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December 01, 2008

Brian Skerry at the New England Aquarium

 

Fisheries are dwindling. The acidity of the ocean is getting worse. Pollution and dangerous bacteria levels are on the rise. (And, of course, there are pirates.)

The sea is in trouble. It may not always look like it from the surface, but down in the dark and chilly depths, it’s more threatened today than at anytime in world history.

Uxbridge native Brian Skerry has been an underwater photojournalist since he was 15, and has been contributing to National Geographic for more than a decade. Over the years, his travels have taken him from the Bahamas to Trinidad and Tobago to the waters off Scotland, where he’s submerged beneath the brine to swim alongside sharks and point his camera at schools of giant squid.

Skerry doesn’t like seeing his workplace in trouble. So tonight, at the New England Aquarium (where he’s also an overseer), he’ll be giving a talk, “Crucial Waters: Reporting On The World's Oceans,” where he’ll show off some of his stunning photographs as he tries to sound the alarm about ocean degradation and overfishing.

It starts at 7 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Register and get more information here.

December 01, 2008

The Case Against Cyber Monday

I’m begging sane people to avoid the term “Cyber Monday.” In fact, after finishing this blog post, I promise that I’ll never speak it again either. I only wish that television reporters would vow to do the same.

Every newscast that I checked this morning had a segment on this bogus holiday. CNN taught Cyber Monday preparation tips; FOX 25 News applauded folks for buying useless junk in this collapsing economy.

I’ve been thinking about shopping in the past few days since, on the morning after Thanksgiving with my family back in Queens, I woke up to screaming police sirens and low flying news choppers.

My aunt, uncle, and cousin live just blocks from the Green Acres Mall – a spot that was once locally infamous for moviegoers’ tendencies to fire at the screen, but that has now won national notoriety for its Wal-Mart customers’ trampling a store worker in their deadly quest for discount electronics.

It’s never settling to be so close to such hysterical ignorance. I know that New Yorkers are known for being rude and angry, but this was extreme. No doubt I’d be lambasting hicks and rednecks if this happened in the Midwest, so I’ll give it to my people here: You’re a bunch of damn Neanderthals.

For once I feel little need to extrapolate on a tragic situation; anyone who can’t figure on their own that it’s problematic when someone is senselessly murdered for material objects probably supports the Iraq war and doesn’t read The Phoenix anyway.

Still, with the dangers posed by stupid, selfish people physically shopping at stores, one might expect me to support Cyber Monday – which, the National Retail Association wants us to believe, is the day when we all log on and spend big.

But I don’t support this pseudo event, and, more so, I’m worried that it might start appearing on calendars. The term was forged by Shop.org in 2005 and already it’s a staple in our annual fluff news cycle.

My apprehension might seem crazy, but I wish more people had opposed Hallmark’s forcible ushering of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day into our consciousness. The same goes for Secretary’s Day; at first we might have laughed, but now receptionists abound (just like those greedy moms and dads) expect cards and candy.

In the least, if we must have made up holidays, I would appreciate some fun ones. How about Internet Porn Thursday or Question 2sday? Cyber Monday is a lazily named, obnoxiously superficial rallying call, and it should be trimmed from the American lexicon before it goes the way of “Black Friday.”

It’s time to stand up for ourselves and rage against consumer culture. So unless you’re looking for sweet deals from North Face and Amazon, which you can find here, please join me in the boycott that I’ll be joining right after I buy this exceptionally priced Sony MP3 player.  

December 01, 2008

VIDEO: Boston Ballet's Nutcracker/Britney Mashup

And now for something completely different. Just before Thanksgiving, the Celtics handed over control of the halftime festivities to the Boston Ballet, who opted not to come out with a straight-up preview of their annual cash cow but instead offered a newly-choreographed routine outside their comfort zone. Perhaps taking a cue from the Celtics dancers, the Boston Ballet company performed an experimental hybrid of sorts -- for music, you'll recognize some Timbaland (via Keri Hilson), some Britney Spears, and a little bit of Nutcracker thrown in for good measure. Dance moves? This is about as close to MTV as you'll ever see the Ballet get. ThePhoenix.TV was there to bring back the highlights:

 

November 27, 2008

VIDEO: Cartoon Network Live-Rick-Rolls Macy's Thanksgiving Parade

UPDATE: now with brief video!

