Cover by Raul Gomez
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DECEMBER 18,’14
OPINION
S
|Diane Miller|
EDITORIAL
OUR OPINION / D o n ’ t p a n i c , h e r e ’s s o m e s w e e t g i f t i d e a s .
LAST MINUTE HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS
tuck on gifts? Here’s some random, fun ideas. Best yet, they are all available in town. Prices may vary.
-A SELFIE STICK An older gentleman by the name of Jim Bastian sells a contraption of this sort at a kiosk at West Acres according to Prairie Biz mag. Yes, selfie sticks are a thing … for better “groupie” shots. -TICKETS TO THE STEVE MILLER BAND I’m a joker. I’m a smoker. He’s coming on March 20th. Scheels Arena. -“BURRITO TOUR” GIFT CARD I made this up … but it’s brilliant. Buy $10 gift cards to restaurants known for their burritos. So there’s Romo’s, Sweeto, Moe’s, Pancheros, Qdoba, Acapulco, Paradiso … and perhaps the most highly anticipated fast-food restaurant opening in Fargo – Chipotle! End of January, y’all. -“THAT’S A LOAD OF CROP” T-SHIRT For the farm boy or girl or man or woman in your life. There are plenty more “punny” shirts where that came from at Tag, located at the same booth as Tickets300 off Broadway in Downtown Fargo. -SKY ZONE GIFT CARD Nothing says “I love you” like “I am taking you on an indoor trampoline park adventure.” If the person is a gymnast, it’ll especially give her a chance to show off. If the person is not a gymnast, as we can mostly assume, it’ll give him a chance to jump high. The place is new and located north of West Acres in Fargo.
-TICKETS TO “SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE” AT THE SCHEELS ARENA You don’t need to be dancer to enjoy this as-seen-on-TV live performance. Prepare your friend, lover or family member to be dazzled by dance this February 18.
@dmillsfargo diane@hpr1.com
-DOWNTOWN FASHION Lot 2029, C. Lizzys, Kittsona, One World, Aendee, Others, Proper and Prim, Halberstadts, Fowlers, Shannalee, Showtime Boutique, O’Day Cache, Unglued, Charmed Boutique, Beyond Running, Broadway Shoe Company. Are we missing anything? You bet we are. Downtown fashion is exploding faster
-SOAP Have you seen the funky-crazy-cute bars of soap at Zandbroz? Or tried the all-natural, good-for-the-skin Honey Bee Soap Company products? -SEASON PASS TO DETROIT MOUNTAIN Here’s a chance to go all out for the snowboarder or skier in your life. Detroit Mountain is the closest skiing hill to Fargo-Moorhead. It just reopened and it even has a terrain park. -STEVE REVLAND’S ARTISAN FURNITURE. Uptown Gallery has a great selection of his woodwork. Call me a fangirl, but Steve’s work is exquisite. It may just be what your fancy living room or dining room needs. -TICKETS TO TAYLOR SWIFT AT THE FARGODOME Tickets just went on sale this past Friday. That means the best seats are still available. It’s on September 9, y’all.
So You Think You Can Dance :: Photo by Lee Cherry 124 8th St. N. :: Fargo, ND 58102 Phone: (701) 235-1553 hpr@hpr1.com :: www.hpr1.com Proud member of AWN
OPINION A&E A&E FEATURE
BLUE RUIN
BEST SONGS OF 2014 PUT DOWN THE PHONE
A TUNA CHRISTMAS
LOVE AND MARRIAGE
WINTER WARMER LAND
10 11 13
FOOD
SEVEN WONDERS SAY ANYTHING OF THE WORLD
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LIFESTYLE
8
ENVIRONMENTAL
COVER
7
RECYCLING
FEATURE
6
CULTURE?
-BEER Fargo-Moorhead now has three craft breweries. Is it weird to Christmas wrap beer cans or growlers? If it’s local stuff? You decide.
-ASICS GT-2000 They are one of the most popular running/ exercise shoes on the planet. Easy sale. Available at Beyond Running, Fargo Running Company and Scheels.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
4
than we can keep up or fit on this page. You are bound to find something for someone. Hint hint ... Frye boots.
Publisher: Raul Gomez Editor: Diane Miller Assistant Editor: Chris Hennen Advertising Director: John Strand Copy Editors: Taylor Blumer, Amy Borgman Design: Raul Gomez, Max Morlock Interns: Taylor Blumer, Stephanie Christianson, Megan Redfield Photographers: Raul Gomez, J Earl Miller Advertising: J. Earl Miller, John Strand, Jill St. John, Amy Borgman Writers: Diane Miller, John Strand, Chris Hennen, Ed Raymond, Greg Carlson, Chris Jacobs, Granville Wood, Jack Dura, Sabrina Hornung, Krissy Ness, Austin Sanchez, Deb Jenkins, Stephen Anderson, Amy Borgman, Ravi Panjini, Rob Port, Jessica Steinke, Richard Kolotkin Office Manager: Jana Tronier Delivery: J Earl Miller, Diane Mille, Jack Dura, Mike Zahnow, Mike Winge, George Mihlbauer, The High Plains Reader is published weekly from its offices in downtown Fargo, and is available free of charge at designated distribution outlets in North Dakota and Minnesota. Additional or back copies may be purchased at HPR’s office for $5. No one may have more than one current isuue of the High Plains Reader without permission of HPR management. Theft of HPR publications will be prosecuted. Cover: Design by Raul Gomez Founders: Ian Swanson, Peter Ryan, Len Schmid
DECEMBER 18,’14
Mark Boswell, Jim Johnson
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OPINION
|By Ed Raymond|
THE GADFLY
CULTURE?
So This Is A “Culture?” What is a culture? Right-wingers like to acclaim the myth that America is an “exceptional” country—the “shining city on a hill” and all those wonderful, marvelous cultural images. Dictionary definitions of culture include these statements: “The sum of attitudes, customs, and beliefs that distinguishes one group of people from another. Culture is transmitted, through language, material objects, ritual, institutions, a way of thinking, and art, from one generation to the next. It is a cumulative deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, hierarchies, religion, concepts of the universe, and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people over a long period of time.” OK, OK, you get the drift! A New Yorker cartoon catches elements of our culture in an obese man exiting a western saloon swinging door with cellphone attached to an ear, shielded by a 15-gallon black cowboy hat. He has a Glock in holster and ammunition belts surrounding his upper body. He wears cowboy boots with spurs — and carries a briefcase in one hand. Those are some of the material objects that distinguish us from other cultures. A book on beetles just published is a “spectacular sampling of the more than 350,000 species of beetles on earth.” This tome will probably not make the New York Times best-seller list but it does reveal that we are a very inquisitive lot. We were so inquisitive about 10 million years ago we got drunk when we sampled fermenting fruit that fell on the ground — after we had fallen out of the same trees. Our culture had discovered alcohol! Now our scientists have discovered the ADH4 genes, which are the first alcohol-metabolizing enzymes to encounter ethanol after we binge it down. Some religions have banned alcohol, but our dominant Christian culture even uses it on altars. I also recall Jesus at a wedding … Perhaps some day our genes will evolve enough to process alcohol so we don’t get sick or go mind-bending nuts from drinking the fermented stuff. Alcohol still gives us heart disease, liver disease, and over time, still rots the brain. College campuses seem to be flooded with the stuff, causing all kinds of problems for students, parents, and administrators. Even downtown Fargo is often decorated with the vomit from excessive drinking. I guess some economists could brag about the fact that the US beer industry employs over 2,000,000 workers, although of the top 10 beers sold in the US, none are owned by US firms. Most human drunks are not very amusing, but I still remember a raccoon that had eaten too many fermented plums or something at our lake place. He was entertaining for awhile.
Booze And Sex On Campuses Are The ”Rolling Stone” Copy Of The Day I imagine that most readers are familiar with “Jackie’s” story of booze and rape as published in Rolling Stone magazine. I had some questions about how the reporter handled her story, but it was believable and I felt ashamed of my fellow males while reading the ten-page story. But we have to recognize that our culture is permeated and suffocated with booze at athletic events, weddings, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and occasionally at baby showers. At the University of Virginia, where Jackie was a freshgirl at the time of her rape, seniors 4
feared for her son’s virginity so she forced all the women of the household to wear locked chastity belts. Evidently failure was not an option in this culture. By definition, a chastity belt is a locking item designed to prevent sexual intercourse or masturbation.
fargogadfly@gmail.com
have a cultural tradition called “the fourth year fifth” at the last football game of the year. The seniors are supposed to drink an entire fifth of booze prior to the game. That’s crazy, idiotic, and deadly. And some end up dead. That’s a great combination to end the season — alcohol and sex abuse. While working on my MA
AlterNet.) When you have added up all your options, the company provides certain accessories free: hair wig, lingerie outfit, washing kit, lotion, hairbrush, powder, repair kit, and a instruction handbook. The silicone-based dolls also come with private parts, but if fascinated, do
Most human drunks are not very amusing, but I still remember a raccoon that had eaten too many fermented plums or something at our lake place. He was entertaining for awhile. degree I tended bar at the classiest places in town, the Frederick Martin Hotel’s Skol Room and Treetop Room. Sometimes classy people aren’t so classy, so I have seen my share of the unaddicted and addicted throwing down fermented grapes, barley, and corn by the shot and glass. I must admit, however, that each day at five I drink an extra dry martini on the rocks as a testament to actor W.C. Fields, one of the most creative drunk persons I have ever read about. He insisted he did not drink water because “fish had crapped in it.” Salud! There’s no doubt our culture has a booze problem. How many times is booze a promoter of domestic violence? It seems every reported case contains a reference to excessive drinking of alcohol. Driving while drunk dominates news stories of deadly accidents. How many sober drivers go the wrong way on interstate highways?
Is Our Culture Dominated By Viagra And Sex Dolls? Viagra and other sex-enhancing pills and condiments seem to be gaining more TV time lately. Those two old-fashioned bathtubs containing people holding hands must mean something. As a constant reader of poetry and prose I consider myself acquainted with obscure symbols and secret messages. Wouldn’t one larger tub be racier than two tubs from the 1890s? What am I missing? The Viagra ad with the woman slinking around on the bed talking about “curling up” with all those poor guys over 40 with erectile dysfunction is more direct, but what does her stroll on a dock while looking at a body of water mean? I have to get a book on erotic symbolism. The sex doll industry is much more direct in its message. Lonely? Unable to communicate with the opposite sex? Need physical and spiritual relief? Buy a sex doll from Abyss Creation, one of the largest manufacturers of mannequins and sex dolls in the world based in California. Prices range from $6,500 to over $51,000. Like buying a car, the more intriguing options the higher the price. I would assume the cheap model is basically a stripped doll. The company’s Real Doll model offers these options: 20 different nipple textures, 16 different faces, 14 different hair styles, 13 different areola colors, 10 different eye colors, 9 different hair colors, 7 different lip colors, 6 different body types, 5 different skin tones, and 4 different pubic hair styles. Want face freckles? That’ll be $150. Want both face and body freckles? That’s $450 extra. (All of this information was gleaned from an article by Carrie Weisman in the December issue of
your own research. They are guaranteed to be anatomically correct. That’s as far as I will go. But this whole mess has become part of our culture. By the way, the company also produces male sex dolls, but they don’t sell many. At the present time the Love Doll makers have over 41,000 registered users, practically all male. All social media pages have channels dedicated to sex doll owners. Isn’t “culture” wonderful? Remember the chastity belts of old? Medieval knights locked up metal belts to make sure their wives remained faithful as they clanked off to kill somebody in the numerous Crusades.
