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contents Issue No. 8 3
in this ISSUE
Dec. 9-22, 2011
inside ELEMENTARY, MY DEAR It’s cold outside, and it gets dark really early. Escape the winter doldrums by taking in one of these new releases in a theater near you.
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CONTACTS EDITOR Meta Hemenway-Forbes 319.291.1483 meta.hemenway-forbes@ wcfcourier.com ADVERTISING Sheila Kerns 319.291.1448 sheila.kerns@wcfcourier.com REACH OUT AND TOUCH US pulse@wcfcourier.com 319.291.1483 CREATIVE CREW Emily Smesrud Angela Dark Alan Simmer David Hemenway INTERNET GURU Christopher Koop
8 Uptown boys The Tony Award-winning dreamboats of The Midtown Men will grace the stage at the Adler Theatre, performing top hits from a who’s who of the 1960s.
16 Hits and misses Grandma got run over by a reindeer. Just leave her there, along with other Christmas song roadkill, and give these lesserknown holiday melodies a spin.
12 Ring in Christmas Lampost Theatre will present a musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “The Chimes.” Follow a sad sap as he watches an alternate universe unfold.
22 Still rockin’ Redfoo, half of the rowdy party duo LMFAO, sits down with The Associated Press to talk about his meteoric rise from day trader to superstar.
14 Favorite films “Can I refill your eggnog for you? Get you something to eat? Drive you out to the middle of nowhere and leave you for dead?” Settle in with TV Christmas classics.
24 Gamer’s guide Not all gamers are the same, so we came up with a handy-dandy flowchart to help you pick the right gift. Also, check out our review of new Zelda title “Skyward Sword.”
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showgirls, cows, killer rabbits & french people
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the heavieSt piece oF Scenery, the camelot hanger, weighS 6,000 poundS..
it takeS more than
among the propS iS a cow that weighS 45 poundS. it takeS two StagehandS to catapult it over the caStle. tle.
Spamalot S uSeS
approximately 40 coconutS per month, Supplied by the coconut king ing in Florida.
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it’S a guarantee that one knight will loSe their head every night.
lake’S coStume iS made oF hand-Strung glaSS beadS..
Spamalot uSeS 40 wireleSS microphoneS and conSumeS over 2,500 aaa batterieS per month.
Ni?
ShUttErStock and coUrtESY PhotoS
Six tankS tank oF liquid carbon dioxide per week create the low-ground Fog eFFect. ect.
Six poundS pound oF conFetti are uSed at
each perFormance. ormance.
80 people on Stage and oFF to run each perFormance. ormance.
there are more than 100 wigS, including Facial hair, in the Show. all are hand-tied and made oF human hair, yak hair and SyntheticS Supplied From new york, caliFornia and london. ondon.
SPAMAlot james frazier | PULSE writEr
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ans of British humor, musical theater, Monty Python, irreverence and even none of the above are in for a treat. The hit musical comedy “Monty Python’s Spamalot” comes to Cedar Falls on Sunday, Jan. 15, at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus. “Monty Python’s Spamalot” is written by Eric Idle, a Monty Python member, along with John Du Prez on the music. Self-described as “lovingly ripped off” from the 1974 film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” the musical features a similar but ultimately different plot from its official source material. “They make a lot of musicals based on movies, and they’re not always great. But this one was,” said Steve Carignan, assistant vice president of GBPAC. “It starts off from the movie and builds from it. It’s actually sort of fancier, since the film was so low budget.” Audiences can look forward to elaborate choreography and costumes, lots of songs covering an array of genres and, of course, plenty of jokes that are clever, crass and postmodern. The play debuted in 2005 to critical acclaim for its writing, music and high production values. It also found financial success and went on to win three Tony Awards, including the prize for best musical. The play follows King Arthur as he and a motley brigade of knights seek the Holy Grail. Fans of the film can expect to see many staples of the film brought to the stage, such as the Knights who say Ni, rude French soldiers and a rather deadly rabbit. Monty Python was an influential British comedy group active from the late ’60s to the early ’80s. Their most famous work in North America was and remains “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” though “Spamalot” has done much for the brand. Monty Python TV series, films, albums and shows are beloved for their wit, wordplay and eagerness to toy with expectations. Films and TV episodes often feature characters aware of their status as characters, subsequently deriving much humor from ridiculing and subverting audience familiarities. Jokes skewer not just the medium but conventions varying from mainstream perceptions of history to social mores.
Monty Python’s Spamalot 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15 Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, Cedar Falls $27-$50; gbpac.org
the pooreSt peaSantS’ coStumeS in the Show are actually made oF raw Silk. ilk.
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there are more than 100 undergarmentS in the Show, including 30 pairS oF men’S FiShnetS..
the lady oF the
Midtown medley After a successful national tour of nearly 50 cities across the U.S. and Canada, The Midtown Men bring their show to Davenport’s Adler Theatre. The Midtown Men are Tony Award winner Christian Hoff, Michael Longoria, Daniel Reichard and Tony nominee J. Robert Spencer. The group’s show features top hits from a who’s who of the ’60s, including The Beatles, The
Beach Boys, The Temptations, The Jackson 5 and The Four Seasons, whose story they brought to life every night as stars in the original cast of “Jersey Boys.” During their time in “Jersey Boys,” these four artists shared the stage for more than 1,000 performances and delighted television audiences with appearances on the “Today Show,” “The
Late Show With David Letterman” and “Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve.” Saturday, Dec. 17 @ 7:30 PM Adler Theatre, Davenport $31.50 to $51.50 | adlertheatre.com ticketmaster.com
Photographs from a nostalgic journey American photographer David Plowden was born in Massachusetts in 1932. He studied with Minor White and Nathan Lyons and was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1968. He is best known for his photographs of industrial scenes, steam trains, Midwest farmlands and small towns, although the places and people of Iowa hold a special place in the artist’s oeuvre. Plowden has traveled the state for decades photographing the landscapes, towns and
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people that crossed his path. This exhibition, “David Plowden’s Iowa,” consists of more than 60 black-and-white prints. A free opening reception for this show and “Urban Landscapes” by Mary Phelan will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16. Through March 25 Dubuque Museum of Art dbqart.com
Down ’n’ dirty
The World’s Toughest Rodeo kicks off its national “Made in America Tour” in Des Moines with two nights of wild west entertainment. This year’s tour salutes hard-working Americans. The World’s Toughest Rodeo features the world’s toughest bulls and broncs in four fan favorite events: bull riding, saddle bronc riding, bareback riding and women’s barrel racing. Along with edge-of-your-seat action, fans can expect world-class specialty acts. The concrete ends and the wild west begins each night as fans are invited to come down in the dirt on the arena floor for the free preshow. The preshow is a chance for fans to meet cowboys and entertainers, get autographs, sit on Midnight the bull in the bucking chutes and even get up close and personal with the World’s Toughest Rodeo animal superstars with a behind-the-chutes tour. The preshow begins each night at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, and Saturday, Jan. 14 @ 7:30 PM Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines $20 to $57 | iowaeventscenter.com | dahlstickets.com
Goldmoor Christmas Carol Dinner December 16, 27 and 29
Experience a magical evening celebrating the spirit of the Christmas season complete with the choir of “Goldmoor Carolers” providing festive song and merriment. Enjoy a traditional 5 course English Meal with your choice of Roasted Prime Rib or Stuffed Cornish Game hen.
