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Arsecast Extra Episode 603 - 16.09.2024

In this episode we look back at the 1-0 North London Derby win on Sunday, making it three in a row at the Toilet Bowl. We examine how, in the absence of key players, Mikel Arteta leaned into the Gunners' defensive strength to keep the opposition at bay – a demanding approach that asked a lot from every player on the pitch. We chat about missed opportunities, elements of the performance that weren't perfect, and a team that fights for each other in every aspect of the game. There's discussion of key moments, not least Gabriel's goal, and the importance of winning this one with the players we had available. Then we have questions about the Man City case, Bukayo Saka and his contributions at both ends, the tactics we deployed, and lots more.


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Episode 798 - Raya saves the day

In this episode I'm joined by Phil Costa to talk about Arsenal's 0-0 draw with Atalanta on Thursday night. We discuss the difficulty of playing against the Italian side, especially in a week where this is the second of three very tough away games, but also conclude that we could have done more on the ball. We also chat about a lack of creativity without Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey's penalty concession and David Raya's superb save which helped save a point. There's also some focus on Gabriel Martinelli who missed a big chance to score, and lots more.


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Arsecast Extra Episode 604 - 23.09.2024

In this episode we look back at the 2-2 draw with Man City on Sunday, discussing the early stages of the game in which the home side dominated, before we talk about the moments that changed the game. Rodri's injury seemed to spark Arsenal into life, and we scored twice through Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel to go 2-1 up, before another contentious red card decision saw us play the second half with 10 men. We chat about that sending off, the heroic defensive effort, the late equaliser, and whether or not this game signified a shift in the rivalry between the two sides. Then there are questions about Myles Lewis-Skelly, our potential Carabao Cup team, David Raya, Gabriel Jesus and lots more.


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Arsenal Women Arsecast 90: Arsenal 2-2 Man City

In this episode of the Arsenal Women Arsecast and the first in our new format. Tim and Jamie break down the starting line-up, the tactical approach and the big moments and incidents in Arsenal’s 2-2 draw against Manchester City at the Emirates. In the second half, there are listener questions on Arsenal’s wayward finishing and whether it is a long term concern, how much is profligacy a coaching issue v a personnel issue, the midfield setup, Kafaji on the wing and how much the game plan v City was a one off versus how things might look longer term.


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Episode 799 - Young Guns (go for it)

In this episode I'm joined by Andrew Allen to discuss last night's 5-1 win over Bolton in the Carabao Cup. There's spotlight on the youngsters after we started 16 year old Jack Porter in goal, Josh Nichols at right-back as well as Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly. There's some focus on those two after a couple of goals from the former, and an impressive performance at left-back from the latter, as well as a mention for the other Hale End debuts, and an interesting 90 minutes from Raheem Sterling who got his first Arsenal goal. We also reflect on the start to the season with all the challenges we've faced, the so-called 'dark arts' and lots more.


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Arsecast Extra Episode 605 - 29.09.2024

In this episode we look back at the action packed 4-2 win over Leicester on Saturday. It looked like it would be a routine win with Arsenal leading 2-0 at the break, but two goals for the visitors meant we had to keep plugging away to win it in injury time. We chat about the way the game turned, the Gunners response, an extraordinary goalkeeping display which played a big part in frustrating us after what was a very intense attacking performance from Mikel Arteta's team. There's discussion of those aspects, how the two full-backs were so important to that, the team's mentality, plus listener questions about Gabriel Jesus, Pep Guardiola's reaction to Arteta's comments, some recently departed young players, Ethan Nwaneri starting against Southampton and lots more.


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Arsenal Women Arsecast 91: Leicester 0-1 Arsenal

In this episode of the Arsenal Women Arsecast, Tim and Jamie talk about Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Leicester at the King Power. Tim and Jamie discuss a rotated starting line-up, how much the packed early season schedule contributed to a leggy performance, whether the game can be taken in isolation or whether concerns about the attack in particular persist and the performances of Daphne van Domselaar, Alessia Russo, the midfield partnership of Lia Walti and Kyra Cooney-Cross, defensive injuries and a lack of creativity without Mariona and Kafaji starting the game.


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Episode 800 - Solidity and variety

In this episode I'm joined by Phil Costa to look back at Arsenal's 2-0 win over PSG in the Champions League. We discuss the many ways in which Mikel Arteta's team can play, including shifts within games, evidenced by excellent first half pressing and then shifting to a more defensive approach in the second half. We chat about the contributions of Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz, how Bukayo Saka combines incredible output with superb defensive work, the contributions of full-backs Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori, holding PSG at arm's length as a way of measuring our development, and lots more.


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Arsecast Extra Episode 606 - 06.10.2024

In this episode we look back at the 3-1 win over Southampton on Saturday. We discuss the decision to start Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus, and how much of an impact that had on a first half which Arsenal dominated but without enough cutting edge. We chat about the goal we conceded and the emphatic response from the team in the shape of Kai Havertz's equaliser, Gabriel Martinelli getting on the scoresheet again, the continued brilliance of Bukayo Saka, and how Mikel Arteta might reflect on these last two games as we go into an Interlull. There are questions about Gabriel Jesus, some defensive instability, Riccardo Calafiori, Declan Rice, and lots more.


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Arsenal Women Arsecast 92: Arsenal 0-0 Everton

In this episode of the Arsenal Women Arsecast, Tim and Jamie talk about Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Leicester at the King Power. Tim and Jamie discuss a rotated starting line-up, how much the packed early season schedule contributed to a leggy performance, whether the game can be taken in isolation or whether concerns about the attack in particular persist and the performances of Daphne van Domselaar, Alessia Russo, the midfield partnership of Lia Walti and Kyra Cooney-Cross, defensive injuries and a lack of creativity without Mariona and Kafaji starting the game.


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Arsecast Extra Episode 607 - 13.10.2024

In this Interlull episode we chat about the Arsenal players who have been on international duty, including Bukayo Saka who has returned home after picking up a small injury with England. There's discussion of Martin Odegaard amid rumours of a set-back, a little chat about a difficult week for Arsenal Women, and Graeme Souness's comments about Arsene Wenger. Then in part two we answer questions about over-saturation of football, the introduction of half-time interviews from next season, more legal wrangling, and because it's an Interlull there's an abundance of other nonsense involving James' dramatic reading of song lyrics, sandwiches, sweetcorn, wormholes, and lots more.


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Arsenal Women Arsecast 93: Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea

In this episode of the Arsenal Women Arsecast Tim and Jamie pore over the 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday and try to dissect how to separate this result and performance from the wider funk that Arsenal seem to be in. Did Arsenal just 'get varianced'? And is it possible to separate that from the wider malaise? Tim and Jamie talk about the defending on the goals conceded and whether a lack of confidence in attack had an impact on the result with more than one proven player low on confidence. In the second half, Tim and Jamie deal with listener questions on Rosa Kafaji and the lack of integration for young players, on Clare Wheatley's role and whether more communication from 'upstairs' is needed at the club and on the delicate balance between rotation and trying and failing to find partnerships that work.


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Arsenal Women Arsecast 94: Jonas Eidevall resigns

In this emergency episode of the Arsenal Women Arsecast, Tim and Jamie run the rule over the resignation of Jonas Eidevall as the Head Coach of Arsenal Women. Tim talks a little bit about how Arseblog News became aware of and were able to (just about) break the story on Tuesday morning. Then Tim and Jamie analyse where things went wrong, how the situation took a serious turn in the last week, why it didn't quite click the way the club and Jonas wanted it to and looked ahead to how Arsenal might succession plan for his departure. Tim and Jamie then each share one high point from Eidevall's reign.

 

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Arsecast Extra Episode 608 - 21.10.2024

In this episode we look back at Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth. We start with discussion of the starting XI, before moving to the big incident which saw William Saliba sent off for apparently denying a goalscoring opportunity. There's chat about that decision and how Mikel Arteta reacted and reshaped his team, Gabriel Martinelli's miss, the goals we conceded, the delay in making a change when we went 1-0 down, and Ethan Nwaneri's cameo. Then there are listener questions about officiating/PGMOL, how we set up against Liverpool next weekend without Saliba, how heightened expectations impact how we feel about losing games, and lots more.


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Arsenal Women Arsecast 95: West Ham 0 Arsenal 2

In this episode of the Arsenal Women Arsecast, Tim and Jamie comb through the 2-0 victory at West Ham. Tim and Jamie look at Arsenal's tactical approach and selection and some of the issues with chance creation rearing their head again, question how much has changed and how much change we could expect from Renee Slegers' interim charge and look at the impact of the quadruple substitution early in the second half. In the second half, Tim and Jamie take your questions on the midfield, whether Kafaji should have an increased role now, Steph Catley at centre-back, the goalkeeper situation, whether Arsenal need a 'clean break' with a new manager ASAP and then Tim and Jamie consider Manu Zinsberger's recent LinkedIn post and consider the lines between criticism and abuse.


