Blogcritics

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

BC Magazine Editors' Picks: February 12 through February 18

Lisa McKay — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 17:23:48 EST

You need it, we got it. Every week our editors comb the site for the best of the best and round it up for you. Read on.MUSICFrom Music Editor Connie Phillips:Mat Brewster's Bootleg Country: Nanci Griffith - 11/29/98 is a wonderful look at the artist and her music blended with a nice little story about how he came to discover her music.In When White Bands Covered Motown Hits, Holly Hughes reflects on the recent Grammy awards and the history of Motown, as well as those who covered some of their biggest hits. It's a really nice stroll down music's memory lane.DJRadiohead's Music Review: Norah Jones - Not Too Late digs deeper than the surface of this latest release and looks at pop trends and the industry as a whole. It's a personal perspective well worth the read.BOOKSFrom Books Editor Natalie Bennett:Not having a language in common with an author might, you might think, be an impossible barrier to conducting an interview. You'd be wrong, as Richard Marcus proves with this interview with the Algerian writer Yasmina Khadra. Richard gets prizes for tenacity, effort, but most of all for producing a fascinating interview that gives a personal but highly illuminating account of life in a turbulent and little-known country."Imagine you're on Barbara Walter's television show and you foolishly tell her that you can reproduce a drawing never seen by you that lies concealed in an envelope on her desk..." Want to know what to do? Then read Ed Rust's review of the Skeptical Inquirer, which not only explains the magazine, but also recent events in what used to be the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. From Asst. Books Editor Gordon Hauptfleisch:"I’m shamelessly fascinated with books on the life of Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes," Ms. Strega says, "for reasons I can't always pinpoint." For the purposes of her compellingly written review of Lover of Unreason, it doesn't matter -- Ms. Strega's enthusiasm and passion has her infusing her analysis with an extra degree of expressiveness and resonance. C. Michael Bailey says that the author of Beethoven: The Universal Composer captures the "bigness" of the larger-than-life composer "without hyperbole." In backing up and illuminating his points, C. Michael in turn provides an accessibly cohesive summation of Beethoven's life, art, and place in the history of music.TV/FILMFrom TV Editor TV and Film Guy:People just aren't watching as much anymore, but despite all that blowback it's still awfully popular and awfully wonderful. Need to catch up? Need a sneak peak into the future? Well, if Desmond's not around to give it to you, Chris McVetta can help you get up to date on Lost.From Film Editor Lisa McKay:It's that time of year. The upcoming Academy Awards are the subject of lots of speculation and conversation in the BC Film section. Kati Irons has a lot of opinions about who might win and why we should care. "[As] painful as the movie had become by the end, I could have happily sat through the first half a second time, though I was barely able to sit through the second half once," says Alan Dale of Dreamgirls. Read the review to find out why.CULTUREFrom Culture Editor Diana Hartman:History comes a-calling as well-written and interesting attempts are made to sort out the pasts of one person and one nation. Bob Felton historically, and a bit jovially, illustrates the rise and potential fall of America's technological supremacy in Sputnik Hysteria: We Could Use Some of That Today. Richard Marcus recalls his familial history with great interest, discovering it has more personal relevance than first thought in Family History: Facts And Hopes.POLITICSNo picks this week.SPORTSFrom Sports Editor Matt Sussman:You may have noticed (or not) that I haven't made my editor's picks in the last 56 years. I blame this phenomenon on one or more of the following:real lifewriter's blockwind resistanceRobert Gouletheart dropsylosing the will to live after Bowling Green's stupefying loss to Buffalounwanted pregnancyThe IrishBut here we are, ready to make picks again. It was a light week, but we had some gems.Jeff Kallman is new to the site -- has anyone shown him his cubicle yet? -- but provided us with a lesson on how not to use a bullpen after the sudden retirement of Keith Foulke. Although he coulda just said "Cleveland curse" and it would have been much shorter.I was confused for a second. Daytona 500 isn't the name of a movie, it's the name of a race. But ... Chris Beaumont wrote it. This made little sense. Fortunately his preview of the race made plenty.And then there was ... nope, that's it! Ha! Sorry to get your hopes up, everyone else.GAMINGFrom Gaming Editor Ken Edwards:Nintendo DS Review: Diddy Kong Racing DS by Kevin Cortez -- Leaves memories of the N64 original tarnished.SCI/TECHFrom Technology Editor Daniel Woolstencroft:This week's Sci/Tech editor's picks are all about the technology of the future, today!Kaonashi wonders if people still but CDs, or whether digital distribution is taking over, and asks CD? What's That?.Raoul Pop loves photography, and after looking at the SLRs of yesteryear in a past article, he now takes a look at a more modern piece of equipment as he reviews the the Olympus EVOLT E-500 DSLR.From Science Editor John Vaccaro:A early generation bionic eye has completed initial clinical trials. StalkingTiger fills us in on the details of this potentially revolutionary science.TASTESNo picks this week.

Lisa McKay is the Executive Editor at Blogcritics, where she can often be found hanging out in the Film section. In her spare time, she writes, makes art, watches movies, listens to music, and reads. She is now in the "experience is better than things" stage of her life and almost never passes up the opportunity to go to a good concert.

BC Magazine Editors' Picks: February 5 through February 11

Lisa McKay — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 16:02:46 EST

Once again, our editors are on hand to answer the question you're all asking: What was special about BC last week? Here it all is, from soup to nuts. Well, from music to gaming, anyway.Read on, and remember that there's plenty more where that came from. MUSICFrom Music Editor Connie Phillips:Tom Johnson has been looking at the best Overlooked Alternatives of 2006. In this column, Overlooked Alternatives: 2006 Spotlight, Part 4: The Best of the Rest, he wraps it all up with a look at those peculiar nuggets that don't really fit anywhere else.In Music Review: A Date With John Waters, Jon Sobel takes a very candid and entertaining look at the traditions of Valentine's Day and how it relates to this album.Benjamin Cossel asks the question What Do You Do When Nashville Isn't Making "Real" Country Music? and solves the problem with some solid new "Old Country" solutions.From Asst. Music Editor DJRadiohead:My suggestion to all of you is to subscribe to Mark Saleski's Friday Morning Listen. Not only will you be treated to a great read, you're likely to hear about some music and artists you never knew existed. Take this week's look at Sex Mob.There are seemingly century-long gaps in between them, but The Mondo Project's Hot Topic columns should never be missed. This installment tackles the age old debate about selling out.Check out this review of Bruce Hornsby's box set by one of our newer writers, Peter Chakarian.From Asst. Music Editor A.L. Harper:So elegantly stated it could have been Elton John's eulogy. Or maybe it is. Read Nick Deriso's beautifully sad One Track Mind: Elton John - "Come Down in Time".Ray Ellis announces "And the Best Rock Song Ever Written is... No! Not That One!".BOOKSFrom Books Editor Natalie Bennett:I'm not, it might be said, in the demographic for graphic novels - well perhaps I'm being stereotypical there, but I think of them as being mainly a young, male preoccupation. But some great reviews on BC Magazine lately have made me think I'm missing out on something. Among them was Blake Matthew's review of American Born Chinese, which makes the work sound both sophisticated and challenging, while also accessible, adjectives that might also be applied to the beautifully structured review. But importantly, while Blake tells us a twist that holds three individual tales together, he doesn't give it away - an all-too-frequent lapse of some reviewers.There's a temptation in picks such as this to always focus on the sexy stuff - the fiction and the fascinating non-fiction (and you can tell from my reviews I find history particularly fascinating). But lots of us read books sometimes, or even always, for practical information, and you'll also find a lot of excellent reviews of this type of bookon BC Magazine. This week I was taken by Adam Jusko's review of What Got You Here Won't Get You There. Adam explains "if you're like most people, you've got one, two, maybe three of Goldsmith's handy Twenty Habits That Hold You Back". This was a review that left me musing on some of my own bad habits, not that I necessarily intendto change them...From Asst. Book Editor Gordon Hauptfleisch:"Domestic bliss it is, without the domesticity," Claire Carroll amusingly writes of the cushy ways and means of the author of To Hell With All That - Loving and Loathing Our Inner Housewife: "While it is seductive to conjure visions of a Domestic Renaissance and a return to all things baked and beautiful, it is hollow advice from the mistress of the house when one is not doing those things oneself." Such blissful ignorance is wittily and effectively portrayed throughout Claire's review, and my maid, gardener, and personal organizer agree.As someone interested in the local history and lore of each place I live or visit, seeking out the regional books and periodicals, I have an appreciation for Ed Rust's evocative and colorful magazine overviews of three regional titles, Vermont Life, Georgia Backroads and Delaware Beach Life. It's also a good way to live vicariously and imagine -- as Rust illustrates a true tale from the life of George Tecumseh Sherman -- a Southern belle telling me, "Your eyes are so cold and cruel. I pity the man who would ever become your antagonist. Ah, how you would crush an enemy!"TV/FILMFrom TV Editor TV and Film Guy:Tell me, who are you? (who are you? who, who, who, who? )Tell me, who are you? (who are you? who, who, who, who? )'cause I really wanna know (who are you? who, who, who, who? )'cause I really wanna know (who are you? who, who, who, who? )Chris Beaumont on... yeah, you guessed it, Dr. Who.Diana Hartman takes a cold, hard look at Dateline's "To Catch a Predator" and how it differs from the average reality TV show. And, it does differ, in some dramatic and crucially important ways. From Film Editor Lisa McKay:Interweaving some background info on the life of director Michel Gondry, Patrick takes a journey through The Science of Sleep and discusses the autobiographical elements that make it a truly personal work of art. You don't have to be a baby boomer to appreciate George Dvorsky's insightful look at the '50s classic, The Day the Earth Stood Still. Discussing the political climate that fertilized films like this during the dawning of the cold war era, George makes a case for this film's continued relevance. CULTUREFrom Culture Editor Diana Hartman:The title says it all. In Alzheimer's: Tips on Understanding the Disease and its Limitations Joanne D. Kiggins compassionately reveals the often ignored side of Alzheimer's (the caretakers) to those who may have overlooked the intensity and demands of caring for others.Anil Menon listened in as Sam Harris (The End of Faith) and Reza Aslan (No God But God) debated religion. Part review and part opinion, Menon asserts his points with an almost delightful clarity in Reason and Religion: Odd Couple Redux.POLITICSFrom Asst. Politics Editor Mark Schannon:The Temperature Also Rises by Selwyn Duke is a very funny satire that, by the end, has you shaking your head wondering if this guy isn't on to something important.GAMINGFrom Gaming Editor Ken Edwards:Writing the Unwritten Rules of Online Gaming by Graeme Smith -- Rule #1: Read this article. SCI/TECHFrom Technology Editor Daniel Woolstencroft:We've all seen the ads: "Hi: I'm a PC! And I'm a Mac!" but what's the reality like? Boldly going where one or two PC users have gone before - but as yet no Blogcritic has written about it - Bruce Kratofil dips his toe in the pool of Mac and lets us know what the water's like, in the first installment of Can a PC Guy Become a Mac Guy?In other news: George Dvorsky is worrying about The Perils of a Digital Life - and anyone with a Second Life should probably take note: could this be the shape of things to come? Finally this week, Diane Kristine handily gives us some Cool Tools for Blogging Fuel.

