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Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact The Stranger. editor@thestranger.com (The Stranger Editor) webmaster@thestranger.com (The Stranger Webmaster) Sat, 25 May 2013 00:00:01 -0700 Sat, 25 May 2013 12:00:00 -0700 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/25/the-best-of-slog-a-week-of-accidents-suspicious-posters-and-broken-windows http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/25/the-best-of-slog-a-week-of-accidents-suspicious-posters-and-broken-windows Paul Constant <p><strong>A Troubled Bridge Over (and In the) Water</strong>: The Skagit River bridge collapse, <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/an-i-5-bridge-over-the-skagit-river-has-collapsed">as it happened</a>. Goldy had<a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/the-only-thing-more-tragic-than-a-bridge-collapse-would-be-a-10-cent-a-gallon-increase-in-the-gas-tax"> something to say</a> on the political aftermath.</p> <p><strong>Big Argument, Tiny Apartments</strong>: Dominic Holden <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/20/all-you-motherfuckers-complaining-that-apodments-are-too-small-at-200-square-feet">takes issue with </a>aPodment haters.</p> <p><strong>The Right to Bear Gay Husbands</strong>: Cienna Madrid <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/20/listen-up-gays-they-are-coming-to-recruit-you">looks at some</a> suspicious pro-gun, pro-gay signs that are popping up around Capitol Hill. (And <a href="http://reason.com/blog/2013/05/22/gay-rights-and-gun-rights-linked-in-seat">the dopes at Reason,</a> hilariously, took offense at Cienna's post.)</p> <p><strong>You Can Tell They're from Portland By Their Terrible Teeth</strong>: Goldy says Portland voters <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/portland-voters-are-stoopid">are stoopid</a>.</p> <p><strong>I Apologize for My Gender</strong>: <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/20/fighting-street-harassment">Anna Minard explores </a>how to fight street harassment.</p> <p><strong>Hint: It's Not Because the Air Conditioning Failed</strong>: You really should read Ansel Herz on "<a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/why-they-break-windows">Why They Break Windows</a>."</p> <p><strong>A Literal Shot in the Arm</strong>: Brendan Kiley <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/20/saint-genet-re-creates-chris-burdens-shoot">watches someone shoot someone else</a> for the sake of, uh, art. (<a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/an-interview-about-shoot">Plus: More</a>!)</p> <p><strong>Oops</strong>: How Dominic Holden<a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/20/it-turns-out-seattles-greenest-council-member-must-defend-his-record-in-summer-primary"> accidentally forced</a> Mike O'Brien into a primary fight.</p> <p><strong>More Than One Way to Skin a Rat</strong>: What it's like to<a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/21/how-to-taxidermy-a-rat"> take a taxidermy class</a>, with plenty of gross pictures.</p> <p><strong>That's (An Appropriate Amount of) Entertainment</strong>: On <em>The Great Gatsby</em>, adaptations, and<a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/21/would-you-like-to-be-entertained-for-a-shorter-period-or-a-longer-period"> how much entertainment is too much entertainment</a>.</p> <p><strong>Benedict Cumberbatch Is a Marital Aid</strong>: That's something <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/20/spoiled-rotten-star-trek-into-darkness">commenters are claiming</a> in this spoiler-filled <em>Star Trek Into Darkness </em>review. (Here's Cienna on <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/star-trek-releases-deleted-scene-of-benedict-cumberbatch-showering-to-counter-claims-of-sexism">Cumberbatch's shower scene</a>, too.)</p> <p><strong>Also This Week</strong>: The heckle heard round the world:</p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="500" height="281" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Oe03vPFf9BY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/25/the-best-of-slog-a-week-of-accidents-suspicious-posters-and-broken-windows#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16866202&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Housekeeping http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/25/the-best-of-slog-a-week-of-accidents-suspicious-posters-and-broken-windows?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16866202&id=comments 0 Sat, 25 May 2013 12:28:00 -0700 The Stranger http://www.thestranger.com/suggests/16732984/andlsquotouchy-feelyandrsquo http://www.thestranger.com/suggests/16732984/andlsquotouchy-feelyandrsquo Paul Constant Hooray for big Hollywood stars and electrifying physical comedy! by Paul Constant <p>Stranger Genius Lynn Shelton&rsquo;s newest film features her highest <b>concentration of big stars</b> yet&mdash;Rosemarie DeWitt, Ellen Page, Scoot McNairy, Allison Janney, and Ron Livingston&mdash;but it&rsquo;s not like she&rsquo;s gone Hollywood. Shelton keeps the scope small, as a masseuse (DeWitt) develops an <b>aversion to skin</b> at the same time that her straitlaced dentist brother (Josh Pais) becomes a faith healer to the new-agey crowd. The performances are all strong, but ultimately <b>Pais steals the show</b> with some electrifying, tightly wound physical comedy that makes a minimalist character sketch feel like a bravura performance. (<em><a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/egyptian/Location?oid=24591">Egyptian Theater</a>, 801 E Pine St, <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/siff">thestranger.com/siff</a>, 1:30 pm, $12</em>)</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/suggests/16732984/andlsquotouchy-feelyandrsquo#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16732984&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Suggests/Film http://www.thestranger.com/suggests/16732984/andlsquotouchy-feelyandrsquo?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16732984&id=comments 2 &lsquo;Touchy Feely&rsquo; Sat, 25 May 2013 11:00:00 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/all-atheists-go-to-heaven http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/all-atheists-go-to-heaven Paul Constant <p>At 5 pm tonight (Seattle time), I'll be appearing on a <a href="http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/pope-says-atheists-who-are-good-get-redeemed/519e30bafe344475a30001b3">Huffington Post Live </a>stream to discuss Pope Francis's recent statements about atheists. (<a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/the-pope-doesnt-understand-the-point-of-atheists">I Slogged about it</a> for a bit earlier this week, and here's <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/05/23/pope-francis-atheists/2355935/">a slightly more impartial story</a>.) If watching some folks talk about God (or the lack thereof) and the relative niceness of the new Pope as compared to ol' Ratzi sounds like your idea of a great way to kick off Memorial Day Weekend, you should<a href="http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/pope-says-atheists-who-are-good-get-redeemed/519e30bafe344475a30001b3"> tune in to this site at five</a>.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/all-atheists-go-to-heaven#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16865584&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Religion Teh Internets http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/all-atheists-go-to-heaven?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16865584&id=comments 8 Fri, 24 May 2013 15:20:26 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/because-we-live-in-a-post-feminist-world-i-guess http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/because-we-live-in-a-post-feminist-world-i-guess Paul Constant <p>What are some of the top comments when a Redditor who happens to be a man <a href="http://np.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/wrzfx/this_is_me_the_being_dope_sick_when_i_quit_heroin/">puts up a picture post </a>about quitting heroin?</p> <blockquote><p>Congratulations man. Thats no easy feat. Heroin has taken many a life. Good to see somone beat it</p></blockquote> <blockquote><p>I don&#8217;t know you, but I love you for staying clean. It gives me hope for my brother.</p></blockquote> <p>Nice! What are some of the top comments when a Redditor who happens to be a woman <a href="http://np.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/1dvrvw/been_clean_from_heroin_for_2_months_and_this_is/">puts up a picture post about quitting heroin</a>?</p> <blockquote><p>Reddit just upvoted some girl&#8217;s mirror shot to the front page Holy fuck, guys</p></blockquote> <blockquote><p>I don&#8217;t get it. This is just a picture of a person. What is interesting about this picture?</p></blockquote> <blockquote><p>9 outta 10 would bang. With protection.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>I fucking hate the internet</strong>. <a href="http://skepchick.org/2013/05/the-stunning-difference-between-treatment-of-men-women-on-reddit/">Rebecca Watson at Skepchick</a> is the blogger that first noticed this, and she does a great job of explaining why it's so maddening.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/because-we-live-in-a-post-feminist-world-i-guess#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16865033&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> The Ladies Teh Internets http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/because-we-live-in-a-post-feminist-world-i-guess?