December 31
Celebrate New Years Eve in style with a dining experience you’ll remember for years. Seven course prefixed menu, Complimentary Champagne toast and Party favors Goldmoor Inn & Dining Seating at 6:30
Casual fine dining Thursday-Monday
The Goldmoor Inn 9001 Sand Hill Road, Galena, IL 61036 800-255-3925 | www.goldmoor.com
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get your flick on
9 december Stars: Sarah Jessica Parker, zac efron, halle barry, Ashton Kutcher, michelle pfeiffer The lives of several couples and singles in New York intertwine over the course of New Year’s Eve.
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9 december Stars: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy In the bleak days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley is forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet agent within MI6’s echelons.
PHOTOS: FOCUS FEATURES, WARNER BORS., EPK, MAGIPICTURES
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
THE SITTER 9 december Stars: Jonah Hill, Ari Graynor, Sam Rockwell A college student on suspension is coaxed into babysitting the kids next door and is fully unprepared for the wild night ahead of him.
I MELT WITH YOU 9 december Stars: Thomas Jane, Rob Lowe, Jeremy Piven When four 40-something college friends meet up for their annual reunion things start to spiral out of control, and a pact they made as young men is revisited.
SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS 16 december Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr. Watson join forces to outwit and bring down their fiercest adversary, Professor Moriarty. PULSE
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HAIRBALL
The Lampost Theatre’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “The Chimes” features, from left, Mike Runge, Jean Bosch and Bryce Taylor.
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STEVE-0 COMEDIAN
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dec.
A TRIBUTE TO 80’S ROCK LEGENDS
Holiday
AMIE STEFFEN | PULSE WRITER
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veryone knows about “A Christmas Carol” — the Charles Dickens story is trotted out every December in book, movie or play form, still managing to delight millions. Jeff Hanson was tired of it. Or, perhaps more accurately, he figured audiences were. “We have long wanted to do something with that Dickens Christmas flavor but didn’t want to redo something so familiar as ‘A Christmas Carol,’” he said. “Then, we came across ‘The Chimes.’” “The Chimes” — officially, “The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells That Rang an Old Year Out and a New Year In” — was written in 1844, a year after Dickens’ most popular Christmas book. It’s the second in a series of five Christmas books the author penned.
‘Chimes’ ring
Cou rte sy photo
Much like “A Christmas Carol,” “The Chimes” follows one character as he bears witness to an alternate universe of events that he is powerless to stop. Hanson thought it would be perfect as The Lampost’s holiday musical this year. “This was written at a time — the ‘Hungry Forties’ — when there was a lot of economic difficulty, an (on)going economic downturn and growing tensions between rich and poor,” Hanson said. “It really seemed to echo the problems now.” Hanson adapted and wrote the music for “The Chimes,” which features between seven and nine musical numbers, he said. A total of 18 people
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either act or work backstage for the production, which runs through Dec. 18. Despite the gloomy sentiments, Hanson said the musical will be uplifting. “In the midst of these difficult and trying times, when things don’t seem like they’re going to get better, we’re building on hope that we’re going to make it through,” he said. “The Chimes” Dessert Theater 7 p.m. Dec. 1-3, Dec. 9-10, 15-17; 2 p.m. Dec. 11 and 18 The Lampost, Cedar Falls $16 | lampost.com | 319.277.8034
316 W. 3rd Street, Suite 1 • Waterloo, Iowa 50701 plaidpeacock.com • contact@plaidpeacock.com Phone: 319-234-0609 • Fax: 319-234-0599 Hours: 10-6 Monday-Saturday PULSE
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Ralphie! Snoopy! Fr osty! On TV it’s th and more. e most wonderful time of the year, wi th holiday specials, “From mid-Nove movies mber through De Newsday, “75 mill cember,” Hallmar ion viewers come k TV program ch to ief Michelle Vica going into the ho ry told lidays, and they sti our network. We see our audience ck with us all thro spike by about 30 Lifetime, with its tre ug pe h rcent th e asu se ason.” re trove of sappy ro former TV stars, ha mantic holiday m s one scheduled ea ad e-f or -T V movies starring ch evening until Ch of the ultimate Ch a cavalcade of ristmas Day. NBC ristmas classic, “It’s will offer a heapin a Wonderful Life,” hour marathon, bo g helping and TNT will repr th on Christmas Ev ise its “A Christmas e. Get festive with th Story” 24ese other TV high lights; a listing follo be offered multip le times. wed by an (M) mea ns the presentatio n will pulse wire se rvices
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CHRISTMAS SHOW SCHEDULE DECEMBER 10 National Lampoon’s Christma s Vacation 9 p.m., ABC Family (M) DECEMBER 11 Christmas in Connecticut 9 a.m., Turner Classic Movies (M ) DECEMBER 12 A Christmas Carol (1951) 7 p.m., Turner Classic Movies (M ) DECEMBER 13 Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special 5:30 p.m., ABC Family Christmas with the Mormon Choir Featuring David Archu Tabernacle leta and Michael York 7 p.m., ETV Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Sto le Christmas 9:30 p.m., ABC Family
DECEMBER 20 Holiday Affair (1950) 10 p.m., Turner Classic Movies Ernest Saves Christmas 6 a.m., ABC Family Merry Madagascar 10 a.m., ABC Family A Very Gilly Christmas 7 p.m., NBC Lidia Celebrates America: Holiday Tables &Traditions 7 p.m., ETV DECEMBER 22 Once Upon a Christmas Noon, ABC Family Twice Upon a Christmas 2 p.m., ABC Family
DECEMBER 14 Live From Lincoln Center: George Balanchine’s The Nu tcracker 7 p.m., ETV
Southern Lens: My Christma s Soldier 8 p.m., ETV
DECEMBER 15 Snowglobe 7 p.m., ABC Family
DECEMBER 23 Scrooge (1970) 5 p.m., Turner Classic Movies
A Christmas Caper 11 a.m., ABC Family
A Town Without Christmas 3 p.m., INSP
DECEMBER 16 The Shop Around the Corne r 11 p.m., Turner Classic Movies
DECEMBER 24 It’s a Wonderful Life 7 p.m., NBC
Christmas in Washington 7 p.m., TNT
A Christmas Story (24-hour movie marathon) 7 p.m., TBS
DECEMBER 17 Home Alone 2: Lost in New York 3:30 p.m., ABC Family DECEMBER 18 Polar Express 4 p.m., ABC Family DECEMBER 19 Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation 5 p.m., ABC Family (M)
Jingle All the Way 9 p.m., Fox Movie Network DECEMBER 25 Family Christmas specials and “Mickey’s Christmas Carol,” movies including “Jack Frost” and “The Polar Express” 6 a.m., ABC All-day children’s and holida y programming ETV “Home Alone” (all-day marat hon) 9 a.m., Fox Movie Network
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There are some essentials no Christmas playlist can be without — Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas,” Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song.” But not all songs wear quite as well. Here are some suggestions to freshen up your holiday playlist. ALAN SIMMER | PULSE WRITER
FORGET: Mannheim Steamroller Yes, Chip Davis’ group is still wildly popular — and for good reason. Davis instrumentalized Christmas music in a new way that caught people’s attention. But their sound is getting to that age where it’s too old to be fresh and too new to be retro, so it’s starting to feel dated. Give them a rest this year.