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Arsecast Extra Episode 609 - 28.10.2024

In this episode we look back at Sunday's 2-2 draw against Liverpool. We chat about the impact on Bukayo Saka on his return to the team, with an outstanding goal, and Arsenal's response to the Liverpool equaliser. Mikel Merino gave us a deserved lead at the break, but in the second half the performance levels dropped a bit so we analyse the reasons for that, key of which was the loss of Gabriel, as well as finishing the game with a very makeshift back-four. We also discuss the second Liverpool goal, some of the officiating decisions, and how to view the result in the context of the season so far. Then there are questions about what kind of team to pick for the Carabao Cup, media narratives, the framing of Mikel Arteta's style as a manager, and lots more.


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Episode 804 - Up for this cup

In this episode I'm joined by Harry Symeou from The Chronicles of a Gooner to discuss Arsenal's 3-0 win over Preston in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night. We chat about the strength of the team selection, a long overdue goal for Gabriel Jesus, and of course another exciting display from Ethan Nwaneri which he capped with an incredible goal. We touch on reasons why Mikel Arteta might still be cautious about overplaying the 17 year old, as well as the performance of others such as Raheem Sterling and Jakub Kiwior, before we talk about how winning this competition might not be top of anyone's priority list but would still be important and beneficial for the club and the fans.


Find The Chronicles of a Gooner on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@arsenalpodcast – or in all the usual podcast places.


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Episode 805 - Martin Keown

In this episode I talk to Arsenal legend Martin Keown on the publication of his book 'On the edge'. We chat about his Irish background, his strength of character at 19 to stand up to George Graham over a financial issue and to move away from the club he loved, and his time at Aston Villa and Everton. We also discuss the brutal world of professional football back then, his return to Arsenal and his relationship with the famous 'back four', how Arsene Wenger got more out of him than any other manager, and lots more. You can also win one of two signed copies of the book.


'On the Edge' is published by Penguin – and is available from your local independent bookstore!


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Arsecast Extra Episode 610 - 04.11.2024

In this episode we look back at Saturday's disappointing 1-0 defeat away at Newcastle. We discuss the team selection, the lack of any kind of attacking threat after we went behind, and try to understand why collectively and individually we had such a bad day. Has all the juice been squeezed from the lemon? And where does this leave the team with more difficult away games this week? We also take listener questions about the reported departure of Edu from his role as Sporting Director, whether the team needs more pace, and lots more


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Arsenal Women Arsecast 96: Man Utd 1 Arsenal 1

On this episode of the Arsenal Women Arsecast, Tim and Jamie discuss the frustrating 1-1 draw with Manchester United. Tim and Jamie comb over the performance, the encouraging display of Alessia Russo but the irritation at again seeing Arsenal struggle to convert dominance into goals and ask whether there are any green shoots here. They also discuss Arsenal's lack of aerial prowess in defence and whether it can be fixed by any other means than the transfer market. As ever, in part 2 Tim and Jamie take listener questions on the attacking issues, whether the Russo / Stina split works, the relationship between the attackers, the lack of goal celebrations and the new manager search.


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Episode 806 - Change the dynamic

In this episode I'm joined by Phil Costa to look back at our 1-0 defeat to Inter Milan in the Champions League. Another loss is frustrating, but were there signs of improvement from the Arsenal attack last night? We analyse that, taking into context the quality of the opposition, while acknowledging things aren't exactly fluent at this moment in time. We wonder how Mikel Arteta might change the dynamic, and chat about some of the key moments in the game, from second half chances to two penalty decisions in the first half that went a long way to deciding the result. There's also discussion of Mikel Merino, Ethan Nwaneri, Raheem Sterling, and lots more.


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Arsenal Women Arsecast 96: Arsenal 5 Brighton 0

In this episode of the Arsenal Women Arsecast, Tim and Jamie dissect the 5-0 win over Brighton at Emirates Stadium on Friday evening. Tim and Jamie consider how far this was a vintage Arsenal performance and a bad Brighton one, whether trademark goals from Mead, Foord, Maanum and Hurtig suggest that Arsenal are back in the swing of things attacking wise and they consider Renee Slegers' willingness to make early substitutions. In the second half, they take listener questions on the new manager search, the decision to switch the Bayern Munich UWCL game away from the Emirates, the future of the midfield and a team featuring players who were largely signed several years ago.

 

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Arsecast Extra Episode 611 - 11.11.2024

In this episode we look back at Sunday's 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. We chat about the return of Martin Odegaard and his influence on the team, going ahead and letting the lead slip again, tight offside decisions and missed chances, how to view a point away from home in the context of the game, and well the season so far. We also discuss the analysis of the team and the way it has played this campaign, with lots of issues to deal with but also plenty of room for improvement. Then there are listener questions about the future of Gabriel Jesus, whether Odegaard should play for Norway during the Interlull, the amount of goals we're conceding, the January window, and lots more.


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The Council is Meeting to Discuss You

(Image credit: catcurio)

There exists a delightful subreddit called Council of Cats. This is where you'll find groups of cats having important discussions of matters both urgent and mundane. I have four cats, and I find it difficult to get all of them in one picture if they aren't asleep, so seeing many cats getting along is really nice. You can often guess what they are discussing at their council meeting, or they might be enjoying some group activity like birdwatching or annoying their human. They often get together to make demands on your time, or in other words, they gang up to get what they want.  

(Image source: reddit)

But there are also pictures that show cats just like each other's company. Bored Panda has collected 50 of the most amusing photographs from Council of Cats to give us a taste of a cat colony's strength in numbers, presented in a ranked list for your amusement.




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Happy Birthday, Harrison Ruffin Tyler!

November 9 is the 96th birthday of Harrison Ruffin Tyler, a retired chemical engineer and a historical preservationist who lives in Virginia. His claim to fame is that he is the grandson of U.S. President John Tyler, our tenth president who served in office from 1841 to 1845. That's like, 180 years ago. How is that possible?

President Tyler fathered 15 children. The thirteenth was Lyon Gardiner Tyler, born in 1853, when the former president was 63 years old. Lyon Gardiner Tyler had six children, the fifth being Harrison Ruffin Tyler, who was born in 1928 when his father was 75 years old. Therefore, a president who was born 234 years ago has a living grandchild today. 

Harrison Ruffin Tyler is also a descendant of Pocahontas and several other prominent figures from both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. Happy Birthday, Mr. Tyler. -via Boing Boing

(Portrait of President Tyler from Wikimedia Commons)




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The Nutty Narrows Bridge Puts Washington State Squirrels on the Map

You've certainly heard of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, but have you heard of the Nutty Narrows Bridge? Futility Closet introduces us to this bridge that was built in 1963 in Longview, Washington.

Workers in an office building near the R. A. Long Park noticed a number of squirrels that were killed crossing the street from the park to an area with abundant nut trees. They proposed that the city build a bridge for them. Two local architects and an engineer designed the bridge, and it was built by contractor Amos Peters. He built the bridge with recycled aluminum piping and a recycled fire hose, for a total cost of a thousand dollars. The bridge is 60 feet long and 22 feet high over the street. A city councilwoman named it the Nutty Narrows Bridge. The bridge has since been removed and repaired several times, and the location has been changed slightly a couple of times. The squirrels love it and use it regularly. The tourist attraction is known as "the world's narrowest bridge," and inspired the city to launch their annual Squirrel Fest in 2011. The bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. -via Nag on the Lake  

(Image credit: SounderBruce)




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A Surprise from the Classroom Bunny

Breanna Teel is a high school science teacher who keeps things like fish and eels in her classroom. She did not foresee becoming a rabbit rescuer. A student brought a rabbit to school not knowing she was pregnant. While there, the rabbit gave birth to two bright pink baby bunnies, but didn't feed them, so Teel went into overdrive to save the newborns. She would have done so under any other circumstances, but when your students are following along, you go the extra mile to set a good example. I can imagine that no one in the classroom has ever seen newborn rabbits. I certainly haven't.

Teel's efforts paid off when the babies began to grow and flourish. They appear to be some odd breed of show rabbits that resemble large powder puffs with wiggly noses. Are they tribbles? At any rate, they've become a permanent part of the classroom into which they were born.    




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Would You Let Your Child Ride in a Classic Car?

