Picture Perfect

You Want What the Baby Wants

Today’s Groupon is $9.00 tickets (normally $15.00) for any December or January performance by Baby Wants Candy, Chicago’s standout improvisational comedic musical theater act. Every show begins with a random audience title-suggestion, which the team of comic musical prodigies proceed to turn into an entirely improvised 60-minute one-act musical.

And lets stop right there - because we’re not going to get anywhere unless we acknowledge the 1,000 pound gorilla in the room. Everyone knows there are two kinds of people in this world. There are those who are along for every step of the roller-coaster sequence of set-the-stage upbeat ditties, then something-went-wrong sad crooners, and finally the hopeful-resolution-entire-cast-sings-final-chorus ballads. And then there are those who insist that musical is the basest and shallowest art form on the face of the earth.

These two breeds, a microcosm of our highly polarized society, at best do not understand each other, and at worst profoundly dislike each other. In extreme instances, radical factions of musical theater enthusiasts and musical theater haters have been known to engage in small-scale violent conflicts, engaging in political assassinations and kidnappings of each others leaders.

The conflict has long appeared to be have no solution, that is until Baby Wants Candy. For friends, relatives, & other relations long strained by the musical theater species divide, Baby Wants Candy is like a marriage counselor, like an estranged father and child reconnecting over a baseball game, like the Camp David Accords and other peace treaties - you get the picture. Even those musical theater enthusiasts who actually subject their musical theater to some kind of quality standard - cannot be disappointed by the combination of musical talent and spontaneous ability to manufacture compelling stories. And even the most dismissive snobbiest haters of musical theater are going to enjoy the innovation comic relief.

Don’t take my word for it haters - check out this unapologetically glowing review from The New York Press, this one from The Scotsman, and y’all Rent-lovers will be interested to hear Gawker.com acknowledging that “Baby Wants Candy will impress even your most Sondheim-obsessed friends.”

Irish eyes

Baby Wants Candy’s current and former cast members have gained national attention as members of SNL, special correspondents on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, Mad TV, and other funny spotlights, but you really ought to catch them at their best (when they’re allowed to sing their jokes).

You won’t know if you’re laughing at the hilarious jokes, or at each other, or with each other - possibly all three at the same time - but you will be laughing: laughing once again with your old friend, laughing like the hyenas laugh in the desert sun, laughing like the Bronze Buddha, laughing like children tickled pink with tickley feathers, laughing like Old Man River laughs at Big Mouth Billy Bass’s heart warming songs, laughing with eyes full of tears like long-lost siblings overjoyed at their rejuvenated brotherhood.

Baby Wants Candy performs regularly in Chicago, LA & New York… these Groupon tickets will get you into the Chicago show at the Apollo Theater at 2540 N Lincoln. Get into the season with one of the holiday-themed shows in December, or see a typical outstanding Baby Wants Candy performance in January. Just get your Groupon.

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Hip holidays: New tree ornaments reflect larger trends

Christmas tree ornaments tend to reflect styles we see in the year’s home furnishings, as well as what’s on the fashion runway. We like to dress our tree as we dress our rooms and ourselves.This season, inspiration trotted the globe, from Morocco to Moscow, Punjab to Pyongyang. Stools and step chests grace the living room, while ethnic fabrics and motifs adorn wall art and clothing. So it’s no surprise many holiday ornaments evoke these graphic prints and international sensibilities.Look for elaborate paintwork and embellishments, tassels, bright good-luck Asian reds and golds. At the other end of the spectrum are graceful, muted tonal shades, simple Zen-like branches, winterberries and blossoms.No doubt you’ve seen the charming peasant looks, blanket-stitching and textural garments that fill stores this fall. In home decor, this trend has shown up in Scandinavian-style carved furniture, homespun wool throws and Nordic patterned rugs.For the holidays, this translates into charming, folk-art, stitched-felt animals, stockings and people, as well as evocations of natural elements in carved wood, painted tin, bark and even dipped metal.Some see a cultural trend emerging that has to do with nesting, comfort, and home and hearth as a safe haven from the daily storms of life. So childhood treats like candy canes, gingerbread cookies and cupcakes become temptations for the tree.Sur La Table, a national retailer of all things epicurean, stocks luscious glass ice cream cones, chocolate dipped strawberries and glitter frosted sweets.”Food plays such an important role during the holidays — dessert and food-related ornaments just appeal to our senses,” says Linda Nangle, Sur la Table’s tabletop buyer.With millions of Americans watching “Mad Men,” “Life on Mars” and other shows steeped in the styles of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, it’s no surprise that shelter magazines and on-trend furniture retailers have embraced the mid-century years. Retro-look ornaments such as martini glasses, starbursts and kicky teardrop shapes are smart, fresh and sophisticated once again.And for those who dress their homes in all-out glamour, Christmas is a time to really put on the glitz. We see lustrous hues such as persimmon, silver, grape and chartreuse in pretty sweaters, silk jackets and other party wear. There are myriad baubles dressed up in feathers, fur, sequins and glitter that catch the light.Robin Coogan, buyer and display artist for the gift and ornament store Seasons Too in Larchmont, N.Y., decorates 12 to 18 private homes for the holidays each year. “Everyone loves the sparkly metallics, as well as rich reds and chartreuse. Especially those who do a lot of entertaining — they want their tree and mantel to really set a festive mood.”Sourcebook:

Obama inauguration could have subdued tone

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Spaceballs

metacriticimdbthe verdict: spaceballs is a spoof talkie of starwars, and like most big with mel brooks is funny. in my opinion the movie wasn’t honestly that funny but is somewhat enjoyable. the prime plot in harmony is that dark helmet (rick moranis) wants to suck all the air out of this planet. he is able to do this with his immoderately large transformer spaceship. regard for the clear parodies of some of the main characters, there wasn’t really a parody of luke skywalker, instead there was lone starr which was sort of a mixture of han solo, and luke skywalker. of all the characters i think the most leaver was pizza the cabin, which was a fat pizza monster device.so if you couldn’t barrow from the portrait of a few of the character the silent picture is a inadequate silly, and at times just kind of vacuous, and in the manner of all light hearted movies has a super super in the seventh heaven ending. this is the kind of movie that i wouldn’t really recommend seeing because well-head its on tv so much that you will eventually come across it, and if there isn’t anything else on then it might be merit watching.

Rod ferrell

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Portrait of the Illinois River

Sometimes, David Zalaznik’s Saturday morning drives didn’t take him very far along the Illinois River before interesting pictures would start to surface.

Zalaznik was collecting photographs for his book, “Life Along The Illinois River,” published recently by the University of Illinois Press.

“I wanted to spread it out as much as I could, since there were parts I wasn’t familiar with,” says Zalaznik. “I had to force myself to go in those directions.

“I would take off intending to head to Ottawa or Grafton and a quarter of the way there, I would see something interesting and stop and spend the day there.”

Zalaznik is a photographer for the Peoria Journal-Star. He worked on the book project on his own time.

“That was the joy of it, to do it on my own time,” he says. “Not only to retain ownership of the photos, but to have leisurely time to explore and see what I could find.

“I would go to the river and try to decide whether I wanted to go up or down,” he says. “It was a nice way to go.”

Zalaznik kept an open mind about potential subjects, focusing on everything from nature to commercial fishermen to the communities along the riverbank. He spent one day with a crew cutting up a barge for scrap metal.

Not having a set plan “makes it kind of fun and spontaneous,” he says. “It keeps you going.

“I was heading north early one Saturday morning — it was before dawn — and I only got 10 miles from my home when I saw these guys coming off the ice with guns in their hands.”

They were goose hunters finishing up for the day. They had waded through icy water to stand nearly invisible on the ice wearing white suits.

Los zeta

“I met them the next morning — a little earlier — and that ended up being the cover photo,” he says.

Work on the book started in November 2005, when Zalaznik was one of 10 photographers — mostly from the Peoria area — invited to display work related to the Illinois River.

“So I decided to go out and create some new pictures,” he said. “The show ended up in September 2006, and it was pretty successful. I was having fun shooting pictures of the Illinois River on my off time, and I kept going — not knowing where it was the project would take me.”

Zalaznik contacted University of Illinois Press in 2007, and the response was immediate.

The book is just out, but Zalaznik said sales already are going well.

“There has been so much more interest than I ever imagined,” he says. “I signed around 300 books at two book signings.”

Zalaznik says he figures he was signing a book every 70 seconds for three hours at one event.

“It’s been very popular,” he says. “Two people bought 20 copies each.”

One woman bought a copy to send to the library in Peoria’s sister city in Clonmel, Ireland.

Zalaznik says his time along the river that stretches from northeast Illinois to the Mississippi River has taught him that conservation of the river’s natural resources and its economic well-being go hand in hand.

“I absolutely have real great hope for the Illinois River,” he says. “But I think we are fooling ourselves when we think we are going to get the river back to the way it was (before settlement, locks and dams and intensive agriculture).

