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October 2008

Leisure

Photographing transitions

Julia Fullerton-Batten may have survived puberty, but she certainly didn’t make it out unscathed. Her photographic repertoire has thus far captured the fragility and instability of adolescence with an eerie, disquieting surrealism.

Her new works, part of the collective “In Between” exhibit at the Randall Scott Gallery, mark a transition, both in those awkward years she remains enthralled with, and in her photography, one which is quieter yet still profoundly disturbing.

By October 2, 2008

Leisure

Hate the hoofs

Shoes have really been irking me lately. In my last column, I directed my grievances at the frumpy footwear of D.C.’s young women, but this week, I’m moving on to the nation at large. While my quibble is with the manufacturers of runaway shoe trends, the real issue is with our nation’s tendency to eat up horrible spin-offs of brand-name shoes that were not so great to begin with.

By October 2, 2008

Leisure

Critical Voices: T.I., “Paper Trail”

Over the past year, T.I. has been in the news more for his legal problems than for his music. But apparently, despite being locked up under house arrest for weapons charges, T.I. has been paying attention. Paper Trail is a much better effort than 2007’s T.I. vs. T.I.P. and it re-establishes T.I. as one of today’s most important mainstream rap artists.

By October 2, 2008

Leisure

Critical Voices: Of Montreal, “Skeletal Lamping”

An open letter to Of Montreal front man Kevin Barnes:

By October 2, 2008

Leisure

Choke the Movie

“All I had to do was answer one simple question: what would Jesus not do?” Choke aims to answer this peculiar question of morality with a 90-minute cinematic rampage through sex addiction, self-discovery, and the realization that the embodiment of a holy foreskin’s DNA may be walking the earth. Chuck Palahniuk’s latest big screen adaptation is a dark comedy, in tune with a foul representation of human motive.

By October 2, 2008

Leisure

With St. Anna, Spike Lee creates a miracle

Directed by the legendary Spike Lee and based on the book by novelist James McBride (The Color of Water, Song Yet Sung), Miracle at St. Anna uses the true story of an African-American soldier during World War II to create a masterpiece that is equal parts mystery, war story, ghost tale and history.

By October 2, 2008

Leisure

New Ocean Hall is a whale of a good time

The Sant Ocean Hall marks the largest addition to the Museum of Natural History since it was constructed in the early 1900s, so it is only appropriate that it takes up an extremely large space and contains vast quantities of information. The Sant Ocean Hall is the kind of exhibit that will still be interesting on the third or fourth visit, and its aesthetics make you want to return just for the visual effect. The main hall contains glass display cases that curve around the space, leading visitors around the room in an orderly pattern. Oceanic hues of blue and green emanate from every display, and the entire room’s wavy and luminous quality gives the faint impression of being surrounded by water. A film of undersea scenes playing on panels surrounding the room makes the entire museum feel submerged.

By October 2, 2008

News

City on a Hill: Is D.C. down for the count?

D.C.’s September 9 primary elections should have been simple. Many of the races for the D.C. City Council were uncontested, and less than 14 percent of D.C.’s registered voters cast ballots. But the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics still managed to bungle the job, and the ineptitude they demonstrated raises serious questions about whether they will be able to handle the far greater challenge of overseeing the November 4 general election.

By October 2, 2008

News

Related break-ins on O Street

On Sunday at about 5:30 p.m., an unidentified male broke into the first and second stories of a townhouse apartment on 36th and O Streets.

By October 2, 2008

News

Fenty shutters Franklin Shelter

When Mayor Adrian Fenty (D) closed down the Franklin Homeless Center in Shaw last Friday, former Franklin resident Eric Sheptock told local activists of a “sleep-out” protest in the park across the street on his blog. However, he said, he would not be able to attend, because he had to follow his belongings to a new shelter.

By October 2, 2008