FORGET: Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer Yeesh. There are so many questions: Did Santa stop to help or was it a hit and run? Will he spend Christmas morning in a jail cell? Did Grandma die or is she just a little bruised? And why, Elmo & Patsy, why was this song ever written? Nothing can lead to a faster scramble for the radio dial.
FORGET: Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town Not every version, mind you. Look up the brassy duet between Frank Sinatra and Cyndi Lauper (!) for a good time. But do get rid of Bruce Springsteen’s take on it. Why? The live recording doesn’t help anything (thanks, guy whistling in the crowd), and the song just seems to go forever until we all want to cry. Wrap it up already, Boss.
FORGET: Humorous The 12 Days of Christmas Yes, the “Redneck 12 Days of Christmas” is hilarious ... for about five seconds. (Sample lyric: “Eight table dancers.” And this on an album called “Kids Christmas.” Where’s the American Family Association when you need them?) The funny lasts just as long for the Guido version and the countless other variations.
FORGET: Anything by the Jingle Cats Or the Jingle Dogs, for that matter. Again, the novelty factor here wears off after about two meows. Though I must admit you haven’t really heard “PatA-Pan” until you’ve heard it barked and howled. And by really heard, I mean really wanted to rip your ears off during. Trust me — trash them immediately.
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TRY: Rush Coil This three-member group works with an 8-bit sound, which is to say their songs sound a lot like old-school Nintendo themes. (Which only makes them more awesome.) Last year Rush Coil put out a 12-song album that rethinks carols in the same way Steamroller does — but with drastically different results.
TRY: Dominick the Donkey
I’ll make you an even trade: one four-legged animal for another. Try Lou Monte’s unconventional take on an Italian holiday. Santa’s reindeer can’t climb the steep hills of Italy, so it’s up to Dominick to make the dangerous trek. Plus, the kids will have fun hee-hawing along during the chorus.
TRY: The Little Christmas Tree If you’re in the mood for tears: The smooth-as-butter Nat King Cole croons the underplayed tale of a misfit tree that sounds like it belongs in a Charlie Brown special. “Little Christmas tree / No one to buy you / Give yourself to me / You’re worth your weight in precious gold you see.” Hold on, there’s something in my eye.
TRY: A Song and a Christmas Tree
If you’re not into the whole drummers drumming bit, there is a good alternative: this overlooked piece by Christmas icon Andy Williams. The song does have the same tune and format, but the lyrics are about friends celebrating together, which is much more appropriate. Added bonus: The harmonies are gorgeous.
TRY: Give Me Your Heart for Christmas This gem by The McGuire Sisters hasn’t received its due in the modern canon. The trio were, at one point, the best-selling vocal group in America, and “Give Me” uses their three-part harmony to great effect. The song is all about only needing love for Christmas — and what a sentiment that still is.
A handful of Christmas albums hit the market every year. Here’s a sampling of this year’s crop.
The Muppets: A Green and Red Christmas
Dean Martin My Kind of Christmas
This reissue of the 2006 album coincides with the release of “The Muppets” movie — and features two new tracks from Kermit and friends.
Highlights of the crooner’s album include a “Swingin’ Yuletide Mix” of “Winter Wonderland” and a duet with Scarlett Johansson on “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”
Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Vol. 2
TobyMac Christmas in Diverse City
If you like your music with a decidedly pop flavor, pick this up for jams like Amber Riley’s rendition of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” or Dianna Agron’s “Santa Baby.”
Diverse City is the name of TobyMac’s band, for those wondering, and the Christian artist joins them for his first new Christmas album in 10 years.
Dave Koz Ultimate Christmas If you’re tired of Kenny G but love you some saxophone, check out Dave Koz’s work, featuring vocal artists like Kimberley Locke and Kelly Sweet.
Seasons Greetings: A Jersey Boys Christmas Past and present cast members of the Broadway hit “Jersey Boys” put a distinctly ’50s and ’60s style on many holiday favorites.
Matthew West The Heart of Christmas Country artist West tackles 12 holiday tracks with the help of Amy Grant, Vince Gill and “American Idol’s” Mandisa.
Looking for Michael Buble, She & Him and Justin Bieber? We’ve got them — with reviews of their Christmas albums — on the next page.