The Latest Chastity Belt — The Unimpregnantable Knickers I took the liberty of coining a word from “impregnable” and “pregnant,” which is the prerogative of English majors. According to a blurb in the most recent Harper’s, AR Wear has developed a modern personal chastity belt for the adventurous female. They are called Safety Knickers. This chastity belt is considered by the company as “unimpregnantable.” I hope that is clear. If a woman goes on a blind date or goes clubbing, she can wear a garment that is very difficult to remove “by force or stealth” if she is drugged (like Bill Cosby’s victims) or has had too much to drink—or falls asleep. The material, reinforced with straps and belts, resists pulling, tearing, and cutting. The “knickers” are relatively comfortable to wear according to the manufacturer, and fits rather smoothly under formfitting outerwear. AR Wear does not reveal what the knickers are made of, but this is their sales pitch: “The waist, thighs, and central panels are protected with cut-resistant straps and webbing. Once the waist girth has been adjusted and secured with its unique locking device, the garment cannot be pulled down. Since a female’s waist measurement is generally less than that of her pelvic area, the waist strap can be locked at a comfortable position and still prevent unwanted removal. The thigh straps prevent the leg openings from being lifted or shifted to the sides. No product alone can solve the problem of violence against women. Nevertheless, a woman or girl wearing one of our garments will be sending a clear message.” Is this what every college coed needs to survive the rigors of fraternity row? What kind of modern culture would even consider that this is a marketable accessory -- necessity, even better than Fruit of the Loom panties or Victoria’s Secret magic thongs? The idea of chastity belts has been around for many centuries. Way-way back an Assyrian “mythical” queen named Semiramis
DECEMBER 18,’14
How About A Gold Chastity Belt Decorated With Diamonds And Pearls? Female virginity used to be a big deal in many cultures, and still is a dominating factor in sexual relations in a few religions. Islam comes to mind with its sharia laws regarding marriage and social intercourse, but that’s another column. There is no concrete evidence that chastity belts existed before the 15th Century, but there are many myths, and perhaps true stories, about Crusaders in the 11th Century going off to fight Muslims in the First Crusade outfitting their wives and girl friends with belts to control their ferocious desires in case they gave in to temptation. I have never seen the design for a male chastity belt, but Wikipedia insists that they are now on the market. Well, back to genius Google for an answer. To sum up this section, there have been several publicized incidents of chastity belt use in the last 15 years. In West Java race riots in 1998 Chinese husbands fitted their wives with Florentine-type plastic belts with a combination lock. I thought the combination lock was an interesting addition. In 2002 a Capetown jeweler sold a belt made of gold and decorated with diamonds and pearls to a Brit who said it was a wedding gift for his future bride. Figure that one out. It would make a great short story or documentary. USA Today reported in 2004 that an English woman on vacation in Greece set off the metal alarm in the Athens airport. She explained that her husband forced her to wear the cumbersome device so she would not have an “affair” on her vacation. In 2007 the Asian Rights Commission reported that Indian women in Rajasthan Province were being forced to wear chastity belts. One has to admit that humans make up one of the most interesting species on earth.
When Inequality Worked For Everybody In Society During the Middle Ages most European countries with kings and queens depended upon the feudal system, a political structure, for economic and political survival. The king would distribute lands to nobles who swore allegiance to him, who would then select knights, vassals, freemen, yeoman, servants, and peasants to serve the nobles and plant and harvest the land. A person could advance through the system by attracting attention from those above him in rank. All in all, it was a system that worked well as long as every group performed its role in war and peace. Knights and peasants fought side by side to preserve their community and the feudal system that fed and clothed all. We don’t seem to do that anymore. In the wealthy town of Orinda, Calif. many residents employ live-in maids, nannies, gardeners and such from the Latino population near by. Vivian is the seven-year old daughter of a live-in Latino nanny currently attending an elementary school in Orinda. But Orinda residents do not want children of their Latino domestic help attending classes with their rich white kids. The school district is at the point of forcing Vivian to live in grandma’s house in Bay Point, a Latino enclave. This would break up the family because Vivian also attends church, extra gym classes, and youth theater programs in Orinda. The school district has hired private detectives to catch other “poor” people attending school in Orinda. The pissants can’t go to school there anymore. Not like it was 500 years ago in the feudal system when all children went to school in the castle of the lord of the castle. What a culture we are creating in the 21st Century.
OPINION
|By Rob Port|
SAY ANYTHING
ENVIRONMENTALISTS MOVE THE GOALPOST
V
on radioactive waste
Rob@sayanythingblog.com
... on radioactive waste
ery often I get the feeling that environmental groups care far less about the environment than they do about advancing certain political agendas. Case in point, the battle over NORM (or naturally occurring radioactive material) which is a byproduct of oil development in North Dakota. Calling anything “radioactive” makes it sound really scary, but the waste produced in North Dakota’s oil fields (mostly consisting of filter socks) is relatively benign. But that’s not to say it’s completely safe. It’s not. Unfortunately, over the past year or so, the state has had some problems with illegal dumping of filter socks, which have a lowgrade of radioactivity about them after being used in drilling operations. This irresponsible
disposal of hazardous material made headlines, as well it should have. An abandoned building near Noonan, N.D., was found stuffed with illegally dumped and radioactive filter socks. Trailers carrying radioactive filter socks were found parked right out in the open in Watford City. More than a nuisance or a mere eyesore, this dumping put the public at risk and prompted calls for action from environmental groups such as the left-wing Dakota Resource Council and the North Dakota Energy Industry Waste Coalition, which is headed by Darrell Dorgan, brother to former U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan. The state’s leadership, claims of being too in-the-pocket for “big oil” to the contrary, got busy to fix the problem. The North Dakota Industrial Commission responded by mandating all drilling sites have disposal containers for radioactive material serviced by licensed waste management contractors. The state’s inspectors are ensuring that these containers are being utilized properly. To my knowledge, there hasn’t been an incident of illegal dumping of radioactive material since this rule was put in place. The other step state leaders want to take is easing restrictions on legally disposing radioactive material in the state. Currently our laws do not allow the disposal of any material radioactive beyond give picocuries, which is absurdly low (Jay Almlie, Senior Research Manager at the University of North Dakota’s Energy & Environmental Research Center, has pointed out that your home’s granite countertops may actually be more radioactive than that). The state would like to raise that limit to 50 picocuries, which is higher than the 30 picocuries limit in Montana and Minnesota but much lower than the limits in Colorado (2,000), Ida-
ho (1,500) and Utah and Washington (10,000). This makes sense. If this material is going to be produced in North Dakota there should be a method by which it can be disposed of safely in North Dakota. The fact that there is no legal way to dispose of it here, other than shipping it out of state, likely contributed to the original dumping problem. But this is the moment when the environmental zealots, who seem more interested in stopping fossil fuel energy development than prudent regulation, move the goalposts. “What the health department wants to do is allow the dumping of radioactive waste in North Dakota that’s tenfold higher what you get hit with at the dentist’s office, and not require the lead apron,” Darrell Dorgan, brother
DECEMBER 18,’14
to former Senator Byron Dorgan and head of something called the North Dakota Energy Industry Waste Coalition, told Fargo Forum reporter Mike Nowtazki. “They are unable to track waste now. I guess I don’t see how they can do it at a tenfold level,” Theodora Bird Bear of the left-wing Dakota Resource Center said. In the minds of these activists, we shouldn’t respond to illegal dumping of radioactive materials by facilitating safe, legal disposal. Because mistakes have been made in the past, we shouldn’t try to do better in the future. Because, let’s face it, safety isn’t their goal. Destroying fossil fuel energy development is. Which is exactly why we ought not be paying attention to them.
5
A & E
THE CYCLE OF REVENGE S a u l n i e r ’s “ B l u e R u i n ”
J
A & E
eremy Saulnier contributes a worthwhile addition to the family revenge thriller with “Blue Ruin,” a sharp live wire that transcends both its modest budget and the familiar expectations of the genre through the filmmaker’s keen intellectual investments. The umpteenth story to track the efforts of a driven protagonist en route to a climactic bloodbath, “Blue Ruin” unfolds with many of the hallmarks of tales in which the dire consequences of payback offer little in the way of satisfaction to the bereft. Saulnier aligns his stylistic approach with movies like “Blood Simple,” “In the Bedroom,” “Revanche,” “The Place Beyond the Pines” and “Out of the Furnace,” asking us to ponder the consequences of getting even. From the film’s opening frames, Saulnier proves a shrewd and economical storyteller, carefully doling out just enough information to keep the viewer fully invested in the slow-motion horror we are unable to prevent. Haggard and homeless Delaware beach vagrant Dwight Evans (Macon Blair) learns that the man who murdered his parents is soon to be released from prison. Evans returns home to Virginia, and the realization that he intends to do harm
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to the convicted killer is presented by Saulnier with as much woozy ambiguity as the sinking feeling that Dwight is in way over his head. One of the unsettling dimensions of “Blue Ruin” is the ease with which Saulnier convinces the viewer to sympathetically align with Dwight in his quest for vengeance. Some of this is accomplished through the construction of the character, played by Blair as a sad-eyed sufferer fulfilling his destiny with a strong sense of doomed resignation. Dwight’s physical transformation, from scruffy, bearded and emaciated to a smooth-cheeked square in a button-down dress shirt and khaki pants, only adds to his pathetic mismatch against the grim members of the clan he must face. In his review of the film, David Edelstein asserts that “Aside from ‘Go for it!,’ the most pervasive motif in American film (and TV) is ‘I will have my revenge!’” Edelstein goes on to make the claim that the retribution theme “cheapens what it touches,” implying that our collective fascination with a kind of solipsistic and perverted sense of justice – combined with America’s cultural embrace of guns if not the violence connected to them – signals a depressing celebration of murder.
