Thursday, October 10, 2019
Mario Patino’s Ravaged Landscapes and Rundown Interiors. When was the last time you paid a visit to the Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures? Well, make sure you go back before Dec. 15 to see this exhibit by a lifelong Tucsonan and artist-turned-miniaturist, Mario Patino. Rather than creating idyllic and idealistic depictions of the past, he creates realistic representations of his times growing up in the South Tucson barrio neighborhood, from a grimy telephone booth to a dusty pool hall to a cluttered vintage kitchen. There’s an authenticity to his work that makes it appealing, and there’s something about looking at these familiar, everyday scenes in miniature that makes you recognize their charm in a new way. Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures, 4455 E. Camp Lowell Drive. $10.50 GA, $8.50 senior/military, $7 student/youth, free for kids 3 and under. Details.
Accomplice. Don’t you love a good play where the atmosphere is just as full of adultery as it is murder? This show—the winner of the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Award, which is a very big deal in the crime and suspense theater world—delivers exactly that. Who is the title character of the show? If all goes according to plan, you’ll be guessing all the way to the end. Don’t accomp-miss this one! Preview performances at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10 and Friday, Oct. 11. Opening night Saturday, Oct. 12. Shows are 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Sundays through Nov. 16 (with a matinee and evening show on the last day). Live Theatre Workshop, 5317 E. Speedway Blvd. $20 GA, $18 military/senior/student, $15 Thursdays and previews. Details.
Nightfall at Old Tucson. Are you ready for October to get seriously spooky? Check out the four unique haunt experiences at this year’s Nightfall, including the Happy Clown Snack Factory, the Nightmare Infirmary and a family-friendly Silverlake haunted attraction. They’ve also got four live shows this year: the musical mystery Deal of Fortune, the super scary show The Neighbors, the comedic The Anti-Hero Virus and an opening ceremony hosted by a couple of gargoyles. Curious about Nightfall but not sure you’re ready? Grab a scare-me-not stick, to alert the monsters that you’re not in the mood to be jumped out at. Open 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursdays and Sundays and 6 p.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays throughout October (plus 5 to 10 p.m. on Halloween). Old Tucson, 201 S. Kinney Road. $29.50 adults, $22 kids 9 to 11, free for kids 8 and under. Details.
Film Fest Tucson. It’s back for this weekend only! Film Fest Tucson is continuing its goal to connect storytellers and audiences through film. And this year, it’s hitting multiple locations throughout town. The Scottish Rite, the AC Marriott and Fox Theatre are all getting involved in the festivities. Events include a screening and Q&A with writer/director of The Last Picture Show Peter Bogdanovich at Fox Theatre, and a documentary on scientists’ attempts to rescue the most endangered porpoise on earth in the Sea of Cortez premiered at the Scottish Rite. The festival lasts from Oct. 10 to Oct. 12 at multiple locations. Details.
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Since my last post was a rant about some misleading headlines in Tuesday's Star, let me begin this post by saying, the headline for this Star article is right on the money.
Pima County students lag rest of Arizona in passing standardized math testsHere's what I like about it.
First, it focuses on Pima County, not TUSD. Star headlines and stories about standardized test scores often focus on TUSD's scores, which are always lower than most other districts in the area. Knocking TUSD sells papers, which is the only reason I can figure that the Star is so fond of going for the district's jugular. But not this time.
Second, by saying the Pima County scores are lower than the state average in math, the headline implies that county schools equalled the rest of the state in English, which you learn in the story is true. I even like the word "lag," which suggests that the math scores trail the rest of the state, but not by much. That's true as well. Statewide, 42 percent of students passed the math test. In Pima County, it was 40 percent.
A good headline is a good headline is a good headline. Let me raise my glass and toast its creators.
The story is even better than the headline. When the Star's annual standardized test stories come out, I often find myself shaking my head and muttering, "Comparing district test scores means nothing unless you factor in family incomes." Then I sit down and write a post picking the article apart.
But as I read this article, I found myself nodding "Yes." After the first three paragraphs summarizing the county scores, the reporter launches into a discussion of why the districts' scores break down the way they do.
Tags: Standardized test scores , TUSD , Pima County , Image
"The King of Brazillian Pop," legendary composer/keyboardist Guilherme Arantes performs at Sea of Glass: Center for The Arts.