PULSE FROM LEFT: THE MCGUIRE SISTERS, NAT KING COLE, ANDY WILLIAMS, MICHAEL BUBLE
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rihanna | talk that talk
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If the formula isn’t broke, don’t fix it. Rihanna’s latest, “Talk That Talk,” is her version of “E=MC2,” and it’s the follow-up to last year’s “Loud,” a topnotch effort from the pop singer. “Talk That Talk” is just as good as “Loud,” full of upbeat jams and some slower ones (albeit those are the weaker tracks), all helmed by today’s top hitmakers. Rihanna’s raunchy throughout the new disc — her sixth effort in six years — and it works. She’s downright nasty and demanding on the addictive “Birthday Cake,” and she’s schooling her
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JuStin bieber | Under the mistletoe
Parents are likely to buy Justin Bieber’s Christmas album for their kids and pray that their young ones will only play it through their headphones. But the elders would be missing out. Bieber’s “Under the Mistletoe” is a thoroughly entertaining offering for all ages — sometimes even more so for the adults. Although he’s still a teen heartthrob, there’s little that’s childlike about this album. Bieber’s voice has deepened, and the bubble gum sound has given way to a more mature, soulful sound. Bieber sounds convincingly romantic on the album’s opener, “The Only Thing I Ever Get for Christmas.”
man in the bedroom on the fun “Watch N’ Learn.” Though sexually charged, Rihanna can get away with having these played on radio, and we’re not sure if anyone else could. She did it with “S&M,” and will surely do it again. Rihanna may have mastered the upbeat sound, but her slower songs need work: “We All Want Love” drags, as does the album closer “Farewell,” helmed by the Alex da Kid, who also produced Rihanna’s hit with Eminem, “Love the Way You Lie.” — Mesfin Fekadu, The Associated Press
And on the soulful upbeat groove “Fa La La,” with guests Boyz II Men, he sounds almost — dare we say it? — sexy. He joins Mariah Carey on her holiday classic “All I Want for Christmas Is You”; Usher on a charming rendition of “The Christmas Song”; and Busta Rhymes on a hip-hop version of “Little Drummer Boy.” Bieber breathes new life into old standbys and offers up new songs that have the potential to become future classics. Even if you don’t have kids, “Under the Mistletoe” should be under your Christmas tree. — Nekesa Mumbi Moody, The Associated Press
She & hiM | a Very she & him Christmas
Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward, the she and him of folk rock duo She & Him, have patterned a sparse yet satisfying Christmas album that, on listen after repeated listen, brings to mind a subtly hip holiday vibe that’s edgy enough to impress the most jaded Brooklynite and innocent enough to play for grandma, too. Across the 12 tracks presented on the album Deschanel and Ward glide through some of the holiday classics with low-key yet inspired gait, including a rendition of “Baby, It’s Cold
Michael buble | Christmas
“Christmas” comes early with Michael Buble’s holiday record. It’s his second seasonal release, and it seems as if he’s got a knack for making cozy Christmas music. His smooth voice perfectly covers classics like “Silent Night,” ‘‘Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” and “Jingle Bells.” There’s even an original song called “Cold December Night.” Buble also covers 18
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Outside” that’s smooth and silky but earnest in its affectations. The interplay between Ward and Deschanel on “Silver Bells” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” is quick and bouncy, lending a decidedly prominent sense of mirth and merriment — always critical components of a good Christmas album. Is it groundbreaking and new? No, not by a longshot. But it’s clever, entertaining and filled with holiday cheer. — Matt Moore, The Associated Press
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Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” but adds his own twist by slowing it down. It sounds like a completely different song that is noteworthy in its own right. “Christmas” is an instant classic that would go nicely in anyone’s collection. —Alicia Rancilio, Associated Press
‘Idol’ time
Show to return with same hit formula
A “
merican Idol” executive producer Nigel Lythgoe says don’t expect any major changes when the hit Fox TV show returns in January after undergoing an extensive makeover last season. Lythgoe, who helped transform Britain’s “Pop Idol” into the American TV juggernaut in 2002, returned as executive producer last season to usher in the post-Simon Cowell era. That ended a two-year hiatus that allowed him to focus on “So You Think You Can Dance,” which he produces and helps judge. For the 10th “American Idol” season, Lythgoe introduced new judges, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, to join holdover Randy Jackson.Veteran music producer Jimmy Iovine, chairman of Interscope-Geffen-A&M, was brought in as an in-house mentor for the contestants. All of them are back for season 11, Lythgoe said. “I think we made a lot of tweaks last year,” Lythgoe said. “I’m not sure that we want to make too many more tweaks this year.”
Lythgoe said the most significant change introduced last year had nothing to do with the judges: It was a decision to avoid those fish-out-of-water moments that forced very talented singers to sing in styles that didn’t suit them. “The biggest change we made last year was to say, ‘OK, if you’re a country singer you can sing any of these genres in your country style,’” Lythgoe said. “‘We’re not going to force you to do rock or anything you can’t do. You can take a Michael Jackson song and turn it country.’” That resulted in singers such as Casey Abrams and Haley Reinhart advancing much deeper into the competition than they might have in previous years. The two teenage finalists, Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina, were country singers. McCreery, the first pure country “Idol” winner since Carrie Underwood in 2005, saw his October release, “Clear As Day,” make him the first country
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act to debut at No. 1 with its first studio album on the Billboard 200 chart. And at 18, he became the youngest man to open at the top of the chart with his debut release. He also was the first “Idol” winner to start his post-“Idol” career with a No. 1 album since Ruben Studdard in 2003. Lythgoe said last year the show found “some incredible talent, and it was so diverse.” “We got this great jazz singer in Casey, we got a soft jazz singer in Haley, and the two country kids (in the finals) probably in previous years wouldn’t have been as successful because they would have been
asked to sing in the different styles that we used to do then,” he said last week. Lythgoe expects similar results in season 11. “The kids that have auditioned this year that we’re going to be taking to Hollywood in December are again really talented and really diverse,” he said. “Hopefully they’ll get through one of the toughest auditions, which is the Hollywood week, and get themselves into the top 20.” Lythgoe said he believes “Idol” should be “totally about the talent” and the recent changes foster that. — Charles J. Gann, The Associated Press
MUG NIGHT SPECIALS
COMPLETE LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR AND VENUES
ONE SOURCE FOR ALL THINGS ENTERTAINING
205 East 18th St. • Cedar Falls • 319-277-3671 • 11am–2am • 7 days a week www.mulligansbrickoven.com PUlse
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december friday
Mike Dillon’s GoGo Jungle with 5 in a Hand 9 p.m., Iowa City Yacht Club
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Waterloo Checker and the Bluetones 9 p.m., Jameson’s Jascat 8 p.m., The Isle Not So Silent Night featuring Five Finger Death Punch, All That Remains, Sevendust, Hatebreed and Rains 7 p.m., McElroy Auditorium The Ramblers 8 p.m., Spicoli’s Cedar Falls Bob Dorr and the Blue Band 6 p.m., The Hub WildCard 9:30 p.m., The Hub
your favorite bands in your favorite venues waterloo cedar falls iowa city cedar rapids dubuque get listed We want to know about your live music. Email the details to amie.steffen@wcfcourier.com to be a part of our calendar.
