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Dec 2-8, 1998

Dec 2-8, 1998 / Vol. 14 / No. 48

Wil power

If you’ve never met Wil Walker — the “Wil” of Will’s Loch Haven Pub — he’s easy to envision. Just cast your mind back to the last big-screen teen comedy, in which a shaggy-haired slacker fought to save his local youth center from certain demolition. Remember how his snickering sarcasm couldn’t disguise our hero’s heart…

Steve Schneider

Untangling knots

Endometriosis, an illness that is fast becoming a scourge among females of child-bearing age, is a little-understood condition that can wreck havoc on health, emotions, career, relationships and sexuality. It causes infertility in about 40 percent of its victims and qualifies with Social Security for disability. Its cause is unknown, but theories range from genetic…

Dee Rivers

Bear essentials

If 2003 will be remembered for anything, short of the requisite intellectual apocalypse inspired by beefcake leadership, it will be its flippant celebrity scandals played out incessantly to the dull hum of the crowd. Seemingly on hyperbolic overdrive, the American consciousness — now veritably ruined by “reality” television and the surreality that implies — has…

Theresa Everline

Healthy reservations

The state Department of Insurance is demanding tougher standards for health-maintenance organizations. But the new rules, passed by the Florida Legislature and set to take effect Jan. 1, are not about quality of care. They’re about financial reserves. In recent months the state has seen three HMOs fail, unable to pay doctors’ fees. Such insolvencies…

Orlando Weekly Staff

Smooth railinâ??

The light-rail debate took a buck-passing turn last week as County Chairman Mel Martinez impaneled a seven-member study commission to advise him on the controversial proposal. Led by former Orlando Mayor Bill Frederick, the group is assigned to reread all previous light-rail studies and create a new one by February. The Orlando Sentinel seems to…

Orlando Weekly Staff

Not wired

A Virginia judge last week ruled that a public library’s Internet filtering software violated the First Amendment and ordered the library to cease. So the library turned off its Internet access altogether. The Loudon County Public Library case is the first court challenge to the blocking software, which is rare in libraries but has been…

Orlando Weekly Staff

Sneaking a peek

In February, the English owner of the two-football-fields-long freighter Oceanus agreed to pay the 700 natives on the isolated Pacific island of Satawal about $2 million for damage to a valuable coral reef caused when the skipper tried to maneuver out of the ship channel just so he could get a better look at the…

Chuck Shepherd

Venturaâ??s a reality check

If you think Washington politicians mostly don’t have a clue about what’s going on in the real world … you’re right! But politicians are almost down-home folks compared to the national reporters and pundits who cover our political world for the establishment media. What a hoot it was to see them try to explain the…

Jim Hightower

Works float between life and art

About 15 years ago, mixed-media sculptor Jack King began studying Oriental philosophy. Inspired by Zen Buddhism, King became fascinated with the idea of shedding all your worldly possessions and beginning a journey to a different life. “I wanted to be one of those people who could put all your stuff on a boat, push it…

Todd Deery

Experienced crew builds layered songs

Featuring former members of Stereolab and My Bloody Valentine!” screams the sticker on British band Snowpony’s debut, “The Slow-Motion World of Snowpony.” In the context of late-’90 alternative music, it’s hard to imagine a more prestigious pedigree, but the CD’s proclamation begs the question: Did Snowpony take anything from either band? Not much except experience,…

Maya Singer

Truth and consequences

There are a lot of awful, vapid, insipid things on TV. It’s great, isn’t it? TV is a tranquilizer that goes right through your eyes. At almost any bat time on almost any bat channel you can find altered consciousness without having to borrow pills from your friends, buy beer or “clear your mind of…

Liz Langley

Liz Langley’s gift guide

And so this is Christmas, and what have you done? When John Lennon asked this question in the only peacenik Christmas carol every written, it’s unlikely he anticipated the answer to be, “Not my damn shopping.” Nonetheless, it’s probably true for most of you. The fortunate have people to run these errands for them. The…

Liz Langley

Comfortable clutter

Sooner or later, chances are you’ll end up at White Wolf Cafe on a Saturday night. It might be to catch a cappuccino and dessert after a show at Theatre Downtown, which is right up the block. Or maybe to celebrate a special occasion with a group of friends around one of the bigger tables.…

Orlando Weekly Staff

Eager beginnings at Starbucks

When it comes to java addicts, you’d think the staff at Starbucks Coffee would have seen it all. But even they are surprised by the enthusiastic reception at the new outlet in Winter Park (415 N. Orlando Ave., 628-4803). Even before they open at 6 a.m. on weekdays, it’s not unusual for a handful of…

Colleen Moore

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