I watched, rather randomly, the 1990 documentary “Berkeley in the 60’s” last night. I honestly expected not to like it, mostly based on the fact that it had won that year’s Oscar–I thought it would be an overwrought, hazy revisionist mess. I was completely wrong. It stands as a fantastic oral history, not just of [...]

Salon’s “Summer of Scientology” continues today, with the second of four installments about the bizarre quasi-religion. A quote from writer Laura Miller:
I am here to testify that “Dianetics” is a phenomenal remedy for at least one widespread affliction: insomnia.”

Ah, it’s refreshing to know that the next step in Bob Dylan’s never-ending career will see him coming full-circle, back to the coffeehouses at which he began, 40-ish years ago, in Greenwich Village. Only this time, in a sublime example of corporate irony, he’ll be sponsored by multinational adult-contemporary beverage provider Starbucks, who’ve managed to [...]

During a conversation with a friend (over IM, naturally) the other day, he asked me for my recommendations for the “next big thing.” Assuming he meant music, I quickly sorted my iTunes by date, scrolled down to 2005, and began reciting bands in reverse alphabetical order: Wilderness, Tom Vek, Sufjan Stevens, Russian Futurists, Pitty Sing, [...]

Today’s Salon.com has the first in what promises to be a very interesting 4-part series about the increasing visibility yet astounding secrecy of Scientology. Apparently Cruise’s string of fascinatingly obnoxious behavior lately is a result of his ascending to the level of “OT-VII” within the cultish religion. It’s worth clicking through the advertisement.

Also, last [...]

A great commencement speech by a fantastic writer. Buy his books here and here.“It’s a real honor to be the commencement speaker at DePauw this year. Many of the students here have already heard me speak, and I’m flattered and surprised that they would want to hear me again. Every parent and every student [...]