In case you weren't watching the Macy's Parade, the Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends float rolled up, started doing a puppet routine, and then produced the ultimate Rick Roll: the actual Rick Astley, lip-synching the actual "Never Gonna Give You Up." Then one of the puppets yells, "I LOVE RICK ROLLING." Cartoon Network strikes again: all yr thankzgivinz parade belongz to us. Video here. OR IS IT? Well, no. But that particular instance has become the unofficial message board for discussion of said historic event.

November 26, 2008

Dispatch From The Delusional Chuck Turner's Latest Press Conference

 

Chuck Turner didn’t call this morning’s press conference at his Dudley Square district office to talk about media harassment, like he did this past Monday outside City Hall. Instead, he came “to talk about media incompetence.”

But before he got to spanking those of us who have been reaming him in editorials, Turner reiterated his innocence: “I don’t have the slightest fear that I’ll spend one day in jail,” he said. Luckily, unlike FBI agents, his constituents don’t mind being lied to.  

In an effort to project more negative thoughts into your mind, as Turner suggests is my mission as a servant of my boss/editor/oppressor, I’ll address some statements that the councilor dropped this morning.

In a moment of profound bullshit, Turner said: “There have been no media stories regarding the relationship between the development of the Boston Workers Alliance (BWA) and my office.” Great point – unless, of course, you consider this Globe article, this Bay State Banner piece, or this Herald profile (which was generously written at the onset of Turner’s alleged media trial).

As for coverage of Turner’s initiatives – most specifically CORI reform – the councilor can simply check right here on the BWA press page. Maybe he should be concerned about how much his issues have been covered instead of bitching about how he’s been ignored (which isn’t true either).

My other favorite punchline was: “What to me is truly fascinating is that the media has not produced one story on the fact that I am the only Boston City Councilor who in the modern era has maintained an office in the community.” Turner might have wanted to search Boston.com before belting that one; he would have found this, this, and this.

I can’t believe I’m defending Fox 25 News (which, for all you screaming Turner nuts out there, is different than Fox News, by the way), but on Monday night they ran this reel featuring several occasions on which they’ve covered the councilor. Turner’s wife, who he said this morning monitors newscasts for him, must have missed that one.

Of course, much like the way Turner’s supporters wouldn’t believe that he took a bribe if they were standing right there, I’m sure they’re unwilling to follow the above links and discover what a phoney their representative is. A sign hanging outside the District 7 office this morning revealed their mentality: “Chuck Turner is the Only Politician I’ve Ever Trusted.”

Near the end of his tirade, after blasting the media for not running with yesterday’s Ron Wilburn developments (even though he admitted that they did), Turner spoke about assembling a Boston Critical Thinkers Network in which operatives would scrutinize the media. You know – because members of the press are incapable of thinking critically.

While I have little doubt that such a network will never materialize into anything substantial, I will recommend that they begin by analyzing everything that Turner says during his latest crusade “to speak truth and justice.”

Also – on a side note – am I crazy or is it outrageously ironic to talk about critical thinking while standing next to a guy wearing a clerical collar? I can’t speak for my colleagues on this one, but NOBODY WHO BELIEVES IN JESUS CHRIST IS IN ANY POSITION TO TELL ME ABOUT CRITICAL THINKING!!!

Turner should have just pulled the race card; it would have been completely acceptable as long as Sal DiMasi remains the most powerful big dick swinger on Beacon Hill. Trust me – Boston’s thinking community is well aware that federal agents are targeting black politicians.

But pulling the media card is as ridiculous as it’s transparent. For one, the majority of his allegations are laughably unfounded. And for two, he’s just making himself look crazier than he did every time he dropped foreign policy gems at city council meetings.  

