11/23 to 12/14

Today we've also got one dude's (truly random) list of the greatest rock musicians of all times, if "all times" means from 1955 and up. The guy who made this list, Piero Scaruffi, claims to be a cognitive scientist, author, poet, film and music critic, among other things. Well, geez! He also has a list up for the 1,000 best films of all times and a nice round-up of the year in cinema. (via RobotWisdom)

I've mentioned Roger Ebert's Great Movies column before, if you'll remember. Just today I noticed that his most recent critique was "Apocalypse Now." I saw this film for the first time just last year, and I was afraid that my expectations upon viewing a so-called "cinematic masterpiece" were not met. I thought it was all . . . a bit much. But Ebert's clear & insightful critique is making me reconsider. "If we are lucky, we spend our lives in a fool's paradise, never knowing how close we skirt the abyss. What drives Kurtz mad is his discovery of this."

The Box has already alerted you to the superfreak found in Andy Kaufman's mind, body and spirit. And since we all know that Jim Carrey has essentially channeled this being (as well as his evil alter ego Tony Clifton) for his "Man on the Moon" performance, it comes as no surprise that there was a huge fracas at a recent Carrey/Clifton press conference. Ice tea was dumped, a pretend penis was waved. Come on, man! So what if Andy Kaufman was, as Carrey says, so dedicated to his work that "people thought he was sick." He was sick! I truly believe that. Then again, we're all sick. Sick, sick, sick!

The Sunday Post had all kinds of recommendations for good book gifts (as does USA TODAY, if you care). I made my own list of "god! more things I want to read" when the critic went on and on about how the best novels are "beautifully constructed objects." She claims that all the her favorite books "delight in their own ingenious internal coherence; their craftsmanship is on display; their intelligence and inventiveness are a deep part of their meaning." Well, sure. Not that it matters. I'm not going to read any of these books for awhile. I'm about to write an all-encompassing mission statement to my apathy-afflicted bookclub about our current selection, "American Pastoral" (I'm on page 35, oh boy!). AND after I read that I think I have to give the whole "Harry Potter" thing a try. I'm such a sucker for hype.

Beck around the world: MTV interviews The Man: " . . . Beck will seem a little distant, as if he's searching for just the right combination of words that will be both hip enough to amuse the listener as well as answer the question in a meaningful manner." The folks at Pitchfork review "MV": "It sounds like Prince dry-humping Lynyrd Skynyrd in the sky." And then, finally, NME hates Beck ("nabob of smirking po-mo pop" . . . "sexless, pencil-necked, puffed-up little pop star" . . . "not so much a lizard king as a despicable little shit-house gecko"). Apparently, at a recent show, Beck smacked a front-row photographer -- hard, in the face -- with his microphone stand. Yes, it's a little disturbing.

The unique premise: Can you teach a bunch of third-graders binary arithmetic only by asking questions? The stunning conclusion: Yes! You can! See, some random guy (I assume he's a teacher) thought it was his duty to prove that the Socratic method of teaching (as the only-ask-questions maneuver is called) is, indeed, a powerful tool. And I'd have to say he's right. I point you to this account b/c, um, I actually got a much better grasp of what that whole 011010101000100101010000 kind of computer coding means. This guy uses aliens to make his point! Binary arithmetic, hoorah! (I sound a bit too much like Winnie from the "Wonder Years" now -- did you know she writes an online math column?) (linkwatcher helped)

"Hell, No! We won't WTO!" This is commentary from a man after my own whatchootalkinboutwillis heart: "Confusing the situation is our general lack of understanding of two key facts about the World Trade Organization: 1. What it is. 2. What it is that we are not supposed to like about it. . . .We need to vow, by the end of today, that we will not mentally confuse the World Trade Organization with the World Wrestling Federation."

I meant to link to this before, but I knew you'd hate me. It's the Village Voice's "Midnite Vultures" review. Mucho Beatles comparisons, insightful observations, talk of "frankensteinian bricolage" etc. etc.

"Kiwis elect world's first transsexual legislator"

E! headlines: Sundance festival preview; Celine's new album jumps to No. 1 (why? WHY?)

I am so excited to bring you the first installment of USATODAY.com's "Pop Candy" column, from our own Whitney Matheson!