BC Magazine Editors' Picks: January 29 through February 4

Lisa McKay — Fri, 9 Feb 2007 03:33:50 EST

We can never get that groundhog thing straight. Does the shadow mean an early spring or six more weeks of winter? In either case, you'll be wanting to stay in touch with what's going on in the world, and this is the right place to do that. No matter your taste, you'll find something here to pass the time while you're dreaming of spring. MUSICFrom Music Editor Connie Phillips:In Nik Dirga's review of of Montreal's Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?, he explains why the album is a grower and makes me want to give a new band a listen.El Bicho's review of Tony Trischka's Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular is a well written look at a very unique album and an enjoyable take on the banjo and its effect on a song.In Music Review: Nanci Griffith - Ruby's Torch, Mat Brewster entertains as he looks at this album and torch songs in general.BOOKSFrom Books Editor Natalie Bennett:You don't have to start a book review by stating the title and author, then starting into a description of the book - in fact it will almost certainly be a better review if you don't; if you come at the reader from a different angle.That's certainly what Brandon Daviet did with his review of Spider Kiss by Harlan Ellison. Brandon also adopted a delightful informal, conversational style in the review, yet that doesn't mean it was casually thrown together. The craft is evident in every sentence.Diane Kristine also takes the indirect approach in her review of Zoë Heller's Everything You Know. "Willy Muller is an ass," it begins. Who could resist reading on after that?From Asst. Books Editor Gordon Hauptfleisch:"A little philosophy can be a dangerous thing, especially when rattling around in a head like his with nothing to cushion its impact against the inside of his thick skull." I tried not to take too much offense, but Iloz Zoc's review of The Undead and Philosophy: Chicken Soup for the Soulless was so distinctively good, and I got such a taste of zombie lore in the process, that I don't really have any bones to pick with him."...the issues that John Cornwell raises in The Pontiff in Winter were not buried with John Paul in his tomb." James Carson, in his review, does more than just touch upon a few of these topics, he brings an incisive critical analysis to seamlessly yet succinctly spell out many of them in the realized effort to give a fuller portrait of the Pope, and a convincing appraisal of the biography.TV/FILMFrom TV Editor TV and Film Guy:What a great show! Just every episode, I love every episode. I think Mike Moody loves it too, otherwise how could he cover it all so well? And, who doesn't love Veronica? I think we all love Veronica. Veronica who? Veronica Mars!From Film Editor Lisa McKay:Not many reviewers would think to look at two such different works as Pan's Labyrinth and Idiocracy simultaneously, but Adam Blair manages to do so in this compelling look at what both of these films have to say about the human condition. Elvis Presley made a few appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show in the 1950s, and rock and roll was born. These shows have been immortalized on DVD, and Ray Ellis offers us a review wrapped in a fine history lesson.CULTUREFrom Culture Editor Diana Hartman:Michael Jones' product review of Dark Horse - Hellboy Animated, Statue #1: Hellboy is what happens when informative assessment meets wit and enthusiasm. You don't have to like the product to love the review.If you're tired of the same old celebrity news in the same old boring format, step right up. Dawn Olsen introduces us to the Olsen Law of Corollary Theorem ™ in Joe Francis Hates His Penis, Do The Math.Articles that complain of the disparity between regular women and models are a dime a dozen. BC writer nicolemarie takes it one step further by using real calculations to accurately define and illustrate the difference between perfect and normal in Weighing In On Weight. POLITICSNo picks this week.SPORTSNo picks this week.GAMINGFrom Gaming Editor Ken Edwards:Depreciation and Video Games: Why $5 is Too Much for a Classic by Matt Paprocki — Why is a DVD version of a classic movie worth $20, but gamers balk at paying $5 for a classic video game? SCI/TECHFrom Science Editor John Vaccaro:In Making DVDs with DeVeDe in Linux, Steve Wild gives a step-by-step tutorial on creating DVDs from your Linux machine.From Technology Editor Daniel Woolstencroft:In The Art of Blogging, The Great Ganesha gives praise to a technological trend that's responsible for bringing out his inner writer.TASTESNo picks this week.