Turner initiated his press predicament before he was arrested, before he kicked us around City Hall Plaza, and before he defended Dianne Wilkerson (which he’s still doing). All we’ve ever had to do to make him look foolish was stick tape recorders in his face.

November 25, 2008

Hulu for film geeks? Criterion Collection launches new streaming-video "online cinemateque"!

 

Spoiler alert: if you're a film geek, the rest of your work day is about to go up in flames. 

Criterion launched a long-awaited new web site this morning, taking the first step towards digital distribution for the most coveted catalogue in film. Warning: It's still in wicked beta. But the plan is to let users stream full-length movies -- as well as Criterion's extras, from the accompanying essays to the directors' commentaries, behind-the-scenes vids, and short features -- on demand. For launch, there's a limited number of full-movie streams, a ton of trailers, and more essays than you can possibly read in 2009 (from the notes to their first-ever laser-disc, a 1984 reissue of Citizen Kane that set the standard for home-market film scholarship, to Scorcese going apeshit for Bottle Rocket). If you're into top 10 lists, there's a ton of suggestions by everyone from Frank Kozik and Neil Labute to Jane Campion and Richard Linklatter. Here's the catch: for the streams, there's a price attached -- $5 per film for a week's worth of unlimited viewing, via a download that's apparently DRM'd to self-destruct after the rental period is up. (Note: we haven't tried it yet.) Supplemental vids are expected to be going up soon, with a price point around $1.50. No, it's probably not going to replace your Netflix membership anytime soon. And yes, $5 is a little on the pricey side for an industry that's rapidly embracing the free-online-content model, but: 1) read the next graph, they're not stupid; 2) you can put your rental charges towards purchase of actual Criterion DVDs, a la rent-to-own; and 3) Criterion has always been the Rolls-Royce of DVD imprints, so they're probably guessing their audience will pay a little extra for quality. 

We're burying the lead here a little, because as it happens, Criterion is also embracing free by partnering with an upstart Palo Alto film-geek social network, www.TheAuteurs.com. Registered users can watch rotating, Criterion-curated online "film festivals" for free -- currently it's a Telluride Film Festival retrospective -- and yes, that means full-length features. The film festivals are ad-supported -- but the ads are trailers, and there's only one of them (at least that's how we found it when we went to watch the 1922 Buster Keaton classic Cops this morning), which is better than a movie theater and comparable to, say, Hulu -- only with WAAAAAAY better films, obviously.

Which begs the question, Why not do the same thing on the Criterion site itself? Our sources tell us the two sites are sharing revenue, so it may not matter in the end: Criterion is positioned to be a helluva retail hub, not to mention a valuable film-criticism library (did we mention: more cinema essays than you could read in a year?), and maybe they'll make a dent with online rentals . . . and if not, they've already got a stake in the free-distro model at TheAuteurs. Design-wise, both sites are stark, sleek, movie-star pretty. They were jointly designed by the folks behind TheAuteurs, and they're tied together with some seriously enviable feature-sharing -- for instance, Criterion's catalog links directly to TheAuteurs' forums, and at this point it looks like most of TheAuteurs' film content is powered by Criterion's data and video.

With the sites barely online, it's probably a little early for wish lists, but we're gonna make a quick one anyway: Hulu's player feels like it's gonna be the industry standard, so we'd love to see the trailers and free movies become embeddable -- even if the freebies expire after Criterion's limited-time "film festivals" cycle off. We're also assuming that TheAuteurs will eventually let us list favorite directors who aren't in their (Criterion's?) database: someone let us give a shout-out to DA Pennebaker, plz! 

Come back after you check it out and let us know what you think . . . and if you sign up for TheAuteurs, we need some more friends. Hint, hint. 

November 25, 2008

Help Save the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute

 

As some people might already know from this Globe article (or just heard around the neighborhood), the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute is one of many community programs that got whacked in this last round of state budget cuts.

