December 24, 2014 by justin
in Film Review
“The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies” Rated PG-13 144 minutes Starring: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman and Richard Armitage The age of natural wonder is over for films. No longer do we leave the theater asking each other “How did they do that?” because we know the answer
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December 24, 2014 by justin
in Cover Story
The waterbug had grown old and weary. And he was alone. He was the only one of his kind left in the house. He knew he would never survive the next spring cleaning. He could not scurry away from the poison sprays anymore. Still, the waterbug had been so clever
Read More →Language of love People advertising for love interests via online dating sites have apparently become picky about how they describe their sexuality. To the usuals (male, female, gay, heterosexual) have been added recently (as reported by NPR in December after surveying OkCupid.com) “asexual,” “androgynous,” “genderqueer” (evidently not the same
Read More →In January, employees of the metro’s largest employer will start to move into its new multimillion-dollar building on the company’s West Des Moines campus. Wells Fargo & Co. built the new wing to house about 1,800 employees, which analysts say shows its commitment to the Des Moines area and its
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December 24, 2014 by justin
in Belly Up To...
Iowans used to have to make a trip to the nearest Olive Garden to get a taste of Italy. Similar restaurants offer varieties of pasta and wines, but none so authentic as to make diners feel as though they are really on an Italian vacation. None, that is, until
Read More →One of the more inspiring Christmas stories I’ve ever heard doesn’t involve Tiny Tim and a bunch of lame ghosts. Or Jimmy Stewart and a town called Bedford Falls. (With apologies to Denison native Academy Award-winning actress Donna Reed.) Or that kid who wants a BB gun. That’s fiction.
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December 24, 2014 by justin
in Civic Skinny
Twelve drummers drumming… … for all those old folks well past 80 who still go to work every day — Bill Knapp and John Pappajohn and Stan Seidler and R.W. and Mary Nelson, among others — and who still keep this town running…and the bright younger ones, too: Zac
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December 24, 2014 by justin
in Center Stage
“Bash to the Future” At the Des Moines Social Club, the New Year’s “Bash” has always included performance. A few years back I caught “Jerry Springer: the Opera,” a StageWest production, and last year the party featured the aerial ballet of the Iowa Fly Girl, Felicia Coe. What’s new, then,
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December 24, 2014 by justin
in Your Money
Amount: $131.04 To: Ace Hardware For: Electrical supplies, hardware and snow shovels Amount: $1,869.16 To: Adventure Lighting For: Bulbs and lighting supplies Amount: $167.14 To: Amazon.com For: Two sets of two soccer goals and nets Amount: $68 To: Des Moines Civic Center For: Second grade field
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December 24, 2014 by justin
in The Sound
We live in a fickle world. There are few acts that understand this in the way that Clap Your Hands Say Yeah do. With the release of its 2005 self-titled debut, the Philadelphia based five-piece seemed poised as the next big thing. They were supposed to be the
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