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STAY UP TO DATE WITH PULSE MAGAZINE
Dubuque & galena Andrew Houy 8:30 p.m., The Cornerstone Chuck Bregman 6 p.m., Mystique Corey Jenny and Mojo Busted 9:30 p.m., Mystique Crude But Effective 7 p.m., Galena Brewing Co. Ian Gould 7:30 p.m., Frank O’Dowd’s Lonely Goats 9 p.m., Jumpers Misbehaven 8 p.m., Dubuque Driving Range PashNBrew 9 p.m., Northside Cedar Rapids Beaker Brothers 9 p.m., Parlor City Pub Black the Sun 9 p.m., Chrome Horse Jeffrey Foucault 8 p.m., CSPS Irishjam 7 p.m., Java Creek Iowa City American Beauty Project 7:30 p.m., Riverside Casino Holiday Percussion Pops 7:30 p.m., Englert Jazz After Five featuring Eric Thompson and the Talented Tenth 5:30 p.m., The Mill
saturday
10
Waterloo Blue Suede Cruze 7 p.m., Steamboat Jascat 8 p.m., The Isle Northeast Iowa Food Bank Donation Show featuring Austin Taft Soundtrack, Well Aren’t You Precious, Still Tickin’ and Item 9 and the Mad Hatters 8 p.m., Spicoli’s Soul Fusion 9 p.m., Jameson’s Cedar Falls Pork Tornadoes 9:30 p.m., The Hub UV Blues 9 p.m., Mr. G’s WCFSO presents A Baroque Holiday 7:30 p.m., Gallagher-Bluedorn Dubuque & galena Andrew Houy 7 p.m., Galena Brewing Co. The Boots Hefel Band 8 p.m., Dubuque Driving Range The Boy’s Night Out 9 p.m., Spirits Chuck Bregman 6 p.m., Mystique Corey Jenny and Mojo Busted 9:30 p.m., Mystique Enemies of Confusion 9 p.m., Embe’s Half-Fast 9 p.m., Jumpers Ian Gould 7:30 p.m., Frank O’Dowd’s Jabberbox 9 p.m., Denny’s Lux Club Johnny Trash 9 p.m., Hammerhead’s Massey Road 9 p.m., Georgie’s Skyline Michael Brieghtbach 8 p.m., The Cornerstone Okham’s Razor 2 p.m., Grape Escape Renegade Band 9:30 p.m., Eichman’s Granada Taste Like Chicken 9 p.m., The Hub on Main The Wundo Band 4 p.m., Honest John’s
www.cvpulse.com
Cedar Rapids Anji Kat 7 p.m., Java Creek Dale Beeks and Mike Daley 4 p.m., Shuey’s Funk Daddies 9 p.m., Chrome Horse Silver Wings 8 p.m., Parlor City Pub Iowa City Jif and the Choosy Mothers 8 p.m., Blue Moose Limbs 8 p.m., The Mill Lonesome Road 9 p.m., Wildwood This Must Be the Band with BJ Jaggers 9 p.m., Iowa City Yacht Club
friday
16
Waterloo Chrome Union 8 p.m., The Isle Never the Less 8 p.m., Spicoli’s Wicked Andersons 9 p.m., Jameson’s Cedar Falls Arch Allies 9 p.m., The Hub Manheim Steamroller 5 and 8 p.m., Gallagher-Bluedorn UNI Children’s Choir Winter Concert 7 p.m., Bengtson Auditorium, Russell Hall, UNI Dubuque & galena Adam Beck and Dan Anderson Duo 9:30 p.m., Mystique The Boy’s Night Out 9 p.m., Dubuque Driving Range Chuck Bregman 6 p.m., Mystique Jordan Danielson 7 p.m., Galena Brewing Co. Just Cuz 7 p.m., Courtside Katie Sullivan 7:30 p.m., Frank O’Dowd’s Ken Wheaton 8:30 p.m., The Cornerstone Kevin Beck and Johnnie Walker 9 p.m., Spirits The Mistletones 8 p.m., Mystique
Upcoming shows at
The Stumble Brothers 9 p.m., Northside
Katie Sullivan 7:30 p.m., Frank O’Dowd’s Menace 9 p.m., Dirty Ernie’s The Mistletones 8 p.m., Mystique Okham’s Razor 2 p.m., Grape Escape PashNBrew 9 p.m., Shenanigan’s Roy Schroedl 8 p.m., The Cornerstone
Cedar Rapids Billy Lee Janey Group 9 p.m., Parlor City Pub Danika Holmes 8 p.m., Daniel Arthur’s Gayla Drake Paul 7 p.m., Java Creek Lonesome Road 9 p.m., Chrome Horse Iowa City Brewgrass Festival featuring Evergreen Grass Band, Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank and St. Anyway 9 p.m., Iowa City Yacht Club Chimaira with Unearth, Skeletonwitch and Molotov Solution 4:30 p.m., Blue Moose Communist Daughter 9 p.m., The Mill
saturday
17
Waterloo Chrome Union 8 p.m., The Isle Rockin’ Hip Hop Xmas Extravaganza featuring Anchondo, Hector Anchondo Blues Band and Vince da Prince 9 p.m., Spicoli’s WAGG 9 p.m., Jameson’s Cedar Falls Dakota 9 p.m., Federal Pub The New Black 7 with The Black Mollys 9 p.m., The Hub
The Ramblers 9 p.m., Jameson’s Soul Fusion 8 p.m., Spicoli’s Cedar Falls Checker and the Bluetones 6 p.m., The Hub Dubuque & Galena Andreas Transo 7:30 p.m., Frank O’Dowd’s Chuck Bregman 6 p.m., Mystique Laura McDonald and Jeff Weydert 8 p.m., Spirits Mississippi Band 9 p.m., Northside Tami and the Bachelor 8 p.m., Mystique
Cedar Rapids Eleventh Hour 9 p.m., Chrome Horse Jason Leroy Band 9 p.m., Parlor City Pub Kantirocks 9 p.m., Red Baron Kenny White 8 p.m., CSPS Mike and Rob 4 p.m., Shuey’s Mocking Byrds 7 p.m., Java Creek
friday
The HuB 6:00PM 9:30PM
BOB DORR & THE BLUE BAND WILDCARD
10 DEC
8:00PM: MARCUS KJELDSEN & THE TASTE 10:00PM: PORK TORNADOES
11 DEC 12 DEC 13 DEC 15 DEC 16 DEC
7:00PM: WORSHIP MUSIC 9:00PM:
GRATEFUL DEAD NIGHT
9:00PM:
FREE KEG & KARAOKE
9:00PM:
GOOD COP / RAD COP
9:00PM:
JOURNEY/REO/STYX TRIBUTE BY ARCH ALLIES
17 DEC
8:30PM:
THE NEW BLACK 7 W/ A BLACK MOLLYS SET AND GUESTS THE EVERGREEN GRASS BAND
23 DEC
6:00PM: 9:30PM:
CHECKER & THE BLUETONES PORK TORNADOES
29 DEC
7:00PM:
KUNI LISTENERS PARTY W/ RALDO SCHNEIDER, RAMBLERS, AND CHECKER & THE BLUETONES
Cedar Rapids Between Monsters 9 p.m., Chrome Horse Lisa Hopper 7 p.m., Java Creek Terry McCauley 8 p.m., Parlor City Pub
Iowa City Chris Brooks 9 p.m., Wildwood We Funk 9 p.m., Iowa City Yacht Club
Waterloo Missbehavin 8 p.m., The Isle
9 DEC
Iowa City 8 Seconds, 9 p.m., Wildwood
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saturday
ANCHONDO
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Dubuque & galena Okham’s Razor 2 p.m., Grape Escape
jascat Friday, Dec. 9, 8 p.m., The Isle Saturday, Dec. 10, 8 p.m., The Isle