In short: the Fields Corner institute has for nearly 15 years been a place where desperate families seek emotional and financial support when senseless violence hits home, and it needs roughly $75,000 to be saved.

While there certainly needs to be discussion about why programs such as this lose out to less important, less urban budgetary items, right now the main concern is to raise funds. For that reason the kind folks from H. Levenbaum Real Estate in Dorchester are throwing a fundraiser.

Next Tuesday, December 2, at the Blarney Stone (1505 Dorchester Ave.) you have a chance to help out and drink up from 7pm to 9pm. Any and all donations are welcome. For more info on other ways to give click here.

November 25, 2008

TiVo goes mobile, TV officially takes over your entire life

You know when TV is taking over your life when you can't even wait to get to a computer in order to program your TiVo, let alone be at home to program it. Yesterday, TiVo announced it will be launching a cell phone-friendly Web site, m.tivo.com, available for all cell phone browsers and users so TV worshippers can program their TiVos using their cell phones. 

Of course TiVo users can already program their DVR machines remotely by logging onto TiVo's home page, www.tivo.com, (which is basically what this new cell phone system is doing, it's just using a mobile-friendly version).

Really? Is TV taking over our lives so much that we have to program our sets using our cell phones? We can't even wait to get to a computer before plugging our TiVo to record Paris Hilton's My New BFF? How sad it is that our lives are so revolved around make-believe that we so urgently need to program, watch and discuss TV shows with our mobile devices? Don't get me wrong, I think the technology available is amazing, I'm just a little sad for mankind and the culture-less void we are dropping into as we sit at home watching endless hours of fantasy life.

Maybe it's just me, but it seems to me we should be less worried about missing a program on TV and more worried about getting out of our living rooms and connecting to the outside world....just a thought.

 

November 24, 2008

Chuck Turner and Maureen Feeney vs. The Media and One Another

 

Anyone who believes that only Republicans detest the press should have checked the scene outside Boston City Hall today. Maybe reporters aren’t as biased as talk-radio blowhards allege; in the wake of City Councilor Chuck Turner’s arrest, even liberals who cheer when we expose right-wing tomfoolery are tormenting us like Howie Carr does union bosses.

Like any shrewd politician, Turner knows when to manipulate the media and when to blast us; and he simultaneously did both this afternoon in front of several dozen journalists and droves of eager loyalists. But before doing so, the secondary object of Turner’s aggression, City Council President Maureen Feeney, used a similar tactic.

Feeney got the jump on Turner’s 2:30pm Government Center rally with a 1pm press conference in City Hall’s Curley Room. At the onset she indicated that she respects Turner’s right to claim innocence, but soon after iterated that the current situation and FBI investigation compromise his councillorship.

Feeney’s message was mostly clear: Neither she nor her peers will negotiate Turner’s future at this juncture. Still, her attempt to defend the hypocritical decision to preemptively strip Turner of his committee assignments caused her to fumble some.

It’s good that Turner’s representatives relayed Feeney’s blunders to him. Her implication that she canceled this afternoon’s council meeting because his supporters might “turn the session into something that it is not” is absolutely noteworthy – even if she subsequently denied the statement and blamed the press for provoking her fear of pandemonium.  

I only wish Turner’s informants also told him that several reporters questioned Feeney about her double talk. Since nobody delivered that message, though, Turner challenged the press to confront her as if we’d bought her nonsense wholesale. It seems journalists are not the only ones who are merely interested in half the story.  

Hardly satisfied with Feeney’s calling off today’s meeting, Turner stepped to his crowd as planned. Even before a working microphone arrived, he launched into a condemnation of his colleagues and the pad-and-camera-wielding culprits who he deems responsible for his predicament.

The crowd was energized. Everyone expected fireworks, as the councilor’s operatives circulated an announcement declaring war against the media. “My main concern is that I am not being tried by a jury of my peers, I am being tried by the Globe, the Herald, Fox News, Channel 7, Channel 5, etc…,” Turner wrote and went on to say.

