide

  Stapp rams through the starting gate of his solo career with a hard pounding, aggressive, soulful and introspective album.

  Review in Music — by David Desjardins — on Dec 29, 2005

• Single Review: Ashlee Simpson "L.O.V.E."

  Ashlee Simpson is grateful for her girlfriends' support during her boy troubles in the frivolous "L.O.V.E."

  Review in Music — by Pam Avoledo — on Dec 29, 2005

Politics

• Large Numbers Of Americans Remain Ignorant On Iraq, Al Qaeda And 9/11

  A new poll finds a majority of Americans are wrong or confused about ties between Iraq, Al Qaeda and 9/11.

  News in Politics — by David R. Mark — on Dec 29, 2005

• A 'Credible' Election in Iraq

  Despite the complacency of the UN, Iraqis have enthusiastically taken on the responsibility of making sure that their election produces a representative and balanced government.

  News in Politics — by Dave Nalle — on Dec 29, 2005

• Circuit Court Upholds NY Times Right to Squelch News

  Satire in Politics — by Z.Z. Bachman — on Dec 29, 2005

• Blair's Police State Takes Aim at Street Walkers

  This is supposed to be linked to services to help the sex workers. In theory, fine and good. In practice?

  News in Politics — by Natalie Bennett — on Dec 29, 2005

• Barron's Shoots Down Snoopy

  The business community believes in the rule of law too.

  News in Politics — by Chancelucky — on Dec 29, 2005

• Questions about China

  China is both a developing nation groping with the ways of the modern world and an ancient civilization.

  Opinion in Politics — by Tom Donelson — on Dec 29, 2005

• McCain Belief In "Intelligent Design" Evolving ... Away From The Religious Right

  McCain's view on "intelligent design" may reflect his need for an "election-ready position."

  News in Politics — by David R. Mark — on Dec 29, 2005

Sci/Tech

• Technology Trends 2005 and 2006

  Opinion in Sci/Tech — by Aaman Lamba — on Dec 29, 2005

Tastes

• Being in the Moment

  Eat. I want to tell all girls to eat, although I must first confess that I do not abide by this rule myself, and I’m not even sure why.

  Opinion in Tastes — by Sadi Ranson-Polizzotti — on Dec 29, 2005