July-August 2005
Contents
The Cable Guy
Comedian Bill Maher riffs on stand-up, terrorism, and turning 50
interview by Anjula Razdan
Out of Sight
“Over there” is a tricky concept for a man who is losing his vision
by Ryan Knighton, from Saturday Night
Turn Up the Quiet
Turn Up the Quiet
One guy goes on a quest for sonic bliss and a good night’s sleep
by David Schimke
Pump Up the Volume
What does a bird have to do to meet a mate these days?
from Earthfirst!
Hell Is Other iPods
The iPod is revolutionizing personalized media–and fostering digital loneliness
by Caspar Melville, from New Humanist
The Father of Acoustic Ecology
R. Murray Schafer talks about improving our soundscape
interview by Anjula Razdan
The Music Listener
One woman discovers the song of the turning world
by Lesley Garner, from Caduceus
Music to Our Ears
The Utne staff chimes in on their favorite sounds
The Road We’ve Taken
In a land with no speed limit on economic growth, how do we hit the brakes?
by Michael D. Yates, from Monthly Review
Breaking Up with Smitty
Why do we hang on to friends we know aren’t good for us?
by Andi Zeisler, from Secrets & Confidences
Knowledge for Sale
Are America’s public libraries on the verge of losing their way?
by Chris Dodge
The New Monastic Librarians
Meet some people dedicated to preserving the fringes of culture
by Chris Dodge
View
A River Runs Through It
A new helical turbine should help speed the demolition of dams
by Alyssa Ford
China’s Other Wall
While China opens new doors to the world, its government continues to censor the media
by Jehangir S. Pocha
Cut, Curl, and Counsel
Victims of domestic abuse find safe haven at their favorite salon
by Ellen Perlman, from Governing
A Circle of Tough Love
A Mennonite organization launches a successful program to help sex offenders
by Julia Morgan, from Saturday Night
The Digital Revolution
Digital movie distribution is coming soon to a theater near you
by James Diers
Latin America’s Al Jazeera
Will Venezuela’s new state-sponsored TV station speak for the masses?
by Laine Bergeson
House Concert Craze
The future of live entertainment is in your living room
by Julie Simmons, from Harp Magazine
Sneeze-Free, Naturally
Ayurvedic remedies can stave off the sniffles
by Niika Quistgard-Devivo, from Yoga Journal
Focus: Green Transportation
Reclaiming the Road
Meet the Midwest’s cartooning bike activists
by Leif Utne
Fly the Guilt-Free Skies
Discover ways to ease the environmental impact of travel
by Jeff Greenwald, from Onearth
Green Your Ride
Is it time to cut down at the pump?
by Erik Vance, from AMC Outdoors
The Good Ship
New impellers could help green the shipping industry
by Chuck Terhark
Gleanings
Now & Then
One woman considers the differences between the present and the past
by Genie Zeiger, from The Sun
The Hemingway Challenge
Twenty-five writers scale back–waaay back–and pen six-word novels
from Blackbook
The Fictional Pharmaceuticals of Philip K. Dick
These sci-fi drugs are still make believe–for now
by Alice Kim, from The Believer
Author, Author
One man argues that writing should stay private–and never involve author photos
by Mark Greif, from n + 1
After the Ceremony
A feast is delayed by a long, long prayer
by Vic Glover, from Keeping Heart on Pine Ridge
Utne’s Readers
Creative-Class Nomads