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16865033&id=comments 25 Fri, 24 May 2013 14:03:24 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/everything-wrong-with-television-in-one-handy-chart http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/everything-wrong-with-television-in-one-handy-chart Paul Constant <p><a href="http://www.vulture.com/2013/05/201213-tv-season-in-one-depressing-chart.html">The Vulture has composed an alarming chart </a>showing how many network television shows have taken hits in the ratings over the 2012/2013 season. </p> <blockquote><p>The vast majority of the nearly 90 series that had their second or higher season on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and the CW lost ground among adults under 50...<strong>more than 50 series declined by double digits</strong>, nearly 30 fell by 20 percent or more, roughly a dozen gave back a quarter or more of their young audience, and an unlucky seven saw their ratings collapse by at least one-third.</p></blockquote> <p>It's not all bad news: A few shows like <em>Supernatural</em>, <em>Grimm</em>, and <em>The Big Bang Theory</em> actually gained viewers. Wait, the <em>Big Bang Theory </em>gaining additional viewers is bad news, too, isn't it? Anyway, <strong>network television seriously needs to change their model</strong> before the bottom drops completely out. I suspect that cable is going to have to do the same thing soon.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/everything-wrong-with-television-in-one-handy-chart#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16864804&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> TV http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/everything-wrong-with-television-in-one-handy-chart?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16864804&id=comments 37 Fri, 24 May 2013 12:27:34 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/a-gigantic-bookstorewarehouse-in-kent-is-closing http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/a-gigantic-bookstorewarehouse-in-kent-is-closing Paul Constant <p><a href="http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/once-sold-tales-struggles-with-500000-books_b70820">GalleyCat says</a> that <a href="http://www.oncesoldtales.com/">Once Sold Tales</a>, an online retailer in Kent, is closing, and the owner needs to <strong>get rid of 500,000 books</strong>. A Redditor explains:</p> <blockquote><p>Carrie will be operating her website and selling books at the warehouse (1$ for paperbacks, 2$ for hardback, or 1.50$/lb) until the end of May &#8230; Details are still getting worked out but it looks like <strong>10 dollars for 8 books or 18 for 16</strong>. </p></blockquote> <p>If you're into spending your days rifling through a warehouse packed with dirt-cheap books, it sounds like<strong> a road trip might be in order</strong>.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/a-gigantic-bookstorewarehouse-in-kent-is-closing#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16864693&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Books http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/a-gigantic-bookstorewarehouse-in-kent-is-closing?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16864693&id=comments 5 Fri, 24 May 2013 11:52:16 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/pushing-rope http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/pushing-rope Paul Constant <p><div class="blogImageCenter" style="width:512px;"><img src="http://www.thestranger.com/binary/6308/1369416293-film-hangover-570.jpg" alt="The Hangover, Part III: If you squint, you can see what remains of Zach Galifianakiss self-worth and dignity." title="The Hangover, Part III: If you squint, you can see what remains of Zach Galifianakiss self-worth and dignity." width="500" height="351" /><ul><li class="imageCredit"></li><li class="imageCaption"><em>The Hangover, Part III</em>: If you squint, you can see what remains of Zach Galifianakis's self-worth and dignity.</li></ul></div></p> <p>While it's true that <em>The Hangover, Part III</em> doesn't exactly duplicate the plot of the original <em>Hangover</em>, the way the atrocious <em>Part II</em> did, it doesn't bring anything much new to the screen, either. Doug (Justin Bartha) is kidnapped by a mob boss named Marshall (John Goodman), in order to convince the Wolfpack (Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis) to chase down Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong), who has stolen millions of dollars' worth of gold bars from Marshall. It gets more implausible from there, with a series of heists and stunts and a chase scene or two, all around Tijuana and Las Vegas. I laughed out loud a couple of times&#8212;is it telling that the best jokes in the movie have to do with cocaine, I wonder?&#8212;but mostly, I just wanted it to be over.</p> <p>The problem is that it's the same humor as the other two Hangover movies, over and over again. Ken Jeong acts batshit crazy, Zach Galifianakis is inappropriate to just about everyone, and Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms get all the "can you believe this shit" lines, playing the fussy adults who have to chauffeur the hyperactive kids from one set piece to another. But they're not even given character arcs this time, unless you count bugging your eyes out and shouting "ALAN!" over and over again as a symbol of emotional growth.</p> <p>None of this would matter if there were a lot of crazy humor in <em>The Hangover, Part III</em>, but there just isn't.</p> <p><a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/pushing-rope/Content?oid=16836667">Keep reading >></a></p> Film http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/pushing-rope?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16864007&id=comments 0 Pushing Rope <em>The Hangover, Part III</em>: If you squint, you can see what remains of Zach Galifianakis's self-worth and dignity. Fri, 24 May 2013 11:20:40 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/governor-inslee-officially-declares-state-of-emergency-in-skagit-snohomish-and-whatcom-counties http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/governor-inslee-officially-declares-state-of-emergency-in-skagit-snohomish-and-whatcom-counties Paul Constant <p><a href="http://www.governor.wa.gov/office/proclamations/13-04.pdf">The PDF is here</a>. If you hate PDFs, the text of the proclamation is below.</p> <blockquote><p><strong>WHEREAS</strong>, a section of the Interstate 5 bridge over the Skagit River in Skagit County collapsed on May 23, 2013, closing the Interstate in both directions, requiring implementation of detours through adjacent neighborhood roadways, causing extensive disruption of the primary north and south bound transportation route through Western Washington, and impacting our citizens, businesses and economy in Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom Counties; and </p> <p>The estimated cost to repair the bridge is <strong>$15,000,000</strong>. Repairs and necessary interstate highway closures require the approval of Washington&#8217;s Secretary of Transportation, and the Washington State Department of Transportation is coordinating resources and working to implement damage repairs. These emergency conditions warrant closure of affected roadways for a significant period and implementation of emergency procurement procedures to hire a contractor to repair the damage; and</p> <p>The roadway damage and its effects continue to impact the life and health of our citizens, as well as the property and transportation infrastructure of Washington State, all of which affect life, health, property, or the public peace, and constitute a public disaster demanding immediate action; and</p> <p>The Washington State Military Department has activated the state Emergency Operations Center, implemented response procedures, and is coordinating resources to support local officials in alleviating the immediate social and economic impacts to people, property, and infrastructure, and is continuing to assess the magnitude of the event.</p> <p><strong>NOW, THEREFORE</strong>, I, Jay R. Inslee, Governor of the state of Washington, as a result of the above-noted situation and under Chapter 38.52 and 43.06 RCW, do hereby proclaim that a State of Emergency exists in Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom Counties in the state of Washington, and direct the plans and procedures in the Washington State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan be implemented. State agencies and departments are directed to utilize state resources and to do everything reasonably possible to assist affected political subdivisions in an effort to respond to and recover from the event. As a result of this event, the Washington State Military Department, Emergency Management Division, is instructed to coordinate all incident-related assistance to the affected areas.</p></blockquote> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/governor-inslee-officially-declares-state-of-emergency-in-skagit-snohomish-and-whatcom-counties#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16863990&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Transportation http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/governor-inslee-officially-declares-state-of-emergency-in-skagit-snohomish-and-whatcom-counties?