Sister Wives Bennett
Minggu, 20 Maret 2011Monday
The Best of Laugh-In A retrospective visit to the late-1960s, early-1970s NBC sketch-comedy show “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In.” 7 p.m. WYES
The Event Off of NBC’s schedule since November, the whatever-it-is makes a double-episode return. 7 p.m. WDSU
He Loves Me Heather Locklear tries to salvage her marriage in a made-for-TV movie. 8 p.m. Lifetime
Stargate Universe The spacey drama returns for its final season. 9 p.m. Syfy
Tuesday
Rex Ball and the Meeting of the Courts of Rex and Comus In addition to live coverage of the ball, there will be prepared features about the history of Gallier Hall, photographer John Tibule Mendes and a history of Lundi Gras. All, for the first time, in high-definition. 7:30 p.m. WYES
Wednesday
Great Performances: Billy Joel: Live at Shea Stadium Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks and Tony Bennett guest-star on Joel’s concert special, the last rock show at the old ballpark before it was demolished. 9 p.m. WYES
The Real World: Las Vegas The reality-TV pioneer returns to Vegas for its 25th season. 9 p.m. MTV
Thursday
Ultimate Factories Just in time for Lent, it’s a visit to the Jack Daniel’s distillery. Next week the series finishes the cocktail quinella by visiting a Coca-Cola bottling plant in Baton Rouge. 9 p.m. National Geographic
Saturday
Best Player A made-for-TV movie set in the world of competitive gamers. 7 p.m. Nickelodeon
Rascal Flatts: Nothing Like This A concert special. 8 p.m. WGNO
Runnin’ Rebels of UNLV A cool documentary about Jerry Tarkanian’s running (sometimes from the NCAA), gunning teams of the late 1970s. 8:30 p.m. HBO
Sunday
Sister Wives It’s season two for the happy outlaw couples Kody and Meri, Kody and Janelle, Kody and Christine and Kody and Robyn Brown. 8 p.m. TLC
Below, TV blah-blah and a saucy 'Real World' clip. Dig it.
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Ncaa Basketball Bennett
And then there were 68.
Doesn't have much of a ring to it, but for those teams that saw their name appear on CBS's Selection Show yesterday evening, those are the perfect words.
While we spend our day furiously filling in our brackets, sneaking in picks while at the office, cutting class to do some additional research, or simply rushing to get things done last minute, these select teams are preparing for the grandest of stages. It begins with a trickle tomorrow and reaches a full roar by Thursday.
For now, there's a certain appeal to the calm before the storm, where the unexpected outcome of a 67 games allows the players, the coaches and the fans the chance to dream. It's the day before and the day after Christmas all rolled into one. Happy bracketing everyone.
Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News: "Shut up, Jay Bilas. You, too, Hubert Davis. Put a cork in it, Digger Phelps. We get it already. The three of you, along with Rece Davis, Dick Vitale, Doug Gottlieb and apparently everyone at ESPN but Erin Andrews, don't believe that UAB deserved an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. That's fine. It's your job to offer your professional opinion on the subject. If only you had. There was nothing professional about the way your ESPN lynch mob ripped UAB's selection. You went beyond dissent with your relentless attacks. Bilas actually said of the Blazers, "They haven't accomplished anything." Excuse me? Is it not an accomplishment to win the outright regular-season championship in the No. 8 conference in America? To win nine true road games? To win 10 games against top-100 teams? To lose just once against a team ranked below 100? Georgia got in the field. You know how many top-100 wins the Bulldogs had? Five."
Tim Pearrell of the Richmond Times-Dispatch: "Jamie Skeen thought Virginia Commonwealth University's chances of making the NCAA tournament were less than 10 percent, so he was eating a buffalo chicken wrap at a nearby restaurant. The senior forward wasn't watching the selection show on the TV that was playing in the restaurant, but his phone kept buzzing. Skeen kept ignoring it. Finally, he answered, and his high school coach blurted out the news: "I told you that you were going to make it!" "I didn't even finish my meal," said Skeen, who started walking back toward the Siegel Center before catching a ride. To the surprise - maybe even shock - of many and the heartbreak of some, the Rams were awarded one of the 37 at-large berths to the 68-team NCAA tournament."
Ben Enos of the San Jose Mercury News: "The emotions running through the Saint Mary's College men's basketball team Sunday felt an awful lot like those of two years ago, as the Gaels found out they would not be invited to participate in the NCAA tournament. "It doesn't make a lot of sense to me right now how we're not in," Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett said. "I felt we got snubbed (two) years ago. ... This year, to have it happen again is tough." In front of a crowd assembled at McKeon Pavilion that included CBS cameras, Gaels players and coaches waited as each region was announced. By the time three regions had been announced and West Coast Conference champion Gonzaga hadn't yet been placed, those assembled in Moraga had a hunch what was coming. "I think when they started the last region and they hadn't called Gonzaga yet, I started to think they won't put us in the same region," forward Rob Jones said."
Dan Daly of the Washington Times: "Making the NCAA basketball tournament never gets old for George Mason. When you've been The Invisible Program for three decades - lost in the Georgetown/Maryland shuffle - you don't forget your humble beginnings, don't forget where you came from. It's still a kick on Selection Sunday to hear Greg Gumbel call your name - and set off an explosion of emotion in the Johnson Center Atrium, where the Patriots and their loyalists were gathered Sunday night. The big difference this time was that Mason knew it was in, even though it hadn't won the Colonial Athletic Association tournament and secured an automatic bid. That's how far the Patriots have come in their 14 seasons under Jim Larranaga. Larranaga has raised their profile to the point where they can shoulder their way into the NCAA tourney as an at-large team, despite their mid-major status. They did it in 2006, when they made their magical run to the Final Four, and they did it again this year, earning a No. 8 seed in the East and a matchup against Villanova on Friday in Cleveland. Mason was such a lock after posting a 26-6 record and reeling off a school-record 16 straight wins that the coach told the crowd, "WHEN our name is called, let's show the national TV audience how happy we are to be playing in the NCAA tournament." When - not if. That's progress."
Jay Drew of the Salt Lake Tribune: "A sigh of relief after a pleasant surprise. That was generally the reaction of the BYU Cougars and their coaching staff Sunday afternoon when the nation's No. 8-ranked college basketball team learned it had been awarded a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament and an opening-round game in Denver against Southern Conference tournament champion Wofford. "We were all excited to get a three seed, in Denver, which is pretty close," said star guard Jimmer Fredette, the nation's leading scorer with a 28.5 average. "I am sure we will have a good amount of fans there." Fredette said he and his teammates were expecting a three, four or five seed - but nothing worse - after the Cougars lost 72-54 on Saturday night in the Mountain West Conference tournament championship game to San Diego State, a loss that dropped their season record to 30-4. "We are very fortunate to get that [three seed], and we are excited," he said. It is the highest seed the Cougars have received since getting a No. 4 in 1988, and matches their highest seed ever, a No. 3 in 1980."
John Feinstein of the Washington Post: "Putting ODU and Butler up against each other on the 8-9 line is pretty close to criminal. ODU is the best rebounding team in the country and won the most underrated conference in the country. Forget that Butler was two inches from being the defending champion in this event; the Bulldogs have won nine straight, and their conference was the toughest it has ever been. Both teams deserved higher seeds, and they certainly didn't deserve to have to play one another in the first round. The Butler-ODU winner will be a tough out for Pittsburgh, especially ODU because they are one of the few teams in the country that can mix it up inside with the Panthers."
Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer: "But even for coach Fran Dunphy, who is more learned than casual, it was still at least a minor relief to hear the school's name called on Sunday evening. Gathered in a meeting room adjacent to the lobby of the Liacouras Center, the Owls had leaped from their chairs and whooped when they received a 7th seed in West Regional and whooped again a moment later when it was announced that their opponent in Tucson, Ariz. would be Penn State. There is always whooping at the start, and Temple deserved to celebrate. But now comes the tough work for a team that played poorly in its last game, an Atlantic Ten semifinal loss to Richmond on Saturday."You worry a little about the distance [to Tucson] for fans and family members who would want to come," Dunphy said. "It would be better if it were a little closer, but if you said after [Saturday's] game, 'You're in, and you're a seventh seed, and you're playing Penn State, but it's in Tucson, Arizona, I would have signed the papers - because you know you're in."
Steve Schrader of the Detroit Free Press: "If you're designated a Cinderella team, doesn't that make it kind of moot? A lot of pundits have jumped on Belmont's bandwagon to fill that role in this year's NCAA tournament. Lucky Wisconsin is its first opponent. But another of the little guys got a lot of love from the TV guys: Oakland, like Belmont, a 13-seed taking on a 4 in Texas. CBS analyst Greg Anthony picked that as one of the West Region's games to watch this week. "Texas-Oakland, I think that's going to be a real interesting matchup," Anthony said. "Oakland's got an inside-out game with Keith Benson and Reggie Hamilton, and I think they also have a lot of experience. "Texas not playing great, as a 4-seed, that could be a dangerous game." Over on ESPN, Jay Bilas agreed. "I think that Texas is going to have a really hard time with Oakland," Bilas said. "Oakland's good team."
Rob Schultz of the Wisconsin State Journal: "Rick Byrd and Bo Ryan have a great deal in common. The extremely successful, veteran coaches of the Belmont and the University of Wisconsin men's basketball teams, respectively, got their first head coaching gigs at small schools and have won hundreds of games by believing in team basketball, motion offense and man-to-man defense. "And not nearly as much one-on-one basketball that we see an awful lot of these days," added Byrd, who is in his 25th season at Belmont, a former NAIA school with an enrollment of less than 6,000 students. They have celebrities as friends who are close to the team, too. Ryan, who won four NCAA Division III titles at UW-Platteville, is tight with two-time U.S. Open champ Andy North. Byrd's good friend is country music star Vince Gill. Just don't think they believe they have something over Kentucky and its biggest fan, Ashley Judd. "I kind of like Ashley Judd myself but you better let other people decide that. She's way cuter than Vince," Byrd joked. Conversely, Ryan's and Byrd's teams, which will meet in a second-round NCAA tournament Southeast Regional game Thursday night in Tucson, Ariz., don't share much in common."
John Blanchette of the Spokesman-Review: "Greg Gumbel, the Bert Parks of Selection Sunday, hadn't even taken his first breath when the yowling began drifting in from Bracket Nation. UAB? Clemson? If the NCAA committee was going to put anyone in, why not Northwestern, which has had its nose against the glass for 73 years? The overall No. 1 seed, Ohio State, in a region with North Carolina, Syracuse and Kentucky - while Pitt gets valet parking to the Final Four? More teams - 68 - are in the NCAA basketball tournament than ever before and still the complaints and conspiracy theories topped all previous records, except at Gonzaga University, where both opportunity and perspective have been hard-won. "This is one year," coach Mark Few said, "I would have crawled on broken glass to Cleveland to play." As opposed to, say, Randy Bennett, who is probably chewing it. His Saint Mary's Gaels were among the purported worthies - Colorado, Virginia Tech, Alabama - given tickets to Snubworld, also known as the NIT. For Few, Selection Sunday 2011 was a revelation - even as the 13th in an unbroken chain of Gonzaga appearances. "It's crazy how nervous you get even when you know you're in," he marveled."
Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "Eleventh-seeded MU (20-14) will face sixth-seeded Xavier (24-7) at 6:27 p.m. Friday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, in a second-round East Regional game. And, as luck would have it, the Golden Eagles just so happened to have played the Musketeers just last season. The matchup, which took place in the first round of the Old Spice Classic in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Nov. 26, 2009, saw MU notch a 71-61 win over its Jesuit school counterpart en route to an appearance in the championship game. "It will at least give you a frame of reference," said Williams, who's led the Golden Eagles to the NCAAs in all three years as coach and to their sixth consecutive appearance overall, of the teams' previous matchup. "That'll be the first game I watch. I'll go back through our practice itineraries when we prepared to play them, go back through my game charts. At least there's some familiarity. The flip side of that is they feel the same about us." Both teams are different than the ones that faced off on that Thanksgiving Day."
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Atlantis Bennett
Sabtu, 19 Maret 2011Complete with flashing multicolored lights and giant television screens, the Huntington High School auditorium looked more like a concert arena than a high school assembly room. The room was packed with screaming students, many of whom brought posters to cheer on their friends in the competition.
The 40 student group was comprised of 20 high schoolers and 20 middle school students. These students had already passed the first round competition, where nearly 100 students auditioned for one of the 40 semi-final slots.
One such student was Brianne Bennett, a tenth grader. She sang “Speechless,” by Lady Gaga and said that she had been singing since the age of three or four.
“I’m a little nervous, because I know a lot of my friends and family are out there,” she said.
While the competition was primarily filled with female singers, there were a few boys as well. James Vicari, an eighth grader, sang Michael Buble’s “Havent Met You Yet.”
“I’m not nervous,” he said. “Well, maybe I’ll be a little nervous once I get out there. I really like how they made the stage with all the lights and the lasers. That’s my favorite part.”
While the lights flashed during the students’ performances, their faces were projected up on the screens, making it feel like the audience was witnessing a real concert in action.
Throughout the show, the audience had the chance to win WBLI 106.1 t-shirts, gift certificates from Cactus Salon & Day Spa and gifts from the Atlantis Marine World Aquarium.
A panel of five judges collaborated at the culmination of the show to decide which 10 middle school and 10 high school students would proceed to the final competition. At the final, one winner from both the middle school and high school level will be selected. The winner will receive passes to Atlantis Marine World, a gift certificate from Cactus Salon & Day Spa and air time on WBLI 106.1 as a DJ. All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Huntington High School Orchestra scholarships.
The final competition will take place in the Huntington High School auditorium on April 29 at 7 p.m.
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Lisa Rinna Bennett
Why doesn’t CNN trust Eliot Spitzer?
Freed of Kathleen Parker’s superfluous presence, Spitzer’s news and talk show (formerly “Parker Spitzer,” now “In the Arena”) had a chance at complete reinvention. Instead, the network hedged its bets.
Rather than risking Spitzer solo for 60 minutes, CNN added two sidekicks, conservative commentators E.D. Hill and Will Cain. Perhaps the decision was made for balance: Hill and Cain lean right, Spitzer left. Hill and Cain are news-anchor pretty; Spitzer, on the network boasting silver fox Anderson Cooper, looks like a balding coyote.
Granted, the former New York governor is an oddity on the cable landscape. He doesn’t yell like Chris Matthews, play the rodeo clown like Glenn Beck or posture as a soapbox populist like Bill O’Reilly. His teleprompter skills are, to put it kindly, in the development stage. When he smiles, he seems to be testing something new.
But his lawyerly tenacity as an interviewer puts his CNN compadre Piers Morgan to shame. Grilling a Wisconsin Republican senator this week about the state’s budget crisis, Spitzer was relentless but respectful. He plays worthy opponent, not enemy combatant.
So why clutter the program with frequent intrusions from Hill and Cain? The trio’s discussions feel rushed, loud and practiced. Spitzer, with his rapid-fire recitation of facts and history, makes mincemeat of his partners.
Hill, best known as the Fox News host who put “terrorist fist jab” into the national lexicon, is especially ill-matched here. With the exaggerated mannerisms of a red-carpet interviewer, she speaks in sound bites and talking points.
“I’m not a policy person,” she said during a roundtable debate this week. “I’m just a regular American.”
Duly noted.
“In the Arena” airs weeknights on CNN at 8 p.m. New York time. Rating: **
‘Celebrity Apprentice’
Maybe Donald Trump should have been a shrink. His ability to transform apparent lunatics into functional members of society -- if society is defined as the shamelessly addictive “The Celebrity Apprentice” -- is unmatched.
All celebrity-based reality programs swim in the shrinking pool of the formerly famous (someone should sue “Dancing With the Stars” for false advertising), but Trump has a knack for latching onto D-listers treading the shallow end of sanity. The result is like one of his gilded skyscrapers: gaudy, embarrassing and hard to sidestep.
Model, HousewifeThis season’s competitors for charity and the honorary title of apprentice range from an ex-teen idol (David Cassidy) to an actress best known for her recent lip reduction (Lisa Rinna, looking fabulous). I’ll save you the trouble of googling Hope Dworaczyk (Playboy model) and NeNe Leakes (Bravo housewife).
Based on the first episode, this year’s villain will be Richard Hatch, formerly of “Survivor” and federal prison. But the celebrity most likely to go bonkers is actor Gary Busey, an impressive distinction considering the cast includes La Toya Jackson and Star Jones.
With his wild eyes, growl of a voice and mug-shot hair, Busey all but speaks his own language. If one teen is scared straight or inspired to rent “The Buddy Holly Story,” this season of “The Celebrity Apprentice” might be worth more than anything raised for charity.
“Celebrity Apprentice” airs Sunday on NBC at 9 p.m. New York time. Rating: **1/2
‘Justified’The plaudits for “Justified” haven’t always matched that title. True, this adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s Appalachian noir potboilers can turn a wicked phrase (barking dogs are “hillbilly doorbells”) and Timothy Olyphant is a charmer as the deputy marshal hounding all manner of backwoods bad guys.
But too many ingredients can weaken the moonshine, and last season was watered down with meandering subplots and wayward romance.
Fortunately, one bad mother has arrived to set things right. Mags Bennett, played by Margo Martindale (“Dexter”), is a Harlan County Ma Barker, the plainspoken, death-dealing matriarch of a dope-selling mountain clan. Mags is shaping up as an even better nemesis for Olyphant’s lawman than Walton Goggins’ syrup-voiced hoodlum Boyd Crowder.
Check out Mother Bennett in the March 9 episode. When one of her hulking, dimwitted sons needs a lesson in obedience, Mags provides it -- with a hammer.
“I have to hurt Coover,” she says. “And I like Coover.”
“Justified” airs Wednesday on FX at 10 p.m. New York time. Rating: ***
What the Stars Mean:**** Excellent*** Good** Average* Poor(No stars) WorthlessGreg Evans is a critic for Muse, the arts and leisure section of Bloomberg News. Opinions expressed are his own.)
To contact the writer on the story: Greg Evans at gregeaevans@yahoo.com.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Manuela Hoelterhoff in New York at mhoelterhoff@bloomberg.net.
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St Patricks Day Bennett
Lesson: Nothing good comes of underage drinking on St. Patrick’s Day.
Proof: The Simpsons’ “Beer Baron” episode
Not since Al Capone has prohibition seen a foe quite like … Homer Simpson? In the all-time classic episode Homer Vs. The 18th Amendment, Homer battles wits with the U.S. Treasury Department officer, Rex Banner, who is summoned to enforce Springfield’s newly discovered 200-year-old prohibition law. But Homer’s masquerading as the “Beer Baron,” sneaking beer into Moe’s Tavern inside bowling balls via a complex series of tubes, wouldn’t even have been necessary had Bart avoided getting drunk during the town’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade. When some errant beer is funneled down his “long plastic horn” (vuvzelas before they were cool), Channel 6 cameras capture Bart’s drunken stumbling. Concerned parents cry for the return of prohibition, Springfield’s antiquated law is discovered, and the showdown between Homer and Banner begins.
Lesson: St. Patrick’s Day parades are a great way to evade the law.
Proof: The Fugitive
The 1993 thriller The Fugitive taught us more than a few lessons about evading law enforcement when you know you’re not the one who killed your wife. Perhaps the most important of these is how to use a St. Patrick’s Day parade to your advantage in this pursuit. In the second-most-famous parade scene shot in Chicago (the most famous one offers no help), Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford) darts in and out of foot traffic and the parade itself, trying to avoid capture by U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones). The scene was a spur-of-the-moment decision by director Andrew Davis, a Chicago native, who obtained the proper permits from the city just in time. Also glimpsed in the scene are actual government officials, including Mayor Richard M. Daley and then-Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris, who would later be appointed as President Barack Obama’s replacement in the U.S. Senate by embattled then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Oh, and Dr. Kimble gets away without even having to sing “Twist And Shout.”
Lesson: Don’t fuck with a leprechaun.
Proof: Leprechaun
The largely execrable Leprechaun franchise has only offered one lesson, but it’s an important one: Don’t fuck with a leprechaun. Mythology tells us that leprechauns are prone to pranks and shoemaking, but the titular leprechaun of the film series doesn’t mess around with shoes, and his pranks are just typical slasher-movie fare—lawnmower blades to the face, strangulations, etc.—with the occasional little-people twist. And don’t think you can escape by avoiding verdant glens and the rolling hills of Eire—the little bastard really gets around over the course of the six movies of the series, including trips to outer space (yes, really), the Los Angeles ’hood, and even Las Vegas. In typical horror movie-franchise fashion, there’s no reliable way to off the little bugger either. Each film offers its own way to kill him, but the wee, murderous runt returns again and again to torment another group of witless victims—and to squeeze a few more dollars out of easy-to-please horror-movie fans to fill his pot of gold.
Lesson: You’re probably just drunk, not divinely (or even Irish-ly) lucky.
Proof: How I Met Your Mother, “No Tomorrow”
The kelly green luster of St. Patrick’s Day can be enough to blind anyone within sparkling-distance of the celebratory shenanigans—even How I Met Your Mother’s typically upstanding Ted Mosby. In the show’s “No Tomorrow,” Barney Stinson convinces Mosby to ditch their friends’ old-married-people game night in favor of partying, and a few seemingly fortuitous events find the two admitted to a hot-spot nightclub. After more than a few drinks, Mosby grows increasingly bold, hitting on every woman in sight as he begins to believe his willingness to celebrate St. Pat’s “the right way” has earned him a one-night reprieve from all consequences. That one night, however, leads only to a blackout—and to a fatherly morning lecture from Marshall Eriksen, complete with evidence of Mosby’s debauchery that would hold up in court. If you feel like you’re getting away with more than what’s good for you, you probably are. And on March 18 (which, remember, will never actually cease to exist), if you’re like Mosby, your friends will have the 17 drunk-dialed voicemails to prove it.
Lesson: Don’t try to close down an Irish pub on St. Patrick’s Day.
Proof: The Boondock Saints
Even before their reign of radical vigilantism kicks in, jolly Irish bruiser brothers Connor and Murphy McManus demonstrate they are not to be trifled with as they punch out a female coworker (Dot-Marie Jones a.k.a. Coach Bieste from Glee) over a not-entirely unprovoked kick to the balls, a much lesser crime than closing down their favorite bar. So when a few Russian mobster goons try to do just that—on St. Patrick’s Day and everything—they must have been expecting a confrontation with some equally hardass Irish revelers, if not the holy Catholic religion-sanctioned assault they received from the “saints.” But since anything goes on St. Patrick’s Day, aside from bottle blocking, the Ruskies should have just accepted that cognac fire on their asses as a lesson to wait to forcefully evict an Irish pub owner until March 18. That could have meant the difference between a few embarrassing bandages and being crushed by a toilet dropped off of a five-story building.
Lesson: The holiday isn’t an excuse to act a fool on television—even if it’s not your excuse.