Edelstein believes that “Blue Ruin” is “drivel,” but his critique fails to account for any number of narrative surprises used by Saulnier as substantive moral and ethical complications. These stand in the way of Edelstein’s argument that “…there isn’t a second when we don’t think the people in question would be better off dead and that a measure of order will be restored by their killing.” Edelstein does, however, make a compelling point, not unlike some of the conversations about Clint Eastwood’s “Unforgiven” that located the contradiction and disjunction of two seemingly mutually exclusive options regarding stories that simultaneously appear to condemn and celebrate violence. Of course, fictions in which common folk resort to extraordinary actions have driven drama
since the dawn of theatre. To the extent that it is possible in the movies, Saulnier grasps for ways to illustrate a kind of humanity for the antagonists. Most genre exercises in the vein of “Blue Ruin” don’t treat the “bad guys” with nuance and sophistication, and that’s enough to recommend the movie. “Blue Ruin” is now available on demand.
sound has been nicely remixed into the modern standard 5.1 track in the compressed Dolby Digital format. Besides a mini-reproduction of the original souvenir program booklet, there is a great selection of bonus features on the disc, the best of which is an hour-long documentary (in HD) about the soundtrack music composers for all the Cinerama productions and the pioneering use of stereo recordings. SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD on Blu-ray – Movie: A- / Video: A- / Audio: A- / Extras: A“Search for Paradise” (1957) was originally conceived to record the elaborate festival for the coronation of the new king of Nepal. Lowell Thomas believed it might be the last such event ever staged, as the world was becoming ever-more modernized, both technologically and politically. However, he expanded the concept to cover India, Ceylon, Kashmir and Pakistan, centering mainly on the Himalayan mountains. The primary theme was about people searching for their own Shangri-La, the mythical kingdom of happiness and contentment made famous by the novel and film “Lost Horizon.” Although there was no formal script, as a unifying element Thomas cast two actors as a philosophical Air Force officer and a laidback sergeant on leave to see the world before deciding whether or not to reenlist. The durbar festival is covered largely as a newsreel story. The rest of the film is more a blend of National
Geographic-style documentary and glorified home movies, with narration written after it was shot to tie things together. As a salute to the Air Force participation, the film ends with spectacular shots of American airpower and the effects of a sonic boom shockwave. Picture quality again is very good, thanks to extensive digital restoration from the incomplete and damaged original negative. Audio is very clear with an impressive Dolby Digital 5.1 remix of the original seven-channel stereo spotlighting Dmitri Tiomkin’s score. Once again there is a wonderful selection of bonus features, including the half-hour short “In the Picture,” a brand-new three-panel Cinerama film made in 2012 for the 60th anniversary of the process, using a refurbished camera that had not been used in 50 years. Also included is a great making-of documentary about the short. SEARCH FOR PARADISE on Blu-ray – Movie: B / Video: A- / Audio: A / Extras: A
gregcarlson1@gmail.com
|By Christopher P. Jacobs|
CINERAMA CLASSICS
“S
even Wonders of the World” and “Search for Paradise,” the remaining two of the five 1950s travelogues filmed in the revolutionary Cinerama process have recently been restored and released on Blu-ray last month from Flicker Alley. Of course, viewing the two films at home, even on a large HDTV, can never quite compare to seeing them in a genuine Cinerama theatre, but projecting the “Smilebox” Blu-ray onto a large home screen with a good surround sound system gives an amazingly good approximation. Cinerama’s synchronized projection of three strips of film side-by-side onto a curved widescreen with a fourth reel playing a seven-track stereo soundtrack was an innovation that blew away audiences used to the nearly square picture with monaural sound, often on a substantially smaller screen and in blackand-white. The overwhelming success of the first Cinerama film in late 1952 immediately caused Hollywood to develop a variety of other (cheaper and easier) widescreen and stereophonic sound formats, in an attempt to counteract the rapidly growing competition from television with an experience people could not reproduce at home. “Seven Wonders of the World” (1956), as with all the Cinerama documentaries, is really an excuse to record exotic locations around the world that most audience members could only dream of visiting, using the most impressive visual and audio technology available at that time. Running just over two hours including the overture, intermission music, and exit 6
|By Greg Carlson|
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music/restoration credits, the film begins with a shot of the closed drape in a Cinerama theatre. As the overture ends, the house lights dim and the curtain opens part-way for the prologue, in which producer/narrator Lowell Thomas discusses the premise of the film, the seven wonders of the ancient world, in mono sound on a standard-sized 1.33:1 screen. When he gets to the sole surviving ancient wonder, the pyramids at Giza, the curtains open to full width as the camera flies over the pyramids and the music score swells up in full stereophonic surround sound. Then the film visits various candidates for the seven wonders of the modern world, manmade and natural, starting at New York City and moving on to South America, Japan, Cambodia, India and the Holy Land, then to Africa, Arabia, Istanbul, Greece, Rome (including the Pope at the Vatican) and finally back to the United States where scenes are accompanied by stirring patriotic tunes sung by the Apollo Club of Minneapolis. Overall, “Seven Wonders of the World” is a vivid and sometimes poignantly moving time capsule of the world in the mid-20th century, and its diverse sights and cultures are viewed from a hopeful, admiring and distinctly American perspective of its era. In some ways, “Seven Wonders” is comparable to the later large-format film travel documentaries “Baraka” (1992) and “Samsara” (2011). Picture quality is very good. It has been amazingly restored mostly from the original (faded and often damaged) camera negative and, for missing portions, from a faded archival print. The original seven-track stereo
DECEMBER 18,’14
christopher.jacobs@email.und.edu
A & E
MUSIC
|By Stephen Anderson|
THE 30 BEST SONGS OF 2014 Part 1
N
o “best of” list will ever truly satisfy anyone besides the compilers themselves. One person’s musical treasure is just as well another’s rubbish, and there just aren’t enough hours in a day to listen to everything. That being said, these 15 songs seem to hover above the rest, and demonstrate how immensely inventive and diverse this year’s releases have been. Whether you agree with this list or not, the songs listed deserve a first listen at the very least. “SEASONS (WAITING ON YOU)” – FUTURE ISLANDS Driven by the impossibly, impeccably earnest frontman Samuel T. Herring, synthpop trio Future Islands broke big with “Seasons,” a burning ember stoked by a now-infamous appearance on David Letterman’s Late Show. With his heart in his hand, Herring growls theatrically, awash in a thick sea of pummeling synths. It ought to be noted BADBADNOTGOOD’s soulful reinterpretation of the song is equally deserving of praise. “WATER FOUNTAIN” – TUNE-YARDS Soaked with profound, and profoundly dreadful, imagery and cloaked as a schoolyard jump rope jammer, Merrill Garbus and co.’s “Water Fountain” is a tribal chant gone mad. “TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN” – STURGILL SIMPSON Forget moonshine whiskey, Sturgill Simpson would rather imbibe some magic mushrooms. The psychonautic crooner injects the country music world with a much-needed shot of existentialism.
A & E
“ABOVE MY GROUND” – LANDLADY Barreling toward the best train wreck you’ve ever heard, the art-rock tricksters’ anthem
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THEATER
andersstephenson1@gmail.com
marches towards eternity, and you’d better come along. “CONTENT NAUSEA” – PARKAY QUARTS With “Content Nausea”, a street-smart state of the union delivered at a steadily chugging machine-gun pace, singer/guitarist Andrew Savage decimates social networking, consumerism, government propaganda, as well as melody, in three anxious minutes. “DON’T TELL OUR FRIENDS ABOUT ME” – BLAKE MILLS The least radio-friendly ballad you may ever hear, Mills’ dispatches from the dog house makes shame sound awfully pretty. Rounded out with her-side vocals from Fiona Apple and an achingly sweet coda, “Don’t Tell” wrings out true beauty in every sincerely pleaded expletive. “HEY MAMI” – SYLVAN ESSO With a sidelong glance at the fine art of catcalling, the a cappella-round-turned-dancefloor-destroyer sounds like a confident strut through the bad side of town. “SLOW MOTION” – PHOX A thoroughly refined pop arrangement, breakout septet PHOX’s nice-to-meet-ya single makes a strong case for the coolness of oboes. With a songbird’s grace, vocalist Monica Martin soars over each tailored movement. “CAN’T DO WITHOUT YOU” – CARIBOU Repetitious like a record that’s been scratched in just the right spot, Dan Snaith’s return under the Caribou banner grooves euphorically.
“PASSING OUT PIECES” – MAC DEMARCO Indie’s beloved prankster lets his guard down, spilling about the ain’t-all-flowers touring life. This sentiment of road-worn weary is evidenced only in lyrics, however; the holy goof swaggers coolly between trembling synth passes and yawning bass lines. “UNDER THE PRESSURE” – THE WAR ON DRUGS Rising from a glassy swirl of dropping pins, Adam Granduciel’s monolithic, night-riding opus spins on like the spools of a Don Henley cassette in the deck of a Pontiac Fiero. “BLOCKBUSTER NIGHT PART 1” – RUN THE JEWELS Run the Jewels are here to crash your party, steal your girlfriend and trash your home, and you’d be wrong to stop them.
“BORED IN THE U.S.A.” – FATHER JOHN MISTY The gonzo popmeister aims to bring everyone down with a tender stab of reality. Forlorn and decidedly un-patriotic, the melancholia of “Bored” is amplified by soft bursts of canned applause. Ouch. “HI-FIVE” – ANGEL OLSEN Olsen’s scuzzy twang and psyched-out, clashing guitars rumble and roll into one of the best flat-out rock songs of the year. **Look for Part II in next week’s issue.
IF YOU GO:
|By Jack Dura|
“A Tuna Christmas” The Stage at Island Park, 333 Fourth St. S. 7:30 p.m., Fri-Sat, Dec. 19-20, 2627, 2 p.m. Sat-Sun, Dec. 21 & 27 701-235-6778, www.barestagetheatre.com
ANOTHER BARE STAGE‘TUNA’ ‘ A Tu n a C h r i s t m a s ’ c o n t i n u e s s t o r y o f Te x a s t own in minimal s t yle
heater is far from wrapping up for the year in Fargo-Moorhead, as the folks of Bare Stage Theatre present their Christmas sequel to “Greater Tuna” the next two weekends. “A Tuna Christmas” picks up with the twoman cast of David Lassig and Mark Seeba, who juggle 22 characters. It’s a mix of women, men, kids and even a cat, cooking up an outing of theatrical tomfoolery for area audiences. David even portrays three siblings in the same scene, changing costumes and moving quickly as “A Tuna Christmas” moves along. In keeping with Bare Stage Theatre’s theme, “A Tuna Christmas” sees little onstage additions, keeping costumes, set pieces and props to a minimum. “The props are all basically mimicked. The costumes are pretty heavy-duty, but it’s very quick pieces, so it’s a lot of layering,” director Shanara Lassig said. The show’s set is minimal as well, with
“ALEXANDRA” – HAMILTON LEITHAUSER Built on a lust-for-life drumbeat, the ex-Walkmen crooner wails this red-faced ode with a pep-band enthusiasm.
a backdrop for costume changes, rotating, turn-table Christmas trees for scene changes and then just a table and chairs for set pieces. “They mimic everything,” Shanara said of the two-man cast. “They’re acting everything out, so there’s not a lot of props or set there that they’re using to help the audience see. They have to use their imagination, for sure.” While this play does feature a few more set pieces than the usual Bare Stage show, it’s still noticeably more minimal than the average theater production, Shanara remarked. For anyone who saw Bare Stage’s “Greater Tuna” two years ago, “A Tuna Christmas” is right in the same vein of entertainment. Those familiar with the Lassigs’ and Seeba’s onstage shenanigans should not be disappointed with most anything from the folks behind farces like “Fowl Play” and last year’s “Hound of the Baskervilles.” “A Tuna Christmas” is ripe for the time of
jack@hpr1.com
Photo by Perry Rust
year, following its characters’ families as they try to find the phantom pranking their town. As a Christmastime comedy, Bare Stage Theatre’s latest offering is a real gift for audiences, Shanara believes, and it is another great production under the Bare Stage’s belt. “It’s a little bit of everything -- mostly it’s
DECEMBER 18,’14
a comedy, of course -- but I think people will just be impressed like they were with ‘Greater Tuna,’ with the costume changes and the abilities of Mark and David to portray the different characters,” she said. “It’s wonderful to be able to work with them and show people how wonderful they are.” 7
F E AT U R E
T
C U LT U R E
PUT DOWNTHE PHONEAND DRIVE
oday’s society is obsessed with being connected and having to scroll the most recent Facebook feed. This is not just a problem with the younger generation; even grandparents are guilty of not putting down their cell phones. This becomes a huge problem when people try to juggle the obsession with driving. “People need to focus on what they are really supposed to be doing, and that is driving,” said Lt. Joel Vettel of the Fargo Police Department. Vettel said the local police department recognizes texting and driving as an ongoing problem. The department is trying to get people to realize how devastating it can be. The department has spent the past three to five years educating the Fargo-Moorhead area about the dangers of texting and driving. The most recent push is Eyes Forward, a safe-driving campaign aimed at eliminating texting
8
|By Stephanie Christianson|
stephanie@hpr1.com while driving. Although the Fargo Police Department has not done any local studies on texting and driving, it is still an important issue to address so people stay safe on the roads. Vettel said texting and driving can be just as dangerous as driving under the influence. He believes people have a mindset that it will not happen to them, and in order to solve the problem, we have to personalize it. “It’s human nature,” Vettel said. “People think ‘I’m going to do it for a second’ and ‘I feel safe,’ and that’s when tragedy happens.” Distracted driving is the city ordinance, which is reflective of North Dakota state law, for anyone who is caught texting and driving. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving. Distracted driving can lead to devastating outcomes. According to AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, federal estimates suggest that distracted driving contributes to 16 percent of all fatal crashes, leading to about 5,000 deaths every year. Calissa Treat, a student, said all of her friends and even her mother text while driving. She believes young people text and drive because they feel as though nothing bad could happen to them. “It’s one of those things where you’re driv-
ing and your phone goes off, and you almost feel anxiety start to creep up if you don’t check it,” Treat said. “Maybe it’s that we are all addicted to media so terribly and we don’t even know it.”
