The Wake

It’s puzzling to try to picture what that guy was doing in a spider hole, issuing orders to kill Americans when he knew he could not win. But Saddam Hussein did not become a bloodthirsty dictator through rational strategy. Had he wanted to, he could have called Karl Rove.No, Hussein most likely got his military intelligence from ancient religious prophecy. Aside from Dubya, that’s hard for most Americans to imagine. But we have right-wing fundamentalists here too, mainly in the South. I’m not sure what’s worse: Saddam’s lack of intel or Bush’s indifference toward the best intelligence network in the …

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The idea that someone can potentially find his or her soul mate without ever having to leave the house is every lazy person’s dream come true. With the invention of the Internet, computer nerds across the country were finally able to scour personal ads in search of the person they would hopefully lose their virginity to. But is online dating right for the rest of us who aren’t scared to death of the opposite sex? The number of people who have posted their profile on the web indicate the answer is “yes.” Online dating websites offer users the opportunity to …

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As an integral part of our community, theater is known for going to limitless heights to keep every type of audience on the edge of their seat. The Xperimental Theatre, located in the basement of The Rarig Center at the University of Minnesota, is by no means an exception to this standard. The X, as it is fondly referred to as, is a place for students from any and every department to satisfy all of their creative desires. Students submit their theatrical visions to the X Board, an elected group of students that creates an impressive line up for the …

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Students studying mainly on the St. Paul campus are not, in many ways, typical college students. Many of them spend time in barns and with sewing machines, rather than books and computers. But they, like all students, need to eat.Strangely enough, while leaving my comfort zone in Minneapolis and visiting the foreign land that is St. Paul, I had one of my most unusual dining experiences ever.My lunch at Muffeletta Café was pleasant, but unremarkable. The Muffeletta sandwich ($7.95), where the restaurant takes its namesake, was phenomenal. A signature of New Orleans, the Muffeletta contains layers of genoa salami, capicolla …

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I always knew Naomi Watts was talented, but I never could have imagined she’d be this good. We saw her in David Lynch’s 2002 psychological thriller Mulholland Drive, where she played the role of a woman fascinated by Hollywood glamour and stardom, mystified in a neurotic dream. Then, in Gore Verbinski’s 2003 horror flick The Ring, Watts again took on an artistic role as a reporter tangled up in the eerie mystery of a VHS tape.In 21 Grams, Watts looks like a young Nicole Kidman and has definitely solidified her abilities in becoming an extremely talented actress, which is obvious …

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“The Hills Have Eyes” is the second film directed by horror legend Wes Craven. Although it has become a cult classic, I do not see how this film is not recognized for its brilliance beyond the cult horror audience.The Carter family is on their way to California. They stop at a gas station and are told not to proceed on the highway they intended to use. It is a bomb range and “strange things” have been happening there. Of course, the family’s patriarch ignores the warning. To reward his idiocy, fate takes a turn and Big Bob (Russ Grieve) manages …

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The day the Babylon Arts and Cultural Center caught fire, a piece of the Twin Cities’ arts community burned down with it. The center was renowned for its unique art exhibits and for being one of the only all-age, alcohol-free music venues in Minneapolis. Obscure punk bands and artists considered too political by other galleries could count on the Babylon to give them a voice.Gustavus Adolphus Hall on Lake Street, in which the Babylon was located, abruptly caught fire at 9 a.m. on January 17, causing the entire block to be closed to traffic. A restaurant once visited by President …

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I remember four years ago when an unknown band from England named Coldplay dropped their first hit in the States called “Yellow.” The song was played constantly on radio stations across America and later became background music for teen-driven dramas on UPN and the WB. At that time, Coldplay was still considered the underdog to another Brit-rock band that was making a bigger dent in the charts: Starsailor. As a champion of Coldplay, I hated Starsailor and their debut album Love is Here. The true crooner of lost love and romance was Chris Martin of Coldplay, and he didn’t deserve …

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On February 24th, Cannibal Corpse will unleash upon the world The Wretched Spawn. Cannibal Corpse is the ultimate brutal death metal band, for those sorry individuals not yet aware of this fact. Cannibal Corpse are just as brutal and pummeling as on 2002’s Gore Obsessed, but they have stepped up the technical level of the material on this one. This is generally non-melodic, utilizing instead much more complex structures and riffing than melodic death metal. Pat O’Brien and Jack Owen play some of the most elaborate guitar parts I have ever heard, and they play them faster than almost anyone. …

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Imagine your grandmother sporting an AK-47 automatic machine gun with bullet belts slung over both her shoulders and a Bowie knife clenched between her teeth. With grenades strapped to her waistline and a rocket-launcher adorning her back, she’s a picture of pure evil…right? I mean, aren’t all gray-haired old ladies the living end of Western civilization?Well, I hate to spoil the headlines (”Wrath of Angry Senior Citizens Destroys L.A.” would be darkly comical), but unless dear old granny is Joan Rivers, than you’re probably safe and sound. That is, assuming that your average run-of-the-mill grandma these days can barely walk …

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My girlfriend said it before I thought it. The ‘80s are coming back. She uttered those prophetic words last summer, as we strolled down Hennepin across from Calhoun Square. Those five words stopped me in full stride. Flashes of bright florescent colors and excessively large hair interrupted my peaceful state of consciousness.“The ‘80s?” I asked, a bit taken aback. I then uttered a sound that defies the English language. Something like, “iiihhhhg.” I instantly realized that despite spending the first eight years of my life in this decade, I have never once felt nostalgic, nor have I ever had any …

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Irish bands seem forever doomed to recreate those sounds made popular by groups such as The Cranberries, U2 and even The Pogues, those sounds that immediately mark them as Irish. That’s not to say Irish music isn’t beautiful and diverse, but sometimes it becomes a gimmick, an obstacle some groups can’t get past. That’s not the case with The Thrills. Their first full-length album, So Much for the City, is packed with sunshine and sandy beaches, rather than crooning accents and wailing vocals. Influenced by ‘60s musicians like the Beach Boys and Burt Bacharach, So Much for the City is …

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Jazz and blues have always been present in Norah Jones’ work, but in her second major label album, Feels Like Home, Jones moves her focus away from jazz to mellow guitar driven blues. The jazz that made her famous still has a large presence, but songs like “Creepin’ In,” which includes a duet with Dolly Parton, take country by the reins. “Creepin’ In” strums and bops to a different beat then what is typical of Jones. Yet, Jones’s smoke-curling-in-the-air voice is still magnificent in old-fashioned love, loss and pictorial melodies. Her tinkling ivories are as personal as her lyrics. Jones …

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Although a controversial topic for the light-hearted or light-headed, marijuana is something worth laughing about. Written and performed by Arj Barker, Doug Benson and Tony Camin — three pot-loving comedians — The MarijuanaLogues pokes fun at a drug we love to love, hate to love, or love to hate, all while paying “respectful homage” to the amazing theatrical experience of The Vagina Monologues. According to Doug Benson, each comic has something of their own to bring to the table: “Tony is the intellect, he uses a lot of facts from science. Arj is the dumb one. I’m sorta the one …

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For the most part, overnighters and stressing out for finals came to an end for one group of ‘U’ seniors Valentine’s Day night with the close of the “10 La Femme” fashion show.“Every year, the seniors majoring in fashion design must have one public exhibition,” said fashion design senior Cassandra Willms. Each student displays her senior line, a group of outfits that portray a similar theme throughout the many pieces of clothing. As usual, this year’s senior class decided to plan a fashion show that incorporated all of the seniors’ pieces, rather than seeking out venues to display their …

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