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01 Jul 2009 10:28

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Culture: Worst possible place to hold Michael Jackson’s funeral: Neverland

Oh, we know! Let’s put a dead guy who was trying to put his problems behind him in the place that caused most of them! source

19 Jun 2009 19:26

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Music: Sadly, you missed your chance to go to an R.E.M. mecca.

  • A fire destroyed the Georgia Theatre. The theater, best-known for hosting the seeds of the Athens, Ga. music scene that birthed, among others, R.E.M. and the B-52s, was gutted this morning. R.E.M. still had a heavy interest in the 600-seat theater, hosting album release parties there. In a statement, they wished owner Wilmont Greene best of luck in rebuilding the landmark. source

03 Jun 2009 20:37

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Music: Sad news, blues fans: The queen, Koko Taylor, is dead

  • She died of complications from surgery. She leaves a legacy. Taylor may be the most notable female postwar blues figure, as well as a Chicago icon. While she didn’t actually play an instrument, her booming voice is a super killer instrument that commands your attention. Her most well-known song, 1965’s “Wang Dang Doodle,” sold a million copies and went to #4 on the R&B charts. Over forty years after that high point, she’s remained a massive influence on both mainstream rock and traditional blues. source

14 May 2009 20:40

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World: Some weird guy on a mission to Burma just ruined an activist’s life

  • Burmese pro-Democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi was living out the waning days of her house arrest and very close to a possible release. source
  • A weird, creepy guy from the U.S., John Yettaw, swims to her house and tries to meet with her. (Nobody’s really sure why outside of insanity.) source
  • Burma finds that, because this guy visited her house, she broke the terms of her house arrest and now faces likely jail time. WTF, Burma? source