BC Magazine Editors' Picks: January 22 through January 28

Lisa McKay — Thu, 1 Feb 2007 21:35:58 EST

With January nearly gone, we're still casting a few lingering backward glances at 2006. The culture section turns thoughtful and introspective, and February is just around the corner. While you hunker down to wait out the remainder of winter, we offer you some food for the mind, heart, and spirit. MUSICFrom Music Editor Connie Phillips:Carlo Wolff declared last year A Geezer Year for Pop in his look back at the top ten albums of '06 because many of them were from long-time favorite artists. Check out his picks and the reasons why they made his list.Why does Mat Brewster need so much Grateful Dead? He answers that question and takes a look at The Grateful Dead - Live At The Cow Palace in this exceptional music review.BOOKSFrom Books Editor Natalie Bennett:Two very different ventures into history caught my eye this week. Ed Rust regularly finds a fascinating range of magazines to explore for BC Magazine, and this week he was checking out Antiques And The Arts Weekly. Ed provides a vivid picture of the nature of the publication, almost made me want to read it, even though I was put off antiques for life by a childhood of being dragged around antique shops.Simon Barrett has meanwhile been looking at living history, interviewing the 89-year-old Dr George Baldwin, nuclear physicist, getting his thoughts on the (nearly) past century of research. Journalists are always told to go to the original source, and that's exactly what Simon did.From Asst. Books Editor Gordon Hauptfleisch:"Access doesn't equal insight," says Carlo Wolff in his incisive and expressive review of the wannabe insider's account, the "superficially irreverent, contrived revisiting of fact and rumor surrounding the making of Exile on Main Street." Refreshingly, Carlo has no sympathy for this kind of deviltry.In his cohesive review of Dark Bargain - Slavery, Profits, and the Struggle for the Constitution, Matt Mitchell notes how the delegates who crafted the United States Constitution "wrestled with the issue of moral restraint versus the economic necessity of slavery." In addition to explicating conflicting impulses, Matt also alludes to the author's theories being "bolstered by in-depth facts." The same kind of substantial reinforcement in Matt's review shores up his analysis. TV/FILMFrom TV Editor TV and Film Guy:Well, it's apparently not like 24, but apparently it's good anyway. Or, maybe it is like 24. No wait, it's not. Either way, Ray Ellis tells us all about Sleeper Cell: American Terror.From Film Editor Lisa McKay:As we continue to look back at the year in film, David Dylan Thomas offers up his own top ten and notes that most of them aren't going to have you leaving the theater whistling a happy tune. T. Rigney does love his B-movies, and this week's pick is called Soul Vengeance. Even if you have no intention of ever seeing this gem, any movie review that includes the phrases "sinister wang" and "unholy sausage" is worth a read. It's pretty easy to like a movie and write a glowing review, but a good bad review is a work of art. El Bicho didn't like Smokin' Aces one little bit and he turns a nifty phrase or two in the telling of it. From Asst. Music Editor A.L. Harper:Daniel J. Stasiewski sweeps you away with his charming review of The Last King Of Scotland.CULTUREFrom Culture Editor Diana Hartman:Life, living, death, and dying come together to define the finest writing in Culture's lineup this week. Certainly there are lessons to be learned, but what these writers offer more than anything else is observation, experience, and perspective. You'll find no soup for the soul here -- just soul. • Luca Patuelli: Dancing to His Own Beat by Alessandro Nicolo• Dealing With My Dad's Disease by Ginger Haycox• On Death by Baritone POLITICSNo picks this week. SPORTSNo picks this week. GAMINGFrom Gaming Editor Ken Edwards:Xbox Live Arcade Review: Heavy Weapon - Atomic Tank by Matt Paprocki — Heavy Weapon is one of the best games on Xbox Live Arcade, and Matt tells you why. PC Game Preview: Vanguard - Saga of Heroes by Kristen Schweitzer — Is Vanguard the next huge MMO? Kristen previews the game, and asks the developer some questions. PS2 Review: Rogue Galaxy by Aaron Auzins — Yet another epic RPG for the PS2? Didn't see that one coming. But this is another great title for Sony's aging system. SCI/TECHFrom Science Editor John Vaccaro:Ashleigh Charlesworth brings us word of Wordpress 2.1 (aka Ella) with a raft of new features.Eric Berlin talks about the best place to store/archive all those bits and bytes that make up your online life.From Technology Editor Daniel Woolstencroft:Steve Wild, who never seems to tire of sharing his expertise when it comes to everyone's favourite open source operating system, gave us a handy guide to Simple DVD Re-Authoring in Linux.There was a time when we didn't have digital cameras. Where every feature was manually controlled, and digital displays didn't exist. Raoul Pop takes us back to that time with this review of The Exakta EXA Ia Analogue Camera. He's also included some great pictures.TASTESNo picks this week.

BC Magazine Editors' Picks: January 15 through January 21

Lisa McKay — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 13:37:56 EST

As usual, we've got a mad assortment of goodies this week. In the midst of our usual grab bag of music, book, and film reviews, our books section continues to bring readers face to face with writers from all over the world. Our TV writers know what you want to read about, too, and our coverage of 24 and American Idol continues to rock. Kick back and let our editors guide you through the best of what BC Magazine had to offer this week. MUSICFrom Music Editor Connie Phillips:In his unique style, Mark Saleski entertains readers with the details of a pre-Christmas shopping trip and reviews his great find in Music Review: Boris - Akuma No Uta.In Music Review: Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Tom Johnson breaks it all down and gives the reader, and listener, everything they need to know about this artist and the album.DJRadiohead continues to look at the artists nominated for the 2007 Blues Music Awards and this look at Charlie Musselwhite's Delta Hardware does an excellent job of explaining why he was nominated. BOOKSFrom Books Editor Natalie Bennett:Interviews with authors is one of the fastest-growing type of posts on BC Magazine, I'd hazard a guess. These days authors are all too aware of the need for self-promotion, and are often out there for the asking, even the big names. But securing that name, and securing a good interview, are not the same things - you need someone who can talk, the ability to edit down what they say to the salient points, and most of all good questions that show the interviewer has really engaged with the writer and their work.This week we had two excellent examples of the genre: Simon Barrett interviewed Ian Coburn, stand-up comedian and now author of God is a Woman. You might expect a comedian to make good copy, but Simon did an excellent job of getting some real answers about this not-unusual career progression, as well, of course, as the odd one-liner.For something very different, but equally satisfying, Ambrose Musiyiwa spoke to Rory Kilalea: Film-maker, Playwright and Author of The Arabian Princess. This provided piercing insight into the life and works of a man doubly outside - a Zimbabwean in exile, who had been a white boy growing up in a predominately black land.From Asst. Books Editor Gordon Hauptfleisch:"Some assembly required" and "No batteries included," said the Genius Instruction Manual. Don't fret, though: Dawn Olsen's cohesive and energetically amusing review took care of those insufficiencies -- and without resorting to the baking soda and peroxide! I'll never, however, think of Mozart in quite the same way again...Reviews of story collections always pose a challenge, but Diane Kristine's expressively-written and unified evaluation of Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures is, like the book under review, "finely realized."Not only is Katie McNeill "kicking undead butt" -- and all varieties thereof -- with her enjoyable take on The Rest Falls Away, but she also gets a nice compliment from the book's author herself. That speaks volumes about this review of the vampiric volume.TV/FILMFrom TV Editor TV and Film Guy:It's another of those celeb trainwrecks that simply won't die because the people involved refuse to let it. As depressing and horrible and stupid as it is, it's still awfully fascinating, and Chris Evans lets us all know the current doings with Isaiah and his Grey's Anatomy co-stars.And then, I have to plug the fact that there is oh-so-much 24 and Idol in the TV/Film section. Highlights include an article by Tink and one by Mary K. Williams. From Film Editor Lisa McKay:Anti-Semite or auteur? Does an artist's personal behavior negate his artistic achievements? Whether you like Mel Gibson or not, Adam Ash's defense of Gibson's abilities and vision as a filmmaker will give you plenty to think about, as will Duke de Mondo's review of Apocalypto. From Executive Producer Eric Berlin:Steve Carlson's The Best Films of 2006 (Version One) is a delightful and glorious filmic romp through 2006.CULTUREFrom Culture Editor Diana Hartman:When the meanings of words blur, a child's misconception becomes that child's perception. When the clouds of confusion disperse, a much deeper understanding is made possible than anyone could have imagined. So it is in Richard Marcus' When Camp Became "The Camps".The otherwise inconsequential routine of regular grooming takes on a life of its own in Mat Brewster's The High Price Of Cheap Haircuts.POLITICSFrom Politics Editor Mark Schannon: 10 Top Global Security Concerns For The Private Sector by Howard Dratch. You don't have to agree with his entire assessment to realize that the world is growing more dangerous with few decent solutions on the horizon.Please Move On by Richard Rothstein. It's not a big deal in the grand scheme of things but if you're looking for evidence how our freedoms are slowly being eroded, this is a must-read article.Satire: What Hath Gore Wrought by Dave Nalle. Absolutely charming satire (if politically incorrect, which simply adds to its charm) that finally explains the cause of all the climate upheaval we've been hearing about.SPORTSFrom Sports Editor Matthew T. Sussman:Looking back through the week, there were many quality articles. But to this editor, none of them felt like they rose above and warranted a pick. So what we're saying is that they're all equally awesome. Yes, everyone who wrote this week gets an editor's pick and is one of life's winners. GAMINGFrom Gaming Editor Ken Edwards: The Burning Crusade Midnight Release Line by Casey Criswell. A non-gamer stands in line for The Burning Crusade, the World of Warcraft expansion. SCI/TECHFrom Science Editor John Vaccaro:How do you know your marketing efforts are working? Grant L. Aldrich opines on Metrics for Marketing.Need a great ten mega-pixel digital camera? Ashleigh Charlesworth reviews the Pentax Optio A20 Digital Compact Camera.Want to see the future of TV? Read Ian Woolstencroft's interview with Paul Pod of Tape It Off the Internet.