Proof: 30 Rock, “The Funcooker”
You’d think that decades of green puke-encrusted St. Patrick’s Days would squeeze all of the potential pride out of the holiday, but March 17 is still held near and dear to people of Irish descent the world over. That goes double for the Irish population of 30 Rock’s New York City, who are shocked when Jenna Maroney and Tracy Jordan, the hosts of NBC’s coverage of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, collapse on-air and drop an f-bomb in close succession. Of course, it’s not that either had been drinking: Maroney is strung out from grueling production schedules, while Jordan is just being Jordan, a man who uses profanity like Pablo Picasso wielded a paintbrush. But, neither NBC boss/reluctant Irish-American Jack Donaghy nor the parade organizers take those as valid excuses. And Donaghy admonishes his parade-staining charges with one of 30 Rock’s all-time classic one-liners: “Passing out and cursing, on St. Patrick’s Day? Is nothing sacred anymore?”
Lesson: Don’t mess with the Celtics.
Proof: Cheers and the Boston Celtics’ record on St. Patrick’s Day
The age-old saying about “the luck of the Irish” apparently applies to sports as well, even if none of the benefactors are, you know, Irish. Case in point: the Boston Celtics, one of the most successful sports franchises in the history of anything ever. That luck only goes so far, as the Cheers gang learns the hard way when trying to help legendary Celtic Kevin McHale out of a slump brought on by his obsession with knowing how many bolts were in the floor of the Boston Garden. Woody Boyd, Sam Malone, Cliff Clavin, and Norm Peterson visit the Garden, where a curious Boyd and Clavin lift a board to see the Bruins’ ice underneath the basketball floor. But when the boys forget to put all the proper bolts back in place, the loose board causes injury to McHale. Floor-related injuries aside, there’s also dealing with the Celtics at the Garden (or the TD Garden, as the new building is called) on St. Patrick’s Day: The team is 13-1 at home on March 17th and 22-10 overall.
Lesson: Never work too hard on St. Patrick’s Day.
Proof: The Office, “St. Patrick’s Day”
There’s a fine line between acceptable office revelry and unacceptable office revelry. Wearing green, fine. Taking an office-related trolley tour of bars with your very own hired “leprechaun,” not okay. On The Office’s “St. Patrick’s Day,” Scranton’s Dunder Mifflin, for once, keeps the party out of the workplace, instead attempting to head to a local bar after work. Their post-work festivities are delayed by Jo Bennett (Kathy Bates), the visiting Sabre taskmaster, who shames the employees into staying later by not leaving herself. Eventually Michael Scott makes a rare ballsy judgment call and stands up to Bennett, though not before the cleaning crew tries to come in to sweep the floors. The gang makes it to the bars for green beers long before “Irish Christmas,” as Scott calls it, is over.
Lesson: Suburban moms like vaguely ethnic music.
Proof: A myriad of seasonal PBS specials, from Celtic Woman to The Irish Tenors
Oh, Michael Flatley. What hath thou wrought? After the fey sensation known as Riverdance brought in buckets of donations to PBS stations during pledge drives, public television just couldn’t let a good thing lie. Capitalizing on the bland, middle-aged audience’s taste for mild and inoffensive world music, PBS produced several other Irish-y specials, all of which air around St. Patrick’s Day each year. From The Irish Tenors, now on their fifth special, to Celtic Woman, an all-female ensemble featured in three of its own specials, one of which was shot in front of a dramatically lit castle, PBS programmers’ yoga music cup runneth over. And, hey, as long as the money keeps rolling in, who can blame them?
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Nuclear Reactor Bennett
Minggu, 13 Maret 2011Shannon was in Toyohashi during Friday's massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake. The 24-year-old immediately e-mailed her family to say she was OK.
"She said there was a very strong tremor. It felt like she was on a skateboard on a very wild ride," Arthur De Boer, of Hopedale, said yesterday. "That area did not have the heavy damage, but it's very scary, and they're feeling significant aftershocks along the way."
Shannon's Toyohashi apartment is about 300 miles from the earthquake's epicenter, in Sendai. No floods or fires struck there, Arthur De Boer said, but people in Toyohashi are having trouble getting information about what's happening in the rest of the country.
Local residents said they were "devastated" and "shocked" by news of the earthquake and tsunami, which destroyed part of Japan's coast and likely killed thousands of people by triggering fires and carrying away boats, cars and homes.
"I think it's shocking," said Nancy Best, of Hopkinton. "You just feel so bad for people, and everything's out of control."
Best supports the international community sending assistance to Japan, saying that "people have to help each other out."
Lending a hand was Holliston resident Salina Bennett's first thought after hearing about the earthquake. Bennett previously worked for the grassroots organization Music for Relief, which was founded in 2005 by rock band Linkin Park and is now collecting donations for earthquake victims.
"My immediate reaction was to call them and see if I can go over there and help," Bennett said.
Franklin resident Bob Booker expressed concern, particularly, over the nuclear power plant that exploded yesterday after being damaged from the earthquake and tsunami.
"It brings into question how safe nuclear reactors can be," he said. "Even though they built it to withstand an earthquake, they did not build it to withstand one that strong."
The earthquake is the biggest ever recorded in Japan, and the fifth-largest in the world since 1900. It shook cities and villages along a 1,300-mile stretch and caused buildings to sway in Tokyo, hundreds of miles from Sendai.
Shannon De Boer plans to remain in Japan, Arthur De Boer said. Her parents spoke with her via Skype on Friday and have sent updates to Arthur and his wife, Laurel.
"We were quite nervous for her and anxious to hear she was fine and, of course, concerned for all the people in Japan," Laurel said yesterday. "They're in our prayers."
Julie Balise can be reached at 508-634-7546 or jbalise@wickedlocal.com.
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Sxsw Bennett
At most film festivals, these carefully selected line-ups showcase short films from across the globe — featuring emerging talent who have something just as important to say as their feature-length counterparts but with a fraction of the time to say it. South by Southwest is no exception. This year the festival will feature eight different categories of short films — ranging from music videos to documentaries to films made by high school students to the always-popular selection of midnight shorts.
While its easy to fill your schedule with the red carpet premieres and the much-buzzed about indie films that have already made their mark at other film festivals, this year don’t ignore South by Southwest’s selection of short films.
Here are a few selections from this year’s line-up:
TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL SHORTS
The History of Nikola Tesla — A Short StoryCreated in under 24 hours by Dallas native Jermiah Warren, The History of Nikola Tesla is a very clever outline of the popular inventor’s life. Told through crude animation, a sharp wit and a loving attention to detail, the inventor’s life is given a through once-over by the young animator. As Inside Pulse editor Scott Sawitz might say, not making school presentations like this is what kept me out of the good colleges.
The DoormanRyan Kline is an accomplished young director — having had short films play at several Texas film festivals. His latest movie, The Doorman, is a nice throwback to classic ’80s horror — with a twist. When a couple stops for the night in a mysterious motel, the wife decides to go against all common sense and investigate a odd noise emitting from somewhere in the room. Kline utilizes the talent of his crew (especially composer Eriq Robinson) to create a palpable tension to the story — eventually paying it off with a great gag that should catch audiences off guard.
ZDuel directors John Fernandez and Austin Loving show a real familiarity with the zombie genre in their tribute Z. The two (who also act in the film) fill the short with a great atmosphere and style — paying respect to the forefathers of zombie cinema that have come before them. More than just a simple aping of other films, though, the two’s short manages to establish its own tone and identity — giving a hint at the great promise both show as directors in the future. I’d love to see an extended film from the two — horror or not.
CoonpipesMadeleine Mathis fills her short film Coonpipes with so much rich attention to detail that it boggles the mind. The story of a raccoon’s run-in with a dog, Coonpipes is a simple yet sweet story that gets extremely high marks for its DIY feel and charming Etsy look. A stop-motion animated film, the characters of Coonskin have a home-made look to them that gives the animation a fluid feel that reminded me of some of the great ’70s animated specials from yesteryear. If this is the type of film Mathis can cook up while still in high school, she has a promising career ahead of her as an animator. Keep an eye out for Mathis — she’s going to be somebody whose career is worth tracking.
SuperiorThe Julian Moreno-Pena-directed video for San Antonio band Buttercup’s song “Superior” is very reminiscent of Spike Jonze’s early work with Weezer. Footage of the band performing on a sound stage is intercut with a romp in a local watering hole. Moreno-Pena gives his short a nice, fun tone – reflecting the band’s upbeat pop sound. The young director certainly seems to have a knack for music video directing — creating a video that is very close to being a peer to any one of the music videos that can be currently watched wherever the hell it is they play music videos nowadays.
Joe the Clay Guy and the Crystal SkullIn what feels like a nice, weird mix of Masters of the Universe and an Edgar Wright film, writer/director Jeff Novaez shows that it just doesn’t take a firm grasp on technology to be a young filmmaker today — it takes great imagination. Novaez’s short stop-motion animated cartoon tells the brief story of a Gumby-like traveler who discovers a crystal sword and uses it to fight off an array of monsters. Novaez’ film is very raw but it exudes an impressive amount of creativity — a clue to the type of work that is in the young filmmaker’s future. Full of kinetic action and great comic timing, Joe the Clay Guy and the Crystal Skull is great work from emerging talent.
Circuit Breaker: Episode IIINo lie — with just a few minutes worth of story, directors Matthew Cunningham and Whitney Bennett show more imagination and raw creative power than most professional science fiction filmmakers do in their entire careers. In the third episode of Cunningham and Bennett’s awe-inspirignly artistic television series, viewers are thrown into the middle of a story. Those who had not had the opportunity to catch the first two episodes may be a little lost — which is a shame because the series’ writers (a team which includes co-director Cunningham) have created a nice blend between Phillip K. Dick, Douglas Adams and Frank Miller. Tobias is a nebbish young robot — in love with a co-worker and desperate to impress her — who gets caught up with the wrong crowd and becomes addicted to illegal “experiences.” These experiences — memories that can be directly uploaded into Tobais’ hardware — involve everything from shoplifting to running with scissors. Addicted to the rush, Tobias puts himself into a position where he owes bad people a lot of money and finds himself creating new illegal experiences. To bring their ambitious story to life, Cunningham and Bennett go all out in combining various filmmaking techniques — throwing live-action, animation and puppetry into a blender and giving everything a fresh coat of paint thanks to the magics of computer technology. Circuit Breaker is an ambitious showcase of talent and a glorious peak at some of the talent just waiting around the bend from tomorrow’s superstar filmmakers.
Sun and MoonJJ Rubin’s short film betrays an intelligence that runs deeper than the young filmmaker’s age might suggest. A melancholy examination of the effects of Alzheimer’s’ on a relationship, Sun and Moon deals with some pretty heady subject matter for a short film directed by a high school student. The greatest surprise (perhaps unrightfully) is that Rubin handles the subject matter with a poise and artistic temperament that suggests a great understanding of the human condition being emitted by the director. Between the impressive acting courtesy the film’s leads and a beautifully written script, Rubin’s short film hits all the marks it sets out to achieve — reminding audiences that big ideas can come in small packages.
