Am I the only one…
Who's a little concerned about the implications of the whole white-coach-saves-troubled-black-kid-from-crackhead-mom storyline that appears to be brewing? I know this show has earned the benefit of the doubt, but I'm still a little skeptical of this particular plot line….

I couldn't agree more re: Lyla.

cripple?
Really? What is this, 1950?

Yeah, DR, actually, umm, Negative Capability gets taught in undergrad lit courses on a fairly regular basis. It's complicated, and it's a little ambiguous, but it's hardly unknowable or even unknown.

16 candles…
Have we covered the whole "Jake letting the nerd date rape his girlfriend is actually a little creepy if you think about it" in the John Hughes threads? Or should we talk about it some more here as well?

I, too, missed the DBT/Hold Steady tour.

I concur. I feel relatively certain that this film will allow breathing room for whatever love for whimsy exists beneath the cold, cynical shell of adulthood that currently surrounds and stifles it.

"Could you describe the ruckus?"

I'll buy another GH or RB game…
when they get some Hold Steady on that tracklist.

Wasn't "I Want it That Way" a number one record? Fuck.

I think Art's relationship with his father is the most interesting part of the book. Sure, the Holocaust portions are powerful and striking, but that's not exactly a new story. The ramifications of the event on future generations, however, is something new and interesting. Also, I agree with the above commenters…

I concur. While Speigelman's work is all meta and self-referential and aware of the history of comics and all that nonsense, anybody who's ever watched a single cartoon can get the cat and mouse imagery. The rest of the book—save for that unfortunate incident with the jive-talking dog—is good enough to convert even…

Outdoor movies
seem like a terrible idea. Aren't there, like, bugs and stuff?

I disagree. In my book, "I, Too, Sing America" gets him in as a great American poet. Also, the whole translation of jazz syncopation into poetic meter is pretty impressive, but, you know, whatevs.

Poetry
No love for Walt Freaking Whitman?

I really wanted to see that show, but I didn't have the drive down 316 in me. Now I'm upset. Bands used to play consecutive Athens and Atlanta dates fairly regularly, now they mostly pick one or the other. What gives? Gas prices?

It didn't go this long: I suggested the national up a bit. I'll second it here, since we seem to be the only two pointing it out. They've definitely got that melancholy Boss thing going on. There's even a solid live cover of "Mansion on the Hill" on that rarities compilation they put out this year.

I would think that everything about the DBT's continued success would make Isbell feel awkward. Esp. since they're doing it with his ex-wife on bass and while he continues to release less-than-celebrated solo discs.

Wait, didn't this movie happen a few years ago with Will Smith instead of zoo animals?

Seconding the Truckers, who have pulled out a ridiculous number of Springsteen covers at various live shows.