Category: What the…?

New movie about some sort of medieval Venetian sporting event:

Three years ago today, a man dragged my 83-year-old grandmother from a bed at her caretaker’s home and shot her.

Margaret Baker was someone whose interest in books and writing inspired my own. The intelligence she passed down through my father’s side of my family is something I’ve been exceedingly thankful for all my life.

OGREMAR, Indiana (DP) — Citing a “vast weather conspiracy”, as evidenced by the dual attacks of thunderstorms and tornadoes and the release of “The Day After Tomorrow” on Memorial Day weekend, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge today announced a “war on God”.

“There is no doubt that these storms were ‘Acts of God'”, Ridge said. “The Homeland Security Department has determined that God is determined to strike again in the U.S. — and possibly elsewhere in the world — most likely before the elections this fall. We intend to prevent those attacks wherever possible.” Ridge did not respond to repeated questions for specifics about Homeland Security’s anti-God plans, but did say that God is suspected to have operatives “all across this country, in virtually every city and town”.

When asked why Attorney General John Ashcroft wasn’t in attendance at the press briefing, and whether he concurred in the prosecution of a new conflict, Ridge said, “He got the memo”, then abruptly ended the meeting.

Trans-Atlantic train travel.

I’ve always been a fan of the homage — or parody.

Listening to the bumpers between stories on NPR can often be enlightening. I just about burst out laughing when I heard the Youngblood Brass Band’s “Pastime Paradise”, a horn piece incorporating the theme of Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” (I hope he doesn’t get as mad at them as he did at Wierd Al for “Amish Paradise”). You’ll hear the chorus come up about a minute in. They’re going to be in Europe most of April and May.

For the eyes, check out “Good bye, Lenin”, a rather touching yet pretty funny film about a son’s dedication to his mother. The trailer tells you pretty much what you need to know. There are a couple of Kubrick references, some Fellini, and other stuff I don’t know, I’m sure.

So I’m listening to a piece on the South by Southwest music festival on NPR’s “Morning Edition” today, and they’re talking about how the Australian and Scottish governments (among others) send their bands to the festival because they see them as another potential export commodity. Then they mention that eight bands from the Netherlands are there because of the “government-funded Dutch Rock and Pop Institute”. Man, we gotta get one of those…

My younger brother celebrates his 40th birthday. If he’d been born a day earlier, he’d only be 10.

So, a few months ago, I filled out the form to join the antitrust suit against companies selling music CDs. Took a couple of minutes. Today I get a check for $13.86. Now I can buy another CD. Prices don’t seem to have come down, though.

Does this need explanation?