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video games

Webgame Wednesday:The Great Gatsby

 
 

This has been around for a while, but with Baz Luhrmann's 3D version of The Great Gatsby doing gangbusters at the box office, it seems like a fine time to revisit the (faux) NES version of The Great Gatsby. This straight-faced, side-scrolling brawler take on F. Scott Fitzgerald's seminal Jazz Age novel is fun, fitting and proof positive that Luhrmann isn't the only guy around screwing with the classics.

news

The Daily Word in shady dentistry, bear bile and riding a Ferris wheel for way too long

The Daily Word

New Mexico's at the top of the list! Of worst droughts in the country!

And pumping water out of the ground just isn't working like it used to.

"El Dentista," an unlicensed dentist in Santa Fe who performed his "services" out of a van, left a trail of mouth infections and unnecessarily removed teeth in his wake. The New Mexico Department of Health is offering free counseling, blood testing and referrals to his victims. But remember, it could be worse.

Developers in Oklahoma are resistant to the idea of including tornado shelters in their homes because it costs too much money. Sad trombone.

Clinton Shepherd of Chicago just finished riding a Ferris wheel for two days straight. "I was thrilled and honored to be able to have all the love and support I did," Shepherd said.

And it turns out that increasing demand for bear bile (used in a nonsense "home-remedy") is really bad for bears.

Music

Sonic reductions of Shining, Dew Scented and George Strait

 
 

Alibi alum Michael Henningsen and Mark Lopez, our beloved copy editor and staff writer, listened to new releases from Shining, Dew Scented and George Strait. Read their micro reviews in this week’s Sonic Reducer. Peep related A/V below.

Shining - “I Won’t Forget”
Dew Scented - “Confronting Entropy”
George Strait - “Give It All We Got Tonight”

More Videos

Alibi Picks

Post-rock Ritual: The Appleseed Cast • Hospital Ships • Ghost Circles • Bellemah • rock, indie

Lawrence, Kan.-based post-rock foursome The Appleseed Cast is relentlessly touring in support of their latest full-length, Illumination Ritual. While the work produced by the group doesn't exactly break new ground, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Making music together since '97, the Appleseed boys have damn near perfected the experimental indie/post-rock formula. Judge for yourself tonight at Launchpad (618 Central SW). Fellow Kansas crew Hospital Ships (who are signed to Graveface Records), sci-fi riffin' foursome Ghost Circles and acoustic indie-rock outfit Bellemah open the 21-and-over gig starting at 9 p.m. Tickets are only $10. Launchpad • Tue May 21 • 9 pm • $10 • View on Alibi calendar

dreams

Rowdy’s Dream Blog #295: Mermaids.

I swim in deep marble tanks with dreadlocked mermaids.

sports

NBA Conference Finals Begin

Spurs go up 1-0 in Western Conference Finals

 
 

In the National Basketball Association, the country may not get quite as mad as the NCAA Tournament, but we are down to the final four, and there is plenty to pay attention to. The NBA Playoffs have delivered their fair share of surprises (The Bulls taking game one against the Heat) as well as caveats and disappointments (Russell Westbrook's injury in the series against the Houston Rockets), but they've wound down by this point to the Conference Finals.

On Sunday, the Memphis Grizzlies got smacked around in their first game at San Antonio against the Spurs. The Grizz had a tough path in making their very first Conference Finals, taking down the Los Angeles Clippers in round 1 and the Westbrook-less Oklahoma City Thunder in round 2. Their defense, touted all season, has looked strong and will give the Spurs a serious test. The Spurs, meanwhile, defeated the disappointing Los Angeles Lakers in a round 1 romp and the upset-minded, young star-studded Golden State Warriors in round 2.

In the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat have rolled through the Playoffs as most suspected they would. After blanking the Milwaukee Bucks in round 1, they were surprised by the Chicago Bulls for a game, but ended up sweeping the remainder of the series. They'll start the conference finals on Wednesday against a team that is the Eastern Conference mirror of the Grizz, the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers haven't made the Conference Finals since 2004, and many did not figure them to be back here this year, with the absent Danny Granger and his uncertain status during various points of the season. However, the Pacers have clearly found their way forward without their star player, recommitting to defense and grinding games out that may not be beautiful, but give them the win. They defeated the Atlanta Hawks in round 1 in 6 games and then did the same to the New York Knicks. In each series for the Pacers, home-court advantage has seemed to matter. They will not have it against the Heat, and the vast majority of sports pundits are picking LeBron James and company to beat the Pacers.

So the probable match-up is the Spurs vs the Heat. This would be a callback for James, as the first Finals he made, while he still played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, was in 2007, against the Spurs. Those Spurs destroyed that Cavs team, sweeping them out of the Finals in an unceremonious manner. James certainly remembers that and may use it as motivation if the two teams do meet. However, a player of his caliber is certainly not over-looking his current series and it's worth thinking about the possibility of the Grizzlies and the Pacers meeting. Memphis and Indiana are first and second in defense respectively and they'll both give their opponents more than a cursory spat in their Conference Finals games. San Antonio, known for its defense for seemingly decades, sits at a mortal 11th place in that category this year, but is balanced by the fourth-ranked offense. Again, the Spurs are the favorite in their Conference Final. But sitting above all other teams, in both esteem and odds, reign the Miami Heat. With both the fifth-best defense and offense they look, at times, unstoppable.