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Educating the public on the dangers of texting and driving is just the beginning. The next step is actually committing to putting down the phone while driving to prevent any more fatalities.
F E AT U R E
|By Jessica Steinke|
C U LT U R E
HOWTOTURN CANS INTO CAMELS
O
A nd m o s t a ny t hing e l s e
n a sunny summer day in Wahpeton, N.D., 4-year-old Olivia runs along the fence of the camels’ habitat at the Chahinkapa Zoo. Her blonde curls bounce with excitement as she examines her favorite animals. Olivia is a frequent patron of the Chahinkapa Zoo, where she enjoys seeing her beloved pair of Bactrian camels. As she’s poised along the fence, the brown camels stand on their lumpy knees, gnawing their daily rations of grain. Their two humps, heavy eyelashes and shedding lumps of fur communicate their ability to live in extreme environments, whether sand or snow. Regardless of their hardy design, “fewer than 1,000 Bactrian camels currently exist outside of captivity,” reports zoo director Kathy Diekman. The camels’ natural habitat decreases each year to make room for a population influx. Their meager numbers landed them on the endangered species list. Concerned with conservation, Wahpeton residents decided to take action. For a town with fewer than 8,000 people, they put forth a monumental community effort, gathering recyclable aluminum beverage cans. Profits for the effort provided an endangered animal a home and has been responsible for making children like Olivia smile for over a decade. The residents’ efforts not only bought the city zoo a camel, but they also demonstrated an innovative way to be sustainable. The National Recycling Coalition commended them with an award for creative recycling efforts and paid for production of a commercial featuring 40 local children to relay Wahpeton’s achievement. Broadcast across the nation, the coalition ad hoped to spark sustainability innovation in others. Capturing waste and recycling benefit communities in many ways. Economies increase with the formation of jobs as companies turn the unusable into valuable, non-traditional products. Communities thrive as they unite with common objectives. Recycling as much material as possible will result in a sustainable balance with nature, ensuring a promising future with abundant resources. Wahpeton saw the value in one overlooked commodity commonly thrown in the trash: aluminum cans. Striving to work together, the community achieved results that impressed on a national scale. As a result, the small-town residents experienced the gratification that comes with national accomplishment. Recycling can create unity among an area’s residents. The Chahinkapa Zoo wanted to bring the community together by teaching resource conservation along with animal conservation. In 2011 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated that over $1 billion of aluminum was lost to landfills. The Chahinkapa Zoo saw such waste as an opportunity and decided to take action. The zoo created a fundraiser titled, Cans for Camels in 1999 and set a goal of acquiring a female companion for their male camel. As a non-profit, the astronomical $10,000 camel price tag seemed unreachable. Refusing to be governed by budget alone, the zoo staff launched their Cans for Camels program. Locals transported cans to designated bins around town where zoo volunteers worked tirelessly to collect them. Volunteers hauled truckloads of cans to a recycling center where
steinkeje@mnstate.edu
the zoo received the current market price—today, approximately 40 cents per pound. “The thing I really like as a Zoo Director is not everyone can give huge donations, so this is a way of everyone having some ownership in the zoo,” Diekman says. To the delight of zoo officials, purchasing the $10,000 camel concluded in merely three years. The zoo staff considered this a major success, so they just kept the program going. “We think recycling is very important,” Diekman says. “Financially, it adds $5,000 a year to the zoo.” Diekman sees participation as “a great community thing that has brought us all together.” Even more gratifying, local residents now feel proud of themselves. Reclamation also spawns jobs for residents. The EPA estimates 10,000 tons of waste going to landfills creates one job. In contrast, 10,000 tons of waste recycled creates 10 jobs. “One thing people don’t realize is that the recycling industry rivals the automotive and truck industry in the United States, so it’s a very serious contributor to our economic growth in this country,” says Mary Aldrich, MinnKota Recycling sales director. MinnKota makes an effort to keep jobs local. The company fills local demand first before shipping their products outside of the regional area. All recycled glass collected by MinnKota gets shipped to Glass Advantage in West Fargo, N.D., and all recycled newspaper goes to Pactiv in Moorhead, Minn. Pactiv employs over 170 people and Glass Advantage approximately 10-15. Therefore, approximately 180 jobs rely on Fargo-Moorhead area’s recycling habits. Companies strive to use recycled material in innovative ways. Someone might assume that a glass bottle arriving for recycling will again leave as a glass bottle; in reality, this is rarely the case. A vast array of nontraditional products rely on recycled material as their main component. Recycled glass holds little value in the market. Crafty companies continue to demonstrate how recyclables bought for nothing can be transformed into a valuable product. Glass Advantage currently leads the way in Fargo-Moorhead’s local market. “Recycling glass and making it into the product that we make is kind of new to everything; in fact, we used to be one of only three in the United States,” reports office manager Caren Stearns. Since their initial start-up, competing companies have been popping up all over the nation. Glass Advantage proves their industry to be profitable, which is why other companies have followed suit. MinnKota and surrounding towns furnish all their glass, clear and colored, free of charge. Glass Advantage pays only for transport costs. In turn, they manufacture the glass into landscaping rock and glass blasting media—a fancy title for sandblasting. A 50-pound bag of glass blasting media or landscaping rock brings in $10 to 12. This is remarkable, considering the glass had no value when it came to the Glass Advantage warehouse. “We produce on average about 10 million pounds in a year into a new product,” Stearns reports. The reclamation of this glass is substantially profitable for the company and also great for the community, as it keeps over 10 million pounds of waste a year out of the local landfill. Despite the advances made in the recycling industry, the majority of recyclable material
still ends up in landfills. A 2012 study conducted by the EPA found a U.S. recycling rate of only 34.5 percent. Capturing the entirety of valuable resources we generate creates a more sustainable balance between humans and nature. Resources that aren’t recycled get packed into landfills around the country. As a nation, we don’t have the resources or the space to continue living frivolously. It’s not only individuals who need to be taking action but businesses as well. Many locals express frustration with Fargo-Moorhead businesses and their sustainability policies, or lack thereof. Aldrich is one who demonstrated frustration with a local hotel’s recycling policy. “I was at the Ramada for a wedding, and I was surprised that they weren’t recycling when I know they have receptacles there to recycle,” she reported. Aldrich pulled aside an employee to question this discrepancy, to which he reportedly replied, “Well, certain events we don’t recycle.” Unfortunately, what Aldrich experienced with the Ramada is not uncommon. Restaurants and hotels typically take the easy road by not recycling. Most claim they do not have the manpower or the space to accommodate a sustainability program. However, some local hotels, such as the Holiday Inn and Hotel Donaldson, see the importance in resource conservation. These establishments improvise staff and space to enable a successful sustainability program. Supporting businesses that have implemented feasible practices proves to be a great way to keep valuable resources out of landfills. All resources on the planet remain limited.
DECEMBER 18,’14
Permanently burying valuable material is not economical or sustainable. Less than 25 percent of all plastic produced in the U.S. gets recycled, according to the EPA. If the U.S. reprocessed the other 75 percent, one billion gallons of oil and 44 million cubic yards of landfill space annually would result. The world faces a dwindling oil supply. Reducing the amount of plastics that enter landfills is important in extending the lifespan of this resource and also decreases our reliance on importing foreign oil. Glass Advantage breaks glass into fragments to make their final products. By shattering this material, the company helps the environment by speeding up rates of decomposition. The U.S. National Park Service estimates that one glass bottle takes approximately one million years to decompose in a landfill. “By using the glass we make from sand, and by recycling it, you’re not depleting more of our resources,” Stearns says. “I think it’s a good deal.” Pollution strips the planet and its inhabitants of their health and sometimes their lives. Recycling can help combat this problem. The weight of this problem doesn’t fall on one individual, but on everyone. The process of recycling has changed rapidly since its onset. Companies continue to put materials to use in new, creative ways. The creation of new products from recycled material helps communities come together to achieve common goals. Keeping the valuable material out of landfills benefits everyone, but unfortunately, participation is lacking. The more resources that we capture, the more sustainable balance we keep with nature.
9
G N I H T Y n SAY a
m media?
ing the mainstrea er Rob Port scoop
How is local blogg
so that it’s something you can do full time. It’s hard and, not to Minot-based blogger, who started in September of 2003 put myself on a pedestal or anything like that, it’s almost like with readers consisting mainly of fellow bloggers, has someone like breaking in, in acting or a professional athlete.” gone on to become one of the most prominent political He makes no secret about his political views, describing news sources in North Dakota. Rob Port writes for his himself as a conservative libertarian who is, for the most Say Anything Blog pretty much as a one man show, save for part, fiscally conservative and socially liberal. He supports some occasional contributors who frequently scoop other large gay marriage, for instance. One of the reasons Say Anything media organizations in the state, who in turn follow suit on his Blog has been able to gain so much prominence is Port’s stories. He went from blogging with a day job to now doing it willingness to report or blog about stories that are damaging to full-time. As a result, the blog’s traffic has jumped from about Republican candidates. For instance, he frequently criticizes 100 unique visitors a day (in its’ early years) to as much as Governor Jack Dalrymple and Senator John Hoeven, and two 650,000 page views from October of 2014, ahead of the of his biggest scoops this past election cycle were about ND November midterm elections. Port said his blog came into its own when it transitioned from Ag Commissioner Doug Goehring’s comments to women in his office and ND Tax Commissioner Ryan Rauschenberger’s national politics to North Dakota politics. admission of an alcohol addiction. “I began to get the idea that there are thousands and “I think, probably, the moments I am proudest of and -- I’ve thousands of people writing and producing content about always thought -- the moments that give me the most credibility national issues, but there are a lot fewer people writing about are those moments when I am writing about something or local issues here in North Dakota, so I shifted in focus. I started covering something that’s not necessarily convenient for focusing a lot more on North Dakota politics, and the audience conservatives and Republicans. I really think that’s what has for that just kind of took off. It was filling a niche that wasn’t set the blog apart. It’s not like I’ve been the only blogger in the being served. Maybe some alternative viewpoints, conservative state. There have been other political blogs, but I think they’ve, viewpoints that weren’t necessarily being served in North in some ways, been so overbearingly ideological or partisan that Dakota,” Port told HPR. they’ve just never really built an audience, because people don’t It’s very rare for a writer to make a living solely as a blogger. take that sort of stuff as seriously sometimes,” Port said. Port said, for every 1,000 bloggers, only one or two are able to He last voted for a do it full time. He said it took years of hard work, blogging at Democrat in night and scheduling posts for the next day while 2010, he worked his day job. “I think, probably, the “It took a long time to eventually moments I am proudest of and -- I’ve develop the sort of readership and the always thought -- the moments that give me sort of credibility that attract the most credibility are those moments when I am advertisers and writing about something or covering something that’s not attract sponsors
necessarily convenient for conservatives and Republicans. I really think that’s what has set the blog apart. It’s not like I’ve been the only blogger in the state. There have been other political blogs, but I think they’ve, in some ways, been so overbearingly ideological or partisan that they’ve just never really built an audience, because people don’t take that sort of stuff as seriously sometimes.”
