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That Our Program Is Worthless Is NOT What's Important Here …
According to The Politico (a new, Washington, D.C.-based rag covering national politics), the White House Office of the National Drug Control Policy has gotten its knickers in a twist over Politico reporter Ryan Grim’s coverage of the office’s weakass, ineffective anti-drug media campaign. For a story published in today’s edition, Grim rehashes the program’s lame results – in part, that government studies have found that the anti-drug ads may actually increase the likelihood that teens will try smoking marijuana, for example – when reporting that Bush’s budget plan calls for a 31% increase in funding for the ONDCP ad project, which would raise its budget to $130 million over the next year.
2:21PM Thu. Feb. 8, 2007,Jordan Smith Read More | Comment »
John Stossel, Give Us a Break
So John Stossel, the exceedingly destitute man's Michael Medved, was apparently on-hand for the James Leininger-fueled school-voucher follies overtaking the Capitol yesterday. Hey, his lack of knowledge on, well, practically everything never stopped him from tossing off lithe Libertarian turds of indignation on anything before, so why should he stop now?
Fun Stossel fact: Did you know his first big break was exposing - get this - that pro wrestling is faked? We know, we couldn't believe it either. Judging from the clip here, neither could his interviewee.
OK, so he might deserve a little break there.
12:23PM Thu. Feb. 8, 2007,Wells Dunbar Read More | Comment »
Doctor Death
Stumbling through the streets of New York City, a sixth sense pulls me to the underground lair of Hospital Productions. Located in the basem*nt of Jammyland Music at 60 E. Third St., the black-and-red painted pit is only accessible by ladder. Destroyed microphones, blood-stained posters, and a mutilated guitar line the walls. This is where metal music comes to die.
The store only sells obscure death and black metal albums with a side of noise. That means no Southern Lord or Hydra Head, though the latter will be ransacked here in two weeks. I needed a guide for this venture into the underworld. Dominick Fernow, the store's owner, has worked with everyone from Thurston Moore to Wolf Eyes as his alter ego Prurient. He was my Virgil, hand-picking these essential albums from 2006.
11:41AM Thu. Feb. 8, 2007,Austin Powell Read More | Comment »
TODAY'S EVENTS
Urban Heat (performance and record signing)
Waterloo Records
Steel Magnolias: 35th Anniversary at Paramount Theatre
Queer Swim at Barton Springs Pool
MUSIC | MOVIES | ARTS | COMMUNITY
Texas Giveth Cancer Funding With One Hand ...
… and taketh with the other. Gov. Rick Perry is lining up a reported $29 million for the proposed human papillomavirus vaccination program (no word yet on whether he's going to fund any booster shots). Maybe he'd seen the recent massive TV campaign by drug giant Merck, manufacturers of HPV vaccine Gardasil, that portrayed the vaccination as a syringe full of female empowerment (paranoid minds might suggest that the campaign was less about selling vaccine and more about softening up Texans for Perry's announcement). The governor locked in with Merck's product, even though GlaxoSmithKline is expected to file with the Food and Drug Administration for approval of its rival HPV vaccine, Cervarix, in April. If approved, it would probably be available before year's end.
At the other end of the Capitol complex, the Texas Cancer Council is fighting for its financial life. The council, which tackles cancer awareness in areas with few resources and provides seed money for anti-cancer programs, had its budget slashed by $2 million over the last five years. Now it faces a further 7.6% cut, down to just $6.7 million, for 2008-2009. The council already has a staff vacancy it cannot fill because it can't afford to hire anyone: Now there are fears that it will have to cut back on educational outreach along the borders. "We went down and down and down," TCC Executive Director Sandra Balderrama told representatives this week, "and now the only thing left is programs."