BC Magazine Editors' Picks: January 8 through January 14

Lisa McKay — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 13:13:12 EST

Welcome to 2007! We are halfway through the first month of the new year, and our writers are already rising to the challenge of making this year even better than last. Stick with us throughout as we continue to bring you the most interesting and varied collection of news, reviews, and opinions you're likely to read anywhere.MUSICFrom Music Editor Connie Phillips:DJRadiohead kicked off a new column honoring those who are nominated for 2007 Blues Music Awards. In this first installment he looks at Watermelon Slim & The Workers, giving readers an entertaining history lesson.Joan Hunt also launched a blues-related column. In Diggin' The Blues: Bo Carter she uncovers and shines a light on this little known artist.In Music Review: Chris Bell - I Am the Cosmos, Bryan Price takes an expansive look at both the artist and the album, sharing a wealth of knowledge in an engaging way.BOOKSFrom Books Editor Natalie Bennett:How to get boys to read? That's a puzzle exercising many parents and teachers, but Mel Odom has an answer: great books. He writes entertainingly, but with passion, about Wiley And Grampa #4 Super Soccer Freak Show, which obviously fits that description.By contrast, Richard Marcus's interview with Christopher Moore, author of You Suck, is definitely for adults, as are the books. Richard responds to his subject's light touch with some playful thoughts of his own, and the whole comes together beautifully.From Asst. Books Editor Gordon Hauptfleisch:Though not without its merits, C. Michael Bailey says, the bland Power Failure: The Inside Story of the Collapse of Enron falls short of conveying the Enron story as the "Everyman morality play" it essentially is, with "larger-than-life characters, lust, greed, gluttony, and all of the requisite waste and conspicuous consumption." C. Michael not only deftly articulates this deficiency , but he also puts the book in context with other books about Enron, providing a useful overview and more comprehensive picture.It’s an idjication, I tells ya! Bill Sherman’s entertaining review of Popeye Vol. 1 - "I Yam What I Yam" is not only an enjoyable slice of Popeyeiana (if you will), it also gives us an idea of the bit-player origins of our spinach-scarfing seafarer in his comic-strip incarnation, and describes a scene in which “the dainty Miz Oyl hauls off on some uppity skirt who also has her eye on Popeye.” How romantical!TV/FILMFrom TV Editor TV and Film Guy:From the truly ridiculous notion of TV in a taxicab (Eric Friesen), to super-awesome helicopters in the desert (Matt Paprocki), Blogcritics TV section has it all. We have an argument against Disney's uber-popular High School Musical (Dante A. Ciampaglia). Take that, you dancing prom queens.From Film Editor Lisa McKay:"Why is a film about the most horrendous, terrifying, tragic situation a man might imagine so exhilarating, so stirring, so life-affirming?" he asks. Why indeed? Part personal memoir, part critical analysis, Duke de Mondo's review of United 93 is not to be missed. CULTUREFrom Culture Editor Diana Hartman:From the perspective of the Australian educational system, Jonathan Scanlan writes poignantly and passionately about the importance of teaching history. His observations apply globally, and not just within the halls of academia, but throughout societies. ("First and foremost, history aids people with decision-making. Understanding the past provides us with context." - from History Only Appreciates In Value).From Asst. Culture Editor Melita Teale:The streets of Atlanta have been kept safe from Felipe Fernandez-Armesto. Howard Dratch tells us why in Oxford Historian Survives Attack by Atlanta Police.And I was feeling sorry for myself because the Toronto Transit Commission is craptacular. Mayank Austen Soofi's interview with Manika Dhama will put things in perspective the next time I'm stuck using it. POLITICSFrom Politics Editor Dave Nalle:Chávez to World: "I Am A Communist" by Clavos is an informative update in the latest follies of the man who would like to be a new Mussolini.Canadian Politics: Canada's Drug Policy A Bust by Richard Marcus is a quick rundown to remind us that the war on drugs is ridiculous no matter which country it afflicts.I Do Not Hate Iran, But I Fear Those Who Rule Iran by Bird of Paradise gives a nice, rational explanation of what is so fundamentally wrong with Iran and its relations with other nations.SPORTSFrom Sports Editor Matthew T. Sussman:Alessandro Nicolo began the week with a rousing criticism of soccer shootouts. He lays out the argument pretty well, but... what's soccer?If you have to ask someone else what Sal Marinello thinks of Barry Bonds reportedly testing positive for amphetamines, then welcome to Blogcritics!Zach Baker, that observant fella, found a great link between the 20th anniversary of "The Drive" and Marty Schottenheimer's chance at NFL playoff redemption. Key word: "chance." He blew it yet again as the Chargers fell to the Patriots.GAMINGFrom Gaming Editor Ken Edwards:Mac Game Review: SketchFighter 4000 Alpha by Cameron Graham. SketchFighter is a fun arcade game, and yet another solid release from Ambrosia Software.BC Magazine 2006 Game of the Year by Ken Edwards. Fifteen of BC Magazine's gaming writers bring you the best games of 2006.SCI/TECHFrom Technology Editor Daniel Woolstencroft:It's been a great few weeks in the SciTech section; we've enjoyed quite a bit of Digg success, the quality and rate of posts has picked up, and this week's editors pick has been the hardest yet! Thanks to all who contributed, and we look forward to many more to come.Eric Berlin tries to keep his blogging focus, while Elvira Black hopes the whole thing isn't becoming obsolete.Meanwhile, Ashleigh Charlesworth swoons over his dream car, the Veyron, and Steve Wild tries to tempt our readers with Linux as he asks "Why Switch?"TASTESNo picks this week.