Car manufacturers have made great strides in automobile safety in the last few decades. When I was a child, my family drove everywhere in a Volkswagen Beetle or a Microbus that didn't have seatbelts. Nor did they have crumple zones, antilock brakes, or airbags. Riding in the bed of a pickup truck was a regular experience. Fifty years later, my oldest child wanted to get a classic Beetle, but was dissuaded when my brother called them "death traps." Now she has children, and purchased an SUV the size of a tank to keep the kids safe.

The newer a car is, the safer it will be, but when does that become overkill? We know large SUVs are safer for the occupants, yet more dangerous for others around them. We also know that accidents can happen anywhere, but deadly accidents are more likely at high speeds on highways than a short trip to school. And we know that children learn situational awareness and how to test their limits and manage their fears by being in slightly unsafe situations, such as old-fashioned playgrounds. Today, we have young adults who are terrified at the idea of learning to drive.

Jason Torchinsky at Autopian asked reader's opinions on letting their child ride in a classic car such as the original Volkswagen Beetle, and got plenty of replies about how much automotive safety is enough, from farm kids who drove tractors at a young age to ultimate safety advocates. The best comment: "Being unsafe in a car was how I got kids in the first place."




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The Piano on the Submarine

The USS Thomas A. Edison was an Ethan Allen-class ballistic missile submarine in the service of the United States Navy from 1961 until 1983. Although submarines, especially boomers, are supposed to prize silence, the Edison was built with a fully functional piano that remained in use throughout the boat's service.

The Naval Submarine League reports that Steinway and Sons made the custom upright piano for the Navy, which installed the huge instrument during the submarine's construction. Crew members who knew how to play it did so and the piano was often the centerpiece of musical performances conducted by the crew.

The piano was removed when the Edison was scrapped. Veterans of the boat rescued the piano from destruction and arranged for its restoration. It's now in the Steinway and Sons Museum in New York.

-via U.S. Naval Institute




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Scientific Replication is Harder Than YouThink -and Can Be Hilarious

Science experiments are not considered completely valid unless they can be replicated. Replicating an experiment is pretty much impossible unless you've been steeped in the various factors of scientific theory. And even if you are thoroughly trained in those factors, it's easy to lose track when you're doing a casual experiment at home. That goes double when your aim is to debunk something that you find obviously wrong.

Sage the Bad Naturalist jumped into such a debunking experiment with both feet, and then got entangled in them. She spent an entire year trying to replicate a dubious TikTok, which turned into an embarrassing adventure in how not to do science. But negative results are still results, and the goal of science is always to learn something. She bravely admits all the things she did wrong, because scientists have to have humility to be accepted. What's funniest is how many things went wrong, and how they all piled up to the end. What she ended up with is an amusing and rather charming video on the dangers of throwing your heart (and time) into debunking something you saw on the internet. -via Metafilter




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Michelangelo Depicting Breast Cancer

Nightis a sculpture on the tomb of Giuliano de Medici, the Duke of Urbino, in the city of Florence. Michelangelo carved it between 1526 and 1531 and composed these lines to place in the mouth of this personification of the night:

Precious is sleep, better to be of stone,
while the oppression and the shame still last;
not seeing and not hearing, I am blest;
so do not wake me, hush! keep your voice down

In a 2000 letter to the New England Journal of Medicine, James J. Stark and Jonathan Katz Nelson argue that the model that Michelanglo used likely had advanced breast cancer. Her left breast has lumps indicative of a tumor in the nipple or the lymphatics beneath the nipple. As these shapes are not present in the other female breasts that Michelanglo composed, it's likely that this shape reflects, tragically, the model herself.

-via TYWKIWDBI




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What You Should Know About Baking the Perfect Cheesecake

This is the time of year we think about overindulging on rich and elaborate foods. We also open our doors to family and friends to celebrate winter holidays. That's why you've always wanted to impress them with a delicious home made cheese cake. There are plenty of classic recipes on the internet that involve cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and flavoring, but the process is rather delicate. If you've tried before and had a less-then-perfect result, The Takeout will troubleshoot for you with the 12 most common mistakes in baking cheesecake. If you've never made a cheesecake before, so many possible mistakes may intimidate you. Relax, I've made cheesecake a few times and it's not as difficult as you might be led to believe. Even when it isn't perfect, it's still cheesecake, and that's a wonderful thing.

But if you have perfected the art of baking a cheesecake, you might want to take it up a notch and make Japanese cheesecake, which is the light and airy soufflé version. The Takeout has you covered with instructions for that, too. Now you'll be ready to really impress your holiday guests.   

(Image credit: Alice Wiegand)




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Mario Visits the Overlook Hotel

There's no doubt that Mario is king of the video game universe. His many adventures take him to strange places, the latest of which is the Overlook Hotel from the 1980 Stanley Kubrick movie The Shining. This isn't just another castle; it's the setting for weird and creepy hallucinations brought on by isolation. The tricycle is there, as are the twins, the blood flood, and room 237's bathroom. How many other callbacks from The Shining can you spot? There are a lot crammed into this 90-second video, so you'll have to watch this CGI mashup from Mark Cannataro Films more than once to catch all the references. Other characters from the Mario universe take on familiar and frightening roles roles from the horror film, some of them infinitely appropriate; others absurdly contrary. All in all, it's an absurd mashup that is sure to give you a smile. -via Geeks Are Sexy




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The <i>S.S. Relief</i>--A Floating Outhouse in California

Altas Obscura tells us about the S.S. Relief--the formal name for an outhouse that floats in Lake Casitas near Ventura, California. The artificial lake is an important water reservoir for the thirsty people of southern California, so the Casitas Municipal Water District takes its cleanliness very seriously.

The lake is popular among boaters and fishermen. After a few hours out on the water, people need to relieve themselves. They can then paddle up to the S.S. Relief, which is a 2-seater outhouse that floats on the surface of the water. The waste is contained on the barge, so there's no contamination of the lake's purity.




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How Harlan Ellison Claimed <i>The Terminator</i>

Prolific science fiction author Harlan Ellison wrote two episodes of the TV series The Outer Limits, "Soldier" and "Demon with a Glass Head." They both ran during the show's second season in 1964. In 1984, Ellison heard that James Cameron was working on a film that seemed quite similar to the plot of "Soldier," which you can watch in full. Hemdale Productions wouldn't let him see the script. When he saw The Terminator, Ellison was ready to sue.

The lawsuit never came about, because Hemdale Productions settled the case, for money, screen credit in subsequent releases of the film, and a gag order. To this day, people argue over whether The Terminator was at all plagiarized and if so, how much. Read what Ellison had to say about the case at the time and the reaction from James Cameron at Den of Geek. You've probably already seen The Terminator, and it's up to you to watch The Outer Limits episode if you want to form your own opinion.  




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Doc is Caught in a Time Loop of His Own Making

If you had a real working time machine, the temptation to use it as much as you could would be overwhelming, even when it doesn't make sense. Would you get stuck on trying to make everything perfect, just for the excuse to go back and forth? Doc's become a little obsessed, to the point where you might want to take his keys away and make him remain in one timeline for a while. Why make the 1985 Marty always save the day when you could just ask 2015 Marty to do the same? Or maybe even take care of the problem yourself. Maybe this is why Doc eventually decided to stay in the 19th century in the third film. No, right, that was for love. Studio C did a good job of recreating the characters of Back to the Future 2 in order to explore the absurdities of what that kind of power can do to someone.




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Cats Are Masters of Camouflage

(Image source: daddyisproudofme

Cats, like most animals, have developed camouflage appearances so that they blend into the background in their natural habitat. But they can also blend into the background in manmade spaces, like the kitchen cabinets, so they can hide and spy on their humans. Have you found the cat in the image above yet? It took me an embarrassing amount of time to see it, but now I can't un-see it. But that's just the beginning. In the picture below, you can easily see three cats. But there are four.

(Image credit: No_Internal9345)

The subreddit Find the Sniper is full of these kinds of puzzles -and they're not all cats. Bored Panda selected 30 very hard ones for a ranked list that may drive you insane. I believe finding the owl was the hardest. There are answers in the comments, but if you want to find the hidden thing on your own, you can click the credit under each photo and go the the original reddit post, where you can enlarge the picture greatly. If you try more than a couple, it will suck up hours of your time.   




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Thursday Sept. 16, 2010

    Author, Richard Rothacker @ Park Road Books
    Free  admission – 7:00pm 
    Award winning Charlotte author will be discussing his new book “Banktown: The Rise & Struggles of Charlotte’s Big Banks.”

