An unsually inciteful comment from MuchMoreMusic's "Best and Worst Artists of the '80s" special: "Air Supply supplies the soundtrack for stupid people's lives". Feel free to use this insult as you wish, replacing Air Supply with the hated artist of your choice.

Proof, along with the hurricane last year, that God hates Nova Scotia. 90 friggin' centimetres! Woe is my achin' snow shovellin' back.

I've pretty much become resigned to hearing beloved songs used in television commercials. It only bothers me when the advertisers play selective bits of the song and distort the song's actual meaning. So while I don't care that Blondie's "One Way or Another" is used in a car ad, I am offended when CCR's "Fortunate Son" is used as patriotic anthem in a jeans ad. So it is with great relief to report that the estate of Johnny Cash has refused to let "Ring of Fire" be used in a commercial for hemorrhoid medication. Hearing one of my favourite love songs butchered in that way would break my heart.

Monster Blog! A celebration of Marvel's pre-Fantastic Four days when giant monster comics were all the rage. Lots of Kirby-riffic beasties and Stan Lee hyperbole. Glancing at the list of monsters it appears as if the writers used to strike their typewriters at random to come up with new names. (Orrgo the unconquerable! Gxenu and MARK VIII!) Also of note is the alien invader Don Russell, who disguised himself as a pop singer and attempted to hypnotize the Earth's population. He was eventually defeated after the story's hero concocts a story about how Russell abandoned his wife, turning the public against its Otherworldly Idol. But even more terrifying is Orgg -- tax collector from space! (Via Incoming Signals)

From House of Tomorrow, the official Magnetic Fields page: "In May, the Magnetic Fields will release their new album on Nonesuch Records. The album title is 'i.' It will have 14 new Stephin Merritt recordings, all starting with the letter i. The songs are sung by Stephin and accompanied by the four-piece band, John Woo (banjo and guitar), Sam Davol (cello) and Claudia Gonson (piano and percussion). The band plans to tour select dates around the US during May, June and July, and will post dates when available. " Yay!

Bonhomme and Belinda Stronach caught in torrid embrace! And I always thought Bonhomme was a separatist.

The Naked and the Dead

Hrrm. So then, not a pastie afterall.

Curious attitude over the human body during CBS's SuperBowl broadcast. Apparently it's OK to show Justin Timberlake ripping clothes off of Janet Jackson to reveal a glittery pastie but a streaker on the field after half-time has to be avoided like the plague.