April 20, 2016 by justin
in The Sound
Last August, Iris DeMent released “The Trackless Woods.” A unique project, the album features lyrics pulled from poems by the Russian poet Anna Akhmatova that were set to DeMent’s compositions. Before that came 2012’s brilliant “Sing the Delta,” and before that were 16 long years of nothing, with only
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April 20, 2016 by justin
in Joe's Neighborhood
An outdoor cafe in early spring in Holland. The hat comes off first. Your head drops back. Your eyes shut. Your surroundings disappear. And all you feel is the sharp heat of early spring raising pinpricks of red on your cheeks and a rosy hue under your eyelids. And
Read More →Jordan Creek is getting more comfortable this fall. Soft Surroundings — a women’s clothing, accessories and beauty store, which also sells goods for around the home — is slated to occupy the Tommy Hilfiger’s former location in Jordan Creek Town Center in West Des Moines. The incoming retailer is
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April 20, 2016 by justin
in Art News
Losing gamblers like to say it’s “better to be lucky than good.” Actuarial scientists, who have refined the business of odds making, prefer saying “luck is short term.” It’s best to be lucky AND good. Thomas Jackson is both. Before the Cedar River flooded Cedar Rapids in 2008, Jackson
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April 20, 2016 by justin
in Belly Up To...
Have you ever wondered how Kung Fu Tap & Taco received its name? Brad “Fatty” Smith is the co-owner and bartender, and he said his partner first thought of idea. “My partner said, ‘What if we called it, Kung Fu?’ ” Smith said. They both laughed, but they didn’t
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April 20, 2016 by justin
in Film Review
“The Jungle Book” Rated PG 105 minutes Starring: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley There are so many remakes and reboots of previously successful films and franchises coming out of Hollywood today that it is impossible to make them all good. Just one look at Fox’s troubles with
Read More →Rob O’Neill, 39, the man credited with firing the fatal shot that killed Osama bin Laden, was arrested for DUI during the early morning hours of April 8. The arrest took place in Butte, Montana. O’Neill was found in the parking lot of a convenience store, asleep in his running
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April 20, 2016 by justin
in Food Dude
During the final quarter of the 20th century, Eighth Street in West Des Moines was the epicenter of Central Iowa’s restaurant scene. Cork & Cleaver, Jimmy’s American Café, Eighth Street Seafood, Cabo San Lucas, Pain Pane, Tandoor, Garcia’s and Fratello’s all brought something new. The street rose to prominence
Read More →Over the long history of the Supreme Court, senators from both political parties have often challenged the nominees from the opposing parties. They have filibustered them, mounted massive efforts to oppose them and have refused to confirm some. All those actions are well within the accepted parameters of the
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