Lisa Kudrow and friends crack each other up in “Web Therapy” “Web Therapy” is a series where comedians amuse each other and, more often than not, the viewers (Tuesday, 10 p.m., Showtime). Lisa Kudrow plans a dumb, vain, manipulative therapist named Fiona, who communicates with people via web chat. Each
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Posted July 31, 2013in Film Review
“The Spectacular Now” 1 star Rated R 95 minutes Drama Starring: Shailene Woodley, Miles Teller, Jennifer Jason Leigh “The Spectacular Now” is the work of inexperienced screenwriters. We know this because of their handling — or rather mishandling — of the film’s underlying theme of teen alcoholism. The sophomoric script-writing
Read More →Courtesy of Beaverdale Books Review by Harriet Leitch Simon and Schuster June 11, 2013 $24.99 209 pp. Parents of “one and only” children will find “One and Only: The Freedom of Having an Only Child, and the Joy of Being One” enlightening and reassuring in many respects. The author, Lauren
Read More →Gathering together for the third time in Des Moines, a group of forward-thinking ladies and gentlemen (but mostly ladies) marched downtown to the State Capitol as a part of the annual Slutwalk Des Moines this past Sunday. Helping raise awareness about victim shaming and hoping to drive home the idea
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Posted July 31, 2013in Food Dude
Wine Spectator’s annual “The List” is out with mega star restaurateur Thomas Keller on the cover. It honors 3,793 restaurants worldwide deemed worthy of its awards for wine excellence, including 14 Iowa cafés. For measuring purposes, 73 restaurants won the distinction in Las Vegas, 24 in New Mexico, 21 in
Read More →Your Civic Skinny column, (July 18) suggested that Chrysalis is irresponsible in our spending. I’d like to set the record straight. Chrysalis is one of few organizations for which 100 percent of every contributed dollar is returned to organizations in our community. No donations (individuals, corporations or foundations) pay any of
Read More →Let’s face it. Not everyone in Des Moines is destined to be rich and famous like Iowa natives Ashton Kutcher, Brandon Routh, Corey Taylor, Nate Ruess and Elijah Wood. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have your moment in the spotlight to show off what you’ve got — or sometimes
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Posted July 31, 2013in Belly Up To...
They say it’s important in life to “stop and smell the roses.” From our passing cars, we too often overlook the charms of the city streetscape — the tiny but significant details that give a community its identity. So, when exploring a city’s core, it’s best to park the car.
Read More →After years of swimming against the tide, I finally broke down and bought a tablet last week. While I still feel they have little value outside of watching videos and surfing the Web, tablets are an extremely convenient way to share multimedia content and cut back on paper use. Outside
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Iowa’s bumper crops: gospel, farce and folly
Yes, the Iowa precinct caucuses for the 2016 presidential election are still some 30 months away — January 2016. But the zaniness of the caucus process and zealotry of the religious/political right in Iowa is in full flower — with all the quirks and folly that made the 2012 caucuses
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