Dubuque & galena Adam Beck and Dan Anderson Duo 9:30 p.m., Mystique Andrew Houy 12:30 p.m., The Cornerstone Bad Habits 9 p.m., Northside Blue Willow 7 p.m., Stone Cliff Charity Rouse 7 p.m., Galena Brewing Co. Chuck Bregman 6 p.m., Mystique Hard Salami 9 p.m., Denny’s Lux Club
12.09 12.10
THE RAMBLERS | 8 PM NORTHEAST IOWA FOOD BAND DONATION SHOW | 8 PM WITH AUSTIN TAFT SOUNDTRACK, STILL TICKIN’, WELL AREN’T YOU PRECIOUS, ITEM 9 AND THE MAD HATTERS
12.16 12.17
NEVER THE LESS | 8 PM A ROCKIN’ HIP HOP XMAS EXTRAVAGANZA | 9 PM WITH ANCHONDO, HECTOR ANCHONDO BLUES BAND, AND VINCE DA PRINCE
12.23
SOUL FUSION | 8 PM
CLOSED DEC 24 & 25 FOR CHRISTMAS 3555 University Ave Waterloo | 287-5747 www.thereverb.net READ.WATCH.SURF
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Q. A.
are you amazed at how far you’ve taken this whole thing?
Yeah. i could say i’m amazed. a lot of the stuff was like a dream. a very specific dream. We wanted to be the biggest in the world. We saw Michael Jackson and we said, we want to experience what it is to be Michael Jackson-esque. Just entertaining the people and making the world feel happy and dance. and so we focused on that.
Q. A.
Do you think the recession helped you, that people are looking for escape music?
Allison stewArt | ThE WaShingTon PoST
F
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ive years after they started, and at least two years after they might reasonably have been consigned to the Right Said Fred novelty band scrap heap, party-rocking uncle-nephew duo LMFAO continue their strangely inexorable march to the top of the charts. Redfoo, 36 (born Stefan Gordy), and SkyBlu, 25 (born Skyler Gordy), are the son and grandson of record industry heavyweight Berry Gordy. They have two full-length albums, including their latest, “Sorry for Party Rocking”; numerous hit singles; and one dance step, the shuffle, which they popularized but did not invent, to their credit. Their biggest hit, “Party Rock Anthem,” recently spent six weeks at No. 1, has sold more than 3 million digital copies and racked up more than 273 million hits on YouTube. LMFAO makes “calculated party rock using the house and electro dance scene, with songs,” Redfoo says. Basically, they’re weed-andwomen-loving faux doofuses with one eye on marketing opportunities (a clothing line and a new DJ app) and another on the dance floor.
if we had done it 10 years ago, when Yahoo was $200 a share or when the internet boom was happening and the economy was booming, i think it would have been more successful, because those people would have had more reason to party. it would have been more champagne showers. We would have been invited to bigger parties, on yachts.
Q.
You were a day trader not too long ago, which must have been a more stressful job than this.
A.
it’s stressful if it’s your way of living and paying your rent. But for me it’s a hobby. i had extra money, and i was having fun learning and experimenting. of course i want to win so i want big gains, but it was really just learning about trends. You can make money on the way up and you can make money on the way down.
Q.
Do you think about mixing some more serious stuff in with the party stuff, or would that be too much of a risk?
A.
Well, if you listen to some of our songs, they are kind of serious. Like (“Sorry” track) “Best night,” a lot of people think that would be the greatest wedding song ever. and that would be okay with us, because a wedding is a party. and then we have “We Came here to Party,” based on the Mitt Romney incident. (afterward) both parties were fighting. Mitt Romney’s fans were attacking the LMFao fans and the LMFao fans were going back and forth. We’re basically saying, everyone’s a human and we all can get along, and how you do that is at the party, you know?
Under the Mistletones The Mistletones will present “Snowbiz” for two performances at Mystique Casino. The show will spread holiday cheer with a variety show for all audiences. The Mistletones is made up of six vocalists and a seven-piece orchestra. “Snowbiz” celebrates the sounds of the holiday season with a variety of favorite Christmas songs. Friday, Dec. 16, and saturday, Dec. 17 @ 8 PM Mystique Casino, Dubuque $10 | mystiquedbq.com
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Carol of the bells
what: Christmas handbell concert. who: The Mount Mercy University handbell Ensemble. when: 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18. where: Cedar Memorial Chapel of Memories, Cedar Rapids. Details: The concert is free and open to the public.
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If you’ve got a gamer on your shopping list but aren’t exactly fluent in 1337speak, never fear. Here’s a handy flowchart to help you decide what should be waiting under the tree on Christmas morning. super mario 3 3d Land | 3DS
start here Do they buy games impulsively?
Are they good at driving?
Puffballs or plumbers?
Is this person a nerd? mario Kart 7 | 3DS
Kirby’s return to dreamLand and | Wii
batman: arKham city | PC, PS3, X360
Lord of the rings: War in the north PC, PS3, X360
Have they ever called you a n00b?
When the word ‘Nintendo’ is mentioned, they:
How do they feel about swords?
Superheroes: super meat boy PC, X360
Was this in the same sentence as p0wned?
How about dragons?
battLefieLd 3 PC, PS3, X360
Do they throw controllers when they’re frustrated?
