ETC.: Link-a-rama!

ETC.: Link-a-rama!

Nothin' but links!

Here I stumbled upon a very nice article that explores my old hometown of Oxford, Mississippi, and its musical and literary heritages. Great to see old favorites of mine like Blue Mountain, Beanland and The Kudzu Kings getting a shout-out.

Ever wonder what it'd be like to meet one of your idols? San Francisco Chronicle writer Steven Winn got to meet John Updike, one of his and my literary lions in this life. Here's an excellent piece about what it was like to meet one of America's finest living writers, who knows more than 10 of me put together.

I'm a member of The Cult of Klosterman, that fine pop culture sex-and-death-obsessed scribe Chuck Klosterman. He's one of my top-five pop culture writers these days and I found a most excellent interview with the man over here in a Colorado newspaper, revving me up with excitement for his August collection of columns and reviews, bearing the classic rock-esque title of "Chuck Klosterman IV." I can't wait!

Classic movies it's OK to hate, according to The Onion A.V. Club, which apparently only thinks classic movies started being made after 1970. And it's so edgy to bash the original "Star Wars", ain't it? Still, agree with 'em on "Shawshank Redemption," which I never quite understood all the fuss about – the novella is much better and a lot less sappy. And I have to agree on "The Big Lebowski" – in my humble way, I consider "Raising Arizona" a far better Coen brothers comedy.

Do you have the Perfect Penis? Egads. Work-safe post, but it'll still scar your mind.

Long Box Dave looks at Marvel Vs. DC, that crossover clash comic from the late 1990s that was a tremendous disappointment to all of us who always wondered who would have beaten whom. Dave tells us who REALLY would have won in Superman vs. Thor, Batman vs. Captain America, etc. And read the comments. Man, Dave gets lots of comments. (Beware: If you are not a nerd, you will be after reading this.)