Stargazer
For All Signs Basic astrological understanding comes from the four elements: fire, earth, air, and water. The Water Signs (Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces) are fluid, emotional, and the range of their dispositions moves readily from ice storm to placid river to steam. Waters love the comforts of home and family and are strongly nurturing of…
The Second Annual List Issue
Introduction Why There’s An Introduction: 1. It’s a tradition that when a paper puts out a special issue, the special content is preceded by an introduction to tell people what it’s about. 2. If there wasn’t one, some readers would call and say they can’t figure out what all these lists are for. 3. I…
The Art Of The List
Best “Bargain” Artists In Charlotte Some of these artists will one day be famous (in a Big Fish in a Little Pond kind of way). Grab hold while they’re rising: 1. Raed Al Rawi. Paints ethereal and comical images of floating beds and flying pigs streaming over shimmering wheat fields. Soft political commentary. PRICE RANGE:…
Claims vs. Facts
Pre-War Intelligence CLAIM: “I expected to find the weapons [because] I based my decision on the best intelligence possible. . .The evidence I had was the best possible evidence that he had a weapon.” FACT: The White House was repeatedly warned by the intelligence community. The Washington Post reported this weekend, “President Bush and his…
Porgy & Lesenger
After last week’s mammoth production of George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess at Belk Theater, one thing must be obvious to Opera Carolina subscribers. What we beheld when Jay Lesenger was stage director for Der Rosenkavalier was no fluke. He sits securely at or near the top of the company’s A-list of stage directors they’ll want…
Remotely Aware
REASONS I HAVEN’T HIDDEN MY TV REMOTE 1. The “baby bird” episode of The Andy Griffith Show. 2. Michael Jackson’s moonwalk on the Motown Anniversary Special. 3. Neil Armstrong’s actual moonwalk. 4. Live television coverage on September 11, 2001. 5. The Simpsons. 6. HBO. 7. Fox’s 24. 8. The ACC basketball tournament. 9. Comedy Central’s…
Canon Fodder
If we’re honest with ourselves, we’ve all done it. It goes like this: A friend or colleague mentions a classic author, expresses their deep and abiding love for said member of the literary canon, and we stand there and take it all in — thinking to ourselves that we’d rather get a paper cut from…
Hitting the Iraqi Jackpot
It’s apparent now to all but the most hardened Dittohead that there are no weapons of mass destruction to be found in Iraq. In truth, though, the bio-lab beaker is actually half full. Even though no WMDs were found in Iraq and likely never will be, a great many other things were uncovered during the…
Arts Agenda
Classical Music A Baroque Valentine A Valentine’s Day performance by Carolina Pro Musica presenting 18th century chamber music. Sat., Feb. 14, 8 p.m. $12 CHC members, $15 general, $8 students. McCelvey Center, York, 212 E. Jefferson St., York. 803-684-3948 ext 21. Gil Shaham Maestro Perick will lead the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra in a performance of…
Just a Game
American football is Greek to me, but even I know the Panthers did Charlotte proud. It was good to see our city get some respect, and the players conducted themselves with spirit and skill, a welcome change from recent history both on and off the field. I can’t admit to being a fan; my cultural…
Places To Go, Things To Eat
10 Worst Places to be on the Atkins Diet: 1. IHOP, International House of Pancakes 2. Anywhere near the drive through at Krispy Kreme Doughnuts 3. The chip and beer aisle at the grocery store: a two sided nightmare 4. In front of a dim sum trolley at Joy Lucky 5. Any sushi bar 6.…
The Evil Rich
It’s election season, that time of year when the rich guys running for office bash the rich guys ruining America. All of this is made possible by the rich guys writing the campaign donation checks that make these stump speeches possible, an inconsistency that never seems to dawn on the poor schmucks in the audience…
Sweet Success
Most people wouldn’t suspect they could find professional chocolatiers in the middle of residential Dilworth, but husband and wife Drs. Joal Fischer and Debbie Langsam have been making chocolates for seven years. The pair now work together, producing gourmet chocolates for their company, Barking Dog Chocolatiers. Fischer, a retired pediatrician, and Langsam, a Biology professor…
Letters
Teachers Deserve Respect After reading “Teacher Wussdays” (by Quinn Cotton, Feb. 4), I was somewhat miffed at the lack of respect for teachers. I am not a teacher, but in my opinion teachers are underpaid for their work. Teachers don’t have the convenience of calling in sick, they cover their shifts with substitutes, and if…
Valentine Wine
Sexy, sultry, sensuous, luscious — ever wondered why these words are used to describe wine? Could it be that wine leads us down the road to romance? To desire? Wine certainly goes with Valentine’s Day. But does romance have to rule the day on Valentine’s? What if Valentine’s Day conjures up bitterness and resentment rather…
News of the Weird