VolitionMarqui Gaona writes and directs this quasi-cerebrial look at fate’s grasp and second chances. When a pair’s love affair ends tragically, the story is rewound and an escape chute searched for. A sound knack for dialogue and an interesting perspective on a time-worn story total up to equal a damn impressive short film from a genuinely talented high school student. Gaona, who also composed a mood-apporpirate score for the film, seems to have something to say that’s worth listening to. While Volition is all to brief, audiences will be advised to keep an ear to the ground for any future full-length or extended project from Gaona — there’s something special brewing inside the young filmmaker.The Texas High School Shorts line-up premieres Saturday, March 12 at 6:30 PM at the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center. It’ll screen again Saturday, March 19 at 11:00 AM at the Alamo Drafthouse — Lamar.SXGLOBAL SHORTS
Skateistan: To Live and Skate KabulFilmmaker Orlando von Einsiedel explores the spreading sea change in Afghanistan — growing out of the country’s youth. Focusing on the Skateistan youth program, the mini-documentary follows a group of Afghani teenagers who have begun to recapture a hope for their country’s future thanks, seemingly, to the presence of skateboarding in their lives. The Skateistan program is a charity that offers the youth of Afghanistan — both boys and girls — the chance to spend time in a fully stocked skate park that features training, ramps and equipment. By juxtaposing the confident, ambitious youth with the weary, world-beaten down adults who have spent so much time under the rule of the Taliban, the filmmaker attempts to shine a spotlight on some optimism from a country not normally known for any. The short is beautifully shot and edited — making the visual experience a perfect match for the ambitious charity project the film spotlights.
Screening at Tatry CinemaIn Igor Chojna’s portrait of a small-town Polish movie theater, proprietor Dariusz Ambroszczyk is a depressingly defeatist stand-in for the decaying state of Polish cinema. The owner and sole employee of a tiny cinema, Ambroszczyk works a variety of jobs for the theater — between securing the delivery of films, selling tickets and even acting as a manual, low-tech version of Polish Moviefone. Unfortunately, most of Ambroszczyk’s work amounts to nothing as on average the increasingly cynical theater owner serves as few as two customers a weekend — most of his fellow city dwellers having forgotten about the theater. Chojna does not attempt to construct a hard-fast narrative out of his portrait — preferring to let the small snippets of Ambroszczyk’s life that his camera captures speak for themselves. Between growing more and more frustrated at his theater’s lack of business to negotiating with his two canine companions in the tiny apartment he lives in, Ambroszczyk does not have too exciting of a life at first glance but, as is the case with most things, scratch at the surface and the theater owner’s story is a fascinating microcosm for a larger picture — one that explores the decline of art and culture.The SXGlobal Shorts line-up premieres Sunday, March 13 at 1:30 PM at the Alamo Drafthouse — Ritz. It’ll screen again Thursday, March 17 at 2:00 PM at the Alamo Drafthouse — Ritz.]]>
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Uconn Bennett
Jim Calhoun drew up a play in the Connecticut huddle that gave Kemba Walker two options for the final shot. He could either take it himself in the closing seconds against Pittsburgh, or kick it to Jamal Coombs-McDaniel if he was covered.
As soon as Walker put the ball on the floor, Calhoun knew which choice he'd made. The star point guard used a crossover and shoulder roll to shuck his defender right to the ground, then stepped back and swished the winning basket at the buzzer, lifting the No. 21 Huskies to a 76-74 victory over the third-ranked Panthers in the Big East quarterfinals.
"The best player in my opinion for his team made another winning shot, a big-time shot," Calhoun said. "There wasn't any doubt in my mind what option it would be when he put the hard dribble down. Kemba has made a ton of big shots."
Few bigger than this one. The buzzer sounded just as the ball went through the net, and freshman Shabazz Napier was the first person to grab Walker by the waist and hoist him into the air. The Huskies calmed down quickly, though, making sure nobody got hurt in the scrum.
Video: Watch Kemba Walker's buzzer beater against Pittsburgh
Virginia blew a large lead in the final seconds to fall to Miami:
If Thursday's shocking 69-62 overtime loss to Miami was any indication, Virginia still has plenty of room for growth. In one of the more improbable collapses in ACC tournament history, the Cavalier fumbled away a 10-point lead in just 28 seconds during the final minute of the second half, allowing the Hurricanes to force an extra period.
Virginia appeared to be cruising to a resounding victory, up by 10 with less than 43 seconds after senior Mustapha Farrakhan made 1 of 2 free throws. That lead, though, soon turned into a curse. Miami's Durand Scott and Malcolm Grant hit consecutive three-pointers to draw the Hurricanes within four.
After missing two free throws, Virginia guard Sammy Zeglinski then committed a turnover, and Miami's Julian Gamble responded with a dunk. After Bennett called a timeout to calm his troops, guard Jontel Evans mishandled the ensuing inbounds pass and Scott hit a layup and was fouled in the process to tie the score at 53 with 13 seconds remaining.
Georgetown's big loss to UConn in the second round has alarm bells ringing in Washington. As Sally Jenkins explained:
This isn't a slump by Georgetown. It's a cave-in. It's one thing for the Hoyas to lose four straight games, but quite another to lose so dispiritedly. Sure, they miss point guard Chris Wright, but to be this easily destroyed, so undone by his broken left hand, suggests they weren't very tough to begin with.
It was still lunchtime when the Hoyas were out of the Big East tournament. They trailed ninth-seeded U-Conn. by 15 with 3 minutes 41 seconds left in the first half of their noon quarterfinal at Madison Square Garden, and were never able to get it under double digits after that, losing, 79-62. Without Wright they didn't just lack organization and confidence, they seemed to lack enthusiasm. Even the school band sounded flat, off key and out of time.
At the buzzer Julian Vaughn sat on the bench, staring at the towel in his hands, while next to him Henry Sims chewed his thumbnail, both yanked by Coach John Thompson III for not producing. Nearby the injured Wright was somber in a charcoal suit, with a black wrap on that busted left hand.
More from The Washington Post
D.C. Sports Bog: Virginia blew a 100 percent safe lead
Bracketology: Updated 68-team tournament field projection
Sports: Gary Williams is Maryland basketball, like it or not
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Library Of Congress Bennett
Professor Bennett says the Government's policy will disadvantage local exporters. (User submitted via ABC Contribute: JodieV, file photo)Australia is "going out on a limb" by putting a price on carbon before other countries do, an environmental economist says.The Government's carbon tax will start in July next year and then morph into an emissions trading scheme, but the details of the tax and the amount of compensation are yet to be determined.
Key independent Tony Windsor has labelled the carbon tax strategy a mistake, while the Opposition says the Government must explain how the tax will affect households and the wider economy.
Australian National University Crawford School of Economics professor Jeff Bennett says the Government's policy will disadvantage local exporters, while other countries are lagging on the issue.
"The Prime Minister said we've got to do something or else we're going to be left behind - it's important to realise that first of all, very few countries around the world are doing much about this [pricing carbon]," he said.
"And secondly, even if everybody did something about, if all nations in the world did what Australia's doing, still the impact on greenhouse gases in the atmosphere would be so small, [it would] not have any real or meaningful impact on the pattern of climate across the planet.
"What that means is that the Australian economy is going to have this quite substantial cost imposed on it, with very little to show by way of benefit."
Professor Bennett says countries would need to be doing a lot more to affect climate change.
"The science seems to indicate that we would have to have massive reductions in our greenhouse gas emissions to have any impact," he said.
"And those massive reductions would of course mean very, very strong taxes, very, very strong cap-and-trade arrangements, and it's apparent politically that that's not a feasible option at the moment. The current [Australian] Government is struggling in the polls to capture the nation's interest in having another tax levy."
He says other countries are not interested in imposing a cost burden on their economies.
"Internationally - especially in countries like India and China that are on strong development trajectories, that want to see their economies grow - they're very reluctant to engage in greenhouse gas reduction strategies," he said.
"There are countries around the world that are doing things - New Zealand, there are cap-and-trade schemes operating in Europe and some states of the United States - but still this is a fraction of the greenhouse gas emissions across the world."
Professor Bennett says instead of putting a price on carbon, Australia should implement an adaptation strategy.
"What the adaptation strategy involves is waiting to see what happens in the future. Is the climate going to change? If the climate does change, then adapting to those increases in temperatures or increase in cyclonic conditions," he said.
"So rather than trying to reduce the gas going into the atmosphere, we don't try to do that. We wait to see whether or not the science pans out as some of the scientists tell us it's going to, and then adapt to that eventuality.
"All of these issues to do with climate change remain uncertain. With any uncertain event, it's wise to take out insurance. But we want to make sure that insurance in itself is a good investment."
But the Climate Institute's chief executive, John Connor, says it would be "reckless" to take the adaptation strategy alone.
"We're beyond that, and it's beyond reasonable risk-taking - frankly it's a negligent approach to have adaptation only," he said.
"We have all the academies of sciences of the bigger countries around the world - the CSIRO and others - warning very clearly from a range of fields of science that impacts of climate change are being felt already and that we will see increased weather extremes.
"We've got to get up there and take up responsibility. We certainly need to have a focus on adaptation now because all the best science is saying we're beyond the ability to stop some of these weather extremes and some of the impacts of climate change."
The Federal Government's key climate adviser, Ross Garnaut, said on Thursday that new science since the 2007 International Panel on Climate Change research strengthened the position that the Earth is warming and that human emissions of greenhouse gases are the main cause.
Mr Connor says Australia is "absolutely not" going out on a limb.
"We are not implementing policy before others - we are following others in implementing policy," he said.
"There are at least 30 other countries (EU countries, New Zealand and some states of the US) with emissions trading schemes, there are a range of clean policies around the world. We're seeing massive investment in clean energy worldwide."
Mr Connor says while some countries are not yet putting a price on carbon, it should not be mistaken for inaction on climate change.
"India has a national energy efficiency trading scheme, China has got massive clean energy investments," he said.
"It's incorrect to draw to narrow a lens on the policy that we have. It's not just a question about putting a price on carbon.
"There's a range of things that drive businesses to take greater responsibility for their carbon pollution and to make investments in cleaner industries."
Tags: business-economics-and-finance, environment, climate-change, government-and-politics, federal-government, tax, emissions-trading, australiaFirst posted March 11, 2011 10:51:00]]>
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Rascal Flatts Bennett
Sabtu, 12 Maret 2011March 12: Salt-n-Pepa's Legends of Hip Hop Tour, 8 p.m., Chaifetz Arena, St. Louis.
March 17: Imagination Movers Live, 6:30 p.m., Fox Theatre, St. Louis. $25, $30, $35 at the Fox box office, MetroTix outlets or call (314) 534-1111 or www.metrotix.com.
March 17-20: "Disney on Ice," Scottrade Center, St. Louis. Showtimes: 7 p.m. Thursday; 10:30 a.m., 7 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m., 3, 7 p.m. Saturday; 1, 5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets range from $13 to $65 and are available at Scottrade Center box office, Ticketmaster centers, call (800) 745-3000 or visit ticketmaster.com.
March 18-19: Spring Indoor Bluegrass Festival, 7 p.m. Friday, 1, 7 p.m. Saturday, Holiday Inn Six Flags, Eureka, Mo. Youth Talent contest at 7 p.m. Friday for ages 16 and under. Bands on Saturday: the Punches family, Mona Jones and the Bluegrass Travelers, The Sterlings and Missouri River Band.
March 25-27: "Stomp!," 8 p.m. Friday; 2, 8 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday, Fox Theater, St. Louis. Tickets start at $23. (314) 534-1111 or www.metrotix.com or www.fabulousfoxcom.
March 27: St. Louis Comic Book Show, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Shrewsbury American Legion Post, 7300 Lansdowne, St. Louis. $2 admission. (314) 544-2812.
March 31: Janet Jackson, 8 p.m., Fox Theatre, St. Louis. $52.50, $62.50, $82.50. Tickets at the Fox box office, MetroTix outlets, (314) 534-1111 or www.metrotix.com.
April 1: Comedian Mike Epps with Sheryl Underwood, 8 p.m., Chaifetz Arena, St. Louis University, St. Louis. $44.50, $55.50. metrotix.com, MetroTix outlets, Chaifetz Arena box office or call (314) 534-1111.
April 3: BeBe & CeCe Winans and Mary Mary, 7:30 p.m., Fox Theatre, St. Louis. $35, $40, $45, $50 at Fox box office, MetroTix outlets or call (314) 534-1111 or www.metrotix.com.
