Friday link dump
First things first. I know I promised my column in today’s print edition would be about the Oscars. But we had too many good stories and too little space, so I decided to hold my column until next week. Look at that as kind of a bonus. Or not. But it is written, and it will run. There Will Be Blood.
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Traffic here has been up a little bit this week, and part of that, I’d guess, is because I was quoted a couple of times in The Associated Press’ story about people live-blogging the Oscars.
I wish I could act jaded and pretend I don’t think that’s pretty cool. But I’m sorry. I think it’s pretty cool.
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Think you can name all the U.S. presidents in eight minutes? If you can, you’re doing considerably better than me, because I blanked on a dozen.
Most of the folks in the newsroom kicked my butt on this one. But that’s OK – I had to look to see who won best picture at the Oscars last year, too.
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New Depression magazine, which extensively covered the alt-country scene (and many would argue actually defined the scene), is folding after its 75th issue, the May-June edition.
That’s really too bad. It’s a quality product. I know how its followers feel, because when (the original) Creem magazine and Trouser Press went away, I was terribly sad.
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It takes a little while to load, but it’s worth it: Homer Simpson as painted by Vincent Van Gogh. (There’s plenty of other silly stuff on the site, too.)
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Since seeing a preview almost a year ago, I’ve been looking forward to the film “Fanboys,” which follows a group of “Star Wars” fans attempting to heist a copy of “The Phantom Menace.” But as this post on Cinematical.com describes, there have been numerous changes in the film, making its tone a little less of a potentially heart-warming story. I still want to see it, but am interested in what the film has become.
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Interesting that on the week of its release, the 25th anniversary edition of “Thriller” was the second-best selling album in the country, but didn’t make the Billboard charts because it’s considered a “catalog” album. Despite a pile of new material.
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I’ve made no secret of my adoration of Cameron Diaz, but her appearance in the Jimmy Kimmel “Ben Affleck” video moves her up even a couple more notches, and I didn’t believe that possible.
Also in the Kimmel video: Harrison Ford, Don Cheadle, Robin Williams, Huey Lewis, Rebecca Romijn, Macy Gray, Pete Wentz, Dominic Monaghan, Joel and Benji Madden, Josh Groban, Christina Applegate (whom I missed, and my Christina Applegate radar is usually on “high”), Meat Loaf, Perry Farrell, Lance Bass, Joan Jett, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Brad Pitt.
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Because I spent $150 on the book “Recording The Beatles” (and believe it or not, the book was worth the money), I received notice in the mail for a new Beatles photo book, “Kaleidescope Eyes,” from the same publisher.
The book documents the first day The Beatles worked on recording “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds,” and boasts in excess of 200 previously unpublished photos.
I thought the package looked great. Until I saw the price.
$495.
Even as a limited edition (of 1,967 - clever, eh?), I can’t invest in that. More copies for the rest of you.