Two names: Norah Jones, and Steven Van Zandt.

Norah Jones, a Blue Note recording artist and amazing musician who I first witnessed live at The Fillmore in Denver opening for MMW 10 months ago has swept the Grammys, winning Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Pop Vocal Performance .  I have no idea what was behind her incredibly fast rise to the top of the entire music industry, but who cares.   She is an amazing artist, and I can only hope that this is indicative of NARAS's future direction.  When was the last time Bill Frisell, Tony Scherr and Kenny Wollenson got shout-out's on prime-time network TV from a Grammy sweeper (let alone winner)?  Her performance of "Que Sera Sera" with MMW at the 4/12/2002 show I mention above had me up off my seat screaming like a little girl and I'm sure those readers who attended with me can attest to my girlish fandom ;)  Congratulations Norah, every accolade you receive is well deserved.

Secondly, Steven Van Zandt - Is there a more interesting human being on earth than this guy - otherwise known as Sil from The Soprano's and the E Street Band's bandana-clad guitarist.  He featured prominently in both Springstein's performance of "The Rising" and also as the only soloist in the tribute to Joe Strummer with Springstein, Elvis Costello, Dave Grohl and Tony Kanal.  He is the proverbial bizomb.  Bow down!

"That most lamentable duct tape suggestion last week by a Homeland Security official -- which drove countless panicked citizens out to buy the product -- has been widely derided as useless and pretty crazy.

But maybe not so crazy. Turns out that nearly half -- 46 percent to be precise -- of the duct tape sold in this country is manufactured by a company in Avon, Ohio. And the founder of that company, that would be Jack Kahl, gave how much to the Republican National Committee and other GOP committees in the 2000 election cycle? Would that be more than $100,000?"

Cute.

[via BoingBoing]