April 5: Michael Flatley's "Lord of the Dance," 8 p.m., Fox Theatre, St. Louis. $35, $45, $55. Fox box office, MetroTix locations; (314) 534-1111 or www.metrotix.com.
April 8-10: Art Fair, Greensfelder Recreation Center, Queeny Park, 550 Weidman Road, Ballwin, Mo. Presented by Greater St. Louis Art Association. Fine art, crafts, music, wine tastings, refreshments (available for purchase). $5 admission.
April 8-10: Home Show, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, St. Charles Convention Center, St. Charles, Mo. Free admission. Features 200 companies, 350 booths, free parking at the St. Chalres Convention Center. Produced by Home Builders Association of St. Louis and Eastern Missouri.
April 10: Lil Wayne, 7 p.m., Scottrade Center, St. Louis. $47.25, $77.25, $97.25.
April 12-24: "Next to Normal," Fox Theater, St. Louis. Tickets on sale at Fox box office, metrotix.com or call (314) 534-1111 or MetroTix outlets.
April 21: Arcade Fire with The National, The Concert Club @ Scottrade Center, St. Louis. $39 at the box office, livenation.com, Ticketmaster or (800) 745-3000.
May 1: Celtic Woman: Songs from the Heart, 2 p.m., Fox Theatre, St. Louis. Tickets on sale now. $48-$68. celticwoman.com.
May 3: Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band, Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, St. Louis. Tickets on sale Jan. 24 at 10 a.m.
May 6: Charlie Wilson with Fantasia, En Vogue and Eric Benet, 7:30 p.m., Chaifetz Arena, St. Louis University, St. Louis. $37, $51, $61. metrotix.com, Chaifeetz Arena box office, MetroTix outlets or (314) 534-1111.
May 6: Comedian John Pinette, 8 p.m., Touhill Performing Arts Center, University of Missouri-St. Louis. $32.50 at the Touhill box office or touhill.org or call (314) 516-4949.
May 6: St. Louis Teen Talent Showcase, Fox Theatre, St. Louis. Free Broadway-style production. Tickets available at no charge at Fox box office and online beginning April 4.
May 7: Tony Bennett, 8 p.m., Fox Theatre, St. Louis. Tickets are $65, $66, $76, $86 and are on sale at 10 a.m. Feb. 28. Fox Box office, MetroTisx outlets or call (314) 534-1111 or www.metrotix.com.
May 11-15, 17-22, 24-39: "Jersey Boys," Fox Theatre, St. Louis. Various times. fabulousfox.com.
May 13: Jason Aldean with Eric Church, the JaneDear girls, Verizon Amphitheater, St. Louis. Tickets on sale at 10 a.m. Feb. 25. $29.25, $36.75, $54. No service charge at the box office first week of sales. Tickets available at the box office, livenation.com, Ticketmaster and charge by phone: (800) 745-3000.
May 22: Bon Jovi, 7:30 p.m., Scottrade Center, St. Louis. $17, $27, $37, $47, $77, $127. ticketmaster.com or (800) 745-3000.
May 27: Josh Groban, Scottrade Center, St. Louis. Tickets on sale at the box office, livenation.com, Ticketmaster or (800) 745-3000. No service charge at the box office.
May 27-30: Rib America Festival, Soldier's Memorial Plaza, St. Louis. Features barbecue, music, more. Entertainment: Puddle of Mudd on Friday; Kansas, Montrose, Mark Farner, Pat Travers and Derek St. Holmes on Saturday; Candlebox on Sunday; .38 Special, Molly Hatchet, Fabulous Motown Revue and others on Monday. Free admission before 5 p.m. Friday and before 1 p.m. Saturday-Monday; $6 after 5 p.m. Friday and after 1 Saturday-Monday. Children 12 and under free.
June 2-26: Circus Flora: "Vagabond Adventures," 7 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 2, 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 1, 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Grand Center, St. Louis. Tickets are $8-$44 and go on sale March 16. www.circusflora.org or (314) 289-4040.
June 3-July 3: "A Chorus Line," Stages St. Louis, Robert G. Reim Theatre, Kirkwood Community center, 111 S. Geyer Road, Kirkwood, Mo. (314) 821-2407.
June 20-26: "Legally Blonde: the Musical," The Muny, Forest Park.
June 22-July 3: "101 Dalmatians," Stages St. Louis, Robert G. Reim Theatre, Kirkwood Community Center, 111 S. Geyer Road, Kirkwood, Mo. (314) 821-2407.
June 22: Motley Crue with Poison and New York Dolls, Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, St. Louis.
June 27-July 3: "Kiss Me, Kate," The Muny, Forest Park.
June 29: Keith Urban, Scottrade Center, St. Louis. $25, $55, $70. ticketmaster.com or (800) 745-3000.
July 6-14: "The Little Mermaid," The Muny, Forest Park.
July 18-24: "Singin' in the Rain," The Muny, Forest Park.
July 19: New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys, 7:30 p.m., Scottrade Center, St. Louis. $29.50, $49.50, $69.50, $89.50. ticketmaster.com or call (800) 745-3000.
July 22-Aug. 21: "The Secret Garden," Stages St. Louis, Robert G. Reim Theatre, Kirkwood Community Center, 111 S. Geyer Road, Kirkwood, Mo. (314) 821-2407.
July 25-31: "Little Shop of Horrors," The Muny, Forest Park.
July 27: Journey with Foreigner and Night Ranger, Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, St. Louis. Livenation.com, Ticketmaster.com, box office or call (800) 745-3000.
Aug. 1-7: "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers," The Muny, Forest Park.
Aug. 8-14: "Bye Bye Birdie," The Muny, Forest Park.
August 10: Def Leppard with Heart, Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, St. Louis. Tickets are $35, $45, $55, $65, $95, $105. Livenation.com, Ticketmaster or call (800) 745-3000.
August 13-14: Taylor Swift, 7 p.m. Scottrade Center, St. Louis. $25, $59.50, $69.50. ticketmaster.com or call (800) 745-3000.
August 20: Katy Perry, 7:30 p.m., Scottrade Center, St. Louis. $45. ticketmaster.com or call (800) 745-3000.
August 24: Steely Dan with jazz artist Sam Yahel, 8 p.m., Fox Theatre, St. Louis. $35, $55, $75 at the Fox box office, MetroTix outlets or call (314) 534-1111 or www.metrotix.com.
Sept. 9-Oct. 9: "Victor/Victoria," Stages St. Louis, Robert G. Reim Theatre, Kirkwood Community Center, 111 S. Geyer Road, Kirkwood, Mo. (314) 821-2407.
Nov. 1-6, 8-13: Billy Elliott The Musical, Fox Theatre, St. Louis. Various times. fabulousfox.com.
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Fml Bennett
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Time Change Bennett
Chris from Morgantown, W. Va., writes: Brian, great job on the schedule analysis features! My question is this: if we'd get a miracle and some BE teams win big Non-Conference games (like Syracuse over USC and WVU over LSU), how would it affect the nation's view on the conference?
Brian Bennett: The only way to change perception is to win big games, and the Big East didn't do much of that last year. There aren't a ton of marquee out-of-conference games this year for the league, but if West Virginia and Syracuse can pull those off, and if Pitt and South Florida can win their big matchups or Cincinnati can win at Tennessee, then respect will slowly come the Big East's way. Ultimately, the league needs to win its BCS game, too, because the three-game losing streak is not doing it any favors.
Chris from Wallingford, Conn., writes: Brian, I have to respectfully disagree with you about something. I think you have continually underrated Lawrence Wilson the past couple of years. All this kid has done, as you state, is put up ridiculous numbers. And he's done it for three years straight. It's not a fluke and I would think after leading the league in tackles for two years in a row he'd get a lot more talk for defensive player of the year. He was, without question, a top 5 player in the league last year. Even if you forget for a moment that he's amassed 263 tackles in the last two years, or that he had over 110 tackles in 3 of his 4 years, or that he pretty much won two big games over his career with pick-6's (Louisville 07/USF 10), he still led the league in tackles this year. Eighth-best is too low.Brian Bennett: I agree with most of what you say, Chris, and I was a big fan of Wilson's work during his Huskies career. However, the top 25 list was based on 2010 performance alone, so I did not consider his career achievements. Wilson had another really good year this past season, but I didn't think it was quite as strong as his 2009. He and the entire defense weren't playing that great in the first half of the season, and you could argue that Sio Moore had a bigger impact at linebacker in a couple of UConn's major victories. Tackle numbers aren't the entire story; I also like to see tackles for losses, sacks and forced turnovers, and Wilson didn't put up huge numbers in those categories this year.
Corey from Baton Rouge, La., writes: So let's say with the addition of TCU in 2012, the Big East does end with a $450+ million television contract. Would that money do anything to pursuade a team to jump ship from the ACC? If it happened before 2012, couldn't the Big East push the number up to $500 million?Brian Bennett: Bloomberg had a story earlier this week speculating that the Big East could more than double its current contract to about $460 million. But understand two things about that. One, it was mostly speculation. And two, that number is based on the current six-year, $200 million contract. So that would be $460 million over six years. The ACC recently signed its deal worth a reported $155 million annually. And, of course, the Big East has 17 teams to split the pie. So there's still no financial incentive for a team from another BCS league to come aboard.
Ray from Rahway, N.J., writes: Re: Pitt this upcoming season. I am expecting HUGE things from Ray Graham. Entering his junior year bigger, stronger, faster, more experienced at the collegiate level, coming off a productive season averaging 6.2 per carry and almost 1,000 yards (missing two games) (Dion Lewis averaged 4.8 per carry last year), the only returning upper class RB, the new offensive scheme sure to give him more touches both running and receiving and coming at the defenses from such a variety of angles (unpredictable). He could be a Heisman candidate by mid-season.Brian Bennett: There's no question that this could be a monster season for Graham. It kind of has to be, because right now Pittsburgh doesn't have anybody else at tailback. I worry about him staying healthy all year, and whether he can fix his fumbling problems. Still, Todd Graham and Calvin Magee are going to use him as much as possible. Interestingly, Tulsa finished 15th nationally in rushing offense last year but didn't have anybody run for more than 561 yards, and its leading rusher was the quarterback.
John from New Jersey writes: Rutgers has the highest winning percentage in opponents combined record: 35-28 (.556). Rutgers has the most TEAMS from out-of-conference who went to 2010 bowl teams: 4. But only one BCS opponent. There are so many teams with BCS tie-ins that are not good. Why does Rutgers not give itself more credit and play those lower BCS teams?Brian Bennett: I'll say this for Rutgers' schedule: Navy is usually better than most lower-tier BCS conference opponents you can find. The schedule does have more marquee names coming on it in the near future. But the less said about the Scarlet Knights' scheduling, the better.
Dave from Missouri writes: Is it sad that we live our lives for football given to us by arguably the worst league in college football? At least you get paid for it.Brian Bennett: That might be the saddest e-mail I've ever received. Cheer up, Dave. It's almost spring.
Kelly from Tampa writes: BB, when are you going to post your own trick shot video?Brian Bennett: If you saw my workout video, you know that's a poor idea.
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Three Mile Island Bennett
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: "I thought I was dizzy or getting sick, then realized the earth was moving," man saysAnother said the aftershocks were "like a gigantic theme park ride, except much scarier"Many people took video of the damage during and after the earthquakeFires burn debris on top of the tsunami waveTokyo (CNN) -- He's lived in Japan for nine years and is no stranger to earthquakes. But Ryan McDonald said this one terrified him.
