Salon‘s Laura Miller lays the hurt on Chuck Palahniuk. I’ll concede that his books all have the same (over-stylized) voice and can get repetitive and tiresome after awhile, but I don’t think he’s as bad as all that…more like trashy pleasure reading for the misanthropically-inclined. I’ll take him over most light fiction any day of the week…In fact, I just picked up Lullaby for the flight home.
Author: KcM
Lighting the Lampe.
Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to witness some decent ball at the Garden. With Spree’s departure marking the lowlight in another sorry Knicks off-season, NY fans pin their longshot hopes on Maciej Lampe. Hey, you can’t teach height.
Ashcroft Agonizes, Powell Punts.
Looks like it’s a bad day for imperious Dubya appointees. In the wake of Congress’s recent decision to limit the powers of the Patriot Act, a defiant Ashcroft wants his toys back. Also facing considerable bipartisan and public criticism, Michael Powell appoints a task force on media consolidation. As Copps notes in the article, next time perhaps it’d be better to do the fact-finding before you vote.
Place your bets.
The Post handicaps the 2004 Senate races. And it appears the Dems’ll have trouble in the South if Graham and/or Edwards don’t stand down by then.
It’s Getting Heavier…
(Aw, he’s not heavy, he’s my Frodo, man.) Since they look so grand and since this space has seemed mighty empty of late, here’s the new RotK teaser posters (to go with the Aragorn one released a few months ago.) Enjoy.
(U.S.) Rubber Matches.
Jeremy Derfner, a consummate baseball fan and one of my good friends and colleagues in the Columbia program, offers an historical overview of Little League, Inc for Slate. And, to paraphrase Billy Joel, it appears we didn’t start the sellout.
Enron all over again?
Hmmm. Apparently FirstEnergy, the Ohio company at the heart of the blackout investigations, is headed by major Dubya donors. Why am I not surprised?
Here Comes the Bride.
The teaser poster for Kill Bill (pt. I) makes it online. More appealing than the first trailer, at any rate. Also, in movie news, the trailer for Matrix: Revolutions is now available in Quicktime. I haven’t seen it yet, but word is it’s similar to the footage from Enter the Matrix.
Dispatch from Paradise.
Hello all…I’m entering my third and final week of my Kauai vacation, so updates here will continue to be intermittent for at least another ten days or so. There has been much swimming, hiking, snorkeling, windsurfing, and rejoicing over here, as you might expect (As per usual, though, my Gaelic complexion has resisted any and all attempts at procuring a tan.) I’ve also been derelict in taking pictures, but hopefully I’ll have a few to post some time after my return. ‘Til then, mahalo for continuing to stop by, even though I haven’t been posting much worthwhile.
Forgotten Loot(ers).
Warriors, come out and play…With help from Columbia’s own KJ, David Greenberg attempts to explain the lack of NYC looters during the blackout, particularly as compared to the events of 1977. Also, in blackout news, the Dems (Edwards excepted) point the finger at Dubya’s lousy energy and infrastructure policies. Works for me.