Is their favorite Harrison Ford role Indiana Jones?
caLL of duty: modern Warfare 3 | DS, PC, PS3, X360, Wii
the eLder scroLLs V: sKyrim K Kyrim PC, PS3, X360
Likely reaction to zombie apocalypse? Is 3 their favorite number?
saints roW: the third PC, PS3, X360
uncharted 3 | PS3
Do they know how to drive a stick?
the Legend of zeLda: da: sKy sKyWard KyW Ky yW Ward ard s sWord Word | Wii
pLants Vs. zombies DS, iOS, MAC, PC, PS3, X360
forza motorsport 4 | X360 360
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dead isLand | PC, PS3, X360
When they dance, is it funny or shameful?
just dance 3 PS3, X360, Wii
UBISOFT, WARNER BROS., NINTENDO, SONY, EA, SQUARE ENIX, DEEP SILVER, POPCAP, ACTIVISION, ROCKSTAR, SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTOS
‘Skyward Sword’ soars aLan simmer | PULSE ULSE WRITER
OK, then pre-order something coming out soon. Is eggplant their favorite vegetable?
Kid K id icarus: icarus: uprising | 3DS
Did they break your TV after playing Final Fantasy XIII?
finaL fantasy Xiii-2 iii-2 | PS3, X360
Maybe a portable device is best. How do they feel about 3-D?
pLaystation Vita
Is football their favorite sport?
nintendo 3ds
Wizards or assassins?
Lego harry potter: potter years 5-7 | 3DS, DS, PC, PS3, PSP, X360, Wii ncaa 12 | PS3, X360
assassin’s creed: reVeLations | PC, PS3, X360
E
pic. That’s really the best word to describe “The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.” The good folks at Nintendo have been going all out for the 25th anniversary of the series, and this origin story is a fitting tribute to the series. While the main thrust remains the same — young hero Link must venture forth to find the Triforce and save Zelda from the clutches of darkness — the details of this adventure are decidedly different. Link and Zelda actually have an established relationship as old friends in “Skyward Sword.” They both live at the Knight Academy in Skyloft, a city high above the clouds where birds called loftwings are the preferred mode of transport. After Zelda falls below the cloud barrier, Link discovers the Goddess Sword and opens portals to the surface world. This sword is unique; it contains Fi, a servant of the goddess, who appears from the sword and provides cool analysis of events and enemies. She is also far less annoying than Navi. The other interesting feature of the sword is the control. “Skyward Sword” requires a Wii Remote with MotionPlus (available in a bundle with the game for an extra $20, which is a good deal), which delivers accurate one-to-one mimicry. This means that swinging the remote from right to left makes Link swing his sword from right to left. Many enemies in the game have weaknesses that can only be exploited by attacking in the right direction. Deku Baba plants now have to be attacked along the seams of their mouths. Stalfos will hold swords to block attacks from certain directions, changing their stances every few seconds. This gives the swordplay an added depth; it isn’t just hack ’n’ slash anymore. Each stroke has to be planned to match the enemy. I’ve heard some complaints about the accuracy of the controls, but my experience was sound. Swinging in a certain direction rere
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for: Wii | price: $49.99 rated: Everyone 10+
sulted in the desired angle. The remote, on rare occasions, did get out of alignment, but that was easily solved by a quick recalibration. Besides the sky, the three main explorable areas are a forest, a volcano and a desert. (This should come as no surprise to fans of the series.) Each of these locations are robust, and events throughout the game will force players to explore them in a different manner on return visits. The dungeons and items are cleverly done, and the boss battles are some of the best in the series. Try not to enjoy dueling Ghirahim, the creepily androgynous demon lord, or taking on a six-armed suit of armor. The one questionable — I won’t say weak — spot is the graphics. Link’s world looks like a watercolor painting. This looks great for far away objects, as they become more impressionist instead of just blurry, but close-up objects lack some of the depth that “Twilight Princess” had. It was a bold choice, and it works overall, but there are times it feels like a step backward. “Skyward Sword” is chock full of content, all backed by a gorgeous and at times John Williamsesque orchestral score. My first playthrough nearly closed in on 50 hours, and there’s still a more difficult second go-round waiting. It’s nearly pitch perfect, and the game brings to mind the other titles in the series as it moves along. It’s part tribute, all entertainment, and fans of the series should not miss it. PULSE
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the
UNI Museums presents
Our World in Focus: Iowa’s Cultural Heritage
word
Photo Contest & Exhibit December 19, 2011 - January 21, 2012
319.273.2188 | www.uni.edu/museum
11/22/63 | StEPhEn King UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA
MUSEUM
SEARCH PARTY Find what you’re looking for easily online at cvpulse.com EVERY T HI NG E NT E RTA I N ING EV ERY D AY
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LIVE JAZZ BY HANDS OF TIME EVERY THURSDAY EVENING ALL MUSIC & OPEN MIC 8-10 P.M.
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CUP OF JOE 1 0 2 M A I N S T . C E D A R F A L L S | 3 19 . 2 7 7.15 9 6
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Stephen King’s new novel, “11/22/63,” deals with a man named Jake Epping, who goes back in time to derail Kennedy’s date with death. the wormhole Jake has discovered sends him to September 1958, five years before the assassination; he then needs to live in that lost landscape — the world of Ago, as King puts it — as he bides his time stalking Lee harvey Oswald, trying to make sure there are no conspirators. this is one reason the novel is so long. Jake determines, to the best of his ability, that Oswald really is a lone gunman: bitter, derisive, a closet wife-beater, caught between the tawdriness of his real life on the margins and the grandiosity of his fantasies. this is, or should have been, the meat of the book, and, indeed, when we see Oswald, it achieves a gritty urgency. Why? Because half a century after the assassination Oswald remains an empty vessel, a template for our dystopian dreams. And yet in the end, “11/22/63” falls short of these investigations for it is not Oswald’s tale but Jake’s, the story not of an agent of chaos but of someone who sought to set the universe right. that this is impossible only goes without saying. — David Ulin, Los Angeles Times “The AffAir: A reAcher Novel” | LEE ChiLd in Lee Child’s latest, “the Affair,” which is no. 16 in the