Blogcritics Editors’ Picks: April 12 through April 18

From immigration to MySpace, through art censorship and beyond, seasoned liberally with music, book reviews, 24, and more — presenting the best of the week, for your reading pleasure.

Let me remind those of you who are chosen that you are invited to submit your own pick for next week (due to space considerations, please limit it to one). Please feel free to email me your picks (including the URL) by next Tuesday.

MUSIC

From Assistant Music Editor DJRadiohead:

Mat Brewster takes us with him to see Wilco. It’s a great read and it seems like it was a hell of a show.

I’m no Neil Young fan, but Glen Boyd gives a fine preview of Young’s upcoming album in Living With War: Neil Young’s New “Folk Metal Protest” Record.

BOOKS

From Books Editor Natalie Bennett:

Book Review: LaPorte, Indiana by Jason Bitner by Chantal Stone
The book, by the editor of Found Magazine, sounds like something very unusual and different. Chantal gives an excellent clear and enticing description, summing it up neatly as “the glorious gift of time standing still.”

Book Review: Madame Bovary’s Ovaries: A Darwinian Look At Literature by David P. Barash and Nanelle R. Barash by Gordon Hauptfleisch
Reviewing a book with such a wonderful title certainly gave Gordon a head start in this week’s picks, but his article lives up to the standard, explaining that despite the book’s claims, Darwinists will not be “storming University English Department ivory towers…demanding the replacement of Derrida texts with DNA tests in their efforts to explore the nature of human nature.”

TV/FILM

From TV Editor Joan Hunt:

Good Show, Bad News: An Interview with Sons & Daughters Creator Fred Goss by Diane Kristine
Goss’ new TV show may not complete its run. Diane Kristine talks with Goss about the latest developments. I actually enjoy interviews that venture into the territory of the unknown.

Jackie doubles up on The Apprentice coverage — two, two episodes for the price of one!

I’m worried about Jeff Kouba. I wish I knew how he finds the time to count words and phrases used on a TV show in between all his writing. All I know is that he makes me laugh with those counts and with his characterizations of, well, the characters on 24 in 24 Day 5: 11:00 PM – 12:00 AM.

CULTURE

From Culture Editor Diana Hartman:

There are those who would sterilize art and artists so that no matter our reality, we can all gaze upon, read about, and hear from a world they only wish existed. Richard Marcus pierces the argument for censorship and moral decency, asserting the good of any creative reflection of our world as it exists in The Honesty Of Art.

POLITICS

From Politics Editor Dave Nalle:

A Fence Sitter’s Take On Illegal Immigration by Sean Aqui
A solid, rational assessment of why and how immigration must be dealt with putting aside politics and focusing on pragmatism.

The Persian Empire Reborn? President Ahmadinejad’s Messianic Politics by Ruvy in Jerusalem
An interesting, informed look at the forces that are driving Iranian political leaders down the road to their own destruction.

SPORTS

From Sports Editor Matthew T. Sussman:

NBA MVP Award: And The Winner Is … by Adam Hoff

… Is … Is? … Is!? Don’t leave us hanging, Adam!

Oh, upon reading it, he makes a strong case for LeBron James, although he admits this year’s NBA Most Valuable Player could be just about anybody. Adam’s argument was well backed-up with historical stats, not to mention a nice presence in the comments to explain his stance. He used the Blogcritics medium to its full capacity, and he demonstrates the process pretty well. I’m not big on the NBA, but his last couple of posts on the topic have made me curious about who I think is this year’s MVP. OK, teacher’s pet, you can sit back down now.

GAMING

From Gaming Editor Ken Edwards:

PS2 Review: Tourist Trophy by Mark Buckingham
Think of Tourist Trophy as another Gran Turismo, just with two less wheels. It has Polyphony’s usual high production values, but still doesn’t have online play.

Mac Game Review: Burning Monkey Solitaire by Erin McMaster
You haven’t played solitaire on a Mac until you have played it with a slew of monkeys running around the screen. If the monkeys don’t tickle your fancy, maybe the 26 flavors of solitaire will.

PSP Review: Mega Man – Maverick Hunter X by Matt Paprocki
Who knew Capcom had it in themselves to put out yet another Mega Man remake, and not botch it up! Maverick Hunter X and Powered Up, both for the PSP, are proof that 20-year-old games can successfully be re-released on Sony’s shiny handheld.

SCI/TECH

From Sci/Tech Editor Lisa McKay:

In MySpace Makes Room For The Office Staff, Eric Berlin examines a curious fold in space-time where fictional characters in a popular television show create their own MySpace profiles. Sometimes truth is stranger than…truth.

Picked by last week’s chosen authors:

From Mary K. Williams:

Customer Service: A View From the Other Side of the Counter by Jim Wynne tells us what checkout clerks in grocery stores must put up with. Jim’s annoyance with the store management’s lack of concern for either employees or customers strikes a chord.

Also worthy was Kevin Augustine’s post, What You Really Say At Work – An Interpretation, a satirical piece that made me laugh, even though it has been quite a few years since I was in an office environment. It’d be interesting to see what the unsaid thoughts of the checkout clerks might be.[ADBLOCKHERE]