    Steve Perille: Unfiltered & SUSPICIOUS MINDS @ The Light Factory
    Dual  Opening reception6:00-9:00pm
    Perille is an award-winning photojournalist and SUSPICIOUS MINDS is an exploration of contemporary surrealism featureing the works of photographer Jerry Uuelsmann and contemporary artists Robert and Shana Parke Harrison, Tom Chambers and Malena Bergmann
    http://www.light-factory.org/now-on-exhibit

    Thomas Forget, Asst. Professor of Architecture @ UNC Charlotte  
    Free, with Museum and Friends of the Mint memberships. 10:00-11:30am
    Monthly lecture series will address:  The Museum as Art: Contemporary Challenges to Historical Models of Museum Architecture.

    UNC Charlotte Department of Dance Faculty Concert
    Free admission - 8:00pm Robinson Hall/Belk Theatre.
    Department begins the 2010-2011 season with its first-ever faculty dance concert, celebrating their extraordinary accomplishments.




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    Friday Sept. 17, 2010

    Dr. Harvey Cox, Professor Emeritus @ Harvard University Divinity School
    Free admission – Lecture @ 7:00pm - Sykes Auditorium/Queens University. Dr. Cox will be discussing his recently released book “The Future Of Faith”

    Author, Beth Webb Hart @ Park Road Books
    Free  admission – 7:00pm   A finalist for a Christy Award in general/contemporary fiction for her debut novel, discusses her new book “Love, Charleston”

    SlamCharlotte Poetry Slam
    8:00pm @ McGlohan Theatre (Blumenthal)Hosted by SlamCharlotte, Charlotte’s own two time defending national championship team of spoken word poetry (2007 & 2008).






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    Saturday Sept. 18, 2010

    Community Day @ The McColl Center For Visual Art
    Free / 11:00-4:00pm  "Explore, build, create and celebrate" as the McColl Center's resident artists lead visitors through various playful and creative experiences.
    http://mccollcenter.org/blog/view/80/community-day-september-18


    5th Annual Charlotte Film Festival – preview
    Free / 6:00-7:30pm Sykes Auditorium/Queens University. Festival organizers will be in attendance for Q&A and will screen selective narrative shorts from this year’s festival.

    North Carolina Dance Festival
    8:00pm  Robinson Hall/Belk Theatre.
    Annual showcase of NC dance artists that travels statewide.

    Author, Margot Starbuck @ Joseph-Beth Booksellers
    Free – 10:00am Durham based writer will be reading from and signing copies of her 2nd book  “Unsqueezed: Springing Free from Skinny Jeans, Nose Jobs, Highlights and Stilettos.” http://www.josephbeth.com/Products/49153-unsqueezed-springing-free-from-skinny-jeans-nose-jobs-highlights-and-stilettos.aspx

    Black Crowes @ Road Runner Mobile Amphitheatre @ the Music Factory
    7:30pm - On tour in support of their recently released acoustic-based double-cd "Croweology"




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    Sunday Sept. 19, 2010

    Brian Culbertson @ The Fillmore
    7:30pm - Chart topping contemporary jazz artist comes to Charlotte in support of his latest Verve Records CD "XII"

    Levine Museum of The New South
    History With Flavor Day! Free admission from 12 noon – 4:00 plus food-theme tours and family activities

    Opera Carolina “Serenade To Autumn”
    7:00pm Booth Playhouse – will feature members of the Opera Carolina Chorus performing selections from the upcoming season, including La Traviata and Così fan tutte. . Admission $5




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    Why The Blog?

    Why the Blog?

    Because there’s some great cultural events happening around the Queen City and I wanted to make it easier for folks to discover them. My hope is this collection of selected current events exemplifies the best view of a dynamic city whose cultural boundaries continue to expand.
    Read on for some Charlotte offerings that caught my eye. Enjoy!

    Please note:
    This list is very subjective. Information was gathered from public sources and should be verified with the venue or organizer.




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    Week of September 20, 2010

    Monday  Sept. 20

    Charlotte Film Festival – Opening Night
    6:30pm – Regal Park Terrace 6 (Park Road)
    Opening night of this week-long festival (ends Sunday) premieres (2) of the festival’s feature films: “Soundtrack For A Revolution” (Directors: Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman) and “Night Catches Us” (Director: Tanya Hamilton).


    Adrian Wooldridge, longtime journalist for The Economist
    3:30-4:30pm -   Atkins Library/UNCC – Free
    Management Editor and 'Schumpeter' Columnist for The Economist will be bringing his expertise on culture, politics and business to UNC Charlotte for a discussion on "The New Face of Globalization."


    Tuesday  Sept. 21

    Charlotte Art League Lecture Series - Linda Luise Brown
    7:00pm @ Charlotte Art League Caleidoscope Gallery
    Nationally recognized Artist, writer & teacher discusses Modern Art & the Modernist movement in a four-part discussion


    Wednesday  Sept. 22

    Author, Jenny Nelson @ Park Road Books
    Free  admission – 6:00pm
    Former editor and producer at iVillage.com, Style.com, and vogue.com will be signing copies of her debut novel, "Georgia's Kitchen".
    A fun read that women of all ages can relate to.”    – Emmy Award winning personality Giada DeLaurentiis


    Thursday Sept. 23

    Festival In The Park
    6:00-9:00pm - Opening night of the 46th Festival (continues through Sunday, check website for times) continues its tradition in Charlotte of promoting and stimulating interest in the arts. The Festival offers interactive, educational and hands-on opportunities for all children and features over 150 artists who actively demonstrate & display their art. Plus, there’s a great array of free music & performances each day.



    Friday Sept. 24

    Charlotte Symphony Orchestra – Opening Night!!
    8:00pm – Belk Theatre. Opening night of the season with new Music Director Christopher Warren Green, conducting. Internationally renowned cellist Alisa Weilerstein is the symphony’s special guest, as they perform an Elgar program.


    NC State Intertribal Festival
    10:00am-8:00pm / 5800 Concord Parkway (next to Lowes Motor Speedway)
    Hosted by the Metrolina Native American Association, this 3 day festival (continues through Sunday) features traditional Native American drumming, singing, dancing, music, storytelling, basket weaving, pottery, vendors, etc. Various North Caroilna Native American tribes and organizations will be participating.


    ZipStir – McColl Center for Visual Art
    6:00 – 9:00pm – Opening Reception. 
    Hong Seon Jang and Jonathan Brilliant's dual exhibition provides an experimental approach to contemporary art that guides the viewer through an innovative use of space, using common manufactured materials that give these everyday goods new meaning.


    Saturday Sept. 25

    UNC Charlotte International Festival
    10:00am-6:00pm  Barnhardt Center. Free.
    Family Festival is a colorful marketplace representing cultures of nearly 50 nations. Booths will be staffed by UNC charlotte Int’l students and representatives of the international community. Festival will feature music, dance, crafts, food, etc.


    SCYTHIAN @  Neighborhood Theatre
    8:00pm – This high-energy, adrenaline peddling group plays “kicked-up Celtic and world music with hints of Gypsy and Klezmer, all infused with a touch of punk-rock sensibility.” Be prepared to dance!!


    STEP AFRIKA!
    8:00PM – Dana Auditorium/Queens University. Tickets $5
    The first professional company in the world dedicated to the tradition of stepping (the unique dance created in African-American fraternities & sororities) brings its critically acclaimed program to town to promote an understanding of and appreciation for stepping and the dance tradition's use as an educational tool for young people worldwide.

    Sunday Sept. 26

    Music & Museum Concert Series @ The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art
    5:00pm – Champagne reception followed by performance at 5:30pm.
    Guest musicians – renowned British clarinetist Janet Hilton and violinist Rosemary Furniss – join Charlotte chamber musicians Tanja Bechtler (cello) and Paul Nitsch (piano) on selections by Bruch, Stravinsky, Brahms and Milhaud. Visual art will include works from the Bechtler’s new exhibition, School of Paris: European Abstraction Post World War II.




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    Week of September 27, 2010

    Monday  Sept. 27

    Free To Dance!
    Today through Saturday October 2nd – North Carolina Dance Theatre
    One week of free Open Division dance classes as part of the Arts & Science Council’s Cultural FREE for All. Classes are appropriate for ages 14 and up, and all ability levels are welcome! (For ballet and tap, beginners are encouraged to attend the beginning level classes.) Classes are first come, first serve. Students are asked to arrive a few minutes early to complete a short registration form before class.


    Tuesday  Sept. 28

    Chamber Music @ St. Peter’s
    7:30pm – St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. Tickets $30
    Benefit performance for the 2011 Chamber Music for Teens Summer Workshop. Program will feature Beethoven's Piano Trio Opus 70 “Ghost”; Rachmaninoff's Trio Élégiaque in G minor, Brahms' Piano Trio in B Major Opus 8 and Villa-Lobos' Bachianas Brasilieras No. 5 for soprano and trio. Performing will be principal cellist with the Charlotte Symphony orchestra Alan Black, Romanian pianist, Dana Protopopescu, celebrated violinist Rosemary Furniss (wife of Maestro Christopher Warren-Green) and international coloratura soprano, Sally Silver.