"And I think I'm dying/'Cause this can't be living/Should I be searching for some kind of meaning?" queries indie popper Amber Bain. From Buckinghamshire, England, The Japanese House are at 191 Toole.
Tags: Music , xoxo , concerts , live shows , Rialto , 191 Toole , Image
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
A headline sitting atop an op-ed in the Star's Tuesday print edition jumped out at me this morning.
What's worse? Schiff's parody or GOP's fantasies?Did the column's author really find Schiff's parody of Trump's call with Ukraine's President Zelensky bad, then try to figure out whether or not it was worse than the GOP's fantasies?
Absolutely not. The author praises Schiff's use of parody and calls the Republican outrage "overwrought," "disingenuous" and "easily dismissible."
That's the ease conveyed by two headlines I found elsewhere.
Impeachment and the death of parodyYou'll find the first version on the Star's website.
and
We should mourn parody’s demise
What the Star's Creative Headline Writing Team wrote is a classic example of false equivalency. "I guess both Schiff and the Republicans were acting badly," it implies. If Crisp wrote that, fine, but it's nowhere to be found in his column.
In 2010 I posted regularly about the Star's tendency to rewrite headlines to make them more conservative-friendly. I even conducted a poll where readers could choose the worst Star headline of the year. For years after that, I rarely spotted a blatantly misleading headline. Until recently, that is. In September I caught at least three of them in the print edition.
If it sounds like I'm nitpicking, I'm not. Headlines are the first thing people read — for many stories the only thing they read. When the heads don't accurately reflect the content of the story, readers get an incorrect sense of the story. Even if people read beyond the headline, those words in big, boldface type have an effect on how they understand the actual story.
Tags: Arizona Daily Star , Headlines , Image
Performing as part of Plaza Live! Tuesday Night Concert Series, like a summer monsoon, English bluesman Tom Walbank will leave you shaking your head in bewilderment wondering what just hit you. At St. Philip's Plaza.
"And you will know us by the trail of maple syrup." Alt/garage rockers Banana Pancakes intrepidly declare that "Charlie Sheen is a Punk Rocker." At Club Congress. Flanked by Droll and Crashing Saturn.
Tags: Music , XOXO , live shows , concerts , rock , blues , alt , garage rock , Image
Monday, October 7, 2019
Tags: Claytoonz , comics , politics , Clay Jones , Trump , Biden , Image
She's also a celebrity around these parts. She was featured in our Super Bowl commercial earlier this year! Watch Minx get her snuggle on in our Super Bowl ad by visiting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKDYTAywjH8
For a cat as cute as Minx, it's a shame that she has not been adopted yet. Come by HSSA Main Campus at 635 W. Roger Road to meet Minx and see for yourself why she's such a terrific kitty, or give an adoptions counselor a call at 520-327-6088, ext. 173 for more information.
Tags: pets , animals , cats , adoptions , Humane Society , Image
Free Open Mic at 7 p.m. at The Surly Wench. Oct. 14: Free improvised standup show with audience participation at The Switch at 9 p.m. at The Hut.
Tuesday, Oct. 8
Spelling Bee[r]. Show off your spelling skills and enjoy Tap & Bottle’s wide array of drinks at the same time! And if you aren’t confident in your spelling skills, a few drinks might just boost your book smarts. The spelliing bee[r] is free and you can win a big ol’ trophy, plus gift certificates to Tap & Bottle. They even award a gift if you’re the first person out in the round. 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8. 403 N. 6th Avenue. Details.
Dinner with Chefs at PY Steakhouse. Executive Chef Ryan Clark of PY Steakhouse at Casino del Sol started this series to highlight local chefs and culinary celebrities. For this year, they’re also including beverage experts. This event features bar director of Little Rituals, Aaron DeFeo. Enjoy this three-course steak dinner using mindfully-sourced ingredients alongside a few of the cooks’ favorite cocktails. Tuesday, Oct. 8. 5655 W. Valencia Road. Prices range from $75-$125 plus gratuities. To make reservations call PY Steakhouse at (520) 324-9350. Details.
Free open mic at Neighborhood Comedy at 6:45 p.m. at The Music Box Lounge.
Tags: things to do , food , fun , entertainment , comedy , steak , beer , Image