"Oh my God, the building's going to fall!" the English teacher shouted on a video he sent to CNN's iReport, as he filmed the scene outside his home in Fukushima on Friday during the worst earthquake to hit Japan in recorded history.
About 250 kilometers (155 miles) away in Ichihara, August Armbrister wrote that "night came quickly today" as an earthquake-sparked refinery fire there sent thick black smoke upward, blocking out the blue sky.
The aftershocks were the worst, Harrison Payton said.
"They feel like the entire world is a gigantic theme park ride, except much scarier and with no known end," he wrote to CNN on Friday in an iReport from his home in Yabuki-machi, also in Fukushima Prefecture -- only about 180 kilometers, or 110 miles, from the center of the devastating 8.9-magnitude earthquake.
Payton, like many others, grabbed his phone or video camera and starting recording when the shaking didn't stop after a few minutes.
Ned Kubica, from California, was at a Tokyo hotel when it began. He went outside.
"There was glass broken from doors and windows from the next building over," Kubica told CNN in an iReport. "Everyone was in the street looking up at the buildings."
An American student living in Osaka told CNN that the "ground rolled for about two to three minutes and felt like waves of water washing over the house" when the earthquake rumbled through.
Afterward, "there was a strange, eerie creaking sound that emitted from the house and doors that were swaying from side to side. Outside, some of the poles and fixtures attached to houses moved but no buildings or houses were damaged," Brian Doyle, the student, said in an iReport.
In one area, a highway split neatly along the center dotted line, as if it were perforated paper. One half of the road ended up as high as 6 feet above the other. Residents peered down from the upper to the lower part of the road in disbelief.
Brent Kooi felt the quake as he was walking to the train station through a park in Chiba City, east of Tokyo, to go home.
"I thought I was dizzy or getting sick, then realized the earth was moving," he said in an iReport to CNN.
Video he shot showed sidewalk cracks expanding and shrinking as water bubbled up elsewhere in the otherwise peaceful park.
Erdrin Azemi says she was scheduled to fly out of Tokyo's Narita Airport on Friday, but the quake halted all travel. When the first earthquake hit, she and her fiance tried to get outside.
"We couldn't run because of the earth shaking. I started panicking because I thought the building might collapse," she told CNN.
Hours later, early Saturday, the couple was still inside the airport with hundreds of other stranded travelers.
"Everyone is calm. People are trying to rest," she said in an iReport. "There are small earthquakes every hour or so, sometimes more frequent. They last about 5-10 seconds. ... No one reacts to these quakes, we just look at the ceiling lights and point when we feel one."
Richard Dong was also at Narita Airport, in the Delta Air Lines Sky Club lounge.
"Soon after a small shaking, the whole lounge felt like (it was) jumping. Some parts from the ceiling fell off. Glass, cups, computers fell off from the tables," he recounted. "People started hiding under tables, staff working in the lounge kitchen ran out. A young mother tried very hard to push the door opening and let her kid out from the play room."
McDonald told CNN's Jim Clancy on Saturday that the shaking seemed to last forever.
"It got a little bit worse, so I went to the door to see how it was. ... It got considerably worse, and I said, 'This is the biggest one yet,' and then it didn't stop, so I went to stand outside between the two buildings.
"The clanking you hear (on the video he shot) is the canisters of natural gas banging against each other. That's when I said, 'Oh my God, the building is going to fall!' "
The structure of his building "had never made that sound. It sounded like a shotgun or a freight train going off, just BOOM!"
"That was absolutely the dumbest place for me to be standing (near the gas). At first I said, 'OK, I should get out,' ... (then,) when the cans started banging against each together violently, I saw lights in the alleyway -- I saw them physically just bounce into the air, about 3 feet into the air, and that's when I said the word that had to be beeped out" on the video he sent to iReport.
"Sorry," he added.
McDonald said his water, gas and phone services are out. He does have electricity, somehow. But all the grocery stores and shops near him are closed.
A shopper filmed the scene from inside a supermarket, showing employees desperately trying to keep merchandise on the shelves in the early moments of the powerful quake. They soon give up and scamper to safety as boxes and cans tumble to the ground around them.
"I don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow for food," McDonald said.
Armbrister is living with a host family in Ichihara in Chiba Prefecture. They'd just gotten through the initial quake and were suffering through the frequent aftershocks when they heard a loud "boom" in the distance.
"At that same moment, through the windows, we noticed the sky had instantly turned bright orange. We went outside and talked with the neighbors. Apparently, a plant of some sort had blown up," he explained to CNN in an iReport.
He grabbed his camera and went to get a closer look.
"The scene was wild. Cars stopped where they were to look at the chaos in the distance," Armbrister said. "I actually talked to a person who worked at the refinery. He spoke Japanese very fast, but he told me there were six explosions, and I understood one phrase he repeated -- 'the heat was unbearable.'
"The smoke was unbelievable. It completely blocked the blue sky. Night came quickly today," Armbrister said.
Then came the tsunami.
A sea of sludge and mud carrying wooden planks, trees, houses and cars oozed inland over Japan's eastern coast after the earthquake jolted the region and caused an unknown amount of death and destruction.
The wave moved slowly through the Honshu region, one of Japan's most populous. In some places, debris burned on top of the water -- flames sparked by heating oil tanks or gas lines that exploded in the shaking of the quake.
After the dirty water pushed through farmland, villages and cities, trees stripped bare of their leaves lay where they landed, their branches tangled with electrical wires, trash, insulation and foam mattresses; hulking, spiky giants jammed against crumbled buildings and walls of what used to be homes.
The scope of the devastation hasn't begun to emerge, as rescue crews try to make their way into the wide swath affected by the tsunami and earthquake.
Mark John Bennett, an American missionary in Narashino, in Chiba Prefecture, taped scenes of water outside his home, about half a mile from the beach of Tokyo Bay.
"The park across from us is flooding, it's from a tidal flood," Bennett said, narrating as he filmed water that seeped up from the ground and then went gushing down the street.
He tilted the camera upward during an aftershock, showing the telephone wires strung across the street dancing wildly from swaying telephone poles.
"Ah! Here we go! You see how we're moving, back and forth, like an island? Our entire block is moving, like it's an island!" Bennett said, as people around him yelped and shouted.
Amateur video recorded in Rikuzentakata, in Iwate Prefecture, showed a scene that could have been put together by Hollywood's best graphic artists.
The images show a small town, wrapped around a mountain-ringed bay, with fog rising off of the sea. You can't see the water move in. Instead, you see houses rise and gently ride the crest of the wave until they bump into other homes and buildings, moved by the unseen force of the tsunami and crushed by the weight of each other.
As far as 400 miles away from the epicenter of the earthquake, buildings in Tokyo shuddered and swayed.
American Zack Philipp serves in the Navy at Yokosuka city, in Kanagawa Prefecture. He was inside a bureaucratic office fixing his vehicle registration when the temblor struck.
"I first thought it was a small quake and that it would end soon. After 15 seconds, I realized this was much larger than what I had experienced before," he told CNN in an iReport.
He saw people running to the street and followed them. That's when he saw that the side of the building had fallen.
"I turned and started walking down the street when I saw the side of the building and how it had fallen. The scene around the building was like very calm, the search and rescue crews seemed to operate at a very calm, collected pace," Philipp said.
"It's kind of eerie, as there is not much talking. Most people are walking home in silence," he added.]]>
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Ucla Bennett
Sun Devils face the Ducks tomorrow. Winner will meet Washington or Cal on Thursday.
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Kali Bennett led the Sun Devils with 14 points and eight rebounds, as ASU beat the Skyhawks 89-56.
ASU holds SDSU to fewest points at home since 1986-87 season. The Sun Devils defeated the Jackrabbits 63-52.
Arizona State won its fourth straight game by beating Southern California 83-71.
March 08, 2011
Game Notes in PDF Format
UP NEXT
The Arizona State women’s basketball season begins postseason play on Wednesday (noon PT/1 p.m. MT) when it faces Oregon State in the first round of the 2011 Pacific Life Pac-10 Basketball Tournament.
ASU enters this year’s tournament as the No. 3 seed while Oregon State comes in as the No. 10 seed. The Sun Devils closed out the Pac-10 regular season by winning six of their last eight contests to secure their ninth top-3 finish in the last 11 years.
After beginning the season 3-2 the Sun Devils went on a seven-game winning streak, which included a 79-66 win over current No. 9 DePaul and a 2-0 start in Pac-10 play. ASU then traveled to the Bay Area for its first Pac-10 road trip where it fell to both Cal and Stanford. The Sun Devils would then alternate wins and losses in their next eight games (4-4) before finishing the Pac-10 season with wins in six of their final eight games.
Oregon State (9-20, 2-16 Pac-10) has been one of the most competitive teams in the league as 11 of its Pac-10 losses have been by single digits, including six losses by five points or less with two of those coming against the Sun Devils.
In the first meeting in Tempe on New Year’s Eve OSU missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer that would have forced OT in the Sun Devils’ 49-46 win. In that game ASU used a 15-4 run in the second half to erase a 33-28 deficit. Kimberly Brandon (19 points) and Dymond Simon (13 points) combined for 32 of ASU’s points in the win, while Sage Indendi, who is currently Oregon State’s second leading scorer (10.7 ppg), had a game-high 20 points to lead the Beavers.
In the second meeting last Saturday in Corvallis, Brandon scored 15 points and Tenaya Watson added 14 as the Sun Devils held off several Oregon State rallies to come through with a 59-54 win. Watson (11 points, 2-3 FGs, 5-6 FTs) and Brandon (10 points, 5-7 FGs) combined for 21 of ASU’s 28 points in the second half. The duo also combined to shoot 70 percent (7-10 FGs) in the final 20 minutes while the rest of the team was a collective 21 percent (3-14 FGs) from the floor.
Brandon averaged 17.0 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 58 percent from the floor (14-24 FGs) in the two wins. The Sun Devils averaged a +6.5 advantage on the boards in the two games, however the Beavers (22-37 FTs) shot nearly twice as many free throws as the Sun Devils (13-19 FTs).
The winner of Wednesday’s game will advance to Thursday’s (3 p.m. PT/4 p.m. MT) quarterfinal round where it will meet either sixth-seeded California (ASU 1-1 vs. Cal in 2011) or seventh-seeded Washington (ASU 2-0 vs. UW in 2011).
RADIO/LIVE STREAMING
Wednesday’s game can be heard live on 1440 AM KAZG. Coverage will begin at 1 p.m. in the Valley. Veteran broadcaster and the state of Arizona’s 2010 Broadcaster of the Year Jeff Munn is in his seventh season as the voice of ASU women’s basketball.
Live streaming of the game can be seen on the Pac-10’s youtube page:
YouTube.com/Pac10Conference
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
• ASU has won 73 percent of its Pac-10 contests (79-29) since the 2005-06 season and has now finished among the top three teams in the Pac-10 nine times in the last 11 years.
• The Sun Devils will be the No. 3 seed in this year’s Pac-10 Tournament. They have been seeded third on four other occasions -- 2002 (tourney champions), 2005 (tourney finalist), 2008 (tournament semifinals) and 2009 (tourney quarterfinals). The No. 3 seed has played in the final game four times, and has won the tournament two times (ASU in 2002 and UCLA in 2006).
• ASU will be seeking its second Pac-10 Tournament title. The Sun Devils won the inaugural Pac-10 Tournament in 2002, defeating Stanford in the championship game, 70-63. They have appeared in the final in three times, most recently in 2007 when they lost to Stanford, 62-55.
