bsection
 The Great Disconnection of 2008
Up until recently, a typical day for me went something like this:
Check out anytime you like ... but the urge to re-plug never leaves.
My 15-year-old sister just had her text messaging privileges revoked, because she sent and received 15,000 last month. When I said her phone may explode from overuse, she replied: "Well, it does get hot."
Natasha Bedingfield talks love, recapturing 'Unwritten' success, and finding love
NEW YORK - Natasha Bedingfield may not universally known, but her song is.
Calendar
A simple Cinco de Mayo
Anyone who celebrates Cinco de Mayo has his or her favorite dishes and traditions, if only a margarita and a bowl full of chips, or a couple of icy mugs of Tecate or Dos Equis.
For every taste, there's a tequila that's just right
Blue agave plus distillation equals heaven. At least, that's the shorthand definition of tequila, the classic liquid fire of Mexico.
Eats: Colette's Place Diner
Long-time Lisbon Street fixture Colette's Place Diner reopened on April 2 with hardly a peep. One day it was closed for renovations, the next a cheerful "Open" banner hung outside the door, fluttering in the breeze.
Face Time: Jenny Moulton
Jennifer "Jenny" Moulton - Maine resident and UMO grad - made a home in the Twin Cities a few years ago after interning at the Androscoggin Chamber of Commerce. Now an integral part of the Chamber team, she's organizing the first Grains and Grapes (beer and wine) Festival at the Colisee June 21. When she's not planning her wedding or crooning to her canine.
Opening this week
Few actors in the recent spate of superhero blockbusters have owned their roles in the way Robert Downey Jr. owns the part of Tony Stark, aka Iron Man. As the multi-millionaire weapons developer-turned-armored freedom fighter, the 43-year-old actor single-handedly elevates this B-list hero to A-list status. Downey is so good, the movie itself can't help but suffer every time he's off-screen, which fortunately isn't very often. Directed by Jon Favreau, "Iron Man" is a straightforward origin story that efficiently outlines who "Iron Man" is and how he came to be. After he's kidnapped by Islamic terrorists following a weapons demonstration in Afghanistan, Stark builds himself a suit of armor to escape and, once he's back stateside, turns that prototype into a gleaming weapon of mass destruction (albeit for the good guys). In between the action scenes, Stark finds time to flirt with long-suffering assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and bumping fists with Air Force buddy Jim Rhodes (Terrence Howard). The movie's biggest flaws is the lack of a strong villain and its slim storyline - here's hoping the inevitable sequel rights both these wrongs. Provided Downey is back in the title role though, "Iron Man 2" seems like a no-brainer.
What's your gripe?
I hate to see police or public works vehicles idling on the streets, or in front of businesses and schools. I once witnessed a police car idling for a solid half-hour. The rest of us do it when we leave, why shouldn't they? These public officials should shut off their engines, stop polluting and stop wasting taxpayer dollars.
Rumors swirl around new iPhone
As the tech world gets ready for a new version of the iPhone this summer, the rumor mill is in full swing with a list of reported new features and programs that Apple - if not secretly seeding - has to be delighted about. It's like last year all over again when the iPhone release was so hyped that lines across the country formed 24 hours in advance of its debut.
The suit makes 'Iron Man'
These comic-book movies, they all start the same, with that montage of Marvel animated heroes. They all end the same. You know what I'm talking about.
Mystery photo
If you can identify where this photo was taken, contact us at bmail@sunjournal.com or call 689-2896 and leave a voice mail with your answer. Please leave your name and phone number. Correct entries will be eligible for a drawing for a $20 Dunkin' Donuts gift card. Go online to www.sunjournal.com and click on the "Mystery Photo" headline to view a soundshow of the year in Mystery Photos.
Night Life
Some events require tickets or are subject to other limitations. If in doubt, we recommend you contact the venue at the number below. Night Life listings must be e-mailed to bmail@sunjournal.com and received no later than Thursday.
On the table: Carrot, ginger, papaya and coconut milk soup
The cakes, pastries and Valrhona hot chocolate are only half the story at Olive et Gourmando, where chef and owners Dyan Solomon and Eric Girard bring comfort to your table, as in this deliciously sweet and savory soup.
Pinball wizard
Looking at the front of James Edes' Milton, Wash., home, you'd never guess what's inside. Living room and kitchen give no clue to Edes' consuming electronic passion.
Plane aggravating
Nope, you're not imagining it. Air travel has become as enjoyable as a root canal, and it's going to get worse. Here are suggestions for how, and why, to take the behavioral high road in the sky.
Poker Junkie
The sun will always rise.
Politics and music, longtime bedfellows
War.
Road Trip: Route 302 west
Last year, b took you along Route 302 from Windham through Bridgton. Today we continue the trip on 302 west to Fryeburg. It's a short trip, only 15 miles between the two towns, but a very rewarding drive indeed. Fryeburg is located on the Maine/New Hampshire border, just minutes away from Conway (shopping bliss), surrounded by mountains and home to the famous Fryeburg Fair (Sept. 28-Oct. 5 this year).
Gear: A run-friendly MP3
They're everywhere. They run on lakefront sidewalks and city parks. They zip through forest preserves and mountain trails. And they do it all without music. Then, there's the rest of us. The MP3 dependant. The type of runner who heads home when the battery dies or the playlist seems stale.
Power-tool racing: Make that belt sander move
Power-tool racing.
Squeezebox Duet accesses audio library from one spot
Logitech's dominance in the peripheral market continues with the Squeezebox Duet. This slimmed down model is an all-in-one home audio controller featuring a full color display, charge station, Wi-Fi and access to free Internet radio content. Using your wired or wireless network, the Duet will access your audio library without touching your computer. Think of it as an iPod for your house. This may be one of the easiest ways to setup a multi-room music system at home, and the price is much more appealing than the expensive competition.
Portishead releases sublime third album
Without warning, bands can and do often say, "and now for something completely different." With an excruciating 10-year, unofficial hiatus separating "Third" and the eponymous second Portishead studio release, one should naturally expect massive change. As such, a first listen to the unimaginatively titled "Third" can be a little confusing or even off-putting. The static laden samples and sluggish scratching are gone, and most electronic effects have been pushed into a warmly analog Moog and Theremin role. However, patience and a little faith reveal Portishead's third LP to be a work of sublime subtlety and dynamic depression easily on par with its critically adored predecessors. Building on the second album, this is their most "live" studio work yet, as well as their most obviously diverse effort. "The Rip" is a fine piece, starting off with a humble Theremin howl and a finger-picked acoustic guitar. "Plastic" is probably most like the mid-'90s Portishead we came to worship. "We Carry On" has an up-tempo, tribal beat and steady moaning keyboard. Overall, "Third" appears to give jazz guitarist Adrian Utley more reign in songwriting, while turntablist producer Geoff Barrow has put his coffin away in lieu of outboard analog gear. Yet as always, the unsettling lounge singer stylings of Beth Gibbons is the focal point. - Filmore Mescalito Holmes
Talk of the town
On Birch Street, a thief tried unsuccessfully to break into an apartment by prying a window with a fork. Cretin. Clearly, he was using his salad fork instead of the illegal home entry fork aligned on the far left side of the napkin.
Nyko Perfect Shot takes Wii shooters to next level
With the Perfect Shot from Nyko, we're finally seeing a practical application for use with most Wii shooter games. The snap-on housing gives your Wii remote the look and feel of a pistol. The Perfect Shot is heavier than you might think, and with the Wii remote loaded in, it feels very solid. The only moving parts you'll find are the trigger and mounting bracket located on the tip of the gun.
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