We'll find out about the Heat and the Pacers tomorrow. The Grizzlies and the Spurs, meanwhile, are off to a terrific start. All of the remaining Western Conference games can be seen on ESPN, while the Eastern Conference games will be broadcast on TNT.

Music

Cat Power calls U.S. out

Singer/songwriter says she’s leaving America on Instragram rant

Cat Power by Camille Garmendia
Cat Power by Camille Garmendia

Leave it to your trusty copy editor to place blame on the blameless. Cat Power, aka Chan Marshall, released a statement/rant on her Instragram page (with the Statue of Liberty as the backdrop), criticizing the state of America and claiming she’s leaving the country until things change. In the public statement, she claims the illusion of liberty has become a symbolism of entrapment, fostering hope in Americans in an effort to make them prisoners of false ideas. In the all-caps statement—chill out gurl; you don’t gotta yell—she claims that the powers that be have used said symbolism “AS FALSE CURRENCY TO RAPE THIS EARTH WITH IT’S[sic] LIES, PROTECTION OF WEALTH, AND VICIOUS SLAYINGS & INHUMANE PRIVATE CONTRACTED MILITARIES WORLDWIDE FOR DOMINATION ...”

She goes on to demand a tri-partisan government as well as a Native American vote. Preach on, Chan! But like I said, as a copy editor, I can’t help but twitch at the errors, considering it’s my job to make sure that all text entering the public domain is free of grammatical/factual errors so it reads smoothly. Now, I can attest to the fact that when something is written with passion, integrity, and a pressing need to completely reiterate certain feelings without censorship or too much thought, it’s important to throw the rules out the window and say what you gotta say. And I guess Ms. Marshall has ... she even went to the extent of tagging several well-known Twitter users like: Diplo, U2, Dave Chapelle, Madonna, The New York Times and more. Some good words, Chan, but if you need a copy editor, let me know. But then again, I may be making a moot point because a statement like this isn’t just meant to be typed/transcribed, but also meant to be spoken. As Marshall says, “HOW DO YOU FIGHT WITH JUST A WORD IN TEXT, SPEAK IT.”

Personals

"I Saw You" with a smile that the Mona Lisa could only wish

Who saw? Who was seen? Was it you?

 
 

Reply or see more “I Saw You” ads at alibi.com/personals.

Ladies First

We got in line at Satellite at the same time, but I insisted you go first. You have long wavy strawberry blonde hair, and you were shockingly beautiful. I bet you still are. On the way out I held the door, and we were parked right next to one another. Did you feel a spark too?

The Lady with the Lion Tail (Winning Coffee)

It was Sunday (the 12th of May). You were wearing some rock-out Hot Topic type clothes. You had some lion tail attached to your pants.

I was wearing a green shirt. I had glasses and a red beard. After asking what with the tail, you allowed me to sit at your table and chat with you. Before you left, we introduced ourselves. You went inside and I left.

I really liked talking to you. You were really smart. I would like to meet you again and chat some more.

Angel At Starbucks

Where: Starbucks. When: Saturday, May 4. Me: shaved head, reading a book about nuclear weapons. You: gorgeous female, reading the Bible. You introduced yourself and we spoke for a few minutes. You loitered around waiting for me to ask you out. I was hypnotized by you, unable to move or speak. I will be at the same location, same time, next Saturday, eagerly hoping you will be there.

Walks like an Ocelot

Saturday, May 11th, at the Radio Shack on North 4th about 4. You are a petite lady with shorter red/brown hair, khakis and a darker top. I'm tall with gray hair and mustache. You walked through the store on your way out, eyes that covered everywhere, a smile that the Mona Lisa could only wish for and a walk that was very subtle and awakened every male molecule I possess. I lost every mental process watching you leave! Shocked wishes to see thee over a cup which would get cold.

Alibi Picks

Lift Your Spirits: Expressions of Joy at the Isotopes Park

We could all use a little joyous expression in our lives. Get yours tonight when choral group Expressions of Joy opens for the Isotopes by singing the National Anthem. It’s the chorus’ second invitation to perform before an Isotopes game. Founded in 2011, the group’s purpose is “to bring the joy of singing to individuals with developmental disabilities and/or other special needs.” According to Expressions of Joy, Inc. President Jeannine Kammann-Cessac, “not everyone might be able to lift a bowling ball or run in the Special Olympics, but everyone can at least feel the music, sway, smile and sing to our tunes.” The choir welcomes new members 17 and older; no special skills are required. For more information, visit abqjoy.com. Hear tonight's performance at about 6:30 p.m. at Isotopes Park. Isotopes Park • Tue May 21 • 6:30 pm • FREE • View on Alibi calendar

news

The Daily Word in Rolling Stone Magazine's new boss, police oversight in Albuquerque and a deadly tornado

The Daily Word

New Mexico's wild horses may wind up at the slaughterhouse.

Albuquerque is going to evaluate Albuquerque's police oversight system.

Keanu Reeves got a bit chubby.

The 22 year old son of Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner is now in charge of the magazine.

Taco Bell has a breakfast taco.

There's a lot of fake silk in Beijing.

NYT article about the massive tornado in Oklahoma yesterday. This lady found her dog, though!

Senate panel: Apple "among America's largest tax avoiders."

Eric Holder knows NOTHING.

Can't get enough of that sponsored content!

Jimmy Page's unused soundtrack for Kenneth Anger's Lucifer Rising.

Happy birthday, (Albuquerque resident) Mr. T!

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