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16863990&id=comments 5 Fri, 24 May 2013 10:17:07 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/fast-and-furious-6-justin-lins-automotive-ballet-careens-to-an-explosive-conclusion http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/fast-and-furious-6-justin-lins-automotive-ballet-careens-to-an-explosive-conclusion Paul Constant <p><div class="blogImageCenter" style="width:512px;"><img src="http://www.thestranger.com/binary/a1b4/1369202308-gallery_12.jpg" alt="The Gangs All Here: What is this, a table? I cant drive a table!" title="The Gangs All Here: What is this, a table? I cant drive a table!" width="500" height="207" /><ul><li class="imageCredit"></li><li class="imageCaption"><b>The Gang's All Here</b>: "What is this, a <em>table</em>? I can't drive a table!"</li></ul></div></p> <p>I don't think the financial success of the Fast &amp; Furious franchise is entirely attributable to fast cars and cheap thrills. I think a great deal of the movie's appeal at the multiplex comes from the fact that it's the only major summer movie franchise that features a truly multicultural cast. Not only that, these movies are totally blas&#233; about the fact that they star a multicultural cast; nobody is a token character, none of the characters spend time dwelling on their differences. These are highly unrealistic movies&#8212;about which more soon&#8212;but the cast may be the most <strong>realistic set of faces</strong> you'll see in a blockbuster all year, if you live in a major American city. Part of the appeal of a Fast &amp; Furious movie, I think, comes from that recognition.</p> <p>Which is good, because even the most unrealistic movie needs to have some sort of a base of realism on which it can build. And <em>Fast &amp; Furious 6</em> is one of the most unrealistic movies you'll see this summer. Director Justin Lin, now on his fourth Fast &amp; Furious film, has taken a fairly unassuming street-racing series and made each movie crazier and crazier until finally, with what might be his final entry in the franchise, he has given birth to a whole new genre: <strong>Car-fu</strong>. Using absolutely no 3D and plenty of what appear to be practical effects (with lots of CGI tossed in for good measure), Lin has become the John Woo of the demolition derby, tossing what feels like a good-sized mall parking lot full of cars around his sets until it becomes a kind of surrealistic ballet. You've got cars crushed by debris. You've got cars skidding daintily on their bumpers, perpendicular to the ground. You've got cars lashed to each other, flying through the air. They pirouette, they dance, they dive, they leap. They fold like origami, they roar, they butt into each other like rivals during mating season.</p> <p>And the automotive violence rubs off on <em>Fast &amp; Furious 6</em>'s human cast, too. When The Rock, as a law enforcement officer named Luke Hobbs, tosses a bad guy around a Moscow interrogation room, it's not a body doing violence to a body. It's one of Lin's automotive crashes, dolled up in human form. Hobbs sends the crook sailing through the air into ceilings and floors and walls, only to pick him up and chuck him again, until he becomes injured and so turns into some sort of a simpering, whining...<em>pedestrian</em>, begging for mercy. And Vin Diesel's Dominic Toretto only has one signature move: <strong>The flying head butt</strong>. Toretto leaps at his target with his whole body, bringing his gigantic, gleaming dome down square on the poor sap with a sickening bludgeoning sound effect. It's not so much a physical assault as it is a hit &amp; run.</p> <p>The plot&#8212;what little there is&#8212;calls back to just about every Fast &amp; Furious movie that came before, and so it's <strong>a mess to explain</strong>.</p> <p>Hobbs, on the trail of some sort of a criminal mastermind named Shaw (Luke Evans, good enough) recruits Toretto and his friends (basically the same crew that was assembled for <em>Fast Five</em>'s big heist, including Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Sung Kang, and Elsa Pataky) with the promise of universal pardons for all the sins they've committed in the past movies. And he dangles the possibility of a reunion, too: Toretto's beloved girlfriend Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), who seemingly died back in the fourth F&F movie, is alive and working for Shaw. Yeah, it's a convoluted soap opera. But you don't have to have seen the previous movies to get the gist of what's going on, and once all the exposition is over and done with, none of it really matters, anyway.</p> <p>The action is what counts, and Lin does some excellent composition work in the car chase scenes. Cars speed, lunge, and careen into each other. Lin gives us a sense of place and he builds a natural sense of drama into these scenes. Vehicles range from normal cars to street racers to <strong>shovel-headed dune buggies</strong> to very fast tanks to SUVs to gigantic planes, and each vehicle has its own personality and capabilities. You always know who's in which car, and what they're trying to do with their car, and who's trying to stop them. That's no easy feat, and Lin pulls it off and makes it look easy as he does it. He also leavens each action scene with at least one bit of physics-defying stunt work that leaves audiences laughing with disbelief. (At one point, a car windshield is portrayed as something that can successfully and comfortably break an out-of-control fall.) To Lin's credit, the laughter seems to be with him, rather than at him, which means that those stunts work, somehow. It must be talent, because nobody is that lucky.</p> <p>But don't get me wrong. This isn't a departure from the series, or even an especially good movie. The dialogue is awful. The plot basically eye-rolls itself to death in parts, and the story is unnecessarily paunchy in the middle. While the action sequences are well-put-together, other parts of the movie are lazy and shoddily assembled. (<strong>The Rock's goatee keeps disappearing and reappearing</strong> in scenes that are no more than a few hours apart in the story's timeline.) </p> <p>But goddamnit, <strong>I liked this movie</strong>. I like that while it certainly doesn't try to be smart, it never stops trying to entertain the pants off its audience. I like that the movie ends in such a way that it serves as a satisfying conclusion to both the second trilogy of F&F movies and to the whole franchise in general. I like Vin Diesel's gravelly delivery, when it comes alongside his little twisted, self-aware smile. I like that The Rock gets called the Hulk, Captain America, and Thor by three different characters in the film, making him a one-man version of the Avengers. I like that the script hints at a concept for a <em>Fast &amp; Furious 7 </em>that has me genuinely excited. I like that <em>Fast &amp; Furious 6 </em>desperately wants me to leave the theater feeling like I saw a spectacle. For a guilty-pleasure popcorn movie, I think that's a pretty okay deal.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/fast-and-furious-6-justin-lins-automotive-ballet-careens-to-an-explosive-conclusion#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16840306&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Film http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/24/fast-and-furious-6-justin-lins-automotive-ballet-careens-to-an-explosive-conclusion?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16840306&id=comments 17 <em>Fast &amp; Furious 6</em>: Justin Lin's Automotive Ballet Careens to an Explosive Conclusion <b>The Gang's All Here</b>: "What is this, a <em>table</em>? I can't drive a table!" Fri, 24 May 2013 07:51:21 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/an-i-5-bridge-over-the-skagit-river-has-collapsed http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/an-i-5-bridge-over-the-skagit-river-has-collapsed Paul Constant <p>The news is blasting across Twitter right now:</p> <p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">BREAKING: The I-5 Bridge over the Skagit River has collapsed. Cars are in the water. Avoid the area. More soon.<br />&#8212; KOMO News (@komonews) <a href="https://twitter.com/komonews/status/337754001640681472">May 24, 2013</a></blockquote><br /><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p>Looks like both the northbound and the southbound lanes are out. The best person to follow for up-to-the-minute updates on Twitter at the moment is <a href="https://twitter.com/Lynsi_SVH">is Lynsi Burton, a reporter for the<em> Skagit Valley Herald</em></a>. KOMO radio is taking calls from witnesses. You can <a href="http://www.komonews.com/radio/">listen in on their website</a>. One witness says a 50-foot portion of the bridge is gone and rescuers are on the scene. More updates as they come.</p> <p><strong>UPDATE 7:32 PM</strong>: Here's a picture from the scene:</p> <p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Via @<a href="https://twitter.com/gina_svh">gina_svh</a> - the I-5 bridge over Skagit River between Burlington &amp; Mt. Vernon WA. Cars and people in the water. <a href="https://t.co/JmFjnE6jhO" title="https://twitter.com/Gina_SVH/status/337756116719136768/photo/1">twitter.com/Gina_SVH/statu&#8230;</a><br />&#8212; Bobby (@BobbyRobertsPDX) <a href="https://twitter.com/BobbyRobertsPDX/status/337757231669985280">May 24, 2013</a></blockquote><br /><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p><strong>UPDATE 7:34 PM</strong>: Based on witness reports and the above photo, it sounds like they're talking about <a href="http://bridgehunter.com/wa/skagit/4794A0000000/">this bridge</a>, which was built in 1955 and which <a href="http://bridgehunter.com/wa/skagit/4794A0000000/">Bridgehunter.com</a> says got a satisfactory rating back in 2010:</p> <blockquote><p>Inspection (as of 08/2010)<br /><strong>Deck condition rating</strong>: Satisfactory (6 out of 9)<br /><strong>Superstructure condition rating</strong>: Fair (5 out of 9)<br /><strong>Substructure condition rating</strong>: Satisfactory (6 out of 9)<br /><strong>Appraisal</strong>: Functionally obsolete<br /><strong>Sufficiency rating</strong>: 57.4 (out of 100)</p> <p><strong>Average daily traffic</strong> (as of 2010)<br />70,925 </p></blockquote> <p><strong>UPDATE 7:40 PM</strong>: KING 5 has <a href="http://www.king5.com/news/local/Report-I-5-bridge-collapses-over-Skagit-River-cars-in-water-208758631.html">another photograph of the scene</a>. At least two cars are in the water, and all north-south traffic is stopped.