Links

Randy discusses the unforgettable story behind the Harps and Angels song "Losing You," which BBC calls "two minutes and 16 seconds of wonder: a perfect gem shining in the darkness," followed by a solo performance at the piano.

Robin sez, "You can watch the animated movie 'Sita Sings the Blues', IN FULL online. It will be broadcast in the NYC area at 10:45pm on Saturday, March 7. Feel free to write your local PBS station to see if they will broadcast 'Sita'." Sita is a goddess separated from her beloved Lord and husband Rama. Nina is an animator whose husband moves to India, then dumps her by e-mail. Three hilarious shadow puppets narrate both ancient tragedy and modern comedy in this beautifully animated interpretation of the Indian epic Ramayana. Set to the 1920’s jazz vocals of Annette Hanshaw, Sita Sings the Blues earns its tagline as “The Greatest Break-Up Story Ever Told.” Watch “Sita Sings the Blues” online (Thanks, Robin!) Previously:Sita Sings the Blues to air in full on PBS - Boing BoingNina Paley's wonderful "Sita Sings the Blues" cartoon - Boing BoingExcellent animated interpretation of Ramayana - Boing Boing

I know J.D. has posted many times about how going to the library saves money, but I personally love to buy books. Even after reading the arguments about saving money over the year, going to the library and everything else, I still think buying some books is good for me. This is my defense of buying books.

Mitch Mitchell, the jazzy and versatile British drummer in the Jimi Hendrix Experience, died on Wednesday in a hotel in Portland, Ore. He was 62 and had recently finished a national tribute tour, Experience Hendrix.

The real Ari Gold's brother!

I've especially enjoyed sharing some of my enthusiasms for obscure musical acts here on Boing Boing as the guest blogger. This post is about PJ Proby, crazed crooner and rock and roll hellion. I am a massive, massive fan of this guy's music. I've been fascinated by him for years and would LOVE to make a documentary about him. No one plays the sad, apologetic lonely guy better than PJ Proby. His voice can make a grown man cry, but you'd almost have to be half-mad to sell a song like he can. And half-mad PJ Proby probably is...

America the Banana RepublicThe ongoing financial meltdown is just the latest example of a disturbing trend that, to this adoptive American, threatens to put the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave on a par with Zimbabwe, Venezuela, and Equatorial Guinea. by Christopher Hitchens WEB EXCLUSIVE October 9, 2008

“It’s been an extremely weird day, but weird in a positive way,” Mr. Krugman said in an interview on his way to a Washington meeting for the Group of Thirty, an international body from the public and private sectors that discusses international economics. He said he was mostly “preoccupied with the hassles” of trying to make all his scheduled meetings today and answer a constantly-ringing cell phone.

A "top McCain strategist" said, "It's a dangerous road, but we have no choice. If we keep talking about the economic crisis, we're going to lose."

My friends, during last night's presidential debate, McCain took That One to task for approving funding for an "overhead projector." Howard Covitz, who used to work at Chicago's Adler Planetarium, prepared this helpful graphic for McCain to show the difference between an overhead projector and a planetarium projector.

They've embedded a classic Dr. Stanley television performance clip at folo.us, below is another -- they're playing the Clinch Mountain Backstep, on an old television show with Pete Seeger. This is my favorite Stanley Brothers song ever, "Little Maggie," but I can't embed it. I know all the lyrics, and sometimes sing it to myself (and anyone in earshot unable to run screaming) on long car trips along old American roads. Whenever I hear this old-time music, I feel really proud to come from Virginia.

     Great urbanism, lousy programming.      My fellow townspeople often confuse the architecture and urban design with the activity taking place in it. It's an important distinction. The building itself, shown here, is a sturdy but unspectacular business building on the main street (Broadway) of Saratoga Springs, NY. Think of it as a "background building." It's not trying to be special or monumental, but it does what we want it to do: it makes provision for retail near the street and it allows other activities upstairs (offices, apartments). It accomplishes all this complexity gracefully. The activity taking place here, however, is a symptom of the growing barbarism in American life. Tattooing has traditionally been a marginal activity among civilized people, the calling card of cannibals, sailors, and whores. The appropriate place for it is on the margins, in the back alleys, the skid rows. The mainstreaming of tattoos (on main street) is a harbinger of social dysfunction.

ST. PAUL — Two prominent Republicans — one of them a close ally and former aide to Senator John McCain — were caught on a live mic on MSNBC bemoaning the selection of Gov. Sarah Palin and the controversy surrounding her.

My iPhone was stolen. Right out of my friggin' hand as I waited for the bus in Hollywood yesterday afternoon. I had the pleasure of owning the thing for 10 whole days. I'm annoyed. Here's some video of me in the aftermath of the day's events:

Mr. Stewart has said he is looking forward to the end of the Bush administration “as a comedian, as a person, as a citizen, as a mammal.”

Story Highlights The Rev. Rick Warren to interview McCain, Obama in a forum Saturday Each candidate will face questions on faith, leadership, world views Warren: I'm not going to play "gotcha" with McCain, Obama Bush received support of 78 percent of evangelical voters in 2004 electionNext Article in Politics »

NEW YORK (AP) — Legendary record producer Jerry Wexler, who helped shape R&B music with influential recordings of Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and other greats, and later made key recordings with the likes of Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson, has died, said his son, Paul.

From the PR/Marketing firm Shackleton in Spain, a super funny riff on Apple products (which has been circulating in the Spanish blogosphere for months). The introductory video will make you burp bacon, it's so funny. Lulz deconstruction, for non-Spanish readers: the "j" would sound like "h" in Spanish if you said the word "iJam." Anyway, somehow the guy's Castellano accent makes it even funnier, because the "th" sounds are all so fancy to my mexican-spanish-trained ear.