White nationalism is a mystery to most people. Myself included. Although I love genealogy and learning about where my ancestors came from, I wouldn’t call myself “proud” to be white. I acknowledge that, in my society and culture, I am lucky to be white. For example, when I go for a jog, I never worry…
The Island Lives
I did not get a picture of a teary-eyed Nathan Lane on the evening of August 1, and now I kinda wish I had. He got a little verklempt when over 50 of his friends and neighbors descended on Moline, Illinois’ modest city hall to support him and The Island, a DIY venue just up…
Use & Lose Interview Blues
A couple of months ago, I wrote a list of tips for new graduates looking for work. Actually, at the time I wrote it, the end of the academic year was so imminent that anyone graduating should have been looking for work for months. That didn’t necessarily mean they’d found a job in their field….
Monsanto Controls the Weather: A Midwestern Corn-spiracy Theory
Melanie claims genetic engineering is to blame for the decrease in local humidity and temperatures this summer, so I ask her: “Why do you think Monsanto is responsible?” She responds with another question: “Do you know anything about corn?” “I know how to pop it.” “A moderately-sized cornfield can create its own thunderstorms,” she continues…
Foster’s Fearless and An Era of Experimentalism
I don’t miss much about living in a densely-populated city, but I do recall with romance and nostalgia the smorgasbord of weird shit that was going on all around me at any given time. I’m not talking about the guy on the train who tried to sell me a half-eaten jar of peanut butter –…
Musicians: Here’s What You Need to Know to Get a Gig in the Quad Cities
QC3Degree Radio presents Community Forums! That’s where we all get together and invite the public to talk about things we want to make happen. Like rad art festivals or mixed media installations or dying the Mississippi hot pink. Don’t tell us it can’t be done – all of our brainpower combined makes one giant super…
Limited Edition Junetopia Tix + Ride the River + Museum Week
The third weekend in June shall be lit. Legit. And I cannot contain my excitement. Let me break it down for yousall: I just got my individually-numbered, limited edition ticket to Junetopia… … which, as you can see, I photographed while enjoying some freshly harvested strawberries with yogurt + granola. I already wrote about Junetopia…
You Ain’t Never Seen This: The Editorial QC
Quad Citians have never seen anything like photographer Dasha Denger’s latest venture: The Editorial QC. Imagine if the sensibilities of Harper’s Bazaar met MidWestern pragmatism and gave birth to a new curiosity. This improbable creation is possible because Dasha and likeminded artists have chosen to believe in the industry now germinating in the area. At…
Hit These Links: Graduating? Good! Now: How to Find a Job
Happy graduation season! Here’s a little number that goes out to all the new grads this spring: I manage the blog for the library at a local community college and recently posted this brief job search guide. One thing I advocate against is using job posting sites to just send out a bunch of résumés. Note:…
The Good Doctor Is In
If you live in Iowa and pay attention to community theater at all, you often find yourself thinking, “Oh, look: yet another production of State Fair/The Music Man/The Bridges of Madison County.” There’s not a great deal of variety. In the month of April, however, theater fans finally have a reason to get excited: Neil…
Daytrotter Downs Photos
I like to take digital photos and then play around with the levels in GIMP or iPhoto or whatever’s handy. Here are some decent shots I got at Daytrotter Downs earlier this month. The number of photos per performer is no reflection on my opinion or musical preference. There were some shows where I just couldn’t…
White Fang’s Mom Was A Bitch
Happy International Women’s Day! I still have the copy of White Fang I was supposed to read in high school. It’s a Scholastic Classic with a forward by K. A. Applegate (The Animorphs, Everworld). As problematic as the characterizations are (Gray Beaver takes all of thirty seconds to develop a debilitating addiction to firewater), it’s…