</p> <p><strong>UPDATE 7:48 PM</strong>: Holy shit, these pictures are incredible:</p> <p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Pic of<a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Skagitbridgecollapse">#Skagitbridgecollapse</a> taken by friend of @<a href="https://twitter.com/annakxly4">annakxly4</a> NB lanes collapsed into river. Several cars submerged <a href="http://t.co/nTJBmzPfY8" title="http://twitter.com/kxly4news/status/337759089515982848/photo/1">twitter.com/kxly4news/stat&#8230;</a><br />&#8212; kxly(@kxly4news) <a href="https://twitter.com/kxly4news/status/337759089515982848">May 24, 2013</a></blockquote><br /><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p><strong>UPDATE 7:58 PM</strong>: I'm depositing more on-the-scene tweets after the jump, so this post will load in a timely fashion.</p> <p><strong>UPDATE 8:01 PM</strong>: K<a href="http://www.king5.com/live-stream/pop-up-no-ads/KING-Live-Stream-205421141.html">ING 5 is streaming live from the scene </a>right now.</p> <p><strong>UPDATE 8:22 PM</strong>: <a href="https://twitter.com/MDeyerin">Marcus Deyerin on Twitter</a> is saying that two people are being extracted from a truck that's in the water at the moment. Authorities are asking people to stop coming to the scene, as they're getting in the way. Also, they're asking residents of Skagit to stay off the phone if they can, as lines are getting tied up.</p> <p><strong>UPDATE 8:28 PM</strong>: Rescuers in boats are at the scene. I've put another photo after the jump.</p> <p><strong>UPDATE 8:30 PM</strong>: On Twitter, <em>Skagit Valley Herald</em> reporter <a href="https://twitter.com/Gina_SVH/status/337772019821199360">Gina Cole says</a>: "Stretcher with second person pulled from river. Unsure if person is alive, but no applause from onlookers this time when they reached land." KOMO says one person has been pulled from a car and two have been rescued from a truck. <a href="http://live.producermatthew.com/p/live-channel-1.html">Here's a KOMO live feed</a>.</p> <p><strong>UPDATE 8:35 PM</strong>: I've heard from multiple eyewitnesses on different news livestreams that the collapse appeared to happen because a wide load truck struck a beam on the bridge. We're a long way from discovering the reason for all this, though.</p> <p><strong>UPDATE 8:58 PM</strong>: <a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Interstate-5-bridge-collapsed-over-Skagit-River-4544826.php"><em>The Seattle P.I.</em> says t</a>he bridge was declared "safe and sound" by Washington's Department of Transportation in 2008.</p> <p><strong>UPDATE 9:05 PM</strong>:<a href="http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2013/05/bridge-collapses-on-interstate-5-over-skagit-river/"> Brian Rosenthal at the <em>Seattle Times</em> writes</a>:</p> <blockquote><p>Rescuers think they have pulled everybody out of the water, but they&#8217;re not sure, [Marcus] Deyerin [of the Northwest Washington Incident Management Team] said.</p> <p>Anybody still in the water will probably not be rescued, officials said.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>UPDATE 9:08 PM</strong>: And then there's this update, from the <em>Everett Herald</em>:</p> <p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Everyone accounted for, no fatalities in <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Skagit">#Skagit</a> County bridge collapse, according to reporter on scene.<br />&#8212; The Herald (@EverettHerald) <a href="https://twitter.com/EverettHerald/status/337781199550431232">May 24, 2013</a></blockquote><br /><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p>Governor Inslee and Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson are about to get in a plane and fly to the scene.</p> <p><strong>UPDATE 9:17 PM</strong>: And with the news that there were no fatalities, that's the end of this live-Slog. Any new developments will appear as new posts on Slog tonight.</p> <p><strong>PICTURES FROM 7:58 PM</strong>: </p> <p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I-5 Bridge over <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Skagit">#Skagit</a> river. <a href="http://t.co/VjWuOosJSF" title="http://twitter.com/oneactlife/status/337760275941957633/photo/1">twitter.com/oneactlife/sta&#8230;</a><br />&#8212; Dustin Moore (@oneactlife) <a href="https://twitter.com/oneactlife/status/337760275941957633">May 24, 2013</a></blockquote><br /><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">NEW PHOTO: <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23BREAKING">#BREAKING</a> I-5 bridge collapse in Skagit Valley &#8212; there are cars and people in the water. <a href="http://t.co/HvcbNvN1jU" title="http://twitter.com/NWCN/status/337760821243437056/photo/1">twitter.com/NWCN/status/33&#8230;</a><br />&#8212; NorthWest Cable News (@NWCN) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWCN/status/337760821243437056">May 24, 2013</a></blockquote><br /><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">NEW PHOTO: <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23BREAKING">#BREAKING</a> I-5 bridge collapse in Skagit Valley &#8212; there are cars and people in the water. <a href="http://t.co/HvcbNvN1jU" title="http://twitter.com/NWCN/status/337760821243437056/photo/1">twitter.com/NWCN/status/33&#8230;</a><br />&#8212; NorthWest Cable News (@NWCN) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWCN/status/337760821243437056">May 24, 2013</a></blockquote><br /><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p><strong>PICTURE FROM 8:28 PM</strong>:</p> <p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">KOMO-TV: Emergency responder boats in the water attempting to rescue people in Skagit river <a href="http://t.co/jqB7vskeyt" title="http://twitter.com/passantino/status/337771308387553281/photo/1">twitter.com/passantino/sta&#8230;</a> (@<a href="https://twitter.com/passantino">passantino</a>)<br />&#8212; BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/BuzzFeedNews/status/337771518157271040">May 24, 2013</a></blockquote><br /><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/an-i-5-bridge-over-the-skagit-river-has-collapsed#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16859637&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Transportation Breaking News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/an-i-5-bridge-over-the-skagit-river-has-collapsed?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16859637&id=comments 118 Thu, 23 May 2013 19:25:21 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/glenn-beckwatch-cnns-atheist-plot-revealed http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/glenn-beckwatch-cnns-atheist-plot-revealed Paul Constant <p><a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/21/there-are-no-atheists-in-foxholes">Yesterday, Dan showed you</a> the awkward footage that ensued when CNN news-idiot Wolf Blitzer accidentally asked an atheist if she thanked the Lord for delivering her from the tornado. </p> <p>Today, <a href="http://christiannightmares.tumblr.com/post/51164159357/glenn-beck-wolf-blitzer-interview-with-atheist">Christian Nightmares notices</a> that Glenn Beck thinks the whole scenario smacks of a conspiracy. He begins, "I really like Wolf Blitzer, and I think he's a good man," but "that questioning was peculiar, even for Wolf, who I think is a religious man." Beck concludes that Blitzer was set up by a producer who is "<strong>sympathetic to the atheist plight</strong>" or "just doesn't like Christians." That producer knew the woman was an atheist but hid the information and told Blitzer to ask the question about God in order to raise awareness of atheism. "That was there for a reason," Beck says, knowingly.</p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="500" height="281" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/U1t48BB1H9E" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/glenn-beckwatch-cnns-atheist-plot-revealed#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16858337&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Media Religion http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/glenn-beckwatch-cnns-atheist-plot-revealed?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16858337&id=comments 20 Thu, 23 May 2013 16:34:39 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/holder-signed-off-on-warrant-to-seize-fox-news-reporters-personal-e-mails http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/holder-signed-off-on-warrant-to-seize-fox-news-reporters-personal-e-mails Paul Constant <p><a href="http://openchannel.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/23/18451142-holder-okd-search-warrant-for-fox-news-reporters-private-emails-official-says?lite">This is a big deal</a>:</p> <blockquote><p>Attorney General <strong>Eric Holder signed off on a controversial search warrant</strong> that identified Fox News reporter James Rosen as a &#8220;possible co-conspirator&#8221; in violations of the Espionage Act and authorized seizure of his private emails, a law enforcement official told NBC News on Thursday.</p> <p>The disclosure of the attorney general&#8217;s role came as President Barack Obama, in a major speech on his counterterrorism policy, said Holder had agreed to review Justice Department guidelines governing investigations that involve journalists.