The Raven needs to get out of the cage today, so we're just rounding up a quick selection of items of interest. Explore them at your peril.

Publishing at Random

That's what's going to be happening at Random House now that they've fired publisher Ann Godoff.

Up to now, you've had two main lines over there, Random House Trade Group, and Ballantine Books, the former doing hardcover and coffee-table books, the latter cranking out cheapie paperbacks. Godoff's firing came amid Random's decision to merge the two imprints in what is now becoming an all-too-familiar pattern of homogeneity, reduction of choice, lowering of quality, and pandering to common denominator tastes. Hey, good stuff costs money and crap sells.

Unsafe and Insane

Those are the kinds of fireworks I look for every time. We don't buy sparklers, sidewalk black worms, or Smokey Joes. We go for ordnance—stuff that flies and explodes a hundred feet overhead with a report that can be heard for miles. We like things that are comparable to dynamite so that if you have any left over after the holidays, you can use 'em for clearing tree stumps. So we mourn the passing of the Pest Control 2000, sales of which have been halted by the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission because "It certainly has the potential to maim or kill the user or anybody else around," according to a spokesman. Yeah, but that's the definition of a quality firework.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission claimed that Max 2000 distributed the devices as though they were firecrackers, without regard for the fact they contain up to 20 times the amount of explosive powder permitted in fireworks for public use.

Don't Make Me Laugh

Did you hear that Prez Bush proclaimed this Sunday to be "National Sanctity of Human Life Day"? Note the word "national," which cleverly exempts people like, well, our enemies.

He proclaimed this Sunday National Sanctity of Human Life Day, urging Americans to mark the occasion at home or in places of worship, to help others in need and to "reaffirm our commitment to respecting the life and dignity of every human being."

Shiva Me Timbers

I mentioned that Thai version of "The Weakest Link" quiz show yesterday for a reason. Eventually, we'll need to talk about the exporting of Western cultural values to other countries and what that means for them and us. Right now we're still collecting data. Here's another example to consider:

The story in my paper was titled, "Sex slowly surfacing in land of Kama Sutra," and I see it's been picked up all over the Net this morning. They're pretty modest about sex in India, and up to now a hot sex scene in their cinema involved the camera panning away to focus on a couple of buzzing bees. Still, they've got a ways to go before they catch up with us. Here's Mahesh Bhatt, a director on the forefront of the new sexy Indian cinema talking about his latest scandalous release.

There's no outright nudity "because we understand that embarrasses the Indian viewer," Bhatt said, and the kissing was toned down because the government demanded it.

"Don't let her push her tongue into his mouth," Bhatt said censors told him.

Pistol-Packin' Sophmores

A bunch of students at Mount Holyoke women's college in Springfield, Mass., have formed the first collegiate branch of Second Amendment Sisters, an organization dedicated to promoting gun ownership for women. With 75 members on board, the program looks like a success. I like this quote from a student whose boyfriend told her he wouldn't tolerate having guns around:

"I thought about it for maybe 30 seconds, and then said, 'No, never mind, you can go away now,'" she said.

Is This America?

I can't believe this story, which shows how far we've gone astray as a people.

California high court to decide if student's poetry is criminal

It doesn't scan well, but it's punchy. For his artistic efforts George T. was expelled and sentenced to 100 days in juvenile hall. It's a post Columbine world, sure, but we used to sings songs in school about burning the place down, hanging the principal, and meant it all in good, clean fun.

Now quit reading blogs and go have a fun Saturday.

12:29:11 PM