when he publicly endorsed Corey Mock for Secretary of State against Republican incumbent Al Jaeger. He said he frequently votes for libertarian candidates and would consider voting for a Democrat again if it’s the right candidate for the office. He said he would not vote for Senator Heidi Heitkamp, a Democrat who bucked the trend of Republicans winning statewide offices in North Dakota. He doesn’t think his bias affects his judgment on stories, however. “I would not withhold a story on somebody I consider a friend. I use my judgment. If I consider something to be news, then I write about it. That’s just the way it is. I think that people know that about me,” Port said. “I think that over the years when I’ve been willing to criticize Republicans. I think I’ve proven that. I do not have a problem writing negative stories about Republicans ever, even if it’s a friend. I don’t know how I can prove that to you, but it’s the truth. I don’t pull punches. Now I may refrain from writing about a story that I don’t think is a story, or that I
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DECEMBER 18,’14
story by chris hennen z design by raul gome k oc rl mo x ma layout by
don’t think has credibility, but that’s a judgment that I apply to Democrats.” As far as his ability to get scoops and report stories that other news organizations don’t, and as someone who has been reporting on politics in the state for 11 years, Port said he has been able to build trust with his audience -- who send him news tips all the time -- because he is constantly interacting with them on social media like Facebook and Twitter. He said most reporters covering state and local government these days only last two or three years. “Most of my stories begin with somebody who reads the blog, who maybe works in an office or for some reason has knowledge of something, saying, ‘Hey, you should check this out’ or ‘Hey, you should request these records or you should call this person.’ And I follow up on it, and it turns out to be, sometimes, a really good story,” Port told HPR. While he said about 80 percent of the tips sent to him turn out to be nothing, he checks most out to see if there’s anything there. He knows some Republicans obviously leak things to him to help their cause. “I am a conservative and I wear that on my sleeve. Obviously that differentiates me from a traditional quote-unquote journalist. I don’t really call myself a journalist. I am a blogger, make of it what you will. I don’t really care. The content speaks for itself,” Port says. “People in politics are going to bring me things that are of interest to a conservative audience to write about. If I end up getting things out faster, or if I end up writing about things that maybe the traditional newspaper wouldn’t write about, that’s my bread and butter. I think the reason that Say Anything has an audience is that there is information out there that newspapers and televisions and traditional media don’t necessarily cover that I do. And also because I am mixing reporting facts with opinions. There’s probably going to be a spin on it from a conservative perspective. Now I say that when I write something that’s a fact, it’s a fact, because I check them out and am convinced that it’s fact. I also put in some opinion -- and people may disagree with the conclusions that I draw -- but I think that the one thing even most of my critics and maybe detractors will agree upon is that if I say something is a fact, it’s a fact.” Port said his lack of an editor or journalism schooling doesn’t affect his ability to report or blog credibly. He thinks bloggers are an important part of people’s ability to get news, and even with editors, major newspaper reporters like the Forum of Fargo-Moorhead still have errors in headlines and about pertinent facts. “In this age, more and more, the onus is on the consumer of the content to figure out what is and isn’t true. It’s always been that way, but I think proliferation of things like Twitter and Facebook, these are areas where if someone like me gets something wrong, I get called out on it. They said I don’t have an editor; but I also have an open comment section and I have a Twitter account and I have a Facebook account, and when I’m wrong about something, people can call me into account and hold me accountable for that. Because digital journalism is such a two-way street, that editor function is almost sort of performed by the crowd,” Port said. As far was what’s next for Say Anything Blog, Port said his long-term goal is to hire a reporter in Bismarck to cover the Capitol, as he has reached his max for producing content himself. One thing that is not a part of his aspirations is to leave North Dakota to become a national blogger. “North Dakota is my home. North Dakota is what I care about. North Dakota is what I like to write about. I am endlessly fascinated by this state. I love the people, I even love the weather. I love everything about North Dakota, and I don’t ever really want to leave,” Port replied. “This is my home and I am very, very lucky to be able to make a living from writing and informing people about politics and state government here. I hope that I can keep doing it my whole life.” As long he continues to do so, he will no doubt have a role in shaking up the North Dakota political scene.
LIFESTYLE
I
LOVE & MARRIAGE
|By Dr. Richard Kolotkin|
CALCULATED LOVE
read a fascinating article in The New York Times called “Rethinking Eating” by news analyst Kate Murphy. It equated cooking to sex. What Ms. Murphy wrote was that “like cooking, sex is messy and a lot of trouble … food, like sex, (being) fraught with emotional, psychological, social, cultural, gender and religious associations …(and) sharing a meal (also being) how we establish and maintain relationships.” How true this is. What’s also true is that I can adore food. When well-crafted from fine ingredients and full of taste and flavor, food is right up there. I also know that my passionate feelings about food can be dangerous in the absence of intention. Why? It’s because, given my metabolism, all I have to do to gain weight is look at food – eating isn’t required. Food is often used as a tool to aid understanding. Some people, for example, say that you are what you eat. Though perhaps not as interesting as equating food and sex, this idea also provokes thought since, if true, you’d probably be pretty selective about your eating choices. For some, selecting from among many menu choices is relatively easy. But for those who think of food as more than just fuel, these decisions become more complicated. This is because, when you order, getting fed isn’t the only variable you consider. You also want to be happy with your meal when it’s over. And it’s this – trying to pick among many items to find a single, happy choice – that can make ordering decisions tough. You, of course, make many decisions in “the menu of life,” most being far more important than what to eat at any given meal. And while food may or may not define you, your other decisions do. Psychologists know this and typically assume that different kinds of people make different kinds of decisions – your decisions reflecting your needs, values, desires and preferences. Even as food is like sex, choosing from a dining menu is actually a lot like love and marriage: both ask you to pick that one, happy choice. If you’ve ever searched the Internet for your “soul mate,” you know this. Enroll in eHarmony or Match and your “menu options” are presented directly to you. And as with food, you’ll have preferences that guide you as you scrutinize those in the personal menu alternatives offered. But unlike a page-limited food menu, the love and marriage menu you scan is not finite. You can always click further. You can always look for yet another among those listed, never knowing if the one before you is “the best.” In “The Paradox of Choice” psychologist Barry Schwartz notes that having more possibilities makes things worse, not better -- so many possibilities often making it almost impossible to choose. And while this is true for most who Internet date, it’s not true for all. For those who are “food is fuel” kind of lovers, choosing is actually easy. Just sign up for Tinder, type your 500 characters and voila! Your lover appears. I’m talking fast food here! As a psychologist, I’m often asked to help with decisions. Should I change jobs, get married, divorced, have children or find new love are often questions I find before me. And though it may surprise you, I don’t typically answer these questions for anyone – they are
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questions that only you can answer. Absent my specific answers, what I do provide is an intelligent approach that can define the best answer for you. And while this approach is often useful in all life choices, it can be particularly useful when it comes to making good decisions about love and marriage. The approach I advocate is to “calculate love.” Unfortunately the idea of calculating love is typically maligned -- it evokes a picture of manipulation and deceit. And while I’d never refute the idea that this kind of predatory calculated love exists, this isn’t at all what I’m advocating. What I’m recommending is that you approach your relationship choices a lot more like how you might scan a food menu. Why? It’s because down the road you want to be satisfied with whom you picked for your “relationship meal.” Here’s what I mean. Picking a satisfying entrée is a multifaceted decision involving many variables. Scanning a menu, you have to ask yourself many questions as you try to predict your satisfaction at meal’s end. Will I like this preparation? Am I a fan of the ingredients? What does it cost? Is it vegan or gluten-free? But as you consider these variables, trying to predict your future happiness, they’re not all the same. Some will be more important to you than others. So what happens is that you, without knowing it, end up developing a mental “prediction equation” that weighs the options as you decide. And, though sounding strange, this is exactly the same thing that you do in your relationship choices. Getting relationship-specific and asking you not to freak, here’s a snapshot of what your personal relationship prediction equation looks like: Ix1 + Ix2 + Ix3 + Ixn = y where “x” is a lover characteristic you want, “I” is the importance of each of these characteristics to you and “y” is the relationship happiness you’re trying to predict. So again using food as an example, if gluten is important to you then your “I” value for it may be 95 out of 100. If price is important, but gluten isn’t, then gluten gets an “I” of 5 while price gets an “I” of 90. And this has relationship importance how? It’s because figuring out all of the x’s and I’s in your personal equations will allow you to predict anything – whether happiness with a meal or with a lover – with high accuracy. This is what I mean by calculating love. You sit down and figure out what’s important and how important it’s going to be to you so that down the road you’re still happy with the relationship choice you made. Today’s tip: Be calculating about love and determine your personal relationship prediction equation. Use relationship satisfaction as the “y” you want to predict. Then think about the x’s you’re looking for in a lover that will sustain your love and happiness. Brains? Beauty? Brawn? Wealth? Emotional intelligence? Communication skill? Religious similarity? Develop your own list of x’s or brainstorm possibilities with friends. Next complete your personal relationship happiness equation by defining the importance of each of your x’s from 1 – 100. And if this all sounds too unfeeling make sure that you add love or passion as an “x” and give it high importance value.
In doing this, be honest with yourself and project yourself into the future -- though you might really want a party animal now, maybe not so much later in life. Work carefully since unlike a meal that can be easily eliminated -- another only hours away -- partnered love cannot. With calculations complete you’re now ready to look at those “menu options” and
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search for someone whom you’re truly hungry for. [Editor’s note: Richard A. Kolotkin, Ph.D., is a professor in psychology at MSUM, licensed psychologist with a practice in Moorhead, and author of “The Insightful Marriage: What You Really Need to Know and Do to be Happily Married” which is available for Kindle and Nook.]
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EAT
&
DRINK |By Krissy Ness|
BEER SNOB
WALKING IN A WINTER “WARMER” LAND nesskrissy@gmail.com
Boulevard - Nutcracker (ABV 7.8% IBU 38, Missouri)
Deep gold in color and crowned with a fluffy white head, this winter warmer releases an immediate scent of molasses and chinook hops. The body of this beer is light yet complex, and hints of spice, gingerbread and minimal hops make this a perfect seasonal.
Goose Island - Festivity Ale (ABV 7.7% IBU 50, Illinois)
An impressive head gilds this deep maroon beer. Hints of dark fruit and spiced aroma drift from this beer and continue into the taste. Minimal flavors from pilgrim and English golden hops add to this unique flavor. This medium-bodied beer provides intricate flavors and a warming sensation in your belly.
Deschutes - Jubelale (ABV 6.7% IBU 60, Oregon)
This deep dark brew topped with a frothy off-white head expels a dark fruit scent and a malt-forward body. Attention-grabbing flavors of dark fruit and multiple English and American hops, and hints of leather, make this beer worthy of the weather.