</p> <p>"I am troubled by the possibility that leak investigations may chill the investigative journalism that holds government accountable," Obama said. "Journalists should not be at legal risk for doing their jobs."</p></blockquote> <p>Yeah, well, that horse is already out of the barn, isn't it, President Obama? Ryan Lizza succinctly explains why this news matters:</p> <p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>How can Holder conduct a fair review of DOJ media policies when he personally approved warrant calling reporter a criminal and flight risk?</p>&#8212; Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanLizza/status/337700272744824832">May 23, 2013</a></blockquote><br /><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/holder-signed-off-on-warrant-to-seize-fox-news-reporters-personal-e-mails#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16857193&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Politics http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/holder-signed-off-on-warrant-to-seize-fox-news-reporters-personal-e-mails?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16857193&id=comments 26 Thu, 23 May 2013 16:01:10 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/boy-scouts-lift-ban-on-gay-members http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/boy-scouts-lift-ban-on-gay-members Paul Constant <p><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/23/us/boy-scouts-sexual-orientation/?hpt=us_c2">CNN says</a>:</p> <blockquote><p>The organization's 1,400-member national council voted for the policy change, which will take effect January 1.</p> <p>"No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone," says the approved resolution.</p> <p>The BSA will <strong>maintain its ban on gay adult leaders</strong>.</p></blockquote> <p>Hooray for not excluding gay kids, but boo for the ban on gay leaders, which probably exists to mollify a few idiot bigots who still believe that all gay men are pedophiles. And, <a href="https://twitter.com/fakedansavage/statuses/337693301400555520">as Dan pointed out</a>, atheists are still not invited to the club, so the Boy Scouts have a long way to go yet.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/boy-scouts-lift-ban-on-gay-members#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16856916&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Breaking News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/boy-scouts-lift-ban-on-gay-members?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16856916&id=comments 41 Thu, 23 May 2013 15:35:44 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/whats-it-like-to-get-hit-by-lightning http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/whats-it-like-to-get-hit-by-lightning Paul Constant <p>Turns out, people become<a href="http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/05/i-was-struck-by-lightning-yesterday-and-boy-am-i-sore/"> very concerned with your footwear</a>.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/whats-it-like-to-get-hit-by-lightning#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16856118&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Science http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/whats-it-like-to-get-hit-by-lightning?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16856118&id=comments 11 Thu, 23 May 2013 14:36:15 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/working-on-your-novel-this-might-help-you-get-it-done http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/working-on-your-novel-this-might-help-you-get-it-done Paul Constant <p>Back in February, I told you about the Hugo House's <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/the-hell-with-grants/Content?oid=15995166">awesome new Made at Hugo</a> program for local writers:</p> <blockquote><p>It's like a more pragmatic version of the classic writer-in-residency: Last year, Hugo House put out a call for writers age 35 or younger, living in King County, to describe a project they'd like to complete. From more than 50 applicants, House program director Brian McGuigan and an anonymous panel of poets and novelists chose six writers. Those writers get access to office space in the House, they have monthly progress meetings and contribute to a private blog on which they can share work, and they can attend any of the Hugo House classes, featuring teachers like Eileen Myles, Peter Mountford, and Sam Lipsyte, for free.</p></blockquote> <p>The application process for this year's Made at Hugo program <a href="https://hugohouse.submittable.com/submit/21216">is now open</a>. If you're a writer younger than 35 and you're working on a project that you need to finish, you should consider <a href="https://hugohouse.submittable.com/submit/21216">entering into this program</a>. It gives you the support and the advice you need to help get it done.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/working-on-your-novel-this-might-help-you-get-it-done#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16854535&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Books http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/working-on-your-novel-this-might-help-you-get-it-done?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16854535&id=comments 3 Thu, 23 May 2013 13:38:45 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/comics-app-pulls-adult-content-from-apple-store http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/comics-app-pulls-adult-content-from-apple-store Paul Constant <p>Here we go again: A couple months after digital comics seller Comixology pulled (<a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/04/10/apple-will-sell-saga-12-after-all">and then reinstated</a>) an issue of the popular series <em>Saga</em> <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/04/09/apple-bans-comic-book-that-features-gay-sex-scenes">from the Apple App Store </a>for fear that the comic was too racy for Apple's guidelines, they've just announced that they've <strong>pulled 56 titles </strong>from their app's store for the same reason. <a href="http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2013/05/comixology-pulls-56-digital-comics-from-ios-app/">Robot 6 says <em>Saga</em> is unaffected </a>this time around, but Comixology pulled titles ranging from local publisher Fantagraphics' <a href="http://www.fantagraphics.com/browse-shop/angry-youth-comix-2.html?vmcchk=1"><em>Angry Youth Comix</em></a> to Joe Casey's new Image Comics series<em> Sex</em>, to...</p> <blockquote><p>...Jess Fink&#8217;s <em>Chester 5000</em>, Reed Waller and Kate Worley&#8217;s classic <em>Omaha the Cat Dancer</em>, Johnny Ryan&#8217;s <em>Prison Pit</em> and the gay-comics anthology <em>No Straight Lines</em>, which features the work of Alison Bechdel, Howard Cruse and Eric Shanower, among others.</p></blockquote> <p>These books are still available from Comixology's website, but they're not available from Apple's Comixology app. That distinction is probably enough to pacify many people who'd otherwise be angered by this move, but I still think this is bullshit. Apple needs to sell adult content&#8212;not even pornography, I'm talking about comics created for adults by celebrated cartoonists like Alison Bechdel and Howard Cruse, for fuck's sake&#8212;and not be <strong>stupid Puritan fucksticks</strong> about it. Those books have been available in Barnes &amp; Nobles around the country for years now, to no great controversy. When the biggest digital storefront for comics in the world restricts the books they sell to all-ages content, they are holding the medium of comics back from what it could become. (And this is especially ridiculous when you acknowledge the fact that you can<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/fifty-shades-of-grey/id509857961?mt=11"> buy <em>50 Shades of Grey </em>in the iBookstore</a> any time you want.)</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/comics-app-pulls-adult-content-from-apple-store#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16854604&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Books http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/comics-app-pulls-adult-content-from-apple-store?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16854604&id=comments 12 Thu, 23 May 2013 12:35:35 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/your-borders-gift-cards-are-not-worth-the-plastic-theyre-printed-on http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/your-borders-gift-cards-are-not-worth-the-plastic-theyre-printed-on Paul Constant <p><a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/22/186121063/judge-unredeemed-borders-gift-cards-are-worthless">It's official</a>!</p> <blockquote><p>If you were hoping to cash in that Borders gift card for the latest Dan Brown novel &#8212; or at least hoping to get some cash for it &#8212; you're too late.</p> <p>A Manhattan federal judge on Wednesday ruled that the bankrupt and defunct book chain owes nothing to the roughly <strong>17.7 million people who hold $210.5 million in unredeemed gift cards</strong>.</p></blockquote> <p>Gift cards are <strong>a scam</strong> perpetrated on the American public by retailers. Gift cards to chain stores are <strong>a shit gift</strong>. Do not give gift cards as presents. </p> <p><small><em>(Related: If this news leaves you feeling nostalgic about Borders, <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/books-without-borders/Content?oid=9322294">I wrote a thing about working at Borders</a> a couple years ago that might scratch that itch.)