I first read NY Observer columnist Ron Rosenbaum, a.k.a. the Edgy Enthusiast, when Catherine sent me a link to his great Shoplift Lit: You Are What You Steal commentary (oh! there's so many books out there to steal and/or read!). Now he gives his pick for novel of the century. The winner? Nabokov's "Pale Fire."

Confessions of a Penthouse Proofreader. " . . .beneath the crude thrusting and moaning in the average Penthouse letter beats a heart of the most patent absurdity."

Utterly useless: Find out your superhero/villain name.

The Naughty She-Finger bids you adieu.

Since this is the mysterious box, it seems only fitting that we all follow along on Boxlor's Adventures (just click on the first three pictures for a day-in-the-life pictorial). Come on! (via Strange Brew)

Nice, tight news lede: "A man and woman from Chicago were lying buried in a pile of leaves on a residential street when a sport-utility vehicle blasted through, injuring both of them, police said." Promising start. We just never find out why, exactly, the couple were lying in a leaf pile "67 feet long, 17 feet wide and 4 feet high" on the side of the road. Click here for the full story. (thanks to ThisIsNews)

I was going to bring you more wonderful (useless) rim-ram, but, alas, it's time to go. Parting is such sweet . . .

Twenty-six times a minute, Walt Frazier shackles a squawking chicken by its feet to a conveyor belt. Eventually, you eat this chicken's breast, thighs, wings. The W.Post is running an excellent series on the Delmarva poultry industry. (I had a lot of time on hand this weekend, which I dutifully set aside to read about chicken.) I've been talking about my newfound knowledge of "live hang," the "kill line" and "neighbor cuts" all day, because it's quite incredible -- I had no concept, before I read this story, of what it's like to toil inside a factory where thousands of beasts are slaughtered daily.

We all know about Scientology, sure, and we've probably all heard that John Travlota is a prominent member. This Sunday Post article, though, brought to my wandering eyes the news that these people believe aliens have placed evil "implants" in humans, ultimately damning our race. Apparently, in Mr. Hubbard's opinion, these evil "psyches" have destroyed every great civilization to date. And Mr. Travolta here has achieved "Operating Thetan" status which, according to church teachings, makes him a super-being with the ability to control matter, space, time, energy -- all those typical superhuman powers. Hoo! Anyway, the article looks at the top-secret production of "Battlefield Earth," an $80M sci-fi extravaganza starring Travolta, based on Hubbard's book.

Fiona Apple -- the Post got her, too, this weekend. This is the first interview I've read where she gives a reasonable explanation for her crazy 90-word album title. She also talks about how the "Criminal" video was not at all what she expected and/or wanted ("I just felt like an ass"). Salon talks to her as well.

Rollingstone.com posts a portion of a jaw-dropping Andy Kaufman piece (you've got to pick up the issue to get the entire story). It's jaw-dropping only if you're like me: a "Taxi" fan who had almost no concept of how mentally freakish/schizo this guy obviously was. You can also read RS' profile of the comedian, circa 1981. All of this, in my humble opinion, is necessary preparation for December's "Man on the Moon" biopic. Now all I need to know is how to accurately spell "Ee-bee-dah."

YES, I love "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." Nothing else on TV has quite the same effect. This W.Post reporter was trapped in the fever, too. His goes a bit deeper than mine (this is a 11/24 article). Salon had a guy go on the show, as well (I just didn't read it until now. Until now, when I have to wait months before the show returns to my pitiful life).

Have you ever noticed the movie descriptions printed in TV grids? The best ones (I vote for the NYTimes) are unbelievably short but undeniably insightful. David Serchuk shares my appreciation for the oft-overlooked art of blurb writing, as he compares the Denver Post tv grid to the New York Times grid.

I'm off to forage for pie.

Also from the Post, an informative review of James Gleick's book "Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything." This book crossed my radar screen before but I didn't take note of it until now -- there just wasn't any time. Ha! And the rumors are true: The Internet Gave Me ADD. That's the title of my next book.

Americans sure love poetry.

Maybe that's why this guy is trying to compose 365 haiku in 365 days.

Check out lemonyellow.com. This girl is way over my head! But there's great stuff here. She suggests reading Suey Chow's advice column and I heartily agree. Bifurcated Rivets is another to check in on. (YES there are too many ways for me and you to waste our precious time. How 'bout a map of the wide world of 'blogs? Okay, here you go.)

Happy happy 18th birthday to my sister Holly! Not that she reads this page. No decent parent would let her. Plbbbt.