Blogcritics Editors' Picks: November 29 through December 12

Lisa McKay — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 12:15:30 EST

This is our final edition of editors’ picks until January. We’d like to thank all of the writers whose work has been highlighted this past year for their ongoing efforts to keep the rest of us informed, entertained, and enlightened. The editorial staff wishes the entire BC community a healthy and happy new year. MUSICFrom Music Editor Connie Phillips:Laura Misjak of Modern Pea Pod braves depression to fill readers in on the musical tales contained in this album from the alternative-country howlers in Music Review: Gob Iron - Death Songs for the Living.In Music Review: Sarah McLachlan - Mirrorball - The Complete Concert, Dominick Evans pays tribute to the artist while exploring every aspect of the release.Tim Gebhart's review of Riverside Profiles: Bill Evans walks the reader through the history of the Bill Evan's Trio as well as touching on all the highlights of the CD.El Bicho delivers with even-handed look at the Robert Randolph & The Family Band's album Colorblind, and concludes reaching wider isn't always better.Benjamin Cossel eloquently expresses his concerns and frustrations over the newest trend in concert photography. Read about the newest standard of only allowing a photographer to shoot during three songs, with no flash, in Three and You're Out.In There is No Cure for Writer's Block, James Hutchinson does an excellent job of reporting the delay of the Cure's new album.On the anniversary of John Lennon's death Ray Ellis opens up and shares his memories of the singer/songwriter and reviews The U.S. vs. John Lennon - Music from the Motion Picture.Follow Tim Gebhart as he takes you on a walk through the history of this artist as he reviews Riverside Profiles: Chet Baker. A must read for the Jazz enthusiast.BOOKSFrom Asst. Books Editor Gordon Hauptfleisch:Of Steel Drivin' Man: John Henry - the Untold Story of an American Legend, Jon Sobel says "Few things are more interesting than when folklore and history dovetail. This book is a valuable contribution to both studies." I share those interests, and appreciate such writing that can also unify both strands into a cohesive and articulate review. "Dear Sir or Madam: Will you read my book?" Well, not the dryly academic The Beatles And Philosophy (Popular Culture And Philosophy). But I will read Glen Boyd's breezy and entertaining review of it.I may not know art books, but I know what I like. In his cohesive and engrossing review of The Yellow House - Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Nine Turbulent Weeks in Arles, Adam Jusko says the author "does a nice job of setting the scene in many ways." So does Adam's review. I love a mystery, especially ones that weave some history into the story. Just as rewarding, though, is a book review that does the same, such as SJ Reidhead's take on Shape Shifter, which shapes up to also be an educational and anthropological treat. Though I would recommend against the scratch 'n' sniff version, the story of a nefarious plot foiled by Fido-flatulence sounds like a must. In reading this book to her children, Roberta Rosenberg says "I was laughing so hard with each page it took me twice as long to finish the book with them as usual." Certain sisters-in-law aside, you'll also be laughing at Roberta's personal account of her familial read-alouds.TV/FILMFrom TV Editor TV and Film Guy:This week TV and Film Guy is theming his picks, and we're goin' all SNL. Let's face it folks, Saturday Night Live has been around forever (a least in television terms). My goodness, it's been over 30 years at this point. 30 years. It absolutely was, unquestionably funny when it started, and El Bicho tells us all about that. Is it funny now? Well, Cameron Archer has been diligently watching this season and continues to bring us weekly blow-by-blows of the current goings-on. Personally, I think that the "new cast" is always seen as less talented than the old, and that it is only once the current crop leaves that they are accepted. The Wire may have low ratings, but everyone that watches it seems to think it's at the top of the class. I guess it's true -- it's not TV, it's HBO. It's also apparently only got one season left. Bill Sherman took a look at this season's finale. Maybe if we ask real nice he'll write up next season, too. From TV Editor Jackie:Diane Kristine took us through an intriguing journey of the naughty and the nice during 2006 in her article. She touches on both Canadian and the United States television and film. If I had my say, Diane Kristine would certainly be on the Nice List for Blogcritics 2006!Robin Kavanaugh reviewed The New Adventures of Lois and Clark - The Complete Fourth Season on DVD, giving us a neat little trip back in time to a show I forgot I enjoyed so much. It totally slipped my mind that Howie Mandel played Mister Mxyzptlk!TV and Film Guy is preaching to the choir as How I Met Your Mother is my favorite currently airing sitcom, but nonetheless his article Here's Another Show You Won't Watch, But Should is a good read. I just hope he didn't jinx the show. If he did, you know I'll give him some grief! Blake Matthews took us for a tour through the DVD set Inside the Actor's Studio - Icons and made me wonder why I keep forgetting to watch such a fantastic show. Connie Phillips reviewed a very interesting television movie which I missed in her article TV Movie Review: Wedding Wars. It's an intriguing premise for a movie and she even provided a video clip. Cool!From Film Editor Lisa McKay:John Cameron Mitchell’s Shortbus is not a film for everyone. Adam Blair saw it and found that it continued to resonate long after the viewing experience was over. Even if the film might not be your cup of tea, this piece will interest you.Alan Dale saw Clint Eastwood’s WWII opus Flags Of Our Fathers and found the characters to be one-dimensional and the National World War II Memorial in Washington, DC to be more moving. Enough said?Brothers of the Head is ostensibly a movie about conjoined twin rock stars. Ray Ellis uncovers the metaphors within in this incisive and intriguing review.Inland Empire is David Lynch’s latest entry into the world of strange, and clydefro takes a look. The plot defies explanation, and this review does a good job of conjuring up some of the nightmarish uncertainty that is a hallmark of Lynch’s work.I imagined Kati Irons to be wearing an eye patch and sporting a parrot on her shoulder while she was writing this review of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, just released on DVD. This review is almost as entertaining as Capt. Jack Sparrow.CULTUREFrom Asst. Culture Editor Melita Teale:In Found in Translation, Atul Sabharwal writes about a brief encounter with a man whose language he doesn't share, but with whom he manages to communicate. It's a touching and evocative reminder of the joys of connection we make while being strangers in strange lands. Shortly but sweetly, Spincycle has a look at how the excuses for the general public's lack of understanding and engagement in policy issues don't hold water. A quick and coherent call to action titled Care to Know? Celebrities or Foreign Policy. Cute and useful at once, like a Hello Kitty carry-on bag, this list of holiday traveling tips from Jennifer Jordan makes good reading and better advice. From Culture Editor Diana Hartman:Donnie Marler delivers a heartfelt and sincere tribute to the human condition, random kindness, and good will in We'll Take You Home. POLITICSFrom Politics Editor Dave Nalle:Satire: With Atomic Weapons, We Can Still Win in Iraq by RJ Elliott. That rarest of creatures, a satirical article which is both amusing and topically relevant. We need more like this.Idiots Anonymous: The Outrage Over Swearing In with the Koran by Sean Aqui. If we can't use the politics section to point a finger at the blatantly idiotic behavior of political extremists, what use are we?Good News From Iraq You Haven't Heard - Is Hope On the Way? by Bird of Paradise. Not only an interesting article, but a look into the perspective of those who continue to hold out hope for solutions in the best interests of the people of Iraq.The Educated Class by Sean Aqui. A provocative consideration of the role of nature versus nurture in American society.Why I Left the Conservative Movement by Tom Bux. We only got one article on the tempest-in-a-teapot issue of whether the Koran should be used to swear oaths, but it's dead on.Flush With Election Success, Venezuela's Chávez Appoints New Cabinet Minister: Jesus Christ by Clavos. A nice look at the ongoing bizarre behavior of our favorite tyro dictator from one of our newest contributors.SPORTSFrom Sports Editor Matthew T. Sussman:The colorful yet controversial analysts are out there in droves, but Alessandro Nicolo defends one well in Finding Don Cherry, and as a bonus, he let us know exactly how he feels about those greasy Mongolians.M.D. Sandwasher did some solid beat reporting in Oxford this weekend in both games of the Miami U.-Ferris State hockey series.Craig Lyndall wrote my article for me -- how'd he know to do that? I didn't even e-mail him -- because the BCS got it right this year.It ain't gonna happen, but at least Craig Lyndall is thinking outside the box by trying to get Bill Cowher to coach the Cleveland Browns.From the big boys to the equally-big-just-unpaid boys, Vince Mullins demonstrates how to evolve an argument through the comments when he initially criticizes Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr for not campaigning his team in the BCS voting, then when commenter "Chris" provides evidence that it's a school policy not to lobby the program in public, Vince seamlessly reshifts the criticism to the entire school. Mmm. Smooth.From football to football to baseball in December, Zach Baker gets all up in the Giants' grill and oh-so-unsubtlely suggests to them that perhaps they shouldn't have invested in Barry Bonds for $16 million.GAMINGFrom Gaming Editor Ken Edwards:Aaron Auzins reviews Guitar Hero II for the PS2. How do you make 2005's best rhythm game even better? Release a sequel.Jason "Njiska" Westhaver reviews Phoenix Wright - Justice For All (JP) for Nintendo DS. Farewell, My Turnabout.Aaron Auzins interviews Dennis Lee of Konami, in which Lee details Konami's effort to build a franchise from the ground up for the Nintendo Wii.SCI/TECHFrom Technology Editor Daniel Woolstencroft:Aurel Montgomery tells us of The Man Who Was Sagan, a great tribute to a great man.Eric Olsen's Strong Brands Balm Consumer Brains, New Study Shows, dares to enter the mind of that complex beast, the consumer.From Science Editor John Vaccaro:If your computer died tomorrow, would you be able to recover your data from other sources? Our own Daniel Woolstencroft gives us options to back up all the data of your digital life in How Safe Is Your Digital Life-Data?COMMENT OF THE WEEKFrom Comments Editor Christopher Rose:To a European, the Politics section of Blogcritics can often seem a bewildering place, rather like a cross between "Alice in Wonderland" and "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest". Fortunately, we can rely on commenters like this to keep the worst delusions in check... Posted by RJ Elliott to A New Plan For Iraq - Give It To The Chinese on 2006.12.05, 06:13:20 AM : I hope you aren't being serious about this, Dave.There are two possibilities:1 - China laughs at us and tells us to go fuck ourselves. We are embarrassed, and the situation on the ground does not change a bit. I think that's about 90% likely.Or...2 - China takes us up on the offer. (About 10% likely.) What we have done then is just take a region of the world that is at least currently somewhat within our sphere of influence, and HANDED IT OVER to the RED CHINESE. The Chi-Comms, for goodness sake. In other words, our ENEMY. They take control, slaughter anyone and everyone who opposes them, and they veto any UN action against them in response to the butchery. US forces are now outnumbered and are forced to flee Iraq. China now has complete control over massive oil reserves. They ship everything back home. The surplus oil (if there is any) is sold back to us at a premium. They make "deals" with other nations in the region to oppose US foreign policy. When China decides to invade Taiwan, we are unable to respond lest our oil supplies be cut off. We are also unable to do anything meaningful at the UN. Taiwan falls. North Korea is fed a free flow of oil by their Commie allies, and they are encouraged to menace and distract us while China consolidates its gains in the Middle East.Sure, a lot of Chinese die in the process. But do they care? No. There are plenty more where they came from! And there is no free media in China to report on this, and bring the Chinese people into the streets in opposition. (That's a rather huge advantage they have over us...)So, the end result is a bunch of former "allies" in the Middle East who now are overt enemies; less US control of global oil supplies; increased power for Red China; Humiliation for the US; roll-back of democracy; and energy prices for the West even higher than they are now.Hey, sounds like a winning plan! :-/