9:16AM Thu. Feb. 8, 2007,Richard Whittaker Read More | Comment »
Soccer-Related Deaths in Italy and More
Italian soccer is in shambles yet again, following two killings within a week in soccer-related riots. First, a team official was kicked to death on the field following a lower-division game. Then on Friday, a policeman was killed in a riot in Catania during the Sicilian derby with Palermo, after an explosive device was thrown into his car. Local fans blamed visitors from mafia stronghold Palermo; other evidence suggests a deliberate hit against the police inspector, who was to testify against local gang members in a criminal trial. Officials first called off all games at every level from Serie A down to amateurs; after negotiations that have gone to the highest levels of the government, the season will resume this weekend, but with no fans allowed in any stadia that don’t meet stringent security requirements. (As of now, that’s just four in the whole country – Rome, Siena, Torino, and, ironically, Palermo.)
7:17PM Wed. Feb. 7, 2007,Nick Barbaro Read More | Comment »
Hellbent for Pleather
When I saw Mistress Stephanie & Her Melodic Cat for the first time last summer at the Chain Drive, it was one of those right place, right time moments. The Mistress, with her jet-black bob and bustier, was Louise Brooks with Norma Desmond’s sense of dark comedy. She ignored, berated, and sung in perfect harmony with Her Melodic Cat, stage left with a guitar, baring ass cheek and wearing a half-interested sneer as their cabaret punk was thrown out with Weimar vitriol. I desperately wanted them to play a cover of the Doors' "Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar)," which is actually a cover of a Kurt Weill song, which is appropriate, as some of the set was in German. And this was at a gay leather bar.
4:56PM Wed. Feb. 7, 2007,Audra Schroeder Read More | Comment »
NEWSLETTERS
CBS Sells K-EYE
CBS Corp. is selling its local affiliate, KEYE-TV, to a private investment group as part of a seven-station deal valued at $185 million. The deal, which includes stations in Salt Lake City and Providence, R.I., continues the media giant's strategy of shedding its ownership interest in small- and midlevel TV and radio stations.
The buyer is Cerberus Capital Management, which specializes in investing in what it terms "undervalued" companies. It boasts more than $22 billion in assets in everything from Air Canada and National Car Rental to Mervyn's and Strategic Restaurant Acquisition Group, a company specializing in Burger King franchises.
The deal is still subject to FCC approval.
4:23PM Wed. Feb. 7, 2007,Kevin Brass Read More | Comment »
Houston Dynamo Unveil Potential Mascot Designs
The Dynamo completed their first year in Houston holding aloft the MLS Cup as league champions. Now the real work begins, choosing a mascot. Students from the Houston Art Institute submitted their designs for potential Dynamo mascots, and the winner should be announced soon with the mascot hopefully making his debut by the start of the Dynamo's season on April 8. Here's a quote from one of the artists, “It’s a privilege to be able to take on such an important task,” said Houston Art Institute student Arely Santos. “It’s been a few days since I’ve been able to get any sleep, but having the opportunity to work on something this unique makes it all worth it.” Honestly, I'm not superstoked about any of these but the Yosemite Sam-like Dynamo Joe is my favorite by default. We'll let you know when the winner is chosen.
3:43PM Wed. Feb. 7, 2007,Mark fa*gan Read More | Comment »
GSA Rejects Delay of Intel Implosion
Well, so much for that bright idea. Mayor Will Wynn made an 11th-hour attempt to stop the destruction of the Intel building shell and sell it off to developers, but the federal General Services Administration just shot down that idea. In a slightly peeved press statement that had a strong hint of "WTF?" GSA Southwest Regional Administrator Scott Armey (yes, son of former congressman Dick) said, "To turn back now would cost the taxpayers millions of additional dollars, deprive the citizens of their badly needed new courthouse for at least two more years and could potentially jeopardize the construction funding in the future. … Therefore, we are proceeding as planned and will hold the implosion as scheduled."
Bring on the dynamite!
(Click on "continue reading" for the full text of the press release)
2:48PM Wed. Feb. 7, 2007,Lee Nichols Read More | Comment »
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