http://www.metrotimes.com/blog/reckless.aspArts, culture and the idiot windhttp://www.metrotimes.com/blog/reckless.asp?perm=1048There is a theory in TV criticdom that one can usually tell how high a network's expectations are for a new series by how much money they've sunk into its press kit. The media guide for Justified, the Old West saga for the 21st century premiering at 10 p.m. Tuesday, March 16 on FX, is gorgeous: muted tones of red, gray and brown, thick paper stock, full-page biographies of all its major players, and a die-cut recess to hold the preview DVD. Glitz.FX probably feels (sorry, can't help it) justified in such promotional extravagance because the voice behind its newest original series is America's greatest living Western and crime novelist — our own Bard of Bloomfield Village, Elmore "Dutch" Leonard. Evoking the edgy tension of No Country for Old Men, Justified is built around the character of...Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:43:01 ESThttp://www.metrotimes.com/blog/reckless.asp?perm=988Did you hear the one about the fighter pilot and the monk?If that sounds like the beginning of a joke, think again! We just got an announcement for a speaking engagement featuring those unlikely bedfellows.In this case, it's a talk about staying fearless in a tough economy, featuring ordained monk Michael Roach and Navy Blue Angel pilot John Foley. The talks, to be held at the Westin Southfield at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 31, and Thursday, April 1, seems to be all about staying strong and making lemons out of lemonade.But, seriously, a Buddhist monk and a fighter pilot? If Buddhism's reputation for pacifism seems an odd fit for the death-from-above set, it just gets weirder. (Not that we're experts here, and we understand there are some wrinkles to the Buddhism-equals-pacificism equation.)...Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:26:52 ESThttp://www.metrotimes.com/blog/reckless.asp?perm=983And the winner of our Live and Lust Poll III drawing is ... 27-year-old Annika, who told us she looks for hands in a man, small waist-to-big ass ratio in a woman, who wold like two guys at once, and who advises (for long-term relationship mojo maintenance): "Make sure sex is on your list of things to do and give each other sexy surprises." She also gives a thumbs down to sexting with pics and the withdrawal method, admonishing ladies to make sure it's wrapped up: "You cannot trust anybody. Tiger is proof!" Annika wins a gift bag of goodies from Lover's Lane. You get to read a selection of poll answers and suggest questions for Live and Lust IV at letters@metrotimes.com. ...Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:46:54 ESThttp://www.metrotimes.com/blog/reckless.asp?perm=982Those who know Mick Vranich, whether through his Word Band, his books of poetry, his spoken word performances, or through the private gallery space he runs with his wife Sherry Hendrick, know he is a kind and gentle person who's not easily forgotten. But now is an especially important time to remember the countercultural fixture: He needs help.We recently learned that Vranich took a pretty bad fall on a construction site, suffering a head injury, a punctured lung and two broken vertebrae. Needless to say, we doubt that Vranich or Hendrick have much in the way of health insurance. This means they'll have to rely on community support instead.Hence the fundraiser announced for tomorrow night, at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, at the Old Miami, 3930 Cass Ave., Detroit; 313-831-3830. Expect an eveni...Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:43:12 ESThttp://www.metrotimes.com/blog/reckless.asp?perm=977Recently, New York City declined $200 million in federal funds for hosting the trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and other alleged 9/11 terrorists, citing the traffic jams and other hassles it would bring. We can understand Mayor Michael Bloomberg's reluctance to green light it, even with the generous subsidy. We've tried getting around Manhattan just when the president visited; it does become a traffic nightmare. Imagine the snarl a terror trial could cause!So the wags over at Slate had an idea: They asked their readers to "nominate their own hometowns as alternative sites for the trials." Surprisingly, the winner in that informal poll was Detroit! (No word from Attorney General Eric Holder on whether he'll go along with the vox populi on this.)Calling the choice a "combination of practical...Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:36:40 ESThttp://www.metrotimes.com/blog/reckless.asp?perm=974As part of their on-going series Blueprint America, a program that reports on our nation's complex, ever-changing infrastructure, PBS took a good look at Detroit with Beyond the Motor City. Here's a clip:Two animated sequences take a stab at portaying what a new transportation system in Detroit might look like, and how it could operate. The Blueprint America team collaborated with transportation group America 2050 to create those sequences. Dig it: ...Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:22:55 ESThttp://www.metrotimes.com/blog/reckless.asp?perm=970A few weeks back, we took a look at four metro-Detroit organizations competing for a cool million, thanks to an innovative, Facebook-fueled grant giveaway ("Chasing the buck," Jan. 13). Gathering votes from Facebook friends the world over, Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, Friendship Circle and Sikhcess, both from West Bloomfield, and the Canton-based charity Hand by Hand all made it into the top 100, each winning $25,000. Metro Times learned Monday that two of the four, Mosaic Youth Theatre and Friendship Circle won further grant money from the Chase Community Giving Program. Though Mosaic Youth Theatre came up a bit short in the tally, failing to advance into the next round, the hearts and minds behind the Chase Bank grant giveaway were inspired by the amount of support behind Mosaic and...Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:21:35 ESThttp://www.metrotimes.com/blog/reckless.asp?perm=961He's back ...Boundary-pushing artist Matthew Barney is in the midst of producing a series of performances and music (with composer Jonathan Bepler) for his new project, which, we hear, is a seven act, seven location, opera that draws its inspiration from Norman Mailer's 1983 novel, Ancient Evening. One act, "Khu," is set in Detroit. Akin to his highly revered work Cremaster Cycle, Barney's recent also plays with themes pulled from Egyptian ritualism.Barney will be speaking tomorrow night at the Detroit Film Theatre inside The Detroit Institute of Arts. This event is free and open to anyone holding a free pass. Seating is general admission; pass (want a free pass?) must be presented at registration for entrance to the lecture. Lecture starts at 7 p.m. Enter off of John. R. From Cremast...Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:48:23 ESThttp://www.metrotimes.com/blog/reckless.asp?perm=956Last summer we featured the work of 18 visual artists who — from a field of more than 350 applicants — had been designated Kresge Artist Fellows, and honored with $25,000 fellowships to go along with the title. The grants are part of a program funded by the Kresge Foundation and administered by the College for Creative Studies. In the latest phase of the program, 18 fellowships are again available to emerging and established artists, but this time for literary arts (criticism in all disciplines, creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, playwriting, interdisciplinary work involving the aforementioned) and performing arts (music composition in all genres, performance art, spoken work, sound, interdisciplinary work involving the same). The program, Kresge Arts in Detroit, is a community develop...Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:42:40 ESThttp://www.metrotimes.com/blog/reckless.asp?perm=955After we asked everybody to share their worst New Year's Eve stories, we had a ball reading through them. One of the funniest came from former Metro Times staffer Jen Lumpkin, who shared this doozy:One New Year's Eve, I was a "Kiss Sandwich" — it's true and tragic! I thought a guy was coming up to give me a New Year's Eve kiss and the clock was counting down. This gorgeous 6-foot-tall man was walking my way. I thought it was my moment, until I felt something touch my back. When I looked up I saw that an equally gorgeous 6-foot-tall girl was receiving my kiss. I am only 4-foot-10. So right above my head, lingered two tall pretty people kissing with me in the middle. Kiss sandwiched!So imagine our surprise when Lumpkin got in touch to point out this Craigslist post:Jen 4'10, the meat in a ki...Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:24:57 EST