Blogcritics Editors' Picks: November 15 through November 28

Lisa McKay — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 14:43:59 EST

You've managed to consume the last of the leftover turkey, sopped up the remnants of the gravy and cranberry sauce, and at long last have pushed yourself away from the table. Before you contemplate that holiday shopping, catch up on the best of what happened at BC in the past two weeks.MUSICFrom Music Editor Connie Phillips:El Bicho takes readers along on an eventful evening, allowing us to experience every moment with him and fellow Blogcritics writers as they attend the The Doors 40th Anniversary - Live On The Sunset Strip.Tom Johnson's review of The Beatles -Love sifts through the good and the bad as well as all the criticism to get down to the heart of it -- the music of this legendary band.Richard Marcus' enthusiasm for the blues and the promotion of such comes through loud and clear as he gives readers a look at Ruf Records and its founder in Blues Bash Ruf Records: Keeping The Blues Alive.In Rolling Stones' Bigger Bang Tour Now Biggest Bucks Tour, Eric Olsen delivers an entertaining read combining the news and his own personal thoughts on the Rolling Stones' longevity.Blogcritics' leading authority on the blues, Joan Hunt, put all her knowledge to good use and delivered two insightful interviews. One was with The Bluesers and one with Kenny Neal to round out our month-long look at the blues.From Asst. Music Editor A.L. Harper:DJRadiohead reviews Hooker, a collection in part of the body of work by blues legend John Lee Hooker.A funny man teaches us to appreciate silly songs in Big Geez's Silly Songs - From Edison To Weird Al.BOOKSFrom Asst. Books Editor Gordon Hauptfleisch:It's Guy... TV and Film Guy. He knows I like my Bond shaken and stirred with a little Kierkegaard, Hegelian quests, and Platonic archetypes. Or at least he has me thinking so after reading his persuasive review of James Bond and Philosophy.In his review of the historically faithful Leonardo, Alessandro Nicolo imposes a self-discipline, "as it could have easily careened out into multiple directions," one of which could have been yet another "Da Vinci Codification" of an elusive and magnificent mind. Alessandro shows, however, that he's up to the task in deftly and diligently considering Leonardo in his proper context. Bonnie's incisive review of The Hanging of Angélique sheds a light on a "a neglected area of the country's history" in the struggle of Canadian slaves -- and symbolically, one in particular. "We can't give Angélique her name," say Bonnie, "but we can name what happened to her and make her part of our collective memory. Even if remembering her took 27 years." Hanging is a "book with an edge," but Bonnie's review shares that same, and needed, quality.This Is Your Brain on Music is "about the science of music, from the perspective of cognitive neuroscience." Okay, it doesn't have a good beat and you can't dance to it, but Tim Gebhart blinded me with science in his enticing review, expressively convincing in his summation that "the brain is also the vehicle by which music also affects our feelings and emotions."TV/FILMFrom TV Editor TV and Film Guy:Short and sweet and DVD-licious, it's Anna Creech's review of The Ellen Degeneres Show on DVD. Less short, less sweet, but not really much more scary is the Sci-Fi Channel Original: Basilisk. It's Sci-Fi Channel in all its glory and happily enough Matt Paprocki is here to tell us all about it. From Film Editor Lisa McKay:Among the many reviews of latest Bond flick, Casino Royale, I particularly liked Daniel Woolstencroft's. He gives credit where credit is due and tells us why Daniel Craig may yet surpass the legend that is Sean Connery. If you're not familiar with the wildly successful industry that is Bollywood, Chanakya is here with a Bollywood primer to get you started. Complete with some basic background and a cultural perspective, Chanakya goes on to suggest some films to watch and helpfully grades them according to your level of expertise. At least one of these is already in my Netflix queue.Robert Altman died last week at the age of 81. Howard Dratch, Randall A Byrn, and tink all do justice to his memory with some reflections on why his films have resonated with audiences over the years.CULTUREFrom Culture Editor Diana Hartman:From two very different vantage points, Donnie Marler the son brings us the lighter side of the birds and bees in I Had To Ask and he enlightens us all with the perspective of a loving parent in the much more serious Teen Pregnancy: A Father's Story. Richard Marcus ponders how and why pockets of society sometimes meet their need for attention through volume and violence in How Loud Do I Have To Be? Writing about a little known subject, Timothy Greathouse offers an interesting update (or introduction) of a town that's been on fire for quite a while now in The Great Disappearing Act of Centralia, Pennsylvania.From Asst. Music Editor A.L. Harper:Enjoying Thanksgiving the way only someone hilariously and deeply dysfunctional can is the way Elvira Black wants to do it at The Toilet Bowl.A man who understand my teen pregnancy is a man whose own daughter survived the same thing. Donnie Marler tells you A Father's Story.POLITICSFrom Politics Editor Dave Nalle:In an article about a new series of dollar coins featuring U.S. Presidents, Jet in Columbus takes an interesting look at the latest attempt to revive the dollar coin and get our currency back on a sensible track.How to Get Out of Iraq Without Getting Out of Iraq - the Adam Ash Plan B for Iraq by Adam Ash, in which the author exceeds all expectations with a nugget of common sense on the U.S.'s future role in Iraq.SPORTSFrom Sports Editor Matthew T. Sussman:Only two picks in two weeks, but mind you this isn't a slight against every other article. We've had a ton of coverage and I commend it all.But one goes to Tony Profumo of Lawntennisnews, who wrote a very hearty retrospective on Martina Hingis' comeback.And the second goes to David Mazzotta and his Thoughtful Fool, Week 11 edition. Plus I have a confession. I've been using the "I understand the Detroit City Council is putting together a bid for an NFL team" line in conversation with Michiganders ever since.GAMINGFrom Gaming Editor Ken Edwards:An Open Letter to Fanboys is Jason "Njiska" Westhaver's angry response to the attacks on Jeff Gerstmann at Gamespot.Holiday Console Buyer's Guide For Parents is a useful Christmas guide to video game consoles from Vichus Smith.SCI/TECHFrom Technology Editor Daniel Woolstencroft:Spare a thought for the little spaceship that could. That's all that Howard Dratch asks in his moving account of one brave little probe, stranded thousands of miles from home.In Vista - What You Need To Know, Ashleigh Charlesworth demystifies Windows Vista. He explains what the different versions do, how much they'll cost, and why you should be interested.

