I got to meet and talk with Alton Brown at his book-signing for Feasting on Asphalt: The River Run, companion to the show Feasting on Asphalt.
I also got a picture of Buttercup, his BMW motorcycle.
He liked my shirt - apparently he's a fan too. What a cool guy.

I gave up on John Grisham a long time ago for being too predictably formulaic, but I was caught in a weak moment at the bestseller rack, in the mood for nothing heavy, and lured by the idea that his newest book was non-fiction.
It's fiction. The Author's Note at the end of the book is a dead giveaway, thanking his heroes for all of their input, and conveniently neglecting to gather any input from his villains.

For a little perspective:
Link: The Truth Behind "The Innocent Man" & Ada, Oklahoma

Published in Paris in 1945 by the 'Information & Education Division' of the US Occupation Forces.
Link: 112 Gripes about the French
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My personal favorite from Shel Silverstein

"Fantasy Documentary" about teh intarwebs.
from Douglas Adams
Link: Hyperland

On my way home from the Icey show the other night, I was waiting at a red light, and held my arm out the window to take this picture. It turned out rather well, except for the very top being clipped off (and the traffic signal in the way).
Only afterward did I remember that this is the very church which played an integral part in the documented case of demonic possession that eventually became The Exorcist.
Right next door is St. Louis University, and the room the boy stayed in during the exorcism, which lasted for months.

The bible is the "best seller" that is rarely read. How much do you actually know about the so-called "Good Book"?

Link: What Do You Really Know About The Bible?
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Short film by Guilherme Marcondes, based on William Blake's poem
An astonishing blend of composite night photography, music, puppets, and computer trickery.
High resolution video: Tyger
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Finally saw Syriana last night, which I'd been looking forward to seeing ever since reading this (as well as seeing the other films from Participant Productions, which are made to do more than just entertain).
As expected, it was easily the best movie I've seen this year (er, make that last year), so I ordered See No Evil, the book it was based on. Can't wait, as I've been reading crap lately..
Just for reference, here's the film's entire original screenplay in .pdf form.
I don't know why anyone would want to read a script instead of seeing the movie, but there it is, and it does have a few notable differences..
Also, here's the MP3 (43min 50sec, 25mb) of a roundtable discussion with George Clooney, Jeffrey Wright, Alexander Siddig, See No Evil author Bob Baer, and writer/director Stephen Gaghan, interviewed by John Gallagher for the National Board of Review, which offers quite a bit of insight, as well as a few laughs. (One interesting thing I learned listening to it was that there was once an oil tanker named Condoleeza Rice. I looked it up.. See here, here, here, here.)

Link: The Art of Happiness

Our days are numbered. At this very moment, many thousands are born into the world, some destined to live only a few days or weeks, and then tragically succumb to illness or other misfortune. Others are destined to push through to the century mark, perhaps even a bit beyond, and savor every taste life has to offer: triumph, despair, joy, hatred, and love. We never know. But whether we live a day or a century, a central question always remains: What is the purpose of our life?

This guy seems to have it all figured out...the book is definitely worth a read. On the other hand...the one ounce joint might also qualify as a completely relevant endeavor to find happiness!

I'm trying to catch up on some classic novels on my must-read list. I finally read Fahrenheit 451, and now I really want to burn it. I can't bring myself to do it, but I think it'd make for a funny photo. read more