Vocal support rang loudly. Some folks belted pro-Chuck chants, while others were noticeably angrier. When it became obvious that the sound system was busted, one participant suggested that evildoers “Stop controlling the truth and let him be heard.” “Get him a mic,” another person yelled.   

The crowd reacted enthusiastically as Turner spoke about his dedication to constituents and objective to “liberate [his] people.” But the heaviest roars came when the councilor attacked reporters for harassing his family to the point that he had to call police yesterday. Turner even blamed the media for forgetting to zip his pants this morning.

For the record – many “employees of rich media corporations” understand why so many people are enraged. Some of us have indeed dropped unfavorable opinions about the circling scandals. The remaining question is if Turner’s supporters will in turn understand the inevitable backlash that results when politicians refer to journalists as “criminals.”    

In a line that I’m sure will be remembered long after this ordeal is over, Turner said: “Obviously, the press is working to publicly destroy my reputation before I even have an opportunity to have a day in court. Since I am being tried by the media and my fellow Councilors, I have made the decision to publicly defend myself. That is I will act as my own lawyer in this media trial in which I find myself.”

I can’t speak for other reporters in this city, but I’m willing to face Turner in his metaphorical courtroom. The only problem is that he already acquitted himself by predicting that he might go down for a crime he did not commit. In his eyes, and as far as many of his devotees are concerned, he’ll emerge a persecuted martyr regardless of whether he’s found guilty in the court of law or the court of public opinion.

As for his battle with Feeney, so far it looks like Turner might be winning that bout too. Not just because of her unilateral move to strip his committee assignments, but because of her piss-poor justification for doing so. Few would disagree – including those of us who are out to ruin Turner for no reason whatsoever – that he saw Feeney’s soft spot and stuck his finger in it.

My prediction: This is one shit fight that holiday spirit will not blow over. If you’re a member of the media or a citizen who’s interested in or concerned about Turner and the fate of black leadership in this city, the only thing to look forward to is a 10-way winter war and accusatory hail storm that will most likely last well into next year. Dress warmly. This one promises to be contentious and quarrelsome.  

November 24, 2008

Rahmbo @#$% speaks!

Not quite sure why this was axed from SNL on Saturday, because it's the funniest thing they've written since the election.

Now that's some @#$% change we can believe in.

Maybe Mr. Emanuel can pay a visit to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and kindly request that George Bush either do some @#$% governing over these next couple months, or else step aside and let the President Elect take the reigns? Because I like the new economic team, but I'm sorta starting to worry that by January 20 things'll be so @#$% that all the exactingly competent pragmatic centrist brainiacs in the world won't be able to help us.

In other news: Much as I love Fred Armisen, I have to concur that a new Barack audition is perhaps a wise move.

(In the mean time, could the SNL writers please give Chris Eliott's daughter a couple lines, instead of relegating her to extra status?)

November 24, 2008

Indie-punk Turkey Alert: Last-minute benefit at Great Scott TONIGHT

Even before (in fact way, way, WAY before) GREAT SCOTT underwent its transformation from BC college watering hole to the indie hub of Allston Rock City, its proprietors had one of those fantastic New England traditions that usually goes unremarked. Quite simply, every year for almost 20 years, you could walk into Great Scott on Thanksgiving and get a free turkey dinner. This wasn't just some kind of soup-kitcheny deal -- it is more broadly an open door, one that invited in neighbors, friends, and college expats as well as the down-on-their-luck, homeless, poor, and needy. According to GS's Carl Lavin, the annual event attracts upwards of 400 souls per year, with the bulk of the food and expense being shouldered collectively by local merchants and independent donations. But this year, the "sudden and frightening economic downturn has understandably put a dent in how much we were able to collect," Lavin says, "and we're hoping that we could get an infusion of small donations to ensure that there's enough food so nobody is left with an empty plate."

To that end, Great Scott is throwing a last-minute emergency fund-raiser TONIGHT with music by garage-rocking motherpluckers THICK SHAKES and BARNICLE. Suggested donation is $5, more if you can swing it. You can buy tickets -- or if you can't make it, you can donate online -- at this linkety-link right here.