Blogcritics Editors' Picks: November 8 through November 14

Lisa McKay — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 15:22:51 EST

As usual our variety is hard to beat as our intrepid editors read it all and bring you the very best. We've got live music, we've got interviews, we've got books, we've got a head start on the holiday movie season, we've got it all -- and now you do, too. MUSICFrom Music Editor Connie Phillips:Mark Saleski has a way of taking music and wrapping it around his memories, in turn evoking all sorts of recollections and emotions from the reader. His recent review of J.J. Cale & Eric Clapton: The Road to Escondido is no exception.Someone else with a style all their own is Aaron Fleming. To say he reviewed the concert doesn't quite seem to do his article justice, as this week he took us with him to a show he recently attended in Concert Review: Opeth, London, UK, 9 November 2006, allowing us to experience it all.Ed Driscoll did more than give us the facts about an important tool of the recording industry; he shared some examples of it doing its best work in his Product Review: The Harmonizer - Messing With The Fabric Of Time And Harmony.For DJRadiohead Christmas comes too early this year, as the album on the top of his wish list won't hit stores until late January. Read Confessions of a Fanboy 010: Two Albums From Norah Jones - One Real, One Imagined and impatiently wait along with him.From Asst. Music Editor A.L. Harper:DJRadiohead waxes lyrical about two of music's most angelic voices in Confessions of a Fanboy 010: Two Albums From Norah Jones - One Real, One Imagined. This one you must read!Sleeveless Sundays sums up The Blow in the music review The Blow - "Fists Up!". An interesting and brief read.BOOKSFrom Books Editor Natalie Bennett:So how's your particle physics? If it is like mine, i.e. almost non-existent, then I recommend you read Nick Schweitzer's review of Not Even Wrong. It will set you straight on the great controversy about String Theory, Super String Theory, or M-Theory. So is it a great idea, or dead end? Well, even Nick can't tell you that, but he can offer you a guide to the debate.From one set of challenging ideas to another: Ambrose Musiyiwa interviews novelist Emily Maguire, who aims to "challenge people's moral assumptions". Ambrose extracts from her a tight, lively account of her life as a writer.From Asst. Books Editor Gordon Hauptfleisch:I didn't think we needed a heavy-handed leftist response to the Left Behind books, but then I didn't think we needed the original Left Behind books either. But how can you resist, as described by Glen Boyd in his inspired review of The Saved - a graphic novel in which survivors-turned-stuporous Stepford shoppers are huddled in a post-apocalyptic Supermall in Kansas waiting for the rapture? Or disregard a story that features, among other delights, namesakes Bowie and Slade -- the skate-punk sons of former confetti-king, now military big-wig (!) Rip Taylor? One of the most striking parts of Mayank Austen Soofi's highly-enjoyable and amusing one-morning-in a-writer's life rumination, Incense and Insensibility (sorry for the title, by the way) was the 3:30 AM wake-up alarm (!) and the 5:30 AM trip to the gym (!!). But all the hardships and inconveniences will all be worth it as Mayank realizes who'll have the last laugh some day with the advent of his writing success and accolades -- all of those people who ignore or snub him now will indeed be sorry. "By then," however, "it will be too late for them to be my friends." Hah!In her compelling review of The Meaning of Night - A Confession, Katie McNeill aptly conveys the shadowy complexity of the lead character and plot, and is highly convincing in her recommendation: "Beautifully written, this is a classic in the making. This novel has it all - a dark character you have to follow to the end." Sounds perfect for my winter-of-discontent reading list. Meanwhile, since the autumn-of-my-eccentricity is still in full swing, Diane Kristine has me persuaded, in her review of A Spot of Bother, that I might find this book's every-which-way-but-lucid protagonist appealing: "Talking was, in George's opinion, overrated... The secret of contentment, George felt, lay in ignoring many things completely." Say no more.TV/FILMFrom TV Editor Jackie:Murder by the Book, a new CourtTV series, features popular crime novelists delving into real murder cases. TV with MeeVee sat down with author James Ellroy and asked him five questions about his appearance and case in the show - the 1958 murder of his very own mother. Ryan Eanes' Beakman Blasts Back Into Action was well-written and informative. I had no idea that the show ever existed and this article makes me want to give it a gander to learn more about it.From TV Editor TV and Film Guy:Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's great. Apparently recently it's been less than that. But, in its latest episode, Battlestar Galactica is back in near-top form. David Desjardins takes a look at it, examines its strengths and weaknesses and decides it doesn't have to go frack itself. I highly recommend you spool up your FTL drive and check it out. I know things. Trust me, I know things. A lot of my knowledge, though, is totally and completely worthless. Or so I thought. Apparently, I can actually make some huge bucks off of it. All I need to do is sit there and find two people to not open their mouths. TV with Meevee explains. From Film Editor Lisa McKay:Donnie Marler reminds us of why those animated holiday gems stay with us year after year, and in some cases, generation after generation. Do any of the characters in Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer strike a chord of familiarity in you? Continuing on in the holiday spirit, Randall A Byrn takes a look at Frank Capra's classic, It's A Wonderful Life, and explains why it's a movie for all seasons.CULTUREFrom Asst. Culture Editor Melita Teale:In The Story of Chess: The Musical, Ken Lyen shows us that the history of this production is as complex as the Cold War world it's set in. Whether or not you like musical theatre, it's a fascinating read.Chris Beaumont touchingly eulogizes his grandfather, Edwin Bell, in a way that lets us understand a great man has been lost.Andrew Morris challenges his readers to think of Islam as the background to the life of a society instead of as a media boogeyman in his article entitled In Good Faith: Portrayals of Islam in the Media. POLITICSFrom Asst. Politics Editor Mark Schannon:An Open Letter to Newly Elected Democrats by Taloran is a thoughtful, non-partisan, elegant reminder of why politicians are really elected.Drew McKissick's Election Dissection is a good early analysis of a very complex election.From Asst. Politics Editor John Bambenek:Defiling the Constitution of Massachusetts by Harry Forbes demonstrates an interesting paradox -- that gay marriage advocates wrap themselves in the Constitution until it no longer suits them.SPORTSFrom Sports Editor Matthew T. Sussman:I didn't need to read Victor Lana's article past the headline to know this would be among the picked. Although that would have been a better editing job by me, in retrospect. But an in-depth look would have shown that Victor did some original reporting — going out in that world and asking people — regarding the Mets' new ballpark name, CitiField.Here's an overlooked yet necessary read for the avid golfer: Wade Pearse exposes the big lie in golf, which has to do with all that fancy-schmancy equipment. "Lie," in this case, is a double pun, if you haven't figured that one out.GAMINGGaming Editor Ken Edwards says, "A solid seven days with great writing, but no picks this week."SCI/TECHFrom Technology Editor Daniel Woolstencroft:In DSG: The Future Of The Gearbox, Ashleigh Charlesworth tells you everything you ever wanted to know about the DSG gearbox and more besides!Merlinfmct87 introduces Blogcritics to the joys of Last.fm while taking a look at the service's newly introduced features. COMMENT OF THE WEEKFrom Comments Editor Christopher Rose:As American political passions subside somewhat after the elections, it comes as a slight surprise that one of the most thoughtful, if lengthy, comments putting things into a larger historical perspective comes from an Australian.Posted by S.T.M to Defiling the Constitution of Massachusetts on 2006.11.14, 07:37:01 AM Hi Ruvy. Yes mate, actually I have thought about it at great length, but not for jingoistic reasons of empire and what have you. You see, as much as I fart about with this stuff, I'm also sensible enough to realise the beneficial impact that a strong America has had on both my countries. But it's very interesting that scenario, isn't it? This is long, but I hope you can spare a few minutes as it's fascinating stuff if you like history.I believe firstly that had the British been at the height of their power, as they were between say the end of the Napoleonic Wars and the start of WWI, the outcome might have been somewhat different for the US.In reality, at the time of the War of Independence, the British were less interested in Empire than they were about trade and the opening up of trade routes and so the loss of the American colonies, although regarded in the US - obviously - as a defining moment in world history, wasn't quite such a dramatic thing on the other side of the Atlantic at the time (although I'd imagine mad old Georgie wouldn't have been too impressed, his all-conquering armies soundly defeated and sent packing by a rag-tag band of traitorous rogues who had got into bed with the duplicitous French).From the literature I've read on the British side, the real issue for them, apart from loss of face, was the potential loss of trade. Which of course didn't really happen as New England remained dependent on trade with Britain in the period leading up to the outbreak of the war of 1812. Interestingly, they still regarded the Americans as their own kith and kin - naughty ones, but family anyway.I know there are many myths propagated in the US regarding the war of 1812, but it was in fact a dreadful defeat for the United States and in truth, the only conclusion after serious study is that it was ultimately only the magnanimity of the British in victory that prevented the wholesale defeat of the fledgling nation (it was America that asked for peace, and the British who granted them most peace concessions requested at Ghent). Serious historians believe America lost the war but won the peace.It is this period that intrigues me most in relation to this question, rather than the War of Independence. The outbreak of the war of 1812 was almost a complete reversal of the good reasons America went to war against the British 30 years earlier, so it was unpopular in America, particularly as casualties and the string of defeats mounted up.Andrew Jackson was egged on by the War Hawks in Congress, and the pretext for the fighting was the maritime issues - mainly the blockading of trade and the press-ganging of US sailors (many of whom were deserters from the Royal Navy or British subjects). While it was arrogant, and designed to fill up Royal Navy battle crews during the fighting with France, it was a niggle in reality and Jackson is often quoted as having said that had he known the British had ended their blockades prior to the outbreak of fighting, he'd never have gone to war. The British never wanted to go to war with the US.It was a war of aggression designed to remove British influence once and for all from North America, seize Canada - the first attempts to do so were the outbreak of hostilities - and stamp America on the world stage (which it did).As I say, and as most historians agree, it almost resulted in total defeat for the US and the secession of New England to the Crown at the behest of its own citizenry.So it is against that background that it should be judged: that the British, having considerable naval and land forces suddenly freed up from the Peninsular War against France, ended up at the table with America, leaving the 19th century's superpower and the 20th century's superpower sitting down discussing peace and friendship - and it DID forge the beginnings of an enduring relationship, with a few hiccups along the way - is indeed one of the miracles of modern history.The only good thing about the War of Independence from the British perspective at the time was that the Crown sent James Cook to the South Pacific to look for new territories and trade routes, leading to the birth of Australia and New Zealand as we know them today.(Not sure how good the Poms think that is when they're mostly getting flogged at cricket and rugby by these two countries, but that's another issue).So Ruve, in my view it was both conflicts and the defeat of Napoleon at Trafalgar and Waterloo (leading also to a genuinely free France) that actually set the parameters defining the modern world and the many subsequent outcomes of history.It's unlikely that any other results would have brought about such an alliance of free spirits (imagine the 20th century without Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt) or given rise to the strong, brave, generous, fair and magnanimous America we all look to (most of the time), or the dogged Britain that had enough balls to stand up to Adolf Hitler on its own after fighting a war that literally took the flower of its youth just 20 years earlier. Would there have been an Israel? Doubt it.Let's hope too we can all remember and learn from the lessons of history. It's fascinating stuff, and it lives right now.

