Read a little. Learn a lot. • Tightly-written news, views and stuff • Follow us on TwitterBe a Facebook FanTumble us!

22 Jan 2010 23:30

tags

Culture: Conan O’Brien’s parting words are words to live by, really

  • All I ask of you is one thing: please don’t be cynical. I hate cynicism – it’s my least favorite quality and it doesn’t lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you’re kind, amazing things will happen.
  • Conan O’Brien • Concluding his final episode on “The Tonight Show” with a heartfelt touch more powerful than a million “The More You Know” promo ads could muster. Conan’s to-be-aired show reportedly features a ton of guests, heartfelt moments and the host finally coming around and saying nice things about his to-be-former bosses, even though he claims he could say whatever he wanted to on the last episode. He’s handled this whole situation like a prince. We admire the guy greatly. Team Conan! source

22 Jan 2010 23:27

tags

Music: “Purple and Gold”: Prince fails at writing a proper team spirit song

  • The Purple One may be one of the least likely judges of what makes a good team spirit song, but Prince does know something about the color purple. The real problem with this song is that it sounds like it’s designed to be sung at church, not at a Minnesota Vikings game. Somehow, this is even stranger than the name change was back in the day. This song could seriously be the billy goat for the entire state of Minnesota. source

22 Jan 2010 18:32

tags

U.S.: The plaintiffs in the Prop. 8 case just finished arguing their side

  • At the beginning of this trial we said we would prove three points: that marriage is a fundamental right; that gays and lesbians, and the children they are raising, are harmed from the prohibition of their being able to marry; and allowing them to marry will not harm anyone … we proved all of those points.
  • Lawyer David Boies • On finishing up his side of arguing the landmark Proposition 8 court case in a California federal court. Boies says that he and fellow lawyer Theodore Olson are “pleased to be finishing our case today.” Now the pro-Prop. 8 side goes up, and argues against the legalization of gay marriage. Anyone think this case is like our Scopes trial? Seems like it has that kind of intrigue to it. source

22 Jan 2010 18:20

tags

Tech: A court knocks a few bucks off Jammie Thomas-Rasset’s piracy bill

  • $2 million the amount Jammie owed the RIAA based on the last court decision; that’s $80,000 for 24 songs each
  • $54,000 the amount Jammie now owes based on the new court decision; that’s $2,250 per song source

22 Jan 2010 18:05

tags

U.S.: Today, the Roe v. Wade abortion debate took over D.C.

37 years ago today, Roe v. Wade was passed, creating the strongest wedge issue our country has ever seen. Protesters were out in full force today. source

22 Jan 2010 17:38

tags

Culture: The Failcock should be NBC’s brand new logo, guys

  • This is the greatest image we’ve ever seen. Good show, @studionashvegas, good show. This should be their logo until the end of time or at least until Jeff Zucker quits.

22 Jan 2010 16:53

tags

Offbeat: Grand theft auto suspect has a pretty meta taste in video games

  • When police found him, he was playing “Grand Theft Auto.” Michael Ray Ekes likes stealing cars just as much as the next video game fan. Problem is, he’s suspected of doing it in real life. Police arrested Ekes, who was already out on bail for grand theft auto charges, after he was suspected of stealing another car. What can you say? The dude likes stealing cars. source
 

22 Jan 2010 16:46

tags

Politics: Will Ben Bernanke get reconfirmed in the Senate? Neither party knows

  • There is bipartisan support and there’s bipartisan opposition. But you need 60.
  • Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s spokesman, Don Stewart • Regarding whether or not Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will have the 60 votes needed in the Senate to get himself a second term. Finding trouble reaching that mark in his own party, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid reached out to McConnell’s people to see if they could find 60 votes between the two of them. Considering how vitriolic things have been between the two parties of late, it’s interesting that they’re working together on anything. Neither McConnell nor Reid will commit to supporting Bernanke themselves. Bad sign. source

22 Jan 2010 16:29

tags

Biz: The stock market is hyperventilating due to bank regulation fears

  • 5% 3-day dip in stocks thanks to Obama’s regulation plan source

22 Jan 2010 12:30

tags

Offbeat: Star Wars Kid, the sequel: An awkward sword expert in a sweatsuit

  • Remember “Star Wars Kid“? It was one of the earliest viral videos and it ruined the kid’s life for a number of years, mainly because he didn’t put it online. This guy is like a grown-up version of “Star Wars Kid,” except he knows how to use his sword and perhaps doesn’t realize how awkward the sweatsuit and ponytail make him look. We look forward to this guy becoming a pop culture phenomenon, too.