“I think we have to look at the river from the point it is right now,” Zalaznik says. “At least you are going to spend your resources and your time making something better.”

Zalaznik says he hopes the photographs provide an introduction to the Illinois River and cause people to support efforts to protect it.

“I have high hopes for the river,” he says. “And I hope that when people get to see the photos I did — or the work of others — they see it is worth fighting for.”

Chris Young can be reached at 788-1528.  

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Kings-Nets: Vince Carter Dominates in Overtime Victory

Tonight, the Sacramento Kings (5-11) hosted Vince Carter and the New Jersey Nets.

For the visiting Nets, there are questions surrounding their future. There has been a long in-the-works move to Brooklyn that has been delayed again. Part owner Jay-Z would love to lure his buddy LeBron James when he hits free agency in 2010.

On the court, there are questions as well. In particular, what about Carter?

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The Nets are rebuilding around Devin Harris and a group of big guys including Brook Lopez, Sean Williams, and Yi Jianlian. Carter (and his contract) wouldn’t seem to fit in with what the Nets are trying to do.

For over a year, there have been rumors and speculation about the possible departure of Carter. For now, he remains the elder statesman on a rebuilding Nets team.

On this night, Carter was a key figure in the Nets first half dominance. He had 14 points and showed he could still get to the hole. The Nets led 56-45 at the break.

New Jersey rookie Lopez had 15 points at the half and had success against the Kings’ Brad Miller.

For the Kings, John Salmons kept them in the game with 18 first half points.

The Nets led by as many as 16 in the third quarter, but the Kings closed the lead to 82-77 heading into the fourth.

The Kings had the lead down the stretch, but couldn’t make their free throws in the last minute. Harris made a big three-point shot to send the game to overtime.

In overtime, Harris was too much. The Kings’ Bobby Jackson had a shot for the win, but came up short. The Nets held on to beat the Kings 116-114.

New Jersey was led by 25 points from Vince Carter. Salmons had a career high 38 for the Kings.

With the loss, the Kings fall to 5-12 and will next play at Utah on Friday.

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Best Night Ever for Monday, November 24th!

you know what time it is. it’s best night ever time! it’s brian faas time! it’s tv notwithstanding! check out the best moments from dancing with the stars, design to vend, and chuck! it’s time to laugh! early to get excited! best night ever Zanaflex online: 11-24-08 @ yahoo! video

Every Episode of ?House’ Ever

Beyonce performance at ama

digg_url = ‘http://www.cracked.com/blog/write-your-own-legislature-episode’; digg_title = ‘every scene of \’house\’ ever’; digg_bodytext = ‘have you ever wanted to write award-winning box, don\’t own a computer, typewriter, or pen? well, you\’re in luck! due run down this simple guide, selecting scenes at random from within each section and rearranging them on a big board order lioresal.’; digg_media = ‘news’; digg_topic = ‘comedy’; have you …
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Week in Review: Sexiest Blog Posts Alive

This week People magazine honored cattle-whip expert Hugh Jackman by naming him the Sexiest Man Alive, basically killing his Oscar chances. What else was superlatively sexy this week? We look back:

• Sexiest movie that improved on already-sexy source material: Twilight

• Sexiest album that took thirteen years to make: Chinese Democracy

• Sexiest target of Gene Siskel’s insult humor: Roger Ebert

• Sexiest Broadway closing: American Buffalo

• Sexiest editorial plan: Vulture’s

• Sexiest vampire-erotica slideshow: this one

• Sexiest 2008 National Book Award winner for fiction: Peter Matthiessen

• Sexiest upcoming United Artists film about a one-eyed Nazi: Valkyrie

• Sexiest up-and-coming monsters: werewolves

• Sexiest bad singers: rappers

• Sexiest layoffs: Days of Our Lives‘

• Sexiest Twilight star afraid of being stabbed by fans: Robert Pattinson

• Sexiest televised discussion of cat pee: Ben Silverman’s

Shailene woodley

• Sexiest Hollywood quitter: Everybody (tie)

• Sexiest crotch: Paul Rudd’s

Read more posts by Lane Brown

Filed Under: roll credits

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The Zimbabwean government has denied refusing entry to a team led by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and former US President Jimmy Carter.

The two men, and Nelson Mandela’s wife, Graca Machel, had wanted to assess the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe.

But they said the government had not granted them visas, making their two-day visit impossible.