November 24, 2008

VIDEO: Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll at Huntington Theatre

Before Bono made himself king -- or at least crowned himself rock and roll's official ambassador to the Universe -- the most internationally influential rock star, on a policy level at least, was Lou Reed. If there'd been a Secretary of State for 20th-century "alternative" rock, it woulda been Lou, since the Velvet Underground, as everyone knew, had helped topple Communism in the Czech Republic, where they seemed to have held a cultural sway that was vastly out of proportion to what they held such cultural backwaters as, say, the United States. Havel was a big fan -- hell, he even named the damn revolution after them! And of course there were the Plastic People of the Universe, the Velvets' official behind-the-bloc knockoff band. (Or, as the Boston Globe dismissively calls them, "a little Czech group.")

The Plastic People have a central but offscreen role in Tom Stoppard's play Rock N Roll, which is up at the Huntington Theatre through December 13 and is very likely the only thing on the boards at the BU Theatre this season that comes with its own iTunes soundtrack.Below, Phoenix theater editor Carolyn Clay tells you what's good, with video clips from the play: 

 

November 21, 2008

Flashbacks: Touring MIT's nuclear reactor, the coffee table book from hell, and a 1968 review of the White Album.

RADIATION RULES
10 years ago
Nov. 20, 1998 | Jason Gay toured MIT's nuclear reactor.
"...touring a nuclear reactor isn't like visiting a petting zoo. At the start, all guests are equipped with pen-size pocket dosimeters -- devices used to measure any unwanted radiation they may collect during the tour. They are told not to touch anything without asking first. The tour I went on marked the first time I have ever been asked to submit myself to a Geiger counter or encountered a GRAVE DANGER -- HIGH RADIATION AREA sign.

"Guests enter the MIT reactor by passing through an air-lock chamber, an experience that feels a bit like riding a slow elevator. The facility's main room, where the nuclear reactor lies, is a large, open space, painted pale blue and surrounded by catwalks and various gadgets from decades gone by. (You can't help but feel a bit nostalgic for the Cold War. I half-expected to find Austin Powers—style karate-kicking enemies in lab coats, or at least a missile or two pointed at BU.)" Read full article

GROSS ANATOMY
15 years ago
November 19, 1993 | Ravin' and rantin' columnist Caroline Knapp tackled the appearance of a less-than-appealing coffee table book.

"Not long ago, a female colleague left the following message in my
mailbox...

CK:

Ick! Someone has sent me a promotional brochure for a new book
called Femalia: Thirty-two Full-Color Photographs of Women's Genitals...'

"This is disgusting. DISGUSTING! Do you not agree? If a man were to
publish a book of photographs of female genitalia, we would all
scream, 'Pornography!'...

"Am I a prude?...Annie Sprinkle, performance artist,
would think so. Annie Sprinkle is quoted on the back of the book jacket as
saying, 'This book is a magic mirror letting you know exactly how you feel
about female genitalia. It's a perfect coffee-table book...'

"Could we please, please put an end to things like this? Could we please
turn back the clock just a hair to a time when you had to buy a copy of
Hustler in order to find 32 full-color photographs of female genitalia?
Back to a time when women were women and not Wimmin?"

CRISIS CONTROL
35 years ago
November 20, 1973 | Michael Ryan dove into the "surprise" energy crisis
and looming oil shortage.

"In fact, if this country reacts to the oil shortage the way it has
reacted to shortages of everything from paper to alcohol, there will be
black markets everywhere, with oil speakeasies and cellars with concealed
oil tanks...

"Expect the worst within the next few weeks, when the shortage of Arabian oil will begin to hurt big. At the moment, America is receiving 2,000,000 fewer barrels of Arabian oil every day than it needs...

"Car pools, which ecologists have been encouraging for years, are now
receiving encouragement from Government. Governor Sargent is
suggesting a tax break for carpoolers...

