I have not followed the debate over the congressional bill to require a verifiable paper trail for all voting machines (HR 811: The Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act), so I was interested in [the recent] letter on the subject [“Heave Holt,” Dec. 12]. I was suitably alarmed by such statements as: “The bill is … Read more
I had a disturbing experience recently during a telephone conversation with the customer service department at Wachovia Bank. Having considerable difficulty understanding the individual I was speaking to, I inquired as to the location of the call center. The individual would not state the location of the call center, only that it was Wachovia’s customer … Read more
I greatly enjoyed the article in the “Holiday Guide” about the 12 days of Christmas and the Feast of Epiphany [“The Twelfth Day, Revealed: Orthodox and Hispanic Faithful Revere the Epiphany over Christmas,” Dec. 5]. However, it does not have to be as foreign and exotic as the article might lead one to believe. The … Read more
I don’t think I ever recall a challenge for a Spiritual Smackdown [“Let’s Have a Good Ol’ Stomp-and-Chant,” Letters, Dec. 26]—although I fear that someday some loony network will dream up such a premise for a reality show. But here it was, in the Mountain Xpress! In this corner: Lady Passion and her team of … Read more
There seem to be many people in the Asheville area who claim affiliation to some form of paganism, and from both pagan and Christian communities in the area there are many who seem inspired by the idea of “the Celts,” so it is not surprising that writer Alli Marshall chose to retell the story of … Read more
With the end of 2007, we also come to the end of another movie year, meaning that it’s time for that venerable tradition of the 10-best and 10-worst lists. People say that such lists are meaningless, and there’s some truth to that, if only because a year from now even the authors of such lists … Read more
As this is my first full year as “that other” film critic with the Xpress (and it’s been my experience that I’m sure that it’ll come as a shock to quite a few that there is more than just one), it also means that I get my very first top ten list. It’s an undertaking … Read more
The Southeastern Film Critics Association (SEFCA) named No Country for Old Men the Best Picture of 2007 in its 16th year of voting. The powerful crime thriller, based on Cormac McCarthy’s novel, earned a total of four awards, its other victories coming in the categories of Best Director (Joel and Ethan Coen), Best Adapted Screenplay … Read more