21st Amendment – Fireside Chat (ABV 7.9% IBU 45, California)
Deep ruby in color and adorned with a white frothy head, this brew looks as wonderful as it smells. This full-bodied beer has a malty beginning that finishes with magnum and goldings hops, leaving a pleasant yet subtle finish.
Widmer Brothers – BRRR (ABV 7.2% IBU 50, Oregon)
A heavy off-white head adorns this deep amber-stained beer, which is packed full of alchemy, simcoe and cascade hops. Indications of caramel seep through this crisp beer, leaving a tingle in your mouth and a lasting aftertaste.
Join Us for Happy Hour! 4-6
pm
10 - 11
pm
Tuesday-saTurday
Tuesday-Thursday
10 - 12 am Friday-saTurday
701-364-9479 DineMezzaluna.com
DECEMBER 18,’14
13
HP R EVE N T S
BEST BET
DEC 18 - DEC 25
PRIDE COLLECTIVE HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE
Send your event submissions to events@hpr1.com. Please keep your information brief and be sure to include time, place, location and contact information. For Best Bets submissions please send your emails to bestbets@hpr1.com
ONGOING EVENTS
*In the Neighborhood: oil work by Beverly Jane, Uptown Gallery, Fargo, 701793-7201, uptownartgallery.com, thru Jan. 3 *Deborah Mae Broad, The Uptown Gallery, Fargo, 701-793-7201, uptownartgallery.com thru Jan 9 *Creativity on Display,
WERY
The Uptown Gallery, Fargo, 701-793-7201, uptownartgallery.com thru Jan. 31 *Oil in the Fields: Andy Scholz, Rourke Art Gallery, Moorhead, 218-236-8861, therourke.org, thru Jan 18 *Remembering When: Vintage Linens, Nichole’s Fine Pastry, Fargo, 701-2326430, nicholesfinepastry.
Thurs., Dec. 18, 5:30 – 8 p.m.
com *Under Construction: Lynn Fundingsland, Nichole’s Fine Pastry, Fargo, 701-232-6430, nicholesfinepastry.com *Hybrid Vigor: Stephen Alexander Wischer, Plains Art Museum, 701-2323821, plainsart.org *In Crypt: On New Worlds
PRIDE Collective and Community Center, 1105 1 Ave. S, Fargo The PRIDE Collective and Community Center has been F-M’s leading social activists for the well-being and development of the LGBT community. The open house is an opportunity for everyone to visit the center and gain a better understanding of what the collective does. There will be free food and activities and live music provided by Diane Miller, Tom Johnson and Mike Holtz.
Re-Ordered, Plains Art Museum, 701-232-3821, plainsart.org *Todd Herbert Selected Works1999-2014, Plains
GIFT CARDS NOW AVAILABLE!
14
DECEMBER 18,’14
Art Museum, 701-2323821, plainsart.org *The North Dakota Mural: James Rosenquist, Plains Art Museum, 701-2323821, plainsart.org *Trail Dust and Sentiment, Plains Art Museum, Fargo. plainsart.org *Creative Actions: Selections from the Permanent Collection, Plains Art Museum, plainsart.org *Art of Sacred Spaces, The Rourke Art Gallery, Moorhead, 218-236-8861, therourke.org *Transformations:The Art of the Mask, The Rourke Art Gallery, Moorhead, 218236-8861, therourke.org *Heart/Land and Living as Form, Plains Art Museum, Fargo. plainsart.org *ART BOOM, Tri-College Art Faculty Show, Plains
Art Museum, thru January 4, plainsart.org *Ellen Diederich, The Uptown Gallery, Fargo, uptownartgallery.com *VIVID, The Art of Seth Chwast and Dietrich Sieling, Plains Art Museum, Fargo. 701-232-3821, thru April 5, plainsart.org *Doing Our Part — Clay County in WWll, Hjemkomst Center, Moorhead, 218-299-5511, hcscconline.org *FMVA Constraint Show, Hjemkomst Center, Moorhead, 218-299-5511, hcscconline.org, thru Jan 5 *On and On: Cameron Peterson, Nichole’s Fine Pastry, Fargo, 701-2326430, nicholesfinepastry. com *Spirit of Nature: Marcella Rose, Nichole’s Fine
BEST BET
THE BLENDERS
Thurs., Dec. 18 - Sun., Dec. 21, 7:30 p.m.
GYPSY LUMBERJACKS
Fargo Theatre, 314 Broadway, Fargo The Blenders are bringing their vocal harmonies back home for the holidays with four nights of shows at the Fargo Theatre. The Blenders now operate out of Minneapolis and have been seen on television with Jay Leno and Howie Mandel, and featured on hit TV shows like “The Arsenio Hall Show” and “The Today Show.” The group has released several holiday albums and has won three Emmy awards. Tickets for the shows will cost $39 and can be purchased at etix.com. Pastry, Fargo, 701-2326430, nicholesfinepastry. com thru Dec 24 *Steve Knutson: Off the Map, The Spirit Room, Fargo, 701-237-0230, spiritroom.net *House & Home, Hjemkomst Center, Moorhead, 218-299-5511, hcscconline.org, thru Jan 7 *New Works: Andrew Stark, Ecce Gallery, Fargo, 701-298-3223, eccegallery. com, thru Jan 4 *Acropolis of the West: Molly Yergens, Ecce Gallery, Fargo, 701-298-3223, eccegallery.com, thru Jan 18 *Frasier, Ltd. Festival of Trees, FargoDome, 701232-2301, fargodome.com *The Vase Project: Made in China, Landscape in Blue, NDMOA, Grand Forks,701-777-4195, ndmoa.org, thru Jan. 14 *Barton’s Place, NDMOA, Grand Forks,701-777-4195, ndmoa.org *Out of the Silent Planet: Cameron Peterson’s, The Spirit Room, Fargo, 701237-0230, spiritroom.net *Tough Babies: Annette Dubord, The Spirit Room, Fargo, 701-237-0230, spir-
itroom.net *Visiting Artists: David Adams, Eleanor Richards, MSUM Art Gallery, Roland Dille Arts Center MSUM
THURS::DEC 18
BANDS & LIVE MUSIC ::Isias Quintanilla, Cork n Cleaver, Fargo, 701-2376790, 7 PM. 21+ ::Todd Sisson, Tailgators Sports Cafe, Fargo, 701293-2091, 5 PM ::October Road, The Windbreak Saloon, 701-2825507, Fargo, 9:30 PM, 21+ ::The Vinegar Strokes, JC Chumley’s, 218-236-7813, Moorhead, 9 PM, 21+ ::Mark Proulx, Max Lounge, West Fargo, 701356-7464, 7:00 PM, 21+ ::Dedric Clark & the Social Animals, Hotel Donaldson, Downtown Fargo, 701-478-8888, 8 PM, $5 cover, 21+ ::Gypsy Lumberjacks, Shotgun Sally’s, Fargo, 701241-4386, 9 PM. 21+ ::Jazz Night, Basie’s, Fargo, 701-281-7105, 7 PM, 21+, no cover ::Dave Ferreira Trio, Maxwells, West Fargo, 701-2779463, 6:30 PM
Thurs., Dec. 18, 9 p.m.
Shotgun Sally’s Rock ’N’ Roll Saloon, 1515 42 St. S, Fargo The Gypsy Lumberjacks are a blend of bluegrass, world music and gypsy jazz, among others. The group has performed regularly for six years and rarely plays a song the same way. In March the group released their latest effort, “Pulling Upon the Strap,” which has been called a “one of a kind CD,” and an “amazing collection of music.” The doors open at 9 p.m. and the event is absolutely free. The show is 21-plus.
COMEDY *Frank Roche, Dave Johnson, Courtney’s Comedy Club, Moorhead, 218-287-7100, 8 PM & 10:30 PM, 21+ The Linebenders: Improv Comedy Show, Studio 222, Fargo, 701-238-8336, 8 PM CONCERTS
*Rock & Roll Xmas Spectacular, Historic Holmes Theatre, 218.844.4221, dlccc.org, 7:30 PM *The Blenders Holiday Concert, Fargo Theatre, 701.205.4152, fargotheatre.org, 7:30 PM *Holiday Organ Concerts, Fargo Theatre, 701.205.4152, fargothe-
atre.org, 12 PM *Noon Holiday Concert, Dakota Rose String Quartet, Plains Art Museum, 701-232-3821, plainsart. org, 12 PM ETC *Diabetes Education Opportunity, Sanford Health Diabetes Center, Fargo, 701.234.2245, 4 PM
*Chess Club, Fargo Public Main Library, 701-4765977, cityoffargo.com, 5:30 PM ::Women’s Impact Empower Hour, Max Lounge, West Fargo, 701-356-7464, 5 PM, no cover *Season of Light, MSUM Planetarium Bridges Hall 7 PM, Moorhead,
Dec.20 9am - 12pm th
WFHS Commons West Fargo & Sheyenne High School Theatres present
Storybook
BreakfAst
DECEMBER 18,’14
Storytime read by the characters • Meet your favorite storybook characters Photos with Santa $3 • Pancake breakfast $5 per person • Make and take home crafts • Games, performances and MORE!
15
BEST BET
HP R EVE N T S
DEC 18 - DEC 25 218.477.2920, mnstate. edu, 7 PM *Pride Collective Holiday Open House, Pride Collective and Community Center, Fargo, pridecollective.com, 5-8 PM *Santa Village, Rheault Farm, Fargo, 701-4997788, fargoparks.com, 4 PM, EVENTS *MSUM Winter Commencement, Nemzek Field House, Moorhead, msum. edu, 1 PM KARAOKE ::Rooters Bar Karaoke, Rooters Bar, 701-2354082, Fargo, 9 PM, 21+ ::Pepper’s Karaoke, Sons of Norway, Fargo, 7 PM, 21+ LITERATURE *Adult Book Club: The Lowland, Moorhead Public Library, 218.233.3757, larl. org, 6:30 PM THEATRE *Storefront Church, Theatre B, Fargo, 701-7298880, theatreb.org, 7:30 PM
FRI::DEC 19
16
ARTS & CRAFTS *The Athens of the West: Molly Yergens, Ecce Gallery, Fargo, 701-2983223, eccegallery. com, 6-8 PM BANDS & LIVE MUSIC ::Kathie Brekke, Basie’s, Fargo, 701281-7105, 7 PM, 21+ ::Blues Valley Band, Radisson Downtown, Fargo, 21+ ID Required 8 PM *Xmas Secret Santa Show, The New Direction, 701-318-0742, Fargo. 7 PM ::White Iron Band, You Enjoy Yourself, The Aquarium, Fargo, 701-235-5913, 9 PM, 21+ ::Double Forte, The Garage Bar, Moorhead, 218287-0100, 9 PM, 21+ ::The Miss Adventures, O’Kelly’s Tastes & Toddies, Kelly Inn, 701-277-1880, Fargo. 9 PM, 21+ ::Jazz Nickel Combo, Studio 222, Fargo, 701-2388336, brownpapertickets. com, 8 PM
REINDEER DAY
Sat, Dec. 20, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
400 Block of Broadway, Fargo A real live reindeer is coming to visit Downtown Fargo. Stop by Zandbroz, C. Lizzys and Unglued for in-store coupons, reindeer craft, hot drinks and cookies. It’s a fantastic way to get into the holiday spirit and finish holiday shopping 5 days before Christmas. Visit facebook.com/ungluedmarket for more details.
