Word: roots
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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Captain James Cook saw a lot of strange things when he was exploring Polynesia in 1769, but the virgins chewing kava brought him up short. After pulling the plant's root out of the ground, island girls worked it over in their mouths, reducing it to a pulp, then spit the whole mess into coconut milk. The mixture was then strained through fibers, collected in a bowl and consumed by the tribe at large. Cook's men found the practice distasteful, but what did they know? Kava, after all, had been a popular tonic in the South Seas...
What the Polynesians believed--and what many Americans now believe too--is that the lowly kava root has mind-altering effects. Prepared and consumed properly, it is said to alleviate stress, ease melancholy and generally elevate mood--all without addiction or hangover. Sound too good to be true? That hasn't stopped supermarkets, drugstores, health-food stores and discount chains like K Mart from stocking up on kava capsules, droplets and tea bags--or consumers from eagerly snapping them up. Kava sales in these stores jumped from barely a trickle to $3 million last year, and should double...
Even the Rambo-esque ending cannot save this movie. The audience does at least get to root against the new military (commanded, ironically, by a handful of ridiculously-foppish officers) and cheer when Todd lands a punch. Despite the gory violence, the predictable plot and obvious themes in the film are, in some ways, more painful experiences for the audience. A respectable performance by one actor and the creation of a stunningly vast garbage heap constitute the highlights in a film that cannot last very long in theaters where only the best films survive...
...those "worn-in" khakis and your Patagonia retro fleece and find those prep-school roots by dropping by the Paradise for a little drumming action by the different-is-better band, Rusted Root. Make sure you're prepared for some mind altering bongo-bashing as this band goes crazy looking for some kind of ethnic background through some funky rhythm and jarring lyrics. Paradise Rock Club, 967 Comm. Ave. Boston. 562-8800. Ticket prices vary...
...depending on how well you want to see the puck and how much money you want to save for the after-party. Pre-game it at Fours Boston at 166 Canal St., North Station T-stop. Then head over to the rink. Just be sure you root for the right team. 7:30 p.m., Fleet Center Call (617)931-2000 for tickets...