Money to throw away: While the Statue of Liberty remains shuttered for lack of $5 million in post-Sept. 11 upgrades, Congress in January mandated $10.7 billion in “earmarked” projects (also known as home-state “pork”), including: $50 million for an indoor rainforest in Iowa, $50 million to make sure a Florida beach resort bridge remains toll-free,…
Good Eats
All Around Town Anntony’s Caribbean, 400 S. Tryon St., 704-339-0303; 2001 E. 7th St., 704-342-0749. All locations have different owners. A hint of the tropics; rotisserie chicken with Jamaican jerk sauce, ribs, Paradise Island fish special, curries, and Caribbean styled greens. $$ Azteca, 116 Woodlawn Rd., 704-525-5110; 9709 Independence Blvd., 704-814-9877; 1863 W. Franklin Blvd.…
The Numbers Game
Some patterns have made themselves apparent during the time I’ve been doing this column. Following is a brief summary of key themes, people, places and events I’ve encountered, all digested and spit back out in a handy list form. Which, I am told, is the theme of this issue. 6 things you’re guaranteed to find…
Hits Lists and Shit Lists
Everybody loves lists. None more so than music fans, however. Ever seen the movie High Fidelity? Yes, music obsessives love talking about their favorites and least favorites, and no form embodies the bitching quite as well as the list. VH1, formerly a music channel, might as well be called the List Channel, with almost every…
Alternative Gift Cards
Remember when gift-giving meant picking out the perfect something that reflected how well you knew the receiver? Well, that shit’s over! News reports claim that the sale of gift cards zooms higher every year because people consider themselves too “busy” to actually choose items. There was a time when gift certificates were pretty much the…
Zombies Embrace Their Rebirth
Can you really blame music fans for their cynicism when it comes to reunion tours? We’ve been taken for rides by more bands than the average groupie has. There’s the endless out-of-retirement tour (the Grateful Dead); the coffer-fattening spectacle (the Rolling Stones); the just-got-out-of-rehab rehabilitation (Stone Temple Pilots); the excessive baby boomer nostalgia trip (the…
Word On The Street
Henry Roth Video Store Manager “Yeah, and good riddance. I hate that shirtsleeves and underarm sweat look. How’s he gonna negotiate with our allies looking like that?” Chad Robbins Student “What are you, some kind of war pig?” Ruth Jackson Paralegal “I hope so, he was gettin’ on my last nerve with all that hollerin’.…
Sit & Spin
Miles Davis Birdland 1951 Blue Note So rare now are new transmissions from the distant be-bop past that any sound at all from the era when Bird and Dizzy forever transformed jazz are welcomed in virtually any condition. That’s certainly the case with the official release of these Miles Davis cuts from Birdland in 1951.…
Music Menu
WEDNESDAY 2.11 The Sammies — I first saw the Sammies opening for Patty Hurst Shifter at The Room about a month or so ago. The Shifter had the whole rock star look thing going on (cigarettes! Peg-leg jeans!), and certainly the more glittery regional resume. However, in my opinion (and the opinion of more than…
The Blotter
THREE MEN AND A KNIFE: A man was parking his car when he saw a second man approach a third man and stab him repeatedly in the head with a knife. The first man decided he should immediately dial 911. TAKING OUT TAKEOUT: After phoning in a food order, a woman began to get annoyed…
Soundboard
Wednesday, Feb. 11 Baoding Robert Fernandez Blue Carl DiPonziano Bonterra Kim Carper, Tom Billotto, Donnie Marshall Brickhouse Tavern, Davidson Robin Brown w/ Andy Seets Bricktop Lounge Atmospheric Jazz w/ Christian & Brigmunton Cajun Queen 7th Street Gator Band Charleston Chops, Cornelius Michelle Smith Comet Grill Open Mic w/ Bill McDonald Double Door Inn Scott Jeffrey’s…
See & Do
FEBRUARY 11 – WEDNESDAY Nick Warren is one of the major player DJs in the history of electronica. His mixes (known primarily through the popular Global Underground series) helped define the evolving trance sounds of the late 90s. The Englishman began spinning in the fertile Bristol scene at Vision, toured the States as Massive Attack’s…
View From The Couch
THE CRITIC (1994-95). In the annals of television, has there ever been a series that focused on a worthier subject than this one? Well, OK, I might be a tad biased; seriously, though, fans of The Simpsons (whose producers were also behind this show) will enjoy this animated program that offered big laughs while taking…
Ask the Advice Goddess
Thighs Matters Last year, I had a one-night stand with a guy I’d gotten to know online. I was very attracted to him, mentally and physically. Apparently, he didn’t return my feelings, because he blew me off totally — probably because of my significant weight problem, and my deep insecurity about it, which made our…
Film Clips
NEW RELEASES BARBERSHOP 2: BACK IN BUSINESS How many years — heck, maybe months — before we can expect to see a weekly Barbershop series on primetime television? With its large cast of diverse characters and a set-up that allows a continuous string of rotating plotlines, this film franchise might eventually find a second home…
