Read this!

So I know I mentioned this to you guys in Michigan, but you should definitely check out Gene Wolfe. I've only read Book of the New Sun, (2 2-part books). I'd like to think that John and Nick will check it out based on our generally shared literary tastes, but Wolfe was recently interviewed by John J. Miller of National Review (in order to lure Bert in as well). Nick, as the writer of the group, might enjoy his critique of the modern short story. Also, he's a crazy, fantastic old man now. The interview is kind of awkward, but the books themselves are the exact opposite. I would be very interested in discussing these books later if anybody actually reads them.

I happened upon Shadow of the Torturer at a Borders in Boston, bought it, and was blown away. I think it might be better than Dune, which coming from me means a lot.

Also, this dude wrote a song about the Book of the New Sun, which sort of sums up the first book:

Shut it, Steely Dan. I'm alright!

Steely Dan: greatest American band?

So what's it gonna be boy?

The TO show or Keyshawn giving interior design advice, titled "Keyshawn Johnson: Tackling Design"?

PS, the right answer is on this Saturday.

haven't had an lolcat for a while

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

David Eddings, RIP

Don't know how I missed that David Eddings died at the beginning of June.

I had been re-reading his Elenium and Tamuli series... they hold up better than I expected, certainly better than a lot of fantasy books I read as a teenager. He had a style that must've really appealed to young kids--his most engaging characters were the witty, acerbic ones. Eddings' books showed he knew how societies really functioned as a conglomeration of people pursuing their own desires, even if he was almost clinically unwilling to dig very deeply into any of that. His cut-throat thieves are impossibly polished. This is the contradiction that gets frustrating in his work: he readily acknowledges the disturbed, violent underbelly of society but constantly holds it at arms length and paves over the traumas it creates with pages of witty banter.

I'm sad he's gone--the Belgariad was a landmark fantasy series--and now I feel compelled to read his later books.

Steve McNair

murdered.

Just to brighten your day:

Pictures of cats inside beer boxes or drinking beer.

Michael

So I was almost out the door this morning...

When this came on:



Thanks, VH1 Classic.

For realz this time?

26 new Futurama episodes that may or not be turned into straight to dvd videos?

Oh, those crazy Jamaicans...

...and their penis-breaking dances...

I'm sure you can find a video on your own, if you're interested.

Literal Interpretation

of Total Eclipse of the Heart. Not sure if you've seen this or not (old!???), but it was pretty amusing.

Total Eclipse spoof
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Re: Bueller House

Highland Park, IL!!! Isn't that where Mr. T lives/lived?

All Right Fellas

Everybody needs to chip in for this one. No excuses.

For you Steve Martin fans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrlqQ1_vZVE

What do you do with those hobgoblins?

Mystery Science Theater 3000 lives on, sort of. Might be worth checking out.

The definition of cool:

Commencement Spkrs

As someone who had to endure Jane Seymour telling me about life's lessons and her upcoming new fashion line, I find this idea really appealing. Ashland's speakers, though, have proven pretty solid considering it's a tiny liberal arts college in the center of Ohio. Blackwell was good; even Archie Griffin at my brother's commencement was solid.

Still, you need some top-class failures to give graduates a needed dose of reality. My suggestions for really failuretastic commencement speakers:

O.J. Simpson
Scott Weiland (supposedly clean... but meh)
Ryan Leaf
Tim Couch
John Edwards
Bernie Madoff
Adam Jones

Win

A long time ago, I thought sub 4 hrs was possible. The training taught me that it really wasn't, and when I was throwing up in a bathtub full of ice it also whispered to me, "you'll be lucky to finish at all, fatass."

So I'm pretty happy with this.