Onion AV Club Interviews Stephen Colbert

"I don't know whether it's a new thing, but it's certainly a current thing, in that it doesn't seem to matter what facts are. It used to be, everyone was entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts. But that's not the case anymore. Facts matter not at all. Perception is everything. It's certainty. People love the president because he's certain of his choices as a leader, even if the facts that back him up don't seem to exist. It's the fact that he's certain that is very appealing to a certain section of the country. I really feel a dichotomy in the American populace. What is important? What you want to be true, or what is true?"

I spent much of my commute this morning listening to Devo's Freedom of Choice, so I found it a weird coincidence that today I learn that they've re-formed (sorta) as Devo 2.0:

New Wave cult icons Devo are bringing their devolution to a new generation with a just-for-kids CD/DVD collection. On Devo 2.0 all five original members of the band have re-recorded some of their classic '80s hits with a quintet of kid singers.

Pitchfork Media writes that "Devo 2.0 will either be beautiful, heinous, or effing kitsch-tastic." After hearing some audio clips from the official Devo 2.0 site, I'm leaning towards "heinous."

(Of course, truth be told, I think I'd rather have my kids want to listen to Devo 2.0 over almost any other "kid's music.")

Note to Nate Fisher now that I've finished watching season three of "Six Feet Under": please stop saying the f-word so much in front of your baby. Thank you.

I don't know what's worse: that I actually got a little laugh from this McSweeney's list of New Year's Resolutions, or the fact that it took two people to write them.

Here's a little clip from Amelia's 2005 DVD: a little Irish stepdancing (of sorts).

This year I finally started an annual project I've been wanted to do for years: at the end of each year, I'll create a CD with the music that most accurately reflects my year in music (not necessarily music released that year).

Selections could be artists I discovered, rediscovered, or just listened to a lot; it could be a particular song that I couldn't stop listening to; or it could be a song that represents a particular genre or type of song (such as covers, mash-ups, etc.). No real rules, other than it has to fit on a standard audio CD. My brother & friend also joined me in this music project, and I think it'll be interesting to see how our tastes change -- or not change -- over the years.

With that, here's my soundtrack for 2005 (in order of track listing):

1. Radiohead: "Everything In Its Right Place"
   
2. The Bad Plus: "Flim"
   
3. Aimee Mann: "How Am I Different"
   
4. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists: "The One Who Got Us Out"
   
5. The Clash: "Clampdown"
   
6. Jawbreaker: "Into You Like A Train"
   
7. Sinkhole: "Burning, Itching, Irritation"
   
8. Dick Dale: "Hava Nagila"
   
9. The Futureheads: "Decent Days And Nights"
   
10. The English Beat: "Twist And Crawl"
    
11. Franz Ferdinand: "The Fallen"
    
12. People Under The Stairs: "The Joyride"
    
13. Kanye West: "Gold Digger"
    
14. Beck: "E-Pro"
    
15. Bad Religion: "Incomplete"
    
16. Samiam: "Sunshine"
    
17. Pixies: "Wave Of Mutilation"
    
18. Hieroglyphics: "Oakland Blackouts"
    
19. Mr. Lif: "Heavy Artillery"
    
20. Man Or Astro-man?: "Theme From Eeviac"
    
21. DJ Danger Mouse: "Encore"
    
22. The Beatles: "You Never Give Me Your Money"
    
23. Dave Brubeck: "Stompin' For Mili"

Sedaris and Crumpet the Elf: A Holiday Tradition

Sedaris recounted his experiences playing Crumpet the elf at Macy's in New York during the holidays.

NPR's site has David Sedaris reading from his "Santaland Diaries" (originally from 1992). Very funny (as you'd expect from Sedaris), but the best part is about 4:45 into the piece, when he does his impression of Billie Holiday singing "Away in a Manger," which he does surprisingly well.

Lawton admits steroid use; says 'I was desperate'

Lawton said that he's never taken amphetamines, but injected the steroid on Sept. 20. The next day, he started in center field and hit a home run in his first at-bat.

So, let's take a look at that game in question: Yankee-Orioles on September 21. Matt Lawton hits his steroid-fueled home run, which results in the only 2 runs scored by the Yankees...who go on to win the game 2-1.

If Lawton didn't cheat to win that game for NY, the Red Sox (who had the same 95-67 record as the Yankees at the end of the season) would've actually won the American League East. (Yes I know: "If ifs and buts were candy and nuts...")

Bummer. Two of my favorite Sox pitchers are now gone. Sidearmer Mike Myers already signed with the Yankees, and now the Sox have released Chad Bradford. I guess I'll just have to get used to seeing guys pitch overhand again.

I can't stand Dan Shaughnessy, but he wrote a nice sendoff to Red Sox third-baseman "Buell" Mueller.

Mueller leaves an enduring mark with Sox

He left quietly, which is the way it always was with Bill Mueller, the Sox' Stealth Star from 2003-05.

Think about it. He played here almost every day for three years at a time when the Sox achieved popularity that bordered on religious fanaticism. He won a batting title for the Red Sox and played Gold Glove-caliber defense. He hit three home runs in a game. In a time when David Ortiz emerged as the Sox' greatest clutch hitter since Yaz, Mueller delivered two of the biggest hits in the history of the franchise. Oh, and does anybody remember that Mueller hit .429 when the Red Sox won their first World Series since World War I?

And yet, somehow, he did it all without anyone really noticing.