• Arizona State holds a 33-19 lead in the all-time series with Oregon State. The Sun Devils have won 19 of the last 20 meetings, including the last 17 in succession. Last season ASU defeated OSU 56-47 in Tempe and again 62-49 in Corvallis. Becca Tobin had six blocks in the first meeting last season, which came one block short of tying the school record. ASU won the first meeting of 2010-11, 49-46, in Tempe on New Year’s Eve and the rematch last week in Corvallis 59-54.
• ASU is 16-2 this season when it has outrebounded the opposition (3-7 when it hasn’t). ASU is also 16-1 in games it has led at the half.
• ASU is 4-0 this season in games decided by three points or less. In those contests ASU has shown a trend of stepping up when it matters most as it has shot 56 pct. in the last five minutes of those games while limiting the opposition to 34 pct. And speaking of stepping up, senior F Becca Tobin is shooting 63 pct. from the field in the second half of Pac-10 games.
• ASU is currently second in the Pac-10 in free throw shooting percentage (.726) while Tenaya Watson (.807) and Dymond Simon (.804) are Nos. 3 and 4, respectively, in the league.
• ASU has held the opposition to 56 or fewer points 13 times this season.
• ASU has had 15 or fewer turnovers 11 times this season with nine of those instances coming in its last 18 games. ASU had a season-low 11 turnovers vs. USC (Feb. 24).
• In ASU’s last six games junior F Kimberly Brandon is averaging 15.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals while shooting 57 percent from the field (33-58) and 91 percent from the line (20-22) during that stretch.
• Tenaya Watson has tallied 19 assists in ASU’s last four games.
• Currently with 97 career blocks, Becca Tobin needs three more rejections to pass former Sun Devil Fran Ciak (1987-90) for second place on ASU’s all-time list.
• ASU began the week No. 30 in the NCAA’s RPI standings. The Sun Devils have three Top 40 RPI wins (DePaul - currently No. 10 and two wins vs. USC - currently No. 39). Six of ASU’s nine losses are to teams in the top 15 of the RPI -- Tennessee (No. 2), Stanford (2x - No. 5), UCLA (2x - No. 8) and Florida State (No. 15).
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Daylight Savings Time 2011 Bennett
FICTION
Clark, Mary Higgins. I'll Walk Alone. S. & S. Apr. 2011. c.304p. ISBN 9781439180969. $25.99. F
With the two-year anniversary of her toddler's disappearance from Central Park approaching, Alexandra "Zan" Moreland maintains hope that Matthew will be found alive. The successful interior designer continues her relentless search as incriminating evidence surfaces, linking her to the abduction. Zan fights seemingly insurmountable odds as the ongoing investigation uncovers more clues pointing to her guilt. Is her sanity slipping, or is she a victim of identity theft? Is Matthew alive? Even Zan begins questioning the facts. Clark's beloved ex–cleaning lady/lottery winning sleuth Alvirah Meehan (a recurring character first introduced in Weep No More My Lady, 2007) is closely entangled in the mystery as she attempts to exonerate Zan. As the plot unfolds, Zan's credibility and the safety of those she holds dear hang precariously in the balance.
Verdict Delivering a gripping plot, a likable female lead, and a wonderfully eclectic cast of supporting characters, the Queen of Suspense adds a 30th notch to her fiction belt; suspense devotees will rejoice. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 11/15/10.]—Mary Todd Chesnut, Northern Kentucky Univ. Lib., Highland Heights
McDonald, Abby. The Liberation of Alice Love. Sourcebooks Landmark. Mar. 2011. c.432p. ISBN 9781402253133. pap. $14.99. F
Alice Love is about to turn 30, and she has her life pretty much in order. She enjoys her job working for an agent in London, has been saving her money, and is just about to put that money to use as a down payment on her first home. So when her credit card is declined, she doesn't think much of it. But when another card bites the dust and her landlord evicts her, Alice realizes that someone has stolen her identity and cleared out her savings account. Alice's quest to find the person who stole so much from her—someone who's a lot closer then she realizes—brings her into close contact with handsome fraud investigator Nathan Forrest. While Nathan and others caution Alice about her obsession, Alice realizes that it is no longer just about the money. As she follows in the footsteps of her stalker/thief, Alice starts to wonder if her nemesis is living the life that Alice should be living.
Verdict This is a strong entry in the chick lit field, and Alice makes for an appealing and intelligent protagonist. Fans of Katie Fforde and Jennifer Weiner will find something to enjoy here.—Jane Jorgenson, Madison P.L., WI
McEuen, Paul. Spiral. Dial: Random. Mar. 2011. c.320p. ISBN 9780385342117. $25. F
Cornell University physics professor McEuen's debut thriller explores the world of nanotechnology and bioengineering and ponders the ramifications if the science is used for nefarious purposes. Six months after the end of World War II, scientist Liam Connor is shipped out to a vessel in the Pacific to investigate a mysterious outbreak that leaves no survivors. He discovers the virus is human-made, and instead of destroying the last sample, he keeps it. In the present, Liam is working at Cornell University as one of the top scientists in the country. Shortly after a young woman visits him, Liam appears to commit suicide. It's up to his daughter and a colleague at the university to uncover the truth.
Verdict Fans of Michael Crichton who have been waiting for another science-based thriller will be intrigued. The story line works well, but the author has a tendency to give away too much information, making the read seem more nonfiction than fiction. Less historical material would have made this a slam-dunk. [Library marketing.]—Jeff Ayers, Seattle P.L.
McMorris, Kristina. Letters from Home. Kensington. Mar. 2011. c.364p. ISBN 978758246844. pap. $15. F
World War II is well under way when Liz Stephens goes to a USO dance in 1944 to hear her roommate Betty Cordell sing. Their other roommate, Julia Renard, uses her fiancé as an excuse to refuse to dance with soldiers leaving the next day for basic training. Liz has a beau, too, but something about farm boy Morgan McClain intrigues her. Liz leaves the hall later when she sees Morgan dancing with Betty, and Betty ends up with Morgan's address. Then she asks for Liz's help in writing a letter to him.
Verdict Fans of Rostand's Cyrano will see where actress/writer McMorris's debut is heading, but the story does encounter a few original turns. While the secondary characters straddle the line between stock and disbelief (new recruit Betty working in a jungle hospital?), Liz and Morgan display some dimension, and their letters are thoughtful and heartfelt. Alternating among the characters and their locales, this tender tale of love in wartime paints a grimly detailed picture from the homefront as well as the front lines. Readers who enjoyed Elizabeth Berg's Dream When You're Feeling Blue might take a shine to this title, too. [Reading group guide.]—Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal
Shalvis, Jill. Animal Magnetism. Berkley Sensation: Penguin Group (USA). 2011. 295p. ISBN 97804250239810. pap. $7.99. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Brady Miller is always on the move as he covers global hot spots for an independent security contractor. Still, when his foster "brothers" Adam and Dell say they need his help with their veterinary practice/animal rescue business, he can't say no, though the month he promises to stay in Idaho might seem like an eternity. His visit begins with a bang when Lilah Young rear-ends his parked truck while dealing with a Jeep-ful of puppies, piglets, and a duck. Running her own kennel/pet-sitting service, finding homes for abandoned animals, and studying to be a vet take up all of Lilah's time. Brady seems like he might be too much of a distraction. A big distraction, with big muscles and a commanding presence, who already has a departure date. Oh, my.
Verdict Shalvis (Slow Heat) ramps up the pet-friendly book trend with this story of two people who are looking for very different things while reluctantly finding common ground and perhaps rescuing each other. The cute-as-can-be four-legged critters keep the humor and the humanity at full throttle. This steamy, romantic barn-burner is recommended for most collections.—Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal
NONFICTION
Bennett, Pamela. Jams & Jellies in Less Than 30 Minutes. Gibbs Smith. Mar. 2011. 128p. photogs. index. ISBN 9781423618713. $16.99. COOKING
Bennett has been making and selling jams for many years, and this cookbook, which reflects her experience, will allow anyone to create a jam or jelly successfully. Her recipes are simple, clear, and easy to follow, with brief instructions and large color photos. While some recipes call for liquid or powdered pectin, many others rely on the fruit's natural pectin. Ingredients lists are at times as simple as fruit, sugar, and a spice. Recipes are included for old favorites like Blueberry Spice and new combinations, such as Mango Madness, Mimosa Jelly, or Inferno Jelly. Savory spreads can be used for appetizers, marinades, or roasting. The recipes make small quantities that can be refrigerated or frozen but do not need to be canned. Using ingredients often at hand, a small batch of jam can be made quickly.
Verdict This is a great book for all levels of experience and a wonderful introduction for new jam makers who have been leery of jumping into the canning ordeal.—Melissa Stearns, Franklin Pierce Univ. Lib., Rindge, NH
Chattman, Lauren. Bread Making: A Home Course; Crafting the Perfect Loaf from Crust to Crumb. Storey. Mar. 2011. c.296p. illus. index. ISBN 9781603427913. pap. $16.95. COOKING
If you accept the old saying "Cooking is an art, baking is a science," then this scientific textbook for the home baker is for you. Informative and thorough, Chattman (Cake Keeper Cakes; Cookie Swap!) includes all you need to know about the protein content of flour, kneading and fermentation methods, how to use your home oven most effectively, and how to achieve the crust you want. She shares loads of recommendations for equipment, and, in Q&As at the end of each chapter, covers every imaginable question or doubt, even going so far as to recommend bread-making machines. The illustrations are clear, useful, and pertinent. The second half of the book presents techniques and recipes and features chapters on no-knead dough (the Jim Lahey method), yeast bread, sourdough breads, flat breads, whole-grain breads, and recipes for bread machines.
Verdict This may be the only bread book you will ever use. Highly recommended.—Grace Shanahan, formerly with Brooklyn P.L., NY
Edwards, Michelle (text) & Jen Gotch (photogs.). A Knitter's Home Companion: A Heartwarming Collection of Stories, Patterns, and Recipes. STC Craft: Stewart, Tabori & Chang. Mar. 2011. 160p. illus. ISBN 9781584799160. $17.95. HOME ECON
Edwards, a children's book author who also writes for Lion Brand Yarn's e-newsletter, has produced an interesting hybrid that is neither autobiography, cookbook, nor pattern collection but a blending of these things. Edwards draws from knitting technique sources, such as Elizabeth Zimmermann and the Knitting Guild Association, as well as from newer sources of knitting self-discovery and anecdote, like Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, Debbie Stoller, and Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne. But what makes this book such a gem is its mimetic depiction of a knitter's life. Children, friends, moves to new cities, and crises of all kinds insert themselves and become part of the fabric of this book as they became part of the author's experience. The included recipes and patterns are uncomplicated, concise, well written, and user friendly.
Verdict This would be an inspiring gift for a new mom home on maternity leave. A worthwhile purchase.—Felicity D. Walsh, Emory Univ., Decatur, GA
Howe, Florence. A Life in Motion: A Memoir. Feminist Pr, dist. by Consortium. (Jewish Women Writers). Apr. 2011. c.588p. photogs. index. ISBN 9781558616974. pap. $24.95. LIT
Florence Howe's Wikipedia entry says that she "is understood to be a nationally recognized [sic] leader of the contemporary feminist movement." However, without Gloria Steinem's or Betty Friedan's name recognition, Howe has her work cut out for her in making a case for her place in the pantheon of 20th-century feminists. Her accomplishments, particularly as an educator during the Civil Rights era and as a feminist publisher, are indeed considerable, but her memoir presents a curious amount of kvetching about dysfunctional family members, unsympathetic teachers, etc., and it's startling when she suddenly announces having gotten married for the first time—because why doesn't someone who can remember the details of early school papers bother to write about meeting, much less falling in love with, her first husband, particularly when, as a feminist, she is so sensitive to stereotypes and perceived gender roles? Still, Howe was part of some important history, and a number of compelling people, like Grace Paley, Tillie Olsen, and Marilyn French, make their appearances in this book.