"Wealthy people who like to drive their own cars might be forced to hire passengers to ride through checkpoints on the way to town. The passengers could then jump out, sneak back across the checkpoint and spend the rest of their day repeating their services...

"Happy Ice Age."

LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
40 years ago
November 20, 1968 | Eric Kraft reviewed The Beatles' new self-titled LP, otherwise known as The White Album.

"Only the Beatles, indisputably at the top of the heap, could have done it in quite this way.

"The new ingredient is humor. Beatles humor has been more of a feature of the films than their recordings, until now. The Beatles have always been good at developing a new sound by combining older forms; they began that way after all, and introduced Baroque- and raga-rock that way. On The Beatles they have turned their talent for grafting to the service of parody, the unifying style of this album.

"It is not the event that Sgt. Pepper was. It is instead, a retrospective pause, a catologue of what has happened and what is happening in pop music. It is a put-on and put-down, a happy burlesque of the rock scene."

November 21, 2008

Dispatch From A Chuck-Free City Hall

 

Walking around Government Center this morning you would hardly know that the City Council’s premier fraud got locked up here a few hours ago. Maybe because it’s less of a surprise than when Lance Bass fled the closet.

There are no wild packs of notebook wielding reporters. Nor are Chuck Turner’s constituents storming the entrances outraged that their guy allegedly palmed payoffs like their former state senator.

Other than the councilors, who shut down and tuned out completely while promising a statement before 1pm, it’s business as usual around here. There’s even a charity bake sale in the lobby. “We can use the proceeds for his bail,” a volunteer jokes. She’s one of the few who speaks up; most people serve me with a “no comment” as I approach them with my pen drawn.

NECN got some face time with the Mayor down at Fenway, but other than that I don’t think anyone is talking. Still, sometimes politicos and aides don’t need to speak to send a message.   

Outside the council office I ask the few people who walk by what Chuck was doing inside City Hall at 7am. The man is a legendary late riser, and from what I understand he generally spends Fridays at his district office.  

“Where do you guys keep the shredder around here?” I ask. “I want to check it for Chuck’s fingerprints.” Not surprisingly, just about everyone chuckles, then puts their head down and speeds past.

In an attempt to confirm my hunch about Chuck’s waking habits, I ask some security officers if they ever see him at City Hall that early. “Nope,” one guard says. Another one agrees: “I know I’ve never seen him here at that time.”

While this would humiliate most people, there should be little doubt that Chuck believes he did no wrong. We’ll have to see what happens though; for now the only thing we can be sure of is that tomorrow’s page one Herald headline will read “Chucked.”

As Turner faces the U.S. District Court judge magistrate in Worcester this afternoon, I’ll head to his home turf in Roxbury to chat with community members. No doubt it should be beyond entertaining to see how this unfolds from the courtroom to the corner. Personally, I’m looking forward to some pics of Chuck shoving cash in his underwear.

November 20, 2008

PODCAST: Boston's best film critics on B-Movies

Earlier this month, in a rare moment of media detente, Boston's finest film critics climbed onstage at the Brattle and talked b-movies, to promote DaCapo's new The B-List: The National Society of Film Critics on Low Budget Beauties, Genre-Bending Mavericks, and Cult Classics We Love. Amazingly, even though Jay Carr was on the panel, the Globe's Ty Burr, the Herald's James Verniere, and the Phoenix's own Peter Keough were able to get a few words edgewise. We had a tape recorder running, and if you've ever wanted to know exactly how much movie people geek out when left in a room with each other, well . . . just right-click and save-as. (BTW, the book is pretty good -- you can read Keough's essay on The Conversation, which he admits up front isn't really a B-movie, exclusively on thephoenix.com, along with additional essays from the book written by some other people who write film reviews for us.) After the panel everyone watched Beat the Devil, which thanks to the wonders of the Internet archive you can watch in its entirety right here on the tubes. So now it's like you were totally there.

DOWNLOAD: "The B-List: The Boston Society of Film Critics panel on B-Movies" (mp3)

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