</em></small></p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/your-borders-gift-cards-are-not-worth-the-plastic-theyre-printed-on#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16854475&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Books Retail http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/your-borders-gift-cards-are-not-worth-the-plastic-theyre-printed-on?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16854475&id=comments 27 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:37:03 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/michele-bachmann-says-god-will-perform-a-miracle-to-free-us-all-from-the-yoke-of-obamacare http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/michele-bachmann-says-god-will-perform-a-miracle-to-free-us-all-from-the-yoke-of-obamacare Paul Constant <p><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/05/22/2048161/bachmann-god-obamacare-repeal/">ThinkProgress reports on the latest stupid thing Michele Bachmann said</a>:</p> <blockquote><p>&#8220;I think the President will ultimately be forced to repudiate his own signature piece of legislation because the American people will demand it,&#8221; [Bachmann] told an evangelical radio host Tuesday. &#8220;And I think before his second term is over, we&#8217;re going to see a miracle before our eyes, I believe God is going to answer our prayers and we&#8217;ll be freed from the yoke of Obamacare.&#8221;</p></blockquote> <p>Presumably, this is because God believes people should not have access to quality medical care if they can't afford it. I'm sure there's some Bible verse somewhere that backs up Bachmann's claims.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/michele-bachmann-says-god-will-perform-a-miracle-to-free-us-all-from-the-yoke-of-obamacare#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16854037&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Politics Religion http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/michele-bachmann-says-god-will-perform-a-miracle-to-free-us-all-from-the-yoke-of-obamacare?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16854037&id=comments 19 Thu, 23 May 2013 10:35:45 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/what-do-vampires-rock-stars-impolite-new-yorkers-and-sarah-polleys-family-all-have-in-common http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/what-do-vampires-rock-stars-impolite-new-yorkers-and-sarah-polleys-family-all-have-in-common Paul Constant <p>Over the weekend, I saw a bunch of SIFF movies, and it didn't occur to me until after I'd watched them all that they had one thing in common: They all were <strong>directed by, written by, and/or starred strong women</strong>. Ten or fifteen years ago, these movies would have appeared as a festival within the larger festival under a Feminist Films banner, but now they're standing on their own.</p> <p><a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/about-a-girl/Content?oid=16836863"><em>Frances Ha </em></a>was directed by a man&#8212;Noah Baumbach, doing maybe the best work of his career&#8212;but it was co-written by and stars Greta Gerwig. As a young New Yorker whose friends are all growing up and moving on, Gerwig's Frances is a very likable protagonist. She's self-conscious, but not in a late-Woody Allen sort of way. She's often impolite, but not standoffishly so. She causes a lot of problems for herself, but she's not a composite made up of the sum of her personal problems. <em>Frances Ha </em>is a <strong>remarkably good-hearted</strong> story that brings to mind a cross between Mike Leigh's <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=703444"><em>Happy-Go-Lucky</em></a> and one of Woody Allen's better, earlier New York films.</p> <p>Sini Anderson's <em>The Punk Singer</em>, which I saw a preview of and which <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/MovieTimes?show=siff&film=16660436">screens on Friday and Sunday this weekend</a> at Harvard Exit, is a straightforward documentary about Bikini Kill/Le Tigre frontwoman Kathleen Hanna. You're not going to see anything new, technique- or structure-wise, but the story is compelling from start to finish because the subject is fascinating, and the footage of Hanna dancing around stages (from shitty Olympia dives to a protest in Washington DC to some fancier clubs) is super-entertaining to watch. If you're into films that stretch the capabilities of documentaries, Sarah Polley's <em>Stories We Tell </em>is for you. Polley, who has evolved from an excellent actor into an excellent director, brings a special kind of confidence to her first documentary. Perhaps that's just because she's working with such a familiar cast: <em>Stores We Tell </em>is about Polley's mother, who died young and who left behind many secrets, including the identity of Polley's real father. It's a movie that alternates easily between <strong>warmth and prickliness</strong>. From the too-passive, highly inexact title on down, Polley spends a bit too much time focusing on the power of stories when she already ably demonstrates the power of stories with her story (every time I see or hear someone expounding on the importance of stories to human beings&#8212;it happens a lot on NPR&#8212;I get the feeling that it's just another way to compliment the audience for spending their time consuming a storytelling medium), but otherwise, <em>Stories We Tell </em>is a moving, generous account of a family's secrets and strengths.</p> <p>And then there's the vampires. <em>Byzantium</em> is directed by Neil Jordan, but its cast (Gemma Arterton, Saoirse Ronan) and its screenwriter (Moira Buffini, adapting her play of the same name) are all women, and it's a decidedly feminine take on the vampire myth. The greatest joy of <em>Byzantium</em> is that it's not a reheat of every other vampire story that's come before; these vampires have different weapons (rather than fangs, they have long, sharp thumbnails that they use to pierce arteries) and origins than any cinematic vampire you've seen before. <em>Byzantium</em> begins with the end of one life for our vampires (Arterton has the harder role, here, as she's got to make a vampire/stripper seem not like a <em>From Dusk Till Dawn</em>-style cliche, but Ronan is typically incredible as an eternal 16-year-old) as they're forced to flee one small British town and head to another. This is something they've been forced to do again and again, as they're chased by mysterious agents every time their cover story slips.<em> Byzantium</em> is a slow-burn movie&#8212;the script smartly drops the viewer into the middle of the narrative and slowly reveals the backstory in dollops&#8212;but it's worth it, as the vampires at the heart of the story are forced to consider whether eternal life means an eternally unchanging life. </p> <p>None of these movies are similar in theme or plot or structure, but they're indicative of a greater sea change in the filmmaking world. It's no longer necessary for a film festival like SIFF to cordon off a selection of movies as "women-made films." There are enough quality films featuring women that they can't be contained anymore, and there are plenty more movies to come in SIFF demonstrating the importance of women in film; hell, the closing night gala, <em>The Bling Ring</em>, is produced, directed by, written, and stars women. <strong>This is the new normal</strong>, and it's awesome.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/what-do-vampires-rock-stars-impolite-new-yorkers-and-sarah-polleys-family-all-have-in-common#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16835874&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> SIFF http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/23/what-do-vampires-rock-stars-impolite-new-yorkers-and-sarah-polleys-family-all-have-in-common?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16835874&id=comments 2 Thu, 23 May 2013 07:55:48 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/what-do-you-think-of-the-don-jon-trailer http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/what-do-you-think-of-the-don-jon-trailer Paul Constant <p><em>Don Jon</em> is a new movie directed by, written, and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a porn addict who gets into a relationship with Scarlett Johansson, who disapproves of his porn consumption. It costars <strong>Tony Danza</strong> (!?!), and it's packed with New Jersey accents. </p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="500" height="281" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6615kYTpOSU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>What do you think?</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/what-do-you-think-of-the-don-jon-trailer#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16845998&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Film http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/what-do-you-think-of-the-don-jon-trailer?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16845998&id=comments 15 Wed, 22 May 2013 16:03:09 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/amy-tan-is-replacing-joan-didion http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/amy-tan-is-replacing-joan-didion Paul Constant <p><a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/loose-lips/Content?oid=16837364">We told you in Loose Lips this week </a>that <strong>Joan Didion cancelled her upcoming appearance</strong> at Benaroya Hall, due to an "unforeseen personal conflict."