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This Divided State captures a single event (the controversy surrounding filmmaker Michael Moore’s speaking engagement at in an ultra-conservative Utah town), trapping it forever, like a fly in amber, and preserving it as a reminder of the past.
The film, while ostensibly about an otherwise minor event, serves as a time capsule containing memories of those […]

Somewhere between putting this DVD in the player and the end credits, my brain switched off. I think it was around the dozenth time the antagonist (played by Dax Shepard) boasted of his title as the “fastest checker in the Southwest region” of a Costco-like warehouse chain. By the second time he makes this claim […]

Philip K. Dick’s 1977 novel A Scanner Darkly explored issues ranging from police surveillance to drug culture to the nature of consciousness, all united brilliantly under the umbrella of Dick’s eccentric, paranoid, borderline-schizophrenic style. Because A Scanner Darkly is among the tales most treasured by PKD’s legion of fans, and because its intricate plot is […]

Over the last few decades, State of the Union Addresses have devolved from a necessity to an exercise in political masturbation. This evening, president George W. Bush gave his sixth such address, successfully providing case in point.

Water bottles are great, but I’ve always been a little leery of them. As far back as 1998, some folks (science-type folks) were claiming that polycarbonate containers (like those from Nalgene) can leach toxic compounds into your water. These compounds that can lead to not-so-fun things like cancer, prostate damage, low sperm count, and birth […]

If you can get past the dull-as-dirt title, Carl Sagan’s final book serves as a fascinating primer for those interested in delving into the mind of the late scientist/philosopher. The book, which is actually an edited-for-print version of Sagan’s 1985 Gifford Lectures at the University of Glasgow, draws parallels between theology and science, which, Sagan […]

If, like me, you’re not a fan of the other white meat, Tofurky’s faux-sausages are a great way to get your protein while adding a little spice to your menu. Sun-dried tomatoes and basil give their Italian-style sausages a taste that is both sweet and savory, while at the same time, each sausage delivers a […]

A lack of prior testing on my part made it so that nobody could leave comments. Oops. I’ve fixed the problem, and comments are now up and running. Read on to learn more.

Athletic shoes typically fall into one of two camps: the well-designed camp or the aesthetically-pleasing camp. New Balance’s new 8505s not only strike a remarkable balance between the two areas, but in fact excel in both; I happen to think they’re exceptionally cool-looking (for athletic shoes), and their construction makes your run a joy. The […]

[Note: this isn’t my Christmas loot, but rather loot I bestowed upon my mom, and that I personally and enthusiastically used no more than 5 minutes after the unwrapping of said loot]
Cooking hard-boiled eggs is a time-consuming, smelly, inconvenient pain in the ass. Once you’ve invested the time it takes to get a good rolling […]