    Wednesday  Sept. 29

    “The 39 Steps” presented by The Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte
    7:30pm – Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte (E. Stonewall St) - tickets $24
    Don’t miss this Tony Award-winning comedy in its final days in Charlotte (ends Sat. 10/2) which Lawrence Toppman of the Charlotte Observer claims “…strikes a zany note from end to end…”


    Thursday Sept. 30

    MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival
    7:00pm – Knight Gallery/The Light Factory. Admission $5 members/$7 non-members
    MANHATTAN SHORT is not only the world's largest short film festival, it is the world's first global film festival, with over 200 cities taking part in the event this week alone. Viewers will choose the best film, from (10) selected shorts.


    Michelle Malone @ Evening Muse
    9:15pm - $10
    Nicknamed "Moanin' Malone" by blues guitar great Albert King, you won’t want to  miss this Atlanta-based Americana rocker when she comes to town, in support of her new CD “Debris.”


    The Beauty & Culture of Japan
    6:30-8:00pm – International House – Free
    Come learn about the beauty and culture of Japan.  Featuring shodo (calligraphy), ikebana (flower arrangement) and sado (tea ceremony). Space is limited. For reservations, please mail Rusty Reynolds at rreynolds@ihclt.org


    Friday Oct. 1

    THE MINT MUSEUM – Uptown – 24 hr Grand Opening!
    5:30pm – through Saturday 10/2. Members Free/non-members $10 thru 2:00am Sat. and FREE all day Saturday.
    Celebrate the grand opening of The Mint’s new Uptown location with a variety of special activities (including hands-on-art and artist demonstrations) and programs. Plus, be among the 1st to see the Mint’s (2) new exhibitions: New Visions: Contemporary Masterworks from the Bank of America Collection and Contemporary British Studio Ceramics  


    Novello Tribute: History & Mystery
    7:00pm – Levine Museum of The New South
    The museum will be hosting a special evening of history writers reading from their work, as they pay tribute to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Novello Festival of Reading. Participants include Mary Norton Kratt, Charlotte: A Brief History and Legacy: The Myers Park Story, Mike Lassiter, Our Vanishing Americana, plus John Grooms, Tom Hanchett and special guests. Novello tribute continues on Saturday at Imaginon.
    http://www.plcmc.org/about_us/in_the_news/releaseDetails.asp?id=471





    Saturday Oct. 2

    AutumnFaire @ Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
    9:00am-3:00pm  Free w/garden admission.
    Outdoor art and craft show featuring artists whose work uses or features plants, gardens and nature. Activities for children and adults reflect this inspirational season in a variety of forms with arts and crafts based on and with plants.

    Azadi Ensemble & Sahar: A Middle Eastern Concert
    7:30pm – Dana Auditorium -  $10/General Admission
    The University partners with the Middle East Council of the Carolinas to present an evening of Persian Music performed by the Azadi Ensemble and Sahar..


    Great Grapes! Wine, Art & Food Festival
    11:00-7:00pm – Symphony Park. $20 in advance/$25 day of.
    Try unlimited samples of over 200 wines, and view cooking and wine/food pairing demonstrations. Event will have live music, art and crafts.

    Bharat Natyam  - Dance Performance by Mallika Sarabhai
    7:00pm -  Halton Theatre
    Presented by India Performing Arts Association of Charlotte, this program features Dr. Mallika Sarabhai, one of India’s leading choreographers and dancers. She has performed in the USA ,Canada and many countries of Asia and Europe.


    Sunday Oct. 3

    Spirits and Spaces: The Prints of Michael B. Platt
    1:00-5:00pm - Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture
    Final day (exhibit closes 10/3) to see Platt’s use of digital photography and the printing process to share his keen sense of observation, to express traces of the human spirit. His work can be found in the permanent collections of the Corcoran Museum; the Smithsonian Museum of American Art; the Library of Congress’ Prints and Photographs Collection and its Rare Books and Special Collections, etc. http://www.ganttcenter.org/web/page.asp?urh=ExhibitionsViewer&id=7




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    Week of October 4, 2010

    Monday Oct. 4

    UNC Charlotte – Global Perspective Series
    12:30pm – College of Health & Human Services, Room332
    The 1st in this new lecture series titled “International Exchanges: Codex Aubin & the Influence of Early Printed Books”features Professor Rajagopalan who will discuss her experiences researching a 16th-century painted manuscript from Mexico and the European aesthetic and conceptual systems that helped to shape the work.
    http://www.coaa.uncc.edu/Calendar/Detail/33507cc05eb6ea26fff147903e5574b98a22b153


    Tuesday Oct. 5

    François Furstenberg, Historian
    7:00pm – Sykes Auditorium/Queens University. Free
    Author of the critically lauded "In the Name of the Father: Washington's Legacy, Slavery, and the Making of a Nation" (2006), Furstenberg is the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation Chair of American Studies in the history department at the University of Montreal. His talk is titled “When the United States Spoke French: Trans-Atlantic Politics, Speculation, and Diplomacy in the Early American Republic.”
    http://www.queens.edu/News-and-Events/College-of-Arts-and-Sciences-Events/Preyer-Lecture-Series/Francois-Furstenberg-Historian.html


    Frontier Ruckus  @ The Evening Muse
    10:00pm - $5
    Don’t miss Ramseur Records’ recording act Frontier Ruckus as they pass through Charlotte on their East Coast tour and discover why Rolling Stone magazine exclaims this band has the “perfect recipe for Gothic Americana.”
    http://www.frontierruckus.com/earshot


    Wednesday Oct. 6

    “Einstein’s Biggest Blunder: A Cosmic Mystery Story”
    7:30-9:00pm – Davidson College/Duke family Performance Hall (Free)
    Lawrence Krauss delivers the 2010 Smith Lecture. In his talk, he will describe the developments that have changed the picture of the past, present, and future of the Universe. Krauss is a theoretical physicist of international reputation. He is the Foundation Professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration and Physics Department, and Inaugural Director of the Origins Project at Arizona State University.
    http://www3.davidson.edu/cms/x41124.xml


    Disney on Ice – Toy Story 3
    7:00pm – Time Warner Cable Arena
    An award-winning creative team and a cast of world-class skaters are bringing Woody, the pull-string cowboy; space ranger Buzz Lightyear; Jessie, the yodeling cowgirl; and the rest of the gang to fans and families around the country in this brand-new live ice spectacular! The show is in Charlotte through Sunday 10/10.
    http://www.timewarnercablearena.com/page.aspx?section=events&pagetype=events&id=5283


    Thursday Oct. 7

    “Taste of The World” – Charlotte East Restaurant Preview Event
    5:30-10:30pm – $30/person @ VanLandingham Estate Inn
    Come share the flavor, uniqueness and vitality while experiencing the cosmopolitan flavor and the excitement of the people who call Charlotte East home! An opening reception at VanLandingham Estate begins your guided tour through eclectic Charlotte East to dine at three different culturally rich restaurants. Your evening's adventure will end with coffee and dessert back at the Estate.
    http://www.charlotteeast.com/tasteofworld2010buy.htm

    Friday Oct. 8


    UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens – Annual Fall Plant Sale
    9:00am-3:00pm (continues 10/9) – McMillan Greenhouse
    Whether you are a seasoned gardener, a budding plant enthusiast, or a homeowner looking for just the right plant, you won't want to miss the yearly sales at the Botanical Gardens. Choose among shrubs, trees, wildflowers, ferns, and perennials at the fall sale.
    All proceeds directly fund the operations of the greenhouse and gardens.
    http://gardens.uncc.edu/calendar-of-events/events-at-mcmillan-greenhouse.html


    Charlotte Symphony Orchestra– special guest: Natasha Paremski, piano
    8:00pm – Belk Theatre. Tickets: $26.50 - $82.50
    Christopher Warren-Green conducts his 2nd concert of the Classics series with a program that focuses on the “New World” and includes Bernstein’s Candide Overture, Rachmaninoff, & Dvorak.
    http://www.carolinatix.org/default.asp?tix=59&objId=2196


    The Diary of Anne Frank (opening night!)
    8:00pm – Matthews Playhouse of the Performing Arts
    In this gripping new adaptation by Wendy Kesselman, newly discovered writings from the diary of Anne Frank, as well as survivor accounts, are interwoven to create a contemporary impassioned story of the lives of people persecuted under Nazi rule. Set designed by Emmy Award winner John R. Bayless. A portion of the proceeds from this production will go to benefit the “Butterfly Project” at the Jewish Community Center. **Ages 12 and up**
    http://www.matthewsplayhouse.com/mp2annefrank.htm