Verdict This will be read by historians, sociologists, and women's studies scholars, although they may find it, at over 500 pages, a tough slog.—Ellen D. Gilbert, Princeton, NJ
Lillien, Lisa. Hungry Girl 300 Under 300: 300 Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Dishes Under 300 Calories. Griffin: St. Martin's. Apr. 2011. c.560p. illus. index. ISBN 9780312676810. pap. $22.99. COOKING
Lillien started Hungry Girl as an email featuring low-calorie recipes and tips that she sent to family and friends. It has grown into a popular website and e-newsletter, and Lillien has produced a number of best-selling books (Hungry Girl 1-2-3; Hungry Girl Happy Hour). Her goal is to make guilt-free cooking easy for anyone to enjoy. This latest title in the series includes recipes such as Chicky Pad Thai and Just Veggin' Pizza. Each recipe has no-sweat instructions and features readily found ingredients (the most exotic is soy milk), which make this cookbook very appealing. The tips scattered throughout further guide readers to healthier eating.
Verdict It's easy to see why Hungry Girl is popular—Lillien has a fun and breezy style aimed at the busy everyday cook. This title will be popular at most libraries; highly recommended. [National tour.]—Ginny Wolter, Toledo–Lucas Cty. P.L.
MacLaine, Shirley. I'm Over All That: And Other Confessions. Atria: S. & S. Apr. 2011. c.224p. ISBN 9781451607291. $22. AUTOBIOG
For some celebrities, it's not enough to give us the details of their lives and careers in a volume or two. Some are compelled to add to their oeuvre with books about their thoughts on the state of the world and advice for a happy life. Kirk Douglas and Suzanne Somers come to mind, and now MacLaine has fallen victim. After 12 books, she's showing no signs of stopping. She embarked on this path with Out on a Leash (2003), in which she shares her rather unnerving love for her dog, followed in 2007 by Sage-ing While Age-ing (a self-explanatory title). Now she wants us to know what she's over, as in, "I'm over people who repeat themselves." She is also over being polite to boring people, young people who are rude, sex, and a host of other topics. As this books attests, she is certainly not over her belief in UFOs, past lives, and the right lighting to look good at any age. But hey, at 76, she's entitled to pontificate.
Verdict A bit of fluff, but her fans will want it.—Rosellen Brewer, Sno-Isle Libs., Marysville, WA
Mrazek, Robert J. To Kingdom Come: An Epic Saga of Survivial in the Air War Over Germany. NAL Caliber: Penguin Group (USA). Mar. 2011. c.400p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780451232274. $25.95. HIST
The bombing of Stuttgart, Germany, on September 6, 1943, by 338 U.S. Army Air Force B-17 "Flying Fortresses" is used by former U.S. congressman Mrazek (A Dawn Like Thunder: The True Story of Torpedo Squadron Eight) to anchor two intertwined stories. The first is how thousands of brave airmen flew against hundreds of Luftwaffe fighters through flak-filled skies to deliver their payloads. Their personal accounts of surviving the horrors of deadly aerial combat to return to base, escape capture in France, or become POWs are riveting, giving readers the real flavor of the war, much more riveting than official statements and position papers. The shorter, second story is about the upper-level arguments over how to prove that massive daylight "precision" bombing was viable and who was to blame when it didn't succeed. Mrazek criticizes U.S. Army Air Force commander Hap Arnold for pushing for deep raids into Germany before there was adequate long-range fighter protection.
Verdict Recommended for World War II history buffs and all who want to read about real heroes. [See this reviewer's two-part roundup of new World War II history books coming in LJ 3/15/11 and LJ 4/1/11.—Ed.]—Daniel K. Blewett, Coll. of DuPage Lib., Glen Ellyn, IL
Philbin, Tom & Michael Philbin. The Killer Book of Infamous Murders. Sourcebooks. 2011. 272p. illus. ISBN 9781402237461. pap. $15.99. TRUE CRIME
This latest in the authors' Killer Book of... series follows the same pattern as the previous two volumes. Designed to appeal to "fans of murder," the brothers Philbin recount an even dozen juicy killings from the 1800s to today, presenting the cases in short, "just the facts, ma'am" chapters distilling the basics. Chapters also sport multiple sidebars featuring interviews with cops and lawyers, coroner's reports, trial proceedings, and murder/crime factoids. There are also "Who Am I?" quizzes on noted killers and victims. The rogues gallery of infamous cases and murderers includes Lizzie Borden, Sam Sheppard, Leopold and Loeb, the In Cold Blood tag team of Perry Smith and Dick Hickock, and Jeffrey McDonald. Note that the accompanying crime scene photos are quite graphic. The text also includes a lengthy glossary of related terms.
Verdict Although some might find the flippant approach to these stories of murder a bit tacky, those who truly are "fans of murder" will enjoy all the extra goodies. Like their earlier Killer volumes, the Philbins again deliver great ghoulish fun for true crime fans.—Mike Rogers, Library Journal
Sturma, Michael. Surface and Destroy: The Submarine Gun War in the Pacific. Univ. of Kentucky. Mar. 2011. c.260p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780813129969. $29.95. HIST
Historically, submarines have, of course, for the most part operated underwater, but there were times when they surfaced and attacked with their deck guns. This was especially true later in World War II, when there were few big Japanese targets for the U.S. submarines to attack from underwater. The Japanese transported supplies on smaller trawlers, junks, and sampans; since they could not be sunk with a submarine's torpedo, the only option for U.S. subs was a surface attack, thus exposing themselves to enemy airplanes and possible gunfire from the target vessels. Both sides sometimes shot at the survivors; Sturma (history, Murdoch Univ., Australia; The U.S.S. Flier: Death and Survival on a World War II Submarine) examines the morality of those choices. His subject is a relatively little-known aspect of the Pacific War.
Verdict Well documented, this book is recommended for those interested in World War II naval and Pacific operations.(Maps and index not seen.).[See this reviewer's two-part roundup of new World War II history books coming in LJ 3/15/11 and LJ 4/1/11.—Ed.]—Daniel K. Blewett, Coll. of DuPage Lib., Glen Ellyn, IL
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Gage, Christos (text) & Diego Latorre (illus.). Dante's Inferno. DC. 2010. 144p. ed. by Scott Peterson. illus. ISBN 9781401228125. pap. $19.99. GRAPHIC NOVEL
Gage (WILDCATS) offers an action-packed graphic novel adaptation of Dante's The Divine Comedy. After returning from the Crusades to find his beloved Beatrice murdered, Dante Alighieri breaks open the gates of hell and begins his quest to save her soul-and his own-from eternal damnation. Gage's script is stunning, well paced, and perfectly suited to the characters. It manages to echo Dante's original text while making it just modern enough for today's readers to grasp easily. Latorre's artwork brings it all together, with blurred brushstrokes that incant the chaotic underworld.
Verdict This title is a great option not only for readers who don't want to dive into the original Inferno but also for gamers who are familiar with the new Dante's Inferno video game. If you see patrons checking out the game, tell them about the graphic novel. Recommended.—Justin Hoenke, Portland P.L., ME
Johnson, Mat (text) & Simon Gane (illus.). Dark Rain: A New Orleans Story. Vertigo: DC. 2010. c.160p. ed. by Jonathan Vankin. illus. ISBN 9781401221607. $24.99. GRAPHIC NOVEL
Johnson here follows up his critically acclaimed Incognegro with a story of two ex-cons trying to pull a heist in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. An obvious play on the infamous Black Water private security firm, the title refers to a security firm central to the story. It also reflects Johnson's need to infuse everything he writes with some racial element, while never writing dialog more profound than what's found in a bad action movie. There are a few emotionally effective moments, as when a female character trapped in her flooded home has to escape the attic by kicking through the ceiling to climb on the roof, which then exposes her to the panorama of apocalyptic devastation of her neighborhood (a scene essentially ripped from CNN). British artist Gane traveled to New Orleans to get a feel for the city, and his art is clean and efficient but nothing truly striking. To his great credit, however, he does capture a wide range of emotions without often slipping into the campy overwrought facial expressions so many artists rely on to tell serious stories.
Verdict A rather predictable mainstream attempt at capitalizing on the critical cache provided by the disaster that was Hurricane Katrina and the equally disastrous government response. Acceptable for teens and up with a predilection for pulp stories.—Robert Young, Charleston, SC
Patterson, James & Dara Naraghi (text) & Victor Santos (illus.). Witch & Wizard: Battle for Shadowland. IDW Pub. 2010. 112p. illus. ISBN 9781600107597. $17.99. GRAPHIC NOVEL
The brother-and-sister team of Whit and Wisty inhabit a dystopian future where the New Order maintains totalitarian control. Forming a resistance movement with other determined teens, they use their magical powers to battle "The one who is the one." If the drama sounds a bit overblown and artificial, it is. Characters are thin, and attempts to fit the novel's content into an abbreviated form—and keep the focus on action—result in both rushed pacing and plot gaps. What's more, the dialog (without a hint of irony) doesn't read true for teens—has anyone referred to a sibling as "sis" since the 1970s?
Verdict This is a reasonable graphic novel translation of a rather mediocre novel accessible to preteens and teens. However, even pretty pictures and an active layout can't make the story better than it is. The novel sold on Patterson's best-selling reputation, and the graphic novel may do the same, but it fails to satisfy. Buy only it if your patrons request it.—Julia Cox, Penticton P.L., BC
Robinson, James (text) & Javier Pina & others (illus.). Superman: Mon-El; Man of Valor. Vol. 2. DC. 2010. 224p. ed. by Sean Mackiewicz. illus. ISBN 9781401229375. $24.99. GRAPHIC NOVEL
If you don't know who Mon-El is, have no idea what the New Krypton story line is about, and wonder why a Superman book doesn't focus on Superman, don't read this graphic novel. Picking up after Superman's confusing reaction to his adoptive father's death and an influx of fellow Kryptonians to Earth, Man of Valor explores the pressures and strains Mon-El (a near-Superman clone) carries as he tries to step into the role so dutifully filled by Superman. Again, the story concepts—Mon-El fighting Superman baddies like Bizarro, the fear of alien assimilation through General Lane-are developed with careful thought and intelligent design. But you need the backstory to make sense of what you're reading, and, sadly, there isn't a lot of catch-up exposition in these pages.
Verdict A solid story for Superman regulars but a poor starting point for newbies and not the best selection for sometime-superhero fans looking for a quick fix.—Robert Morast, Fargo, ND
Seth. Palookaville #20. Drawn & Quarterly. 2010. 88p. illus. ISBN 9781770460188. $19.95. GRAPHIC NOVEL
A compilation of serial comic, autobiography, sketchbook, and gallery documentation, this first hardback publication of the long-running Palookaville comic series is captivating for both fans and newbies of Seth's work (George Sprott; It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken; and Wimbledon Green). An earnest introduction laments the end of a comic book format yet welcomes the opportunity for more comprehensive work. The ongoing series Clyde Fans opens this volume, depicting the decline of the Matchcard's family business through creative, fast-paced memory sequences. Readers are then invited into the author's world, literally, through photographs and an essay describing Seth's art installation Dominion City, a three-dimensional model city designed as a setting for his stories. Following are sketchbook images and an illustrated account of the author's humorous yet angst-filled experience at a book festival. A cartoonist for The New Yorker, Seth offers stylized illustrations that are well rendered and tell compelling stories.
Verdict This periodical style of serial publication is highly satisfying. Finishing the extensive "Palookaville" is analogous to watching DVD extra features of a favorite movie. Highly recommended.—Willow Fitzgibbon, Fayetteville P.L., AR
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