series, the author takes us on a diversion. Just as our hero Jack Reacher is headed toward Virginia to meet the sexy Susan turner, a major in the U.S. Army he’d begun a phone romance with in “61 hours,” we get yanked back to a moment before Reacher started drifting across the nation’s heartland. Child wants to show us how Reacher became the man he is today. At that earlier point in his life he is still playing by establishment rules, though the Reacher essentials are already reassuringly in place: Local yeehaws give him trouble and are head-butted unconscious. Back in the present, Reacher goes undercover to monitor a murder investigation: A 27-year-old woman in Carter Crossing, a small Mississippi town, has been viciously raped and mutilated. OK, so none of this is exactly dickens or Proust, and having read three Reacher novels so far i’m beginning to see the common threads: Lonely towns. twisted souls. Body counts. And yes, there are so many guns and so much blood and antler-locking that it’s a little bit embarrassing to admit to liking the books. But i’m not the only one who does. A colleague tried to sneak my copy of “the Affair” from my desk, right under my nose. — Rosie Mestel, Los Angeles Times The fuTure of us | JAy AShER And CAROLyn MACKLER in the inventive new young adult novel, “the Future of Us,” two Pennsylvania teenagers, Emma and Josh, uncover their futures on the still-years-away Facebook which pops up on a hand-medown computer. Both are affected by the abundance of private information on Facebook in this retro, parallel-universe thriller that explores the power of personal choice and the importance of real-world connections in a society increasingly influenced by technology. Emma and Josh try to make sense of their futures in present-day 2011 and the choices they’re making that set those futures in motion. the results of their behavior are instantly measurable on Facebook, in which Emma’s and Josh’s future families, careers and residences are affected by the ripples of change they set in motion even with the most mundane of actions, such as fighting with each other or making a casual comment. it’s a compelling plot device and a powerful message — that actions have consequences, so act wisely. — Susan Carpenter, Los Angeles Times DeAD lAsT | JAMES W. hALL Obituaries often are homages to a life well lived, an insightful look at a person and the impact he or she had on their world. But in “dead Last,” the obit becomes a sinister weapon that takes aim at thorn, James W. hall’s perennial Key Largo beach bum. thorn has never been the most sociable of characters — content to eke out a living tying fishing flies, enjoying “the wayward scent of wilderness” and becoming involved with one nefarious crime after another. But the death of Rusty Stabler, his wife of one month, throws thorn into grief-fueled rage of which he has little control. nearly suicidal, thorn starts burning everything he owns — clothes, furniture, mementoes. the bonfire “cleansing” is in full force when Buddha hilton, the 19-year-old sheriff of Starkville, Okla., shows up at thorn’s Key Largo house. Michaela Stabler, a high-profile lawyer who was Buddha’s adoptive mother and Rusty’s aunt, was murdered in her bed in Starkville. Rusty’s newspaper obituary was placed next to the body. “dead Last” works as an exciting detective novel but also provides an insightful look at grief and proves that adage about when one door shuts, another opens. — Oline H. Cogdill, McClatchy News Service
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ANSWERS
In the Verse Way 10
9
15
35
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37
61
62
63
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50 55
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In the Verse Way
E
29. Career soldier 32. __-ha (commotion) 34. Screw up 36. Istanbul natives 37. Singer Skinnay 40. Wear at the edges 41. Pinch-hits 43. Offender, in cop lingo 45. Give a name to 47. Scorpion attacks 49. Marge Simpson voice Julie 51. Anti-abuse org. 52. Howard of satellite radio 53. Man with morals 55. "The Purloined Letter" writer 57. Heche or Rice 60. Smelter supply 61. Suffix within sist or persist 62. Summer cooler 63. Roadcrew's supply
E R
3. Code-breaking org. 4. Act the perjuror 5. Boxer Jake, the “Raging Bull" 6. Whitewater site 7. "Woe is me!" 8. Hula hoop or Davy Crockett hat 9. End-of-October handout 10. Deprived 11. Was deep in the hole, poetically? 12. Ebbets Field shortstop 13. Pulled the plug on 18. "So __ me!" 22. New Mexico art center 23. Visits the mall 24. Western resort lake 25. Poetic words from a paper tiger? 26. Really steamed
N D A
69
I
68
L
66
E N T
65
E E R
60
P
59
O R N E
57
S
54
53
G
49
R A
48
47
45
N T
44
43
Sudoku — Difficult
33
Sudoku — Medium
39
30
29
3 6 2 9 5 8 4 7 1
22
9 4 1 7 6 3 5 2 8
25
32
NO PEEKING!
7 5 8 2 1 4 9 6 3
21
28
52
13
19
20
46
12
16
18
24
11
A
8
C
7
4 8 6 1 2 9 3 5 7
6
5
2 9 7 5 3 6 1 8 4
4
6 8 1 5 2 3 7 1 5 9 4 3 3 4 6 8 8 7 9 4 1 5 2 7 7 2 8 6 4 1 3 9 9 6 5 2
3
5 3 6 7 9 2 1 8 4
2
9 1 8 5 4 3 7 6 2
ACROSS 1. 1983 Streisand film 14 6. Flat floater 17 10. Yawn inducer 14. On the briny 15. Controversial apple spray 23 16. Scene of a temptation 17. Poetic role for Humphrey Bogart? 27 19. Critic Rex 31 20. Trumpeter Armstrong 21. "Ten-hut!" opposite 38 23. Stiffly formal 42 26. Provided with workers 27. "I've __ up to here!" 28. __-more play 51 30. Prefix meaning "ear" 31. "Is that so?" 56 33. Makes angry 58 35. Numbered rd. 38. Inside-the-Beltway figures 64 39. Put up for sale 67 41. Knock senseless 42. Choice: Abbr. 43. Tiny opening 44. Typewriter key 46. "The Waste Land" monogram 48. Genesis boat 50. __-Poo ("The Mikado" character) 51. Place for butts 54. Suitability 56. Zebra marking 57. Steer clear of 58. Hammer end 59. Statewide election winner's poetic prize? 64. Rugged rock 65. Author Sarah __ Jewett 66. Lavin or Ellerbee 67. Busy bugs 68. Jury member, theoretically 69. PC equivalent of 44-Across DOWN 1. Mouth, slangily 2. UFO pilots 1
3 1 4 5 6 7 6 8 8 5 2 1 6 9 6 1 3 5 4 8
4 7 2 6 8 1 3 5 9
Sudoku
8 5
6 2 5
7
1
9
2
1
3 8 5 4 1 6 2 9 7
work your mind
6
Sudoku
5 4
1 8
4 2
3
Difficult
7
5
7 9 4 2 3 8 5 1 6
Medium
4
3 4
1 8 6 2 2 4 5 6 3 9 7 1 8 3 1 9 6 7 2 5 4 5 9 7 9 6 4 8 7 2 3 4 5 1 8 3
PuzzlEs
2 6
1
All puzzles ©hometown Content
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Sunday, April 15, 2012 3 p.m. Adult: $30, $27, $24, $21, $18 Youth: Sponsored by John Deere, 93.5 The Mix
Colin Hay Friday, March 9, 2012 7:30 p.m. Adult: $30, $23 Youth: $30, $19 Sponsored by Bravo Printing Gallagher-Bluedorn
Saturday, March 3, 2012, 7:30 p.m. Adult: $65, $58, $50, $40, $30 Youth: $65, $47, $40.60, $32.60, $24.60
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