</p> <p>We just got a press release from Seattle Arts and Lectures announcing Joan Didion's replacement. It begins like this:</p> <blockquote><p>SEATTLE, WA: Seattle Arts &amp; Lectures&#8217; 2012-2013 Literary Arts Series concludes with Amy Tan on Wednesday, June 5, 7:30pm at Benaroya Hall. Unfortunately the previously scheduled speaker, Joan Didion, unable to make her appearance on June 5th. <strong>We are excited to announce Amy Tan as a replacement</strong>. </p> <p>Amy Tan is well known in literary circles for her sensitive and witty exploration of the complexity of mother daughter relationships starting with her debut novel, <em>The Joy Luck Club </em>that was a finalist for the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award. Her theme continued in her equally successful novels from <em>The Kitchen God&#8217;s Wife</em> to <em>Saving Fish</em> from <em>Drowning</em> to the <em>Bonesetter&#8217;s Daughter</em>. In addition, to her novels Ms. Tan co-produced and wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of the<em> Joy Luck Club</em>. Ms. Tan is also the author of a memoir, <em>The Opposite of Fate</em>, two children&#8217;s books, <em>The Moon Lady</em> and<em> Sagwa, The Chinese Siamese Cat</em> and numerous articles for magazines, including <em>The New Yorker</em>, <em>Harper&#8217;s Bazaar</em>, and <em>National Geographic</em>.</p></blockquote> <p><em>Stranger </em>Editor Christopher Frizzelle, who was going to i<a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/10/if-you-and-joan-didion-were-onstage-together-in-front-of-2000-people-what-would-you-ask-her">nterview Didion onstage</a>, will not be interviewing Amy Tan.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/amy-tan-is-replacing-joan-didion#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16846045&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Books http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/amy-tan-is-replacing-joan-didion?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16846045&id=comments 9 Wed, 22 May 2013 14:56:07 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/the-pope-doesnt-understand-the-point-of-atheists http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/the-pope-doesnt-understand-the-point-of-atheists Paul Constant <p><a href="http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/05/22/pope_at_mass:_culture_of_encounter_is_the_foundation_of_peace/en1-694445">Here's something </a>that Pope Francis said today:</p> <blockquote><p>The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! &#8216;Father, the atheists?&#8217; Even the atheists. Everyone! And this Blood makes us children of God of the first class! </p></blockquote> <p>Um, gee. <strong>Thanks, I guess?</strong> But maybe keep your unicorn juice to yourself? It's kind of weird to go spilling magical blood on a bunch of people who don't believe in it.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/the-pope-doesnt-understand-the-point-of-atheists#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16844577&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Religion http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/the-pope-doesnt-understand-the-point-of-atheists?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16844577&id=comments 36 Wed, 22 May 2013 14:56:01 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/google-and-yahoo-are-big-tax-cheats-too http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/google-and-yahoo-are-big-tax-cheats-too Paul Constant <p><a href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/05/22/like-apple-google-yahoo-also-avoid-taxes-by-way-of-ireland">AppleInsider makes </a>a very good point about Tim Cook's appearance before a Senate panel to defend Apple from charges of tax evasion yesterday:</p> <blockquote><p>Though some such as U.S. Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) portrayed Apple's tax strategy as "unique," at least in scope, the tax shelter practice known by attorneys as <strong>the "Double Irish" </strong>is also utilized by tech companies <strong>Google and Yahoo</strong>.</p> <p>Google has moved foreign profits through Ireland and the Netherlands, allowing to avoid about <strong>$2 billion in income taxes a year</strong>, according to Bloomberg. But unlike Apple, which manages its Irish subsidiary in the U.S., Google goes one step further and manages its Irish branch through Bermuda &#8212; a British territory that has no corporate income tax.</p> <p>Yahoo, too, is said to deposit its profits in an Irish subsidiary. Like Apple, Yahoo says its Irish arm is not a tax resident to avoid corporate income taxes. But Yahoo also employs a strategy similar to Google and claims its tax residency offshore, in the Cayman Islands.</p></blockquote> <p>Apple is not unique in this. They just have gotten more attention because everyone knows they're sitting on an unthinkably huge pile of money. But <strong>does any of this matter</strong>? After the chummy way John McCain ended the Apple tax investigation yesterday...</p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="500" height="375" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mwHtd323mro" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>...I'd be shocked to learn that anything is going to change.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/google-and-yahoo-are-big-tax-cheats-too#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16844616&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Money http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/google-and-yahoo-are-big-tax-cheats-too?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16844616&id=comments 9 Wed, 22 May 2013 13:42:24 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/jose-canseco-probably-shouldnt-be-allowed-on-twitter http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/jose-canseco-probably-shouldnt-be-allowed-on-twitter Paul Constant <p>Jose Canseco, who has been accused by both of his ex-wives of domestic violence in the past, was approached by police officers in Las Vegas as part of a rape investigation, according to Canseco's Twitter feed. How did Canseco respond? By tweeting the name of the woman Canseco says has accused him of rape, along with what he claimed to be a photo of her and her phone number. The tweets&#8212;there were two clusters of them&#8212;have since been deleted, but <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/ktlincoln/jose-canseco-tweets-that-hes-been-charged-with-rape">BuzzFeed has screen captures of them </a>(with the name and personal information redacted). </p> <p>Now, people are calling for Canseco to be kicked off of Twitter for posting the personal information of a woman whom he believes has accused him of rape. I used to follow Canseco on Twitter because he was kind of funny, but his propensity to <strong>angrily publish the personal information</strong> of whatever woman he's obsessing over&#8212;and he's done this on multiple occasions&#8212;was way too creepy for my tastes.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/jose-canseco-probably-shouldnt-be-allowed-on-twitter#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16844922&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Sports http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/jose-canseco-probably-shouldnt-be-allowed-on-twitter?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16844922&id=comments 8 Wed, 22 May 2013 12:48:32 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/new-pearl-buck-novel-to-be-published-this-fall http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/new-pearl-buck-novel-to-be-published-this-fall Paul Constant <p>Like it says up there in large print, a new Pearl Buck novel is <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/22/business/media/a-pearl-buck-novel-new-after-4-decades.html?hpw&_r=0.">going to be published this fall</a>:</p> <blockquote><p>The manuscript was stumbled upon in a storage unit in Texas and returned to the Buck family in December in exchange for a small fee, said Jane Friedman, the chief executive of Open Road Integrated Media, the publisher.</p> <p>Buck, the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, is believed to have completed the manuscript for the book, &#8220;The Eternal Wonder,&#8221; shortly before she died of cancer in <strong>1973</strong>, said her son Edgar S. Walsh, who manages her literary estate.</p></blockquote> <p>I'm willing to bet that most Americans now know Buck best as <a href="http://www.oprah.com/oprahsbookclub/Pearl-S-Bucks-The-Good-Earth-at-a-Glance">an Oprah's Book Club-approved author</a>. Many of these sorts of posthumous manuscripts are unpublished for a reason, but this one, at least, sounds like <strong>a complete manuscript</strong>, which increases its chances of at least being readable.</p> <p><em>(Thanks to Slog tipper&#8212;and big Buck fan&#8212;<strong>Cienna</strong>.)</em></p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/new-pearl-buck-novel-to-be-published-this-fall#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16844168&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Books http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/new-pearl-buck-novel-to-be-published-this-fall?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16844168&id=comments 5 Wed, 22 May 2013 12:38:52 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/frenzied-machete-attack-in-london http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/frenzied-machete-attack-in-london Paul Constant <p>In southeastern London, a soldier was killed by two men who were later shot by police. The Prime Minister says the attacks were likely terrorism. <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22630304">The BBC has set up a breaking news page</a> about the incident with live video and more information.