[1] Kid Rock

By Lynn Hirschberg

The real reason I’m linking this article about Joseph Gordon Levitt, former Third Rock From the Sun star (I guess he did other stuff too, but whatevs), is for the video. Yeah, yeah, read the article if you want but the true gem here is about half way down the page, to the left. The video is one of those crisp, black-backdrop, muted character videos that everyone claims is reminiscent of the Gap. Levitt’s face takes up most of the screen and his little soliloquy is awfully and irresistibly post-modern. Oh, New York Times, you really know how to cater to a generation of people that like to hear about their celebrities’ woes, sorrows, lovers and favorite colors all in an unbearably forced, pseudo-natural video confessional. You hate it but you love it. The article Q&A is worth reading too, I suppose, if you’re in a weird sort of biting, satirical mood like I am. The pun in the title is really quite clever. Get it? Joseph Gordon-Levitt used to be on Third ROCK From the Sun AND is like, totally rock & roll now. He’s even smoking a cigarette in one of the pictures! Where’d the boy I used to model all of my 12-year-old fantasies around go? They all grow up so fast. Ho-ho.

[2] The Chill Factor

By Amanda Witherell

Okay, so I didn’t actually think I was going to link something from Metroland, the alternative newsweekly I interned with this summer in Albany. (editor-in-chief Greg Ryan is also a Metroland alumn. whatwhat) Sure, it’s a good newspaper with deliciously “snarky” (perhaps my former editor’s favorite word) little comments, but c’mon how lame would that be? But here it is boys and girls: A link to an article printed this week in Albany’s only alternative paper. I originally cyber-wandered onto the page to check out the names of the new interns and grab me some good-‘ole Albany political gossip. Honestly! Metroland’s feature this week, however, is actually the most interesting I’ve read since, say, Monday? “The Chill Factor,” by Amanda Witherell summarizes “the biggest stories the media missed last year.” Compiled by Project Censored, article topics include the growing problem of vulture funds, a farewell to Habeus-Corpus and a creepily orchestrated crack-down on over 30,000 criminals. And yes, I do see the irony in summarizing an article of summaries, thx.

[3] Democratic Candidate Mashup

This isn’t an article but it is seriously awesome. If you have even a slight interest in politics, debate, Yahoo, Bill Maher or fancy new online thangs, check this out. Yahoo allows you to choose which Democratic candidates you’d like to hear from, the issue you’d like to hear about, and the journalist you’d like to hear question them (Your choices are Charlie Rose and Bill Maher) and “mashes” the clips together to form a do-it-yourself debate. Sick and tired of waiting for Kucinich to finish his answer so you can hear what Edwards has to lay down? The tapping of your fingers while Gravel goes on and on getting a little old? You, my friend, will love this. Make sure to click on Clinton and Bill Maher at the very least; it’s my favorite by far. Yahoo’s Mashup owns YouTube’s “You Choose” application, f’real. Now click and give Yahoo some 21^st century props. Independence and innovation are what the Internet is all about, right?