Blogcritics Editors' Picks: November 1 through November 7

Lisa McKay — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 07:57:56 EST

Stop raking those leaves for a little while, fix yourself a snack, and catch up with what our editors liked best this week. Our usual inspired mix of reviews and commentary will entertain and educate. MUSICFrom Music Editor Connie Phillips:Brand new to Blogcritics, Rhys Williams jumped right in making his first article part of the on-going focus on the blues. Blues Bash Interview: No Questions Asked, They Are The Answer! is a wonderful up-close look into the band and the music they make.DJRadiohead's review of Leigh Nash - Blue on Blue incorporates his review with a fantastic account of how the album grew on him over time.Eric Berlin examines every aspect of this expansive release in his review of The Doors - Perception (6 CD/6 DVD Box Set), bringing back a few memories and persuading me to consider a purchase.From Asst. Music Editor A.L. Harper:Big Geez continues our musical education, this time with a history of some of the most famous and talented songbirds.Assistant Music Editor DJRadiohead lets the voices in his head change his opinion of Leigh Nash's solo album Blue On Blue.BOOKSFrom Books Editor Natalie Bennett:There's dedication, then there's real dedication, and that's what Ian Woolstencroft shows in Ian's Cornucopia of Comics, a monthly round-up of not only what's new in comics, but what is on the way. I hate to think what the bill for this extensive collection must be, but Ian buys all of these - the good, the bad and the plain old-hat - so he can tell others what are musts and what can be left on the shelf. If you know a comics fan who doesn't read it now, send them Ian's way.For something complete different, check out Karen DeGroot Carter's review of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Half of a Yellow Sun. There have been so many awful genocidal disasters since then that Biafra - the first to occur in the age of instant international news - has almost disappeared from memory, but as Karen says, it is both a particular story and a general story - how humans survive and remain human, and humane, in the face of the worst their race can do to its own.From Asst. Books Editor Gordon Hauptfleisch:What, Bill Sherman worry? With the musing and amusing Lighter Side of Mad Goes Political for Election Day, I was with him all the way.Imagine learning of the implementation of Islamic law that would effectively turn the clock back fourteen hundred years, or seeing your own name on a death list. With expressiveness and a deft use of allusions, Natalie Bennett, in her review of Shirin Ebadi's frankly honest and human autobiography Iran Awakening, makes a convincing case that in addition to displaying "a certain pig-headed determination to effect change," the author demonstrates the needed "clarity of vision" that enables such Nobel Peace Prize winners "to understand their own actions, and the workings of their society." TV/FILMFrom TV Editor Jackie:Although it's not technically a television pick per se, I have to give kudos to Melita Teale for putting in words my very own thoughts about the newest box office hit in her article Actually, I Don't Like You: Turning Down Borat.Back to television, this week Eric Berlin's article The Apprentice Finalist Lee Bienstock Hired By Trump Organization really caught my eye. I'm a big fan of the show and regularly recap/review it. So, I had a bit of a vested interest in the news. I had read several articles written others about the story and I think Eric wrote the best danged one out there.From TV Editor TV and Film Guy:Serial Killers must have a hard life. I can just hear them getting together and singing: It's a hard-knock life for us, it's hard-knock life for us, steada treated, we get tricked, steada kisses, we get kicked, it's a hard-knock life. Woe is them, woe is them, it must be so lonely and sad. Poor Dexter, I almost feel bad for him; Ray Ellis certainly seems to.Jericho. There's a series I just couldn't get into, and don't think I didn't try. I can't tell you how happy it therefore makes me that Ian Woolstencroft is trying and doesn't get it either. I admire the trying, and really appreciate the not getting it. Are we missing something here? I really don't think so. From Film Editor Lisa McKay:Most BC reviewers have been raving about Borat and calling it the funniest film they've seen all year. In this excellent anti-review, Melita Teale writes about why she won't be seeing Borat any time soon. Even if you're not in the birthday doldrums, you might want to put Bubba Ho-Tep in your Netflix queue after reading Iloz Zoc's review of this underappreciated "classic little gem." CULTUREFrom Culture Editor Diana Hartman:From the standpoint that faith is both powerful and private, Donnie Marler takes a reflective look at the world of belief, separating holy books from unholy acts, condemnation from justification, and ideologies from ideas in Having Faith, Losing Religion. Dungeons, dice, and the deceased come together to make all your dreams come true in Timothy Greathouse's The AD&D Make-A-Silly-Wish Foundation.From Asst. Culture Editor Melita Teale:We hear all the time that love conquers all, and in The Runaway Bride and Groom of Pakistan, Mayank Austen Soofi shows us how in an article about a Christian celebrity and a Muslim doctor from Pakistan finding a way to make things work.POLITICSFrom Politics Editor Dave Nalle:A Little Revolution Now And Again Wouldn't Hurt by Mark Schannon is a rousing call to revolution from the eve of the election.Daniel Ortega and the Return of the Sandinistas by Richard Marcus is a nice piece of international election coverage from our Canadian correspondent.SPORTSFrom Sports Editor Matthew T. Sussman:Every year for about two months BC Sports gets to run David Mazzotta's weekly novella NFL picks column. And it's always a blast to edit and read. Last week, though, he did what I wish more analysts did -- grade himself on his preseason outlooks.GAMINGFrom Gaming Editor Ken Edwards:Mac Game Review: Redline by Cameron Graham. Hey look - it's a new IP for the Mac. It's even worth playing!PC Review: Evidence - The Last Ritual by Jason "Njiska" Westhaver. Repeat after me: Adventure games are not dead. Adventure games are not head.SCI/TECHNo picks this week.COMMENT OF THE WEEKFrom Comments Editor Christopher Rose:In the week of a modest political revolution in the USA, a little voice of sanity is starting to be heard.Posted by Peter J to A Little Revolution Now And Again Wouldn't Hurt on 2006.11.05, 20:04:32 PM BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!Goddamn Mark, well put. You said what so many feel but are afraid to speak. No one wants to be publically challenged, as most cannot verbalize their feelings and wind up bullied and silenced by what has been a majority. There is no one more intimidating than a bible thumping conservative who will not so much as admit to an error in judgement or action. The reason this won't happen is because there are no errors made by these people, everything they do is calculated and deliberate. This is not only the trappings of conservatives either, it's the same game with a different face for the liberals. I don't see any viable answers coming from their corner.The people who claim that the economy is doing so well because the stock markets are up have never walked the streets, lived the life or even have known a family living on the pittance of pay that so many Americans are trying to get by on. They talk about raising the minimum wage, that's even a joke. To say anyone should try to live on $6.35 an hour is a sin. WE have a very small percentage of people in this country who are living a nice comfortable life, nice away from home vacations, overseas travel, many extravagances that 80% of this country will never know.I was around for our failed revolution in the 60s and the failure comes from a change of the guard. For this type of revolution to work you need several generations to pick up and carry the torch, but by the time that their time comes the establishment is smart enough to make sure that the following generations are a bit better off.I keep thinking "maybe some day" but obviously it won't ever happen. The establishment is not accidentally successful. Iit's all in the workings. An answer? I just don't know.I've said many times that the end of hope in this country was a time when a man who was a part of that establishment tried to fix things for all, he wound up with a bullet in his brain.