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/frenzied-machete-attack-in-london#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16844232&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Breaking News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/frenzied-machete-attack-in-london?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16844232&id=comments 25 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:32:17 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/the-republican-battle-over-disaster-relief-is-embarrassing http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/the-republican-battle-over-disaster-relief-is-embarrassing Paul Constant <p><a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2013/05/oklahoma-tornado-republicans-budget-offset-91701.html">Politico says</a> that Republicans are already arguing over whether the disaster relief for Oklahoma should be offset with budget cuts elsewhere.</p> <blockquote><p>&#8220;Finding some way to offset is not the priority,&#8221; said Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), a member of Senate GOP leadership who <strong>opposed the $50.5 billion Sandy aid package</strong> at the beginning of the year. &#8220;Meeting the known and immediate needs as quickly as possible is the priority.&#8221;</p> <p>The calls for swift funding from Congress comes as a key Oklahoma Republican, Sen. Tom Coburn, is renewing his long-standing call that any disaster relief funds should be fully offset, potentially putting him in the awkward spot of <strong>opposing an emergency aid package for his home state.</strong>..</p></blockquote> <p>When this vote comes, it's going to be a real shitshow for the Republicans. Some of them (like, presumably, Senator Blunt) are <strong>only for giving money to red states</strong>. Others want lengthy budget discussions before they agree to anything. This could be the event that winds up being the historical example that people will one day use to illustrate the decade of the do-nothing Congress.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/the-republican-battle-over-disaster-relief-is-embarrassing#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16844077&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Politics http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/the-republican-battle-over-disaster-relief-is-embarrassing?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16844077&id=comments 19 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:28:42 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/amazon-legitimizes-fan-fiction http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/amazon-legitimizes-fan-fiction Paul Constant <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?docId=1001197421">This could</a> potentially be a huge deal:</p> <blockquote><p>Get ready for Kindle Worlds, a place for you to<strong> publish fan fiction</strong> inspired by popular books, shows, movies, comics, music, and games. With Kindle Worlds, you can write new stories based on featured Worlds, engage an audience of readers, and <strong>earn royalties</strong>. Amazon Publishing has secured licenses from Warner Bros. for<em> Gossip Girl</em>, <em>Pretty Little Liars</em>, and <em>The Vampire Diaries</em>, with licenses for more Worlds on the way. </p> <p>The Kindle Worlds Self-Service Submission Platform will launch soon and enable you to submit your original works for publication.</p></blockquote> <p>I gave a talk a while ago at <a href="http://seattle.nerdnite.com/">Nerd Nite </a>suggesting that the publishing platform of the future would find some way to <strong>incorporate fan fiction into the platform</strong>. I also said that genre publishing platforms should encourage fan fiction by publishing the best stuff as canon and paying the author for the work. This is a smart way for Amazon to tap into a huge publishing ecosystem that already exists and is barely tolerated by the publishing industry. Maybe more importantly, it's yet another opportunity that traditional publishing has squandered.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/amazon-legitimizes-fan-fiction#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16843800&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Books http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/amazon-legitimizes-fan-fiction?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16843800&id=comments 11 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:00:14 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/the-ruins-of-tatooine http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/the-ruins-of-tatooine Paul Constant <p>The film sets from the original <em>Star Wars</em> movie are just sitting there in Tunisia, rotting away. <a href="http://www.lostateminor.com/2013/05/21/life-after-people-abandoned-star-wars-film-sets/">They're kind of beautiful</a>.</p> <p>(Thanks to Slog tipper <strong>Ben</strong>.)</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/the-ruins-of-tatooine#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16834911&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Nerd http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/22/the-ruins-of-tatooine?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16834911&id=comments 7 Wed, 22 May 2013 07:18:47 -0700 The Stranger http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/small-is-beautiful/Content?oid=16835956 http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/small-is-beautiful/Content?oid=16835956 Paul Constant Matthew Simmons Crams a Lot of Big into His Little Stories by Paul Constant <p><span class="dropcap">L</span>et's pour one out for the short-story writers. They never get reviewed, their sales figures are generally much lower than novelists', and with the collapse of the magazine industry and the constellations of free (read: nonpaying) literary magazines scattered online, writers of short fiction make less money now than at probably any other point in history. (And we're not exactly dealing with a field that was known for its abundance of respect even in its heyday&mdash;ask Edgar Allan Poe how his freelance fiction career worked out.)</p> <p>But some authors just have a knack for short stories. Their ideas flow best on a small scale, and they have special gifts of suggestion, ways of leaving whole icebergs of stories submerged under the surface of the narrative. Unlike novelists, short-story writers know when to shut up.</p> <p>Local author Matthew Simmons has never misused a word in his life, or at least that's how it feels. His prose manages to be economical and exact, while at the same time suggesting a broader universe that ripples out from every sentence. It's like handing someone a few Lego bricks, bending down for a second to tie your shoes, and then looking back up to discover they've built a palace. He's written stories about death-metal bands and heartbreak and perverted takes on the binding of Isaac set on a mountain that a suburban dad builds in his own backyard. These are whole worlds&mdash;sick worlds, small worlds, fantasy worlds&mdash;that begin and end in a handful of pages, but occasionally smack you senseless like a flying phone book.</p> <p>Simmons's new collection of 15 stories, <em>Happy Rock</em> ($15.95), is more than just his best book yet; it's also the best book that young local publisher Dark Coast Press has produced to date. <em>Happy Rock</em> begins, as many worthwhile ventures do, with a kiss shared between two young people, described in simple, earnest language: "There was a hint of moisture in the fumbling of soft lips. It lasted a minute or more, an hour or less, and ended. It passed. Things like that will pass. Impulses pass." This story is called "We Never Went to the Moon," and it continues like that, with a pair of teenagers named Sarah and Matthew who enjoy drinking their parents' alcohol and getting high and flirting with something bigger than they understand. It's decorated with enough small detail (a jury-rigged soda-can bowl has "two little dents" and "an indent for the pot on top") that one can't help but detect some autobiography.</p> <p>Then star-stuff lands on the two teenagers, and they become superpowered. One of them gradually becomes so obsessed with conspiracy theories that an entire life is ruined. But those little soda-can dimples, and all the other details constructed with Simmons's eye for the true and the real, keep things from getting overwrought. Not one word&mdash;not a syllable, not a space between words&mdash;is out of place.</p> <p>The threat of violence is never far away in <em>Happy Rock</em>. Some of the shortest stories in the book (a single page, front and back) are explicitly about doing damage to bodies. But it's not a book about violence. Instead, it's about possibilities&mdash;roads not taken, yes, but also whole realities in which humans "were born with twelve fingers and toes instead of ten," where "people wouldn't measure their lives in decades. They would gather their lives in dozens." This isn't a book you measure in pages. You gather its many worlds in your arms until the possibilities leave you filled with gratitude. <img src="/images/rec_star.gif" width="10" height="10" alt="recommended" border= ";0&quot;" /></p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/small-is-beautiful/Content?oid=16835956#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16835956&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Books/Feature http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/small-is-beautiful/Content?oid=16835956&show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16835956&id=comments 2 Small Is Beautiful Wed, 22 May 2013 04:00:00 -0700 The Stranger