    Saturday Oct. 9


    CIAO, ITALIA! Festival
    11:00 – 7:00pm – Wachovia Atrium, 301 S. Tryon - Adults/$5, Teens/$3, Children/Free
    Join the Christopher Columbus Italian Club of Charlotte to celebrate Italian culture with a day filled with food, entertainment and more!
    http://www.italian-club-charlotte.org/festivals.html

    3rd Annual Charlotte Fine Art Show
    10:00am-5:00pm – Park Expo & Conference Center
    Admission $5, 12 & under Free
    Juried by art professionals, this high quality art show brings approximately 100 world renowned & top notch local Carolina artists to sell their paintings, clay, glass, sculpture, wood, fiber, jewelry, photography and more. Continues Sunday 10/10.
    http://www.hotworks.org/charlottefineartshow/index.php


    The MET Live in HD – “Wagner’s Das Reingold
    1:00pm – Regal Stonecrest Cinemas @ Piper Glen + AMC Concord Mills 24-IMAX
    The Metropolitan Opera’s Emmy and Peabody-award winning series of live and high definition performance transmissions returns for its fifth season with the 1st of (12) operas. This new production, with Maestro James Levine and directed by Robert Lepage, features Bryn Terfel singing the leading role of Wotan .
    http://www.fathomevents.com/opera/series/themetropolitanopera.aspx


    Annual Carolina Renaissance Festival & Artisan Marketplace
    10:00am-5:30pm – Sat/Sun through November 21st - Huntersville, NC
    The Renaissance Festival is a 16th century European style art and entertainment festival combining outdoor theater, circus entertainment, arts and crafts marketplace, a jousting tournament, a feast fit for royalty, and much, much more.
    http://www.royalfaires.com/carolina/


    “Dracula” by North Carolina Dance Theatre
    7:30pm – Knight Theatre
    NC Dance Theatre opens its 40th season with a full-length staging of “Dracula,” choreographed by Mark Godden. Originally created for Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet in 1998, this contemporary interpretation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 horror classic has won critical acclaim for its storytelling, wit and theatricality.
    http://www.blumenthalcenter.org/default.asp?blumenthal=59&objId=2003


    Minneapolis Guitar Quartet
    8:00pm Dana Auditorium/Queens University
    Founded in 1986, the group has garnered unanimous international critical acclaim with its first four CDs on the Albany and GSP labels. Says Soundboard Magazine, "With 'Over Land and Sea,' the MGQ demonstrates that it is one of the major guitar ensembles in the world."
    http://www.queens.edu/News-and-Events/Arts-and-Culture-Events/Performing-Arts/Minneapolis-Guitar-Quartet.html


    Sunday Oct. 10

    20th Annual Latin American Festival
    12:00-7:00pm – Symphony Park, South Park Adults $5/Children $3 The Latin American Festival - one of Charlotte’s signature cultural events- attracts thousands of individuals from our multi-cultural community to enjoy local, nationally and internationally known musicians, handmade arts and crafts, authentic Latin American cuisine, traditional folkloric dance performances and children’s activities and performances- a true cultural experience for all.
    http://www.festivallatinoamericano.org/home.html


    OPERA CAROLINA’s “Cosi Fan Tutti” – FREE preview
    2:00pm – Barnes & Noble/South Park
    This hour-long preview, hosted by WDAV announcer Jennifer Foster, will feature music excerpts and in-depth discussion about the plot and composer before seeing the opera on the main stage.
    http://www.operacarolina.org/events/321/



    Living History Day: Weaving – Charlotte Museum of History
    1:00-4:00pm - Free, with museum admission
    Kenneth Webb, a weaver from New London, NC, will be visiting the museum to demonstrate different weaving techniques on his floor loom. He will also offer his wares for sale.
    http://www.charlottemuseum.org/Calendar.asp#LHWeekends




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    Week of October 11, 2010

    Monday  Oct. 11

    BIBLIOFEAST
    6:30-9:00pm – Santé Restaurant, Downtown Matthews.
    *The Women’s National Book Association – Charlotte invites the community to attend the first annual Bibliofeast – a gourmet feast for the mind and the body. Guest hosted by Charlotte Observer Reading Life Editor Pam Kelley, Bibliofeast will feature a three course meal at Santé and conversation with Carolina-based authors who will travel from table to table discussing their work. Featured authors include: Kim Wright, author of the bestselling novel Love in Mid-Air, Minrose Gwinn, author of The Queen of Palmyra, just selected as a featured Great Group Read for October’s National Reading Group Month by the WNBA (national), Jay Varner, author of Nothing Left to Burn, and Rick Rothacker, author of Banktown: The Rise and Struggles of Charlotte's Big Banks.
    **Tickets are available at Park Road Books only. $35 cash or check**


    Tuesday Oct. 12

    Meet The Artist: Bayete Ross Smith
    6:00-8:00pm – McColl Center For Visual Art
    *The former 2008 Artist-In-Residence will present a selection of his works including "Church Versus Self Reflection," a video based on the work he produced at the Center in 2008. Currently based in NYC, the artist, photographer, and arts educator  has had exhibitions at the Oakland Museum of California, Modern Museum of Art, Goethe Institute of Ghana,  and Zacheta National Gallery of Art in Poland to name a few.
    For more information and to RSVP, contact Marisa Wilson at mwilson@McCollCenter.org.


    “The Exterminating Angel” directed by Luis Buñuel
    7:30pm – Knight Gallery/Spirit Square – FREE
    *Part of the “Dreams in Motion” Suspicious Minds Film Series, this 1962 Black & White film is considered one of  Buñuel’s masterpieces. It is about a group of bourgeois cosmopolitans that are invited to a mansion for dinner and inexplicably find themselves unable to leave.


    Wednesday  Oct. 13

    “Morgan Russell & The Avant-Garde in Paris”
    7:30-9:30pm – Davidson College/Sermans Lecture Hall. FREE
    *Davidson College invites the public to a lecture by Michael Leja, professor of art history at University of Pennsylvania. Leja, a 2008 recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, will speak about Bondage, Discipline,
    and Modernist Abstraction: The Case of Morgan Russell.


    Thursday Oct. 14

    Dr. Constanze Stelzenmüller, courtesy of the American Council on Germany
    6:00-7:30pm – Admission $20
    @ Parker Poe Adams and Bernstein LLP, Three Wachovia Ctr.
    *The American Council on Germany invites the public for a discussion and reception for Dr. Stelzenmüller, Senior Transatlantic Fellow, the German Marshall Fund of the US. He will be speaking on US-German relations and their changing dynamic in today's multipolar environment. For more information, contact 704-371-6189. 
    **Dr. Stelzenmüller will also be speaking on Friday morning 10/15 @ UNC-Charlotte 10:00-11:00am for Free (contact rebecca.vincent@uncc.edu for more information)


    Bob Dylan and His Band
    8:00pm – Halton Arena/UNC Charlotte
    *Don’t miss the legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan as he visits Charlotte on his Fall tour, whose stops include mostly college and university towns.



    Friday Oct. 15

    Van Cliburn Foundation Presents:  NOBUYUKI  TSUJII
    8:00pm – Halton Theater/CPCC
    Ticket prices: $40-$55
    *Charlotte Concerts presents the joint winner of the thirteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2009. Blind since birth, Mr. Tsujii states his firm belief that "there are no barriers in the field of music." The diminutive "Nobu" has studied under Masako Masuyama, Masahiro Kawakami, Yukari Kawakami, Yukio Yokoyama and Kyoko Tabe.
    http://tix.cpcc.edu/featured-performances/nobuyuki_tsujii

    Jazz @ The Bechtler
    6:00-8:00pm – Free, with museum admission
    *The Ziad Jazz Quartet, featuring vocalist Toni Tupponce and pianist/vocalist Noel Freidline, performs Parisian jazz standards and cabaret songs from the 1930s through the 1950s (complimenting The Bechtler’s new “School Of Paris” exhibition.)


    Saturday Oct. 16

    Chelsea Handler @ Park Road Books
    5:00-7:00pm
    *The NY Times Best Selling author and star of the late-night E comedy series “Chelsea Lately” will be signing copies of her latest book “Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang” (only copies purchased at Park Road Books). Note: this signing will be filmed.


    Martin Sexton @ Visulite Theatre
    Doors - 8:00/Headliner -10:00pm – Tickets $20 in advance/$23 day-of-show.
    *Don’t miss this guitarist, singer, and songwriter when he passes through town in support of his recent CD release “Sugarcoating.”  See why Billboard Magazine says he’s “the real thing, people, a star with potential to permanently affect the musical landscape and keep us entertained for years to come.”