::Flashback, Specks, Fargo, 701-232-0202, 9 PM, 21+ ::Final Drive, Rick’s Bar, 701-232-8356, Fargo, 9 PM, 21+ ::Ciro & Topher, M&J Brand Saloon, 701-2823059, West Fargo, 9 PM, 21+ . ::Billy D & the Crystals, West Fargo VFW, 701-2824728, West Fargo. 9 PM. 21+ ::Road Trip Radio, Fargo VFW, 701-235-8243, Fargo, 9:30 PM, 21+ ::The Deadbeats, Lucky’s 13 Pub, Fargo, 701-5510013, luckys13pub.com, 9 PM, 21+ ::Jack MacArthur, Max
Lounge, West Fargo, 701356-7464, 9 PM, 21 + ::Boomtown, Shotgun Sally’s, Fargo, 701-241-4386, 9:30 PM. 21+ ::Boys of Summer, Exit 1 Lounge, Dakota Magic Casino, Hankinson, 1-800-DAKOTA5, Dakotamagic.com, 9 PM ::Black River Revue, Dempsey’s Public House, 701-235-5913, Fargo. 10 PM, 21+ ::24 Seven, Pickled Parrot, 701-356-5227, Fargo. 9:30 PM, 21+ ::Boogie Wonderland, The Windbreak Saloon, 701-282-5507, Fargo. 9:30 PM, 21+ ::Lars and Joe Pony
DECEMBER 18,’14
Show, Hennessy’s Irish Pub, Fargo, 701-566-8770, 9 PM, 21 + ::Wilson Bradley Band, Spirits Lounge, Holiday Inn, Fargo, 701-277-7330, 9 PM, 21 + ::DJ / Karaoke, JC Chumley’s, 218-236-7813, Moorhead, 9 PM, 21+ COMEDY *Frank Roche, Dave Johnson, Courtney’s Comedy Club, Moorhead, 218287-7100, 8 PM &10:30 PM, 21+ CONCERTS ::Sawyer Brown, Shooting Star Casino, Minnesota, starcasino.com, 8 PM, *The Blenders Holiday Concert, Fargo Theatre, 701.205.4152, fargotheatre.org, 7:30 PM ETC *Wings of Wisdom: Connecting w/ the Angels, Fargo Rocks, Fargo, 701.237.3729, fargorocksllc.com, 6:30 PM *Santa Village, Rheault Farm, Fargo, 701-4997788, fargoparks.com, 4 PM *Rock-n-Bowl, The Bowler, Fargo, 701-293-0200, 8 PM, All Ages *Free Movie Friday, Fargo Public Main Library, 701476-4040, cityoffargo.com, 1 PM *Free Movie Friday, Fargo Public Library Carlson Branch, 701-476-4040
cityoffargo.com,1 PM *Friday Movie, West Fargo Public Library, 701-4335460, 10:30 AM *Volunteer Xmas Party, Fargo Air Museum, 701293-8043, fargoairmuseum.org, 5 PM EVENT *FM Ballet: Classic Nutcracker, Festival Concert Hall, NDSU, Fargo, 701.234.9440,fmballet. org, 7 PM *Red Raven Songwriters Night, Red Raven Espresso Parlor, Fargo, 701-4787337, 7 PM *NDSU Winter Commencement, Fargodome, 4 PM KARAOKE ::Northsider Karaoke, Northsider All Star Bowl, Moorhead, 9 PM, 21+ ::The Bowler Karaoke, The Bowler, 701-293-0200, Fargo. 9 PM, 21+ ::Vic’s Bar and Grill Karaoke and Video Dj, Vic’s Bar and Grill, Moorhead 9 PM. 21+ ::Work Zone Karaoke, Work Zone Bar, West Fargo 9 PM, 21+ ::Millers Hideout Karaoke, Millers Hideout, Harwood 9 PM, 21+ ::Slammer’s Karaoke, Slammer’s Sport Bar And Grill, Red River Lanes, 701235-1912, Fargo, 9:30 PM, 21+ ::Chumley’s Karaoke,
BEST BET FRANK ROCHE WITH DAVE JOHNSON
Fri., Dec. 19 – Sun., Dec. 21, 8 p.m.
Courtney’s Comedy Club, 600 30 Ave. S, Moorhead Comedian Frank Roche has been featured on “America’s Got Talent” and Comedy Central, and he has shared the stage with comedians like Dave Chappelle. The Detroit native has become a crowd favorite for his on-stage antics, high energy performances and celebrity impressions. Dave Johnson is from Minneapolis and successfully decided to try his hand at stand-up a few years ago. Tickets will cost $8 and for more information visit www.courtneyscomedyclub.com.
Chumley’s, 218-236-7813, Moorhead, 9:30 PM, 21+ ::Rhombus Guys Karaoke, Rhombus Guys, 701-540-4534, Fargo, 10 PM, 21+ SPORTS *Fargo Force VS Sioux Falls, Scheels Arena, Fargo, 701-364-3672, fargoforce. com, 7:05 PM THEATRE *Storefront Church, Theatre B, Fargo, 701-7298880, theatreb.org, 7:30 PM *A Tuna Christmas, The Stage at Island Park, Fargo, 701-235-6778, barestagetheatre.com, 7:30 PM
SAT::DEC 20
BANDS & LIVE MUSIC ::GC & the Sideways, Sidestreet Grille and Pub, Fargo, 701-271-0092, 9 PM ::Wilson Bradley Band, Spirits Lounge, Holiday Inn, Fargo, 701-277-7330, 9 PM, 21 + ::Q5, JT Cigarro’s, Fargo, 701-277-0711, 9 PM, 21+ ::Jon Wayne and the Pain w/ Hardwood Groove, Zorbaz, Detroit Lakes, 218.847.5305, zorbaz. com, 9:30 PM ::Pitcher and Duster, Max Lounge, West Fargo, 701356-7464, 9 PM, 21 + ::Final Drive, Rick’s Bar, 701-232-8356, Fargo, 9
PM, 21+ ::Flashback, Specks, Fargo, 701-232-0202, 9 PM, 21+ ::Ciro & Topher, M&J Brand Saloon, 701-2823059, West Fargo, 9 PM, 21+ ::Road Trip Radio, Fargo VFW, 701-235-8243, Fargo, 9:30 PM, 21+ . ::Billy D & the Crystals, West Fargo VFW, 701-2824728, West Fargo, 9 PM, 21+ ::Jacked Up, Shotgun Sally’s, Fargo, 701.241.4386, 9:30 PM, 21+ ::Generator, Lucky’s 13 Pub, Fargo, 701-551-0013, luckys13pub.com, 9:30 PM, 21+ ::Boys of Summer, Exit 1 Lounge, Dakota Magic Casino, Hankinson, 1-800-DAKOTA5, Dakotamagic.com, 9 PM ::Bad Weather Burlesque, The Aquarium, Fargo, 701235-5913, 9 PM, 21+ ::24 Seven, Pickled Parrot, 701-356-5227, Fargo, 9 PM, 21+ ::Tin Can Gin, Dempsey’s Public House, 701-2355913, Fargo, 10 PM, 21+ ::Dirty Word, The Windbreak Saloon, 701-2825507, Fargo. 9:30 PM. 21+ ::Kenny Rudd, Hennessy’s Irish Pub, Fargo, 701-5668770, 9 PM, 21 + ::Happy Hour, The Spirit
Room, Fargo, 701-2370230, spiritroom.net, 5 PM COMEDY *Frank Roche, Dave Johnson, Courtney’s Comedy Club, Moorhead, 218287-7100, 8 PM &10:30 PM, 21+ *Open Mic Comedy Night, The New Direction, 701318-0742, Fargo. 9 PM. Hosted by Mike Throntveit and Joe Christianson CONCERTS *The Blenders Holiday Concert, Fargo Theatre, 701.205.4152, fargotheatre.org, 2 PM & 7:30 PM ETC *Santa Fly In, Fargo Air Museum, 701-293-8043, fargoairmuseum.org, 12 PM *Movie Matinee, Moorhead Public Library, 218.233.3757, larl.org, 1 PM *Season of Light, MSUM Planetarium Bridges Hall 7 PM, Moorhead, 218.477.2920, mnstate. edu, 7 PM *Santa Village, Rheault Farm, Fargo, 701-4997788, fargoparks.com, 1 PM *Reindeer Day, 400 block of Broadway, Fargo, ungluedmarket.com, 10 AM-1 PM ::Baking with Mrs. Claus, Bun Appetit, Fargo, 1-5 PM ::Rhombus Guys Service Industry Appreciation
Tickets Make Great Gifts!
NETworks presents
©Disney
January 27 • 7:30PM
DECEMBER 18,’14
Tickets available at the FARGODOME Box Office, online at inforumtix.com or charge by phone 855-MYINFORUM (855-694-6367) GROUPS: 701-298-2736
17
BEST BETS
HP R EVE N T S
DEC 18 - DEC 25 Day, Rhombus Guys, 701540-4534, Fargo, noonclose, 21+ ::Kelly Inn Service Appreciation Day, O’Kelly’s Tastes & Toddies, Biltmore, 701-277-1880, Fargo, 12 PM, (All Day Event), 21+ EVENTS *Detroit Mountain Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting, Detroit Lakes, Minn.,
218-844-SNOW, 1 PM *FM Ballet: Classic Nutcracker, Festival Concert Hall, NDSU, Fargo, 701.234.9440, fmballet.org, 2 & 7 PM KARAOKE ::Northsider Karaoke, Northsider All Star Bowl, Moorhead, 9 PM, 21+
DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY CAROLING NIGHT Mon., Dec. 22, 7 - 9 p.m.
St. Mary’s Cathedral, 619 7 St. N, Fargo The Coventry Carolers will be at St. Mary’s Cathedral on Monday night to lead the way as carolers sing their holiday spirit. Free and open to everyone, the Cathedral is welcoming people of all faiths and non-faiths to this community event. After the songs, everyone is invited to stick around for free apple cider and holiday snacks.
::O’Kelly’s Karaoke, Biltmore, 701-277-1880, Fargo, 7:30 PM, 21+ ::M&J Brand Saloon Ka-
raoke, M&J Brand Saloon, 701-282-3059, West Fargo, 9 PM, 21+ THEATRE
*A Tuna Christmas, The Stage at Island Park, Fargo, 701-235-6778, barestagetheatre.com, 7:30 PM
*Storefront Church, Theatre B, Fargo, 701-7298880, theatreb.org, 7:30 PM *Storybook Breakfast, West Fargo High School, 701-356-2160, 9 AM to 12 PM
SUN::DEC 21
Great Gift Ideas & Stocking Stuffers! for your favorite Bison Fan! oneherd.com .• West Acres Mall
18
DECEMBER 18,’14
ARTS & CRAFTS *Huge Holiday Vendor / Craft Show, CCRI, Moorhead, 1 PM BANDS & LIVE MUSIC ::Dirty Word, The Windbreak Saloon, 701-2825507, Fargo, 9:30 PM, 21+ CLASSES *Paint your Pet, Fargo Billiards and Gastropub, Fargo, 218-790-3320, call for details, creativelyuncorked.com, 12 PM COMEDY CONCERTS *The Blenders Holiday Concert, Fargo Theatre, 701.205.4152, fargotheatre.org, 2 PM & 7:30 PM ETC *FMUU Sunday Service, Fargo-Moorhead Unitarian Universalist Church, Fargo, 11 AM *Santa Village, Rheault Farm, Fargo, 701-4997788, fargoparks.com, 1 PM, *Rock-n-Bowl, The Bowler, 701-293-0200, Fargo. 9 PM. All Ages THEATRE *Storefront Church, Theatre B, Fargo, 701-7298880, theatreb.org, 2 PM *A Tuna Christmas, The Stage at Island Park, Fargo,
701-235-6778, barestagetheatre.com, 2 PM EVENTS *Detroit Mountain Grand Opening & Terrain Park Ribbon Cutting, Detroit Lakes, Minn., 218-844SNOW, 1 PM
MON::DEC 22
COMEDY *New Direction Open Mic Comedy Night, The New Direction, 701-318-0742, Fargo, 9 PM, Hosted by Mike Throntveit and Joe Christianson.
