On a cold Chicago night sometime around the turn of the century, the seeds of a revolution were accidentally planted on the windshield of a young writer named Davy Rothbart.

These metaphorical seeds came in the form of a note meant not for Davy, but a supposed miscreant named Mario. The note read as follows:

>> Full Story

On a recent Tuesday afternoon on the second floor of Mitchell Hall, a meditation practice is taking place at its finest. The 50 students in Ferne Bronson’s African dance class are sprawled out across the floor after performing a rigorous movement phrase. Bronson stands tall at the front of the room and shouts, “I want you all to repeat after me.”

With that, Bronson takes in a deep breath and screams, “I am somebody!”

>> Full Story

The day after Thanksgiving is usually a day to relax, digest all the food you ate the day before and watch a whole lot of football. But, there is another thing that happens on this day. Malls and department stores open hours earlier than usual and have the best sales of the year. This day is known as Black Friday.

>> Full Story

Aging hipsters, clove-smoking 16-year-olds, and Milwaukee’s own world-famous dude-bros came together at The Rave on Nov. 11 for a night of good old fashioned rebel-rousing led by Modest Mouse and their unexpectedly magnificent opening act, Man Man.

As concert halls in Milwaukee go, The Rave is certainly not the classiest, certainly not the cleanest and certainly not the friendliest of institutions. But as a backdrop for the raucous gypsy romps and apathetic rebellion offered up by each of the respective performers, it was perfect.

>> Full Story

When I first found out about “I’m Not There,” an upcoming film chronicling the life of Bob Dylan, I got excited. Then I heard that seven different actors were playing the music legend, including Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett and Richard Gere, and I got even more excited.

Now, as the release of the film is nearly upon us, my excitement level has reached its peak. To add to all of this, Sony has just released a two-disc soundtrack for the film that contains 34 of Dylan’s classics covered by a whole slew of different artists.

>> Full Story

Oscar Wilde once wrote “Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.” At the heart of Saul Williams’ latest album, “The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust!” this ethos is certainly true.

The rising, anything but traditional, hip-hop star Williams is the latest artist to join the unofficial online release movement made popular earlier this year by Radiohead.

>> Full Story

It would be unfair to write this article without mentioning my unabashed affection for “Scrubs.” For six years, this 30 minutes of Thursday night television (and for that short while, Tuesday night) was something to look forward to.

The show, brainchild of “Spin City” creator Bill Lawrence, breathed life back into the sitcom, abandoning the laugh track and employing the one-camera shooting technique now used by many comedies like “The Office.”

>> Full Story

The idea that a four-year-old could be lauded by the art world, considered a legitimate artist and sell paintings for up to $25,000 is ludicrous. But hey, who really understands modern art anyway?

Amir Bar-Lev’s new documentary, “My Kid Could Paint That,” is a complex look at the way society perceives art, as well as how we can be easily duped and frustrated by things we don’t really understand.

>> Full Story

Ubisoft’s “Assassins Creed” for the XBox 360 is a pleasing look at things to expect from upcoming next-gen games. This much-anticipated stealth game has been creating excitement within the gaming community for over a year.

Set primarily within the 12th century crusades, the game takes place both in the present as well as in the past. The player takes on the role of Altair, a disgraced assassin who has been stripped of his title and must kill to regain it.

>> Full Story

When it comes to the holidays, nothing can compare to Thanksgiving. The food, the football and the family all combine and become one cohesive eating, celebrating and bickering machine.

It really is a bittersweet sight. Dad watches football while yelling at the little cousins to sit down and be quiet, mom slaves over the stove and you, the college kid, come home to it all, dreading the day when YOU will have to pay for the food and cook the meal.

>> Full Story

When I was a child I often had to hop on my bike and ride uphill three blocks to my best friend’s house so we could hang out in his basement with nothing more than Star Fox, 007 and our imaginations to keep us company.

If you don’t believe me, that’s your problem, because it’s completely true. I lived on a large hill in the town of Oregon, Wis. Google Map it. I dare you.

>> Full Story

No one will argue that music can make a film. I can’t count the number of times I’ve walked out of a theater and stopped thinking about the movie immediately, only to find myself humming part of the score on the drive home.

A movie’s theme can become as iconic as the film itself. Themes for flicks like “The Godfather,” “Star Wars” and “Psycho” are instantly recognizable to even the most novice of film-buffs.

>> Full Story

Seeing as how Canadians (the band), reign from Verona, Italy, perhaps “Italians” would have been a more fitting name. However, and perhaps I am naive, Italy has been known for a lot of brilliant things, but never for rock music.

That could change soon, however, as Canadians’ recent debut album, “A Sky with No Stars,” gains more and more acclaim in indie circles. A five-piece band whose members all had prior band experience, Canadians formed in 2005.

>> Full Story