Author: Chad Swaney
Chad Swaney, DPJ's Insecure Critic, describes himself as the human equivalent of Burton Barr Central Library. He's contemporary, but likes to be situated among the timeless. He's a bit too ambitious and probably spends too much time thinking instead of being practical. Like the library, he tends to attract the homeless. Chad is currently a doctoral student at Pepperdine University, studying social technology and learning. He spends his free time writing, but rarely sending, provocative tweets, and organizing the weekly Downtown Friday Nights (#dtfn) events. He can often be spotted at The Lost Leaf discussing anarcho-capitalist political philosophy, or at Lux frantically writing a paper about situated learning in a community of practice.
The Insecure Critic | Gay Rights and Light Rail are My Guilty Pleasures
I have somehow figured out how to live out a few guilty intellectual pleasures while maintaining my sanity, and getting to Downtown without the need to drive through the First Friday hullabaloo.
The Insecure Critic | How an iPhone is Like Portland
The goal of a thriving Downtown in Phoenix should be to make our town an iPhone.
The Insecure Critic | Why I Love Streets
I used to think that what made the city special was the convenience of walking. One of the biggest distinctions between Downtown and the suburbs is the way you drive in them.
The Insecure Critic | Why I Like the ‘Other’ Downtown
I’ve seen the grungy, amazing soul of what a Downtown arts community is supposed to look like. It is in the double-digit avenues, and it is awesome.
The Insecure Critic | Phoenix is Home Now
When I first moved to Phoenix, I never saw the move as something permanent. I expected to stay here for a few years, then move on. Something has kept me here, though.
The Insecure Critic | ‘McLibel’ Burrito Revolution
Stop by Revõ Burrito one of these nights, and odds are you will see me there enjoying a veggie combo.
The Insecure Critic | A Commercial For Anti-Commercialism with a French Press
Just as the annoying holiday commercials start coming on the air, I can’t recommend What Would Jesus Buy strongly enough.
The Insecure Critic | ‘Zombieland’ Warning: Hanny’s Drinks Required
If you see only one movie while drunk this year, may I recommend ‘Zombieland,’ the almost unbearably bad horror-comedy starring Woody Harrelson.
The Insecure Critic | A Place Where the Cashews are ‘Paranormal’
Twitter has been all, well, a-twitter about the new DIY-style horror flick ‘Paranormal Activity,’ so I thought I would check it out. The remodeled, revamped Nine|05 was the perfect food pairing.
‘Capitalism’ is a Sad Love Story with a Disquieting Ending
Michael Moore’s ‘Capitalism: A Love Story’ is a biting polemic that bounces back and forth between storytelling and bloviating, but it forces the viewer to take an honest look at the system that we have come to call capitalism.