CONCERT *Holiday Organ Concerts, Fargo Theatre, 701.205.4152, fargotheatre.org, 12 PM EVENTS *Downtown Community Caroling Night, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Fargo, 7-8 PM *Santa Village, Rheault Farm, Fargo, 701-4997788, fargoparks.com, 4 PM *Season of Light, MSUM Planetarium Bridges Hall, 7 PM, Moorhead,
218.477.2920, mnstate. edu, 7 PM *The Beefsteak Club Service Appreciation Night, The Beefsteak Club, 612 1st Ave N, Fargo. 5-midnight KARAOKE ::Rooters Bar Karaoke, Rooters Bar, 701-2354082, Fargo. 9 PM. 21+ ::The Bowler Karaoke, The Bowler, 701-293-0200, Fargo. 9 PM. 21+ ::Chumley’s Karaoke, Chumley’s, 218-236-7813,
Moorhead. 9:30 PM, 21+ OPEN MIC & JAM ::Sidestreet Open Jam, Sidestreet Grille And Pub, 701-271-0092, Fargo, 9:30 PM, 21+
TUES::DEC 23
BANDS & LIVE MUSIC ::Live Jazz, D’Vine, Fargo, 701-235-4222, 6-10 PM, 21+ ::The Vinegar Strokes, JC Chumley’s, 218-236-7813, Moorhead, 9 PM, 21+ ::Infringe, Shotgun Sally’s, Fargo, 9 PM. 21+ ATTENDANTS / ASSISTANTS
H P R CL A S S I F I E D S
BAZAAR
ANNOUNCEMENTS FMUU SUNDAY SERVICE Open service every Sunday at 11 am, Fargo-Moorhead Unitarian Universalist Church, 121 9th St. S. Fargo. www. fmuu.org
SUPPORT FMCBW Bring your spare bike parts and handy volunteer skills to FM Community Bike Workshop at 209 NP Ave, Fargo. For information email info@ fmbikeworkshop.org or call 701.478.4021.
FOR SALE UNIQUE JEWELRY Chloe+Isabel Jewelry. Fun, unique pieces. Great Christmas gifts. Shop at fmjewelry.com.
WOLF SPIRIT TRADING POST Handmade
Native
American
BLACKBIRD WOODFIRE SEEKING DISHWASHER
Products, 9am-6pm, Monday
Blackbird Woodfire is looking for
- Saturday, 817 14th St. S.,
a daytime dishwasher. Please
Fargo. 701.212.9987.
apply at 206 Broadway, Fargo.
HPR T-SHIRTS Exclusive High Plains Reader T-shirts for sale for $15. Order your Ralph’s Corner or El Chong T-shirts now online at merchme.us or call Nels at 1.877.653.5884.
EMPLOYMENT
LABBY’S GRILL AND BAR NOW HIRING Labby’s Grill and Bar is now hiring parttime food prep/ cooks, servers and bartenders. Experience preferred but not required, will train. Apply in person at 1100 19th Ave. N Fargo.
PIZZA PATROL DAY & NIGHT DELIVERY DRIVERS Pizza Patrol Day & Night Delivery Drivers. Must furnish own vehicle and insurance. Will train. Apply at 104 4th St. S, Moorhead. 701.241.9000
BLUE GOOSE @ THE PLAINS ART MUSEUM The Blue Goose Cafe is looking for cashier, servers and some kitchen help for our cafe opening soon in The Plains Art Museum. Full & part-time positions. Contact Granville Wood via email, BGCafe425@ icloud.com
FARGO BILLIARDS Fargo Billiards is now hiring PT line cooks, dishwashers, servers, and service counter staff. Please apply in person.
ROMO’S TACOS Hiring for all positions. Apply at 118 N Broadway in the basement of the Black Building. 701.232.4343.
In-Home Care: Openings for Aide/Attendants. Naturalpathic / Holistic minded A+. To Assist Disabled person w/ daily activities: Juicing, scheduling, cleaning, food prep, cooking, light house work, office / computer skills, errands & temporary child care. 15-20+ hrs avail. All shifts. Submit resume to jobz@702com. net or call for more info 218.287.0340.
HPR SPRING INTERNS
Calling all theater, art, and music lovers! HPR wants YOU to write for us. Email your interest and or submissions to High Plains Reader editor Diane Miller at diane@hpr1.com.
HPR DELIVERY OPENINGS Independent Contractor delivery openings for High Plains Reader on Thursday mornings. Good pay for a part-time gig. You must have a drivers license and your own car. Please contact Jana at 701.235.1553 or email jana@hpr1.com
PART-TIME DESIGN ASSISTANT Must be proficient in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Have portfolio and resume ready. Contact Raul Gomez at raul@hpr1.com.
JOBS! JOBS! JOBS! Call Express Employment Professionals for a wide variety of job openings. 701.297.8800. www.expresspros.com
SERVERS, BARTENDERS & COOKS NEEDED Maxwell’s Restaurant & Bar and the new Max Lounge are looking to expand their professional staff at both locations and are seeking full and part-time employment for passionate servers, bartenders and cooks. Contact 701.277.9463 or email contact@maxwellsnd. com
SALES INTERN FOR HPR Contact HPR sales director John Strand for an internship with the High Plains Reader. Email jas@hpr1.com for info
ADVERTISING CAREER Do you have what it takes to make a career selling advertising for the High Plains Reader? If you do, email jas@ hpr1.com ASAP
::Three Lyons Karaoke, Three Lyons Pub, West Fargo 9 PM, 21+ ::Dempsey’s Karaoke, Dempsey’s Public House, 701-235-5913, Fargo, 9 PM, 21+ ::Woody’s Bar Karaoke, Woody’s Bar & Grill, 701241-9817, Fargo. 9 PM, 21+ LITERATURE *Author Visit: Shannon Galpin, Fargo Public Main Library, 701-476-5977, cityoffargo.com, 7 PM
groomers, dry cleaning, flowers & plants, computer & printer repair, moving and storage boxes. Small engine repair, tools, print materials, blue prints, drawings, supplies. Call Soo @ 701.799.0992.
Please stop by and check us out. It shouldn’t be a luxury to own a pet..
ABC LOCK & KEY Quick 24-hour emergency service. Auto. Home. Office. Lockouts. Sales & Service. Call Matt Knopp @ 701.729.4934.
BENJAMIN’S PAINTING Commercial, residential, interior and exterior paint and stain. Benjamin Evenson, owner/painter. Over 15 years experience For a free estimate, call 701.238.1934. For more information, email benjaminspainting@gmail.com, or get information online at benjaminspainting.com.
MUSIC LESSONS Harp. Piano. 701.261.1121
Voice.
HELP FOR PETS
MUSIC LESSONS Guitar, Bass Guitar & Drum Lessons. Call 218.233.7546. Marguerite’s Music, 3100 8 St. S., Mhd.
MINNKOTA HEALTH FOR PEOPLE WITH HIV / AIDS Offers counseling, emergency funds, food distribution and other services for people living with HIV/AIDS. Call 1.877. 871.4636 (00)
MEDICAL SUPPLIES Do you need a walker, bath chair or wound care supplies? Do you have health related items you no longer need? Visit HERO for low-cost medical items or donate your gently used medical items or unused supplies for the benefit of others. 5012 53rd St. S., Ste. C Fargo, ND 58104 701.212.1921. www. HEROFargo.org.
Jazzy & Mumbos thrift store, 123 Center Ave., Dilworth. Come check out the only store that gives aid to those who are having a little hardship, and just need a little help with the furry family member. We carry anything the other thrift stores carry, the only difference is, our profits go to those who need the help. Great prices on new and name brand clothing, home decor, kitchen items or anything you just can’t live without.
RENTALS
PEOPLES ORGANIC CAFÉ Currently hiring all positions. Please call 701.356.6454 for more details.
COMEDY *Red Raven Comedy Night, Red Raven Espresso Parlor, 701-478-7337, Fargo. 9 PM EVENTS *Santa Village, Rheault Farm, Fargo, 701-4997788, fargoparks.com, 4 PM *Knitty Gritty, West Fargo Public Library, 701-4335460, 6:30 PM, Please bring size 8 & 10 Needles and Yarn or Hook and Yarn KARAOKE
1 COZY BEDROOM AVAILABLE Seeking studious roommate for 4 bdrm house across from MSUM. Older students preferred. $300/mo plus utilities. Email holdenlu@ mnstate.edu.
2 BEDROOM AVAILABLE W/Balcony. $635/mo. 1 YR lease. Call Bob 701.205.7925
APARTMENT AND COMMERCIAL SPACE Place your ad here to reach the audience you want to reach when renting apartments, houses, work spaces or commercial spaces in Fargo, Moorhead, West Fargo. Email amy@hpr1.com for rates.
SERVICES
RAPID RESPONSE Pickup & Delivery Service. Home and Commercial. Pets, doggie day care, vet care,
DECEMBER 18,’14
19
RUSTICA
SHOT: Chocolate Covered Strawberry DRINK: Rye Tai
RHOMBUS GUYS SHOT: Modena DRINK: Maria Ingrid
THE BOILER ROOM
SHOT: Stacee’s Iced Lemon Cake DRINK:Winter Mule
USHER’S
SHOT: LA Paul DRINK: Ulfberht
LABBY’S
SHOT: Cindy Lou Who DRINK: Uncle LeRoy
20
GREEN MILL
DRINK: Butterfingertini
TGI FRIDAYS
DEMPSEY’S
MAXWELLS
ROOTERS
SHOT: Black Cat DRINK: Shadow Roll
DRINK: Tropical Kink SHOT: Barry Manilow
FARGO BILLIARDS & GASTROPUB
RADISSON LEVEL 2
SHOT: Sarsaparilla Bite DRINK: Hawaiian Frostbite
MONTE’S
SHOT: Warlord DRINK: Scarecrow Boat
HODO
SHOT: Apples to Apples DRINK: Banana Fashion
EMPIRE
SHOT: Cherry Popper DRINK: Royal Apple Spritz
BISMARCK
SHOT: Apple Sinister SHOT: Samoa
SHOT: Sassy Pants DRINK: Blue is the New Ginger
THREE LYONS
SHOT: Salt Ruby DRINK: Minnechata
MAX LOUNGE
DRINK: Bulleit Bittersweet
DECEMBER 18,’14
SHOT: Ginger Bread DRINK: Doc Holiday
SHOT: PB Hold the J DRINK: Blueberry Jessa #2
BEEFSTEAK CLUB
SHOT: Giggleberry Cooler DRINK: ND Oil Tanker
MEZZALUNA
SHOT: Christopher Wallace DRINK: 309 Apple Flip