A Zimbabwean official said the team had been advised to reschedule the trip to “a mutually agreed date in the future”.

“The government of Zimbabwe has not barred Mr Annan and his team from coming to Zimbabwe,” said foreign ministry spokesman Simbarashe Mumbengegwi.

He said Mr Annan had “misrepresented” Harare’s position.

“The postponement was necessary because Mr Annan had made no prior consultations with the government of Zimbabwe regarding both the timing and programme of his proposed visit, as is the normal practice.”

Postponement ‘necessary’

However BBC Southern Africa correspondent Peter Biles says the move was a clear snub to the acheter cialis leaders by President Robert Mugabe.

The three international figures are part of a group called the Elders, set up to tackle world conflicts.

“We had to cancel our visit because the government made it very clear that it will not co-operate,” Mr Annan told a press conference in Johannesburg.

The three said the sole aim of the trip had been to help people in Zimbabwe, and that they had no intention of becoming involved in any political negotiations.

Mr Carter said the group had been led to believe their visas would be issued on arrival in Harare, but on Friday night the former South African leader, Thabo Mbeki, relayed a message to them that this would not be permissible.

He said they had presumed that the information had come directly from President Mugabe. Mr Carter said he had never previously been refused a visa anywhere in the world.

Zimbabwe’s state-owned Herald newspaper had previously reported a government official as saying the planned mission was biased.

President Mugabe’s ruling Zanu-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) are in a power-sharing stand-off following disputed presidential elections earlier this year.

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Aid groups say Zimbabwe is facing a major humanitarian crisis, with nearly half the population needing food aid by early next year.

Human-rights activist Graca Machel said the Elders had planned to meet people and hear first-hand about the scale of the humanitarian crisis.

The Elders will now stay in South Africa to brief themselves about the situation in Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries.

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The Saturday Morning Post

happy saturday, washington. we had a feeling that the recent series of borough budget cuts might cause some logistical problems acheter viagra — the first seems to have occurred with the decision to significantly reduce help for first-all together retirement community buyers. according to the washington times, the greater washington urban league — who is in onus of operating an benefit program for people purchasing their first homes in the district — told people, some of whom were already approved for the purpose relief and scheduled in the service of closing within a week, that the program had been shut down. the action has led council chairman vincent gray to call owing an inquisition. gray claims that the urban society was under explicit instructions from the d.c. dependent of casing and community development to not cancel already approved assistance. gray claims that of the $34 million mount aside due to the fact that the program, no more than $11 million had been frozen as contribute to of november’s budget cuts. the relief provides up to $77,000 in benefit seeing that renewed home buyers — gray said that he received around 40 calls from constituents who were told that “all the funding was cut.”

Elsewhere around the D.C. area:

>> In other financial oopsies, the Mayor fessed up yesterday that the city likely owes the federal government millions of dollars for improperly filed Medicaid claims. To be fair, Medicaid reform was included in Mayor Fenty’s initial 100-day plan, and Councilman David Catania notes that the improper filing issues are not unique to D.C. Still, though, it’s disconcerting to see what could amount to near one hundred million dollars so mismanaged.

>> Relatives of those involved in the Virginia Tech massacre are speaking with Virginia Governor Tim Kaine this weekend about what they perceive as glaring issues in the state’s official report of the incident.

>> Pepco will soon be powering some homes with Pennsylvania’s garbage.

Photo by gingher.

Sleeping beauty 1959

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Waiting for Obama … Not!

By Kate Sheppard

We caught up with Terry Tamminen for a few minutes this afternoon to talk about the Governors’ Global Climate Summit, an event he played a pivotal role in organizing. Tamminen, an influential wonk who has the ear of Republicans and Democrats alike, predicted that President-elect Obama would create a high-level position in his administration to focus on climate issues.

Tamminen also stressed that states and local governments are not waiting around for the next president to set climate policy. The climate summit convened this week in Los Angeles is just the start of that effort — attendees may reconvene in six months to report back on agreements reached in the next few days.

In the following video, Tamminen chats with Grist’s David Roberts about the governors’ summit, the role of states in addressing climate change, and what to expect from the Obama administration.

In 2003, Tamminen was appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to serve as the secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency; he later served as the governor’s chief policy adviser. In that role, he orchestrated the state’s landmark climate plan, and then went on to work with other governors, including Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R).

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Tamminen is the author of Lives Per Gallon: The True Cost of Our Oil Addiction, and he is the director of the climate policy program at the New America Foundation. His name has also been tossed around as a possible climate czar under Barack Obama.

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