Happy New Year

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BSS #89: Nina Hartley

Condition of Mr. Segundo: Harried and henpecked. Author: Nina Hartley Subjects Discussed: The meaning of “total sex,” vanilla vs. “alternative” sex, basics vs. options, self-acceptance,…

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BSS #88: Amy Sedaris

Condition of Mr. Segundo: Ready to party in the Biblical sense. Author: Amy Sedaris Subjects Discussed: The lost art of hospitality, Martha Stewart, party theme…

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Power Litblogger of the Year?

Power Litblogger of the Year?

Kevin Sampsell writes: “Ron Hogan at Beatrice.com may have helped sink Judith Regan, but Ed Champion at Edrants.com gets this year’s award. His acidic-yet-informative style…

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No Surprise: NYTBR Slacks Off on Popular Fiction Too

No Surprise: NYTBR Slacks Off on Popular Fiction Too

Michael Blowhard observes that the NYTBR is a failure on the popular fiction front as well: “To use an analogy: imagine a movie magazine. It…

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Roundup

Roundup

The 50 Greatest Cartoons, with video. (via Kevin Smokler) The Times: “Educated people are not supposed to believe in ghosts. This has done nothing to…

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The Top Ten Books of 2006

It was a good year. It was very good year. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the…

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HTML Tomfoolery

HTML Tomfoolery

Another web-based riddle game.

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Grindhouse Trailer

Grindhouse Trailer

Trailer. (via The Reverse Cowgirl)

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So Much for Mental Health Days

So Much for Mental Health Days

The Daily Mail: “British scientists are on the verge of producing a revolutionary flu vaccine that works against all major types of the disease. Described…

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No Solstice Craving Here, I Assure You

No Solstice Craving Here, I Assure You

Bad romance covers unearthed at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books.

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Wanna Make Money?  Take No Chances

Wanna Make Money? Take No Chances

Catoosa County News: “Catoosa author Marnie Pehrson was just honored as one of Barnes and Noble’s top 100 best-selling authors….Pehrson adds that her books are…

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Ben, Don't Oversell It

Ben, Don’t Oversell It

Ben Macintyre: “Take a look at Tintin’s eyebrows. They are two, single-line half circles, above eyes that are no more than blank holes in a…

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Madison Avenue's Answer to the Forbes 500

Madison Avenue’s Answer to the Forbes 500

The most recognizable brand names in 2006, as ranked by BusinessWeek.

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Pledge from Yours Truly

Pledge from Yours Truly

I’ll be less surly tomorrow. It’s one of those days.

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Mommy, He Stole My Google Ranking!

Mommy, He Stole My Google Ranking!

Oh, quit your bitchy whining, you goddam blogging prima donnas. Boing Boing, Jason Kottke, Jeffrey Zeldman, Matt Haughey, and the so-called “A-list bloggers” have never…

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Guess It Will Be Grays Papaya for Me Then Too

Guess It Will Be Grays Papaya for Me Then Too

Head implodes.

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Accept the Unfamiliar

Accept the Unfamiliar

Philip K. Dick, “How to Build a Universe That Doesn’t Fall Apart”: “Do not believe — and I am dead serious when I say this…

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What is Russell T. Davies Doing to Chase These Great Actors Away?

What is Russell T. Davies Doing to Chase These Great Actors Away?

BBC: “David Tennant is ‘committed’ to Doctor Who, the BBC insists, despite a report that he is leaving the sci-fi drama. The Sun claimed the…

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Goodbye Afternoon

Goodbye Afternoon

The Top Ten Video Moments from 2006, although it seems a major oversight not to include this one.

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The Slate Audio Book Club Strikes Again!

The Slate Audio Book Club Strikes Again!

2006 wouldn’t be complete without another inept appearance from those dimwitted trendsetters at the Slate Audio Book Club! When last we checked in with the…

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BSS #87: Simon Winchester

Condition of Mr. Segundo: Ready to drink geologists under the table. Author: Simon Winchester Subjects Discussed: San Francisco’s edgy impermanence, San Francisco vs. Venice and…

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Top O' The Heap

Top O’ The Heap

One thing I love about year’s end is the funky list. 10 Zen Monkeys serves up another: The Worst Vlogs of 2006. (Thanks, David Cassel.)…

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New Rupert Thomson Novel

New Rupert Thomson Novel

I had been holding off on the news until I had more details, but since Megan popped the cherry on this goodness, I’ll simply point…

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Roundup

Roundup

Justine Larbaleister has some good suggestions for oversensitive writers. Time Out London lists the top ten children’s books of 2006. This morning, when I woke…

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BSS #86: Claire Messud

Condition of Mr. Segundo: Trying to locate his voice. Author: Claire Messud Subjects Discussed: Richard Yates’ Revolutionary Road, references to revolution in The Emperor’s Children,…

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Return to Recipient

Return to Recipient

If you sent me an email yesterday, please try again. I may not have received it. I’ve just rectified some email issues.

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RIP Gerald Ford

RIP Gerald Ford

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¡Roundup Dos!

¡Roundup Dos!

Finally, a “Home & Garden” article I can concur with: “An anti-anticlutter movement is afoot, one that says yes to mess and urges you to…

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The "Shake Your Money Maker" Roundup

The “Shake Your Money Maker” Roundup

Dean Koontz writing Xmas books? Wrong on multiple levels. Ngugi wa Thoing’o believes the death sentence handed to his assailants was too harsh. I’ll have…

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