    COSI  FAN TUTTE (or The School For Lovers)
    8:00pm – Belk Theatre
    *In a brilliant new staging by acclaimed director Bernard Uzan, OPERA CAROLINA presents Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s hilarious comedy which takes the art of romance to “new flirtatious heights.” Performances through Thursday October 21st.
    **The English text is projected on a screen above the stage for each opera. Easy to follow, and easy to understand every twist and turn of the plot!


    George Duke @ Halton Theater
    8:00pm. Tickets $35-$55
    *The Carolina Jazz Concert series presents the legendary George Duke.  Duke, a Grammy award winning piano & synthesizer pioneer, has played with and produced projects by a diverse range of artists including Frank Zappa’s Mothers Of Invention, Cannonball Adderley, Smokey Robinson, and Melissa Manchester. Additionally, he has released more than 2 dozen albums on his own. Don’t miss the opening performance by Shableek and Uncommon Jazz.


    Sunday Oct. 17

    Heidi Eggles (local Ardrey Kell H.S. student) – Discussion & Book Signing
    1:00 – Park Road Books
    * Written by students of Ardrey Kell High School in South Charlotte as part of a breast cancer awareness project, “Ruthie and the Pink Fairy” is a story of one young child's efforts to help her mother and family face a disease, which impacts so many of our lives. ALL PROCEEDS from the sale of the book will benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and its promise to end breast cancer forever.


    A Shared Melody – Selections from Classic Chinese Culture (Calligraphy, Ceramics, and Peking Opera)
    1:00-5:00pm – Charlotte Museum of History (FREE)
    *In honor of the opening of their new exhibit, the Museum of History will host a Family Celebration with a variety of activities for families to experience Chinese Museum of History will host a Family Celebration with a variety of activities for families to experience Chinese cultural traditions. This program is presented in partnership with the Confucius Institute at Pfeiffer University, which is dedicated to promoting understanding of Chinese language and culture through education and partnerships. The Institute will also have Chinese scholars coming from China to lecture on related subjects during the exhibition at the Museum.


    African American Theater 101
    3:00pm - Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture
    *Today begins this year-long education series focusing on essential plays of the black theater repertoire. In each three-hour workshop, an African-American theater piece is read and afterwards, a class discussion commences on literary devices, historical context and cultural themes and issues of the piece. The readings are presented by local actors and class discussions are facilitated by area professors including Dr. Corlis Hayes (Central Piedmont Community College), Dr. Malin Pereira (UNC Charlotte) and Dr. Mack Staton (Johnson C. Smith University).
    Admission: $10.  Free for Gantt members and On Q season pass holders.





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    Week of October 18, 2010

    Monday  Oct. 18

    SUZANNE BERNE – Award-winning author
    7:00pm – Joseph Beth Books/South Park
    Author Suzanne Berne ("A Crime in the Neighborhood"),will be discussing and signing copies of her 4th novel,  "Missing Lucile: The Story of My Father's Mother”, which sets out to fill in the silhouette left by her father's mother, and along the way uncovers her own foothold in American history.


    UNC Charlotte Distinguished Speakers Forum presents: DEBBIE ALMONTASER
    7:00PM – Free/Cone Student Center, UNC Charlotte
    Ms. Almontaser helped launch New York City's first Arabic-language school, the Khalil Gibran International Academy, in 2006. Ms. Almontaser, a career educator and community activist, arrived with a reputation as a Muslim moderate, but she quickly came under fire by vocal critics of the school. Under intense media scrutiny and accusations of sympathizing with terrorists, she was forced to resign in August 2007. The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission found in March 2010 that the NYC Department of Education had discriminated against Ms. Almontaser and "succumbed to the very bias that creation of the school was intended to dispel and a small segment of the public succeeded in imposing its prejudices on D.O.E. as an employer."
    A meet and greet reception with refreshments will be held immediately following the lecture.

    DAVID SEDARIS
    7:30pm – Belk Theatre
    With sardonic wit and incisive social critiques, David Sedaris has become one of America’s pre-eminent humor writers. The great skill with which he slices through cultural euphemisms and political correctness proves that Sedaris is a master of satire and one of the most observant writers addressing the human condition today. Don’t miss this award-winning, NC native’s Charlotte appearance and see why the Washington Post calls him “One of America’s most prickly and most delicious, young comic talents.”


    Tuesday Oct. 19

    “DOCTOR! DOCTOR!” – presented by the Latin American Forum
    6:00-8:30pm – Mint Museum/2730 Randolph Rd.  Suggested Donation: $15
    Come and see a series of short melodramas written in the style of Latin American soap operas, using humor and cultural flavors of Spanish speaking countries.  These skits present the diverse realities, conflicts, expectations and cultural differences among healthcare providers and Latino patients living in this region.  The goal is to raise awareness of Latino health related issues, cultural differences and lifestyles that often cause misunderstandings and prevent effective doctor-patient relationship and treatment.
    A panel of experts will answer questions at the end of the play, courtesy of the Latin American Women’s Association.


    Wednesday  Oct. 20

    BELLYDANCE SUPERSTARS present “Bombay Bellywood”
    7:30pm – McGlohon Theatre (N. College St.)
    Taking an ancient art form, previously relegated to clubs and restaurants, and turning it into a mega show to compete head on with the likes of Riverdance and Stomp, Bellydance Superstars do for bellydance what Cirque de Soleil did for the circus.
    Produced by Miles Copeland (The Police, I.R.S. Records), the new show will merge traditional, and Tribal Bellydance with Indian dance styles rich in costuming and exciting emotive, infectious music. With 6 years of touring, performing over 700 shows in 22 countries, Bellydance Superstars is a dance troupe that does not disappoint!



    Thursday Oct. 21

    Screen at Levine: “WELCOME TO SHELBYVILLE
    7:00pm – Levine Museum of the New South
    This powerful film provides a glimpse of America at a crossroads. In the small town of Shelbyville, in the heart of America's Bible Belt, a community grapples with rapidly changing demographics. Just a stone's throw away from Pulaski, Tennessee (the birthplace of the Ku Klux Klan), longtime African American and white residents are challenged with how best to integrate with a growing Latino population and the more recent arrival of hundreds of Muslim Somali refugees. Screening will be  followed by an audience talkback.
    Free -  RSVP by calling 704.333.1887 ext. 501 or rsvp@museumofthenewsouth.org


    Friday Oct. 22

    INTERIORS+ (exhibition)
    5:00-7:00  *Opening reception  - Max L. Jackson Gallery, Queens University (free)
    This exhibition highlights the work of some of Charlotte’s great interior designers. Small vignettes showcasing their signature styles will be presented. Both residential and commercial projects will be formally displayed, as will additional art forms, revealing the range of the designers’ creative expression.


    “PLANETS!” - KnightSounds – NEW Program Series from The Charlotte Symphony
    6:30-8:30pm – Knight Theatre
    Ticket prices: $30 (includes hors d’oeuvres, museum admission & concert**)
    With Christopher Warren-Green, conducting and with support from the Women of the Oratorio Singers of Charlotte, the symphony will perform Holst’s amazing symphonic work, The Planets, accompanied by breathtaking NASA footage in this multimedia spectacular. Outside the theater, step into a portable planetarium, provided by Discovery Place, to take a peek at the stars! This is the 1st of (3) concerts this season.
    **Subscribe to all 3 concerts for $78 and save!


    BALLANTYNE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
    7:30pm - South Mecklenburg Presbyterian Church
    Enjoy an evening of chamber music, featuring: Beethoven, Egmont Overture; Haydn, Trumpet Concerto in Eb – guest soloist Michael R. Baker, New York Mendelssohn, Symphony No. 1.
    For information & to purchase tickets, click below:


    LOST IN WOONSOCKET” - Documentary film screening
    7:30pm – Mint Museum/Uptown – FREE
    Missing for years, two alcoholics are discovered living together in the back woods of Woonsocket, R.I. A series of profound coincidences lead to miraculous reunions with their families and a chance at treatment, recovery, and redemption. With the help of a philanthropic film crew the film proves that, even in the face of adversity, the human spirit can triumph. Directed by award-winning filmmaker John Chester.



