8/23: Morning Communique

CITY PAGES BLOGS

Diablo Cody delivers her Five Least Favorite Songs at the Pussy Ranch.

Steve Monaco has your movie quiz question of the week at Couch Pundit.

THESE DAYS

Two months after ending his 16-year relationship with Capitol Records, country singer Garth Brooks has used his newfound freedom to cut a deal to sell his music exclusively through Wal-Mart. Apparently the deal with Pump 'n' Munch fell through at the last minute.

The state of Connecticut filed a federal lawsuit Monday challenging President Bush's No Child Left Behind school reform law, arguing it is illegal because it requires expensive testing and programs it doesn't pay for.

"The War of the Roses" author Warren Adler is self-publishing his 28th novel, "Death of a Washington Madame," and e-mailing it free, a chapter at a time, to anyone who asks.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Lisa Marie is a student living in St. Paul, and Pop Rocks is her music-focused blog.

TIME WASTERS

The Mount St. Helens lava dome as shot from June 16th to August 16th, 2005. [via Fazed]

Sexy Adult Fairy Tale Costumes. The sexy part seems to depend heavily on who's wearing them.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability."

-- Televangelist Pat Robertson, calling for the United States government to assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez

"I never waxed or really paid attention to that area. It opened the door to a whole new sexual side of me. Getting in touch with your inner sex goddess would begin with the Brazilian wax."

-- "Desperate Housewives" actress Eva Longoria, discussing the benefits of landscaping