Opinion and Commentary
Music Review: With Self-Titled 2013 Album, Paramore & Hayley Williams Reshape Alternative Rock In Their Own Image
April 11, 2013 | Eric ShapiroOriginally published on indieshuffle
You hear that? That’s the sound of indie rock band Paramore tearing apart the vague entity that we call “punk rock” apart, only to stitch itself back together into something familiar, yet utterly unique. Nowhere … Read More
Film Review: “Room 237” Offers Few Insights Into Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining”
April 11, 2013 | Jonas PaslauskasRoom 237 is almost exactly what I thought it would be. I had huge reservations about seeing it, as The Shining is one of my favorite films and Stanley Kubrick is one of my all-time favorite directors. Read More
In the Wake of Manchin-Toomey, Why NRA’s “Good Guys with Guns” is a Bad Idea that Won’t Prevent Another Sandy Hook
April 10, 2013 | Eric ShapiroThe Manchin-Toomey bill may be the most significant gun control legislation to come before Congress in years, but it falls well short of what is needed. An assault weapons ban and a limit on clip sizes are not even on … Read More
Game of Thrones Episode Recap & Review – “Dark Wings Dark Words”
April 9, 2013 | Eric ShapiroWarning: This recap contains full spoilers for Game of Thrones Season 3 Episode 2, “Dark Wings Dark Words”
The following is a summary of “Dark Wings Dark Words” focusing on the major events of the episode. It is divided into sections featuring the show’s various protagonists: Jaime Lannister, Brienne of Tarth, Bran Stark, Margaery Tyrell, Robb Stark, Catelyn Stark, Roose Bolton, Theon Greyjoy and several new characters including Lady Olenna Redwyne, Thoros of Myr and Jojen and Meera Reed.
New York Mets vs. Miami Marlins Recap: Boys in Blue Start 2013 With a Bang
April 7, 2013 | Mike MandelkernCross-Published With Mets on My Mind (@MetsOnMyMind)
The New York Mets started the 2013 season with a bang: 19 runs over the first 2 games, to be exact. Jonathon Niese held the San Diego Padres to 2 runs over 6 2/3 innings on Opening Day and the Mets lineup drove in runners in scoring position virtually every chance they had. Read More
The Politics and Demographics of Climate Change Denial
April 3, 2013 | Eugene KaplanI suspect that after I listed some commonly accepted (by the scientific establishment) factoids, you have come to the conclusion that our planet is suffering from a deterioration of the environment due to one major trend – heating up of the atmosphere all over the world.
In our last discussion, I pointed out that about 14% of Americans don’t “believe” in global warming and about 30% question whether or not human activity contributes to global warming. Yet a huge majority of scientists accept the data. Read More
Justified Season 4 Finale – “Ghosts” – Review/Recap
April 2, 2013 | Eric ShapiroWarning: Full spoilers for Season 4 of FX TV series Justified, including season finale, “Ghosts.”
Showrunner Graham Yost and Justified‘s writers attempted a daring gambit with Season 4 of their critically acclaimed, criminally underrated series, starring Timothy Olyphant as southern … Read More
Slim Charles – Versus Fatso Jr EP – “Triangulate” Review
April 2, 2013 | Eric ShapiroOriginally published on indieshuffle
Representing a synthesis of disparate musical forms, Slim Charles wears their influences proudly, even as they carve out a sound that is distinctively their own. Traces of math rock, indie, space rock and funk are all … Read More
Walking Dead Season Finale – “Welcome to the Tombs” – Review & Recap
March 31, 2013 | Eric ShapiroThe Walking Dead has come a long way since its first season. Hell, it’s come a long way in the second half of Season 3. Back in October 2010, the show, based on the well-loved comic book series of the same name by Robert Kirkman, got off to a promising start. Directed by Frank Darabont, the first episode was a masterpiece of tension, a legitimately horrific portrayal of a post-apocalyptic America infested with zombies, as seen through the eyes of small-town cop and series star Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln). Read More
Game of Thrones Season 3 Premiere – “Valar Dohaeris” – Review & Recap
March 31, 2013 | Eric ShapiroWarning: This review contains spoilers from “Valar Dohaeris” as well as Game of Thrones Seasons 1 & 2
Fans of Game of Thrones’ first two seasons should not be surprised that the premiere of Season 3 is a bit slow. With so many characters … Read More