    Saturday Oct. 23

    Open Studio Saturday” @ THE McCOLL CENTER
    11:00-4:00pm
    Stop on by and meet the current “Artists-in-Residence”:
    •  Jonathan Brilliant who installed the coffee stir stick installation in the main gallery.
    •  Fahamu Pecou, Gantt Center AIR, and find out why he calls himself “the Shit.”
    •  Lauren DiCioccio who is working on hand-sewn letters for deployed soldiers.
    •  Laurie Frick, Carolinas HealthCare AIR, who integrates neuroscience into the visual arts.
    •  Daniel Allegrucci and Patricia Raible who are both working on projects for their opening reception on November 19 in the 2nd and 3rd floor galleries.
    •  Lori Larusso who creates stunning visual and edible works of art.
    •  Anthony Schrag whose art does not hang on the walls, he does.


    REEFER MADNESS: The Musical
    8:00pm – Duke Energy Theatre (tickets: $16-$28)
    Inspired by the original 1936 film of the same name, this raucous musical comedy takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the hysteria caused when clean-cut kids fall prey to marijuana, leading them on a hysterical downward spiral filled with evil jazz music, sex and violence. Tonight is the final performance of what Backstage (Eric Marchese) calls "The funniest thing to come down the pike -- or the pipe -- in a while."
    * Contains Adult Content. Recommended for ages 16 and over.


    Charlotte Film Society presents: “EVIL
    7:30pm –Theatre Charlotte
    Admission: $5 for film society members; $8 for non-members
    Swedish film (2003) directed by Mikael Hafstrom, and set at an elite boys' secondary school in the mid-1950's, illustrates how cruelties exacted in the name of initiation are perpetuated year after year in a closed system of tit-for-tat violence.


    Sunday Oct. 24

    THE CHAMBER SINGERS & CHORALE – Queens University
    3:00pm – Belk Chapel  (FREE)
    The Music Department @ Queens University presents two student groups performing a fall concert: The Chamber Singers and Chorale. Repertoire features inspiring chorale music from across the centuries. The Chamber Singers tour annually, including a recent visit to Poland. Each year, Chorale performs for important Queens campus traditions such as the Moravian Love Feast and Baccalaureate.


    BLACK LABEL SOCIETY & CLUTCH
    7:30pm – Fillmore Charlotte (tickets: $49.50)
    Check out Zakk Wylde (former guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne) and his band Black Label Society for some unapologetic heavy guitar rock when they pass through Charlotte in support of their recent national Top 5 selling album “Order of the Black”. Another must-see on the bill is the incredible live show by Neil Fallon & CLUTCH. This bluesy, hard rock jam band has more than earned their cult-like following! Also appearing is Children of Bodom.




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    Week of October 25, 2010

    Monday  Oct. 25

    WUNDERKINDER: The Directors of New German Cinema
    ** Today through Sunday Oct. 31st **
    The Light Factory presents a series of films that examine New German Cinema.  This movement lasted from the 60s through the 80s.  The films presented include “The Last Revenge,” “Wings of Desire,” “Nosferatu,” “The Marriage of Maria Braun,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Young Törless,” “The Tin Drum,” “The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum,” and “The Legend of Rita”.   There will be discussions, Q&As and workshops to learn what these films mean then and now.
    Director Volker Schlöndorff will be the special guest, appearing October 29 through October 31.  He is the director of 5 of the presented films.   
    For more information, schedule of films and locations, please click below:


    Tuesday Oct. 26

    FAREED ZAKARIA
    7:00pm - Belk Theatre/Blumenthal Center -   tickets: $40
    Described by Esquire as "the most influential foreign policy adviser of his generation," widely respected journalist and CNN Host will be speaking and taking audience questions in this hour-long appearance at the Belk Theatre.
    For tickets, click below:



    Wednesday  Oct. 27

    MARK DE CASTRIQUE (Author) @ Park Road Books
    6:30pm
    Beloved Charlotte author will be reading and signing copies of his latest Barry Clayton mystery, “Fatal Undertaking: A Buryin' Barry Mystery” which was released this month.


    BECKY’S NEW CAR” – Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte
    7:30pm – Opening Night!!  (tickets: $24)
    Steven Dietz, award-winning author of last season’s hit thriller YANKEE TAVERN, delivers a witty and fresh new comedy in BECKY’S NEW CAR, a story about life, love, marriage and the detours we take on road to happiness. See why the Seattle Times declares it  “..a warmly humorous and nimble romantic farce that doesn’t oversell itself…”  Through November 13th.


    ISAAC RUSSELL (singer/songwriter)
    7:30pm - Evening Muse
    Worth checking out:  Hear 18 year old singer, songwriter and guitar troubadour Isaac Russell, on tour to support the August release of his
    self-titled debut EP, on Columbia Records.  Having recently toured with
    Pete Yorn, the buzz is growing.
    Thursday Oct. 28

    INTERNATIONAL SPEAKER SERIES:   MICHAEL O’HANLON
    3:30-4:30pm – UNC Charlotte, Atkins Library, Dale Halton Reading Room (FREE)
    Michael O'Hanlon is a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institute with expertise in the areas of national security and defense policy. He will be speaking about his recent book, "Toughing it Out in Afghanistan", co-authored with Afghan-American Hassina Sherjan.
    Co-sponsored by the: World Affairs Council of Charlotte, Office of International Programs, Department of Global, International and Area Studies, & the Atkins Library


    THE 15 PROJECT" with FAHAMU PECOU
    6:00-8:00pm – McColl Center for Visual Art (free)
    The 15 Project is an irreverent and informative talk-show style program where invited guests experience their 15 minutes of fame with Fahamu Pecou, Gantt Center Artist-in-Residence. A witty, often spontaneous look at all aspects of pop culture, the 15 Project seeks to bridge the gap between the worlds of art and culture and the general public. The show spotlights exemplary figures, not only in the fine art world, but also in entertainment, politics and education and is presented in a manner that is appealing to audiences across social, economic, racial and cultural demographics.
    Friday Oct. 29

    A TRIBUTE TO EDITH PIAF – Music & Museum Series *debut*
    Bechtler Museum of Modern Art
    5:00pm/champagne reception -  5:30/performance
    Tickets: $15/members, $20/non-member (seating is limited)
    This theatrical event complements the Bechtler’s new exhibition, School of Paris: European Abstraction Post World War II, which presents artworks created in the French capital during the mid-20th century. A Tribute to Edith Piaf, featuring local actor Polly Adkins, is presented as part of the Bechtler’s Music and Museum Series. Museum president John Boyer will provide commentary prior to the performance.


    CIVIL WAR GHOST WALK
    7:00-10:00pm  Latta Plantation (admission: $8)
    A spooktacular historic event as you are led by a guide through a haunted Civil War site!  Venture through an explosive Civil War battlefield, escape the trenches, witness family mourning their lost loves in the house, make your way through a battlefield hospital, and much more!
    *not recommended for young children


    UNC CHARLOTTE DANCE ENSEMBLE:  FALL CONCERT
    8:00PM – Robinson Hall, Anne Belk Theatre
    Tickets: $14 Public, $9 Senior, $9 Faculty/Staff , $6 Student
    The 2010 Fall Concert features works by faculty choreographers, EE Balcos, Sybil Huskey, Kim Jones, and Delia Neil. All works are performed by students in the Department of Dance.



    Saturday Oct. 30


    CARRIE UNDERWOOD
    7:30pm – Time Warner Cable Arena
    Grammy-award winning artist and two-time winner of the Academy of Country Music’s Entertainer of the Year Award passes through Charlotte in support of her #1 selling album “Play On”.


    CAROLINA PRO MUSICA “Hits From The Past” (1400s and 1500s)
    8:00-10:00pm  St. Martin’s Episcopal Church (E. 7th Street)
    Tickets: $15/$7.50 (students and seniors)
    Carolina Pro Musica promotes the performance of music written before 1800 through the use of historic instruments and/or copies and in the performance practice of the periods in which the music was written.  They have received grants from the North Carolina Arts Council, the South Carolina Arts Council, and  the National Endowment for the Arts among others. Tonight’s program includes songs so popular they became the basis for other secular and sacred works all across Europe!


    Sunday Oct. 31

    DAY OF THE DEAD – FESTIVAL OF SOULS
    Noon-4:00pm – Levine Museum of the New South
    FREE admission all day, plus activities, alters, food, story-telling and more. In partnership with the Latin American Coalition, experience a traditional Dia de Los Muertos / Day of the Dead celebration - a time when Mexican families remember their dead and the continuity of life.


    HALLOWEEN ORGAN CONCERT – Davidson College
    7:30pm & 11:00pm– Davidson College Presbyterian Church
    Halloween night tradition continues as Organ at Davidson presents 7:30 and 11:00 PM showings of the 1922 classic horror film "Nosferatu, A Symphony of Horror”. It features Max Schrek with spine-tingling organ improvisations by St. Alban's Henry Lebidinsky. Free, with donations encouraged to continue the annual series. See www.dcpc.org or call 704-892-5641




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