Category Archives: Books Music Movies & Entertainment

Book reviews, music news, movie trailers, and other entertainment.

Notable people hanging out

This is a site that collects random photographs of notable people hanging out. Some photos are old, many are current. The site is called “Awesome People Hanging Out Together.”

The Civil Wars perform Billie Jean

The Civil Wars perform Billie Jean by Michael Jackson at Eddie’s Attic, Decatur, GA on 11-21-09. If you aren’t familiar with them yet, you soon will be. Although they had a moderate hit back in 2009, they are are just now starting to really get some traction.

A book that ruins marriages

If you have this book on a shelf at home, it’s time to have a book burning party.

A book that ruins marriages

(via)

13 Crazy Facts About Friday the 13th

friday-13th
1. Infamous murderers Charles Manson, Harold Shipman, Frederick West, Saddam Hussein, Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, and Jack the Ripper each have 13 letters in their names.

2. The fear of Friday the 13th is called Friggatriskaidekaphobia, and more than 60 million people worldwide claim to be affected by it. Napoleon and President Herbert Hoover were said to be sufferers.

3. In Formula 1, there is no car with the number 13. The number has been removed after two drivers were killed in crashes — both driving cars numbered 13.

4. President Franklin D. Roosevelt would not travel on the 13th day of any month and would never host 13 guests at a meal.

5. Sean Cunningham (Director) started advertising the movie Friday the 13th before the script was even finished.

6. Black Sabbath’s eponymous debut album was released in the UK on Friday, February 13, 1970.

7. The independent horror flick Friday the 13th was released in May 1980 and despite only having a budget of $550,000 it grossed $39.7 million at the box office in the United States.

6. Harry Manfredini (Film Composer) came up with the sound “ki ki ki, ma ma ma”, based on the line “Kill her mommy!” The creepiness of it was done by speaking the line and running it through a an echo reverberation machine.

7. The remake of the original Friday the 13th film was released on Friday, February 13, 2009.

8. Notable people born on Friday the 13th include Fidel Castro, notorious American train and bank robber Butch Cassidy, and Steve Buscemi (13 December 1957).

9. Tupac Shakur died on Friday, September 13, 1996.

10. The Uruguayan rugby team’s plane crashed in the Andes mountain range on Friday, 13 October, 1972.

11. Many hospitals and hotels have no room or floor 13, while airports don’t have a Gate 13.

12. Months with a Friday the 13th always begin on a Sunday.

13. Judas was the 13th guest at the last supper and that dinner party didn’t have the luckiest consequences. The idea that having 13 guests at a gathering is unlucky is not uncommon.

Bohemian Rhapsody on the ukulele

The ukulele is a beautiful instrument and Jake Shimabukuro proves that with his stirring rendition of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” I realize this song is overexposed and tire by now, but I promise you this version will move you.


(via One Cool Thing a Day)

Green Day and a parent exchange words

Back in December of 1996, worried about the influence of Green Day’s “explicit” fourth album, Insomniac, on her 8-year-old son, a mother decided to write a slightly aggressive letter of complaint to the band. It clearly hit a nerve, and she soon received a handwritten response from then-24-year-old frontman Billie Joe Armstrong. Both letters can be seen below.

Frankly, I kinda of agree with the parent here, but not for the same reasons. I just think Green Day music is “rubbish.” Still, you gotta appreciate Billie Joe’s response.

Green Day writes letter to angry parent
(via Letters of Note)

Happy 70th Birthday, Bob!

Minnesotans love to claim Dylan as one of their own. He is, after all, one of our most successful exports. Anyway, Bob Dylan turns 70 years old on May 24th. Rolling Stone has a nice write-up in honor of Dylan and his music. Check it out here.

Bob Dylan's First-Ever China Concert

Source: LIU JIN/AFP/Getty Bob Dylan's First-Ever China Concert

Ridiculousness off the top rope

I didn’t think it could happen, but professional wrestling just became more absurd. Check out the “The Most Illegal Move in the History of Wrestling.”


(via)

How 3 film students worked on the “Priest” movie trailer

Three students from London’s Westminster film school were tasked with producing a movie trailer for “Priest” in 3D overnight. They had to fly to Los Angeles the next day and present their work to the Director and other studio execs. Pretty impressive. Watch the process here.

Ed O’Neill has been reading the same newspaper for 20 years

Ed O'Neill has been reading the same newspaper for 20 years
(via)